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Dante Draft Predictions

rocklobster

Well-known member
Does anyone have a prediction as to where Dante will go in the draft? I know he still has the East West Shrine game and the combines to figure out where he might go, but I'm wondering what everyone else thinks. I'm thinking 5th round, but will he go earlier or later than that? His stock has definitely gone up since winning the Buck Buchanan award. What do you all think?
 
https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/2020-eastwest-shrine-bowl-preview--linebackers

LATE ROUND STEAL: DANTE OLSON, MONTANA
Dante Olson is a tackling machine with two consecutive seasons racking up the most tackles in the FCS. If you thought the 151 tackles (13.7 per game) he posted in 2018 was good, just wait until you realize Olson logged 179 in 2019.

Those looking for some context on Olson as a player need look no further than his performance against Oregon this season — he rose to the occasion against the best competition on the schedule, logging 14 tackles that day. Olson is smart, disciplined and as accomplished as you'll find for an FCS defender. He'll be solid depth at the position in the NFL and should get a long look on special teams too.

Raiders Report: https://fullpresscoverage.com/2019/12/31/2020-raiders-draft-prospect-lb-dante-olson/

Inside Linebacker ratings: http://draftcountdown.com/2020-nfl-draft-rankings/2020-inside-linebacker-rankings/

Small School Prospects: https://www.nfldraftdiamonds.com/2019/06/small-schoolers-2/

Mock Draft: https://www.draftsite.com/nfl/player/dante-olson/34421/

Walter Football Rankings: https://walterfootball.com/draft2020ILB.php
 
He certainly would be a late round steal if he went in a late round, but he will go sooner than that, is my view.
 
Gaeilge1 said:
Mid third to high fourth round. There is really no downside to Dante.

My thoughts too. Would be disappointed if he fell past the 4th. If he played at an FBS school, he’d easily be a 3rd rounder or better.
 
:thumb: I can't argue with their guess of 3rd round. Will contribute immediately. :clap: :clap:

Dante Olson HEIGHT: 6' 3" WEIGHT: 240
SCHOOL: University of Montana
2020 NFL MOCK DRAFT DraftSite Mock Draft Projection Round:3 Pick: 100
 
http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20190925123234903626404&ref=hea&tm=&src=FCS
This says 6th to 7th. That's about my guess, maybe better now that he got all that buck Buchanan attention.
 
By the time teams see Dante’s pro day results, including his ridiculous vertical, he could be a 3rd or 4th rounder. Highly doubt he slips to the 6th or 7th.
 
How about 4th Rd, 7th pick(103 pick of the draft) Panthers need a replacement for Kuechly...Dante fits the need.
 
electricgriz42 said:
I really like the mock draft with the 3rd rd, pick 100 to the patriots.
Do you think he would just retire if that happened? There is always grad school or working a tuna boat.
 
I just hope he can play and stay healthy. Our LB's that have gone on to the next level have had an issue with that....
 
alabamagrizzly said:
Gaeilge1 said:
Mid third to high fourth round. There is really no downside to Dante.
My thoughts too. Would be disappointed if he fell past the 4th. If he played at an FBS school, he’d easily be a 3rd rounder or better.
If he played at an FBS school, with the same numbers, he might be even higher than that. The only other “tackling machine” out there – Evan Weaver of Cal – has always been rated a solid 3rd round pick in that DraftSite.com Mock Draft. Dante, of course, has been steadily rising.

The Draft Network site – which called him a “late round steal” above – did not seem to have a full scouting report on Dante. The did, however, have one for Weaver which I found very interesting:
https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/evan-weaver

The first line of the scouting summary says:
Evan Weaver is most definitely a starting linebacker at the NFL level, although his three down skills are going to be limited based on his [in]ability to fulfill coverage reps with consistency and efficiency.
They praise Weaver’s tackling skills (well, Duh!), upper body strength, motor, and so on. But what makes this interesting are the weaknesses they list:
Lateral Mobility - Sideline to sideline range isn't a strength and plays working outside the numbers can challenge him to maintain his fits.

Coverage Skills - Limited. Doesn't have the most dynamic hips to play turn and run coverage and was tested up the seam in both zone coverage to open and react to the ball or in man to work eyes back to the football. Ideally he's off the field on obvious passing situations. 

Feet/COD - He isn't the most dynamic and his range shines better when it isn't in short spaces, he isn't the most springy or explosive in COD situations …
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t these skills where Dante shines, or is pretty damn good? How many times have we raved about how Dante “is all over the field” and has great feet. And he’s not too shabby in coverage. Not sure how many Interceptions and Break-Ups he has, but I recall they’re not bad for a linebacker.
 
IdaGriz01 said:
alabamagrizzly said:
Gaeilge1 said:
Mid third to high fourth round. There is really no downside to Dante.
My thoughts too. Would be disappointed if he fell past the 4th. If he played at an FBS school, he’d easily be a 3rd rounder or better.
If he played at an FBS school, with the same numbers, he might be even higher than that. The only other “tackling machine” out there – Evan Weaver of Cal – has always been rated a solid 3rd round pick in that DraftSite.com Mock Draft. Dante, of course, has been steadily rising.

The Draft Network site – which called him a “late round steal” above – did not seem to have a full scouting report on Dante. The did, however, have one for Weaver which I found very interesting:
https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/evan-weaver

The first line of the scouting summary says:
Evan Weaver is most definitely a starting linebacker at the NFL level, although his three down skills are going to be limited based on his [in]ability to fulfill coverage reps with consistency and efficiency.
They praise Weaver’s tackling skills (well, Duh!), upper body strength, motor, and so on. But what makes this interesting are the weaknesses they list:
Lateral Mobility - Sideline to sideline range isn't a strength and plays working outside the numbers can challenge him to maintain his fits.

Coverage Skills - Limited. Doesn't have the most dynamic hips to play turn and run coverage and was tested up the seam in both zone coverage to open and react to the ball or in man to work eyes back to the football. Ideally he's off the field on obvious passing situations. 

Feet/COD - He isn't the most dynamic and his range shines better when it isn't in short spaces, he isn't the most springy or explosive in COD situations …
Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t these skills where Dante shines, or is pretty damn good? How many times have we raved about how Dante “is all over the field” and has great feet. And he’s not too shabby in coverage. Not sure how many Interceptions and Break-Ups he has, but I recall they’re not bad for a linebacker.

Once again, I think it falls back to the name stenciled on his chest. I agree 100% that Dante’s quickness to the ball is behind few if no one but due to lack of “expert” analysis, his stock isn’t what it should be. One of those sites had an estimated 40 time of 4.78. That’s pretty slow for NFL caliber linebackers. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he does officially. I wonder if he’ll get a combine invite, which it would be criminal if he didn’t. The people that know for sure though are all the nfl scouts that have been grading him and most those, especially with “diamonds in the ruff” like to keep their cards close to their chest. When it’s all said and done, Dante’s gonna go in the round he deserves to go in and all the so-called experts will hopefully be proven wrong.
 
I think Dante is going to prove a lot of doubters wrong. No matter what round he gets drafted I believe he will end up starting. He is extremely gifted. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess he will be more successful in the NFL than Trumaine was. As long as he don't get snubbed due to teams being too proud to start a late rounder over an early rounder.
 
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