BRIAN CUSHING
ARPER
USC
#10
PROJECTION: 1st Round COMPARISON: Mike Vrabel
CLASS SENIOR
HEIGHT 6-3
WEIGHT 255 lbs.
HOMETOWN Park Ridge, NJ
HIGH SCHOOL Bergen Catholic
BIRTHDAY 1/24/1987
|
YEAR |
TACKLES |
TFL |
SACKS |
INTS |
FF |
|
2008 |
73 |
10.5 |
3.0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2007 |
25 |
2.5 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2006 |
57 |
6.0 |
13.5 |
0 |
1 |
|
2005 |
18.5 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
0 |
1 |
SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS: Versatile athlete...Excellent in coverage...Strong & powerful...Physical & tough...Intelligent
WEAKNESSES: Suspect durability...Will struggle in space...Questionable read-react skills...Overaggressive
OVERALL: A top recruit out of high school, Brian Cushing contributed immediately as he started four games as a true freshman. He actually started 13 games at defensive end his sophomore year before returning to linebacker as a junior. Cushing is a freak athlete with a cut physique and a workout warrior who loves to practice and just play football. He is versatile and can play just about any linebacker position in any defensive scheme, but is probably best suited as a strong-side linebacker. Cushing has great closing speed and explodes quickly to the ballcarrier. He shows fluid hips and the ability to drop back into coverage and cover. Cushing is very strong, powerful, and does a nice job sifting through the garbage and shedding blocks. He has questionable read-react skills and will struggle in space when left alone on an island. Cushing is a technique tackler and well-known for his hard hitting ability. Durability is a concern and definitely a red flag as he has missed significant time over his career with ankle, hamstring, shoulder, and hand injuries. Cushing shows great work ethic and is a hard worker with a fantastic motor. He shows excellent range and is relentless in pursuit of the ballcarrier. Cushing shows raw instincts and some untapped potential that can be developed with some coaching by an experienced NFL coaching staff. He is a very intriguing prospect because of his natural abilities, but doesn’t appear to be an elite football player.
BOTTOM LINE: A physical specimen, Cushing will be very attractive to NFL teams because of his overall athleticism, strength, and versatility to play just about every LB spot - definite first rounder.
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
RESULT |
TACKLES |
TFL |
SACKS |
INTS |
FF |
QB HURRY |
|
8/30 |
@ VIRGINIA |
W 52-7 |
2 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
9/13 |
OHIO STATE |
W 35-3 |
10 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
9/25 |
@ OREGON STATE |
L 27-21 |
8 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
10/4 |
OREGON |
W 44-10 |
6 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
10/11 |
ARIZONA STATE |
W 28-0 |
7 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
10/18 |
@ WASHINGTON ST |
W 69-0 |
3 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
10/25 |
@ ARIZONA |
W 17-10 |
6 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
11/1 |
WASHINGTON |
W 56-0 |
3 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
11/8 |
CALIFORNIA |
W 17-3 |
9 |
2.0 |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
11/15 |
@ STANFORD |
W 45-23 |
6 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
11/29 |
NOTRE DAME |
W 38-3 |
3 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
12/6 |
@ UCLA |
W 28-7 |
3 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1/1 |
BOWL-PENN STATE |
W 38-24 |
7 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
12-1 (8-1) |
|
73 |
10.5 |
3.0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2008 STATISTICS