Michael Sam won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the SEC east champion Missouri Tigers and made the play of the game to clinch the AT&T Cotton Bowl vs. the Oklahoma State Cowboys, but despite his college success his NFL future is very much in question.
Sam led the SEC with 10.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss and at 6-2, 261-pounds hasn’t been able to show he is anything more than a one-dimensional player. Furthermore, he’s the classic ‘tweener’ who is not big enough to play defensive end in a 4-3 defense and isn’t comfortable in space as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense.
Michael Sam/Mizzou looks great in drills at DE but has done nothing to make anyone believe the transition to OLB will be quick or easy.
— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) January 21, 2014
Coaches working Michael Sam on where he needs to be at LB as the play develops. Rough transition thus far.
— Dan Kadar (@ByDanKadar) January 21, 2014
Michael Sam of Missouri really struggled today. It's hard to see a team spending a pick on the first two days of the draft on him.
— Dan Kadar (@ByDanKadar) January 21, 2014
It wasn’t all bad news for Sam but he looks like he could be one of the players who has talent evaluators split on their assessment of him.
Thought Michael Sam looked very good. Playing OLB. So fast, quick off ball. Versatile. Rush passer, redirect in space. #Missouri #seniorbowl
— Jamie Newberg (@JamieNewberg) January 21, 2014
Players who have to make a transition from one position to another against elite competition are bond to have some hiccups along the way, so it will be interesting to see how Sam adapts to playing at linebacker and how much more prepared he will be at next month’s NFL combine.