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College football is rife with feel-good stories that capture the sport's attention. The NFL, very frequently, laughs them off.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia knows his size is a limiting factor for his NFL chances. Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is fighting a similar battle. Like Pavia, Rodriguez earned Heisman votes without first-round fanfare. However, with a pre-draft circuit underway, Rodriguez is doing everything in his power to boost his stock well after the games have been played.
Jacob Rodriguez's strong Senior Bowl
Rodriguez's measurements won't do him any favors. In Mobile, he was listed at 6'1", 233 pounds, remarkably average for an off-ball linebacker and of little help to a fringe top-100 prospect.
However, Rodriguez has continued to flash at the Senior Bowl.
He has stood out most in coverage, particularly against running backs, where he can win with his physicality while falling back on above-average athleticism. Rodriguez was tested both laterally and vertically, flipping his hips and showcasing impressive downfield reps.
Rodriguez also gave teams a glimpse into his field-flipping upside. He forced a fumble and intercepted a pass, capstones on an otherwise incredible day of practice.
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As such, Rodriguez is chipping away at the sentiment that he's just an early Day 3 pick. He checks the athleticism box, both in-game and on the practice field. The production is there, too. He has led the Big 12 in tackles in each of the last two seasons and fueled his ill-fated Heisman hype with a nation-leading seven forced fumbles.
Still, there were concerns about Rodriguez's tackling, limited utility as a pass rusher, and protection from an elite defensive line. In Mobile, he hasn't benefited from multiple top-50 picks dominating lower-tier linemen. He's showcased the necessary traits to win in coverage and strong technique in his one-on-one matchups, helping win over some of the skeptics.
This is every one-on-one rep for Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez in coverage at the Senior Bowl:
He was beating the crap out of these poor RBs. pic.twitter.com/LQL2n5gBzP
Rodriguez wouldn't be the first high-profile linebacker to turn into a rather pedestrian draft pick. But the arrow is firmly pointed up on Rodriguez's stock, and every coming practice has given him more ammo to rise throughout the process.
While it's a little early to pinpoint Rodriguez's stock -- testing in Indianapolis could be a true needle-moving week for his projection -- it feels much more likely now that he'll be a top-50 pick than it did when they were counting Heisman votes.
An incredible linebacker class inevitably hurts Rodriguez's case. Yet, he continues to patch the holes in his profile, and as he proves himself to be a difference-maker in Mobile, he figures to be in the early-round conversations that his 2025 season demands.
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