From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
#10 JACOB RODRIGUEZ/LB, TEXAS TECH (RS SENIOR) – 6011, 235
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Jacob Rodriguez 6-1/235 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Tremendous athletic ability
– Quick change of direction to avoid blocks
– Great lateral speed to chase down screens
– Gets downhill quickly to attack vs run
– Makes offensive linemen miss in space
– Has short area closing speed
– Switches gaps to make tackles
– Locates ball carriers quickly
– Not fooled by misdirection
-Scrapes around edge to make tackles
– Great contact balance taking on blocks
– Uses strong hands to shed blocks
– Will out-muscle blocking tight ends and receivers
– Has athleticism to play man coverage
– Collisions receivers in off-man coverage
– Gets collisions in zone coverage
– High awareness in zone coverage
– Gets in throwing windows
– Blitzes with speed
– Good ball skills
– Fights for turnovers
– High motor
THE BAD
– Lacks elite play strength to take on blocks once gripped
– Can leave feet too early when tackling, and stronger ball carriers can run through him
– Average gap discipline
– Weak pass rush ability
– Gets tired as game moves along and loses speed
STATS
– Started 30 games across 4 years at Texas Tech. Transferred from Virginia, where he played as an offensive weapon. Was featured at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver
– 2025: 128 tackles, 11 TFL, 1 sack, 7 forced fumbles, 4 interceptions, 6 PBUs
– Career at Texas Tech: 302 tackles, 24.5 TFL, 6 sacks, 6 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, 6 interceptions
– Led all of college football with 7 forced fumbles
– Played 40 snaps in the slot in 2025
INJURY HISTORY
– 2025: Calf contusion vs Houston and left the game
– 2023: Lisfranc sprain and missed seven games
– He has previously mentioned suffering minor hand injuries from causing fumbles
– Was questionable throughout the week before the Orange Bowl, but played through injuries
BACKGROUND
– Turning 24 in September of 2026
– Won the 2025 Chuck Bednarik Award
– Finished 5th in the 2025 Heisman Trophy voting
– Also won the Butkus Award, Lombardi Trophy, and Bronko Nagurski Trophy in 2025
– Won the 2025 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
– Named a 2025 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Finalist
– Received 2025 First Team All-American Honors
– Named to 2024 All-Big 12 First Team
– Three-star prospect out of Rider High School in Texas
– Was a four-sport athlete, competing in basketball, baseball, and track and field as well
– Played quarterback and safety in high school, throwing for 7085 yards and 68 touchdowns in his career
– Named the District 3-5A MVP as a senior
– His wife, Emma, is a helicopter pilot in the Army
– He left Virginia for Texas Tech without a scholarship and came as a walk-on. He took a student loan to pay for school and slept on the floor of his brother’s apartment
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Jacob Rodriguez is a tremendous athlete who flies all over the field with a high motor. He never comes out of the game, and for good reasons. He made plays throughout the year that not a lot of linebackers make, which is why he was in the top 5 in Heisman voting.
The first thing that jumps out is his incredible athletic ability, displayed by short-area quickness, lateral speed, and quick change of direction. He flies to the ball with great speed and makes tackles that should be big gains. He uses his change of direction to be a consistent winner in the run game, getting around blocks and making tackles. He will engage the offensive lineman, locate the ball carrier, and can quickly switch gaps to make tackles, like on this play.
When taking on blocks, he can throw linemen off him with his strong arms and take them out of the play. Rodriguez also has great bend and can sink his pad level to get beneath the hands of a blocker and make a tackle. He elevates his play in big games and makes significant stops. Here, he stops Oregon quarterback Dante Moore on a huge fourth-down stop in the playoffs.
When taking on blocks in space, he will beat offensive linemen who don’t use their hands. He has unreal contact balance and keeps his eyes on the ball carrier at all times. He has the ability to take on blocks and still understand what is going on in front of him to make tackles. This concentration, paired with his speed, makes for great plays, like this screen vs BYU.
In coverage, Rodriguez has a good understanding of his role. He has the speed to keep up with running backs and tight ends in man coverage, and he gets into collisions in off-man coverage to affect their routes. Because of his safety background, he has good technique and can handle himself down the field.
In zone, he is effective as a hook dropper and reads the quarterback’s eyes well, and can quickly close on a checkdown and make a tackle for a limited gain. He does a good job of walling off vertical receivers, attaching to the bottom hip, and not letting them create separation. Rodriguez will also be an effective quarterback spy due to his athleticism.
As a flat defender, he gets in windows of curls and comebacks while keeping eyes on the quarterback. He can sometimes get too focused on collisions and let another receiver get behind him, but that is fixable. He is athletic enough to recover quickly vs. play action, as shown here, where he gets to the bottom hip of the receiver and carries him vertically.
Rodriguez had a lot of tackles this year, but there are some small things he needs to work on, technique-wise. He can leave his feet too early, and strong-legged ball carriers can get through him. Vs Utah early in the season, he missed 3 tackles on the first 2 drives because of this. He cleaned it up as the season moved along, but that is something to watch.
He does not have elite play strength, which can expose him when leaving his feet.
While Rodriguez was a great run defender this year, I have concerns about how his play strength will hold up against NFL offensive linemen. He will still be able to avoid blocks with his quick change of direction, but when linemen get a grip on him, they can move him down the field.
This hardly happened in college, but there are some examples of him getting dominated at the point of attack to the point where it is a concern moving forward. He will need to improve his play strength to be a positive every-down player in the NFL. Here is an example of him getting tossed around vs Oregon.
CONCLUSION
Jacob Rodriguez is a tremendous athlete who can make plays all over the field due to his speed. He is positive in both the run and pass game because of this, and has room to get stronger to be a better run defender. He has a high motor and a grinder mindset that he will not be denied. He fights through blocks with full effort and wins, but there are some concerning plays regarding his strength, which is why he is not a for-sure first-round pick right now.
Getting stronger will help him a lot because he already has the change-of-direction and contact balance to make plays. In coverage, he gives teams a high floor in man and zone coverage. If he increases his play strength, he will be a highly productive player.
NFL Projection: Early-Mid Day 2
Steelers Depot Grade: 8.1 (Long Time Starter)
Grade Range: 7.8-8.9
Games Watched: at Utah (2025), vs BYU (2025), vs BYU (Big 12 Championship) (2025), vs Oregon (2025)
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