The Minnesota Vikings selected North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. What should the expectations be for the rookie?
Day 2 of the 2021 NFL Draft saw some surprise picks come from the Minnesota Vikings. Although the selection of Kellen Mond will likely be the top point of discussion among the newly acquired players for the purple and gold, one of the most interesting picks happened right after the Mond selection.
At No. 78 overall, the Vikings made the call to select former North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt. Despite still needing help at guard and wide receiver, Minnesota made their first defensive pick of the draft and it should be interesting to see where he fits with the team next season.
The Vikings already have two Pro Bowl linebackers on their roster, but they need help when it comes to competition for the third starting spot and depth at the position. Surratt should provide just that for the team.
What is it about Surratt that makes him an interesting pick for Minnesota? What are his strengths and weaknesses? And what should be expected of him during the 2021 NFL season? Let’s discuss all of that, starting with his positive attributes.
(*NOTE: Profile info from CBS Sports and NFL..com with stats from Sports-Reference)
The Good
Highly athletic
If there is one thing Mike Zimmer seems to love, it is athletic players who have the potential to develop into great players. Chazz Surratt fits that description as a twitchy defender who should be able to chase down ball carriers from sideline to sideline.
Being able to use his physical gifts to cover the field in run support would open up other defenders to be a part of more exotic defensive looks and allow for more one-on-one situations since offenses will need to put a hat on him or get stuffed.
Excellent tackling
There is no lack of desire to make big hits or take on lead blockers when it comes to Surratt bringing down a ball carrier. He is a high effort player when tackling, doing whatever he can to bring down runners or deliver hits when needed.
These attributes will translate well to special teams or as a base defender, making his value even better for a Vikings team that saw some horrific play when it came to coverage on punts and kickoffs at times last season.
Good instincts
Being able to evaluate a situation unfolding in front of the defense is key for Chazz Surratt. Part of that could come because he switched from quarterback to linebacker, which helps him to diagnose plays both before and after the snap.
A good reaction time allows him to make a move on the ball rather quickly, putting him in a situation that allows him to start his pursuit very quickly. That advantage helped him rack up 206 tackles over his last 24 games.
The Bad
Smaller frame
For his aggressiveness and instincts, Chazz Surratt plays like a big dog when his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame doesn’t give him the appearance of that type of player. On a first scan, he might look like he’d be better suited to play safety, but his skill set fits him better for playing linebacker.
While it would be nice to see him as a thumper, the way he is able to maneuver around the field might be impacted by adding about 25 more pounds of mass. It’s a tough balancing act for some NFL players.
A lack of experience
Only having two years as a college linebacker means there is a lot of room to grow and develop, but also means he will probably be taking a lot of lumps at the NFL level. The coaching staff will need to be patient with him as he comes along.
That also means his ability to calculate angles of pursuit and project angles might not be instinctual yet. He can put himself in bad positions due to the lack of experience, taking himself out of a play at times.
What to expect from Chazz Surratt in 2021
This situation should see Chazz Surratt as a favorite to make the roster based on his special teams ability alone. Minnesota needed to improve at all phases of the game and this linebacker should be part of the improvements.
As far as the defense goes, it would be surprising to see Surratt win a starting role on defense as a rookie. While it’s not impossible, he would need to show a significant improvement in his angles of pursuit and his ability to shed blocks instead of attacking them.
The Vikings had a real lack of depth and speed at linebacker last year and adding the North Carolina talent to the locker room provides some different types of talent to the group. The fact Minnesota used a third-round pick on him shows they have some belief in him to develop well.
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Expectations need to be extremely tapered for Surratt in 2021. He will be limited by his abilities and he might even be invisible at times. But a lot of good players start out on special teams and evolve into excellent players on offense or defense as well.