Could Jaylon Provide Elite Pass Rush?

[T-RO]

How about he log out of twitter and actually play a down? Maybe then he would have a chance to be evaluated as a pass rusher.

Twitter is really keeping him off the field, isn't it?

 

[waldoputty]

But maybe not the right coach for it. No experience with 3-4 there.

I don't think we'll see a switch to a 3-4, but could see some unique wrinkles in 2017.

Yes, Marinelli is a 4-3 guy but we actually played a lot of the 3 DL in 2016.
But the philosophy was to play 8DB often with that.
This would instead require the use of active LBs that move around between different gaps.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Supposedly Jaylon is who the Cowboys have penciled in at the MIKE.

I used to believe a few years ago that if you were good at QB, center and both safety spots...you were likely to be a very good team. The game was (and still is) asking a lot of those positions. QB is obvious, but at center if you are remotely weak at center teams just blitz the A-Gap to death because virtually every defense is designed to have the capability to attack the A-Gap. Combine that with line calls and having the shotgun snap efficiently...it's just a position that requires a lot of different and important responsibilities.

The safety spots often require the ability for both safeties to play both responsibilities, now take on athletic pass receiving TE's, RB's and receivers. You can have a limited, but effective Kam Chancellor if you have a ridiculously talented Earl Thomas, but Earl Thomas' come along once every 10 years or so.

This is one of the things that Belichick's teams always consisted of...strong at both safety positions (helps that he was great at coaching up players) and very strong at center and of course Brady.

However, I think the past 5 years or so that we can add the MIKE to the equation. I think you can hide some limited MLB's and even some that are just not that good at the MIKE. But, if you're not good at the MIKE you're always going to have a hole that can be exploited by playoff teams. The responsibilities of the MIKE are more and more...they have to be able to flood zones, get thru the wash on all of these pick plays, take the running back, take some TE's, smash a receiver over the middle, take on blockers, play deep, intermediate and short zones, call the defense, align the D-Linemen, make audibles, get out on the permiter on stretch zone plays and blitz the QB.

The more of those things that Smith can do, the better this defense will be. With Hitchens, he's pretty much a run stuffer but he doesn't take on blocks well and is more of a flow to the ball type of LB who is willing to do the dirty work, but doesn't do it very effectively. He's also not instinctive in pass coverage, but has good speed to recover. With Durant, he's more of what we need, but his knees are shot and can only play a limited amount of downs before he craps out.

I think if Smith comes back to what he was physically, he can do just about all of those things except for taking on blocks. We'll just rely on the D-Line to protect him better and if he can do everything else, that will mean the opposing offenses will be forced to pass more and he won't have to worry about taking on blockers. If he is as good in coverage as he looks, that alone will greatly help the pass rush because it takes away quick and easy passes for yardage.




YR

 

[T-RO]

Supposedly Jaylon is who the Cowboys have penciled in at the MIKE.
YR

I hadn't read that. Do you have a link or reason why you say that?

He sure seems like an OLB to me.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Maybe this has been discussed before, I don't recall.

Von Miller is the most productive, most feared pass rusher in the NFL and he isn't at all the size of a typical lineman. Von is 6'3, 249 pounds. 4.5 speed.

What Miller wins with is electric speed, quickness and nice arm length. He can beat his guy on the edge...or stress a tackle so badly to the edge, that he can swim underneath for a quick win.

Doesn't Jaylon provide the same physical profile? 6'3, 240.

Mock drafting sites evaluate him as a good pass rusher and also a guy who can cover virtually anyone man-to-man (RB, TE even WR)

I wonder if the Cowboys on 3rd down might use a formation with 3 down lineman, but where they rush a 4th guy from anywhere on the field...a corner, safety, Lee, Hitch or Jaylon.

It's a passing league and very much a quick-pass league with lots of short passes. Smith seems like he could help either with quick-strike pass rush and also as a destroyer of short passes...a bit like Lee.

With Jaylon's teasers and twitter hype ...HE BETTER BE A TOP DEFENDER AND RUSHER!!!
Or he can go to work as Sir Jerry's shill.

 

[waldoputty]

With Jaylon's teasers and of season hype ...HE BETTER BE A TOP DEFENDER AND RUSHER!!!
Or he can go to work as Sir Jerry's shill.

you got about receiver and kicker

 

[AsthmaField]

LOL Marinelli isn't gonna run any type of 34 defense.

3 DL with 8 DB's? Sure at times.

3 DL with 4 true LB's? Uh, no.

 

[waldoputty]

LOL Marinelli isn't gonna run any type of 34 defense.

3 DL with 8 DB's? Sure at times.

3 DL with 4 true LB's? Uh, no.

Well it does not have to be 3-4
It could be 3-2-5 with blitzing LBs for all we care.

 

[AsthmaField]

Well it does not have to be 3-4
It could be 3-2-5 with blitzing LBs for all we care.

Okay

 

[Stash]

Maybe this has been discussed before, I don't recall.

Von Miller is the most productive, most feared pass rusher in the NFL and he isn't at all the size of a typical lineman. Von is 6'3, 249 pounds. 4.5 speed.

What Miller wins with is electric speed, quickness and nice arm length. He can beat his guy on the edge...or stress a tackle so badly to the edge, that he can swim underneath for a quick win.

Doesn't Jaylon provide the same physical profile? 6'3, 240.

Mock drafting sites evaluate him as a good pass rusher and also a guy who can cover virtually anyone man-to-man (RB, TE even WR)

I wonder if the Cowboys on 3rd down might use a formation with 3 down lineman, but where they rush a 4th guy from anywhere on the field...a corner, safety, Lee, Hitch or Jaylon.

It's a passing league and very much a quick-pass league with lots of short passes. Smith seems like he could help either with quick-strike pass rush and also as a destroyer of short passes...a bit like Lee.

Take a look at his college stats and then ask yourself if you feel the same way?

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jaylon-smith-1.html

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't expect the guy to suddenly emerge as a big pass rushing threat, especially after a year out of the game.

 

[T-RO]

Take a look at his college stats and then ask yourself if you feel the same way?

http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jaylon-smith-1.html

Speaking for myself, I wouldn't expect the guy to suddenly emerge as a big pass rushing threat, especially after a year out of the game.

He played middle linebacker at notre dame. A lot of scouts say the Irish played him out of position. Don't think they blitzed him much but scouts regard him as skillful at it.

 

[T-RO]

Here are some excerpts from the scouts said at NFL.com

-Angular, sinewy build with a body fat number you could count on one hand. Checks every size, weight, speed and athleticism box there is.

-Can sink hips and change direction with suddenness in space.

-Has length and quickness for extended playmaking radius.

-Lightning quick lateral scrapes from gap to gap following track of the ball. Able to transition from scrape to spring seamlessly. Has a turbo boost to race running backs to the corner.

-Adequate speed to diagnose and respond. Play speed is elite for the position.

-Has tools to become an excellent blitzer.​

 

[Stash]

He played middle linebacker at notre dame. A lot of scouts say the Irish played him out of position. Don't think they blitzed him much but scouts regard him as skillful at it.

And that may be the case. But "skillful at it" is a long way from "elite pass rush", isn't it?

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

But maybe not the right coach for it. No experience with 3-4 there.

I don't think we'll see a switch to a 3-4, but could see some unique wrinkles in 2017.

They've gone with three man fronts a lot. Brought it out against New England last season. It was kind of their secret weapon this season as well.

And not to speak for OP but I believe he's referring to some post draft commentary that Smith had a ridiculous pressure rate at ND.

 

[NeonDeion21]

 

[CWR]

Hes not in position to provide elite edge rushing, but I have high hopes when we blitz.

 

[T-RO]

And that may be the case. But "skillful at it" is a long way from "elite pass rush", isn't it?

Speed. Electric pure speed combined with quickness. That and he's a football player.

I'd be very surprised if he's not a weapon getting to the quarterback. I'm of course talking more of obvious passing downs. I don't see him with his hand on the ground.

 

[T-RO]

Dat's what I'm saying!

 

[waldoputty]

Speed. Electric pure speed combined with quickness. That and he's a football player.

I'd be very surprised if he's not a weapon getting to the quarterback. I'm of course talking more of obvious passing downs. I don't see him with his hand on the ground.

I seem to think he would be good at blitzing.
Another problem is that you cannot blitz a LB that often due to the need to cover the slot and the TE.
That is obviously we get away from a 4-3 and play more a 3-2-6 or a 4-2-5

 

[SuspectCorner]

How about 'could Jaylon Smith even get on the field in a meaningful game?'

I wouldn't bet on this happening. Let's start from there - draft and trade accordingly.