Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange
Overview
David Vobora was a tackling machine at Idaho and the versatile linebacker is the 10th player in school history to lead the team in tackles at least twice during a career. He has been among the nation's elite the last two years, as his 134 tackles as a junior ranked seventh in the NCAA and his 148 in 2007 ranked third. Both of those totals led the Western Athletic Conference and his 148 tackles are the fourth-highest in a season by a WAC player.
Having arrived on campus as a 195-pound linebacker, few figured that Vobora would make such an impact during his time with the Vandals. He started most of his career (29 games) at weak-side linebacker, but with his vision and ball awareness, the two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player has also filled in capably at middle linebacker (started four games).
At Winston Churchill High School, Vobora served as team captain as a junior and senior, competing as a linebacker, safety, tight end, quarterback and running back during his three-year career. He was an honorable mention All-Midwestern League quarterback as a senior, adding second-team All-Conference accolades as linebacker his junior year. He was also an honorable mention All-Conference linebacker as a sophomore. He added two letters in basketball, earning honorable mention All-Conference as a senior. He garnered National Honor Society recognition and was a Leadership representative.
As a senior, Vobora played inside linebacker and strong safety while performing double duty on offense as the quarterback for the first half of the year and running back for the latter half. In the past, the Lancers used Vobora at tight end, wide receiver and free safety.
Vobora, whose father, Andy, was a linebacker at the University of Oregon, decided to enroll at Idaho rather than attend his father's alma mater. As a true freshman, Vobora appeared in 12 games, starting three contests at weak-side outside linebacker, sharing the position with Robert Davis. He finished his first season totaling 17 tackles (12 solo). In 2005, Vobora started six contests at weak-side linebacker. He was limited late in the season by a shoulder problem, but still ranked sixth on the squad with 42 tackles (27 solo), including five stops for losses, as he caused three fumbles and recovered two others.
As a junior, Vobora earned All-Western Athletic Conference first-team accolades. The team captain and MVP finished seventh nationally with 11.17 tackles per game and also ranked tied for 22nd in the nation with 16 ½ stops for losses, the most by a Vandal since Idaho joined the WAC. He registered 134 tackles (84 solo), the eighth-best season total in school history. He added two sacks with a pair of pressures and caused two fumbles. He also picked off a pass and broke up two others.
In 2007, Vobora garnered All-American honorable mention, All-WAC first-team honors and team MVP recognition. He started ten games at weak-side linebacker and two others in the middle. He was limited in fall camp with a shoulder contusion, getting off to a slow start with just four hits vs. Southern California in the season opener before going on a tear that saw him register at least 10 tackles in 10 of his next 11 games.
Vobora's 148 tackles (86 solo) in 2007 rank second on the school single-season list. He had one sack with two pressures, as he caused and recovered a fumble. He also broke up a pass and intercepted another.
In 45 games at Idaho, Vobora started 33 contests. He ranks sixth in school history with 341 tackles (209 solo), including three sacks for minus-22 yards, 28 stops for losses of 94 yards and four quarterback pressures. He recovered three fumbles and caused six others. He also intercepted two passes and had five pass deflections. He registered at least 10 tackles in 17-of 24 games over his last two seasons with the Vandals.
Analysis
Positives: Has a lean, yet athletic-looking frame with large hands, defined chest and shoulders and developing thighs and calves … Makes up for a lack of ideal size and bulk with very good instincts, as he is always around the ball and almost never bites on play action or misdirection … Generally durable athlete, but will play with pain … Undersized linebacker, but has adequate timed speed and outstanding productivity … Has good all-around athletic ability, agility, balance and body control … Has good acceleration to the ball and uses his experience as a prep quarterback to quickly read hats and react to the quarterback's movement … Overall strength is an issue, but he can make up for it with rapid acceleration to the ball, staying low in his pads with arms extended to drag down and latch on as a tackler … Displays good mental alertness, as he is the type who reads and reacts quickly with good instincts … Makes all the defensive calls and can adjust on the field, whether at weak side or middle linebacker … Exhibits good character on the field and in the locker room … Coachable, well-liked guy and highly respected by all, as he is a good team leader who leads by example and is also outspoken … Demonstrates quick instincts and good discipline as a player, as he is quick to read and react to the run or pass … Is good flowing down the line, as he has the functional lateral movement, taking good angles to close on the ball with urgency … Runs well through traffic, accelerates with a burst and plays with effort taking on outside running plays … Generally effective in space or in the hole, as he is good at colliding with the opponent and rarely misses a tackle … Undersized and won't make much impact vs. inside runs at the next level, but is a good fit for the weak-side, as he is quick to scrape through traffic, avoiding or slipping blocks to make a tackle or squeeze the hole … Plays strong at the point of attack on outside runs to him and is very effective on plays away from him with good speed and effort to give chase down the sidelines (will be a step behind on long pursuit to the opposite hash, as he has too much hip stiffness to fly to the ball suddenly) … His lack of playing strength works against him, but he uses his hands well to defeat cut blocks and seldom stays blocked for long … Displays good use of his hands to protect himself and shed blockers, but doesn't overpower lineman … Not a pass rusher, but does flash the ability to be disruptive with speed and football instincts … In the zone he is alert to threats, as he gets deep quickly, reads the quarterback well, anticipates and reacts quickly and drives on the ball or receiver … In man coverage, he is able to stay snug to a running back, cover wheel routes downfield and run with tight ends in trail coverage … Effective breaking down in space and is alert to handling his switch-off assignment in the short zone … Has the straight-line acceleration and desire to be an effective gunner on special teams.
Negatives: Has a lean, developing frame, but has struggled in the past to add bulk and maintain weight without a structured training program … Has adequate lateral agility, but lacks overwhelming athleticism in any one category … Built more like a strong safety, but does not have the feet, redirection agility or speed to handle receivers in the deep third of the field to play safety at the next level … Because of his key-and-diagnose skills, he is better served playing weak-side linebacker at the pro level, as he gets washed out of action too much trying to split double teams playing in the middle and his size/bulk issues, along with adequate strength makes him a poor fit to try and overpower offensive tackles on the strong-side (gets pushed around by linemen and tight ends) … Has good weight-room strength, but gets engulfed by bigger blockers too much and does not see those weight-room figures translate to the football field … Can flow to the ball in the short area, but hip stiffness makes him get a step behind receivers coming out of his breaks … Does not have the exceptional range to chase down plays at the opposite end of the field, but has enough burst to push the outside running game back inside … Needs to play at a lower pad level, as backs push him back when running right at him, due to his high stance … Does not use his hands with force to shock a lead blocker, nor use them with any great regularity in attempts to reroute receivers in press coverage … Must do a better job of flipping his hips to get a cleaner break in transition … Does not show the timing or natural hands to deflect or pick off many passes in coverage … Even though he has a lot of tackles, he is not a classic wrap-up tackler and does not show much explosion behind his hits (more of a drag-down type with adequate collision strength) … Rarely faced top-level competition.
Compares To: VINNY CIURCIU-Minnesota … Unless Vobora can suddenly increase his bulk and size, he appears likely to be limited to Cover-2 schemes. He is a versatile, instinctive linebacker with good discipline on the field, but is best when making plays in front of him. He gets engulfed by bigger blockers too much and does not have pass rush skills to be an efficient edge rusher. He is more of a drag-down type of tackler than one who will wrap, but his lack of natural hands and his hip stiffness make him a bit of a liability in man coverage. He's struggled to maintain weight in the past and marginal pass coverage skills prevent him from moving to safety. Late in the draft, he is worth a look because of his outside run ability and could develop into a nice addition for the sub package and special-team coverage units.
Injury Report
2005: Did not play vs. Boise State (11/19) and San Jose State (11/26) games with a shoulder contusion.
2006: Left the Washington State game (9/9) with leg cramps.
2007: Held out of contact the last two weeks of August camp with a shoulder contusion that limited him in the season opener vs. Southern California (9/01).
Attended Winston Churchill (Eugene, Ore.) High School, playing football for head coach Jack Wigmore … Served as team captain as a junior and senior, competing as a linebacker, safety, tight end, quarterback and running back during his three-year career … Honorable mention All-Midwestern League quarterback as a senior, adding second-team All-Conference accolades as linebacker his junior year … Honorable mention All-Conference linebacker as a sophomore … Added two letters in basketball, earning honorable mention All-Conference as a senior … Garnered National Honor Society recognition and was a Leadership representative.
Personal
Sports Science major, possessing a 3.39 grade-point average … Son of Debbie and Andy Vobora … Father played football at the University of Oregon … Born 4/08/86 … Resides in Eugene, Oregon.
