Tanner Vallejo

Vallejo was courted by several Pac-12 programs out of high school, but his connection with head coach Chris Petersen led him to Boise State. He saw starting time as a true freshman in 2013 (six starts), posting 51 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and three passes defended. Vallejo had his most productive season as a sophomore with a team-best 100 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss, adding his first career interception to earn Second Team All-MWC honors. He started 10 games as a junior in 2015 and recorded 57 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, earning All-MWC Honorable Mention honors. Vallejo started the first nine games of 2016 before an injury ended his senior season, finishing with 69 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack to earn All-MWC Honorable Mention honors. A four-year starter at Boise State, Vallejo lined up as the starting SAM linebacker in the Broncos hybrid 4-3 base scheme. He put his name on the NFL map with his outstanding sophomore campaign, including earning MVP honors of both the Mountain West Championship and the Fiesta Bowl. Vallejo didn't make the same impact his junior and senior seasons, but he played through a painful wrist injury that he suffered in the 2016 season opener, which affected his play at times. He is an undersized linebacker with clear tweener traits, lacking the prototypical measurements and dynamic athleticism ideal for the next level. However, Vallejo has the football-first mentality, play speed and toughness that has a place in the NFL, projecting as a depth linebacker who can stand out on special teams.

strengths

Routinely around the football and near the bottom of the pile. Reliable open-field tackler. Drops his pads, launches and wraps to create stopping power at the finishing point. Strong hands/wrists, not falling off his target. Aggressive play style with fast angles working downhill. Functional range to cover ground. Alert in zone drops, putting doubt in the minds of inside receivers who know he is patrolling the middle of the field. Competitive juices are always flowing through his veins. Seeks out contact. Pushes himself as a worker off the field. Tough as sandpaper and must be forced to come off the field - accustomed to playing through pain. Started the last four seasons and posted 277 total tackles and 36.0 tackles for loss.

weaknesses

Undersized frame with short arms. Lacks ideal muscle definition and doesn't have the growth potential to add more bulk. Not a twitchy athlete and requires a moment to gear down and redirect in the open field. Overaggressive tendencies, attacking too hot. Doesn't properly break down on the move, making tackle attempts tougher than they need to be. Needs to identify his keys quicker in coverage, especially vs. spread concepts. Not an instinctive player in man coverage. Banged up most of his collegiate career, including torn ligaments in his right wrist (Sept. 2016) that eventually ended his senior season and required surgery - played through the injury the first nine games of the 2016 season. Most productive season came as a sophomore. Poor ball production in coverage with zero passes defended or interceptions the past two seasons.

2016

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
6.0	1.0	69.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	39.0

2015

receiving
REC	YPR	TD	LONG	YDS
1.0	4.0	0.0	4.0	4.0

puntReturns
AVG	NO	TD	LONG	YDS
2.0	1.0	0.0	2.0	2.0