Miami Hurricanes LB Shaq Quarterman confident in NFL Draft status

After starting all 52 games for the Miami Hurricanes during the past four seasons, linebacker Shaq Quarterman is confident in his NFL Draft status.

Shaq Quarterman was the epitome of a four-year starter for the Miami Hurricanes. Quarterman started all 52 games for Miami during his four-year college career and was the leader of the Hurricanes defense. Quarterman finishes his Miami career with 356 tackles, 46.5 tackles for loss 12 sacks and 13 pass breakups.

Leading an elite Miami Hurricanes defense from 2016-19 with linebackers Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud by his side, Quarterman was always around the ball. Quarterman added five fumbles recoveries, two forced fumbles and a return TD in his freshman year against Georgia Tech to his impressive resume.

Quarterman is projected to be selected in the fifth or sixth round of the NFL Draft by Lance Zierlein of NFL.Com. Zierlein praised Quarterman’s durability, dependability and toughness but questions his agility, quickness and ability to fight off blocks at the next level. At 6’0 235 pounds, Quarterman has good size for an NFL linebacker.

Quarterman is confident in his ability to play in the NFL as stated in an interview with the Miami Herald posted on Friday. The former Miami Hurricanes captain discussed being nervous about the NFL Draft, praised what he put on tape during his college career and disputed the criticisms made by Zierlein.

"“Will I be nervous? Of course’…This is the biggest moment of my career. My football tape is immaculate — four years of it…I have played sideline-to-sideline making crushing tackles. I polished my game, I graduated, I represented the brand at a high level and was a standup guy on and off the field.I’m a guy who pushes toward greatness and I solidifed my legacy: Shaquille Quarterman is a household name in Miami. Add me to a team to levitate it, not just patch it up.’’"

Quarterman is one of eight former Miami Hurricanes including four seniors that were invited to the NFL Combine in late February and early March. Pinckney was unable to participate in drills because of an Achilles injury. Quarterman told Susan Miller Degnan of the Herald that he had just gotten off a call with the Buffalo Bills.

One of Quarterman might be he is a throwback LB. Quarterman has struggled at times in pass coverage and is far more adept against the run. With NFL teams increasingly throwing the football, Quarterman might become a specialty LB in the NFL. The possibility is that Quarterman is an early-down and short-yardage LB.

According to Pro Football Focus via Inside the U, “Quarterman was targeted 41 times in coverage and allowed 31 receptions for 273 yards with two touchdowns.” A 75.6 completion percentage against in the NFL is not going to cut it in pass coverage. Quarterman has to improve that part of his game to be an every-down LB.