South Dakota State's Profile for Danny Batten

Danny is a 2006 graduate of Mesquite High School in Gilbert, Arizona where he earned first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state as a senior, when he had 144 tackles, including seven sacks. He also gained 290 yards receiving with four touchdowns and also earned first-team all-state honors in rugby. Not highly recruited coming out, and was definitely one of those rare guys who "fell through the cracks."

During 2006 at SDSU, he made an immediate impact with the Jackrabbits, as he cracked the starting lineup at defensive end as a true freshman and played in all 11 games with 10 starts. Danny tied for sixth on the team that year with 46 tackles and was third on the squad with nine tackles for loss. In 2007, he started all 11 games and ranked sixth on team with 67 tackles and earned first-team all-Great West Football Conference honors after ranking third in the league with 12 tackles for loss and sixth in sacks with 4 1/2. As a junior in 2008, he earned first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors after ranking second in the league with eight sacks, and also led team with 14.5 tackles for loss and ranked fourth with 75 total tackles. Danny was also named the winner of Doug Miller Award for team defensive MVP and also was an honorable mention All-America selection by College Sporting News. As a senior this past season he was a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, and in 2009, he compiled: 38/47, 17 TFLs, 9 scks, a PBU, a PD, 10 QBHs, and 1 FF.

Wiry build with no rocks in his pants. Violent tackler. Possesses a nice club with his left hand/arm. Lines up at LDE and is a high-motor upfield attacker. Fast, and has a nice closing burst to the QB or the RB in the backfield. Nice tight spin move. Looks he has the flexibility and smarts to convert.

Can not judge his pass drop ability. Looks a LB playing DE, and is small for an NFL DE candidate, where he would have great difficulty setting the edge against the run on a consistent basis. Lacks great balance and cornering ability as a DE, and is not instantly off on every snap. Though he may have the flexibility and COD to be looked at as a possible OLB conversion guy, he has little experience dropping into coverage, or rushing from the second level.

Priority UDFA.

Your Projected NFL Draft Round: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Undrafted

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