per joe marino pfn
A high school quarterback and defensive back that also played basketball and lacrosse, SirVocea Denis converted to linebacker during his lone season at a prep school before coming to Pittsburgh. After one season as a reserve in 2019, Dennis became an impact starter across three seasons for a sound Pitt defense.
Dennis is a fast-to-flow and urgent linebacker that features a quick trigger and can close distances in a hurry. He is a sharp processor that quickly diagnoses and has timely responses. I appreciate the disciplined nature of his game to play his part in the defense and stay committed to run fits and coverage landmarks—he isn’t easily fooled. Dennis has excellent short-area burst and closing speed which frequently shows up when blitzing and shooting gaps. He has ideal range and is springy with how he changes directions and works laterally. He is mostly a secure tackler that does well to wrap and bring his feet through contact.
While Dennis doesn’t appear to be notably undersized, there is a squattiness to his build. He doesn’t consistently hold his own when taking on and deconstructing blocks. He would benefit from continuing to add strength and mass to his frame if playing inside linebacker is his path at the next level, although there’s a case to be made that his best opportunity would come as a pursuit-style player. I wish there was more on his plate during passing downs. My exposures only revealed short zone drops and a considerable amount of blitzing.
Denis has the makings of an impact special teamer and reserve on defense early in his career with the potential to develop into a quality matchup linebacker that thrives in a pursuit-style role.
Top Reasons to Buy In:
- Quick processing skills
- Secure tackler
- Urgent and springy in pursuit
- Experience and special teams background
Top Reasons For Concern:
- Block deconstruction and take-on ability
- Transition from primarily playing MIKE to being utilized more in space
- Need to develop role on passing downs
Solid addition. Adding to that front seven is exactly what needed to happen.
