Dylan Horton NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Houston Texans' DL
HEIGHT: 6'4"
WEIGHT: 257
HAND: 9 1/2"
ARM: 33 1/8"
WINGSPAN: 78 7/8"
40-YARD DASH: TBD
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: TBD
VERTICAL: 34"
BROAD: 10'0"
POSITIVES
– Accelerates off the ball well. Has some spring to his get-off.
– Good block recognition to put himself in a good position to take on blocks and stay in his gap. This plus decent agility allows him to avoid getting reached.
– Decent at holding his ground versus one-on-one blocks from offensive tackles.
– Has a solid rip move to escape blocks.
– Flashes quickness as a pass-rusher to develop a few moves if he gets his use of hands down.
– Effort player with a good pass-rushing motor. Will factor into gang tackles down the field.
NEGATIVES
– Has a habit of standing up out of his stance, causing issues against double-teams and combo blocks from tackles and tight ends.
– When unblocked on the frontside of gap runs, late to get his eyes inside and see/get under pullers as the spill player in run fits.
– Wide hand placement and a lack of upper-body strength make getting extension difficult for him against offensive linemen.
– Still learning how to use his hands as a pass-rusher. Allows blockers to make the first significant contact and gets washed down when working inside moves.
– Doesn't rush with a plan.
– Rough bend, stiff ankles and struggles to run a tight hoop at the top of the rush, leading to an inefficient path to the quarterback.
2022 STATS
– 15 G, 51 TOT (32 SOLO), 15 TFL, 10.5 SK, 4 PD, 1 FF
NOTES
– Born August 21, 2000
– New Mexico transfer
– A 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, No. 1,999 overall, No. 148 safety, per 247Sports' composite rankings
– Injuries: 2019 (Ankle, missed 7 games)
– 23 career starts
– 2022 Honors: Honorable Mention All-Big 12, team captain
OVERALL
Dylan Horton was a safety recruit coming out of high school and originally played linebacker at New Mexico before transferring to TCU and switching positions again, this time to the defensive line. He's shown some athletic potential that NFL coaching staffs can work with, but he's a project, especially as a pass-rusher.
Despite posting double-digit sacks last season, Horton lacks a pass-rushing move that he can win with in the NFL. He gets caught with his hands down by his waist and seems to lack a plan far too often. He will occasionally not work a move and just tries to bull rush. And while he's solid against the run, he isn't good enough to hold a roster spot and be a non-factor as a rusher.
Schematically, Horton would be best as a standup outside linebacker in odd fronts. He does have experience playing special teams, which could make him more attractive to teams in the later rounds or as an undrafted free agent.
GRADE: 5.3 (Backup or UDFA with Roster Potential/UDFA)
OVERALL RANK: 283
POSITION RANK: EDGE29
PRO COMPARISON: Michael Danna
