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THE OFFICIAL 2024 - 2025 DALLAS COWBOYS SEASON THREAD || 3-5 Next Game 11/10 vs. Eagles
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QUARTERBACK
Paxton Lynch - Tall, lanky frame that allows him to easily see over the line. Can take a beating and shrug it off. Light on his feet. Can climb, shuffle and slide in pocket to buy time. Has some athleticism. Throws accurately on the move. Arm is good enough for quick strikes. Eyes quickly scan and make whole field reads. Poise has improved to sense pressure and comfortable operating in small pocket. Has ability to throw without being fully set. Elite foot quickness for his size. Ability to move keeps passing option alive. Arm strength to drive ball into small windows. Makes good decision. Does not take DB bait. Field leader.
Weakness - Placement on catch and run throws needs to improve. This inability to throw with the accuracy he wants leaves yards on the field. Needs better anticipation of routes and stay ahead of receivers. His quickness through his progressions needs to improve. Needs to learn how to move defenders with his eyes. DBs target him on the sidelines, and camp out there. His to better sell on play action plays to be more consistent. Has great arm strength, but needs to improve consistency. Touch throws over LBs need work. Needs a couple of years to develop the consistency needed.
Connor Cook - Improved and added new elements every year as 4 year starter. High Level of confidence and efficiency. Worked under center, and good foot quickness in his drops. Good anticipation for developing windows, and effective with timing routes. Can scan and re-scan through targets when on the move. Reads safeties early. Rarely takes shots downfield that Safeties can disrupt. Comfortable on the move. Throws very well when rolling right. Plus arm strength, quick release. Can stand and take a hit when throwing deep in man coverage. Can hit the corners in the endzone. Most battle tested QB in draft
Weakness - Can throw short passes with too much force behind it. Accuracy is a big concern. Can end up flat footed in the pocket, and not have proper transfer of feet to make balanced throw. Can see windows open up, but is hesitant to throw it. Can struggle when first option isn't open. Doesn't always adjust protection pre-snap. When in shotgun, does not see blitzers sneaking forward. When blitz comes, too readily goes up top for homerun than taking easy short completion. Little effort on play fakes. Scouts question his leadership in adverse times.
Dak Prescott - Muscular frame. Can take a beating. Natural arm strength and hip snap to get throws into small windows. Stays tall, give tight spiral. Very little windup, and gets the ball out in a hurry. With clean pocket, can deliver the ball anywhere on the field. Improved vision and too better care of ball in 2015, Eliminated stupid throws that were INTs in 2014. Still a big work in progress, but showed consistent growth. Threat with his legs. 37 rush TDs, 94 rushes of 10+ yards in 3 years. Goal line rush option. Willing to extend play outside of pocket with legs, but wants to finish it with arm. Can carry heavy offensive burden. In protection can challenge deep with great accuracy & touch.
Weakness - Got really beat up due to poor protection. If not sacked, was hit really hard. Rushing was down in 2015. Could be taking a toll on him. Completion numbers went way up due to 122 more short check down completions. Accuracy on intermediate and deep throws drops a lot. Always aware of pressure, but doesn't have ability to slide or find a place to make throw. Concern over pressure hurts ability to get through progression. Needs to speed pace of reads. Footwork is a problem. Tries to muscle balls with upper body, rather than getting legs into it, hurts accuracy. Throws at target, rather than leading them. Too respectful of underneath coverage. Has to learn to challenge defense.
Christian Hackenberg - Prototypical size for Pocket QB. Durable and tough. Can hang in and take hit, if he thinks he can get a completion. Played in pro-style offense. Able to work through progressions when protected. Pro velocity on throws, drives hips through release for extra power. Can make all throws, and arm talent to take shots all over the field. Underrated in touch throws. Can float throws over top of defenders. Decent athlete to climb pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. Can recognize late blitz movements. Able to avoid most baiting attempts. Drastically dropped interception total. Leadership qualities.
Weakness - Really bad accuracy 51.5% adjusted completion total (throws beyond LOS). Receivers have to become goalies, and protect him from INTs. Simple throws can become a coin flip in accuracy. Release point can vary greatly, and still needs to have technique on footwork, and mechanics. Can throw perfect spiral followed by woobler. A lot of ball patting, and wind up slow release and screw up timing. Extra time in air for deep passes, and mediocre timing allows safeties to get in play. Takes a lot of sacks, rather than getting the ball out. Accuracy and ball placement falls drastically when defense sends pressure. 44.2% when 5 rushers. 41.9% with six rushers. Pocket feel needs work.
Jacoby Brissett - Big QB with NFL arm. Frame and lower body strength to shake off sacks and extend plays. Very competitive and high character. Can alter speed on throws. Can drive ball in tight windows with plus accuracy or soft touch when needed. Plays pro-style scheme. Can play under center or bootleg. Good decisions on combo routes. Generally accurate, excels on intermediate throws. Has arm and confidence to make deep out throws. Able to leave pocket and challenge defense with his legs. Completed 60% of passes when forced to throw on the move.
Weakness - Over the top throwing allows some throws to sink with how his arm comes down. Faced a lot of pressure in past 2 seasons, and has created some bad habits. Drops eyes when feels pressure and throws off back foot. Still has happy feet when defenders close in. Carries ball low and away from body when scrambling. Sometimes oblivious to obvious pre-snap tells on blitz. Struggles on deep ball only 23.1% on 21yds + passes. Several deep ball overthrows on easy man coverage down sideline. Fails to recognize open receivers down the seam. Sometimes locked into what he wants to do and issues with flexibility
Cardale Jones - Good size to see over Oline. Bulk to take NFL hits. Pocket passer with plenty of arm. Can get good velocity even without feet set. Gets the ball in tight spaces. Willing and able to challenge DBs and Safeties over the top. 11% of passes were 20+ yard completions. 59% on intermediate throws. 41% on deep throws. Touch and placement on long ball is pro ready. Can lay it in on fade routes. Size, athleticism and toughness to run, and will move chains as scrambler. Interceptions are not poor decision making, moreso overthrows and off timing. Decent progression ability.
Weakness - Was given starting job, and lost it. Accuracy issues on slants. Overthrows receivers too often. Eyes receivers too long, and can lead good instinct LBs & DBs right to the pass. Has trouble reading underneath zone coverage. Doesn't deceive Safeties with eyes. Has trouble on the run, percentage of completion dropped over 30 points. Leaves touchdowns on field in red zone with overthrows. Below average pocket feel and misses pick up on blitzes too often. Defensive coordinators didn't have much trouble out game planning him.
Kevin Hogan - Consistent and tough. Teammates and coaches easily put trust in him and his competitiveness. NFL size. Played in pro-style offense. Adequate mobility. Unafraid to pull ball down and get a few yards. High IQ. Finds ways to gut it out to make winning plays in difficult situations. Understands strengths and weaknesses, and doesn't take many low percentage change. Led Pac 12 as Short Yardage passer 76.7%
Weakness - Mechanics and footwork are bad. Throws with wide base, more like a pitcher's stride. Ball rarely leaves hand cleanly. Plays flat footed in the pocket with little bounce as he reads field. Poor job resetting and getting good balance on throw. Below average arm strength. Struggles with consistent and catachable throws to field side. Average at reading D. Prevents him from getting ball out on time. Needs to improve poise and picket awareness. Has trouble sliding in pocket. Drops eyes and panics when pressure comes. Takes sacks that he shouldn't take. Lacks touch and accuracy on deep ball.
Brandon Allen - Showed huge growth as field leader and play maker. Comfortable under center, and effective on bootlegs and roll outs. Completion % jumped 10% to 66%. 64% on intermediate throws. Good catch and run placement on crossing routes. Sneaky good arm. Can pump fake, reset, and throw with accuracy. Can get ball out in rhythm in roll outs. Quality velocity through rotating hip. Arm can make NFL throws, and can challenge tight windows in middle of field. Able to extend play outside of pocket and find a throw or scramble for first downs.
Weakness- Small frame takes hard hits when he runs. Benefitted from play action based attack. Rarely looked to take deep shots on man cov. Wasn't asked to get through many progressions. And stares too long bringing safeties into throws. Does not use eyes to move defense. Drops eyes and runs immediately after sensing pressure. Really small hands. When he does take chances, really pays for it.
Jeff Driskel - Prototypical build and athleticism. Quick feet, rapid setup in pocket. Active, bouncing on feet while scanning targets. Has arm strength to challenge playmaking DBs in man and instinctive LBs in zone. Gets ball out quickly with flick of wrist. Good fundamentals, good footwork to balance himself before throwing with good weight transfer. Dangerous runner out of pocket. Good open field speed, and ability to run zone-read. Willing to throw the ball away rather than take unnecessary sack. Accurate and confident in short game.
Weakness - Struggles leading receivers. Forces receivers to break stride and adjust to throws. Leaves easy yards on the table. Can short arm passes on the run. Accuracy drops substantially when throwing down field. Overthrows rob of big plays that WR has a steps on. Happy feet with pocket pressure, and occasionally feel pressure that isn't there.
Weakness - Placement on catch and run throws needs to improve. This inability to throw with the accuracy he wants leaves yards on the field. Needs better anticipation of routes and stay ahead of receivers. His quickness through his progressions needs to improve. Needs to learn how to move defenders with his eyes. DBs target him on the sidelines, and camp out there. His to better sell on play action plays to be more consistent. Has great arm strength, but needs to improve consistency. Touch throws over LBs need work. Needs a couple of years to develop the consistency needed.
Connor Cook - Improved and added new elements every year as 4 year starter. High Level of confidence and efficiency. Worked under center, and good foot quickness in his drops. Good anticipation for developing windows, and effective with timing routes. Can scan and re-scan through targets when on the move. Reads safeties early. Rarely takes shots downfield that Safeties can disrupt. Comfortable on the move. Throws very well when rolling right. Plus arm strength, quick release. Can stand and take a hit when throwing deep in man coverage. Can hit the corners in the endzone. Most battle tested QB in draft
Weakness - Can throw short passes with too much force behind it. Accuracy is a big concern. Can end up flat footed in the pocket, and not have proper transfer of feet to make balanced throw. Can see windows open up, but is hesitant to throw it. Can struggle when first option isn't open. Doesn't always adjust protection pre-snap. When in shotgun, does not see blitzers sneaking forward. When blitz comes, too readily goes up top for homerun than taking easy short completion. Little effort on play fakes. Scouts question his leadership in adverse times.
Dak Prescott - Muscular frame. Can take a beating. Natural arm strength and hip snap to get throws into small windows. Stays tall, give tight spiral. Very little windup, and gets the ball out in a hurry. With clean pocket, can deliver the ball anywhere on the field. Improved vision and too better care of ball in 2015, Eliminated stupid throws that were INTs in 2014. Still a big work in progress, but showed consistent growth. Threat with his legs. 37 rush TDs, 94 rushes of 10+ yards in 3 years. Goal line rush option. Willing to extend play outside of pocket with legs, but wants to finish it with arm. Can carry heavy offensive burden. In protection can challenge deep with great accuracy & touch.
Weakness - Got really beat up due to poor protection. If not sacked, was hit really hard. Rushing was down in 2015. Could be taking a toll on him. Completion numbers went way up due to 122 more short check down completions. Accuracy on intermediate and deep throws drops a lot. Always aware of pressure, but doesn't have ability to slide or find a place to make throw. Concern over pressure hurts ability to get through progression. Needs to speed pace of reads. Footwork is a problem. Tries to muscle balls with upper body, rather than getting legs into it, hurts accuracy. Throws at target, rather than leading them. Too respectful of underneath coverage. Has to learn to challenge defense.
Christian Hackenberg - Prototypical size for Pocket QB. Durable and tough. Can hang in and take hit, if he thinks he can get a completion. Played in pro-style offense. Able to work through progressions when protected. Pro velocity on throws, drives hips through release for extra power. Can make all throws, and arm talent to take shots all over the field. Underrated in touch throws. Can float throws over top of defenders. Decent athlete to climb pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. Can recognize late blitz movements. Able to avoid most baiting attempts. Drastically dropped interception total. Leadership qualities.
Weakness - Really bad accuracy 51.5% adjusted completion total (throws beyond LOS). Receivers have to become goalies, and protect him from INTs. Simple throws can become a coin flip in accuracy. Release point can vary greatly, and still needs to have technique on footwork, and mechanics. Can throw perfect spiral followed by woobler. A lot of ball patting, and wind up slow release and screw up timing. Extra time in air for deep passes, and mediocre timing allows safeties to get in play. Takes a lot of sacks, rather than getting the ball out. Accuracy and ball placement falls drastically when defense sends pressure. 44.2% when 5 rushers. 41.9% with six rushers. Pocket feel needs work.
Jacoby Brissett - Big QB with NFL arm. Frame and lower body strength to shake off sacks and extend plays. Very competitive and high character. Can alter speed on throws. Can drive ball in tight windows with plus accuracy or soft touch when needed. Plays pro-style scheme. Can play under center or bootleg. Good decisions on combo routes. Generally accurate, excels on intermediate throws. Has arm and confidence to make deep out throws. Able to leave pocket and challenge defense with his legs. Completed 60% of passes when forced to throw on the move.
Weakness - Over the top throwing allows some throws to sink with how his arm comes down. Faced a lot of pressure in past 2 seasons, and has created some bad habits. Drops eyes when feels pressure and throws off back foot. Still has happy feet when defenders close in. Carries ball low and away from body when scrambling. Sometimes oblivious to obvious pre-snap tells on blitz. Struggles on deep ball only 23.1% on 21yds + passes. Several deep ball overthrows on easy man coverage down sideline. Fails to recognize open receivers down the seam. Sometimes locked into what he wants to do and issues with flexibility
Cardale Jones - Good size to see over Oline. Bulk to take NFL hits. Pocket passer with plenty of arm. Can get good velocity even without feet set. Gets the ball in tight spaces. Willing and able to challenge DBs and Safeties over the top. 11% of passes were 20+ yard completions. 59% on intermediate throws. 41% on deep throws. Touch and placement on long ball is pro ready. Can lay it in on fade routes. Size, athleticism and toughness to run, and will move chains as scrambler. Interceptions are not poor decision making, moreso overthrows and off timing. Decent progression ability.
Weakness - Was given starting job, and lost it. Accuracy issues on slants. Overthrows receivers too often. Eyes receivers too long, and can lead good instinct LBs & DBs right to the pass. Has trouble reading underneath zone coverage. Doesn't deceive Safeties with eyes. Has trouble on the run, percentage of completion dropped over 30 points. Leaves touchdowns on field in red zone with overthrows. Below average pocket feel and misses pick up on blitzes too often. Defensive coordinators didn't have much trouble out game planning him.
Kevin Hogan - Consistent and tough. Teammates and coaches easily put trust in him and his competitiveness. NFL size. Played in pro-style offense. Adequate mobility. Unafraid to pull ball down and get a few yards. High IQ. Finds ways to gut it out to make winning plays in difficult situations. Understands strengths and weaknesses, and doesn't take many low percentage change. Led Pac 12 as Short Yardage passer 76.7%
Weakness - Mechanics and footwork are bad. Throws with wide base, more like a pitcher's stride. Ball rarely leaves hand cleanly. Plays flat footed in the pocket with little bounce as he reads field. Poor job resetting and getting good balance on throw. Below average arm strength. Struggles with consistent and catachable throws to field side. Average at reading D. Prevents him from getting ball out on time. Needs to improve poise and picket awareness. Has trouble sliding in pocket. Drops eyes and panics when pressure comes. Takes sacks that he shouldn't take. Lacks touch and accuracy on deep ball.
Brandon Allen - Showed huge growth as field leader and play maker. Comfortable under center, and effective on bootlegs and roll outs. Completion % jumped 10% to 66%. 64% on intermediate throws. Good catch and run placement on crossing routes. Sneaky good arm. Can pump fake, reset, and throw with accuracy. Can get ball out in rhythm in roll outs. Quality velocity through rotating hip. Arm can make NFL throws, and can challenge tight windows in middle of field. Able to extend play outside of pocket and find a throw or scramble for first downs.
Weakness- Small frame takes hard hits when he runs. Benefitted from play action based attack. Rarely looked to take deep shots on man cov. Wasn't asked to get through many progressions. And stares too long bringing safeties into throws. Does not use eyes to move defense. Drops eyes and runs immediately after sensing pressure. Really small hands. When he does take chances, really pays for it.
Jeff Driskel - Prototypical build and athleticism. Quick feet, rapid setup in pocket. Active, bouncing on feet while scanning targets. Has arm strength to challenge playmaking DBs in man and instinctive LBs in zone. Gets ball out quickly with flick of wrist. Good fundamentals, good footwork to balance himself before throwing with good weight transfer. Dangerous runner out of pocket. Good open field speed, and ability to run zone-read. Willing to throw the ball away rather than take unnecessary sack. Accurate and confident in short game.
Weakness - Struggles leading receivers. Forces receivers to break stride and adjust to throws. Leaves easy yards on the table. Can short arm passes on the run. Accuracy drops substantially when throwing down field. Overthrows rob of big plays that WR has a steps on. Happy feet with pocket pressure, and occasionally feel pressure that isn't there.
Running Back
Ezekiel Elliott - Elite combo of vision and decisiveness. Instinctive, short strides with quick reaction time. Jump-cut to elude backfield rush, and burst to elude chase down when he gets to outside. Can change directions without hesitation or wasted motion. Always falls forward. Excellent at setting up his blocks and accelerating from behind them. Can find yards when he seems like he is trapped. Can keep balance after getting hit, and will drag tacklers if they don't have a good hip. Does not shy from contact. Uses shoulder to give a big hit. Great ball security. As a lead blocker tried to take out defenders, often successful. Good pass catcher, can adjust to bad throws or different touch, and can move with ball after catch.
Weakness - Heavy workload in last 2 seasons (600 touches). Defenders take big shots on him, and it will eventually take a toll. Too willing to take the hit on collisions he could avoid. Understanding when to attack, and when to elude defenders will take time. Needs to improve on running routes, and has room to improve as a pass blocker. When he gets to second level, he gets on top of defenders before he can gather himself to evade a hit.
Derrick Henry - Build like a Mack Truck, plus some. Violent runner without seeking contact. Pummels tacklers with forward lean and dynamite behind pads. Lights up run support DBs. Has rare top-end speed for runner his size. Long strides from 2nd to 3rd level that makes it difficult for Safties to react, and often blows by them. Good in zone, gap and power schemes. Does not fatigue, and still has stamina when defense wears down. 29.6% of explosive carries come in 4th quarter. Makes consistent, initial reads as a zone runner. Led nation in missed tackles with 60. Subtle change of direction on second level while still moving North / South. Bullies on short yardage plays.
Weakness - 400 touches in 2015, scouts concerned about workload. Averaged 32 carries a game. Tall with long stride on first level which takes time to build speed. Average foot quickness can lead to tackles for losses if he tries to get cute, and spends too long trying to make plays that are not there. Needs improvement on second read as zone runner. Below average hands makes him weak in passing game. Because he keeps a narrow base leads him susceptible to trip tackles. Sluggish cutback ability when outside tackle box.
Devontae Booker - Patient runner, but decisive when he sees opening. Hits opening with determination. Above average feel for shifting and changing of running lanes. Flows with it making smart choices, avoid tacklers and extend runs. Excellent vision. Doesn't dance around very often, ends runs with low pads and forward lean. Can maintain speed when changing directions and cutting. Crisp footwork up to the line, and dodge penetration to create yard opportunities. Elusive on second level, and can string together a bunch of moves in succession. Effective pass catcher with soft hands. Dependable on short yardage. Willing to step up in pass protection.
Weakness - Doesn't have top end speed to be a chunk play runner. Full time back, but borderline on size for that spot. May not be able to add weight without sacrificing quickness and average speed. Cut down on fumbles, but still had 6 last season. Average getaway speed can shorten how many yards he gets. Had torn meniscus in his knee, and had surgery in November.
Kenneth Dixon - Hungry runner, who never gives in to defender. Light on feet. Outstanding jumpcut and lateral quickness to sidestep tackles in backfield to make + yards. Elusive in the second level. Can string moves together to make explosive play. Very competitive. Accelerates through initial contact. Gets every yard he can get. Averaged 3.3 YAC to 1.7 Yards before contact. Quick recognition of defense and adjusts to running lanes. Decisive runner with plus burst and ability to get to top speed quickly. Good feel for running lanes and tacklers and can navigate without wasted movement. Violent finisher and enjoys going through DBs & S. Reliable pass catcher.
Weakness - Average lower half. Has history struggling with knee injuries. Physicality could lead to durability issues. Average long speed makes him less likely to be home run hitter. Tries to do too much at times. Base narrows in space and ends up falling to shoestring tackles. Aggressive and competitiveness he shows in running game almost nonexistant in pass protection.
Jordan Howard - Ability to step up his game against top competition. Rushed for at least 145 yards in every full game he played. Natural runner can combine tempo and feel for how much space he has. Pro-ready vision gives him outstanding feel for run lane developments at LOS and onto second level. Consistently chose best angles and creases for most yardage. Big back, but can squeeze through tight space. Decisive and delivers punishment. Drops pads and accelerates into contact to batter tacklers on 2nd & 3rd level. Drives legs through arm tackles and keeps going. Hard charging on third & forth and short. Shows potential in screen game.
Weakness - Doesn't have one cut ability. Has to hit breaks to get downhill on outside zone runs. One-speed runner. Can be chased down from backside defenders before getting to second level. Takes big hits with his running style. Scouts concerned about if he can stay healthy. Upright pads and narrow base lead to loss of balance when making sharp cuts.
C.J. Prosise - Size for every down back. Patient runner with sense of when to hit the gas. Late cut ability to generate extra yardage. Effective open-field spin to elude, and strength to power through lesser tacklers. Efficient runner between tackles. Runs with good pads level, and maintains balance through contact. Falls forward when finishing run. Enough play speed to turn corner as outside runner. Good receiver with good route running. Can be fine short, intermediate and long as receiver if matchup is there.
Weakness - Only 1 year as full time back. Although he stays low in contact, pad level is inconsistent, gives bigger target. Urgency as runner needs to improve. Can be slowed waiting for zone read, and some indecisiveness outside can cause lost yardage. Fumbles five times in 156 carries. Needs to secure the ball against guys looking to rip it away at end of run. Has no idea what to do in protection. Runs too much East to West. Braces for contact and slows up. Lacks experience, needs time to grow.
Paul Perkins - Combines elite vision with insane jump cut. Can disappear in front of tacklers and embarrass them. Does not tip his hand leading up to cuts, and can make the miss in small windows. Decisive between tackles, and can bounce outside when needed. Has sudden, 1 cut ability to stretch plays. Can put moves together. Reliable hands in the pass. Willing to stick in there to protect against blitz.
Weakness - Small frame with high workload. Can be slowed by arm tackles. If a tackler can square him up, he has no chance. Lacks force to run through contact, and fall forward. Will not play on short yardage downs. Only available for swings, screens and wheels as receiver. Lacks consistent play speed with wheel routes. Although he will protect on blitz, likely not big enough to be effective in NFL blitz pickup. Size and strength drops him a few rounds. Needs right scheme and team fit. Back by committee in first few years.
Jonathan Williams - Loose hips, quick feet. Crafty with lateral movement to sidestep tacklers in backfield, in the hole and on 2nd level. Light feet allow for immediate action. 44 missed tackles in 2014. Great instincts, great feel for the hole, keeping distance from tacklers, and picking right lane. Small workload at Arkansas. Sets up blocks well and runs with good balance through contact. Played in physical run game, finishes runs stronger. Dependable in short yardage. 3 down back, soft hands in backfield. Willing in pass protection.
Weakness - Needs consistent burst and decisiveness. Arkansas OLine made things very easy. If lanes are tight, he won't try to bust run outside. Needs to get upfield rather than getting cute. Needs more thickness in legs. Missed 2015 with foot injury / surgery. Has to protect ball during contact. Foot injury makes him a risk. Otherwise would be ranked higher.
Alex Collins - Good build, durable frame. Feet always move. Consistent tempo as a runner. Can weave in and out of traffic without losing speed. Foot quickness and agility to avoid traffic in backfield. Instant acceleration to get run going upfield. Patient when looking for crease. Great pad level and knee bend. Shoulders stay square, and stays low through the hole. Excellent vision on interior and jukes and sidestps tackles for more yards. Runs with forward lean and always goes forward.
Weakness - One speed runner. Doesn't have one-cut stride, always stutter-stepping with choppy strides. Little feel for outside runs. Breaks runs back inside too quickly when could stay outside for better results. Can't generate enough momentum through contact to be a tackler breaker. 5 broken tackles in 475 carries. Unproven pass catcher, and inconsistent in pass protection responsibilities. 17 career fumbles.
Kenyan Drake - Good hands out of the backfield. Feet keep moving. Can elude defenders. Has a second gear to burst through line, pieces together moves in open field. Presses LOS to set up his blocks. Legs keep moving through contact. Willing to finish runs. Gains plenty of post-contact yards. Very quick feet with lateral agility to escape heavy traffic and bounce run outside. Quality Kick returner.
Weakness - Can be too energetic at times. Mind races with ball in his hand, and can lack patience needed. Reacts to what is in front of him than anticipating what is coming. Inconsistent hands. Trouble playing downhill. Tendency to cut runs to sideline when better lane toward middle of field. Broken leg in 2014, broken arm in 2015. Not an every down back.
Daniel Lasco - Athletic, short strides. Can make quick cut to avoid contact. Play speed is inconsistent, but has second gear to get passed tackler. Getaway speed in open field. Adequate hands out of backfield
Weakness - Not instinctive between tackles. Has trouble processing running lane development, and makes late decisions on keeping runs alive. Needs to be more creative. Leaves yards on field due to lack of vision. Too quick to give up and end runs prematurely. Needs to run with more urgency. Gears down for contact. Below average yards after contact. Only has 1 good year in 2014. Then had hip injury that limited effectiveness. If football was only combine numbers, he'd be great. But lack of vision, and inconsistent physicality can limit success in NFL.
Wendell Smallwood - Hits crease with good pad level, and can spin out of tackle for extra yards. Attacks with lead shoulder at end of run to get more yards. Disciplined in zone run with solid vision and steady tempo. Very sharp player. Scans and spots blitzes really well, and meets them as blocker. Exception hands out of the backfield.
Weakness - Can build frame to be better suited in NFL. Keeps runs at one speed, and does not vary his attack much. Not a flashy or creative runner. Not much of a tackle breaker. Trouble hitting outside zone to get downhill. Average athleticism.
Tyler Ervin - Short strides in tight space to make sudden direction changes. No fear running between tackles. Only bounces outside when it will gain yards. Smooth, quick reaction time to avoid traffic in backfield. Good lateral movement to escape trouble. Quick hands and can be a good pass catcher that gives some good matchups. Good play speed and can hit the gas to top speed quickly. Quality quick returner.
Weakness - Thin frame that isn't built for constant contact. Runs easily stuff against good tackle attempts. Hits to the side will knock him down easily. Balance through contact is poor, has trouble keeping legs moving through tackles. Slows down to cut. Size and strength limit him from being a third down option back. Goes through motions if he doesn't get ball. Needs more urgency in gap, and when approaching LOS. Lack of size in blitz pickup. May end up being a change of pace RB, but will initially be a KR.
DeAndre Washington - Gets to top gear quick, and stays there. Highly confident. Very muscular despite being short. Very tough. Bit afraid of work that he needs to do as a runner on the inside. Keeps pads square with good balance. Can push through arm tackles. Willing pass protector. Dangerous in screen game, and from the slot. Very reliable player.
Weakness - Size will be a huge obstacle. Has small hands, could lead to drops/fumbles. Inconsistent and lack of discipline with run paths at times. Straight line quickness, not shifty quick in space. Vision is meh, and is late making reads and cuts. Too small for blitz pickup.
Weakness - Heavy workload in last 2 seasons (600 touches). Defenders take big shots on him, and it will eventually take a toll. Too willing to take the hit on collisions he could avoid. Understanding when to attack, and when to elude defenders will take time. Needs to improve on running routes, and has room to improve as a pass blocker. When he gets to second level, he gets on top of defenders before he can gather himself to evade a hit.
Derrick Henry - Build like a Mack Truck, plus some. Violent runner without seeking contact. Pummels tacklers with forward lean and dynamite behind pads. Lights up run support DBs. Has rare top-end speed for runner his size. Long strides from 2nd to 3rd level that makes it difficult for Safties to react, and often blows by them. Good in zone, gap and power schemes. Does not fatigue, and still has stamina when defense wears down. 29.6% of explosive carries come in 4th quarter. Makes consistent, initial reads as a zone runner. Led nation in missed tackles with 60. Subtle change of direction on second level while still moving North / South. Bullies on short yardage plays.
Weakness - 400 touches in 2015, scouts concerned about workload. Averaged 32 carries a game. Tall with long stride on first level which takes time to build speed. Average foot quickness can lead to tackles for losses if he tries to get cute, and spends too long trying to make plays that are not there. Needs improvement on second read as zone runner. Below average hands makes him weak in passing game. Because he keeps a narrow base leads him susceptible to trip tackles. Sluggish cutback ability when outside tackle box.
Devontae Booker - Patient runner, but decisive when he sees opening. Hits opening with determination. Above average feel for shifting and changing of running lanes. Flows with it making smart choices, avoid tacklers and extend runs. Excellent vision. Doesn't dance around very often, ends runs with low pads and forward lean. Can maintain speed when changing directions and cutting. Crisp footwork up to the line, and dodge penetration to create yard opportunities. Elusive on second level, and can string together a bunch of moves in succession. Effective pass catcher with soft hands. Dependable on short yardage. Willing to step up in pass protection.
Weakness - Doesn't have top end speed to be a chunk play runner. Full time back, but borderline on size for that spot. May not be able to add weight without sacrificing quickness and average speed. Cut down on fumbles, but still had 6 last season. Average getaway speed can shorten how many yards he gets. Had torn meniscus in his knee, and had surgery in November.
Kenneth Dixon - Hungry runner, who never gives in to defender. Light on feet. Outstanding jumpcut and lateral quickness to sidestep tackles in backfield to make + yards. Elusive in the second level. Can string moves together to make explosive play. Very competitive. Accelerates through initial contact. Gets every yard he can get. Averaged 3.3 YAC to 1.7 Yards before contact. Quick recognition of defense and adjusts to running lanes. Decisive runner with plus burst and ability to get to top speed quickly. Good feel for running lanes and tacklers and can navigate without wasted movement. Violent finisher and enjoys going through DBs & S. Reliable pass catcher.
Weakness - Average lower half. Has history struggling with knee injuries. Physicality could lead to durability issues. Average long speed makes him less likely to be home run hitter. Tries to do too much at times. Base narrows in space and ends up falling to shoestring tackles. Aggressive and competitiveness he shows in running game almost nonexistant in pass protection.
Jordan Howard - Ability to step up his game against top competition. Rushed for at least 145 yards in every full game he played. Natural runner can combine tempo and feel for how much space he has. Pro-ready vision gives him outstanding feel for run lane developments at LOS and onto second level. Consistently chose best angles and creases for most yardage. Big back, but can squeeze through tight space. Decisive and delivers punishment. Drops pads and accelerates into contact to batter tacklers on 2nd & 3rd level. Drives legs through arm tackles and keeps going. Hard charging on third & forth and short. Shows potential in screen game.
Weakness - Doesn't have one cut ability. Has to hit breaks to get downhill on outside zone runs. One-speed runner. Can be chased down from backside defenders before getting to second level. Takes big hits with his running style. Scouts concerned about if he can stay healthy. Upright pads and narrow base lead to loss of balance when making sharp cuts.
C.J. Prosise - Size for every down back. Patient runner with sense of when to hit the gas. Late cut ability to generate extra yardage. Effective open-field spin to elude, and strength to power through lesser tacklers. Efficient runner between tackles. Runs with good pads level, and maintains balance through contact. Falls forward when finishing run. Enough play speed to turn corner as outside runner. Good receiver with good route running. Can be fine short, intermediate and long as receiver if matchup is there.
Weakness - Only 1 year as full time back. Although he stays low in contact, pad level is inconsistent, gives bigger target. Urgency as runner needs to improve. Can be slowed waiting for zone read, and some indecisiveness outside can cause lost yardage. Fumbles five times in 156 carries. Needs to secure the ball against guys looking to rip it away at end of run. Has no idea what to do in protection. Runs too much East to West. Braces for contact and slows up. Lacks experience, needs time to grow.
Paul Perkins - Combines elite vision with insane jump cut. Can disappear in front of tacklers and embarrass them. Does not tip his hand leading up to cuts, and can make the miss in small windows. Decisive between tackles, and can bounce outside when needed. Has sudden, 1 cut ability to stretch plays. Can put moves together. Reliable hands in the pass. Willing to stick in there to protect against blitz.
Weakness - Small frame with high workload. Can be slowed by arm tackles. If a tackler can square him up, he has no chance. Lacks force to run through contact, and fall forward. Will not play on short yardage downs. Only available for swings, screens and wheels as receiver. Lacks consistent play speed with wheel routes. Although he will protect on blitz, likely not big enough to be effective in NFL blitz pickup. Size and strength drops him a few rounds. Needs right scheme and team fit. Back by committee in first few years.
Jonathan Williams - Loose hips, quick feet. Crafty with lateral movement to sidestep tacklers in backfield, in the hole and on 2nd level. Light feet allow for immediate action. 44 missed tackles in 2014. Great instincts, great feel for the hole, keeping distance from tacklers, and picking right lane. Small workload at Arkansas. Sets up blocks well and runs with good balance through contact. Played in physical run game, finishes runs stronger. Dependable in short yardage. 3 down back, soft hands in backfield. Willing in pass protection.
Weakness - Needs consistent burst and decisiveness. Arkansas OLine made things very easy. If lanes are tight, he won't try to bust run outside. Needs to get upfield rather than getting cute. Needs more thickness in legs. Missed 2015 with foot injury / surgery. Has to protect ball during contact. Foot injury makes him a risk. Otherwise would be ranked higher.
Alex Collins - Good build, durable frame. Feet always move. Consistent tempo as a runner. Can weave in and out of traffic without losing speed. Foot quickness and agility to avoid traffic in backfield. Instant acceleration to get run going upfield. Patient when looking for crease. Great pad level and knee bend. Shoulders stay square, and stays low through the hole. Excellent vision on interior and jukes and sidestps tackles for more yards. Runs with forward lean and always goes forward.
Weakness - One speed runner. Doesn't have one-cut stride, always stutter-stepping with choppy strides. Little feel for outside runs. Breaks runs back inside too quickly when could stay outside for better results. Can't generate enough momentum through contact to be a tackler breaker. 5 broken tackles in 475 carries. Unproven pass catcher, and inconsistent in pass protection responsibilities. 17 career fumbles.
Kenyan Drake - Good hands out of the backfield. Feet keep moving. Can elude defenders. Has a second gear to burst through line, pieces together moves in open field. Presses LOS to set up his blocks. Legs keep moving through contact. Willing to finish runs. Gains plenty of post-contact yards. Very quick feet with lateral agility to escape heavy traffic and bounce run outside. Quality Kick returner.
Weakness - Can be too energetic at times. Mind races with ball in his hand, and can lack patience needed. Reacts to what is in front of him than anticipating what is coming. Inconsistent hands. Trouble playing downhill. Tendency to cut runs to sideline when better lane toward middle of field. Broken leg in 2014, broken arm in 2015. Not an every down back.
Daniel Lasco - Athletic, short strides. Can make quick cut to avoid contact. Play speed is inconsistent, but has second gear to get passed tackler. Getaway speed in open field. Adequate hands out of backfield
Weakness - Not instinctive between tackles. Has trouble processing running lane development, and makes late decisions on keeping runs alive. Needs to be more creative. Leaves yards on field due to lack of vision. Too quick to give up and end runs prematurely. Needs to run with more urgency. Gears down for contact. Below average yards after contact. Only has 1 good year in 2014. Then had hip injury that limited effectiveness. If football was only combine numbers, he'd be great. But lack of vision, and inconsistent physicality can limit success in NFL.
Wendell Smallwood - Hits crease with good pad level, and can spin out of tackle for extra yards. Attacks with lead shoulder at end of run to get more yards. Disciplined in zone run with solid vision and steady tempo. Very sharp player. Scans and spots blitzes really well, and meets them as blocker. Exception hands out of the backfield.
Weakness - Can build frame to be better suited in NFL. Keeps runs at one speed, and does not vary his attack much. Not a flashy or creative runner. Not much of a tackle breaker. Trouble hitting outside zone to get downhill. Average athleticism.
Tyler Ervin - Short strides in tight space to make sudden direction changes. No fear running between tackles. Only bounces outside when it will gain yards. Smooth, quick reaction time to avoid traffic in backfield. Good lateral movement to escape trouble. Quick hands and can be a good pass catcher that gives some good matchups. Good play speed and can hit the gas to top speed quickly. Quality quick returner.
Weakness - Thin frame that isn't built for constant contact. Runs easily stuff against good tackle attempts. Hits to the side will knock him down easily. Balance through contact is poor, has trouble keeping legs moving through tackles. Slows down to cut. Size and strength limit him from being a third down option back. Goes through motions if he doesn't get ball. Needs more urgency in gap, and when approaching LOS. Lack of size in blitz pickup. May end up being a change of pace RB, but will initially be a KR.
DeAndre Washington - Gets to top gear quick, and stays there. Highly confident. Very muscular despite being short. Very tough. Bit afraid of work that he needs to do as a runner on the inside. Keeps pads square with good balance. Can push through arm tackles. Willing pass protector. Dangerous in screen game, and from the slot. Very reliable player.
Weakness - Size will be a huge obstacle. Has small hands, could lead to drops/fumbles. Inconsistent and lack of discipline with run paths at times. Straight line quickness, not shifty quick in space. Vision is meh, and is late making reads and cuts. Too small for blitz pickup.
DEFENSIVE END
Joey Bosa- Good strength. Very flexible. Explosive off the line that gives advantage over OT. Great Upper Body Strength, good hand technique. Good tackler. Keeps his balance. Lateral quickness to sidestep blockers. Stays low and gets initial push. With heavy good hands, can push blockers off balance. Disciplined, doesn't lose contain. Rarely fooled, keeps eyes on backfield. Doesn't take himself out of plays by always hustling.
Weakness- Not as quick as elite edge rushers. Not quick rusher, more reactionary than action. Can leave too much of a gap trying to hold contain. When he is fooled, he crashes too far into backfield, and give RB easy lane to get to second level. When he makes a mistake, he overcompensates on the next play, leading to another mistake. Jared Allen comp.
DeForest Buckner - Long tall frame, ability to improve bulk. Huge wingspan. Able to use length to create space, at point of attack. Set Edge. Keep from getting angle blocks. Good lower body and footwork to athletic footwork to move laterally and break tight spaces. Plays low for size, makes it tough for blockers to get into his chest. Good chase skills to take down ball carrier in pursuit Uses upper body and momentum to get terrific initial push. Draws double team. Long arms get him into passing lanes. Never takes plays off. Has tremendous line versatility as seen in Oregon.
Weakness - Height can still be a negative. Can hurt ability to get leverage. Good blockers can get low, push up and knock him off balance. Struggles to get back to low stance if first push fails. Still needs to learn how to set up pass rush, and how to lull OL into counter moves. Sometimes sacrifices edge thinking he can always get in backfield. Still learning how to use hands, can't consistently turn speed to power. More reactionary on pass rush. Tackling is inconsistent when moving, gets off balance making a good wrap up difficult.
Shaq Lawson - Compact frame with good power makes him effective on run and pass. Has surprising initial quickness and agility. High motor. Quick, strong hands that create push. Great upper body strength. Legs move fluidity to drive OL back, and quickly change directions. Can leverage blocks on the edge. Uses his flexibility to get where he wants to go, and beat single blocks. Can set edge, play contain Able to work off blocks, and finish outside.
Weakness- Average athlete at End. Doesn't keep his pads low, and loses leverage quickly. Gets fatigued as game goes on. Can get lazy when play isn't run to his side. Has plays where his goal is to punish blockers rather than read the play, and can keep him from getting in position. Production based on effort decreases in NFL, needs to be a better and more skilled pass rusher. May have to move to 3-4 OLB if he has trouble producing. Seen more as a 3-4 edge setter to many scouts.
Noah Spence - Big motor. Tremendous endurance. Can stay at game speed. Good initial upfield burst. Can play standing or in ground. Doesn't give up leverage by engaging to quick in pass rush. Solid speed to the edge. Strong rip move. Takes good angles. Quick lateral side to close up running lanes. Will do everything to make a play if ball comes his way. Can elude lead blocker, and cut blocks. Seen has high IQ on and off the field. High sense of accountability, high character.
Weakness- Not as long as tall as prototype DE. Needs to develop more power at edge of attack. Needs to vary pass rush. Average speed to power. Has to stay lower, or good OT will swallow him up. Need underneath counter. Good athlete, but has trouble with quick twitch, sudden change. Has a lot on record negatively. Banned from BigTen for 2 failed drug tests. Treated for Drug Addiction.
Emmanuel Ogbah - Powerful frame, broad shoulders. Undersized as freshman, grew into frame, and learned to play with it. Can take contact, and keep going. OL have trouble redirecting, and kills TEs against Run. Power hand slaps are among best. Can brush away weak block easily. Can use power to get edge over speed. Really good power & rip to get around corner. Plus speed to power for initial bull rush. Power to win Point of attack, and win the neutral zone, and still make plays. Sack in 16 of last 21 games. 17.5 tackles for loss. An end, but can move inside.
Weakness- Can be stiff in hips. Not an elite athlete. Has moments of great awareness, and then plays where he looks lost. Can react quickly, but then lose awareness of the developing play. After winning point of attack, can get swallowed up when he turns shoulders to disengage. Small stride hurts upfield burst. One speed pass rusher. Unable to burn the edge quickly. Trouble disengaging quickly on bull rush. Needs to find 2nd & 3rd gear on motor. Also needs to be willing to not quit on pursuit.
Jonathan Bullard- Quick instincts off the snap. Can sense where the ball is going. Good at getting to zone plays. Uses hands and inside shoulder to brace against blockers presents cross face block. Can get out of the stance keeps his pad level correctly, gets good burst. Attacks gaps tremendously. 17.5 tackles for loss. High effort, high motor. Above average change of direction. Has versatility 4-3/3-4. Second gear to get to ball carriers in pursuit. Solid hands, but could be better. Able to generate bull rush.
Weakness- Pad level is good initially, but as play continues, he gets taller and taller. Sometimes too much in a hurry. Can overrun the ball. Doesn't have much quick-twitch. Average explosiveness and prone to rising pad level means it needs a lot of change. Double teams completely take him out of plays. If initial pass rush fails, he sits on the play, and tries to bat ball down instead.
Kevin Dodd - Relentless. NFL Ready Frame. Always working, keeps OL a chore all game. Wants to get in and make plays. Doesn't quit when blocked, improves position after contact with footwork and strength. Eyes stay on ball location. Can get off block, and make play when ball comes near him. Great instincts, easy to coach. Can diagnose screens, bootlegs. Very good keeping contain. Production spiked. 3 to 46 QB pressures. Athletic upfield burst. Good bend, and hip flex to get around edge. Length & leverage to develop speed to power rush.
Weakness - Only 1 year of full-time experience. Still needs work on hand use. Too willing to take on blocks with lowered helmet. Can lead to blocks in his frame, rather than controlling how he gets blocked. Needs more diversity to how he gets free. Has limited moves. Lunges too often in space, rather than getting a better hit from a more balanced base. Is his production a result from playing opposite of Lawson?
Shilique Calhoun - Very Athletic. Above average pass rush production. 128 QB Pressures 26.5 sacks in 3 years. Rush with good forward lean, good knee bend. Keeps running after contact to push OL back. Improved shoulder dip to turn corner to get after QB. Flashes above average burst when he feels he can get sack. Good play recognition and awareness in run game. Good chase speed on backside run. Can change direction when needed. Has potential for complex pass rush attack with several moves and angles.
Weakness - Needs more aggression. Needs to be tougher at point of attack. Can give respect on block as opposed to running through them aggressively. Can get caught up slapping at blockers rather than using hand strength. Needs to develop feel for when to use power or finesse. Can be drawn offside. Could be stronger for his frame. Gives up when he faces double team.
Carl Nassib- Works tail off every play. Relentless pursuit. Told by Bill O'Brien to forget about playing pro. Gave him scholarship 6 months later. Big hands and comes off ball with good upfield bursts. Straight line speed. Excellent feel navigating around pass rush. Uses hands and body lean to turn the corner. Good pad level off ball. Uses hips to get max strength. Doesn't over extend arms. Good vision, times shedding of blocks well to get RB in gaps. Smart, high IQ. Good instinct defender, can diagnose plays quickly. Led Nation in sacks. Forced 6 fumbles.
Weakness - One year of production. Not physical at point of attack. Mauled by power. Thin legs, needs mass on frame for base and to play with strength. Not fast twitch athlete. Average change of direction. Often out of position on tackles. Lacks agility. Ends up on ground too often. Tackles with hands to drag player down, no using body. Missed 10 tackles, only 4 run stuffs in 2015. Motor leads to fatigue in spots. Lacks speed to power rush. Needs counter moves. High upside, but really inexperienced.
Jihad Ward - Can play LDE & RDE, and fill inside at DT. Can add more muscle to good frame. Great effort, always plays through whistle. Length and quickness down the line gives him expanded playmaking range. Huge closing burst to get to the ball. Hard hitter. Keeps feet moving and active in pass rush. Can set quality edge setter. TEs have a lot of trouble with him. Has traits, but needs patience on development.
Weakness- Could be better at setting edge, even with current tools. Takes too long to get off blocks. Long legs keep him stalled at LOS on occasion. Below average against cut blocks. Instincts WIP. Needs to be tougher / nastier at point of attack. Counter moves are weak if initial rush is stopped. Won't always accelerate into contact limiting power on pass rush. Needs a good line coach that can get him motivated, get him to play angry, and build on strength.
Charles Tapper - Good size and build. Natural power at point of attack. Shows ability to fight and not lose ground. Has traits for good rush, but flawed technique. Can be great in bull-rush if keeps his pads down. Can play end on 3-4 or 4-3. Has straight line speed to close on QB in space. Heavy tackler, can take out runners. Shows flashes of potential. Raw with plenty of room to develop.
Weakness- Natural power & strength negated by horrible pad level often. Useless on thirds downs. Plays with very little dynamic movement as pass rusher, and just tries to move full speed ahead with no plan. Needs work on hands. Doesn't use hands effectively to control point of attack. Or improve position in pass rush. Instincts and awareness are lacking where they need to be. Slow recognizing plays developing. Slow disengaging from blocks to make tackles near LOS.
Stephen Weatherly - Long-limbed. Very strong, can add much more muscle. Was rotational DE, but moved to part-time 3-4 OLB starter. Became team leader from 2013 redshirt. Can play hand down or standing up. Played A-Gap blitzer at times, and easily snuck through line. Can use height to keep eye on ball at the line. Closes edge quickly, and powerful when unblocked. Long legs give him bigger range. Also close ground against indecisive backs.
Weakness - Lacked upfield burst. Too often hesitant on first move. Would be much better if he just cut lose. If he had a better bend and leverage, could use strength at point of attack. Doesn't take advantage of length with effective punch. Stays glued too blocks for too long. Development prospect, needs work and time to be better at pass rush and off the edge. Could be backup Strongside OLB in 3-4. BUT has size to be a DE if he can get everything together.
Matt Judon - Massive production. 20 sacks, 23.5 tackles for loss. 3 FF, 3 FR. Great body for DE. Natural power in compact frame with long arms. Swallowed up and disposed of OT he faced. Pass rush with plan. Rip move to get around edge, and has a counter to get back inside. Eyes stay on the ball.
Weakness - OTs with good feet and strength can keep him contained out of pocket. Misses some tackles due to lower body stiffness. Needs to improve use of hands. Tore ACL 2 years ago. Tweaked meniscus last year. Plays small school. Big Fish in Small Pond?
Bronson Kaufusi - Plays with high motor. Good hand work, and can redirect blockers. Good coverage on backside run. Comes out of stance and into pass rush with good pad level and lean. Never gives up on plays. Will pursue all the way down the field. Long frame that could put on more muscle.
Weakness - Can be swallowed up when blocked on angles. Tries to get low, but pads end up higher than normal because of height. Needs stronger legs, loses base when hit with power. Tight hipped makes corner turn to QB longer. Sacks came due to extended plays with effort, not necessarily skill. Does not get consistent penetration into gaps. Tests well in combine, and predicted that he will be drafted way higher than he should because of it.
Ronald Blair - Some polish. Fires into blocker with good knee bend and pad level. Leverage and power to rock offensive lineman who get too high. Able to set strong edge. Leader. Works hard in film room. Can attack double team blocks with power from legs. Drives legs through tackles making a clean hard hit. Good moves. Good length and hands. Generates good bull rush.
Weaknesses- Short for an end. Lacks speed, agility and athleticism. Really heavy. Thought is if he loses weight it will hurt power that makes him an effective rusher. Lack of speed makes it hard to set pass rush edge. Unlikely to win one-on-one as pass rusher in NFL. Pad level gets too high at times, and can get knocked off balanced. Rotational 4-3 base end at best.
Weakness- Not as quick as elite edge rushers. Not quick rusher, more reactionary than action. Can leave too much of a gap trying to hold contain. When he is fooled, he crashes too far into backfield, and give RB easy lane to get to second level. When he makes a mistake, he overcompensates on the next play, leading to another mistake. Jared Allen comp.
DeForest Buckner - Long tall frame, ability to improve bulk. Huge wingspan. Able to use length to create space, at point of attack. Set Edge. Keep from getting angle blocks. Good lower body and footwork to athletic footwork to move laterally and break tight spaces. Plays low for size, makes it tough for blockers to get into his chest. Good chase skills to take down ball carrier in pursuit Uses upper body and momentum to get terrific initial push. Draws double team. Long arms get him into passing lanes. Never takes plays off. Has tremendous line versatility as seen in Oregon.
Weakness - Height can still be a negative. Can hurt ability to get leverage. Good blockers can get low, push up and knock him off balance. Struggles to get back to low stance if first push fails. Still needs to learn how to set up pass rush, and how to lull OL into counter moves. Sometimes sacrifices edge thinking he can always get in backfield. Still learning how to use hands, can't consistently turn speed to power. More reactionary on pass rush. Tackling is inconsistent when moving, gets off balance making a good wrap up difficult.
Shaq Lawson - Compact frame with good power makes him effective on run and pass. Has surprising initial quickness and agility. High motor. Quick, strong hands that create push. Great upper body strength. Legs move fluidity to drive OL back, and quickly change directions. Can leverage blocks on the edge. Uses his flexibility to get where he wants to go, and beat single blocks. Can set edge, play contain Able to work off blocks, and finish outside.
Weakness- Average athlete at End. Doesn't keep his pads low, and loses leverage quickly. Gets fatigued as game goes on. Can get lazy when play isn't run to his side. Has plays where his goal is to punish blockers rather than read the play, and can keep him from getting in position. Production based on effort decreases in NFL, needs to be a better and more skilled pass rusher. May have to move to 3-4 OLB if he has trouble producing. Seen more as a 3-4 edge setter to many scouts.
Noah Spence - Big motor. Tremendous endurance. Can stay at game speed. Good initial upfield burst. Can play standing or in ground. Doesn't give up leverage by engaging to quick in pass rush. Solid speed to the edge. Strong rip move. Takes good angles. Quick lateral side to close up running lanes. Will do everything to make a play if ball comes his way. Can elude lead blocker, and cut blocks. Seen has high IQ on and off the field. High sense of accountability, high character.
Weakness- Not as long as tall as prototype DE. Needs to develop more power at edge of attack. Needs to vary pass rush. Average speed to power. Has to stay lower, or good OT will swallow him up. Need underneath counter. Good athlete, but has trouble with quick twitch, sudden change. Has a lot on record negatively. Banned from BigTen for 2 failed drug tests. Treated for Drug Addiction.
Emmanuel Ogbah - Powerful frame, broad shoulders. Undersized as freshman, grew into frame, and learned to play with it. Can take contact, and keep going. OL have trouble redirecting, and kills TEs against Run. Power hand slaps are among best. Can brush away weak block easily. Can use power to get edge over speed. Really good power & rip to get around corner. Plus speed to power for initial bull rush. Power to win Point of attack, and win the neutral zone, and still make plays. Sack in 16 of last 21 games. 17.5 tackles for loss. An end, but can move inside.
Weakness- Can be stiff in hips. Not an elite athlete. Has moments of great awareness, and then plays where he looks lost. Can react quickly, but then lose awareness of the developing play. After winning point of attack, can get swallowed up when he turns shoulders to disengage. Small stride hurts upfield burst. One speed pass rusher. Unable to burn the edge quickly. Trouble disengaging quickly on bull rush. Needs to find 2nd & 3rd gear on motor. Also needs to be willing to not quit on pursuit.
Jonathan Bullard- Quick instincts off the snap. Can sense where the ball is going. Good at getting to zone plays. Uses hands and inside shoulder to brace against blockers presents cross face block. Can get out of the stance keeps his pad level correctly, gets good burst. Attacks gaps tremendously. 17.5 tackles for loss. High effort, high motor. Above average change of direction. Has versatility 4-3/3-4. Second gear to get to ball carriers in pursuit. Solid hands, but could be better. Able to generate bull rush.
Weakness- Pad level is good initially, but as play continues, he gets taller and taller. Sometimes too much in a hurry. Can overrun the ball. Doesn't have much quick-twitch. Average explosiveness and prone to rising pad level means it needs a lot of change. Double teams completely take him out of plays. If initial pass rush fails, he sits on the play, and tries to bat ball down instead.
Kevin Dodd - Relentless. NFL Ready Frame. Always working, keeps OL a chore all game. Wants to get in and make plays. Doesn't quit when blocked, improves position after contact with footwork and strength. Eyes stay on ball location. Can get off block, and make play when ball comes near him. Great instincts, easy to coach. Can diagnose screens, bootlegs. Very good keeping contain. Production spiked. 3 to 46 QB pressures. Athletic upfield burst. Good bend, and hip flex to get around edge. Length & leverage to develop speed to power rush.
Weakness - Only 1 year of full-time experience. Still needs work on hand use. Too willing to take on blocks with lowered helmet. Can lead to blocks in his frame, rather than controlling how he gets blocked. Needs more diversity to how he gets free. Has limited moves. Lunges too often in space, rather than getting a better hit from a more balanced base. Is his production a result from playing opposite of Lawson?
Shilique Calhoun - Very Athletic. Above average pass rush production. 128 QB Pressures 26.5 sacks in 3 years. Rush with good forward lean, good knee bend. Keeps running after contact to push OL back. Improved shoulder dip to turn corner to get after QB. Flashes above average burst when he feels he can get sack. Good play recognition and awareness in run game. Good chase speed on backside run. Can change direction when needed. Has potential for complex pass rush attack with several moves and angles.
Weakness - Needs more aggression. Needs to be tougher at point of attack. Can give respect on block as opposed to running through them aggressively. Can get caught up slapping at blockers rather than using hand strength. Needs to develop feel for when to use power or finesse. Can be drawn offside. Could be stronger for his frame. Gives up when he faces double team.
Carl Nassib- Works tail off every play. Relentless pursuit. Told by Bill O'Brien to forget about playing pro. Gave him scholarship 6 months later. Big hands and comes off ball with good upfield bursts. Straight line speed. Excellent feel navigating around pass rush. Uses hands and body lean to turn the corner. Good pad level off ball. Uses hips to get max strength. Doesn't over extend arms. Good vision, times shedding of blocks well to get RB in gaps. Smart, high IQ. Good instinct defender, can diagnose plays quickly. Led Nation in sacks. Forced 6 fumbles.
Weakness - One year of production. Not physical at point of attack. Mauled by power. Thin legs, needs mass on frame for base and to play with strength. Not fast twitch athlete. Average change of direction. Often out of position on tackles. Lacks agility. Ends up on ground too often. Tackles with hands to drag player down, no using body. Missed 10 tackles, only 4 run stuffs in 2015. Motor leads to fatigue in spots. Lacks speed to power rush. Needs counter moves. High upside, but really inexperienced.
Jihad Ward - Can play LDE & RDE, and fill inside at DT. Can add more muscle to good frame. Great effort, always plays through whistle. Length and quickness down the line gives him expanded playmaking range. Huge closing burst to get to the ball. Hard hitter. Keeps feet moving and active in pass rush. Can set quality edge setter. TEs have a lot of trouble with him. Has traits, but needs patience on development.
Weakness- Could be better at setting edge, even with current tools. Takes too long to get off blocks. Long legs keep him stalled at LOS on occasion. Below average against cut blocks. Instincts WIP. Needs to be tougher / nastier at point of attack. Counter moves are weak if initial rush is stopped. Won't always accelerate into contact limiting power on pass rush. Needs a good line coach that can get him motivated, get him to play angry, and build on strength.
Charles Tapper - Good size and build. Natural power at point of attack. Shows ability to fight and not lose ground. Has traits for good rush, but flawed technique. Can be great in bull-rush if keeps his pads down. Can play end on 3-4 or 4-3. Has straight line speed to close on QB in space. Heavy tackler, can take out runners. Shows flashes of potential. Raw with plenty of room to develop.
Weakness- Natural power & strength negated by horrible pad level often. Useless on thirds downs. Plays with very little dynamic movement as pass rusher, and just tries to move full speed ahead with no plan. Needs work on hands. Doesn't use hands effectively to control point of attack. Or improve position in pass rush. Instincts and awareness are lacking where they need to be. Slow recognizing plays developing. Slow disengaging from blocks to make tackles near LOS.
Stephen Weatherly - Long-limbed. Very strong, can add much more muscle. Was rotational DE, but moved to part-time 3-4 OLB starter. Became team leader from 2013 redshirt. Can play hand down or standing up. Played A-Gap blitzer at times, and easily snuck through line. Can use height to keep eye on ball at the line. Closes edge quickly, and powerful when unblocked. Long legs give him bigger range. Also close ground against indecisive backs.
Weakness - Lacked upfield burst. Too often hesitant on first move. Would be much better if he just cut lose. If he had a better bend and leverage, could use strength at point of attack. Doesn't take advantage of length with effective punch. Stays glued too blocks for too long. Development prospect, needs work and time to be better at pass rush and off the edge. Could be backup Strongside OLB in 3-4. BUT has size to be a DE if he can get everything together.
Matt Judon - Massive production. 20 sacks, 23.5 tackles for loss. 3 FF, 3 FR. Great body for DE. Natural power in compact frame with long arms. Swallowed up and disposed of OT he faced. Pass rush with plan. Rip move to get around edge, and has a counter to get back inside. Eyes stay on the ball.
Weakness - OTs with good feet and strength can keep him contained out of pocket. Misses some tackles due to lower body stiffness. Needs to improve use of hands. Tore ACL 2 years ago. Tweaked meniscus last year. Plays small school. Big Fish in Small Pond?
Bronson Kaufusi - Plays with high motor. Good hand work, and can redirect blockers. Good coverage on backside run. Comes out of stance and into pass rush with good pad level and lean. Never gives up on plays. Will pursue all the way down the field. Long frame that could put on more muscle.
Weakness - Can be swallowed up when blocked on angles. Tries to get low, but pads end up higher than normal because of height. Needs stronger legs, loses base when hit with power. Tight hipped makes corner turn to QB longer. Sacks came due to extended plays with effort, not necessarily skill. Does not get consistent penetration into gaps. Tests well in combine, and predicted that he will be drafted way higher than he should because of it.
Ronald Blair - Some polish. Fires into blocker with good knee bend and pad level. Leverage and power to rock offensive lineman who get too high. Able to set strong edge. Leader. Works hard in film room. Can attack double team blocks with power from legs. Drives legs through tackles making a clean hard hit. Good moves. Good length and hands. Generates good bull rush.
Weaknesses- Short for an end. Lacks speed, agility and athleticism. Really heavy. Thought is if he loses weight it will hurt power that makes him an effective rusher. Lack of speed makes it hard to set pass rush edge. Unlikely to win one-on-one as pass rusher in NFL. Pad level gets too high at times, and can get knocked off balanced. Rotational 4-3 base end at best.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
A'Shawn Robinson - Great build for DT. Powerful, thick legs that make him tough to move from spot. Strong punch and can move guards and centers who wait for him to make first contact. Power to toss aside a 1-on-1 block. Athletic enough to give decent chase on ball. Uses length to stuff cut blocks. Frame and length to eat blocks and allow LBs to get into backfield. Good tackler, almost always finishes when locked on target. Provides pocket push when he is in pass rush. Good leader, holds teammates accountable. Can match NFL power immediately.
Weakness - Pad levels raise, too upright when he is on the move. Has flexibility to drop pads, but doesn't do it enough. Inconsistent against double teams. Doesn't impose will as much as he could. Lacks go to move or effective counter to be great pass rusher. Straight line rush. Needs wider base to improve balance. Can get upfield as edge rusher, but rarely turns corner. Content to lay off blocks when rush stalls rather than spun underneath or use a club move. Doesn't play with quickness or forward lean to threaten edges and win in gaps.
Jarran Reed - Packs plenty of strength into frame. Plays with bend, leverage and plus power. Two-gap DT. Eats blocks with ease. Rarely beaten at point of attack on single blocks. Gets in running lanes from developing in gaps. Huge hands to dislodge blocks. Arms are short, but hand quickness gets into blockers frame, and easy arm extension makes arm length irrelevant. Great vision and instincts to find ball quickly. Reads RB lane choice and gets off of block with great timing. Great at run downs. 108 tackles in two years only playing 55% of snaps. No broken or missed tackles in 2015.
Weakness - Ineffective pass rusher. Subbed out on passing downs. Straight line rusher, and can't turn the corner to generate pressure in the pocket. No bull rush. Average foot quickness and upfield explosion out of stance. Makes him difficult in 1-gap formation. Average hand work as a pass rusher. Makes him difficult in 1-gap formation. Average hand work as a pass rusher.
Sheldon Rankins - Powerful lower half with great strength. Extremely compact, but flexible and athletic. Very explosive. Fires into blockers, and can jolt them and move them with leverage & power. Strong base that gives him good balance against double teams. Elite foot quickness for interior defenders. Hard for OL to hook him because of his lateral quickness. Powerful, violent hands. Can play 2-gap or 1-gap. Plays through blocker while reading and getting loose on time to make tackles on the run. Loose hips that allow him to win edge battles and turn corner as a pass rusher. Great instincts to see and shutdown screens.
Weakness - Undersized for full-time DT. Great on tape, but NFL guards will be a lot stronger. Has trouble using arm length. Could have issues turning corner in NFL where he can get redirected. Average secondary rush when his first push is stopped. Scouts believe he will lose quickness if he bulks up.
Vernon Butler - Long arms. Good bend at the knees and can get low and get leverage at point of attack. Strong hands and good arm extension and can surprise RB in both gaps as he reads which way RB is going. Impressive stack and shed timing and power. Eat up double teams and allows LBs to get into backfield. Good athleticism, can make plays all over LOS. If blocker doesn't finish, he will get into the play. Can coordinate hands and feet and change direction and use closing burst to be a dominant pass rusher. Can slide from gap to gap as pass rusher. Attacks gaps with forward lean, and get to the corner when he beats his man. Can stutter step into pass rush to hurt OL timing or use speed to power bull rush that can collapse a pocket. Consistent effort.
Weakness - Top heavy. Really strong OL can try to knock him off balance. Plays with consistent base, and pad level gets too high trying to get through gaps. Try to outmuscle opponents when initial pass rush is stuck, rather than use counter moves. For potential and talent, production was a little underwhelming. Wastes energy and motion, needs to be more efficient in movement.
Robert Nkemdiche - Exceptional build. No bad weight, and can generate power through lower body. Reactive explosion for better range as tackler near LOS. Wrap up tackler. Good lateral quickness and can win race across the face of blocker. Played strong at point of attack. Noticeable improve as a pass rusher in 2015. Decent spin move as pass rusher, and plays with power to force way through guard's shoulder into back field.
Weakness - Character questions. Suspended and arrested for marijuana possession after falling out of hotel window. Has a lot of talent and athletic traits, disappointing production. Low tackle numbers, and only 6.5 sacks over 3 years. Never forced a fumble. Ducks his head into initial contact, and loses sight of the ball. Straight line athlete who needs to stay inside his optimal area of movement. Inconsistent effort after initial pass rush is thwarted. Needs to have a counter rush move. Questionable work ethic.
Chris Jones - Tremendous natural power. Strength in his hands and upper body to shed blockers without much effort. Can stop downhill rushing attacks. Can battle through wash-down blocks and work his way back into a tackle. Sneaky lateral foot quickness. Quick feet and shoulder turn to leverage him into gaps for disruption. Flashes some quick win hand work as pass rusher. Talent and strength to do what he wants at times. Generate pocket push when he gets good knee bend. Great tackler with vision and agility to clean up runners anywhere on the line.
Weakness - Upright play style to limit his leverage and balance against down blocks. Motor runs out of gas if he's forced to chase a lot. Average ball instincts. Change of directions is inconsistent because of pad level. Flashes pass rush talent, but too content to lay off blocks.
Andrew Billings - Elite power, muscle and strength. Generate insane power from hip explosion when he has the leverage. Can be menacing for blockers. Moved from OL to DL, and improved each year. Drops pad level when splitting double teams and charging through gaps. Violent powerful swats and slaps to free himself from OL hands. Instant reaction time makes it difficult to cross his face. Gets arm extension into blockers and stays untangled to pursue laterally. Great closing burst to sideline. Dominates single blocks and sure tackler when he gets his hands on back. Improved as pass rusher with a bull rush.
Weakness - Top heavy. Short stature, bigger Guards & Centers may use height to get length and leverage. Has trouble changing directions, has to slow drastically to allow it. Athleticism recovery is average. Great initial effort, and falls rapidly in secondary motor. Raw as pass rusher relies on power over plan. Very young, needs a good locker room to guide him. Is a NT, unlikely to move to one gap.
Kenny Clark- Uses wrestling background to use techniques to generate torque through upper body strength and leverage with power in his hips. Hammers finese guards and centers with initial punch and overtake neutral zone. Quick to diagnose run direction and races to set edge against blocker. Low center of gravity and powerful core make him a challenging block. Nasty bull rush to collapse pocket when single blocks. Great instincts and football IQ. Quick to read and react to screens. Can work through double teams and squeeze the gap.
Weakness - Short and does not have arm length to be a better tackle finisher. Not a quick twitch athlete. Gets too anxious pursuing down the line and can lose backside contain. Despite strength lack of size will hurt him in some matchups. Straight line bull rusher with average lateral quickness.
Hassan Ridgeway - Dense, powerful lower half with good upper body. Experience in multiple spots along the line. Explodes out of stance and into downhill charge. Some twitch in change of direction. Sets hard edge with good punch and arm extension to deny blockers. Worked against a lot of double teams, and fights hard through it. Defeats most single blocks. Has play power to step through blocker's edge. Plays with good recognition. Talented interior pass rusher. Coordinated attack with violent active hands, and light feet.
Weakness - Conditioning issues. Plays hard, but gasses easily, so you need rotational help. Despite athleticism, has limited range as playmaker. Can lose track of ball when trying to beat blocker. Nagging injuries in 2015 (back issues and shoulder). Production didn't always match talent.
Austin Johnson - Exceptional size, good base. Doesn't carry much bad weight. Moves well for a big man. Excellent hustle and pursuit. Rare tackle production for interior guy. Doesn't give in to double teams. Plants outside leg and fights to hold ground and maintain integrity of his gap. Fights through secure blocks and gets back onto play side. Plus instincts and awareness. Against shotgun runs, sets early edge. Also nose for sniffing out screen. Bull rush can drive center deep into pocket.
Weakness - 2 technique, doesn't fit Dallas scheme. Hand usage isn't high enough priority in his attack. Allows blockers into frame making it more difficult to get loose. Has to be more concern with winning at point of attack, not just holding ground. Might not have length for traditional NT. Can be knocked off balance early when pad level isn't right. Not a penetrating pass rusher.
Javon Hargrave - Thick lower body. Compact frame allows hip to play low and dip around corner when playing in gaps. Dominated level of competition he was playing with. Surprising foot quickness with adequate spin move. Quick burst upfield and into blockers. Plus motor and effort, and pursue around the field. Good upper body power. Inconsistent with his hands, but effective when he uses them. Raw, but has potential for playmaking ability.
Weakness - Short arms and small hannds. Very raw as a pass rusher, and relies on athleticism, not techniques or moves. Lacks instincts and feel for position. Doesn't anticipate down blocks and can be knocked around. Lack of length could hurt if he doesn't play with elite quickness.
Maliek Collins - Explosive get-off with good pad level. Exceptional lateral movement and overall athleticism for DT. Played all over line as a rusher. Good hand/feet coordination. Strong club move inside is go-to rush. Has impressive ceiling when he has it going. Initial quickness allows for disruption. Plus motor and active hand.
Weakness - May not have scheme or position flexibility and stuck at 3 technique. Ends up on the ground a lot. Impact on field doesn't match athletic ability and talent. Square rusher missing swivel and upper body turn to improve penetration. Doesn't have counterattack when he flies in on pass rush. Cannot stack and anchor double teams. Doesn't have play strength to fight against redirect blocks.
Sheldon Day - Experience at end & tackle. Outstanding quickness off snap into gaps instantly. Quicker than guards who try to block him when rushing from inside. Rusher with a plan and a quality counter moves. Quick hands and wastes no time shedding single blocks. Works to get arm extension. Never ending motor. Good lateral quickness.
Weakness – Frame is lacking bulk to make it as DT, and lacks length to be consistent pass rusher on the edge. Might be caught between positions. Double team can overwhelm. Lacks power for consistent bull¬-rush. Pass rush production was average. Likely lacks a position, and will need to be flexible to be on field.
Weakness - Pad levels raise, too upright when he is on the move. Has flexibility to drop pads, but doesn't do it enough. Inconsistent against double teams. Doesn't impose will as much as he could. Lacks go to move or effective counter to be great pass rusher. Straight line rush. Needs wider base to improve balance. Can get upfield as edge rusher, but rarely turns corner. Content to lay off blocks when rush stalls rather than spun underneath or use a club move. Doesn't play with quickness or forward lean to threaten edges and win in gaps.
Jarran Reed - Packs plenty of strength into frame. Plays with bend, leverage and plus power. Two-gap DT. Eats blocks with ease. Rarely beaten at point of attack on single blocks. Gets in running lanes from developing in gaps. Huge hands to dislodge blocks. Arms are short, but hand quickness gets into blockers frame, and easy arm extension makes arm length irrelevant. Great vision and instincts to find ball quickly. Reads RB lane choice and gets off of block with great timing. Great at run downs. 108 tackles in two years only playing 55% of snaps. No broken or missed tackles in 2015.
Weakness - Ineffective pass rusher. Subbed out on passing downs. Straight line rusher, and can't turn the corner to generate pressure in the pocket. No bull rush. Average foot quickness and upfield explosion out of stance. Makes him difficult in 1-gap formation. Average hand work as a pass rusher. Makes him difficult in 1-gap formation. Average hand work as a pass rusher.
Sheldon Rankins - Powerful lower half with great strength. Extremely compact, but flexible and athletic. Very explosive. Fires into blockers, and can jolt them and move them with leverage & power. Strong base that gives him good balance against double teams. Elite foot quickness for interior defenders. Hard for OL to hook him because of his lateral quickness. Powerful, violent hands. Can play 2-gap or 1-gap. Plays through blocker while reading and getting loose on time to make tackles on the run. Loose hips that allow him to win edge battles and turn corner as a pass rusher. Great instincts to see and shutdown screens.
Weakness - Undersized for full-time DT. Great on tape, but NFL guards will be a lot stronger. Has trouble using arm length. Could have issues turning corner in NFL where he can get redirected. Average secondary rush when his first push is stopped. Scouts believe he will lose quickness if he bulks up.
Vernon Butler - Long arms. Good bend at the knees and can get low and get leverage at point of attack. Strong hands and good arm extension and can surprise RB in both gaps as he reads which way RB is going. Impressive stack and shed timing and power. Eat up double teams and allows LBs to get into backfield. Good athleticism, can make plays all over LOS. If blocker doesn't finish, he will get into the play. Can coordinate hands and feet and change direction and use closing burst to be a dominant pass rusher. Can slide from gap to gap as pass rusher. Attacks gaps with forward lean, and get to the corner when he beats his man. Can stutter step into pass rush to hurt OL timing or use speed to power bull rush that can collapse a pocket. Consistent effort.
Weakness - Top heavy. Really strong OL can try to knock him off balance. Plays with consistent base, and pad level gets too high trying to get through gaps. Try to outmuscle opponents when initial pass rush is stuck, rather than use counter moves. For potential and talent, production was a little underwhelming. Wastes energy and motion, needs to be more efficient in movement.
Robert Nkemdiche - Exceptional build. No bad weight, and can generate power through lower body. Reactive explosion for better range as tackler near LOS. Wrap up tackler. Good lateral quickness and can win race across the face of blocker. Played strong at point of attack. Noticeable improve as a pass rusher in 2015. Decent spin move as pass rusher, and plays with power to force way through guard's shoulder into back field.
Weakness - Character questions. Suspended and arrested for marijuana possession after falling out of hotel window. Has a lot of talent and athletic traits, disappointing production. Low tackle numbers, and only 6.5 sacks over 3 years. Never forced a fumble. Ducks his head into initial contact, and loses sight of the ball. Straight line athlete who needs to stay inside his optimal area of movement. Inconsistent effort after initial pass rush is thwarted. Needs to have a counter rush move. Questionable work ethic.
Chris Jones - Tremendous natural power. Strength in his hands and upper body to shed blockers without much effort. Can stop downhill rushing attacks. Can battle through wash-down blocks and work his way back into a tackle. Sneaky lateral foot quickness. Quick feet and shoulder turn to leverage him into gaps for disruption. Flashes some quick win hand work as pass rusher. Talent and strength to do what he wants at times. Generate pocket push when he gets good knee bend. Great tackler with vision and agility to clean up runners anywhere on the line.
Weakness - Upright play style to limit his leverage and balance against down blocks. Motor runs out of gas if he's forced to chase a lot. Average ball instincts. Change of directions is inconsistent because of pad level. Flashes pass rush talent, but too content to lay off blocks.
Andrew Billings - Elite power, muscle and strength. Generate insane power from hip explosion when he has the leverage. Can be menacing for blockers. Moved from OL to DL, and improved each year. Drops pad level when splitting double teams and charging through gaps. Violent powerful swats and slaps to free himself from OL hands. Instant reaction time makes it difficult to cross his face. Gets arm extension into blockers and stays untangled to pursue laterally. Great closing burst to sideline. Dominates single blocks and sure tackler when he gets his hands on back. Improved as pass rusher with a bull rush.
Weakness - Top heavy. Short stature, bigger Guards & Centers may use height to get length and leverage. Has trouble changing directions, has to slow drastically to allow it. Athleticism recovery is average. Great initial effort, and falls rapidly in secondary motor. Raw as pass rusher relies on power over plan. Very young, needs a good locker room to guide him. Is a NT, unlikely to move to one gap.
Kenny Clark- Uses wrestling background to use techniques to generate torque through upper body strength and leverage with power in his hips. Hammers finese guards and centers with initial punch and overtake neutral zone. Quick to diagnose run direction and races to set edge against blocker. Low center of gravity and powerful core make him a challenging block. Nasty bull rush to collapse pocket when single blocks. Great instincts and football IQ. Quick to read and react to screens. Can work through double teams and squeeze the gap.
Weakness - Short and does not have arm length to be a better tackle finisher. Not a quick twitch athlete. Gets too anxious pursuing down the line and can lose backside contain. Despite strength lack of size will hurt him in some matchups. Straight line bull rusher with average lateral quickness.
Hassan Ridgeway - Dense, powerful lower half with good upper body. Experience in multiple spots along the line. Explodes out of stance and into downhill charge. Some twitch in change of direction. Sets hard edge with good punch and arm extension to deny blockers. Worked against a lot of double teams, and fights hard through it. Defeats most single blocks. Has play power to step through blocker's edge. Plays with good recognition. Talented interior pass rusher. Coordinated attack with violent active hands, and light feet.
Weakness - Conditioning issues. Plays hard, but gasses easily, so you need rotational help. Despite athleticism, has limited range as playmaker. Can lose track of ball when trying to beat blocker. Nagging injuries in 2015 (back issues and shoulder). Production didn't always match talent.
Austin Johnson - Exceptional size, good base. Doesn't carry much bad weight. Moves well for a big man. Excellent hustle and pursuit. Rare tackle production for interior guy. Doesn't give in to double teams. Plants outside leg and fights to hold ground and maintain integrity of his gap. Fights through secure blocks and gets back onto play side. Plus instincts and awareness. Against shotgun runs, sets early edge. Also nose for sniffing out screen. Bull rush can drive center deep into pocket.
Weakness - 2 technique, doesn't fit Dallas scheme. Hand usage isn't high enough priority in his attack. Allows blockers into frame making it more difficult to get loose. Has to be more concern with winning at point of attack, not just holding ground. Might not have length for traditional NT. Can be knocked off balance early when pad level isn't right. Not a penetrating pass rusher.
Javon Hargrave - Thick lower body. Compact frame allows hip to play low and dip around corner when playing in gaps. Dominated level of competition he was playing with. Surprising foot quickness with adequate spin move. Quick burst upfield and into blockers. Plus motor and effort, and pursue around the field. Good upper body power. Inconsistent with his hands, but effective when he uses them. Raw, but has potential for playmaking ability.
Weakness - Short arms and small hannds. Very raw as a pass rusher, and relies on athleticism, not techniques or moves. Lacks instincts and feel for position. Doesn't anticipate down blocks and can be knocked around. Lack of length could hurt if he doesn't play with elite quickness.
Maliek Collins - Explosive get-off with good pad level. Exceptional lateral movement and overall athleticism for DT. Played all over line as a rusher. Good hand/feet coordination. Strong club move inside is go-to rush. Has impressive ceiling when he has it going. Initial quickness allows for disruption. Plus motor and active hand.
Weakness - May not have scheme or position flexibility and stuck at 3 technique. Ends up on the ground a lot. Impact on field doesn't match athletic ability and talent. Square rusher missing swivel and upper body turn to improve penetration. Doesn't have counterattack when he flies in on pass rush. Cannot stack and anchor double teams. Doesn't have play strength to fight against redirect blocks.
Sheldon Day - Experience at end & tackle. Outstanding quickness off snap into gaps instantly. Quicker than guards who try to block him when rushing from inside. Rusher with a plan and a quality counter moves. Quick hands and wastes no time shedding single blocks. Works to get arm extension. Never ending motor. Good lateral quickness.
Weakness – Frame is lacking bulk to make it as DT, and lacks length to be consistent pass rusher on the edge. Might be caught between positions. Double team can overwhelm. Lacks power for consistent bull¬-rush. Pass rush production was average. Likely lacks a position, and will need to be flexible to be on field.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Vernon Hargreaves III - Quick twitch athlete with explosion in hips and feet. Can close and explode forward to attack a throw. Can get up and over WR at high point. Smooth, controlled backpedal with ability to mirror route. Plays with good body control and balance. Instinctive and urgent in his play. Can play press, zone or off the WR. Great competitor. Quick, soft hands. Could be a KR/PR. Doesn't hesitate in run support or against screens.
Weakness - Too lean of a frame. Too aggressive at times, and can be baited by double moves. Doesn't have closing speed to make a mistake underneath and recover over the top. Allowed 16.5 Yard per completion. May be too small to play outside. Big receivers could have a field day. Willingness to be a crash test dummy could impact long term durability.
Eli Apple - Good height, weight & arm distribution. Good footwork in transition. Ability to mirror and match WRs in press coverage. Foot quickness in short spaces to stay on man. Very competitive on jump balls. Play strength to knock receivers off routes. Aggressive hands in coverage and tries to disrupt the catch in any way he can. Huge work ethic, and improved technique in last 2 seasons.
Weakness - Can be slow to diagnose what the QB is doing. Reaction athleticism is average. Doesn't have twitch to burst forward and challenge throws. Also lack balance to get in front of pass if he's not shadowing his man. Stiff as open field tackler. Slow to turn head and locate ball on deep throws. Grabs WR if he feels they have gotten over the top. 4 holding, 7 pass interferences in 2014-15.
William Jackson III - Good height and length. Stays low in backpedal. Capable makeup speed when WR get separation. Can close on throws in front of him with acceleration and makeup speed deep. Possesses good ball skills. Can find ball on downfield throws and excellent disruption timing. Instinctive and quick to react. Can feel out routes and change coverage midplay.
Weakness - Average play strength, and not physical enough for press coverage. Big WRs could knock him around in press. Gets upright when transitioning out of backpedal. Slight delay when opening up to run. A quick WR will take advange. Isn't aggressive in run support. Tries to run around blocks in support of screens. Generated more flags than normal.
Artie Burns - Premium Athlete. Long build. Great blend of size and speed. Natural ball skills. Gets hands on a lot of throws. Will bait QBs into trap throws. Soft hands, and can time perfectly to take the ball away. Length and physicality from press can be disruptive. Burst on throws is NFL caliber. Usually finishes as tackler.
Weakness - Raw and undisciplined. Grabs WR on routes. Upright backpedal with little bend. Stays high which prevents him from good change of direction. Coasts on being athletic, and lacks proper technique. Motor runs hot and cold.
Kendall Fuller - Very confident. Tries to pick apart QBs not paying attention. Feet and twitch to make a run when he reads QBs intentions. Direct path to the ball. Ball hawk on short and intermediate passes. Savvy and trusts his instincts. Good coordination from press coverage. Gets into chest of receivers when running downfield. Willing tackler, who rarely misses.
Weakness - Lacks desired size and length for outside. Lacks recovery speed to take chances. Lacks discipline. Weakness Gambles too much and gets beat by double moves and pump fakes. 16.7 yards per completion in 2014. Loses ball when beaten over the top. Play style can lead to a lot of penalties. Torn meniscus in 2015. Would fit in Tampa 2 offense that wants physical, zone corners.
Mackensie Alexander - Fierce competitor. Very confident in ability, and has shown up when he faced better competition. Only allowed 29.6% completions with no TDs. Smaller, but well built. Able to read wide receivers and figure out their plans. Always in film room. Reacts well and quickly to what he sees. Good recovery quickness in first 10 yards to close any separation. Plays stronger than size. On-field leader by example.
Weakness - Below prototypical size for outside corner. Will have trouble with NFL WRs on the outside. When bailing on coverage, can get too detached to still be able to make a play on WR. Sometimes more focused on trash talking than playing. Production numbers are low. Relies too much on reactive quickness as opposed to good footwork. Too out of control when opening up from press, a smart receiver will take advantage to get open.
Sean Davis - Big body, muscular frame. Mentally tough. Followed bad games with great games. Has size to line up on TEs. Aggressive challenge on 50/50 throws. Always around the ball, and making plays. Willing in run support. Tries to really take out WRs and make them think twice against him. Forced 5 fumbles. Has flex ability at safety.
Weakness - Can be really bad in Man Coverage. Slow upright backpedal and wastes a lot of motion when opening up to run. Trying to lay in big thumping hit leads to missed tackles. Too much separation and can't close on throws to make up for it.
Xavien Howard - Has feet to impede and crowd WRs from press. Accelerates quickly in short space to close on slants and crosses. Hip swivel allows him to open for easy turn and run. Can be island corner. Instinctive ball skills. Well-timed head turn to find ball and react. Will do anything at the catch point to interrupt the WR. Physical in coverage.
Weakness - Quicker than fast with questionable long distance speed. Gets very handsy if he feels he could get beat. Speed falls when truning to find ball. Loses feel for receivers.
Will Redmond - Plus athleticism for position. Plays with foot quickness and twitch. Physical tools to pay tight man coverage and mirror receivers. Burst to close out throws and challenge pass/catch. Aggressive and works hard in run support. Will get downhill to challenge the run near LOS.
Weakness - Average size for perimeter. Physical play downfield could be challenging for a while. Aggressive chances pull him out of position. Torn ACL in 2015, may linger into this season. Mediocre open field tackling. Tries to hit stick ball carrier rather than wrap them up. Does not have much of a track record. Suspended freshman year, did not play much due to depth in Sophomore year. Good junior year, tore ACL senior year. Ceiling as NFL starter, but floor is really low.
KeiVarae Russell - Experienced player. Athletic build, plays fast. Smooth hips and light feet allow him to open up from press. Plus route recognition. Anticipates and mirrors routes in space, able to stay with receiver. Good in zone and off coverage. Shows ability to recover with speed. Good tackle technique. Wraps up.
Weakness - Can be closed out by size. Backpedal is flat-footed, slows ability to plant foot and close on pass. Can get off balance when he changes directions. Needs to work on ball skills. More focused on man than he is on finding ball and making a play. Broken fibula in 2015. Missed 2014 due to academic dishonesty.
D.J. White – Team captain, 3 year starter. Patient in press, and stays on balance. Can disrupt receivers with good jabs. Works to stay in WR pocket. Good short area quickness to close on throws, and disrupt pass. Good leaper to get to the ball at the high point with good instincts. Attacks catch point rather than man. Should fit multiple schemes
Weakness – Needs to get his head around earlier to look at the ball. A little trouble shifting directions quickly. Average recovery speed. Needs to improve play strength. On short passes, too often waits on receiver, giving up valuable yards. Finishes with arm tackles. Head duck on run support.
Jalen Mills - Seen as more of a Safety, but has slot cover ability. Loose hips to open and mirror receivers from press coverage. Crisp footwork to keep speed out of transition. Locates deep pass and can turn to make plays on ball. Very aware of zone and handles his area. Good blitzer from slot. Solid in man coverage.
Weakness - Thin frame. Takes bad angles at times on the ball. Isn't very committed in run support. Not a good tackler near LOS. May be stuck between Slot Corner and Free Safety. Lacks speed to stay with vertical threats. Can get fooled on combo routes.
Cyrus Jones - Press corner with good build and strong lower half. Plus strength. Confident and tough. Can reroute receivers and still maintain position between him and ball. Off coverage, uses good timing to wait before he turns and runs. Will mix it up with WRs, and test them early to intimidate them. Very physical in run game. Well liked in locker room. Excellent as a return man. Press corner, comfortable in man coverage, but will likely end up in Nickel DB in a Tampa 2.
Weakness - Lacks height and length for outside. In press coverage, his run support ability falls rapidly. Lacks pure man-coverage speed. Lacks recovery quickness that you want. Inconsistent finding ball in man coverage. Needs to be better aware of receivers who enter his area in zone coverage. Liability in red zone as big WRs can go up and over him.
Ryan Smith - Solid pop in his initial contact with WR at LOS. Very smooth backpedal and turn, can read receiver's tells within route. Great footwork to mirror WR and stick to their hip. Good ball skills and will turn to find ball from man. In zone, reads QB's eyes exceptionally and restricts passing windows. Not fooled by combo routes.
Weakness - Needs better instincts to take chances in coverage because his closing burst is mediocre. Average long speed. Can be outmuscled on go routes making it difficult to play the ball. Small hands and arms. Trouble accelerating out of change of direction. Will be challenged by size. Tackles legs instead of body. Likely a cover corner in the slot.
Weakness - Too lean of a frame. Too aggressive at times, and can be baited by double moves. Doesn't have closing speed to make a mistake underneath and recover over the top. Allowed 16.5 Yard per completion. May be too small to play outside. Big receivers could have a field day. Willingness to be a crash test dummy could impact long term durability.
Eli Apple - Good height, weight & arm distribution. Good footwork in transition. Ability to mirror and match WRs in press coverage. Foot quickness in short spaces to stay on man. Very competitive on jump balls. Play strength to knock receivers off routes. Aggressive hands in coverage and tries to disrupt the catch in any way he can. Huge work ethic, and improved technique in last 2 seasons.
Weakness - Can be slow to diagnose what the QB is doing. Reaction athleticism is average. Doesn't have twitch to burst forward and challenge throws. Also lack balance to get in front of pass if he's not shadowing his man. Stiff as open field tackler. Slow to turn head and locate ball on deep throws. Grabs WR if he feels they have gotten over the top. 4 holding, 7 pass interferences in 2014-15.
William Jackson III - Good height and length. Stays low in backpedal. Capable makeup speed when WR get separation. Can close on throws in front of him with acceleration and makeup speed deep. Possesses good ball skills. Can find ball on downfield throws and excellent disruption timing. Instinctive and quick to react. Can feel out routes and change coverage midplay.
Weakness - Average play strength, and not physical enough for press coverage. Big WRs could knock him around in press. Gets upright when transitioning out of backpedal. Slight delay when opening up to run. A quick WR will take advange. Isn't aggressive in run support. Tries to run around blocks in support of screens. Generated more flags than normal.
Artie Burns - Premium Athlete. Long build. Great blend of size and speed. Natural ball skills. Gets hands on a lot of throws. Will bait QBs into trap throws. Soft hands, and can time perfectly to take the ball away. Length and physicality from press can be disruptive. Burst on throws is NFL caliber. Usually finishes as tackler.
Weakness - Raw and undisciplined. Grabs WR on routes. Upright backpedal with little bend. Stays high which prevents him from good change of direction. Coasts on being athletic, and lacks proper technique. Motor runs hot and cold.
Kendall Fuller - Very confident. Tries to pick apart QBs not paying attention. Feet and twitch to make a run when he reads QBs intentions. Direct path to the ball. Ball hawk on short and intermediate passes. Savvy and trusts his instincts. Good coordination from press coverage. Gets into chest of receivers when running downfield. Willing tackler, who rarely misses.
Weakness - Lacks desired size and length for outside. Lacks recovery speed to take chances. Lacks discipline. Weakness Gambles too much and gets beat by double moves and pump fakes. 16.7 yards per completion in 2014. Loses ball when beaten over the top. Play style can lead to a lot of penalties. Torn meniscus in 2015. Would fit in Tampa 2 offense that wants physical, zone corners.
Mackensie Alexander - Fierce competitor. Very confident in ability, and has shown up when he faced better competition. Only allowed 29.6% completions with no TDs. Smaller, but well built. Able to read wide receivers and figure out their plans. Always in film room. Reacts well and quickly to what he sees. Good recovery quickness in first 10 yards to close any separation. Plays stronger than size. On-field leader by example.
Weakness - Below prototypical size for outside corner. Will have trouble with NFL WRs on the outside. When bailing on coverage, can get too detached to still be able to make a play on WR. Sometimes more focused on trash talking than playing. Production numbers are low. Relies too much on reactive quickness as opposed to good footwork. Too out of control when opening up from press, a smart receiver will take advantage to get open.
Sean Davis - Big body, muscular frame. Mentally tough. Followed bad games with great games. Has size to line up on TEs. Aggressive challenge on 50/50 throws. Always around the ball, and making plays. Willing in run support. Tries to really take out WRs and make them think twice against him. Forced 5 fumbles. Has flex ability at safety.
Weakness - Can be really bad in Man Coverage. Slow upright backpedal and wastes a lot of motion when opening up to run. Trying to lay in big thumping hit leads to missed tackles. Too much separation and can't close on throws to make up for it.
Xavien Howard - Has feet to impede and crowd WRs from press. Accelerates quickly in short space to close on slants and crosses. Hip swivel allows him to open for easy turn and run. Can be island corner. Instinctive ball skills. Well-timed head turn to find ball and react. Will do anything at the catch point to interrupt the WR. Physical in coverage.
Weakness - Quicker than fast with questionable long distance speed. Gets very handsy if he feels he could get beat. Speed falls when truning to find ball. Loses feel for receivers.
Will Redmond - Plus athleticism for position. Plays with foot quickness and twitch. Physical tools to pay tight man coverage and mirror receivers. Burst to close out throws and challenge pass/catch. Aggressive and works hard in run support. Will get downhill to challenge the run near LOS.
Weakness - Average size for perimeter. Physical play downfield could be challenging for a while. Aggressive chances pull him out of position. Torn ACL in 2015, may linger into this season. Mediocre open field tackling. Tries to hit stick ball carrier rather than wrap them up. Does not have much of a track record. Suspended freshman year, did not play much due to depth in Sophomore year. Good junior year, tore ACL senior year. Ceiling as NFL starter, but floor is really low.
KeiVarae Russell - Experienced player. Athletic build, plays fast. Smooth hips and light feet allow him to open up from press. Plus route recognition. Anticipates and mirrors routes in space, able to stay with receiver. Good in zone and off coverage. Shows ability to recover with speed. Good tackle technique. Wraps up.
Weakness - Can be closed out by size. Backpedal is flat-footed, slows ability to plant foot and close on pass. Can get off balance when he changes directions. Needs to work on ball skills. More focused on man than he is on finding ball and making a play. Broken fibula in 2015. Missed 2014 due to academic dishonesty.
D.J. White – Team captain, 3 year starter. Patient in press, and stays on balance. Can disrupt receivers with good jabs. Works to stay in WR pocket. Good short area quickness to close on throws, and disrupt pass. Good leaper to get to the ball at the high point with good instincts. Attacks catch point rather than man. Should fit multiple schemes
Weakness – Needs to get his head around earlier to look at the ball. A little trouble shifting directions quickly. Average recovery speed. Needs to improve play strength. On short passes, too often waits on receiver, giving up valuable yards. Finishes with arm tackles. Head duck on run support.
Jalen Mills - Seen as more of a Safety, but has slot cover ability. Loose hips to open and mirror receivers from press coverage. Crisp footwork to keep speed out of transition. Locates deep pass and can turn to make plays on ball. Very aware of zone and handles his area. Good blitzer from slot. Solid in man coverage.
Weakness - Thin frame. Takes bad angles at times on the ball. Isn't very committed in run support. Not a good tackler near LOS. May be stuck between Slot Corner and Free Safety. Lacks speed to stay with vertical threats. Can get fooled on combo routes.
Cyrus Jones - Press corner with good build and strong lower half. Plus strength. Confident and tough. Can reroute receivers and still maintain position between him and ball. Off coverage, uses good timing to wait before he turns and runs. Will mix it up with WRs, and test them early to intimidate them. Very physical in run game. Well liked in locker room. Excellent as a return man. Press corner, comfortable in man coverage, but will likely end up in Nickel DB in a Tampa 2.
Weakness - Lacks height and length for outside. In press coverage, his run support ability falls rapidly. Lacks pure man-coverage speed. Lacks recovery quickness that you want. Inconsistent finding ball in man coverage. Needs to be better aware of receivers who enter his area in zone coverage. Liability in red zone as big WRs can go up and over him.
Ryan Smith - Solid pop in his initial contact with WR at LOS. Very smooth backpedal and turn, can read receiver's tells within route. Great footwork to mirror WR and stick to their hip. Good ball skills and will turn to find ball from man. In zone, reads QB's eyes exceptionally and restricts passing windows. Not fooled by combo routes.
Weakness - Needs better instincts to take chances in coverage because his closing burst is mediocre. Average long speed. Can be outmuscled on go routes making it difficult to play the ball. Small hands and arms. Trouble accelerating out of change of direction. Will be challenged by size. Tackles legs instead of body. Likely a cover corner in the slot.
Free Safety
Jalen Ramsey - Worthy of # 1 Pick. First Freshman DB to start Day 1 since Deion Sanders. Has great versatility to move between Safety & Cornerback. Superior Athlete. Sprinter, Champion Long Jump. 41.5 vertical. Tall, Long Arms. Long strides, great acceleration, and can a lot of distance with closing speed. Able to mirror WRs at the Line, or stay with them step by step down the field. Changes directions fluidly. Natural flexibility that allows for him to drop hips, and accelerate quickly. Eyes, vision, and ability to determine where things are on the field are NFL ready. When at DB, can use his length to jam up receivers in Press Coverage. Length allows him to get to the ball, and wrap up tackle. Effective dip and bend as edge blitzer. Skilled Gunner on Special Teams. When he does get a turnover, he's a playmaker with the ball. 23.4 yards gained per turnover. Ultra competitor, alpha-male attitude. Did not miss a college start.
Weakness - Needs to add bulk. Needs to add strength to finish off balance tackles, and get through blocks. Tackle technique needs work. Pad level can get high, and sometimes lacks patience, and makes bad decision on tackle. Needs better lower body bend. He baits QBs into throwing his way, but can keep his eyes in backfield too long, and can lose track of receiver and allow completions. More discipline and timing in coverage. Needs to get lower on backpedal. Needs to improve hands, dropped some catchable INTs.
T.J. Green - WR turned Safety. Very fast. Able to chase down runners who are sprinting free for TD. Exciting cover range potential. Man Coverage ability with length, speed & ball skills. Was asked to support run inside the box at times. Extremely quick blitzer off the slot.
Weakness - Trouble with open field tackles. Too many shoulder hits, as opposed to wrapping up. 17 missed/broken tackles in 2015. Hesitates to get downhill on run or catch, gives away valuable yards. Needs better instincts. Keeps him from taking smart chances.
DeAndre Houston-Carson - Team Captain. Nose for the ball, high motor. Can get through traffic to get to the ball. Good balance, and can withstand contact from blocker. Good tackler, with some explosion behind pads. Former DB with background in Man Coverage. Twitch and acceleration to match Slot Receivers on breaks. Good awareness of man & ball in zone coverage. Special teams Gunner. Good at getting to Kicker / Punter.
Weakness- Level of competition questions. Better hitter than tackler. Sometimes focuses too much on thud, not tackle. Can over-pursue at times, leaving other teammates vulnerable, creating cut back lanes for RB. Could struggle against stronger explosive athletes and double moves
Vonn Bell - Tried to control every WR on his side of the field. Talent in Man Coverage, good instincts & reaction time. Trusts his eyes, and is able to move in a hurry when reads throw. Can meet ball at the catch point better than most safeties. Good feel for responsibility in space. Not fooled by route combinations, and always gets to his guy. Rarely out of position. Coordinated, and has smooth lower body quickness and hip action to transition without wasted motion. Stays on balance in coverage. Tough when taking blocks and attack on the run.
Weakness - Play speed looks average. Not intimidating physical presence. Needs better technique on run, too many drag down tackles. Waits for ball carrier to come to him, ends up on heels. Leads to being run over too often. Can get turned around in coverage, and has trouble making plays when back is to LOS. Not a playmaker after INT. Surgically repaired MCL. Bottom Line - Good in coverage, but not a guy who plays inside the box.
Justin Simmons - Can process layered routes in front of him. Consistent in coverage, reads play development quickly. DB experience, and can handle Man on TEs, and bigger slots. Good range in Center Field position, using length and hands for optimal ball skills and making plays. Gets low as soon as he sees run. Tackling improved from 2014 to 2016. Quality tackler, doesn't engage too quickly, few broken tackles. Can play gunner.
Weakness - Frame is thin and lanky, doesn't have much bulk potential. Hip tightness creates some clunkiness when forced to change direction quickly. Gives up on play if he think he can't get to deep balls outside numbers. As single high safety can be fooled by QB into over-committing on the side with false looks.
Tyvis Powell - Long, rangy. Good blend of size, speed and athleticism. Tempo-setter on defense. Tries to keep teammates focused. Excels playing deep, aggressive on run support. Plus traits lead to quality ball skills. Range speed allows him to get from opposite hash and challenge deep ball. Good leaper. Twitch to break on in-cutting routes. Excellent hands. Can track down runners turning the corner.
Weakness - Great size, but doesn't get much into hits. Bends at waist and ducks head into tackles. Waits for RB to get to him, rather than attacking first. Runners fall forward on him. Misses a lot of tackles. Needs to trust IQ and instincts better. Often too focused on QB, and loses deep ball responsibility.
Darian Thompson - Tall build for position. Huge INT numbers (19). Soft hands, and can make difficult INTs. Willing to take chances to undercut throws, runs through receivers to disrupt catch. Ready hitter, and demeanor to play near LOS. Sacrifices body to cave the edge. Can move through traffic, and pick lane to attack running back. Tackle for loss increased every year.
Weakness - Instincts and awareness in coverage scare away coaches. Allowed WRs to get behind him too often. Undisciplined. Losses track of targets around him, and can be baited to leave responsibility with crossing routes in front of him. Needs more technique, less making it up as he goes along. Hip tightness hinders ability to fly open and run to close separation.
Weakness - Needs to add bulk. Needs to add strength to finish off balance tackles, and get through blocks. Tackle technique needs work. Pad level can get high, and sometimes lacks patience, and makes bad decision on tackle. Needs better lower body bend. He baits QBs into throwing his way, but can keep his eyes in backfield too long, and can lose track of receiver and allow completions. More discipline and timing in coverage. Needs to get lower on backpedal. Needs to improve hands, dropped some catchable INTs.
T.J. Green - WR turned Safety. Very fast. Able to chase down runners who are sprinting free for TD. Exciting cover range potential. Man Coverage ability with length, speed & ball skills. Was asked to support run inside the box at times. Extremely quick blitzer off the slot.
Weakness - Trouble with open field tackles. Too many shoulder hits, as opposed to wrapping up. 17 missed/broken tackles in 2015. Hesitates to get downhill on run or catch, gives away valuable yards. Needs better instincts. Keeps him from taking smart chances.
DeAndre Houston-Carson - Team Captain. Nose for the ball, high motor. Can get through traffic to get to the ball. Good balance, and can withstand contact from blocker. Good tackler, with some explosion behind pads. Former DB with background in Man Coverage. Twitch and acceleration to match Slot Receivers on breaks. Good awareness of man & ball in zone coverage. Special teams Gunner. Good at getting to Kicker / Punter.
Weakness- Level of competition questions. Better hitter than tackler. Sometimes focuses too much on thud, not tackle. Can over-pursue at times, leaving other teammates vulnerable, creating cut back lanes for RB. Could struggle against stronger explosive athletes and double moves
Vonn Bell - Tried to control every WR on his side of the field. Talent in Man Coverage, good instincts & reaction time. Trusts his eyes, and is able to move in a hurry when reads throw. Can meet ball at the catch point better than most safeties. Good feel for responsibility in space. Not fooled by route combinations, and always gets to his guy. Rarely out of position. Coordinated, and has smooth lower body quickness and hip action to transition without wasted motion. Stays on balance in coverage. Tough when taking blocks and attack on the run.
Weakness - Play speed looks average. Not intimidating physical presence. Needs better technique on run, too many drag down tackles. Waits for ball carrier to come to him, ends up on heels. Leads to being run over too often. Can get turned around in coverage, and has trouble making plays when back is to LOS. Not a playmaker after INT. Surgically repaired MCL. Bottom Line - Good in coverage, but not a guy who plays inside the box.
Justin Simmons - Can process layered routes in front of him. Consistent in coverage, reads play development quickly. DB experience, and can handle Man on TEs, and bigger slots. Good range in Center Field position, using length and hands for optimal ball skills and making plays. Gets low as soon as he sees run. Tackling improved from 2014 to 2016. Quality tackler, doesn't engage too quickly, few broken tackles. Can play gunner.
Weakness - Frame is thin and lanky, doesn't have much bulk potential. Hip tightness creates some clunkiness when forced to change direction quickly. Gives up on play if he think he can't get to deep balls outside numbers. As single high safety can be fooled by QB into over-committing on the side with false looks.
Tyvis Powell - Long, rangy. Good blend of size, speed and athleticism. Tempo-setter on defense. Tries to keep teammates focused. Excels playing deep, aggressive on run support. Plus traits lead to quality ball skills. Range speed allows him to get from opposite hash and challenge deep ball. Good leaper. Twitch to break on in-cutting routes. Excellent hands. Can track down runners turning the corner.
Weakness - Great size, but doesn't get much into hits. Bends at waist and ducks head into tackles. Waits for RB to get to him, rather than attacking first. Runners fall forward on him. Misses a lot of tackles. Needs to trust IQ and instincts better. Often too focused on QB, and loses deep ball responsibility.
Darian Thompson - Tall build for position. Huge INT numbers (19). Soft hands, and can make difficult INTs. Willing to take chances to undercut throws, runs through receivers to disrupt catch. Ready hitter, and demeanor to play near LOS. Sacrifices body to cave the edge. Can move through traffic, and pick lane to attack running back. Tackle for loss increased every year.
Weakness - Instincts and awareness in coverage scare away coaches. Allowed WRs to get behind him too often. Undisciplined. Losses track of targets around him, and can be baited to leave responsibility with crossing routes in front of him. Needs more technique, less making it up as he goes along. Hip tightness hinders ability to fly open and run to close separation.
First 4 Round Guesses
Round 1, Pick 4
1. Jalen Ramsey - FS/DB (Florida State)
2. Joey Bosa – DE (Ohio State)
3. DeForest Buckner – DE/DT (Oregon)
4. Ezekiel Elliott – RB (Ohio State)
Round 2, Pick 3
1. Paxton Lynch – QB (Memphis)
2. Noah Spence – DE (Eastern Kentucky)
3. Derrick Henry – RB (Alabama)
4. Robert Nkimdiche – DT/DE (Ole Miss)
5. Emmanuel Ogbah – DE (Oklahoma State)
50/50 Chance at either / or.
Round 3, Pick 4
1. Devontae Booker – RB (Utah)
2. Jihad Ward – DE (Illinois)
3. Hassan Ridgeway – DT (Texas)
4. C.J. Prosise – RB (Notre Dame)
Round 4, Pick 3
1. Dak Prescott – QB (Mississippi State)
Round 4, Pick 37
1, Stephen Weatherly – DE / OLB (Vanderbilt)
2. Johnathan Williams – RB (Arkansas)
3. Jacoby Brissett – QB (NC State)
4. Kevin Hogan – QB (Stanford)
1. Jalen Ramsey - FS/DB (Florida State)
2. Joey Bosa – DE (Ohio State)
3. DeForest Buckner – DE/DT (Oregon)
4. Ezekiel Elliott – RB (Ohio State)
Round 2, Pick 3
1. Paxton Lynch – QB (Memphis)
2. Noah Spence – DE (Eastern Kentucky)
3. Derrick Henry – RB (Alabama)
4. Robert Nkimdiche – DT/DE (Ole Miss)
5. Emmanuel Ogbah – DE (Oklahoma State)
50/50 Chance at either / or.
Round 3, Pick 4
1. Devontae Booker – RB (Utah)
2. Jihad Ward – DE (Illinois)
3. Hassan Ridgeway – DT (Texas)
4. C.J. Prosise – RB (Notre Dame)
Round 4, Pick 3
1. Dak Prescott – QB (Mississippi State)
Round 4, Pick 37
1, Stephen Weatherly – DE / OLB (Vanderbilt)
2. Johnathan Williams – RB (Arkansas)
3. Jacoby Brissett – QB (NC State)
4. Kevin Hogan – QB (Stanford)
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im say it again why draft zeke at 4 if you signed morris? Mcfadden/morris is more then enough to get us through next year. we have bigger needs at DE and DB for us to take a RB at 4.
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I sure hope the first pick isnt Elliot. He will be on the scrap heap in 3-4 years.
T0INE
formerly toine2983
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^Good stuff E.
Repped you in this and the NFL thread.
The draft kinda snuck up on me. Didn't realize that it was tomorrow until this morning.
Hope the Cowboys don't draft Elliot. I agree with Mike Morris/McFadden should be enough for this season, and we can always get a RB in the draft next year because that position is gonna be loaded.
Hoping for Ramsey or Bosa is the pick.
Repped you in this and the NFL thread.
The draft kinda snuck up on me. Didn't realize that it was tomorrow until this morning.
Hope the Cowboys don't draft Elliot. I agree with Mike Morris/McFadden should be enough for this season, and we can always get a RB in the draft next year because that position is gonna be loaded.
Hoping for Ramsey or Bosa is the pick.
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1A. Ramsey
1B. Zeke
3. Bosa
1B. Zeke
3. Bosa
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Ed Werder said the pick is likely Ramsey. If Ramsey isn't there... It will be Elliott
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That makes the most sense. Ramsey or Zeke.
Bosa is not the answer at #4.
DE/DT is pretty deep, we can address that in the 2nd.
Bosa is not the answer at #4.
DE/DT is pretty deep, we can address that in the 2nd.
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Hopefully they address LB at some point in the draft.
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Ehhh unless it's in the 6th round... It likely will be a waste of a pick... McClain, Lee & Hitchens is really good together... Wilber is a good glue guy.
Gachkar & Damien Wilson are decent backups.
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I think we have to. MClain is one bad day from being suspended a long time and Lee is bound to miss time. May not be til the 6th round, as other positions have to be addressed, but we gotta draft one.
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Today's the day guys.
I've placed my pick.
Ramsey.
Also... I've gotten this feeling over the last 12 hours that the Eagles are going to do something wild with their pick. No reason... just this gut feeling
I've placed my pick.
Ramsey.
Also... I've gotten this feeling over the last 12 hours that the Eagles are going to do something wild with their pick. No reason... just this gut feeling
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http://first-pick.com/
Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 4: Jalen Ramsey, FS/CB, Florida State (A+)
Round 2 Pick 3: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE/OLB, Oklahoma State (B+)
-Passed on Derrick Henry & Robert Nkimdiche. Wanted the personality stability, and work ethic of Ogbah over Nkimdiche. Felt I could get my guy at RB in round 3.
Round 3 Pick 4: C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame (A)
-DeVontae Booker (RB I really like was taken 2 picks before me)
Round 4 Pick 6 (BALT): DeAndre Houston-Carson, FS, William & Mary (B+)
Traded back 3 picks, and picked up an extra 4th. Was originally going to pick Dak Prescot, but held out hope that he'd make it to the end of the round. DeAndre Houston-Carson Has a Round 4 grade, but I view him as a Round 2 grade. Had to scoop him up.
Round 4 Pick 32 (BALT): Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State (B)
-Got the QB I wanted. Didn't have to trade up, win win for me.
Round 4 Pick 37 (COMP): Trevor Davis, WR, California (A-)
Did a quick look at all the WRs, he was best one left.
Picked Defensive Positions from here out. No reason to pick OLine. RB would be a waste, although a couple intriguing guys left. Already drafted a QB. WR is pretty full here, and nothing that leaped out at me.
Round 6 Pick 14: Dominique Alexander, ILB/OLB, Oklahoma (C+)
-Stephen Weatherly who I think will be a late round success pick was picked by the Raiders 3 picks before me
Round 6 Pick 37 (COMP): Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia (A)
Round 6 Pick 41 (COMP): Alex McCalister, DE/OLB, Florida (D)
Round 6 Pick 42 (COMP): Josh Forrest, ILB, Kentucky (D+)
Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 4: Jalen Ramsey, FS/CB, Florida State (A+)
Round 2 Pick 3: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE/OLB, Oklahoma State (B+)
-Passed on Derrick Henry & Robert Nkimdiche. Wanted the personality stability, and work ethic of Ogbah over Nkimdiche. Felt I could get my guy at RB in round 3.
Round 3 Pick 4: C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame (A)
-DeVontae Booker (RB I really like was taken 2 picks before me)
Round 4 Pick 6 (BALT): DeAndre Houston-Carson, FS, William & Mary (B+)
Traded back 3 picks, and picked up an extra 4th. Was originally going to pick Dak Prescot, but held out hope that he'd make it to the end of the round. DeAndre Houston-Carson Has a Round 4 grade, but I view him as a Round 2 grade. Had to scoop him up.
Round 4 Pick 32 (BALT): Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State (B)
-Got the QB I wanted. Didn't have to trade up, win win for me.
Round 4 Pick 37 (COMP): Trevor Davis, WR, California (A-)
Did a quick look at all the WRs, he was best one left.
Picked Defensive Positions from here out. No reason to pick OLine. RB would be a waste, although a couple intriguing guys left. Already drafted a QB. WR is pretty full here, and nothing that leaped out at me.
Round 6 Pick 14: Dominique Alexander, ILB/OLB, Oklahoma (C+)
-Stephen Weatherly who I think will be a late round success pick was picked by the Raiders 3 picks before me
Round 6 Pick 37 (COMP): Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia (A)
Round 6 Pick 41 (COMP): Alex McCalister, DE/OLB, Florida (D)
Round 6 Pick 42 (COMP): Josh Forrest, ILB, Kentucky (D+)
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1. Rams - Jared Goff
2. Eagles - Carson Wentz
3. Chargers - DeForest Buckner (or Ronnie Stanley)
4. Cowboys - Jalen Ramsey
2. Eagles - Carson Wentz
3. Chargers - DeForest Buckner (or Ronnie Stanley)
4. Cowboys - Jalen Ramsey
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Would really prefer that we don't take Elliott, even if Ramsey is off the board..
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Who you want at #4 if Ramsey is taken and you're passing on 'Zeke?
Prosise is intriguing to me. Drawing David Johnson-like comparisons. More burst than initially thought. Prosise and Booker are both strong pass-catchers out the backfield. C.J. can make a ST impact almost immediately.
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Probably Buckner... But I'd trade back, and try to pick up an extra 2nd & 4th.
I take Booker over Prosise. But either or in the 3rd would be amazing
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Who are we going to trade back with though?
I don't think our phone lines will be ringing if Ramsey is off the board.
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Titans. They have 3 second-round picks to work with. Assuming Robinson wants to move the eleven spots up from #15. If SD takes Buckner or Ramsey, Tennessee would have their pick of Tunsil or Stanley. If Chargers go Stanley, trading to #4 vaults Baltimore and SF, preventing those two teams from getting Tunsil.
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As long as Ramsey was off th board.
Was thinking Titans, Champ.. Repped
Hell give me #15 & # 43 and a late round pick.
Titans get Tunsil, who they were mocked to pick #1. Still gained a bunch of picks from Rams.
We can take Noah Spence at 15. Then take Nkemdiche at #34. Then could go early on Booker or Prosise at #43
Solved our DL and got a RB.
Then 3rd and 4th could be secondary, QB or a guy who slipped to us.
Was thinking Titans, Champ.. Repped
Hell give me #15 & # 43 and a late round pick.
Titans get Tunsil, who they were mocked to pick #1. Still gained a bunch of picks from Rams.
We can take Noah Spence at 15. Then take Nkemdiche at #34. Then could go early on Booker or Prosise at #43
Solved our DL and got a RB.
Then 3rd and 4th could be secondary, QB or a guy who slipped to us.
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i was thinking that this morning aswell.. what if Eagles take Zeke at 2.. and Wentz falls and is available at 4?Today's the day guys.
I've placed my pick.
Ramsey.
Also... I've gotten this feeling over the last 12 hours that the Eagles are going to do something wild with their pick. No reason... just this gut feeling
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If Elliott was Philly's guy, Eagles likely would have stayed put at #8. Very plausible the board is expected to fall: Goff, Wentz (even when Cleveland had the #2 pick), Buckner, Ramsey, Bosa, Tunsil, Stanley. 'Zeke falls to Philly at #8 and they save a ton of future picks.
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I agree with you but it could be possible that they knew how high he was on some boards and decided not to risk it.
That would be too much for a rb though
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I forgot they wanted to move back in the Top 10. Depends on what they're offering though, Jerry might be trying to move back into the 1st round according to reports.
Nah, those two along with Gregory and Lawrence will be a disaster waiting to happen
I'll be ok with one of them, definitely not both
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Hmm, #15 and #33 (Dallas gives #4 and #135) or #15, #43, #140.
