DL & EDGE Players: Run stuffers, designated pass rushers, hybrids, etc

[WaterfallJumper]

Very nice breakdown but I'm far from convinced by the prospect. A switch to the Jamie Collins role seems his best fit but I'm not sure he stands up well enough in the run game to be an effective LB here.

The more I watch him, the more I'm impressed by the effort he gives. I'll cut a few gifs of him against the run. He's not exactly going to set the edge like Ninkovitch, but he plays with good physicality. He's bigger than Elandon Roberts at any rate.

For example, watch him take on the tackle and not give any ground on this running play. Granted, the play goes away from him, but he doesn't get pushed off the line of scrimmage, and he sheds the block with violent hands. I'll be back with more of these later.



Here he gets moved back a step initially, but watch how he stacks the offensive tackle, and then sheds the block and joins the gang-tackle to stop the running back. The ability to shed blocks is so important for linebackers, and he's shown that he's able to do that. It's not perfect, but I think he performs better than a lot of pure pass rushers much bigger than he is.

 

[manxman2601]

The more I watch him, the more I'm impressed by the effort he gives. I'll cut a few gifs of him against the run. He's not exactly going to set the edge like Ninkovitch, but he plays with good physicality. He's bigger than Elandon Roberts at any rate.

For example, watch him take on the tackle and not give any ground on this running play. Granted, the play goes away from him, but he doesn't get pushed off the line of scrimmage, and he sheds the block with violent hands. I'll be back with more of these later.

I think you have to rule him out as an EDGE guy here because of his size, which means linebacker. I'm not sure about saying he's bigger than Roberts though who was 235lb whilst Reddick is listed at 225. Am I missing something?

I just tried picturing a LB Reddick taking on an OG in the run game and I have to confess, I just didn't see it.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I think you have to rule him out as an EDGE guy here because of his size, which means linebacker. I'm not sure about saying he's bigger than Roberts though who was 235lb whilst Reddick is listed at 225. Am I missing something?

I just tried picturing a LB Reddick taking on an OG in the run game and I have to confess, I just didn't see it.

I do see him as a Collins replacement more than anything, but with the ability to rush on 3rd down. I think he's a very similar player to Miller. He's more of a Pittsburgh style linebacker, actually -- he's similar in size and athleticism to Timmons and Shazier. Maybe I'm overrating him (I haven't seen anyone else give him a 1st round grade), but I see numerous traits that translate well.

Here he takes on a pulling lineman and doesn't give ground. He shocks the OL backward, and spins off to make the tackle. I agree he's not an every down DE, but I think he's actually pretty polished at taking on blocks as a linebacker.

 

[manxman2601]

I do see him as a Collins replacement more than anything, but with the ability to rush on 3rd down. I think he's a very similar player to Miller. He's more of a Pittsburgh style linebacker, actually -- he's similar in size and athleticism to Timmons and Shazier. Maybe I'm overrating him (I haven't seen anyone else give him a 1st round grade), but I see numerous traits that translate well.

Here he takes on a pulling lineman and doesn't give ground. He shocks the OL backward, and spins off to make the tackle. I agree he's not an every down DE, but I think he's actually pretty polished at taking on blocks as a linebacker.

Fair enough. So if you were to take him, where would you take him? You had him listed as a first rounder. Would you take him that high?

I shall watch some more based upon your advocacy.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Fair enough. So if you were to take him, where would you take him? You had him listed as a first rounder. Would you take him that high?

I shall watch some more based upon your advocacy.

It all depends on how the board shakes out. I think he's an absolute weapon against the pass, and I'd be comfortable with using 32 on him. I'd probably prefer to get someone like Taco Charlton and then use 64 on Reddick or Ryan Anderson, but it all depends on the combine, interviews, how the draft goes, supply and demand, scarcity, etc. But I think he's more dynamic than Anderson in coverage, so I give him the slight edge in my rankings. They're 1A and 1B for me, though. I'd love to come out of the draft with either Reddick of Anderson.

Start with his Memphis game. I actually updated my eval with a gif of him dropping into coverage. I think I added another gif to one of my responses to you, as well. I went a bit trigger happy making them. The coverage I like starts around 21 seconds in. I love how quickly he breaks off his rush and instead covers the RB. Super smooth. All game he gives the line fits. Sacks, tackles for a loss, and just general disruption. Very good game.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Could reddick maybe be closer comparable to someone on our roster already in Mingo?

I have been very intrigued by the guy for awhile, but I don't know if his best fit will be in our defense. At least not at the cost necessary for what we would be getting.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I have watched a good bit of Harris of mizzu and he has some qualities that bb might find attractive. if he falls to us, I could see bb drafting him.

Ps: one note on Tim Williams of Alabama. In two seasons at Alabama, he had 23 sacks. Just for comparison purposes, Derrick Thomas had 27 sacks in one season. Why are teams expected to spend a first round pick on him?

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I have watched a good bit of Harris of mizzu and he has some qualities that bb might find attractive. if he falls to us, I could see bb drafting him.

Ps: one note on Tim Williams of Alabama. In two seasons at Alabama, he had 23 sacks. Just for comparison purposes, Derrick Thomas had 27 sacks in one season. Why are teams expected to spend a first round pick on him?

Agreed on Harris. Putting together his clips has been a blast. He reminds me of Justin Houston from several years back, but I think he's got better speed and is more polished. Best spin move I've seen at the college level. He's on the short list for sure!

 

[long distance]

Great names! I'd love to see your breakdowns on those guys. I haven't done too much work on Chubb or Haynes, for example.

I love Jaleel Johnson. I went back and forth on whether or not to put him on the list. Originally I was only going to do edge guys, but I think we could use some interior pressure. Too bad Hicks got away and Easley wore out his welcome. I should have included Johnson. I'd put him in the 2nd round, in a similar range to Adams. I'll update my post.

I already put Carl Lawson in as a designated pass rusher. Too many names to keep track of! He certainly has nice active hands and can get to the QB. From what I've heard, though, the medicals are really scary. Numerous teams are rumored to have removed him from their boards entirely, for what it's worth.

Haynes doesn't impress me as anything more than a pass rusher. I don't know if he can drop into coverage, which is what I'd look for in a LB. It's probably not fair to leave him off the list, though. I'm not as high on him as some others. I need to watch more film, but when I compare him to someone like Haason Reddick, whom I'm extremely impressed with, he just doesn't seem as fast, fluid, coordinated, or powerful of an athlete.

EDIT: I forgot Haynes is going back for his senior season. I think that's the right call for him. I'll hold off profiling him until next year.

First of all thanks and hats off for your great work incl. film and all.

Unfortunately I am in no capacity to do something even remotely honest. So if you find interest I hope you or the rest of the great draft team here can do a little something on Jaleel Johnson.

As I said I watched Watkins closely last night and I am nut sure he's something Pats need. If they could keep even one of Easley, Hicks we maybe wouldn't even have this thread. Then again VV could be turning into that guy and more.

With so many home FAs its really hard to project what will remain for the draft.
At the moment Id definitely go for a solid TE prospect with blocking abilities. Another beastly 3 down LB would be nice. Give us a guy like Foster and I am good till TC..

Re. DL guys Pats have 4 young DTs (Brown, Kilgo, Valentine, Hamilton). And if Branch leaves Id prefer they add a solid vet to the young stable . and if I am not mistaken there should be some good choice in FA market. Also, if they see VV as consistent interior rusher (as I do) maybe thats not the way to go here. On the other hand if some top like-Easley perspective falls to them in the right pick why not.

Re. ED guys . there are so many of them that there should be a good prospect falling way down to later rounds and from what I read here and around after some top players that will go in top 20 there are small differences between f.e. #5-#30 edge prospects.

What Id like most is to add some quickness and speed to front 7 weather through FA or draft.
EDIT: With some good coverage skills.

 

[Gabriel_p94]

I'm not as good at scouting as some of you all on this board but after the game I decided to give a few prospects a look.

The first i watched was Charles Harris. I came away loving his speed an his ability to track down backs and his use of his hands. But I went in looking to see the comparison to justin Houston because someone mentioned it earlier but I don't think I see it. I loved Houston when he was coming out and I like Harris as well.

Another guy I really liked watching was Solomon Thomas. He just turned 21 and he looks like a grown man already. Also I know his coach went on to say that he should blow up the combine when the time comes and I really can see it, I have a feeling its going to be similar to the jj watt situation from a few years ago where he gets drafted higher than expected. But anyways I love his hands, his strength, his ability to stop the run, and the way he fights i the ball. If he can get stronger once he gets in an nfl program he's gonna be a real problem for teams.

And lastly I watched Malik McDowell. I know to start the year he was a potential top 10 pick but now it seems like he can even drop to the second round. But when I looked at him it seems as if he relies heavily on his explosiveness and his speed to beat his man. But he is only 20 years old so hopefully he will learn to use his hands to his advantage once he gets drafted. It also seems to me at least that he is pretty light, I'm hoping he can pick up weight as well. But I do like his upside overall. I wouldn't mind the pats taking one of these players when the time comes. Hopefully someone finds this useful.

 

[Off The Grid]

Excellent class this year. I wanted to try to break them down a bit more in detail, particularly given the difference in skillset that the players exhibit. My assumption is that there are premium players the Patriots won't have a shot at drafting (Garrett, Allen, Barnett, Thomas, etc), but the depth of this class should provide us with numerous options on all three days of the draft.

I may miscategorize players or pigeonhole them. I've also skipped a lot of prospects, because I've tried to focus on players that would do well in New England's scheme as I understand it (base 43 but with a lot of responsibilities and formations that still borrow from the 34; we also play a TON of nickel and dime packages and need players who can run stuff, pass rush, and drop). I'm looking at well rounded guys who are ideally starters or at least can play multiple downs (all around players), designated pass rushers (DPR), early down DEs who shift inside for 3rd down or pass situations (inside/outside), and coverage OLB types (hybrids).

In addition, I'm mostly avoiding pure defensive tackle players, although quite a few players could certainly end up lining up in the interior. I'm not really looking for nose tackle discussions, but I won't chase you out of the thread if you want to go that route, either. Primarily I'm focusing on pass rushers, including a few 3 techs who could slide outside for running downs. Mostly I'm looking at edge rushers, but I assume that if a player wants to be a full time starter in the Patriots scheme, then he had better be able to play the run, too.

I'm not giving out precise draft grades just yet. I'm loosely attaching rounds to groups of players to get a feel for who might be available when, and who might help the team. Don't get too hung up on where I put them, unless you want to sell us on one player over another -- I love when people are passionate about their guy!

To kick things off, I'm just going to group them by perceived draft value -- this is a rough aggregate of where I've seen them ranked or mocked, as well as some of my own input. I'll come back through and do more thorough analysis in the coming days and weeks. Ideally, I'd like to break down one prospect per post in the future. I'll edit this post to include a link to the player's breakdown.


Top Twenty:

All around:
Myles Garrett Texas A&M Jr 6-4 268
Derek Barnett Tennessee Jr 6-3 265

Inside/outside DL:
Jonathan Allen Alabama Sr 6-3 291
Solomon Thomas Stanford rSo 6-2 275



1st round:

All around:
Evaluation: Taco Charlton Michigan Sr 6-5 272

Inside/outside:
DeMarcus Walker Florida State Sr 6-2 273
Chris Wormley Michigan rSr 6-5 302
Malik McDowell Michigan State Jr 6-5 276

DPR:
Charles Harris Missouri rJr 6-3 255
Takkarist McKinley UCLA Sr 6-2 258

Hybrid:
Ryan Anderson Alabama rSr 6-2 253
Evaluation: Haason Reddick Temple rSr 6-1 230


2nd round:

All around:
Evaluation: Jordan Willis Kansas State Sr 6-5 258
Daeshon Hall Texas A&M Sr 6-5 270

Interior rushers:
Jaleel Johnson Iowa Sr 6-4 311
Davon Godchaux LSU Jr 6-4 293
Montravius Adams Auburn Sr 6-3 309

DPR:
Dawuane Smoot Illinois Sr 6-3 255
Carl Lawson Auburn rJr 6-2 253



3rd round:

All around:
Tarell Basham Ohio Sr 6-4 262

Inside/outside:
Deatrich Wise Jr. Arkansas rSr 6-5 271
Tanoh Kpassagnon Villanova Sr 6-6 285

DPR:
Tim Williams Alabama Sr 6-3 252
Devonte Fields Louisville rSr 6-3 242
Garrett Sickels Penn State rJr 6-4 250
Corey Vereen Tennessee Sr 6-2 250

Hybrid:
T.J. Watt Wisconsin rJr 6-4 243
Carroll Phillips Illinois Sr 6-3 240


4th round:

All around:
Trey Hendrickson Florida Atlantic Sr 6-4 270
Keionta Davis Chattanooga rSr 6-3 270
Josh Carraway TCU rSr 6-3 250


5th round:

All around:
Derek Rivers Youngstown State Sr 6-4 250

DPR:
Darius English South Carolina rSr 6-5 245
Hunter Dimick Utah rSr 6-3 272

Absolutely beautiful Premise, Brother Reamer!! This is a remarkably refreshing Approach towards evaluating Prospects who project to play the Front 6 or 7. And I love your splicing of BaseBall NomenClature into your Approach with the Designated Pass Rusher!!

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Dawuane Smoot.


6'3
255
Designated Pass Rusher


Smoot has benefited from NFL level coaching (Lovie Smith is his head coach). He plays in an aggressive scheme, and will need to stay in an upfield defense to be most effective at the next level. My best guess is that he'll probably be a 34 OLB in a 1-gap scheme, and he'll likely excel in that role. He's very fast off the snap, and his burst regularly flashes on tape. He gives some effort against the run, but too often is a non-factor in the play. He's still developing his skillset, but has admitted in interviews that he lacks a bull rush and needs to improve his power.

Still, Smoot has the plus athleticism and high effort to be a consistent threat off the edge at the next level, and although he'll start as a subpackage or speciality player, he has a very good chance of putting up good sack numbers through his career. Could develop into an impact player if he rounds out his game.


Positives:

+ Explosive first step; routinely threatens the edge
+ Can flatten and bend to the QB
+ Equally comfortable playing either side of the line
+ Studies tackles and QBs on tape to get a feel for their preferred depth
+ Takes good angles to the ball and is fast in pursuit
+ Productive and tackles with an edge; led his team in forced fumbles two years in a row
+ Quick enough to make TFL when blocking schemes try to hurry past unblocked defender
+ Active hands to swat away blocker's hands (see negatives for follow up)
+ Good awareness and chase reaction on screens
+ Gets hands up into throwing lanes when rush is stymied
+ High effort player at all stages of the game
+ Very quick; able to blow up plays if he anticipates snap count and eludes blocker


Negatives:

- Slightly undersized, and it shows in his run defense
- Definition of a one-trick pony (speed rusher)
- Too often has no impact on the play if his initial move is blocked
- Cut blocks instantly neutralize him; lacks technique/awareness to combat the cut
- Content to play patty-cake with blockers; rarely shoots hands into OT or TE chestplate
- Frequently blocked by RB when blitzing; needs to expand rushing repertoire
- Feet sometimes go dead on contact; needs to keep legs driving and hands active once engaged



Prefers to sidestep rather than stack and shed, but often has the quickness to get away with it:



Once again, knifes into the backfield too quickly for the line to react:



No surprise that one of Smoot's best rushes coincides with good hand use and keeping his feet moving:

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Solomon Thomas.

Solomon Thomas

6’3
275


Although universally regarded as a top ten prospect, Thomas is far from a finished product. He shows hints of immense potential, but never put together a statistically dominant season, and still has a lot of growing to do as he learns the nuances of the defensive line position. Nevertheless, he shows the power, explosion, and urgency to be a difference maker all across the line. Only a RS Sophomore, he has great growth potential. While his frame and style differ from other versatile DLine players such as Michael Bennett and Justin Tuck, he can still play a similar role in a defense, and he should be an impact chess piece who can elevate a defense to the next level of success. Unlimited potential.


Positives:

+ Often the first off the ball
+ Generates huge push when rushing upfield
+ Lines up everywhere on the defensive line
+ Excellent bull rush; can extend his arms and control the blocker
+ Always works himself back into the play, even when initially blocked
+ Too quick for most guards to handle
+ Despite lack of size for DT, gives incredible effort
+ Fantastic stack and shed technique; surprisingly refined for RS Sophomore
+ Passionate, demonstrative player whose effort is never in question
+ Well conditioned athlete who rarely comes off the field
+ Doesn’t get fooled twice by the same play, even though he bites too frequently on fakes
+ Initial burst routinely rocks blockers off balance



Negatives:

- Can’t handle a double-team; gets blown off the ball
- Not always aware of rush lanes; regularly loses contain when pocket integrity breaks down
- Too often relies on power, and that won’t work as much in the NFL
- Not a true speed threat to the outside
- Lumbers a bit in the open field and in pursuit
- Can let intensity and desire to make a play get the better of him; often bites on misdirection plays
- Exploitable in the run game if caught against a hurry up offense when lined up inside




Guards can’t match his lateral quickness and explosion off the snap:





Thomas with his best Mercilus impersonation:



His aggressiveness can backfire at times, however. He rushes upfield and opens a huge lane for the QB to run through. This is why the Patriots usually push the pocket against mobile passers, even though we complain about a lack of pressure:



Justifying the top 10 hype:

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Major binkie alert. I try to be unbiased with these reviews, but this guy is just a joy to watch. I'd love to have him here.


DeMarcus Walker

6’3
273


Definition of an effort player. Walker most likely will not impress with his 40 yard time, but testing numbers are nearly meaningless when considering his style of play. With 16 sacks this year and 10.5 last year, he knows how to get to the quarterback. Off the field, he already has his degree. Well respected and lauded as a hard worker. Throwback type who says he looks forward to the “old school game — **** Butkus, Jack Lambert type of football.” He plays all over the line, inside and out, and holds up well against the run. He’s listed at 6’3 but will probably measure in at 6’2. He has a square, sturdy frame and likes to maul people.

Let's be clear: Walkers is not the big, fast defensive end prototype that everyone wants. He's not a freaky athlete or a can't miss, top 10 sort of prospect. Initially, I was pretty down on him as a player due to lack of speed, but the more games I watched from the last couple of years, the more I became convinced that he will carve out a solid career by sheer effort. After the Combine, I fully expect his stock to plummet. To me, that means he has incredible value when compared against the market; if he's available in the 2nd round, he could be the steal of the century. Overall, he reminds me of Trey Flowers, who has similar size and speed (only ran a 4.93 at the Combine), but has incredible power and explosion for his size, along with tenacity and great technique. Who wouldn't want another tough player like that on our team?

I can only post 5 embedded gifs per post, so I'll probably do a part II follow up later with some of my favorite moments, particularly from the Ole Miss game this year (4.5 sacks, all in the 2nd half).


Positives:

+ Stonewalls run blockers with a powerful punch
+ Sets a hard edge
+ Great hand fighter; looks like a boxer on the field
+ Exceptional core strength to hold his ground and shed blockers
+ Thick, powerful build; works hard in the weight room
+ Elite production; led the nation in sacks
+ Experienced rushing from inside/outside and right/left
+ Disciplined, well-composed player who shows awareness against cutback runs
+ Does not often compromise lane integrity in his rush
+ Defibrillator pads for hands; when he jolts blockers, sometimes sends them flying!
+ Hyper aware on the field: bats passes, sniffs out screens and misdirection, etc
+ Often gets more effective as the game wears on; better conditioned than his opponent
+ Tough, aggressive, hard-nosed player
+ Powerful hands; can drag down players with one arm if necessary


Negatives:

- Not the fleetest of foot when asked to play in space
- Not likely to be useful in man to man coverage
- May struggle adjusting to the speed of the NFL game
- Pops upright off the snap too frequently, negating his natural leverage
- Occasionally looks like he's stuck in quicksand compared with the players around him
+ Needs to be more consistent throughout entire game, not just when the opponents are tired


Walker shows a great feel for the game. He watches Watson's eyes, recognizes that it's a quick throw, and breaks off his rush to get his hands in the air. Savvy player.



Later on in the same game, Walker makes the same type of play from the other side of the line. These passes batted down don't get people as excited as a sack, but they can still stall a drive and shut down an offense:



In case I've understated his athleticism, he has plenty of get off to turn the corner and get the sack. Good lean and rip:



Big strip-sack in the 4th quarter while lined up inside. The violent, coordinated way his arms and body work in concert reminds me a ton of Trey Flowers. Too much for the guard to handle:



Another pass batted down (he might have more disruption in passing lanes than any player I've watched this year). Great awareness as part of a three-man rush. Sound familiar? The Patriots led the league in rushing three or fewer, if I recall.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Devonte Fields.

POST UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

Devonte Fields

6’4
245

Probably not on the Patriots board due to character concerns, Fields nonetheless presents an intriguing combination of quickness, coverage skills, and pass rush ability that could draw some comparisons to Jamie Collins due to his versatility and athleticism. Like Collins, however, he sometimes overruns plays or seems to lose sight of the overall goal of the defensive scheme. 10 sacks as a freshman, then went the JUCO route after assault charges. Finished 2015 on a huge run (7.5 sacks in his last 3 games double digit sacks total), but only got home 5 times in 2016. Still a bit raw in terms of fundamentals and weight room progress. May need a year or two until he’s an impact player.

All things considered, I wish Fields had more hype, so that he would go earlier and drive another prospect down to the Patriots. I like his skillset, but his character concerns, thin frame, and lack of consistency scare me off. On the flip side, his coverage ability is sorely needed, and he could develop into a nice chess piece. Anything earlier than a late 4th round gamble would be disappointing, however, and I wouldn't argue against striking him from the board entirely due to off field issues.


+ Significant experience standing up
+ Numerous strong snaps in coverage
+ Surprisingly physical, given size
+ Plus range in pursuit when his motor is on
+ Well above average play speed
+ Nice timing on A gap blitzes
+ Superior quickness on inside counter off his speed rush
+ Great burst to close when he has a clear shot
+ Occasionally flexes out to cover WRs in man coverage and does credible job
+ Far ahead of curve for transitioning to 34 OLB
+ Excellent blitzer; forces QB off landmark



- Slight frame; thin for DL; will need to transition to LB full time
- Bullied in the run game when technique is poor
- Fails to extend arms into contact; often content to throw a shoulder at a blocker
- Sometimes lazy in pursuit if he doesn’t think he’ll catch up to the play
- Serious character concerns (charges dropped after counseling, however)
- Low production; 3 of his 5 sacks on the season came in a single game
- Has a case of the “Cunninghams” — would-be sacks frequently slip through his fingers
- Lack of field awareness concerning at times
- Caught in no man’s land on misdirection plays
- Lacks power to collapse pocket or bull rush if speed is neutralized


Probably won't take the time to create gifs for Fields, unless requested. While he's an intriguing player, and I see the potential for strictly on field reasons, I don't see him being a cultural fit in NE.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Jaleel Johnson.

POST UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

6'3
#308

Johnson is about potential. He's only available in the 2nd - 3rd round range (projected ranking) due to maddening deficiencies in technique. He's very inconsistent game to game, and sometimes play to play. He'll show glimpses of occasional ability to play with proper arm extension and low pad level, and he looks like an unblockable monster when he does. The high moments are really impressive -- top 10 potential kind of impressive. Then his technique will fall apart, and he will pop upright at the snap and go nowhere, or get knocked on his back way too easily. He's raw but athletic, and his success in the NFL will depend largely on 1) work ethic, 2) coaching staff, 3) scheme fit, and 4) snap count. As a sub package rusher, he has excellent upside as a 3-tech. He would not be a full time starter in this scheme.

If the Patriots like his trajectory, then I could see him at pick 64, but it's risky. If he lasts until 96 or later, then he's worth the gamble, however.


Positives:

+ Good first step
+ Noticeably quicker than the average DT
+ Solid production as an interior rusher (8 sacks on the year)
+ Gets skinny and can split center/guard or guard/tackle combo blocks when rushing
+ Surprising burst in the open field when chasing down plays
+ Generally good form on wrap-up tackles
+ Physical, aggressive player; likes to go for the knockout hit
+ Stretches of absolute dominance
+ Moments of power and nice handwork
+ When his technique is right, can anchor and not give up the line of scrimmage


Negatives:

- Little to no anchor against double team
- Run defense is exuberant but not always effective
- Extremely inconsistent technique
- Loses track of the QB / ball; can get turned around
- Overly eager to shoot gaps, and can run himself out of plays



When he's on his game:


When he's not:


Love his explosion. This team has some big run stuffers, and Johnson could add the ability to win with quickness and speed:


Two great examples of leverage, power, handwork, and closing speed to finish:

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Tarell Basham.

POST UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

I lost the entire post and had to start over.

A small school player, Basham has excellent production and good showings against solid competition (such as Garcia). He compares favorably to Jabaal Sheard, but may be a bit twitchier. His #93 makes it an easy comp, but his play on the field is similar. He addressed my biggest concerns (actual size and level of competition) at the Senior Bowl, so I'm comfortable moving him up on my board. He should be in consideration from pick 64 onward.


+ Strong, aggressive player
+ Tackles with bad intent
+ Gives good effort in pursuit, often chasing plays down across the field
+ Good size for a DE / OLB (6'4 #260 with 10 3/8 inch hands and 33 inch arms)
+ Holds up adequately against run single blockers
+ Tough, durable, productive
+ Explosive closing burst
+ Active hands; not content to stay blocked
+ Praised by coaches and teammates for hard work and good attitude
+ Leader on and off the field


- Concerns about level of competition (largely addressed by Senior Bowl)
- Doesn't generate much power on stunts, and is often swallowed up by guards
- Not a lot of experience in coverage
- Needs to improve strength against the run
- Overly reliant on snap anticipation -- needs more variety of moves
- Inconsistent; can look unblockable at times, but then disappears for much of the game

Game clips:

I'll fill in more of these later, but I wanted to start with this one because it's a great rush and not just a fast loop where the OT can't get a hand on him on the way to the QB. Excellent bull rush. Engages and locks out with one arm and leaves his inside shoulder and arm free to reach the quarterback. Good example of the tenacious physicality that defines his play.



Highlight tape in lieu of more gifs. I'll cut more from game tape over the rest of the week.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Reserved for Tanoh Kpassagnon.

6'7
280


A draft media darling, Kpassagnon has dominated the small school discussion this year. He possesses an intoxicating combination of size, athleticism, production, and potential. As exciting as his upside may be, I have mixed feelings about Kpassagnon. He's all arms and legs, and needs to improve his core power. Despite his size, Kpassagnon is not an every down, run/pass defender. He's a pure pass rusher who still needs to learn the nuances of the trade and maintain better pad level. Most of his troubles are technique-related, though. He has the frame to be a base 43 end and then shift inside to 3-tech. He could be the ultimate potential player in this draft.


Positives:

+ Incredible frame; looks like he was assembled in a lab devoted to creating football gods
+ First step is off the charts for his size; explosive player
+ Surprisingly sophisticated hand use
+ Plays with unexpected leverage; coils into tight stance and capable of getting low (sometimes)
+ Very good dip/rip moves; can disengage from blockers and maintain momentum
+ Productive on defense and special teams, particularly at blocking kicks
+ Terrifying ceiling if he can unlock his potential



Negatives:

- Doesn't always maintain good pad level; needs to more consistently stay low in his rush
- Not disciplined in rush lanes
- Low level of competition -- always the best athlete on the field
- Gets leggy when changing directions or trying to flatten to QB
- Not physical enough against the run at times; should dominate given size/athleticism
- Enormous project; little value first 1 - 2 years apart from designated pass rush

The gif creator I've been using seems to be down today, so I'll just throw in a few game links. Sorry about the lack of examples!

Highlights:


Game video:

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

@Gabriel_p94

I love Harris (4) and Thomas (2) (for me)

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Sorry I've been so behind on these evaluations. I just edited Basham's post with post-Senior Bowl thoughts, with a few more gifs to come. Take a gander.