California linebacker Teddye Buchanan has seen a meteoric rise since he transferred from UC Davis and entered the draft for this cycle. Here is a scouting report and film analysis on Buchanan ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of California LB Teddye Buchanan
Measurables:
- 6’2”
- 235 lbs
Player Background:
Hailing from California, Teddye Buchanan began his college career with UC Davis after graduating from HS in 2020. He was a three-star prospect at the time and a Top-200 outside linebacker recruit. His freshman year was canceled and he saw his first live action with the team in the 2021 spring season. He was the team’s best LB immediately, racking up 74 tackles, two sacks, two picks, and 5.5 tackles-for-loss.
He was limited the following season but played in seven games, starting them all. Buchanan picked up 43 tackles, picked off three passes, had three TFLs, and forced a fumble. His final year with the team came in 2023 and he starred again. He made another 71 tackles, five for loss, had two sacks, and three INTs. He transferred to California, crossed the 100-tackle mark in his sole season, and set career highs with five sacks and two FFs.
Accolades:
- Second Team All-Big Sky (2023)
- First Team All-ACC (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Buchanan is a wildly fun player to watch operate in coverage and he works through the second level with impressive fluidity. He’s a great defensive backfield communicator as plays develop, working well with other defenders to identify and close onto assignments. His athleticism and versatility let him rotate around the secondary and work between different route combinations. He has great straight-line abilities in coverage when following leaking backs, swiftly moving through traffic, and keeping his movements compact.
He’s competitive at the catch point and flashes good ball skills to break up several plays. Buchanan is disciplined in middle zones, rarely drifting away and always keeping his leverage. He works himself into gaps early as a run defender and maintains his position to keep them plugged. He’s flashed some patience on the outside with intelligence to only engage when necessary. He wraps his arms well around ball carriers and uses his weight distribution smartly.
Weaknesses/Cons:
While he has his share of moments, his run defense definitely needs to improve. Buchanan’s functional upper body strength isn’t at a level where he can consistently finish tackles in traffic. He can be too hesitant and somewhat uncomfortable when on the edge and needs to explode more out of his stance. The violence and placement of his hands are subpar sometimes and he struggles with shedding blocks to work into the backfield.
Buchanan crashes into the backfield too much on read options and will occasionally displace himself. He tends to slow down as plays develop and doesn’t finish plays whistle to whistle at times. He lets his eyes drag sometimes back toward the line of scrimmage in coverage and can get beat on quick cuts. His discipline in coverage can become too much at times and lead to being off-balance on timing throws. He tackles high too much and his length increases his issues engaging away from blockers.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Buchanan is one of the best coverage backers in a very deep class and is a fantastic Day 2 option. He has some work to do as a run defender and has some issues to overcome in his frame, but he will massively help a team come next season. He’ll instantly raise the floor of a defense’s pass coverage and should be a staple in the league for an extended period with room to grow into a true impact player.
Prospect Grade:
- Mid-3rd Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. UC Davis
- 2024 vs. Syracuse
- 2024 vs. Miami
Main Photo: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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