Liam has grown physically his senior year and has become a more complete player, in my opinion. He can use his speed to get around slower offensive tackles in his pass rush, and he has gotten stronger. That has allowed him to play the run better overall as a defender. Probably most importantly, he’s been a leader for a program that went through some transition this offseason.

Drayton’s been a hard evaluation for us over the years, because he’s a guy who looks the part and just hadn’t put it all together. We saw flashes last season, but this year he’s taken his game to an entirely new level. He looks quicker, more explosive, and he’s finishing plays in the backfield. He’s had a handful of truly dominant reps through the first three weeks, and he’s looking strong.

The Providence staff used Drayton as a deployable chess piece last season, moving him around where he’d be the most effective. For example, the long edge rusher played almost exclusively inside against Charlotte Catholic’s Wing-T, while playing as a Wide 9 against several more pass-happy teams. He’s a physical menace with length and explosive qualities–a guy who could blow up on the camp scene.

Drayton is a long, lean, and quick edge rusher. His wingspan allows him to engage offensive linemen before they can get to his chest and he flashes the ability to convert speed to power. He’s a guy who should improve greatly with some more time in the weight room and with some position training and I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up higher in our rankings by the time he’s a senior.