March 21, 2013 - 10:01 AM
By Mark Gaughan
Corey Lemonier
Position: Outside linebacker
School: Auburn
Measurements: 6-foot-3, 255 pounds
40 time: 4.60 seconds. 225-pound bench press: 27 repetitions
2012 stats: 5.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss
Draft projection: Third round
Lowdown: Lemonier is a rangy college defensive end who projects to the NFL as a 3-4 rush linebacker. He could be attractive to the Buffalo Bills if he’s on the board early in the third round. Lemonier ran an excellent 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine. He has long arms and plays a physical style, which makes him the kind of player Pittsburgh is famous for converting into an edge rusher. But it’s a projection. Can he adapt to outside linebacker? He made first-team All-Southeastern Conference as a sophomore, no small feat, after getting 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss in 2011. His production dropped off during Auburn’s disappointing 3-9 finish last year. Lemonier had just 34 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. He had five sacks in the first four games, then managed a half sack the last eight, during the meat of the SEC season. Of course, Auburn didn’t have many pass-rushing chances during losses of 38-0 to Georgia and 49-0 to Alabama. He’s leaving college a year early, a decision he says he made before his sophomore season. At the combine, he weighed in 15 pounds heavier than his junior-season playing weight. He has the power to defend the edge, as his bench-press numbers show. He’s a tad shorter than ideal for a 3-4 outside ‘backer, but his 34.5-inch arms should allow him to compensate.
He said it: Lemonier on Auburn coaches trying to convince him to stay in school: “They tried to convince me like crazy. They came down to Miami and talked to my family and all that. It was pretty hectic and crazy. … I felt ready at the beginning of my sophomore year, I just said I was going to stick to that plan and I did.”
The Buffalo News is profiling 50 prospects in 50 days leading up to next month's NFL Draft.
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