Draft Day 2: Player Profile: Jon Abbate
 

Jon Abbate
MLB
Wake Forest
Major: Sociology
Minor: Journalism
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 231lbs
Class: Junior

Combine Results
40 yard dash: 5.00
Bench Reps: 26
Verticle Jump: 38 1/2"
Broad Jump: 9' 7"
20 yard shuttle: 4.33
3-Cone Drill: 7.12

2006 Statistics
Tackles: 120
TFL: 7
Sacks: 3
Ints: 1

Stock is falling because of size and poor performance in the 40 yard dash at the combine. Originally thought to fall somewhere in the 3rd round, has slipped to the 4th or 5th. Has recorded previous 40 times in the 4.8 range. Fundamentally sound, good instincts and strength, can deliver big hits and tackles well. Decent in coverage, but will lose out to a receiver with speed. Plays through pain, and was the leader on the Wake Forest defense. Honorable mention All-American, 1st Team All-ACC, and Chuck Bednarik Award nominee.

Love to pick him up. All he can do is play football

Jon Abbate - 5096, 231, 4.88, Wake Forest

This guy is a total over-achiever. He has been the team leader in tackles each of his three playing seasons. He can play but coming out early MAY have been a bad move. Anyone who saw Wake Forest play last season knows Abbate can play football. A tremendously productive middle linebacker who starred on one of this year's most surprisingly successful defensive units, Abbate is a compact, well-built defender with ideal instincts on the football field and unbelievable character. Abbate may be somewhat undersized, but he more then makes up for his lack of height with excellent quickness and a wonderful awareness of the game. His compact build lets him see the play, and he rarely is caught out of position. He will have to continue taking proper angles to the ball in order to make up for his lack of ideal straight-line speed. Smart. Hard nosed. Can get to the ball quickly because of his ability to read the play so quickly. Strong player. Agressive. Good form tackling ability.
Abbate needs to make better use of his hands to get off blocks. He also has shorter arms than you would like as it can allow ball carriers to get past him at the line of scrimmage. Sometimes too aggressive. Speed:
However, the junior had to answer questions about his speed at the Combine, and the answer he provided was a horribly disappointing 5.0 in the 40. Abbate did well in other drills, at times ranking among the elite at the position, but his 40 time -- more than a tenth of a second slower than any other linebacker tested -- is a huge red flag for teams debating if Abbate has the speed to cover sideline to sideline.
Every year there are players like this who will see their stock drop because they lack ideal measurements – he ran a 4.90 at the combine – but don't let the numbers fool you. All this kid does is play football, and that can't be judged or timed in a workout. The bottom line is this kid's effort, tenacity and willingness to pay the price may result in him being great on special teams and one day a 100-plus tackle guy. Could be an early Day 2 guy. A possible steal.