Ht/Wt: 6-2/265 lbs
Position: DE/OLB
School: Alabama
Class: Senior

Courtney Upshaw's Player Profile

Courtney Upshaw looks like he belongs in a Steeler uniform. Cut from the same mold as Lamarr Woodley, James Harrison and James Farrior. Words that describe Upshaw are big, strong, physical, aggressive. Scouts are going to like the fact that he has great experience at the 3-4 defense, has played multiple position. Coming from Alabama and being a LB prospect Courtney has benefited from great experience, coaching, and team and individual success. I think the natural position for Courtney will be weakside OLB, he is a strong pass rusher, has great instincts to blow plays up and is a hard hitter capable of forcing turnovers. For a guy his size he does a good job in pass coverage as most Saban LBs are, he executes his assignments well and plays really hard. As a pass rusher he is going to run through you, like the aforementioned Steelers LBs. He doesn’t use edge quickness much or body lean, he simply makes the opposition pay for trying to block him than gets to the ball. He can also play inside backer and probably DE in a pinch. Bottom line is Upshaw is a football player, he is going to bring smarts, and a tenacious attitude to your team.

His size is impressive but he is not a chiseled athlete, you will find prospects that do better in the eye ball test. His speed and quickness are average. Courtney is not a guy that is natural in space. He drops into zone coverage and will probably be a mismatch if you ash him to cover RBs or TEs. Also, he did have an arrest and battled injury his sophomore year so it is wait and see how his character and medical checks go. He doesn’t have much of a pass rush arsenal, doesn’t have the skills to get to the pass rusher at will. Another question is that maybe he has benefited from the talent around him and his schemes that he may show more weaknesses in the NFL.

I'm not a Steeler fan but they need to draft him. It would be a most natural fit. With many of their stars aging, Upshaw would fit in really well with their scheme and be able to play multiple positions to start. If he goes to a bad defense especially if it is not a 3-4 he may not live up to where he is drafted because he is not a guy that takes over a game. In college he has been consistent and productive and has given his team the attitude to dominate on defense. My NFL comparison is Lamarr Woodley/ James Harrison.
Profile submitted by: Tom Patterson

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Courtney Upshaw NFL Draft Analysis - 2010 Season



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Courtney Upshaw