Nebraska linebacker JoJo Domann is a modern-day NFL linebacker prospect who is going to offer his next team plenty of value in the passing game. Domann lived as the field outside linebacker for the Huskers defense in 2021, frequently manning the hashes and aligning in space as a pseudo-nickel defender against spread formations. The Big Ten Conference schedule has offered Domann a nice mix of opportunities to showcase his skills—he played against several spread offenses such as Ohio State and Nebraska but also took on more traditional heavy-set offenses such as Michigan.

Domann projects as an NFL starter for defenses that need to account for spacing issues—I’m not sure how good of a fit he will be for teams in the AFC South, for example, where run-heavy offenses like Tennessee and Indianapolis will force you to have to play heavy and be ready to fill between the tackles with consistency. But in divisions like the NFC West, for example, I could see Domann maximizing his potential as an impact defender and serving as a starting linebacker. Domann is at his best in coverage, he’s got very fluid zone drops to collision routes and uses his peripheral vision to feel route combinations. His reactive quickness and transitions in space are excellent and I think he can create a lot of ball production in the pro game.

It is worth noting that Domann saw his season end two games early in 2021 after needing surgery on his left hand—although he played through most of the Purdue game with the injury and played the following week against Ohio State, one of the star performances of his career. He also suffered multiple ACL injuries early in his career at Nebraska, where he was originally a safety.

Domann is also an older prospect, he’s a sixth-year senior who will (probably) be 25 years of age before the start of his first NFL minicamp (DOB is 07/28/1997). But with experience playing in the secondary and impressive coverage skills, Domann is sure to appeal to NFL teams looking to bolster their ability to handle 12-personnel grouping conflicts or maintain their run-fit integrity against 11-personnel.

Ideal role: Starting linebacker with coverage assignments in base

Scheme tendencies: Scheme diverse to play man or zone, but his athletic profile projects best into frequent zone drops into flat or hook/curl areas

FILM EVALUATION

Written by Kyle Crabbs

Games watched: Ohio State (2021), Oklahoma (2021), Michigan State (2021), Michigan (2021), Northwestern (2021)

Best Game Studied: Ohio State/Northwestern (2021)

Worst Game Studied: Michigan (2021)

Tackling: Domann offers impressive closing burst to drive and attack the football. He’s capable of generating a lot of force on his collisions from space when the ball-carrier bounces outside or when the quarterback is taking underneath throws. I do think his length is a natural barrier to consistency as a wrap-up tackler and his tackle radius is tested at times as a result—you’re going to need to be willing to live with some good hits without the finish.

Football IQ/Instincts: Domann is a sixth-year senior and his experience shows. He’s played in more than 50 career games with the Huskers and I’m most impressed with the diversity of his instincts. Whether he’s playing out on the hash or walked up on the line of scrimmage near the goal line, his ability to process and diagnose is excellent. Domann isn’t a one-size-fits-all player, but his feel for coverage is sublime and offers clear value at the next level.

Competitive Toughness: Allow me to paint a picture. Ohio State, 2021. Domann is three yards behind the ball on the far hash against a completion on the numbers to the boundary. And 60 yards later, he’s collisions WR Jaxson Smith-Njigba as he crosses the plane of the end zone. He’s got phenomenal effort and plays with a red-hot motor. I can appreciate his hitting power but if you put him in traffic and ask him to hold his ground, he doesn’t have the length or punch power to handle those assignments with consistency; he’ll need to be a penetration slasher to have success in the NFL in traffic.

Pass Coverage Ability: See Above.

Run Defending: A lot of his splash plays in the run game have come with him walked up as the end man on the line of scrimmage. He had a forced fumble against Northwestern in such a manner on the goal line for a forced turnover and against Oklahoma had a nice TFL in the same scenario. He’s got ample range but his ability to come to balance in space and tackle head-up is something I’d be a little leery of given his wingspan and tackle radius.

Block Deconstruction: This is simply an area that won’t do Domann justice if you ask him to do this with frequency. He appears to be at an anatomical disadvantage for locking and stacking blocks, plus he’s a former safety who has worked his way into the 230-pound range. Play him in space, don’t stack him and ask him to step down and challenge climbing blockers.

Lateral Mobility: See Above.

Flexibility: I’m impressed with the body control he illustrates, especially when considering he was listed on the 2017 roster at 205 pounds and is now playing with significantly more mass. He’s fluid in both his base and through his hips and core and that allows him to flip open or lean and carry speed through his corners with high efficiency.

Leadership: Domann did not serve as a formal captain for the Huskers but he clearly served in a critical role when watching him play. He helped with relaying calls, was a high-energy player who outclassed every other member of the defense with his motor and pursuit, and frequently rose to the occasion to make big plays.

Versatility: See Above.

SCOUT GRADES

TDN Consensus: 75.75/100 (Third Round Value)

Crabbs Grade: 79.00/100

Marino Grade: 74.50/100

Harris Grade: 71.00/100

Sanchez Grade: 78.00/100

Weissman Grade: 78.00/100

Parson Grade: 80.00/100