Jimmie Gilbert Jr. - Colorado

Position: OLB

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 234 lbs

Year: Senior

Hometown: College Station, Texas

Experience: 1-Year Starter

Measurables*:

40yd dash: 4.64s

Broad jump: 120 in.

Vertical: 37 in.

3-cone: DNP

20yd. Shuttle: 4.64s

Bench Press: 12 reps

*Height, weight, and measurables are from Colorado’s pro day as Gilbert was not invited to the NFL Combine.

Career Notes:

In his time at Colorado, Gilbert has always been an outside linebacker in the Buffaloes’ 3-4 defense. He split snaps between the strong side and the weak side for a defense that wreaked havoc on passers. In his first three seasons combined, he had an unimpressive 8.5 total sacks.

In those three years, Gilbert started only 13 games. In his 2016 campaign as a senior, he earned his spot on the field at the beginning of every game and started all 14 of the Buffaloes’ games. While the top 5 secondary certainly helped out the defensive line, Gilbert did his part to help the secondary pressuring quarterbacks.

Gilbert figured it out as a senior and racked up 11 sacks en route to a spot on the All-Pac 12 First Team. Along the way, he also doubled his production in tackles for loss in his senior season. His improvement outpaced his increase in snaps as a senior—his game grew in 2016. His numbers did not simply inflate alongside extra snaps.

Injury Report:

Gilbert suffered no noteworthy on-field injuries, but did sit out the spring between his sophomore and junior seasons to rehabilitate an unspecified chronic condition.

Career Stats(click here): 

Analysis:

Against the Run 2.75/5.0: Gilbert showed some capacity to stack and shed offensive linemen. His hands aren’t huge, but they were consistently powerful and active. He battled linemen for position out of the snap and showed a surprisingly strong anchor for his size whenever he squared his hips. If he was not square with a defender, he could be knocked over sideways by even receivers with little effort. Despite showing some power, he had the tendency to try to get around guys too much. He read the direction of plays well, but often was not agile enough to pursue top-speed runners in the backfield. This led to a few breakaway plays to his side.

Pass Rush 3.0/5.0: Gilbert often looked hesitant or unsure of whether he should pursue the quarterback or try to bust the pocket more slowly. He could plant his foot and go outside-in against talented offensive linemen, forcing bad leverage that disrupted quarterbacks’ vision. He had a quick enough speed rush to plant a shoulder inside a lineman’s chest and bend the corner to make contact with quarterbacks. He had the length and leaping ability to bat down passes every so often.

Coverage 3.0/5.0: GIlbert showed he could drop back in coverage and use his height, length, and leaping ability to get in the way of passing options. He was not often tested by quarterbacks, and part of that is because he often put himself in good positions in zone coverage.

Agility 3.25/5.0: For as light as he was, Gilbert should have been a lot quicker. In the open field against marginally agile backs, he was a deer in headlights. While he was still fairly quick for a pass rusher, his size required a lot lighter feet for him to make a difference.

Impact Play Ability 2.75/5.0: Gilbert was in the way of a lot of offensive plays and had his hands in a lot of offensive linemen’s cookie jars. His ability to rush the passer, hang in there against run blocking, and drop into coverage kept him on the field for all three downs. His sack total is a little deceptive in terms of his playmaking ability, however, he did not just luck his way into 11 sacks.

Summary: Gilbert’s growth from his junior to his senior season put him on the NFL’s radar, and his growth largely came in the form of improved technique. His hands never stopped moving on the line. He was not as quick off the snap as one would hope. He maintained good pad level and could toss around guys he was giving up 80 pounds to. Except for a solid first punch or rip move, his upper body strength was nothing to write home about. He generated power with his legs and kept himself in plays that many 230 pound linebackers would have trouble staying in.

Overall Grade 2.95/5.0

If Drafted by the Packers:

Gilbert is not the edge player who will solve all the Packers’ present concerns about pressuring quarterbacks, but he could add depth to the pass rushing position. He would help out in a similar way as Jayrone Elliott did as a rookie, coming in situationally and putting some heat on quarterbacks from the weak side. As the Packers go late into the third day of the draft, they may look to take a shot on the lanky linebacker from Colorado. He’ll probably be available in the seventh round, and at that point he would be a great value. Two concerns come to mind with Gilbert about his burst of output as a senior: the uptick in sacks and tackles for loss may have been a fluke—an unreliable one-year sample—or he may have maxed out his potential in terms of technique, in which case adding weight would only make a small difference in his game. If either of those concerns are true, the late pick would not be wasted as Gilbert would remain a reliable player in the rotation with a good eye for reading runners and quarterbacks. If neither of those concerns are true, then Gilbert has some growing to do and could develop into a full-time starter by the end of his rookie contract, at which time he would be just 26 years old.

VIDEO:

*The video of Mason Rudolph's game against Colorado is the most expansive tape one can find of Gilbert on DraftBreakdown for any one game.