Daquan Bowers

[D-Money]

I think Bowers will now be a top 10 pick and most likely will be picked ahead of Robert Quinn because he has been playing.I wish we could get a speed rusher like thatThe raiders didnt help us one bit.It will be wise for Bowers to come out with the season he is having.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think Bowers will now be a top 10 pick and most likely will be picked ahead of Robert Quinn because he has been playing.I wish we could get a speed rusher like thatThe raiders didnt help us one bit.It will be wise for Bowers to come out with the season he is having.

Bowers seems to have the size at 6'4 1/4 and 275 if those are real..

I've not see this kid play this year. I didn't focus on him last year during the Bowl games..

The big question that will be asked is how is he at setting the edge and dropping back into coverage.

 

[Metaphors]

Bowers seems to have the size at 6'4 1/4 and 275 if those are real..

I've not see this kid play this year. I didn't focus on him last year during the Bowl games..

The big question that will be asked is how is he at setting the edge and dropping back into coverage.

The real question is about his motor and dedication. He has off-the-charts physical measurables but that didn't translate to production...until this year. He has just gone nuts this year with destroying the backfield (sacks and TFL). Just have to evaluate if he has finally "got it" or if he will just be a high-priced talent with an on/off switch that constantly needs to be maintained. Obviously we don't have the answer and that makes him somewhat of a risk.

As for setting the edge and dropping into coverage, Clemson never asks him to do those things. He is an attacking end (like a lot of the rush ends in college) so he is always trying to get off blocks...not hold them or move backwards. Ayers is just about the only top guy that has demonstrated those skills in college, but I find him thoroughly unimpressive at generating pressure. Like most of these guys, Bowers is a projection...but a big, fast and destructive projection.

 

[HomerSchooled]

From what I hear, this guy's a Julius Peppers/Mario Williams type prospect as far as athleticism and production are concerned. How that would translate to a 3-4 OLB in a BB defense is difficult to say. Probably out of our range, but he may push Robert Quinn down most draft boards.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The real question is about his motor and dedication. He has off-the-charts physical measurables but that didn't translate to production...until this year. He has just gone nuts this year with destroying the backfield (sacks and TFL). Just have to evaluate if he has finally "got it" or if he will just be a high-priced talent with an on/off switch that constantly needs to be maintained. Obviously we don't have the answer and that makes him somewhat of a risk.

As for setting the edge and dropping into coverage, Clemson never asks him to do those things. He is an attacking end (like a lot of the rush ends in college) so he is always trying to get off blocks...not hold them or move backwards. Ayers is just about the only top guy that has demonstrated those skills in college, but I find him thoroughly unimpressive at generating pressure. Like most of these guys, Bowers is a projection...but a big, fast and destructive projection.

I can't remember which game I watched now, but Bowers was asked to play as a 3-4 OLB and was setting the edge and dropping into coverage. He set the edge okay, his movement in space seemed hampered by being about 10 lbs too soft. Correctable if the work ethic light has gone on.

His partner on the other side Andre Branch, also a junior, looked better in coverage tipping a ball from his underneath zone with a long armed jump.

 

[Wilfork#75]

I’ve been driving the Da’Quan Bowers bandwagon since the start of the season and I don’t think there is a single player in this draft that would have a bigger impact on the Pats than Bowers. OLB has been a huge need for the Pats for the last few seasons and we have consistently seen BB pass on OLB early in the draft because none of them have been a good fit for the two gap 3-4 system. I think Bowers is finally the guy that projects perfectly into the defense.

The reason I like Bowers so much for the Pats isn’t for his ridiculous numbers rushing the passer, but for his ability against the run. He isn’t one of these one trick pony gap shooters that can only rush the passer. Bowers is the best edge setting OLB prospect to enter the draft in a long time, and even though he is racking up incredible sack numbers, he is perhaps even better against the run that he is rushing the passer. He already plays with great two gap technique with the ability to hold up the point of attack, extend his arms and shed blocks to make the tackle. His versatility is incredible because he can play so many positions for the Pats. He could play the traditional 3-4 OLB (or flanker as Off The Grid likes to say), but he also has the size to play the 5-tech on passing downs or inside of a 4 man front. A DL with Wright, Pryor and Bowers, with TBC and Cunningham coming off the edge could bring some serious pressure. He still needs some work dropping into coverage but he has the athleticism to do it, especially after slimming down for the 2010 season.

There have been some questions about his work ethic and motivation in the past, but I just put that down to immaturity. He seems to have grown up a lot in the past year and everything I’ve heard is his work ethic now is great. You do have to remember that this kid is still only 20 years old. Perhaps the most impressive thing for me about Bowers this season, is he is doing all of this after losing his father in August. To me being able to come out and play the way his has after that tells me a lot about this kid. He will definitely be drafter very high in the first round, likely out of range for the Raiders pick, but I wouldn’t hesitate to do what it takes to move up and get him. This kid is special.

 

[Sciz]

I want him. If he passes the mental tests, then I'd be all for trading the Raiders' and Panthers' picks up to get him.

 

[SanAngeloState]

Doesn't Clemson have a reputatin of producing fast DEs who bust in the pros? Kind of Jarvis Moss like, although he was from Florida?

Looks like a bust.

 

[SanAngeloState]

This, I think, is the danger with these guys. People get all hyped up over measureables and stats and miss the forest for the trees. Crable had great stats too.

Anyway, here is a knowledgeable poster on another board who states what i'm saying much better than me:

I can't see him drafted in the top 25, he doesn't have any real pass-rushing skills beyond being big and strong, with phenominal straight line speed. All he is right now is hype and a boxscore, his sacks aren't going to translate to the next level.

He's stiff, he has average burst and hands, and he doesn't have the flexibility to dip his shoulder, nor the feet to make his way back to the QB on an outside pass-rush. He won't be able to disengage in the NFL as he does against ACC RT's, and he needs space to operate. NFL lineman will not be worried about getting beat to the outside and will cheat against him

The only reason he's a 1st round pick is because someone's going to fall in love with his production and triangle numbers. Can he be a good all-around end? Sure. But he's never going to be a 15 sack guy unless he undergoes a DRAMATIC transformation. That's too much of a longshot to go where mocks are putting him.

I won't knock his closing speed, it is elite for someone his size. Plus the man has the uncanny ability to dive for 7 yards and make a tackle.

But he is not going to disengage like he does in college. Again, NFL OT's are not going to be that impressed by his size or strength, and he doesn't really have any pass-rush moves. The biggest problem is his flexibility, he presents 0 threat on the outside. He's just too stiff, and this is not something that he can learn, its more of a natural trait. I was just making a point with the 15 sack comment, I think it would take him years to even work up to a 7 or 8 sack guy. From what I see now, he looks like a picnic for NFL OT's in pass pro.

Sure I could see him taken in the top 10, plenty of NFL people are too enamored with size and speed, and he certainly has the pedigree and production. But he's probably not going to live up to it and it's going to be a bad pick. (I think Mike Mayock will say the same thing in March)

I actually like him as an all-around DE because I think he'll hold his ground and make plays on the LOS, and there's worse things than being big and fast. But I can't see him making plays in the backfield, he's racking up college sacks, not NFL ones.

------------

How many of these guys BUST? Or become merely average 4-3 DEs? There's a reason BB doesn't reach for these guys...mostly their skills don't translate that well. He's the best DE since GAINES ADAMS. Uh.....GAINES ADMAS WAS A BUST. So was Jarvis Moss and a hundred other guys. manny lawson? Was he worth a top pick? Let alone trading "oakland's and carolina's" pick? madness.

 

[SirApropos]

Here's a few clips from a recent game and some comments posted from another site that I think sums up Bowers pretty well.

YouTube - Da'Quan Bowers vs. Florida State (2010)

Cutty from Walterfootball.com

Highlight packages are by no means a great way to make decisions, but this seems like a pretty comprehensive clip from a very recent game.

Bowers' stat line was 9 tackles including 6 solo and 1 sack, and an interception. Break him down and decide how his game will translate to the NFL.

Personally, I see a guy who is very gifted in size, strength, and straight line speed. But I also see a guy with no sudden'ness, no creativity or technique, and who probably gets stats by being very opportunistic and picking on RT's who can't match up to him physically.

No doubt that when he gets free, he flies. But will he be able to beat an NFL OT that can match up to his size and strength? He doesn't look like he presents any outside pass-rush, his burst and hands are average, and he doesn't look like he's flexible enough to dip his shoulder. To me, an NFL lineman is going to be able to "cheat" with Bowers and neutralize him.

He looks like he can disengage and stop a runner at the line of scrimmage (he's phenominal at making diving tackles), but I don't think he's going to make plays behind the line. Ultimately all I care about is pass-rushing from my 4-3 DE's in the top 25, I'd let some other team take him.

Hopefully someone else will take him before NE does.

 

[Snake Eyes]

He's stiff, he has average burst and hands, and he doesn't have the flexibility to dip his shoulder, nor the feet to make his way back to the QB on an outside pass-rush. He won't be able to disengage in the NFL as he does against ACC RT's, and he needs space to operate. NFL lineman will not be worried about getting beat to the outside and will cheat against him

I won't knock his closing speed, it is elite for someone his size. Plus the man has the uncanny ability to dive for 7 yards and make a tackle.

But he is not going to disengage like he does in college. Again, NFL OT's are not going to be that impressed by his size or strength, and he doesn't really have any pass-rush moves. The biggest problem is his flexibility, he presents 0 threat on the outside. He's just too stiff, and this is not something that he can learn, its more of a natural trait.

Moves can be learned and bodies can aquire flexibility, they're NOT traits that are just genetically predetermined.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Moves can be learned and bodies can aquire flexibility, they're NOT traits that are just genetically predetermined.

Have you told the Jets that? Maybe they should hire you to help V. Gholston.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Have you told the Jets that? Maybe they should hire you to help V. Gholston.

I’m sure I could make him a lot better if he did exactly what I told him too, I think his issue is that he’s just not into football, apparently he’s always wanted to be a bodybuilder and just played football because it allowed him to cash in.

 

[Marqui]

Here's a few clips from a recent game and some comments posted from another site that I think sums up Bowers pretty well.

YouTube - Da'Quan Bowers vs. Florida State (2010)



Hopefully someone else will take him before NE does.

This was what I was afraid of with Bowers. Personally, I never jumped off the Robert Quinn bandwagon. Hopefully some other team before us uses a pick on Bowers and Quinn falls to NE.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I thought there were 4-5 plays where he played LDE in the 4-3 where he set the edge very well. Stiff??? He didn't run upfield because he was playing his position correctly. Thought he showed a lot of athletic ability on the INT and reverse. I think he's a 4-3 de. And, he's going to be a good one. They had him at DT a couple of plays. That was a waste of time. I think the video shows he's a helluva prospect. Not a reach. I'll have my eyes checked by my optometrist though. I just think he's a big kid who will continue to grow. Can't see him playing olb at 285-290.

 

[JerseyDevil26]

Bowers has such a high bust potential I'd hope he isn't there when we pick. But then again I don't see BB taking him if he's there.

 

[TriplecHamp]

moter+agilty questions=No thanks

 

[Snake Eyes]

This was what I was afraid of with Bowers. Personally, I never jumped off the Robert Quinn bandwagon. Hopefully some other team before us uses a pick on Bowers and Quinn falls to NE.

This sounds good, but just to be sure I want BB to bring up Bowers for a few workouts and also to take him to dinner at a HIGH-PROFILE Boston resaurant with Kraft as well.

Having him publically meet with Mayo and Wilfork will also help

 

[Wilfork#75]

I think a lot of people misunderstand what it is that Da’Quan Bowers does and is asked to do at Clemson. He isn’t just a pass rushing DE that is consistently going after the QB. Most of what Bowers is asked to do at Clemson is to set the edge, and take on blocks with the option to disengage and make a play or allow his teammates to make plays. I think a lot of people misconstrue this as an inability to get off blocks when in reality he is doing his job. Seeing him hold his ground at the line of scrimmage consistently engaged with blockers makes it seem as if he has trouble disengaging and allows people to question his pass rush ability and motor, which really isn’t the case. He uses great arm extension to shed blocks and I see no reason to see why he can’t do this at the pro level. I believe people get excited by his numbers then when they watch him are disappointed because he’s not at the QB all the time and isn’t living in the backfield, but rather doing his job and playing within the system. This is why I believe he would be a great fit for the Pats because he already plays with great two-gap technique and is able to do what BB asks of OLB. I think people become enamored with athletic pass rushers like Clay Matthews that put up big numbers, when in reality the Pats system requires so much more from their OLB. As good as Clay Matthews has been so far in his career he just wouldn’t fit the Pats system and would really only be a situational pass rusher.

In terms of Bowers pass rushing abilities I believe he definitely has the speed and power moves to succeed at the NFL level. When he is asked to get after the QB there hasn’t been an OL that has been able to contain him yet. If he was one of the college DE that is just asked to rush the passer I have no doubt he would easily put up 20+ sacks. He does need some technique work but that’s what coaches are for. In regard to the argument that he gets his sacks by taking advantage of overmatched RTs, I just don’t buy that. He doesn’t just play LE, he moves around the entire Clemson DL and has consistently beaten all of the OL he has faced. He may never end up a 15 sack a year guy in the NFL, but why does he have to. The NFL isn’t about statistics it’s about performance. While Bowers might not put up huge sack totals in the NFL he will consistently put pressure on the QB, which we all saw in the Colts game is just as important.

One thing we know about BB is he likes to take 3-down players in the first round, and that is the reason he hasn’t taken any OLB in recent years. While there have been a bunch of guys that can rush the passer, there haven’t been any complete OLB to fit the system. I think Bowers is finally that guy. Their hasn’t been any player in recent years that has had the same ability to set the edge, play with sound two gap technique and get after the QB that Bowers has. His versatility to play a number of positions makes him a 3-down player and he is already doing what the Pats ask of their OLB.

The only real question mark about Bowers is his athleticism and possibly flexibility. None of us now for sure whether he has the athleticism just by watching his game tape. But I’m sure the Pats will do their due diligence to find out. If he excels in the private workouts I would absolutely do whatever it take to get him. If he shows during the private workouts that he doesn’t have the athleticism to play the position than I will concede that I was wrong about him. My personal opinion of him is that he does posses the athleticism to play OLB in the 3-4, and with specialized doctors and trainers in the NFL, he will be able to utilize his entire athletic potential playing at his optimum weight.

 

[patchick]

This, I think, is the danger with these guys. People get all hyped up over measureables and stats and miss the forest for the trees. Crable had great stats too.

Sorry to go off course here, but...Crable is actually an argument in favor of paying attention to the key measurables: Vertical, broad jump, 10-yard split, cone, shuttle. His were all mediocre.