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2015 NFL Draft Combine Profile: Florida Defensive End Dante Fowler Jr.

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Coming out of Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., Dante Fowler Jr. was an acclaimed defensive prospect. Following his senior season there Fowler was selected to the 2012 Under Armour All-America Game, nominated as an honorable mention to Sports Illustrated’s All-American team and was ranked a five-star prospect by Rivals.com.

Fowler made an impact for the University of Florida as a true freshman, working his way into the rotation and totaling 30 tackles and 2.5 sacks. These numbers were good enough to get Fowler recognized as a first-team All-SEC freshman-team nominee in 2012. 2013 would see Fowler build on those stats and earn himself a first-team All-SEC distinction, ending the season with 50 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. This past season Fowler racked up 60 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and became arguably the SEC’s biggest impact defender.

Fowler is listed at 6-foot-3 and anywhere from 260-280 pounds. The reason for this weight fluctuation is because of Fowler’s versatility on the field, switching between defensive end and the featured outside linebacker position in Bill Muschamp’s defense. This athleticism with natural strength, length and speed is what makes Fowler such an intriguing prospect. He’s able to play both the pass and run with equal effectiveness, brightening his future in the NFL considerably.

Where Fowler stands to improve some is with his pass-rush techniques. Fowler needs to learn different moves to disengage linemen and get to the quarterback, rather than relying on his athletic ability alone. His instincts aren’t the best either, as he could learn how to better diagnose and react to the play in front of him.

Fortunately for Fowler, his areas for improvement are all coachable. Physically he is as gifted as any prospect in the draft and, with the proper time to develop, Fowler has the upside to become an elite defender in the NFL. The best situation for him would be on a team where he’s not going to be heavily relied on right off the bat.

Because of his athletic prowess and positional versatility, Fowler is not going to last long in the first round of the draft. I have him going as high as No. 4 to the Oakland Raiders and as low as No. 12 to the Cleveland Browns. Ultimately, I don’t have him making it out of the top 10, going No. 9 overall to the New York Giants.

Doug Green is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com covering the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL.  Follow him on Twitter @DGreenNFL

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