South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Rousseau opted out but is all in
DE expanding game ahead of NFL draft
MiamiHurricanes defensive endGregRousseaudeveloped quite the reputation as an elite pass rusher in 2019 to elevate himself as a first-round 2021 NFLdraft prospect.
Accumulating 15 ½ sacks in a redshirt freshman season where he only became a UM starter about halfway through, the 6- foot- 6, 265- pound pass-rushing specialist isworkingondeveloping all aspects of hisgameafter opting out of the 2020college football season to prepare for the draft.
Of course, itwould be savvy of whatever pro team that decides to drafthimto primarily use his greatest skill, but themystery ofwhat defensive system Rousseau gets drafted into has him using his time to add abilities he hasn’t shown in college.
“You never know what team’s going to pick you, so I can never neglect dropping back into coverage,” Rousseau told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a phone interview. “I don’t knowif I’ll go to a 3-4 team, and I can’t neglect putting my hand in the dirt because I don’t know if I’ll go to a 4-3 team.…
“When it comes to scheme, I’m just open to any team that I’m blessed enough to get drafted to.”
That’s one of the benefits of his opt- out: While he’s not getting in-gamereps, hecanworkonthings theHurricanes likelywouldn’t ask him to do, but that he may need to develop for the NFL.
He’s getting prepared to line up anywhere a pro team may want him. While he never stood up as an outside linebacker at Miami, one thinghedid showinhis stellar2019 campaign was, on third downs, he could slide inside and beat guards and centers through the A and B gaps with his quickness as Miami lined up extra defensive ends on either side of him.
“I really feel like I can play anywhere across the line of scrimmage, except for corner, of course, but I feel like I can play anywhere on theD-line,” Rousseau said. “I’m focusing on getting better at everything, whether it’s dropping back in coverage, playing inside, getting reps fromoutside. I’ve been getting right end, left defensive end. … But at the same time, of course, I’m doing the regular stuff like getting more explosive and all that and gettingmy hands better.”
Since the opt-out, Rousseau has spent much of his time in Pensacola, where he trains with former Atlanta Falcons defensive end ChuckSmith, whocomesover from Atlanta toworkwith him. Rousseau has worked on enhancing such pass-rushing moves as the doublehandswipescissormoveandcrosschop, along with countersoffthose moves, with Smith.
A Coconut Creek native who attended Hialeah Champagnat Catholic, Rousseau stillcomesback home to South Florida every now and then to spend aweek and train locally with Pete Bommarito.
Along with working on technique, Rousseau will study defensive schemes and coverages to be able to draw them up on white boards for NFL teams and show he’s sharp in the mental aspects of thegame. Hehasbeensteady inthe weight roomandwith speed-trainingworkouts.
“I definitely feel I’m getting stronger and losing my body fat,” Rousseau said. “I feel like I’m getting more explosive, which is somethingthat Iemphasizedwhen I opted out. I wanted to get more explosive and get better get-off.”
Rousseau feels his time at UM working with strength and conditioning coach David Feeley helped him be prepared for the type of training necessary for thenext level.
“It’s not too different. It’s not too wild of a change,” he said. “I’d say every single strength coach, no matter who it is, they have their different philosophies and they like certain thingsor theydon’t like certain things, so there’s different nuances with working with somebody different. Coach Feeley really laid the foundation for me, so now it’s just likeI’mjustbuildingfromit.”
Rousseau credits Feeley greatly for helping him get over the ankle injury thatendedhis true freshman season prematurely.
Rousseau likes what he has seen fromhis college team’s 5-1 start.
“I’m excited. I tune into every singlegame. I’m rooting those guys on,” he said. “Thosearemybrothers at heart, and they’ll forever be my brothers, even though I opted out.”
He’s especially pleased that there hasn’t been a drop-off in defensive line play since he opted out.
“I feel like Quincy [Roche] is doing a great job of leading that
unit, andI feel like theyhave a lotof potential,” Rousseau said.“They’re not even tapped out yet. They’re going to keep on getting better. They’re going to keep on gaining chemistry.
“Jaelan [Phillips], he’s just always readytohave abreakoutgame. He’s a freak of nature. Hewas afive-star recruit for a reason. He’s really coming into his own. I’m really proud and really happy for them guys.”
Asoneof the draft prospects that choseto opt out of the season, Rousseau saidhecould see itbecominga trendin the future but leans toward thinking thiswas a unique year. He added he would have played were it not for theCOVID-19 pandemic.