High School and College Career

From Sexton High School, Karl Brooks went unranked by all the major scouting services and joined Bowling Green after high school.

In his freshman year in 2018, Brooks played in 12 games and made a total of 16 tackles, 16 pressures, including 11 QB hurries, 2 QB hits, and 3 sacks.

The following year, as a sophomore, Brooks played in 12 games again and recorded 22 tackles, and 35 total pressures, which comprised 23 QB hurries, 7 QB hits, and 5 sacks.

In his junior year in 2020, Brooks only played in 3 games and made just 4 tackles and 4 pressures, with 2 QB hurries, no QB hits, and 2 sacks.
Brooks bounced back in his senior year in 2021, playing in 12 games and making 24 tackles and 36 pressures, including 25 QB hurries, 3 QB hits, and 8 sacks.

Brooks decided to come back for a fifth year in 2022 and had a stellar season. He played in all 12 games and logged a total of 631 snaps for the Falcons. He added 32 tackles and 60 total pressures, 43 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and 12 sacks.

Karl Brooks Scouting Report Introduction

Karl Brooks, a defensive lineman for Bowling Green, has caught the attention of NFL scouts as a potential player in the league. However, questions remain about how he will perform against NFL talent, given his current success against MAC competition. Brooks’s impressive track record over the past two years has been due to his diverse pass-rush abilities, which include bull-rushing, finesse, and inside counters. Additionally, he has displayed a high level of effort and is relentless when pursuing the quarterback.

Brooks initially committed to Grand Valley State, but later changed his commitment to Bowling Green, where he has had a successful collegiate career. Despite being previously unranked, Brooks has turned heads with his pass-rushing prowess that is not typical for a player of his size. While he offers a rush plan, his first step may not match up against NFL competition as a consistent threat. Brooks is also considered a tweener from a skill set perspective, given his build and athletic profile, and will need to specialize in either an edge-rushing or interior-defending role to find success in the NFL.

Brooks’ ability to stack blocks and negotiate the point of attack still needs development if he wants to be a starter or play early downs. Teams that run the ball will likely test his ability until he can establish proper posture and increase his violence and efficiency in disengagement from linemen. Despite his impressive pass-rushing abilities, Brooks will need to work on his fundamentals before finding success on the field in the NFL.

Given Brooks’ diverse skill set and lacking physical traits, his potential success in the NFL is difficult to forecast. However, he has displayed a high level of effort and willingness to develop, making him a potential developmental-type player who will work on increasing his burst or raw strength before seeing consistent snaps on the field.

Strengths

Karl Brooks is a dominating pass rusher who has been incredibly productive over the last two years. With a total of 20 sacks and over 100 pressures, Brooks has become a super respected player and has been named captain of his team twice.

One of Brooks’ greatest strengths is his ability to work off blockers and his knowledge of when and how to counter mid-play. This allows him to create havoc in the opposing team’s backfield. Despite having average bulk, Brooks is able to maintain good leverage, even when playing the nose position. His high energy levels in combination with a good bull rush inside, allow him to close in on quarterbacks that leave the pocket.

Brooks has a great reaction time and is quick to locate the ball. His speed makes him effective in backside pursuit, and he maintains excellent balance, rarely ending up on the ground. He has developed a nice set of tools in his arsenal, including an impressive bull rush technique, nimble spin moves, and quick countering.

Despite being tall, Brooks is able to play with impressive leverage due to his powerful lower body. He’s a well-rounded and multidimensional player who brings a lot of value to his team. His impressive productivity and leadership as team captain make him a valuable asset in any team’s defense.

Weaknesses

Karl Brooks is not an explosive athlete and his speed and quickness are far from ideal. Aside from these inadequacies, Brooks also struggles with leverage off the snap and plays too tall, greatly limiting his effectiveness as a pass rusher. Furthermore, his hand use as a pass rusher is inconsistent, leaving much to be desired.

Considering Brooks’ previous opponents, he has played against sub-par talent, causing concerns about his ability to step up to a much higher level of competition. As for his overall stamina, it’s been noted that he doesn’t have the best motor, which causes him to slow down late in the game.

Karl Brooks is the 172nd prospect on our draft big board.