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 NCAA Scouting – Player Profile:
Dan Connor, LB
by Sam Monson
3/3/2008
Not so long ago Dan Connor was seen as the cream of the crop of the 2008 draft class when it comes to the linebacker position. He was being mentioned in the same breath as Ohio State’s AJ Hawk in terms of prospect calibre. Since then however, Connor has slid down most draft boards to the point where he finds himself one of those borderline first round players. He leaves Penn State, Linebacker U, as one of the most decorated players at the position they have ever produced, having had a standout career in college.
 Connor was a star recruit when he came out of High School. At Strath Haven High School, Connor was a consensus All-American, as well as being named as the nation’s top prep-recruit at linebacker. Connor, team captain and MVP, also earned All-state honours three years running.
Connor tallied 419 career tackles, a Penn State record, and 47 more than the previous record, during his 4 years in college. In his senior season he recorded 147, was named the Bednarik Award winner, and a finalist for the Butkus Award. He holds all the hallmarks of an outstanding linebacker, so why has he begun to slip down draft boards?
What we like about Connor
Connor is a football player, pure and simple. Scouts love his instincts for the game, and ability to read and react, the primary function of any linebacker. He also holds all the desired intangibles; he’s a strong leader, a dedicated worker in training and practice and has matured well over his 4 year career. He’s also a versatile player, bringing positional flexibility that a lot of NFL personnel love, because he can play all three linebacker positions in a 4-3 scheme. He compensates for his athletic shortcomings by taking good angles to the ball, and by the speed with which he diagnoses plays and gets in good positions to disrupt things.
Question marks about Connor
 Connor is only an adequate athlete, and doesn’t have the eye-popping measurables that NFL personnel look for in their top 1st round picks. He is also not a natural athlete in coverage, and may be a liability if asked to cover receivers deeper than the underneath zones. His pass-rush moves are also rather limited, in that he shows only the one. Whilst it is effective, it’s likely to get neutralised at the next level, and he will need to develop something else. At 230 lbs, Connor will also struggle to take on the more physical NFL blockers, and needs to anchor at the point of attack better.
Highlight of his college career
At the end of the 2006 season, Connor and the #3 ranked Nittany Lions beat Florida St 26-23 to win the Orange Bowl.
Other snippets
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Connor is the 3rd brother to play College football.
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Won the Under Armour Award (MVP) of the Senior Bowl
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Connor compares to his ex Penn St team-mate Paul Posluszny
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Potential good fits: Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, New England Patriots
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