Chris
Mcclellan.
Chris
Mcclellan.
Missouri· 6'4"· 313 lb· 5.05s 40
"Heavy-handed 3-technique with rare hand size, late-blooming pass-rush production and a legitimate anchor — the Missouri version finally matched the recruiting billing."Pre-draft read
The player aligns primarily at 3-technique, with flexibility to shift inside over the guard-center in obvious pass situations. His primary win trait is a jarring long-arm/bull rush, powered by an elite grip; he latches, walks, and stacks blockers into the pocket before disengaging late. His secondary trait is a functional swim/rip counter, which he started trusting as a senior, turning collapses into finishes.
His ojos and gap discipline are advanced against zone runs; he squeezes his outside shoulder, keeps the backside clean, and rarely gets reached. Feet are heavy in short areas, limiting lateral pursuit past the near A-gap, meaning wins come vertically. His motor is steady rather than relentless, indicating a need for a rotational role to maintain pad level through the fourth quarter.
Best fit for a one-gap 4-3 penetrating front or an even-front system that values gap integrity and power against the run, particularly in a two-gap-capable 3-4.
Rotational interior pass rusher and stout run defender in Year 1, with a ceiling as a reliable 3-technique or 1-technique starter who can collapse the pocket and hold the point of attack.
A wide-9 attacking front or a predominant two-high system that demands explosive lateral movement and consistent backfield penetration from its defensive linemen.
McClellan's power, length, and gap discipline make him a good fit for Green Bay's run defense scheme, despite his limited lateral range, which will necessitate a rotational role.
Gutey's Guys: Chris McClellan skillset breakdown
19-minute post-draft breakdown of the tape and the skillset the Packers targeted at 77.
Mizzou at the NFL Scouting Combine: Chris McClellan
Combine interview covering the Florida-to-Missouri jump and the senior-year turnaround.
Chris McClellan is ready to 'wreak some havoc'
Rookie mini-camp introduction with practice clips of the long-arm bull rush.
This interior defensive lineman projects as a powerful anchor with a legitimate five-star pedigree entering the league as a third-round selection. A team is buying a player whose trajectory accelerated significantly in his senior year, leveraging his long arms and strong hands to control offensive linemen. His overall profile indicates a power/gap player, emphasizing his ability to command space vertically rather than relying on explosive quickness from a 1.80-second short split.
McClellan, initially a top-30 national recruit in the 2022 class, immediately contributed as a true freshman at Florida before stagnating in his sophomore year. A transfer to Missouri for his senior season highlighted his potential, where he recorded 48 tackles, 8 TFL, and 6 sacks, demonstrating consistent interior pressure against SEC opponents. This performance significantly elevated his pre-draft stock.
Evaluators were generally concerned by the late-blooming production and the need to project his Missouri performance forward. The consensus placed him as a top-100 grade with a likely Day 2 selection, and the Green Bay Packers traded up to draft him at pick 77, betting on his continued upward development.
- 01
Elite Grip and Length
McClellan possesses 34-inch arms and 11-inch hands (97th percentile), enabling him to control blockers with one-arm long-arms.
- 02
Point of Attack Anchor
He is a legitimate anchor at the point of attack, squeezing outside shoulders and holding gaps against double teams without displacement.
- 03
Ascending Pass-Rush Counters
His pass-rush counters, like a swim/rip off the long-arm, convert pocket compressions into finishes, contributing to 6 sacks and 8 TFL.
- 04
Scheme Versatile Alignment
He took reps at 3-technique, 4i, and nose in college, providing flexibility for a defensive coordinator to move him across the front.
- 05
Gap Discipline Against Run
McClellan demonstrates strong gap discipline against SEC run games, reading blocks cleanly and forcing cutbacks into pursuit.
- 01
Limited Lateral Range
His 5.05 forty and 1.80 short split restrict his pursuit past the near A-gap on outside zone or screen plays.
- 02
Inconsistent Motor
His motor runs hot-and-cold; reps he does not believe he can win end early, limiting him to a rotational role.
- 03
Late-Blooming Production
He has only one dominant college season, requiring evaluators to project his significant senior-year jump forward.
- 04
Developing Pass-Rush Plan
His pass-rush plan is still developing; counters are present but often arrive late, making him vulnerable when the initial long-arm fails.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 5.05sp50
- Vertical
- 29.5inp50
- Broad jump
- 117inp50
- Three-cone
- —s
- Shuttle
- —s
- Bench
- 33repp50
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Florida | 13 | 21 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Florida | 12 | 23 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | Missouri | 13 | 39 | 2.5 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | Missouri | 13 | 48 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | — | 51 | 131 | 10.5 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Long-armed anchor who wins on grip and gap integrity as a rotational 3-tech, not on burst.
Power-based interior three-tech whose late-career pass-rush production caught up with his tools.
Tools-and-flashes interior who never quite locks down a full-time role because of motor and pass-rush consistency questions.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Pre-draft context McClellan was a consensus five-star and the crown jewel of Florida's 2022 defensive line class before the program stalled around him. Two flat years in Gainesville sent him into the portal, where Missouri's defensive coaches sold him a 3-tech role in their attacking front. The move worked: his senior tape at Mizzou finally paired the physical tools (34" arms, 11" hands, functional 313-pound frame) with hand technique that could win reps consistently. Senior Bowl week in Mobile solidified the grade — he was the most consistent interior winner in one-on-ones and measured cleaner than any other DT in the group.
NFL fit — Green Bay The Packers gave up a fifth to jump seven spots for him, which reads as a targeted pick behind a starting interior of Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt. The projected role is a rotational 3-tech who spells Wyatt on early downs and slides inside to nose on pass-rush packages, feasting on the long-arm bull that made his Missouri tape pop. His fit inside a heavy defensive-line rotation should protect the motor concerns and let the hand-fighting carry the reps.
Retrospective Too early to close the book — training camp opens July 29. But the evaluation reads clean: heavy-handed anchor, ascending pass-rush counters, real length. The question is whether the Missouri version is the finished player or another step in the climb; the Packers are betting on the latter.