Aidan Hubbard

● Tall, well-developed frame, with a strong core ● Sturdy run defender who has play strength and knee bend to anchor ● Widens and shuts down the edge while seeing through blocks ● Good quickness off the snap, with physical hands to attack blockers ● Lower-body bend brings some elusiveness to his rush ● Doesn’t take plays off; motor keeps his rush alive ● Strains in weight room and keeps his body well-conditioned ● On the quiet side but gets along with everyone in the locker room ● Consistent production each of past three seasons 376 Back to table of contents -- 380 of 629 --

● Shorter arms hurt ability to extend and discard blocks ● Inconsistent feet and balance as a tackler, which exaggerates missed-tackle rate ● Nonstop hustler but doesn’t make many plays away from the pocket ● Average twitch and change of direction, by NFL pass-rush standards ● Gets stuck mid-rush when bull-rush attempts are stymied ● Late reacting to aggressive punch attempts from blockers ● Needs to focus on expanding countering tactics ● Limited at NFL combine because of left knee injury

A two-year starter at Northwestern, Hubbard was a hand-on-the-ground edge rusher in defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle’s four-man down front. He was mixed into the rotation as a redshirt freshman and made a consistent impact from there. He led the Wildcats in sacks as a sophomore, junior and senior, and he finished his career No. 5 all-time in school history with 20.5 sacks. Hubbard offers more “steady” than “wow” in his game, which isn’t meant to be a criticism. He is quick off the ball and rushes with clear eyes and a fully-charged motor, although he needs improved tempo and impact at the top of his rush. He consistently finds the football in all phases and is a steady edge setter. Despite his average length, he utilizes lockout, knee bend and instincts against the run. Overall, Hubbard isn’t the most dynamic edge presence, but he combines savvy pass rush and tough-minded run defense to be useful. With continued development, he can lock down an NFL depth role on the edge.