2014 NFL Draft: Prospect Profile -- Dominique Easley, DT, Florida

Not another defensive tackle! This one tore his ACL, too!

True.

Dominique Easley is more than just a defensive tackle, however. He was one of the most dominant players in college football before tearing said ACL. Playing as a 3 technique for the University of Florida, Easley was a disruptive force, playing more in the opponent backfield than the running back. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL early and ended his season.

He's small, playing at 6-foot-2, 285 pounds and has enough quickness to play both defensive tackle and defensive end. Today, he is the subject of our 2014 NFL Draft prospect profile.

Pros

- Explosive. Incredibly explosive.

- Fantastic swim move. Polished pass rusher.

- Strong versus the run and makes several stops in the backfield.

- High motor and effort player. Does not quit on plays.

- Highly active hands and strong upper body.

Cons

- Tore his ACL in late September. Could be considered injury prone.

- Undersized.

- Penchant for penalties at times.

- Sometimes loses center of gravity and goes high.

Does He Fit With The Giants?

Yes. The only true one-gapping 3 techniques the Giants have on their roster are Markus Kuhn and Cullen Jenkins. I don't believe Kuhn is the answer there and Jenkins only has one more year on his deal and is over 30 years of age. The Giants rely on interior pressure, and it can be argued that before his injury Easley was the best in all of college football in that regard.

Prospect Video

Dominique Easley (DT Florida) vs Tennessee 2013 (via Aimal Arsalla)

Big Board Rankings

Big Blue View - Not ranked in top 50

Mocking The Draft - 32

CBS Sports - 80

Draft Countdown - 50

Draft Tek - 77

Final Thoughts

This is definitely another 'Tank Carradine' situation with an explosive rusher who suffered an in-season ACL injury. A team will have to take a risk on them, but the reward will be potentially great. I think that Easley more than likely goes in the late second round.

With the Giants really needing to hit on all their early picks this year, I'm not sure they should go for Easley in the second round, however, if he's sitting there in the third round, he certainly should merit some consideration. There's no way that he should be available after the third, but if he is, it's a no-brainer. A lot is dependent on his medical and how he bounces back from his rehab, so his grades right now are very, very flexible. Was a sure fire first-rounder if he kept his game up the way he was playing in September.