Austin Booker scouting report: Exploring the Kansas edge defender’s strengths and weaknesses

As one of the 1,000 highly sought-after recruits for Minnesota in 2021, Austin Booker spent his first year as a redshirt with the Gophers. In the subsequent year, he only played in six games and had two tackles, one of which was for a loss.

His decision to transfer to Kansas before the 2023 season proved to be a wise one, as he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named the conference’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year. This was a result of his impressive stats, including 56 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Specifics: Six feet and six inches in height, weighing 245 pounds; a redshirt sophomore.

Analyzing Austin Booker’s strengths and weaknesses

Key Attributes

Tackling and Stopping the Run Game

• Austin Booker’s skill in the run game is evident as he adeptly uses his hands to fend off blockers at the point of attack and smoothly maneuvers around them to make first contact.
• Utilizing the concept of one arm being longer than two, he effectively locks out on the edge and swiftly moves inside to assist in making the tackle when he notices the back cutting through the B-/C-gap.
• Capable of using pressure to push back linemen on the front side of zone strategies, while also being able to break free and avoid being overpowered on the edges.
• Occasionally, he will back-door blockers to force running backs to change direction or cut back, particularly if he senses that he is being overpowered.
• I am willing to use my shoulder to push into a pulling guard and close off the lane they are trying to create.
• He effectively uses his hands as weapons to fend off blocks and create opportunities for himself to reach the ball. He also actively participates in plays outside of his own area, relentlessly pursuing the ball with great determination. When he reaches the ball, he delivers a powerful impact.
• The alert individual is aware of potential reversals and does not easily give up, thereby bearing the responsibility of avoiding misdirection.
• Despite being peeled off the edge a few times, the player demonstrated loose movement skills in space and was able to prevent easy underneath completions, earning a 77.2 PFF coverage grade.

Rushing the Quarterback

• As the time runs out, the snap is quickly made and the ball is explosively blown off the line of scrimmage, with the player taking long strides along the arc.
• With his explosive burst, he can easily challenge the outside edge of tackles. Additionally, the vines attached to his shoulders provide him with more leeway when attempting to overcome the hands of his opponents.
• Next, he will execute a slick euro-step move, quickly maneuvering inside for a shot.
• Demonstrating remarkable swiftness in longer plays, he has the ability to maneuver his shoulders to navigate through defenders. Despite his towering 6’6″frame, his skill in dipping his inside shoulder and eluding opponents with ease is truly impressive.
• Despite his wicked spin move, there is still room for improvement in the way he executes it against tackles.
• Demonstrates the skill to penetrate the inner chest of tackles, either by directly attacking the quarterback or forcing him to move from his position.
• He effectively uses his arm-pit grab on tackles when he is in line with the quarterback, pushing them up the field to clear a path for himself to the passer.
• Monitors the quarterback’s actions and possesses exceptional agility in short distances to chase down the quarterback.
• By utilizing his skills, Austin Booker effectively turns the aggressiveness of linemen trying to sell play-action against them. He cleverly employs the technique of yanking their cloth, causing them to move forward and allowing him to slip past them.

Limitations

• Austin Booker played in 18 games, but only started one after taking a redshirt year. He also never played a significant number of snaps, with his highest being just over 50 in one game.
• Despite his lanky build, this player struggles to regain his footing and anchor himself when opponents gain momentum in the running game. This is particularly evident when he stands up and engages in too many physical battles.
• You will often notice a misstep off the ball in his somewhat narrow stance, which hinders his explosiveness and results in him being relatively high.
• While he may not be the most polished pass-rusher in terms of setting up maneuvers and using lateral movement to reach the quarterback, he is able to efficiently find his way to the quarterback without the need for excessive lateral movement.
• Consistently lacks power and can be easily redirected by experienced pass-protectors.

Austin Booker’s 2024 NFL Draft Predictions

As a transfer who didn’t have many opportunities to start and wasn’t necessarily expected to leave Kansas until my redshirt sophomore year, Austin Booker wasn’t a player I had considered as a potential 2024 draft pick.

Despite taking a while to get to his tape, I found it to be an enjoyable viewing experience. Despite lacking consistency, the lanky player showcased a variety of pass-rush moves, though he has not perfected any of them except for his euro-step to beat tackles.

During Senior Bowl week, you also noticed that he needed to improve his ability to threaten the outside shoulder and establish his initial move during one-on-ones. However, during team sessions, there was a four-play sequence where he only dropped out once and otherwise utilized three completely different moves to secure a win.

Regrettably, Austin Booker’s performance at the combine did not meet my expectations. However, his impressive reach and ability to make impactful plays in the run game, combined with glimpses of his potential to pressure the quarterback using various techniques, lead me to believe that he will not remain available until the third round. It is unlikely that he would have declared for the draft this early without receiving feedback from NFL teams.

Austin Booker was selected in the third round.