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Stephen Weatherly bet on himself when he declared for the NFL Draft after a solid junior year at Vanderbilt. That gamble paid off on Saturday when the Minnesota Vikings selected him with the sixth pick of the seventh round (227th overall).
Weatherly is a versatile athlete who can play with either his hand on the turf as a defensive end or rushing from the second level as an outside linebacker. At 6'4 and 267 pounds, he brings a strong blend of strength and athleticism. However, his inability to follow up on a breakout sophomore season ultimately hindered his draft stock. After posting 4.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2014, he had just 3.5 and 9.5 in his final season with the Commodores.
His sideline-to-sideline speed will make him a venerable defender at the next level. Here he is chasing down Missouri quarterback Maty Mauk and forcing an intentional grounding call.
And here's another clip of him ruining Mauk's day after splitting blockers and flooding into the pocket.
