[EmpireWF]

Gaines Adams is said to be one of the best pass rushers in the nation and is expected to be if not the first defensive end off the board, one of the first. A pro team may look at converting Adams to an outside linebacker. As of this point, he's looked at to be a late-Top 10 pick but could fall past that should another end have great combine numbers or if he himself just has a poor road to the Draft.

Class: Senior
Hgt/Wgt: 6'5, 260
40-Time: 4.75

Positives: (NFLDraftCountdown)..."An outstanding athlete...Extremely quick and agile with very good speed...Has a tremendous first step and a great burst to close...Has very long arms and uses his hands well...Has the frame to get bigger and develop physically...Looks fluid when dropping into coverage...A terror in opponents backfields and just seems to have a knack for getting to the quarterback...Productive and disruptive...Versatile and also has the ability to play outside linebacker for a 3-4 team at the pro level."

Negatives: (FootballsFuture)..."Adams relies too much on his natural talent. With his lack of great size right now, he can be taken out of the play in running situations. He needs to learn how to get off blocks better, and must bulk up to play on the line at the next level."


As both sites believe, Adams will need to bulk up if he wants to play defensive end in the NFL, otherwise, he could find himself being a major pass-rusher among outside linebackers.

[College Sports News]

Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams was named to the first-team Sporting News All-America team on Wednesday, giving him a clean sweep of the five major All-America teams at the first-team level.Earlier he was named a first-team All-American by Associated Press, The Football Writers Association, the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Foundation. Those are the five major services recognized by the NCAA in their compilation of consensus and unanimous All-Americans for the NCAA record book each year. He has also been named a first-team All-American by Rivals.com and Sports Illustrated. Adams becomes the first Clemson unanimous All-American since Terry Kinard was honored by every team in 1982, and just the second in school history.

Gaines Adams Named First-Team Sporting News All-American

[Lefty Noob]

This Adams certainly seems to be one to watch. First team All-American five times over. Which do you think is more likely - will he play as a rushing linebacker, or bulk up and become a down defensive end?