Up next in the series of Lions draft profiles for 2022 is a player who proved he could make a big jump in competition and still thrive in his final season of college.
Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati
Height: 5-foot-10.5 inches
Weight: 232 (measured at Senior Bowl)
Pace is 22 years old
Pace started his collegiate career at Miami OH after a great high school career in Cincinnati as both a running back and linebacker. He made quite a splash for the RedHawks by notching a school-record six sacks in a win over Akron as a true freshman.
He finished with at least 125 tackles in each of his final two seasons, the first at Miami and the 2022 season with Cincinnati after transferring. His one year with the Bearcats saw Pace produce 136 total tackles, nine sacks, 20.5 TFLs, two forced fumbles and four PDs in 13 games. He participated in the Senior Bowl week.
Pros
- Powerfully built off-ball LB with excellent strength for his size
- Attacks downhill consistently, even outside the tackle box
- Best-in-class pass rusher for off-ball LBs, with timing, power and legit pass-rushing moves
- Quick-twitch reactions and above-average read/react diagnosing skills
- Excellent tackling power and generally good head-up form and wrap technique
- Above-average burst to the ball
- Very good at finishing off tackles as the second man in, often closing from some distance from his responsibility on a play (see Tulane and Louisville games ’22)
- Good at recognizing landmarks in zone coverage, and Pace is very good at coming off his mark to help make a play
Cons
- Shorter than ideal and has short arms (30.5″) and wingspan (72″) for the position
- While he’s quick to react, there is stiffness in Pace’s hips and ankles when playing in open spaces and in changing directions
- Shows imprudent use of power in run defense; will try to bull through blocks or overpower big linemen instead of avoiding contact or using his hands better to disengage
- Uninstinctive and looks uncomfortable in man coverage, which was very noticeable in Senior Bowl drills
- Lacks great body control while at full speed; will get caught overrunning the point of attack in the run game
- Goes after the kill shot at times when the sure tackle is the smarter play
- Improved in 2022 at starting plays on his toes and being ready to move in any direction but can still start plays flat-footed and stiff
Overall
Pace is an interesting draft profile in part because he doesn’t physically fit the mold of how he plays. He’s a power-oriented LB and could even be used as a strongside EDGE with his pass rushing skills and power-to-speed style, but he’s built more like a speed-based, read-and-react backer. The lack of length and underdeveloped hand usage are real limitations for Pace, especially when playing against teams that get blockers out into space well.
Pace’s tackling power and ability to strike and then finish are similar to Detroit’s Malcolm Rodriguez. His willingness to attack and high-level pursuit skills should translate well to special teams duty, a requisite for a reserve/rotational LB. Unless Pace improves his hand usage and his overall ability in coverage, it’s hard to see him being more than that in the NFL at his length.
He’s generally projected in the 90-150 overall range as we approach the NFL Scouting Combine. The Lions should have some interest in Pace near the back of that range, if he’s still on the board.
