Eagles Rookie Profile: Quentin Gause is a hard hitter

The Philadelphia Eagles signed undrafted rookie free agent Quentin Gause shortly after the 2016 NFL Draft. In order to learn more about the new Eagles linebacker, I reached out to SB Nation's Rutgers blog: On The Banks. Scarlet Knights writer and Eagles fan Griffin Whitmer (@griffinwhitmer) was kind enough to answer questions about Gause.

1) What are his strengths?

"Gause is a physical specimen. He is every bit of 6-1 235 and is absolutely jacked. He ran a 4.75 at his pro day which isn’t ridiculous but did have a 36” vertical which is outstanding. He has great football speed and is always involved in the play. He can also hit very hard but is a very sound tackler. He is powerful and quick enough to fight through blocks and get into the backfield. He can rush the passer but was often responsible for covering the opponent's best player that wasn’t a WR (RB or TE in the slot). He pretty much got abused by the defensive coordinator in a sense that they had him running all over the field every play. However, he never complained and in my opinion was the best player on the defense."

2 - What are his weaknesses?

"Gause is very well-rounded but I’d have to say his weaknesses are his height and pass coverage. He is listed at 6-1 but measured in at 6-0 at his pro day. His pass coverage is iffy, and couldn’t always stay with running backs coming out of the backfield. He is not incredibly agile and fluid when he drops into coverage but was usually able to save himself with his good recovery speed."

3) Were you surprised that he went undrafted?

"No, not really. He was never really listed in any mock drafts or ranked high enough to be drafted. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was drafted but the fact that he wound up as a priority free agent is no surprise to anyone."

4) How do you see his NFL career playing out?

"I think he has a great opportunity with the Eagles. There is not a true backup at SLB behind Nigel Bradham and I think Gause is good enough to seize that role. I’ve always considered him to be a very underrated player and I think he has what it takes to be the overlooked UDFA that make the 53-man roster. Obviously that opinion is biased but I stand by it. If he doesn’t make the Eagles I see him getting another shot somewhere but if that doesn’t work out he will probably be a journeyman for another year or too before moving on to bigger and better things for him."

5) Anything else to know?

"He is well known for his very high character (too bad Chip Kelly and his #culture are gone) and great academic standing. He is 3-time conference all-academic team (1x AAC, 2x B1G). He is also one of the most well-spoken football players I’ve ever heard speak. You can hear how smart and motivated he is and that he will make the most of his opportunity with the Eagles."