(Editor's Note: The DallasCowboys.com team welcomes Bucky Brooks to the staff. Bucky brings a wealth of experience, not only as a former NFL player of five seasons, but also as a scout and on the pro personnel side for two teams. In the last decade, Brooks has worked in the media, including the NFL Network. Bucky will provide his own analysis and opinions of the Cowboys but also the entire NFL. Today, he breaks down one of the new draft picks in second-round selection Neville Gallimore.)
- Name: Neville Gallimore
- Position: DT
- College: Oklahoma
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 304
- Season: Rookie
Overview:
Gallimore is an energetic nose tackle with an explosive short-area quickness and an array of athletic rush moves. The Oklahoma product finished his collegiate career with 67 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. The 6-foot-2, 304-pounder is an active player at the point of attack. As a one-gap penetrator in a movement-based defender, Gallimore relied on his first-step quickness and agility to shoot gaps at the line. He uses a little wiggle and burst to slip past blockers on the way to the ball carrier. If the runner escapes the initial penetration or runs away from Gallimore, the speedy defender flashes enough speed and quickness to run him down from the backside. No.90 will adjust his pursuit angle while chasing from behind to meet runners at the line of scrimmage, exhibiting outstanding awareness and a non-stop motor.
As a pass rusher, Gallimore flashes disruptive potential on the inside. He combines outstanding athleticism, balance, and body control with an explosive 1st-step and basketball-like footwork to blow past blockers at the line. Gallimore's impressive pass rush arsenal includes quick arm-over and a Hakeem Olajuwon "Dream Shake" (spin move) that befuddles blockers. With No.90 also showing excellent snap count anticipation and first-step quickness, he has a number of moves and counters at his disposal to disrupt the quarterback's timing and rhythm.
From a critical standpoint, Gallimore's activity doesn't consistently lea to production. Despite an impressive set of athletic tools, his disruptive numbers (17 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in 46 career games) don't match his talent. Some of that can be attributed to the Sooners' game but a lot of his shortcomings are the result of his limited exposure to advanced techniques (grew up and played high school football in Canada). Galore also needs to play with better pad level to reduce some of the pin-balling that results in him falling to the ground. If he can learn how to use his hands, maintain his leverage, and properly sequence his moves, he could be a handful for interior blockers ill-equipped to deal with his quickness, athleticism, and energy.
Strengths
- Exceptional get-off and short-area quickness
- Energy player with a high-revving motor and a relentless competitive spirit
- Flashes the ability to turn strength into power
- Active hands and an array of athletic pass rush moves, including a nasty spin move
Weaknesses:
- Activity doesn't lead to significant production
- High-leverage player with questionable balance and body control
- Still mastering the nuances of the game after a late introduction to the sport
What are scouts saying?
"Gallimore is a twitchy interior defender with an explosive first-step and outstanding short-area quickness. He has active hands and has a little wiggle as a pass rusher. He reminds me of a Grady Jarrett as a power-player with some pass-rush ability. He's still a work in progress but he's an intriguing prospect who just scratching the surface on his potential."
How does he fit in with the Cowboys?
Gallimore is an athletic interior defender with a combination of strength, power, and quickness that could enable him to emerge as a disruptive playmaker for the Cowboys. He will initially start out as a rotational player behind Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe but he should add some energy and athleticism to the unit when he is on the field. As an active one-gap penetrator with a high-revving motor and an array of athletic rush moves, Gallimore could become a key contributor as a spot player for the Cowboys during his rookie season.
