Alabama defensive end D.J. Pettway is Underrated and Unheralded
By John Sigler
Undrafted free agency gave the New Orleans Saints a bounty of young talent, ranging from offensive linemen Landon Turner and Jack Allen to defensive backs Trae Elston and De’Vante Harris. But another possible contributor signed on after the 2016 NFL Draft: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive end D.J. Pettway.
Pettway has flown under the radar, but he’s a dark horse to make the Saints’ defense fearsome again. The National Championship-winning defense in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was filled with monsters last year. Linemen A’Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, and D.J. Pettway joined linebackers Reggie Ragland, Denzell Devall, and Dillon Lee left the program to seek their fortunes in the NFL this spring, taking nearly 3,000-snaps, 100-plus pressures (14-sacks among them), and 30-tackles for loss with them.
While Robinson and Reed were drafted, Pettway fell into undrafted free agency; he signed a contract with the New Orleans Saints hours after the final selections were made. When he graduated from Alabama, Pettway left his senior season with five tackles for loss on only 130-snaps. He also added a pair of sacks despite only rushing quarterbacks on third down in 2015.
Measurables:
- Height: 6-foot, 2-inches
- Weight: 265-pounds
- Arm length: 32 1/4-inches
- Hand width: 9 1/2-inches
Injuries to underclassmen starters and an uncharacteristic pass-heavy game plan let Pettway show what he could do against Clemson in his last collegiate game. He picked up a pair of batted passes at the line of scrimmage and gave Clemson’s bookend offensive tackles fits all game, beating them both with a combination of snap anticipation and underrated hand usage.
Pettway finished the game – and his career at Alabama – with College Football Focus’ highest grade for a defender on either team, scoring a combined +4.8 (split almost evenly +2.6 rushing the quarterback and +2.1 defending the run).
Alabama ostensibly played a 3-4 defense last year but like most pro-style units they were diverse in their fronts. They lined up both four- and five-man fronts to get pressure in addition to their three-man base. Pettway saw time in all those variants as an edge defender and brings some versatility to the Saints as a hybrid defensive end/JACK pass-rushing linebacker.
What’s intriguing is how Pettway won his reps. He has a killer swim move to get around blockers if his initial bull rush fails, and he also showed the ability to redirect with a quick spin move. Pettway navigates traffic well to move laterally and fill his running lanes. He also saw some success working off stunts.
One area you’d like to see Pettway improve is his situational awareness; he missed out on a few sacks and tackles for loss after beating his blocker and getting in the backfield, but was too slow to react to the ball-carrier changing directions or flushing from the pocket.
How he fits the New Orleans Saints:
If you check Pettway’s spider chart on Mockdraftable.com, you’ll be distressed. Pettway’s athleticism is marginal at best, with his nearest comparison being Michael Sam. That isn’t encouraging and doesn’t project to success at the next level.
Unlike Sam, Pettway is good at playing football. He regularly showed off advanced technique and has the skills to win in the NFL, if not the athletic upside to tap into. He’s less Kasim Edebali, a quick-twitch specimen, and more like Hau’oli Kikaha, who wins with refined craftsmanship.
Pettway played defensive end for Alabama, and he projects to play that nine-technique undersized defensive end role in New Orleans. He’s a good understudy to Kikaha and foil to Edebali and Tull, who both come screaming off the edge with high energy. Kikaha and Pettway are both tenacious edge rushers who can overwhelm an offensive lineman, set him up with a counter-move, and then dash aside for the sack.
The Saints did not draft an edge rusher, and the current combination of undersized rushers is no sure thing. Pettway’s story will be one to watch this summer.