STRENGTHS - Deceptively athletic, Short has shocking foot quickness and burst for a DT who is so thick in th lower body. With long arms, he is able to jolt and defeat pass blocks esily when he rushes passer aggressively. When he maintains leverage and uses hands well he has the strength to drive OL backwards on bull rush and can split double team pass block. After he defeats pass block he has an explosive closing burst to the QB to finish the sack. When he takes on OL run block with good leverage and hand use he can anchor, tosses blocker aside and makes tackle on runs at him. Instinctive with good snap anticipation, Short can burst off ball to split gap and gets backfield penetration consistently. Even when he does not make the tackle, he consistently gets into the backfield to make/disrupt plays behind the LOS. He has the speed to chase down ball carriers along the LOS in pursuit. When offenses try to pull the OL over him and "reach block" him, he constantly gets into backfield before blocker can get to him, keeps blocker on back and closes fast to make tackle.
WEAKNESSES - Short does not consistently play/produce up to his natural talent level. Too often he pops upright after the snap, loses leverage and does not uses his hands aggressively, which leads to him being unproductive too often. He does not consistently stay after pass rush and usually if his initial pass rush attempt is stopped, he stands up and ends up "chicken fighting" with OL. While he flashes ability to split double to get backfield penetration, too often he takes on the double team run block upright/high and without aggressive hand use, which allows them to drive him off the LOS too easily. Very thickly built below the waist and soft/fleshy above waist, I definitely question how hard he works to stay in shape.
SUMMARY - An immensely talented DT, Short is has the skill set to be a Pro Bowl DT, but he needs to play with much better aggressiveness, intensity and hand use to become a consistent NFL player. With his thick build and athleticism, he has the talent to be a versatile DL in the NFL. He could be an effective 34 nose tackle or defensive end and could play defensive tackle in any style 43 defense, but his production level will be completely determined by how much effort he gives. Overall, Short is a frustrating player because he does not compete at a high level all the time. So despite clearly having first round talent and the potential to be a Pro Bowl player, I would not draft him in the first round because most defensive tackles who lack a consistent motor struggle to become consistently productive NFL players.