Scouting Report: Stephen Nicholas

Stephen Nicholas Things were kicked off with a scouting report on middle linebacker Curtis Lofton. Now its time to look at someone that may be playing beside him this year: Stephen Nicholas. Pros: He is a physical, hard-hitting linebacker that thrives near the line of scrimmage. Does his best work when he is allowed to attack upfield. Can make stops in the backfield. Shows good burst and quickness off the edge as a blitzer and pass rusher. Can even line up with his hand in the dirt on occasion. Shows good speed and can make plays against the run both in pursuit and at the point of attack. Cons: Lacks ideal quickness and burst and struggles in coverage due to lacking hips and awareness. Best when he can keep things in front of him, and too often gets turned around in coverage. His tackling ability tends to be less effective when he’s playing in space. 2010 Outlook: Nicholas is a nice fit at the strongside linebacker for the Falcons in their base package. The Falcons seem to cov...