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One of the writers said that Francis stood out at the OTAs. There is lots of interesting competition on defense this year.
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Noticed Alex Silvestro in that video too, he was an UFA signing last year out of Rutgers. What's the story on Francis as a senior ? Poor play/production ? Or injuries ?
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re: UDFA DE Justin Francis from Rutgers
Way too premature but based on the perceived competition and surplus of edge guys, I'm wondering based on how they perform in TC and PS, trading one of them for some beef on the inside might be plausible.
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The D-Line competition this year is going to be a great one to watch. A lot of players lobbying for the spots. Outside of Wilfork, Love, Deaderick, and Jones, it's really an open competition.
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re: UDFA DE Justin Francis from Rutgers
Obviously he will be a rush OLB. His slow foot speed would be a liability in coverage but his three cone drill suggests that he has a quick first step. Training Camp will be more interesting than usual this year. Unfortunately the Patriots are no longer able to sneak guys through onto the Practice Squad these days so he will have to make the cut.
The D-Line competition this year is going to be a great one to watch. A lot of players lobbying for the spots. Outside of Wilfork, Love, Deaderick, and Jones, it's really an open competition.
Based on his $4M signing bonus, I'd say Fanene is pretty much a lock, too.
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One of the writers said that Francis stood out at the OTAs. There is lots of interesting competition on defense this year.
That would be Greg Bedard, as the OP noted. Bedard noted in his OTA observations from last week:
Quote:
Yhe guy who really has a little pop to his game — and, again, it’s only May in “underwear” (shirts and shorts) — is Rutgers DE Justin Francis, who was an undrafted free agent. If any of the rookies have opened any eyes in the earlier going, it’s Francis. He’ll be an interesting guy to watch moving forward.
Obviously he will be a rush OLB. His slow foot speed would be a liability in coverage but his three cone drill suggests that he has a quick first step. Training Camp will be more interesting than usual this year. Unfortunately the Patriots are no longer able to sneak guys through onto the Practice Squad these days so he will have to make the cut.
I'm glad it's obvious to you. Personally, I'm not sure where Francis would play. He's 6'2" 270#, but he played mostly inside at tackle for Rutgers last year. He has previously played defensive end, and also standing up. NFL Draft Scout noted prior to the draft:
Quote:
As Justin Francis has spoken to NFL scouts and coaches, at the league's scouting Combine in Indianapolis and through the weeks of waiting before the draft, one attribute of his has come up in just about every conversation. Francis was a starting defensive tackle for Rutgers last season, but he previously played at defensive end and also has experience standing up as a linebacker. "I played all three of the positions, and played a fair amount," Francis said by phone last week. "That’s the one thing a lot of teams talk about with me, is my versatility. I can play with my hand on the ground, and stand up and cover ground as well."
I have no idea where this kid fits. He seems too slow to be a rush OLB or full time 4-3 DE, and too small to be a full time DT. But he has nice agility (7.05 3-cone), burst (1.6 10 yard split), explosiveness (36" vertical) and long arms (34.5") in addition to his versatility, and a good motor. Matt Miller of the Bleacher Report compared Francis to Oakland Raider DE/DT Lamarr Houston, even though Houston is 35 lbs. heavier than Francis. I don't know if Francis has the frame to add 20-30 lbs. Again, I don't know where he fits, but he is an intriguing developmental guy. Hope he makes it to the PS.
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UDFA DE Justin Francis from Rutgers
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