1 year starter at MSU. Transferred in from JC. Quick, powerful DT. Physically gifted. Also raw. Strong enough to shed blocks. Quick enough to pressure the QB. Can be disruptive. Has a good spin move. Has a rip move. Uses hands/arms pretty well. Will pursue. Has decent speed for big guy. Strange play vs Bama. The LG had him blocked on a pass play. AJ swung hard slaps with his left and right hands to knock down the guy’s hands. Then he shot upfield and hit the QB. Made some nice plays vs SC. Finished with 3 solo tackles and a TFL. Finished his career with 7 TFLs and 2 sacks (both in '05). When studying tape of Antonio, you could see the raw ability. However, he didn't consistently play up to that ability. When focused, he is hard to block. You could really see this at the Senior Bowl. He was very impressive in the practices.
SUMMARY
With good coaching and a real commitment from him, Antonio could develop into a starter or at least a top flight backup DT. I wouldn't take him until Day 2. There's no guarantee he'll play like he did at the Senior Bowl. A good DT needs consistent focus and effort. |