2018 Chiefs Draft prospects: Washington linebacker Azeem Victor

Staff writer Anthony Crane takes a closer look at a key college player from each conference and how he’d fit best with the Chiefs. First up: Azeem Victor.

The college football season is right around the corner and that means the Chiefs scouting department will begin preparing for the 2018 NFL Draft. But before the season begins, I will bounce around from conference-to-conference finding the one player I think the Chiefs should go after in the 2018 NFL Draft.

My first stop is the Pac-12 and a linebacker from the University of Washington, Azeem Victor. Azeem Victor is a senior from Compton, California and a three-star recruit coming out of high school. One thing that I noticed was Victor’s weight going into college compared to where he is now. Victor weighed 225 as a senior in high school and has put on just five pounds in his three years at Washington. The average weight of an NFL middle linebacker is 250, so Victor may have to add some weight once he reaches the next level. Derrick Johnson weighed 205 coming out of high school and left Texas at 242.

Sophomore Season

In his sophomore campaign, Victor registered 95 tackles (9 for loss). Victor started the season with 11 tackles in the season opener against Boise State. In weeks 3-5, Victor had 12,12 and 10 tackle performances. His production fell off just a little the rest of the season, failing to register double digit tackles in a game. I’m sure it had nothing to do with the Huskies removing some guy named Marcus Peters from the team. Victor still averaged eight tackles per game in 2015 and the Huskies finished with the 18th best run defense in the country.

Junior Season

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Victor started the 2016 season the same as he did the 2015 campaign, with 11 tackles in the season opener. The rest of the 2016 season was a little up and down for Victor and a lot of it depended on who the Huskies were playing. Against Idaho and Portland State, Victor had just ten tackles in the two games combined. But in the next two games against Arizona and Stanford, Victor totaled 21 tackles. Victor’s best game came against Utah in week 8 where he finished the game with 16 tackles. The following week against Cal, Victor had four tackles before a broken leg ended his season. He finished the season with 68 tackles.

Senior Season

Victor will have to prove this upcoming season that he has bounced back from the injury he suffered in 2016. The senior linebacker was rated as the second best linebacker against the run in the Pac-12.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Victor is not the fastest middle linebacker in college football, but he plays fast. His fastest 40-yard dash time was a 4.6, but also ran a 4.7. Right around the four minute mark of this video, you can see that he has great game speed. One thing that Victor will have to improve on this season is his tackling. Last season, he missed 11 of 74 tackle attempts, ranked 119 among draft-eligible linebackers. You can see in that Stanford game that he tries to often to arm tackle backs and receivers.

Why Kansas City?

The Chiefs have more questions at inside linebacker than they do answers. DJ is near the end of his outstanding career and it is still a question as to who will play next to him this season. K.C. has put off filling this need in the early rounds of the draft the last few years in hopes that one of their late round picks could fill their need. Victor has been ranked anywhere from the best MLB in this draft, to the fourth best. Depending on the season he has, Azeem could be there in the second round when the Chiefs make their first selection of the 2018 draft.

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