An Early NFL Draft Scouting Report : Florida Edge Rusher Brenton Cox

Former Florida Edge Rusher from Stockbridge, Georgia Brenton Cox is an extraordinary talent. Spending time at both UGA and Florida, he has the level of competition that NFL teams will look for. Described as a “super competitor”, Cox has made a name for himself on draft boards.

 He has had success on the national level and has been an integral part of every team he has played on. In my analysis, I will highlight his strengths and weaknesses and show why he will likely be a valued pick in this year’s draft. 

Player Information:

Name: Brenton Cox

School: Florida

Position: Edge Rusher/Defensive End

Jersey #: 1

Alignment/Scheme: Multiple Front (3-4 Edge) and (4-3 DE)

Games Watched: Vs UK, vs UGA, vs LSU, vs UT (‘21), 

Major Factors: # Notes:

Grading Scale:       9 - Special  8 - All-Pro  7.5 - Pro Bowler  7 - Good Starter  6.5 - Avg. Starter  6 - Good Backup  5.5 - Role Player  5 - Developmental

Personal/Behavior: 6 Some minor locker room issues were reported that led to dismissal from the team (UGA ‘18 and UF ‘22), but has no reported off-field issues. Reported being passionate in the locker, which often rubbed the coaching staff the wrong way. Described as a “vocal leader” by his teammates.

Athletic Ability: 6 Extremely athletic. He has a great size for the stand-up position. 

Strength & Explosion: 6 His explosive power is off the charts. Bullrush off of speed is dangerous to offensive tackles. Not extremely powerful from a 4-3 Defensive End position. Is more explosive from a stand-up position to gain momentum on the rush. When larger tackles were able to get a solid grip on him, he struggled to get his hands off. 

Competes 8 Extraordinary competitors. He is visibly passionate at all times when watching him play. He will go the extra mile to give up his body.

Production: 6 2019- 1 sack, 3 PD, 2020- 4 Sacks 2 PD, 2021- 8 Sacks, 4 PD, 2022- 2 Sacks, 4 PD 8 TFLS (Led Team) 

Mental/Learning: 7 Cox has been a contributor at every stop of his career. As a freshman at UGA, he contributed immediately before transferring following the season. In 3 years at UF, he maintained the starting role and improved statistically from year to year. 

Injury History: 6 Played through a left foot injury in 2020 (Jones Fracture). Had surgery to place a metal screw into foot. 

Player Summary:

Report: 6’4’’ 255 lbs. Originally from Stockbridge, Georgia, Brenton Cox is an athletic and powerful stand-up edge rusher that has film with a hand in the ground. Playing from a 3-4 edge is his strong suit and when asked to play in a 4-3, he is not playing to his advantage. 

With 1 year at UGA and 3 seasons at UF, Cox has plenty of productivity with improving numbers from year to year. He saw playing time as a freshman for UGA before transferring after the season. 

The bright spots of Cox are his pure desire to get to the quarterback off of the pass rush. I would not describe his motor as the most elite, but his aggression is a sight to watch. His use of hands is polished and a coach's dream. He is a very disruptive edge run-stopper. 

At 6’4 255, he has the size to match up with any tackle. While being the typical size for a rush end, I would not describe him as a power player. He utilizes more speed and quickness than a straight power rush. He will occasionally get under the pads of a lineman and knock them off balance, but when he is able to work a counter move off of a speed rush, he can win consistently. 

In 2022, before being dismissed from the team, he led all teammates with 8 tackles for loss. With a very minor injury history, Cox will surely be looked at by every team in the league. With minor locker room issues reported, it is also likely that he will receive minor criticism from NFL offices, but should not greatly affect his stock as the issues were seemingly related to the competitive nature amongst the team. 

Pro Comparison: Demarcus Lawrence 

Round/Grade: 2nd-3rd Round 

ITH Writer/COO

-By: LeMarkus Bailey