Danny Stutsman 2025 NFL Draft: Oklahoma ILB Scouting Report
In this talented 2025 NFL Draft class, an instinctive linebacker you need to know is Danny Stutsman. He’s a physical ILB from Oklahoma with excellent blitzing ability. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook with this in-depth expert scouting report. Additionally, we will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Danny Stutsman 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Danny Stutsman arrived at Oklahoma as a three-star recruit from Foundation Academy in Winter Garden, Florida, but quickly outplayed his modest recruiting profile. A two-way high school standout, he tallied over 3,000 all-purpose yards and 43 touchdowns offensively while amassing 333 tackles and 20 sacks on defense.
At Oklahoma, Stutsman evolved into a defensive cornerstone, starting 37 of his 47 career games and finishing with 376 tackles, good for ninth all-time in Sooners history. His accolades include Honorable Mention All-Big 12 (2022), Second-Team All-American (2023), and consensus All-American honors (2024), alongside All-SEC First Team recognition in Oklahoma’s inaugural SEC season. With a relentless motor and a throwback linebacker mentality, Stutsman projects as a high-energy prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.
HT: 6032
WT: 233
HAND: 900
ARM: 3218
40: 4.52
Strengths:
- Run Defense Instincts: Stutsman’s ability to diagnose run plays is exceptional. He reads keys quickly, flows to the ball with controlled aggression, and consistently beats blockers to the spot. His 40 career tackles for loss underscore his knack for disrupting plays behind the line.
- Physicality and Motor: A tone-setter with a relentless playing style, Stutsman brings a punishing presence downhill. He delivers jarring hits and maintains effort through the whistle, making him a culture-changer for any linebacker room.
- Blitzing Ability: When unleashed as a blitzer, Stutsman shines. His burst off the line, paired with a violent rip move and shoulder dip, allows him to penetrate gaps and pressure quarterbacks effectively (8.5 career sacks).
- Frame and Athleticism: He carries his weight fluidly at his size, with sideline-to-sideline range and enough speed to chase down ball carriers. His length aids in shedding blocks and crowding passing lanes.
- Leadership: As the emotional heartbeat of Oklahoma’s defense, Stutsman’s pregame speeches and on-field communication reflect a high football IQ and a commanding presence that elevates those around him.
Areas for Improvement:
- Coverage Instincts: While functional in zone coverage—particularly underneath zones where he can mirror quarterbacks and close on short routes—Stutsman’s instincts lag behind his athleticism. He occasionally loses track of receivers in intermediate zones and struggles to anticipate route breaks.
- Man Coverage Limitations: His high hips and modest lateral agility hinder him against quicker running backs and tight ends in man-to-man situations. He’s more comfortable playing the ball than sticking with elusive targets.
- Block Shedding Consistency: Against the run, Stutsman excels when avoiding contact with his quickness and moves, but he can get engulfed by bigger linemen when forced to stack and shed. Adding lower-body strength could help him anchor better.
- Overpursuit Tendencies: His aggressive style occasionally leads to missed tackles or wrong-gap decisions, especially against misdirection or zone runs where patience is required.
- Injury History: Though durable overall (only one game missed since 2021), a dislocated elbow as a freshman and a minor ankle issue in 2023 raise slight durability questions for a player with such a physical approach.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, Stutsman profiles as a classic MIKE linebacker with the tools to contribute early as a two-down run-stopper and situational blitzer. His athleticism and frame suggest three-down potential, but unlocking that ceiling requires refinement in coverage instincts and technique. In a 4-3 scheme, he’s a natural fit as a middle linebacker who can set the tone against the run and occasionally rush the passer. On the other hand, in a 3-4, he could play inside with some protection from scheme design to mask his coverage limitations.
Furthermore, Stutsman’s best scheme fit is a 4-3 defense with zone-heavy coverage calls (e.g., Tampa 2 or Cover 3), allowing him to play downhill and use his range without frequent man-coverage demands. Improving eye discipline in zone coverage, enhancing block-shedding power, and refining his tackling consistency in space will determine whether he becomes a high-end starter or a reliable rotational piece.
Like Josey Jewell, Stutsman brings a rugged, instinctual approach to the run game with enough athleticism to contribute in limited coverage roles. Both share a high-motor, lunch-pail mentality, though Stutsman’s superior size and speed give him a higher upside if he polishes his weaknesses.
Overall, Stutsman’s production, physical tools, and intangibles make him a safe bet to carve out an NFL role, likely as a mid-to-late fourth-round pick. Teams needing a gritty linebacker with immediate run-stopping impact and long-term starting potential will value his skill set. He could outplay his draft slot with coaching and become a multi-year starter.
Round Grade: 4th Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sk | Int | PD | FR | FF |
| 2021* | Oklahoma | 10 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022* | Oklahoma | 13 | 68 | 57 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023* | Oklahoma | 12 | 51 | 53 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024* | Oklahoma | 12 | 44 | 65 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 47 | 184 | 192 | 37 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 4 |
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