2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

Could Stutsman further reinforce the Giants’ linebacker corps?

The defensive line class, and the defensive tackles in particular, is widely regarded as one of the best in recent memory.

There are so many potentially great defensive linemen in this year’s class that they’re overshadowing many of the other positions. But in the shadow of those linemen is a very solid linebacker class as well.

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman has been on the periphery of the linebacker class, but he’s a versatile and well-rounded defender who could have some big fans in coaching staffs around the League.

The New York Giants have had their best linebacker play in years thanks to Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. But could the Giants further reinforce that strength if the value is right?

Prospect: Danny Stutsman (28)
Games Watched: vs. Iowa State (2023), vs. Texas (2023), vs. Tennessee (2024), vs. Texas (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.football

Strengths

Best traits

• Football IQ
• Instincts
• Athleticism
• Versatility

Stutsman is a good-sized, smart, athletic, and instinctive linebacker.

Stutsman has good size for a modern linebacker at 6-foot-3, 233 pounds with plenty of speed for the position with a 4.52-second 40. Stutsman plays very fast, and is a very high-IQ player with great processing speed as well as instincts.

He does a great job of communicating with his teammates throughout the play. He helps to line them up and make adjustments in the pre-snap phase, as well as after the snap. Stutsman has great mental footwork and does a good job of anticipating the play as well as taking an accurate first move. He consistently moves toward the direction of the play in the opening moments of the play, which further boosts his play speed.

Stutsman is a versatile linebacker who can play inside or outside and is a factor on all three downs. He’s able to come downhill to play the run or rush the passer through the A and B gaps, or around the edge. He also does a great job of getting depth in his zone drops and has good awareness in space. Stutsman does a good job of reading quarterbacks’ eyes and is able to pick up receivers as they enter his zone of coverage.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

• Agility
• Change of direction

Stutsman’s greatest weakness is that while he’s a good – or even very good – athlete, he’s something of a linear athlete.

He has some stiffness in his lower half that can show up throughout his game. He can struggle to change directions quickly when matched up in coverage against more athletic skill position players. Likewise, particularly agile running backs can make him miss if he has to adjust quickly in a short area.

Stutsman’s relative lack of agility can also cause him to take worse angles and occasionally miss tackles. He takes good, smart angles when he has the time and space to do so, but they suffer when he has to change direction quickly.

Stutsman would also likely be best in a defense that allows him to flow to the ball or shoot gaps, as opposed to routinely taking on blocks from offensive linemen. He doesn’t quite have the size or strength to consistently shed or make plays off of blockers in the manner of an “old school thumper”.

Game Tape

(Stutsman is the Oklahoma linebacker number 28 with a red band and elbow brace on his left arm.)

Projection

Stutsman projects as an important rotational linebacker at the NFL level with position and scheme versatility, and the upside to start in the right situation.

His instincts, football IQ, and athleticism give him the versatility to play inside or outside linebacker. Stutsman’s competitive toughness and hustle will earn him fans among coaching staffs.

His ability to shoot gaps to defeat runs behind the line of scrimmage could help his draft stock as the running game becomes more important. Likewise, he can play in blitz-happy schemes as well as more traditional schemes. Stutsman probably shouldn’t be used in man coverage, however he’s able to play zone coverage as well as spy the quarterback.

Stutsman should be a three-down linebacker in the NFL and will be tough to keep off the field.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes

Final Word: A later Day 2 or early Day 3 value