TJ QUINN (LB) 2026 NFL DRAFT STEP RATINGS SCOUTING REPORT

2026 TOP NFL DRAFT LB PROSPECT

2026 top NFL Draft LB prospect T.J. Quinn S.T.E.P ratings pre-draft scouting report.

TJ QUINN NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT

T.J. Quinn — NFL Draft S.T.E.P.™ Evaluation Position: Linebacker (Hybrid)
College: Louisville
Projection: NFL Draft Prospect (2026)
Total S.T.E.P. Score: 37.0 / 40

Career Context (Louisville & Early Recruiting) 
From a top-ranked safety recruit in 2021 with elite physicality and tackling ability to a transitioning hybrid defender at Louisville, Quinn has:

• Shifted from safety to linebacker while retaining physical instincts
• Excelled in run support and alignment versatility
• Demonstrated strong tackle production at the FBS level
• Proven capable of taking on bigger role responsibilities

His college bio reflects both playmaking and structural football growth — the exact traits we reward in the STEP system.

S — Sustainability (9.4 / 10) 
Quinn’s ability to stay impactful across multiple positions (Safety → Linebacker) is rare.
Why the high score:

• Durable physical profile even amidst a positional shift
• Production against multiple schemes and personnel groups
• High tackle rates and off-ball playmaking consistency
• Maintains aggressiveness without being reckless

NFL Translation:
Teams can trust him to stay on the field and contribute early.

T — Technique (9.0 / 10)
Technique is where Quinn gains real leverage over pure athletes:

• Diagnoses run/pass quickly
• Smooth pedal and flow down the line
• Reads leverage before engaging
• Finishes with proper tackling form

NFL Translation:
Not just a hitter — a controlled hitter. That’s NFL-level technique.

E — Execution (9.1 / 10)
Execution scores reflect game speed performance, not traits alone.
Quinn:

• Consistently fills run lanes without hesitation
• Matches up well with TEs and bigger receivers
• Shows clean transitions when read-keying
• Makes tackles in space — not just at point of contact

NFL Translation:
This is a defender who finds the ball and makes plays consistently — a huge plus at the next level.

P — Presence (9.5 / 10)
Presence — the multiplier — is where Quinn’s evaluation stands out:

• Natural competitor with physical aura
• Commands attention from blockers and ball-carriers alike
• Takes on bigger assignments without hesitation
• Presence showed early in recruiting and translated in college

NFL Translation:
Instant voice on second level; coaches trust him in clutch moments.

🧠 FINAL S.T.E.P. SCORE
Category Score
Sustainability 9.4
Technique 9.0
Execution 9.1
Presence 9.5
TOTAL 37.0 / 40
NFL Draft Projection — Pure Value Draft Window: 1st–3rd Round
Projected Role:

• Early-down run enforcer
• Big-slot match-up defender
• Defensive playmaker
• Core special teams contributor

Ceiling:

• Three-down linebacker / hybrid box defender
• Wears a defensive identity, not a project

Floor:

• Immediate rotational defender with strong special teams value

Scout Trout Elite Line - “When a physical safety transforms into a linebacker with actual instincts and execution — you don’t just gain a position switcher, you gain a sustainable playmaker. That’s why Quinn’s STEP projects him as an early NFL contributor.”

STEP RATINGS

S.T.E.P. Ratings (Scout Trout Evaluation & Projection) is a proprietary analytical framework developed by Meredith “Merf” Trout to evaluate football prospects with depth, context, and projection power — not popularity or hype.
S.T.E.P. is built to answer one critical question for athletes and coaches:
“Given this player’s film, physical profile, and developmental trajectory, how likely is he to help a college roster?”
Unlike traditional recruiting rankings that often rely on offers or subjective scouting buzz, S.T.E.P. Ratings are rooted in what actually translates from high school to college and beyond