2014 NFL Draft Profile: Kyle Van Noy, OLB Brigham Young
By Adam Carlson
Dec 20, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Kyle Van Noy (3) celebrates after running back an interception for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the San Diego State Aztecs at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Brigham Young outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is just about as polished and low risk of a linebacker as there is in this year’s draft. He is quite possibly a jack-of-all-trades type player. He is solid in all aspects of his game, yet isn’t absurdly fantastic in any.
Whether he is asked to rush the passer, drop into coverage, or protect the run, defensive coordinators will be able to depend on Van Noy to execute the play efficiently. His intelligence on and off the field should make him a very appealing candidate for a mid-to-late first round selection.
Van Noy stands 6’3″ and weighs in at 243 pounds, making him the prototypical size for an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense. After 4 years of play at the college level, he seems ready to take on anything that the NFL throws at him.
Here are his statistics over 4 years at BYU:
Oct 25, 2013; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Kyle Van Noy (3) during the second half against the Boise State Broncos at Lavell Edwards Stadium. Brigham Young won 37-20. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
52 games played
226 total tackles
153 solo tackles
62 tackles for a loss
26 sacks
7 interceptions
2 defensive touchdowns
11 forced fumbles
5 fumble recoveries
Strengths
- Hard worker
- Smart
- Instinctive
- Good in coverage
- Great at shedding blocks
Weaknesses
- Not a hard hitter
- Not an elite athlete
- Physicality
Fit For The Vikings
Minnesota has a HUGE need for starting caliber linebackers. Especially one with the skill set of Van Noy.
My Take
If you love Chad Greenway, you should like Kyle Van Noy. He offers the same kind of skills that Greenway brings to the table and could really help solidify the linebacking corps. I’d love to see the Vikings trade back into the tail end of the first round to get him if he is available.