James Looney | Defensive End | California | 6'3" - 287 lbs.

Overview
Looney's quickness and disruptive qualities were on full display in 2016, but he was much easier to block in 2017. He lacks the size and strength to play inside and it appears as though adding functional weight on his frame is a non-starter. Looney will likely need to improve his lean muscle mass and try to transition into a role as a base 4-3 end who might be able to reduce inside as a situational pass rusher in sub-packages.

Strengths

• Watched and learned from his brother, Joe, who was an offensive lineman drafted in the fourth round in 2012
• Known for infectious personality and hard-charging style
• Instincts are good
• Able to sync-up with lateral movements of blockers to penetrate and disrupt
• Shows ability to corner sharply and flatten to the ball after getting past blockers
• Athletic in space with ability to chase down screens or help finish as a clean-up tackler on the perimeter
• Uses quick hands and feet in union to challenge a blockers edge
• Possesses decent spin move as rusher inside
• Quick arm-over move can launch him past guards into the backfield for a quick win
• Initial quickness and loose upper body make it difficult to trap him

Weaknesses

• High-cut with thin calves for interior player
• Doesn't have frame to carry necessary mass for interior lineman
• On skates when true power comes rolling downhill against him
• Gave ground too frequently to power this season
• His 2016 tape and production was much better than 2017
• Looked out of place in Cal's 4i alignment
• Pops up too tall early in the rep
• Poor pad level makes it challenging to maintain functional balance against redirect blocks
• Hands are faster than strong
• Sets himself up to disengage from blocks, but doesn't have the strength to shed them consistently
• May not have a true position fit

They'll try to transition him to 3-4 OLB.

I’m just CRAZY about Looney!!!!

I wonder what music he listens too???

You know.....”Looney Tunes”.....[laugh]

There are tight ends in the NFL. This dude is a tiny end. That's not so good. Way too small to stick his hand in the dirt. Perhaps he can be an OLBer. More than likely he will end up on the PS. If he sticks that is. 7th round picks are not likely to make the team any way so I don't mind them taking the chance.

wpr;393882There are tight ends in the NFL. This dude is a tiny end. That's not so good. Way too small to stick his hand in the dirt. Perhaps he can be an OLBer. More than likely he will end up on the PS. If he sticks that is. 7th round picks are not likely to make the team any way so I don't mind them taking the chance.

James Looney - 6'3, 287 lbs, 32" arms, 4.89 forty
Nick Perry - 6'3, 265 lbs, 33" arms, 4.64 forty
Clay Matthews - 6'3, 255 lbs, 32.25" arms, 4.67 forty

Seems like a slow OLB. Maybe he'll be good against the run?

Loved this one guy's take quoted on Packers.com... Something like "if you're big and you can run, you're getting drafted." Beyond that, it's up to them.

DoddPower;393926James Looney - 6'3, 287 lbs, 32" arms, 4.89 forty
Nick Perry - 6'3, 265 lbs, 33" arms, 4.64 forty
Clay Matthews - 6'3, 255 lbs, 32.25" arms, 4.67 forty

Seems like a slow OLB. Maybe he'll be good against the run?

You're comparing him to LBers. Is he a LB or a DE?

Smokey;393952As the saying goes, never judge a book by it's cover. Looney must have value or the Packers would have never pulled the trigger on him. I'm curious about this guy.

I once knew a fine fellow at a shipyard that I worked at. There was nothing visibly special about him. He was not large or heavy or unusual in any way, but he did have a special talent. He was the Channel-lock Champion. He could squeeze and close a regular Channel-lock plier tighter than anyone. To my knowledge he was never beaten, though many tried and lost.

Looney may have talent that we are not aware of, yet !
[thumbup]

I don't dispute that Looney has talent. He has 7th round talent. That'r probably good enough for about 6-10 teams maybe even 15 teams but I don't think he has enough talent to make it on to the GB roster. That doesn't mean he's a failure just not good enough for the 2018 Packers.