Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia

[Boone]

Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia


Hometown: Stroudsburg, Pa.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 301 lbs.

Biography
Unsung hero on the defensive line who returns for his third season as the starter at nose tackle … a defensive playmaker who loves to do the dirty work in the trenches … All-American candidate … coaching staff will count on him for leadership … good run stopper … named all-BIG EAST preseason first team by Phil Steele’s, Athlon Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Sporting News … Dean’s List … Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll … BIG EAST Academic All-Star … bowl trips: 2007 Gator, 2008 Fiesta, 2008 Meineke, 2010 Gator.

2009 (r-Jr.): Started all 13 games … named first-team all-BIG EAST by ESPN.com, The Sporting News and rivals.com and second team by the league coaches … awarded the John Russell Award for leadership by the WVU coaching staff … saw action on more than 645 plays, including a season-high 81 against UConn … used on 50 or more plays in nine games … finished with 35 total tackles, including 13 solo stops, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and an interception … posted four or more tackles in five games … registered three tackles against Florida State in the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl … collected an assisted tackle at Rutgers … assisted on a tackle against Pitt … had a solo tackle early in the Louisville game before having to leave with an arm injury … four tackles at USF … finished with five tackles and the game-sealing interception against Connecticut … collected four tackles, including a tackle for loss against Marshall … assisted on a tackle at Syracuse … season-high six tackles, including a tackle for loss against Colorado … finished with five tackles, including three solo tackles at Auburn … assisted on two tackles against East Carolina and Liberty.

2008 (r-So.): Started all 13 games … awarded the Ideal Mountaineer Man by the coaching staff … WVU Defensive Champion: East Carolina, Rutgers, Auburn, Connecticut … used on more than 710 plays, including a season-high 64 at Colorado … saw action in 50 or more plays in nine games … posted the most tackles among the defensive linemen and ninth among the defense with 47, including 17 solo stops, 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss … also had a forced fumble and a pass breakup … career high eight tackles against Auburn … five tackles, including one for loss at Pitt … four tackles against USF … two tackles, including a tackle for loss and a forced fumble at Connecticut … four tackles, including a sack and a pass breakup against Cincinnati … six tackles, including three unassisted tackles against Rutgers … five tackles at East Carolina … two tackles against North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

2007 (r-Fr.): Primary backup to Keilen Dykes at the nose tackle position … played in 11 games and started two … saw action on more than 225 plays, including a season-high 44 plays against Mississippi State … used in 41 plays at Rutgers …. registered 13 tackles, including eight solo tackles … assisted on a sack … season-high three tackles with two solo stops against Mississippi State … two tackles against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, East Carolina, Louisville and Cincinnati.

2006 (Fr.): Redshirted.

Prep: Three-year letterwinner for Coach Fred Ross at Stroudsburg High … helped lead the Mountaineers to back-to-back conference championships ... All-Mountain Valley Conference and Pocono Record All-Area ... second team Class AAAA all-state ... finished with 86 tackles, 16 TFL, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles as a senior ... WNEP Super 16 ... Keystone first team all-state ... also a three-year letterwinner in basketball and weightlifting.

Personal: Birthday is Dec. 1 ... son of Robert and Cathy Neild ... one of two children … majoring in multidisciplinary studies.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2wFx3umWq4[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkjf9gpunbs[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AABn3oT0CH0[/media]

 

[Jugband McGillicuddy]

By the power vested in me by Redskins Nation, I hereby absolve this kid of the sin of being a Mountaineer, and welcome him to Washington.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

The more I read about this kid, the more amped I am about the pick. I think he's going to be a solid contributor, and a 7th-round gem.

 

[China]

Only 301, that seems light for a nose tackle in the NFL. He may need to bulk up a little.

 

[Neophyte]

Jay Ratliff is only listed at 303lb and is 2 inches taller. I think NT is more about strength and attitude.

 

[Go Deep]

Watched this guy play for 4 years. I don't think he's going to make it. Here is a scouting report that sums up his negatives perfectly imo.

http://sidelinescouting.com/rankings/dt/chris-neild.shtml

Negatives: Not a pass rusher... Not real explosive... Slow foot speed... Shorter than ideal arms... Plays a little too upright at times and can be knocked off balance... On the ground too much... Marginal balance... Lacks good lateral mobility... Plays too upright... Lacks ideal range... Not a playmaker... More of a two-down run stuffer, is not on the field in passing situations... Frame is maxed out.

I'll just add, i seen him get manhandled one on one quite a few times and rarely beat a double team. I just don't see anyway of him being able to compete at the NFL level right now and he's definitely a project.

He is a good character guy and hard worker. If he gets in the weight room and really improves his lower body strength he might be able to contribute in a couple years.

 

[Jugband McGillicuddy]

Jay Ratliff is only listed at 303lb and is 2 inches taller. I think NT is more about strength and attitude.

If he's half the player Ratliff is, I'll put him on the final 53 right now.

Stupid aside: I have a habit I can't seem to shake of calling Jay Ratliff "Theo." Obviously, I knew the NBA player first. I'm thinking of trying to overcome this mental block by simply calling him the same thing I call every other Cowboy. "***hole."

 

[Burgundy Burner]

Mr. Neild has bulked up to 319 lbs. and that is a good weight.

I've seen many reports saying that the Redskins got a huge steal here. We'll see, but I'm thinking that Coach Shanahan found one of those 7th round gems.

 

[bird_1972]

Mr. Neild has bulked up to 319 lbs. and that is a good weight.

Unfortunately, that doesn't make his arms any longer.

I've seen many reports saying that the Redskins got a huge steal here. We'll see, but I'm thinking that Coach Shanahan found one of those 7th round gems.

Let's hope so. NT is arguably one of the most important positions in a 3-4 D and the middle of our D, as well as our D vs. the run, was putrid last year.