Scouting Report: Jordan Willis, DE

[midwestpatsfan]

Scouting Report: Jordan Willis, DE | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2014 NFL Draft

 

[manxman2601]

From this scouting report:

When I watch Willis play, I see a player who has worked on and developed his hand use. He may have the most active hands of any Edge player I have watched to date. Not only are they active, but he knows what he is doing with them. He is effective pulling, ripping, and extending with leverage and power.

Almost the exact same thing said about Trey Flowers. Not coincidentally, PFF, who were very high on Flowers are very high on Willis.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

From this scouting report:



Almost the exact same thing said about Trey Flowers. Not coincidentally, PFF, who were very high on Flowers are very high on Willis.

Yup, and that is a big positive for me because guys coming out of college just do not use their hands very well.

 

[long distance]

Scouting Report: Jordan Willis, DE | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2014 NFL Draft

1. Some people @Combine hinted on his transition to LB (3-4 OLB I suspect). College tape doesn't show that but watching drills this was not a crazy idea. I wonder how you guys see it? I have a feeling there is some sneaky versatility in this fella that BB can bring out and amaze the rest like with Flowers. Like I said in the other thread - Id really like to see this combo in 2018: two versatile, somewhat atypical DEs (hence even more difficult to stop) - one able rushing through the middle the other dropping in coverage and down the line..

BTW - this will get him big points in Foxboro as well:
He plays with a non stop motor and is willing to run across or down field to stay with a play.
Like Ninko. Seems to be underrated asset many times - yet it tells so much about a thing you cannot do much about - character.

2. I just looked around some after Combine boards: he is rising - but still sitting pretty between 40-70

 

[manxman2601]

Guys....

 

[midwestpatsfan]

1. Some people @Combine hinted on his transition to LB (3-4 OLB I suspect). College tape doesn't show that but watching drills this was not a crazy idea. I wonder how you guys see it? I have a feeling there is some sneaky versatility in this fella that BB can bring out and amaze the rest like with Flowers. Like I said in the other thread - Id really like to see this combo in 2018: two versatile, somewhat atypical DEs (hence even more difficult to stop) - one able rushing through the middle the other dropping in coverage and down the line..

BTW - this will get him big points in Foxboro as well:
He plays with a non stop motor and is willing to run across or down field to stay with a play.
Like Ninko. Seems to be underrated asset many times - yet it tells so much about a thing you cannot do much about - character.

2. I just looked around some after Combine boards: he is rising - but still sitting pretty between 40-70

If that is indeed the case, he is going to need time. He didn't drop into space at all when I watched him and I watched a lot of his games. It would be a heavy learning curve, but you are right, the numbers at least say he should be able to do it, I just didn't see it on tape.

 

[captain stone]

Willis, Tarell Basham & TJ Watt are DEs who it now appears will not be available at 64. Do I take one of them at 32? Depending on free agency and the first 31 picks…
…maybe.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Willis, Tarell Basham & TJ Watt are DEs who it now appears will not be available at 64. Do I take one of them at 32? Depending on free agency and the first 31 picks…
…maybe.

It's like when food and water prices go up before a hurricane: you might grumble at first, but when it's all said and done, and you have food but your stingier neighbor doesn't, you're suddenly grateful. Who cares what it cost when you're eating and they're not?

 

[long distance]

Willis, Tarell Basham & TJ Watt are DEs who it now appears will not be available at 64. Do I take one of them at 32? Depending on free agency and the first 31 picks…
…maybe.

Actually Basham is already slightly falling after Combine..

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Actually Basham is already slightly falling after Combine..

Weird. Thought he was very solid. Not as freaky as some guys, but clearly upper echelon. I still like him a ton.

 

[captain stone]

Actually Basham is already slightly falling after Combine..

Why? I thought he did quite well at the combine, and at 269 lbs to boot.
Those numbers are all very competitive with Sheard & Flowers.

 

[manxman2601]

Was listening to Michael Lombardi on the Ringer podcast and whilst he wasn't talking about Willis particularly, he said that the three things you look for in a pass rusher was 10 yard split, vertical leap and production. Well Willis had the best 10 yard split, 5/100 ahead of the next best which was Reddick, he had the second best VJ behind Garrett and according to PFF was the second most productive pass rusher in the country.

One other thing, Mike Loyko was talking about how BB likes pass rushers that attack the tackle rather than the edge. The funny thing is, the first thing that stood out to me when I watched Willis was that I noticed he was attacking the tackle. Willis is ticking so many boxes for me right now.

 

[long distance]

Was listening to Michael Lombardi on the Ringer podcast and whilst he wasn't talking about Willis particularly, he said that the three things you look for in a pass rusher was 10 yard split, vertical leap and production. Well Willis had the best 10 yard split, 5/100 ahead of the next best which was Reddick, he had the second best VJ behind Garrett and according to PFF was the second most productive pass rusher in the country.

One other thing, Mike Loyko was talking about how BB likes pass rushers that attack the tackle rather than the edge. The funny thing is, the first thing that stood out to me when I watched Willis was that I noticed he was attacking the tackle. Willis is ticking so many boxes for me right now.

Great catch, Manx. I have this written on my board actually!

Here's some more from what he said there:

DL - 10y+VJ +production (tackles, assist tackles, pressures, sacks)
with no production he’s just “a card player“
*
Jonathan Allen low explosion . is this a problem? - no.
- college level of football is not how many tapes you watch but about the level of competition: you have to watch him against the best competition - against the center of LSU and evaluate that - that 1 game evaluation (+ how much att. he gets) is worth 8 games somewhere else
*
D-line:
- I'm trying to build the best way I can where you can’t formation my tackles off the field
- we need the players that can impact and push the QB and put him in the pain where he wants to step up
- young DTs - they are gonna get better with time

*
- I wouldnt sign Donatare Poe. He is a 'trailer player' - you know like in the movies -
but there’s just not enough consistency, and he just plays well over the center, you can’t move him around the line
- Branch can play at O, 1, 2 3 and when we brought him he played at 5
*
Calais Campbell - disruptive force, long - its hard to throw the ball over him, attracts special attention --and that’s the guy you pay