SEC Network's Booger McFarland is certainly an expert when it comes to defensive linemen and how they might do in the pros. He played his college ball at LSU as a defensive tackle and then won two Super Bowl rings —- one with the Colts and another with Tampa Bay.
He was on a podcast with Mel Kiper and Dari Nowkhah and talked about Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa. He was really not impressed by the prospect who is very high on everyone's boards including Kiper's. He even went so far as to call Bosa overrated and said that a former teammate of his was better than him.
"I start looking at a guy who's probably gonna measure 6-3, 6-3 1/2, maybe 6-4 and about 265-270 pounds, I don't know where you put him at. I don't see the type of production and the type of athleticism that I think is gonna translate to the NFL. I think he's a bit overrated by this Kiper guy."
His main criticism of Bosa is a lack of versatility —- even though he put up great numbers in college at a great football school.
"[Bosa] had a lot of production at Ohio State, but when you look at how he's gonna fit in the NFL, let's talk about the positions that he can and cannot play. Is he a right end and is he a guy that has elite speed that can turn the corner? I don't think so. Can he play left end? I think left end in a 4-3 is a spot he could play."
And then came the dagger when he said that his own former teammate Noah Spence —- he played last year at Eastern Kentucky —- is the better pro prospect.
"Noah Spence is the best edge rusher in this draft, and quite frankly, Mel, it's not even close. You talk about elite athleticism, can turn the corner. The one thing Joey Bosa has is good technique, but technique with no athleticism I don't think translates to the NFL. I think Noah Spence, whoever gets him is gonna get a guy that's gonna be a Von Miller type. A guy that can be a 10, 12, 15 sack a year guy for a long time."
Those are some shots fired from the former lineman! Bosa will have the opportunity to prove him wrong at the combine and when he plays in the NFL because he's getting drafted early.
[h/t CollegeSpun]
