new england patriots

Ebner wasn’t a recruit at all. But if there’s anyone who helped their NFL prospects with the 2011 Buckeyes, it may be Ebner. For a guy who didn’t play high school football, now contemplating making a living at the game is a bit surreal. Except Ebner, who competed at an elite level in rugby, couldn’t help but believe he’d have a shot. “

Did I think I’d be in a position to get drafted?” Ebner said. “No way. But to possibly play on a pro team? I’d like to say that was always maybe the goal, but I didn’t know how realistic it was until this past year.” Ebner was timed as fast as a 4.48 in the 40 at the pro day, showed his agility with a fast time in the three-cone drill and did well in the broad and vertical jumps. He figured he might do well at the tests, and what he proved is that at about 215 pounds, he could be a raw athlete with a lot of room for growth. That should make him worth a look as an across-the-board special teams player, either in the draft or in free agency. He has continued to talk with NFL teams since pro day. “I’m not getting overly excited about the draft,” Ebner said. “I just want a chance with a team. At the end of the day, you have to show up when it comes time to play.”

Positives: Solidly built and durable. Good two-year production. Nifty route runner. Gets his head around and works back to the quarterback. Has slot experience and will work the middle. Catches the ones he should. Good field awareness. Has special-teams experience. Solid character.

Negatives: Short arms. Needs to get stronger. Tight through his core. Average slot quickness. Gears down to cut. Struggles to separate vs. man coverage. Outmuscled in traffic — does not consistently haul in contested catches. Does not threaten vertically and struggles tracking over his shoulder. Production is inflated by short throws and bubble screens. Average burst and agility after the catch.

Summary: Productive, competitive, relatively monotone slot receiver lacking exceptional athletic traits. Needs room to operate and will have to stand out on special teams to stick.

STRENGTHS Dennard is a strong all-around player, who doesn’t shine with any particular skill, but that’s his main strength: There are few weaknesses in his game. He is a heady player who plays on top of receivers and understands how to turn and run to not get beat deep. He trusts his speed and footwork in man coverage and can fill nicely as a run defender in both run plays and in zone. He is a solid athlete who has fluid hips and can adjust to make ball plays in mid-air. He understands how to play with leverage and jam the receiver at the line of scrimmage, as he is a very balanced and strong player who rarely falls off his stance or gets pushed off coverage by bigger wideouts. Dennard has a lot of experience starting games at a high level and is NFL-ready.