Analysis
by Pro Football Weekly:
Notes:
Was not highly recruited out of high school. Went to Mississippi College
in 1996 and 1997. Transferred to Auburn in 1998. Walked-on and redshirted.
Got a scholarship in 1999 prior to the season and rewarded the coaching
staff by starting at middle linebacker. Continued to start in 2000. Had
92 stops, five tackles for loss and an interception in '99; and 77 tackles,
six for loss, two passes broken up and an interception in 2000.
Positives: Great work ethic and competitiveness. Transferred to Auburn from a smaller school, showing he likes to compete and play with the best. Very dedicated, smart and determined. Tough. Always hustles and competes. Active and runs pretty well. Has developed body and strength. Negatives: Self-made player who is really a pumped up 210-pounder. But weight room strength and timed speed don't always translate to the field. Gets overpowered and engulfed. Does not take on blocks well. Summary: Marginal natural ability but great dedication. Limited raw talent but can always be counted on for a great effort. Special-teams player and backup-linebacker type who could get better than that because he always plays over his ability level. Has some Zach Thomas in him.
Info from The War Room: Strengths: Has great straight-line speed. Never stops hustling. Is your typical blue-collar, hardnosed player. Shows good run/pass diagnosis skills. Takes good angles to the ball. Always in position and as a coach, you know that he is going to do what is asked of him. Weaknesses: Has marginal size, and may never get bigger. Needs to improve strength in the trenches. Struggles against the run, especially on isolation plays. Doesn't play as fast as his 40-yard-dash time indicates. Bottom line: Lincoln doesn't have the physical tools to hold up against the run on the inside. He also doesn't have enough range to play on the outside. He must get stronger, but he will never be great physically. Lincoln would likely go undrafted if it were not for the intangibles he will offer as a reserve. Dan Pompei analysis
Player Bio
Info from CBS SportsLine: Intense inside linebacker completed a fine two-year career after transferring from Mississippi College. Lincoln is a hard nosed linebacker who displays fine speed and range to make plays sideline to sideline. He has been an anchor in the middle displaying sure tackling and fine leadership. He is quick to recognize plays and fills the hole well, utilizing his good functional strength. His smallish frame though, does not allow him to maintain control of the line of scrimmage versus bigger offensive linemen. As a senior, Lincoln made 77 tackles with 6 TFLs, 1 recovered fumble and 1 pick. He was a key reason why Auburn ranked in the top 15 teams in run defense during the '00 season. As a junior, he recorded 92 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks and 1 pick, combining toughness and instincts in the middle. He has nice mobility with the ability to read plays quickly. He keeps blockers off his body and stays on his feet to sift through traffic and finish plays. He is a sure tackler, taking precise angles of pursuit. He drops well in coverage with the ability to play zone and break up plays, but he is still an inexperienced defender in that role and needs further development. At the Senior Bowl, he displayed the hustle that made him a consistent tackler in the SEC over the past two seasons. He has the toughness, tackling skills and speed to become a fine special teams performer. At the combine, he ran a 4.75 time with a 35-inch vertical leap and did 22 reps. Marginal athlete with fine linebacker intangibles and instincts. Quality backup with the tools to be a career special teams performer.
Info from FansOnly.com: POSITIVES...Hard-hitting overachiever with fluid sideline-to-sideline range... as outstanding linear speed... Makes quick decisions while attacking...Has strength to shed blocks and quickness to run down the ball carrier outside the box...Gets good depth dropping off in pass coverage...Keeps his head constantly moving, as he's always looking for the football...Hits with authority and has a "take no prisoners" attitude trying to do whatever he can to take his opponent down...Shows outstanding urgency getting to the ball...Takes good pursuit angles to prevent the long gains around the corner. NEGATIVES...Lacks the bulk to get through the trash inside...Makes an effort as a blitzer, but is generally engulfed by the larger blockers...Very stiff in his hips and rigid in his move-ents when dropping back in pass coverage...Has had problems latching onto the ball (poor hand technique)... His inability to plant and drive makes him a liability in isolated pass plays...Has functional strength to fill the lanes, but lacks overall technique, power and consistency in this area. CAREER NOTES...Joined the team as a redshirt walk-on in 1998 after two years at Mississippi College...Earned a scholarship in 1999 and manned the middle linebacker position ever since... Collected 169 tackles (95 solos) with 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage in 23 starting assignments for the Tigers. REMINDS ME OF...Tampa Bay's Jamie Duncan. GAZING INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL...Self-made player who has incredible closing speed chasing down the ball carriers, but a few teams will shy away from him because of his size. New England has been keeping tabs on him as a possible target to groom behind oft-injured Ted Johnson in the mid-rounds. |
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