Jeffrey Bassa 2025 NFL Draft: Oregon ILB Scouting Report

In this talented 2025 NFL Draft class, a high-IQ linebacker you need to know is Jeffrey Bassa. He’s an explosive ILB from Oregon with excellent coverage skills. 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.

Jeffrey Bassa 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Jeffrey Bassa arrived at Oregon as a highly touted four-star recruit from Kearns High School in Utah, initially pegged as a safety with exceptional athleticism and two-way versatility. A standout on both offense (wide receiver) and defense (safety) in high school, he showcased a rare blend of speed, physicality, and ball skills, amassing over 1,000 receiving yards and 138 tackles in his prep career. Transitioning to linebacker as a true freshman in 2021, Bassa adapted quickly, earning a starting role by midseason. Over four years with the Ducks, he evolved into the defensive signal-caller, accumulating over 2,300 snaps and establishing himself as a leader on one of the nation’s top defenses in 2024.

Bassa’s junior year was his breakout, with a career-high tackle total and a pivotal pick-six against Texas Tech. His senior season, though slightly less productive due to an early ankle injury, highlighted his resilience and leadership as Oregon went 13-1 and dominated the Big Ten.

Bassa possesses a lean, wiry frame at 6’1” and 232 pounds, with room to add mass without sacrificing his trademark agility. His long arms and loose hips—remnants of his safety days—give him a fluid movement profile, while his 4.63 40-yard dash highlights his sideline-to-sideline range. His explosiveness shines in short-area bursts, though he lacks elite top-end speed and raw power compared to bigger inside linebackers.

HT: 6011
WT: 232
HAND: 928
ARM: 3138
40: 4.63

Strengths:

• Coverage Fluidity: Bassa’s safety background translates seamlessly into his coverage ability. He flips his hips effortlessly to mirror tight ends and running backs on vertical routes, showing a knack for reading quarterbacks’ eyes in zone. His lateral quickness and closing burst disrupt underneath throws, making him a natural fit in nickel and dime packages.
• Blitz Timing: A standout trait, Bassa’s feel for delayed and green-dog blitzes is exceptional. His 27 pressures in 2023 ranked second among Pac-12 linebackers, and his twitchy first step allows him to knife through gaps and collapse pockets. He’s a chess piece for creative defensive coordinators.
• Football IQ: As Oregon’s green-dot wearer, Bassa processes pre-snap alignments with veteran poise, calling out adjustments and aligning teammates. His high football intelligence shines in diagnosing misdirection and combo routes.
• Pursuit Speed: Bassa’s range in pursuit is a weapon. He takes efficient angles to the ball, rarely overcommitting, and uses his speed to chase down backs on outside runs or scramble plays.
• Special Teams Upside: With experience across multiple units (kick coverage, punt return), Bassa offers immediate value as a rookie contributor.

Areas for Improvement:

• Run Defense Instincts: While improved, Bassa’s run fits remain a work in progress. He can be overly aggressive downhill, misreading keys and leaving gaps exposed. His reactive style limits his impact against inside zone schemes.
• Play Strength: At 232 pounds, Bassa struggles to anchor against bigger offensive linemen. He gets washed out when blockers square him up, lacking the lower-body power to stack and shed consistently. Adding 10-15 pounds could mitigate this.
• Man Coverage Angles: Bassa occasionally takes steep pursuit angles in man-to-man situations, losing leverage against quicker receivers. This was evident in a key play against Penn State’s Nick Singleton in the 2024 Big Ten Championship.
• Tackling in Traffic: Though his tackling improved (low missed-tackle rate in 2023-24), Bassa can lunge or lose leverage in cluttered boxes, especially against physical backs who break arm tackles.

Conclusion:

Bassa profiles as a modern weakside linebacker (WILL) with immediate sub-package value. His coverage skills and blitzing prowess make him a Day 2 to early Day 3 candidate for teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, or Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who prioritize athleticism and multiplicity. He’s not a plug-and-play Mike linebacker due to run-defense concerns, but he can thrive in pursuit and space behind a stout defensive line. Consider him a less polished Daiyan Henley (Chargers) with a higher ceiling if he refines his run fits and adds bulk.

In year 1, Bassa should contribute to special teams and passing downs (nickel/dime). His focus should be on strength training to bolster run defense. He’ll likely be competing for a starting WILL role in his second year, leveraging improved play strength and instincts, with his ceiling being a three-down linebacker with 80+ tackles, 5+ sacks, and coverage impact annually.

Bassa’s blend of athleticism, versatility, and leadership makes him a high-upside prospect. He could emerge as a steal in the 2025 NFL Draft with coaching and physical maturation.

Round Grade: 4th Round

Stats: Per Sports Reference

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