Tommy Eichenberg scouting report: Exploring the Ohio State LB's strengths and weaknesses

A four-star recruit in 2018, Tommy Eichenberg took an initial redshirt and was almost purely a special teams player until 2021, when he was second on the team in tackles (64 with 6.5 for loss). The following season, he racked up 120 stops, 12 for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass intercepted and three more broken up, which earned him first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American accolades.

His numbers took a massive hit as a 10-game contributor in 2023 (82 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack and forced fumble each), but he was still recognized as a consensus first-team All-Big Ten choice.

Details: 6-foot-2, 235 pounds; RS SR.

Breaking down Tommy Eichenberg's scouting report

Darnell Washington #0 of the Georgia Bulldogs is tackled by Tommy Eichenberg #35 and Steele Chambers #22 of the Ohio State Buckeyes

Strengths

• Tommy Eichenberg was the most valuable returning linebacker for 2023 according to PFF’s wins above average (WAR) metric.
• Excellent instincts and ability to navigate around traffic in the run game.
• Anticipates when the ball is snapped and where it’ll go like a pro already, at times taking off to beat blockers to a spot before other defenders even recognize the play.
• Uses his hands almost like a pass-rusher to avoid linemen being able to get into his frame.
• Routinely able to rip under one shoulder of lead-blockers around the line of scrimmage and force the ball carrier to redirect toward his teammates.
• As he tracks the running backs, Eichenberg does his best to keep blockers at a distance and be proactive with his hands, to swipe and shuffle as the ball bounces to the outside.
• Makes some tremendous tackles for minimal yardage on cutbacks as the play-side backer on inside zone, when he sees the back quickly get vertical.
• His 49 run-defense stops in 2022 ranked second among all linebackers in the country while his 20 tackles for loss/no-gain were tied for third.
• Keeps his eyes locked on the quarterback whilst floating toward receivers in the hook/seam area.
• Makes sure to initiate contact and feel targets working across his face, without losing track of the QB at all.
• Forces quarterbacks to turn down throws over the middle of the field, by gaining depth as somebody breaks across behind his back.
• Takes excellent angles racing out against completions in the flats.
• You see Tommy Eichenberg chase down completions all across the field like a maniac.
• Based on the structure of the Ohio State defense, there will be a lot of completions charged to Eichenberg being the “next-closest defender.” He did only 5.4 yards per target for his Buckeye career, speaking to his ability to quickly shut down YAC opportunities.
• Registered missed tackles rate below 10 percent of the past two seasons (9.8% in 2022 and 8.6% in ’23).
• Consistently takes the shortest path to the quarterback as a blitzer from different angles and stays true to his rush lane.
• Isn’t going to slow down when he sees a lineman slide his way and is looking to shoot that through to the next closest blocker with force.
• Does a great job of slanting across the face of centers and banging into the inside shoulder of the guard, to open up a substantial lane for fellow rushers to loop around into the A-gap – Ohio State did on three-man games with the end taking that long path.
• Recognizes opportunities to add on to the rush as the running back gets locked in protection following the play-action fake.
• Recorded 34 pressures across 143 pass-rush snaps these past two seasons combined.

Weaknesses

• Lacks the flat-out speed to track down plays towards the sideline for small yardage, when the ball carrier hits the corner on the fly (sweeps).
• Can be a primary run-defender to his disadvantage, when he could stay home a little more and be in a position to help out against leak routes his way or RPO alerts.
• Is just a step slow or the length of a hand short trying to make the tackle on plenty of plays out to the perimeter, while not always keeping the outside arm free, along with lacking the long speed to track down wide receivers from behind.
• There were a lot of very shallow zone responsibilities with the Buckeyes, where Eichenberg barely gained any depth from his initial alignment and wasn’t asked to turn and run with anybody.
• His overall PFF grade plummeted in 2023, down from 86.8 the year prior to 61.5.

Tommy Eichenberg's 2024 NFL Draft projection

Demario McCall #1 of the Ohio State Buckeyes is tackled by Tommy Eichenberg #35 of the Ohio State Buckeyes

I was definitely more in on Tommy Eichenberg a year ago, when I saw him up in that tier with Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. in terms of how they already read the game through their eyes. Unfortunately, I thought he wasn’t as firm in his decisions and positioned himself optimally when it came to the run game in particular this past season.

Considering that, the fact that he has some of the same limitations in terms of burst outside the tackles and length in general, I had to put him a notch below that player profile.

With that being said, I still believe Tommy Eichenberg's feel for the position is excellent. He can be a valuable three-down player in a system that mainly asks him to patrol the space between the hashes, since his instincts plus spatial awareness in coverage and ferocious approach as a blitzer secure him a spot on the field regardless of down and distance.

While he’ll continue to work on his ability to see through blockers as well as he’s done against Big Ten offensive lines, I believe he can be a quality starter at MIKE for even or odd front teams and should come off the board around the turn between day two and three.

Tommy Eichenberg Grade: Late third round.