Rashad

Weaver

The Titans are aware of the allegations, which stem from April and were filed 24 hours before Weaver was selected in the fourth round, but reportedly did not know of the situation when the pick was made. The organization is currently in the process of “gathering details and working with the league.” The rest of this story will likely unfold over the coming weeks.

Weaver (6'5/270) arrived on campus at Pitt in 2016 when he redshirted before starting the last five games of 2017, registering 28 tackles, six TFLs and 3.0 sacks. Racked up 14 TFLs, 6.5 sacks and four PBUs in 2018 before missing all of 2019 with a knee injury. He came back better than ever in 2020, earning first-team All-ACC and consensus All-American honors. Weaver isn’t going to blind you with his quickness off the snap or speed off the edge, but he’s aggressive, strong and gets the most out of his ability by having polished moves. A sturdy frame helps him hold up in the run game and take on double teams, but he isn’t a great athlete. Posted a 50-percent win rate at Senior Bowl practices and +3.5 grade for his performance in the 1-on-1 drills. His 4.88 40-yard dash was about average but both his short shuttle of 4.26 and 3-Cone of 6.97 seconds were both elite times. Weaver’s 20 bench reps were a little light for the position and his 32” vertical jump was merely decent, leading to a solid RAS of 7.36. He could have a Deatrich Wise level impact within a couple of years. Weaver will play a reserve role early in his career but joins three other defensive selections made by the Titans in the first four rounds. It’s clear that Tennesee is making a push to pair their explosive offense with a solid defense.

Weaver (6'5/270) and fellow Pitt defensive lineman Patrick Jones II combined for 16.5 sacks so far this year, the most of any pass rushing duo in the country. The redshirt senior pass rusher has made a full recovery following a fall camp ACL tear in 2019, recording 34 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two PBU. Earlier this year, Pro Football Network analyst Tony Pauline lauded his play against Syracuse and believes his strong performance this season could lead to Weaver warranting a Day 2 selection in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.

Pauline was impressed by Weaver’s showing against Syracuse over the weekend -- Weaver logged two sacks and three tackles for loss in the contest -- noting that the 6-foot-5, 270-pound redshirt senior was “omnipresent in all facets of the game and was a constant nuisance for the SU offense.” Pauline would like to see him maintain a level of consistency as the season progresses. Weaver missed the whole of the 2019 campaign recovering from a torn ACL, but looks to be back to health at this juncture.

Weaver (6'5/270) tore his right ACL during Thursday’s practice and is scheduled to undergo surgery. The blow is a massive one for Pitt’s defense, as the redshirt junior leader posted 47 tackles (14.0 for loss), 6.5 sacks, four passes defensed and a pair of fumbles forced across 14 starts. With Weaver out for the campaign, the Panthers figure to pump up the meaningful reps for John Morgan and Deslin Alexandre over the remaining days in camp as they continue to prep for their opener against Virginia on Aug. 31.

Pro Football Focus credits Weaver (6'5/265) with a 17.5% win-rate, narrowly beating Syracuse’s Alton Robinson and Wake Forest’s Carlos Basham for the top spot in the conference. Weaver possesses NFL size already, but there’s room for him to add weight if he wants. Weaver is a candidate for an early NFL declaration if he takes another step forward in 2019.