Cian Slone

● Plays with good joint flexibility and athletic twitch ● Urgent in how he gets off the ball and into his pass rush ● Attacks blockers’ hands and has a few different moves in his bag ● Relentless play speed, both in open field and when closing in the pocket ● Plays with violence in run game, containing wide and working back inside ● Good use of shoulder turn to slice gaps and disrupt run-game flow ● Seeks out collisions in run game to maintain his gap ● Good feedback about how he works and invests in training

● High cut and thin through midsection and lower body ● Below-average arm length will be more noticeable vs. NFL blocking talent ● Struggles to unlock counter moves once neutralized ● More physical than strong — can be engulfed by blockers on the edge ● Below-average backfield production for a pass rusher ● Not enough on tape to feel great about him dropping and covering space ● Amped-up play style leads to excess missed tackles (see Pitt and Memphis tapes) ● Injured ACL twice in high school

A one-year starter at NC State (and a starter for two-and-a-half years overall), Slone was an edge defender in defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot’s multiple fronts. A high school safety and linebacker, he has scratched and clawed his way up each rung of the ladder to reach this 385 Back to table of contents -- 389 of 629 -- point. His 2025 tape was a little more impressive than what the stat sheet says, although you still would’ve hoped to see more than 1.5 sacks over 13 games. Slone is a spark-plug competitor who plays with better physicality and strike power than one might expect from his lean frame. He rushes with adequate speed and flexibility to threaten blockers, although he needs to be more consistently effective at the top of his rush. He doesn’t have the length or base strength to hold the point of attack for long against NFL blockers, but he is a courageous, high-motor run defender. However, that white-hot motor also leads to whiffs (17 missed tackles in 2025). Overall, Slone is an effort-based player with a developing pass rush skill, but he comes with questions about his best scheme/positional fit. Making noise as a third-down pass rusher is likely going to be the best role in which to prove his worth as a rookie.