Atlanta Falcons Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was considered under-sized when he was drafted. He measured 6'0 3/4" and 304 pounds at the NFL combine and fell to the Falcons in the fifth round.
Looking at his measurables, they were good, but nothing stood out as spectacular. He had a 5.06 forty, 4.56 shuttle and 7.37 3-cone. He showed plenty of strength with 30 reps of 225 on the bench press. Each of those results is good, but not elite, which helps explain why he dropped so low in the draft after a standout career at Clemson.
One of the most underrated traits an interior lineman can have is hand speed and strength. It's underrated because it can't be measured conventionally, similar to balance and vision for a running back.
But it's easy to tell when a player has quick hands and knows how to use them.
Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Chuck Smith currently trains football players of all ages at Chuck Smith Training Systems. He helps them hone their technique to be more effective on the field. Smith knows a thing or two about the position as he's the Falcons fourth all-time leading sack man with 58.5 in his career.
Smith posted a video of his defensive line drills, and Grady Jarrett is frighteningly quick with his hands.
Smith praises Jarrett's reaction and quickness. Again, two attributes that don't show up at testing during the NFL combine, but certainly show up on the field.
Jarrett is currently 16th on the Falcons all-time sack list after his sixth season. If he can match his 2019 career best total of 7.5 sacks this season, he'll jump into the top 10.
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