In their evaluation, Cory and James reached a consensus on Rodriguez’s lack of physiciality. Rather than meeting ball carriers downhill, he tends to wait behind the line of scrimmage, opting to dodge offensive linemen rather than engaging them in the hole. Furthermore, when blockers climb to the second level, Rodriguez struggles with disengaging; he lacks the pop in his hands required to stun opponents and cannot consistently disengage once reached by an OL or TE. While he is a reliable coverage asset with the instincts to shoot open gaps and accumulate tackles, his ceiling in run defense is capped. If you are looking for a violent, downhill thumper who can take on blocks at the line of scrimmage, he will likely disappoint. I think it just depends on the requirements of your defense. In a defense that keeps him clean his lack of physicality probably not a siginificant issue.
 }})
