The 2022 NFL Draft class is deep with talent at the edge position. Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Travon Walker, and Jermaine Johnson are just a few names who are first-round locks. This has led Houston’s Logan Hall to not receive the spotlight he deserves. Albeit he isn’t a pure edge rusher that many consider him to be. Hall is a more specialized player than that.
Logan Hall comes in as a 6-foot-6 285-pound defensive lineman. Definitely too big to be a typical edge. However, Logan Hall’s versatility to play along the defensive line is why teams should be jumping at the opportunity to draft him. Lining up over offensive tackles or guards depending on passing or running downs is how he needs to be used. Hall is a defensive chess piece that will enthrall defensive coordinators.
In his senior season at Houston, Hall racked up 7 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The numbers prove how menacing he is in the run and pass game. At the Senior Bowl, Hall was a game wrecker. During scrimmages, he blew up plays in the backfield or collapsed the pocket. He turned heads where all 32 teams were watching. Following a dominant performance in Mobile, Hall showed out at the Combine. Despite his immense size and length, he demonstrated incredible athleticism.
To get the most out of Hall, teams should be lining him up between the 3-5 techs. When he sits over guards on passing downs, he can out-leverage anyone and get after the quarterback. On rushing downs, Hall abuses his absurd size to overpower the tackle and set the edge. If teams try to pigeon-hole him into a single position on the defensive front, they won’t be getting nearly as much out of him.
Teams like the Packers or Patriots could get a lot out of a player like Logan Hall. After the departure of Za’Darius Smith, Green Bay could use a versatile weapon on its front. Like Smith, Hall can be used to stifle the run and pass depending on what the defense expects. Don’t be surprised if the Packers use one of their first-round picks on Hall. Bill Belichick knows how to get the most out of his defense. Pairing him with a specimen like Logan Hall could lead to destructive sets by the Patriots’ defense. New England has more pressing needs than edge/interior defensive lineman, but the thought of that potential should terrify the rest of the AFC East.
