Ross Homan Scouting Report

Ohio State Buckeyes outside linebacker Ross Homan is a three-year starter with a high motor, good football IQ and plays sideline to sideline with intensity. The knock on Homan right now is his speed and size. As the NFL has become more and more athletic over the last 10 years, defenses are simply looking for bigger and faster players across the board. Homan, listed at 6'0 and 227 pounds, is undersized for the position despite being one of those players who is said to have a "nose for the football".

Homan's speed is also a question mark. Given his size, the fact that he's listed as having run a 4.75 40-yard dash is a concern. In all likelihood, after being drafted, he would be asked to bulk his body up which would only take away his speed.

With those negatives in mind, the kid can flat-out play at the college level. He plays tough, is an excellent tackler and can diagnose plays very quickly. Homan can sometimes get eaten up by blockers if he gets sucked into the trenches, but he maintains a good path to the ball carrier by playing well with good quickness and quality pursuit angles.

If Homan were a few inches taller with an extra 20 pounds of muscle on his body while maintaining his speed, he could easily be a mid-second round prospect.

Chris Homan currently projects as a fourth to fifth round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.