Film Review of 2014 Draft Class

[dantheman41]

Marcus Smith and Michael Sam are my two favorites at the position. You're seeing exactly what I've always liked in them. Also agree with your take on Ealy…mediocre. Every time I tuned in to watch Ealy, Sam was destroying the play from LDE while Ealy was still stuck at the line. Ealy may be capable as a LDE in the pros, but those aren't 1st round guys unless you're talking about J J Watt.

I think you should possibly consider Khalil Mack as a DE for us. It will all be 2-pt stance work, but he's rushing the passer 90% of the time. He's always listed as a OLB only, but he's in the same area as Sam and Smith. He's built pretty stout. I see some potential in his frame that could max out around 265 or so. He has enough power and a strong enough base to rock back OT, whereas Anthony Barr (at roughly the same size) is pretty thin-legged and an OLB only. Mack reminds me of someone like Cameron Wake at Miami.

James Gayle is another one I like a lot, but on the strong-side only.

Awesome! Thanks so much for your comments. Nice to know I am not the only one who was blown away by Marcus Smith and Michael Sam. I am going to start looking at some of these other 3-4 OLB's too. I agree with the sentiment that if you can play, you can play. I don't care if your an inch or two shorter then another guy. I don't get the reasoning of Ealy in the first round. Yes he has the measurables, but Sam is a much better football player.

 

[dantheman41]

What other DE's or 3-4 OLB's should I check out? I am definitely going to watch Barr, Mack, Shazier, Van Noy, Ford as of now... Then after that I am going to DT

 

[dantheman41]

Anthony Barr (UCLA) Scouting Report

Positives: Good length. Quick twitch guy. Very blessed physically. Has ability to get a lot better. Disruptive player. Surprisingly good in the running game despite his lack of size and being so raw. Good motor. Plays stronger then you would expect by looking at him. Converts speed to power excellently on his bull rush.

Negatives: Undisciplined player. Gets easily fooled on option plays. Looks lost and confused at times against the option. Needs to gain strength and bulk up. Not a great tackler, fails to get guys down too often. Needs to develop more of a pass rushing repoirtoire to compete in the NFL, can't get by on his pure athleticism anymore. Gets handled by TEs too often.

How he could fit on this team: DE, if there is a fit for this team.

Overall feeling: Very raw and new to this position. More of a 3-4 OLB, used in coverage and space a lot. Don't love him for where he is getting selected, but I think he has a HUGE ceiling.

 

[dantheman41]

Khalil Mack (Buffalo) Scouting Report

Positives: Plays with a mean streak. A nasty, powerful football player. See an even more explosive player then Barr. Very disciplined player. Really good when used in coverage as well. Excellent closing speed. Playmaker. Awesome job of getting off blocks. Wide array of pass rush moves. Just as good in the running game as pass rushing.

Negatives: Issues wrapping up ball carriers like Barr. Not great length or height.

How he could fit on this team: Defensive end in this scheme, if there is a fit. I would make a fit if this player fell to them.

Overall feeling: Excellent excellent player. Hard to find faults. A better football player RIGHT now then Barr. Barr has higher ceiling though.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I saw little of Khalil Mack but if I remember correctly, in his bowl game he looked awful. And his team wasn't exactly playing world beaters if I remember correctly.

 

[dantheman41]

I saw little of Khalil Mack but if I remember correctly, in his bowl game he looked awful. And his team wasn't exactly playing world beaters if I remember correctly.

Watch the Ohio state game. Interception return for a td and 2 sacks. That's a big time team, right? He played good against good competition, and dominated weak teams

 

[tm1119]

What other DE's or 3-4 OLB's should I check out? I am definitely going to watch Barr, Mack, Shazier, Van Noy, Ford as of now... Then after that I am going to DT

Did you notice Cassius Marsh while watching Barr? I think he has some potential as a pass rusher. James Gayle is also pretty interesting.

 

[MrPhil]

Absolutely love these types of posts. Great work dan, sincerely appreciate the effort!

 

[Leadbelly]

What other DE's or 3-4 OLB's should I check out? I am definitely going to watch Barr, Mack, Shazier, Van Noy, Ford as of now... Then after that I am going to DT

Devon Kennard of USC (6-3/255) I like later on. Just started coming on this year. Was very high level recruit out of HS…maybe the top overall defensive prospect. His dad is former Cowboy Derek Kennard. I haven't found any cut ups of him youtube, but there are whole USC games available. He's #42. Medical redshirt last year with a torn pec.

I've yet to find much video online for these small school guys, but they are at the E/W Shrine game if you end up watching. I'm interested in seeing them but they're day 3/udfa types.

Larry Webster, Bloomsburg (6-6/250) - Basketball player who just started playing football last year. Ideal frame and athleticism for the LDE position. Dad played for the Ravens.

Tyler Starr, South Dakota (6-4/250) - Had 14 sacks as a Soph, down Jr year due to injury, and 9 sacks as a senior. Played OLB at SD.

Zach Moore, Concordia (6-5/285) - I'm not sure if he'll play. Apparently was injured during the E/W practices but not sure if he'll miss the game.

Kennard is also at the E/W Shrine game. Apparently he's been tearing it up in practices.

 

[dantheman41]

Cassius Marsh (UCLA) Scouting Report

Positives: Explosive player with a very quick inside rush. Good job of getting off blocks in the passing game. Takes on a lot of double teams.

Negatives: Gets man handled in the running game. Lack of power was evident even against New Mexico State. Off the field way to often.

How he could fit on this team: Defensive end

Overall feeling: Good player, not great. Needs to increase his strength and power. At times, looks really explosive. Raw as a pass rusher. Needs to get better. I don't see an NFL starter, but a solid rotational guy.

 

[dantheman41]

Devon Kennard of USC (6-3/255) I like later on. Just started coming on this year. Was very high level recruit out of HS…maybe the top overall defensive prospect. His dad is former Cowboy Derek Kennard. I haven't found any cut ups of him youtube, but there are whole USC games available. He's #42. Medical redshirt last year with a torn pec.

I've yet to find much video online for these small school guys, but they are at the E/W Shrine game if you end up watching. I'm interested in seeing them but they're day 3/udfa types.

Larry Webster, Bloomsburg (6-6/250) - Basketball player who just started playing football last year. Ideal frame and athleticism for the LDE position. Dad played for the Ravens.

Tyler Starr, South Dakota (6-4/250) - Had 14 sacks as a Soph, down Jr year due to injury, and 9 sacks as a senior. Played OLB at SD.

Zach Moore, Concordia (6-5/285) - I'm not sure if he'll play. Apparently was injured during the E/W practices but not sure if he'll miss the game.

Kennard is also at the E/W Shrine game. Apparently he's been tearing it up in practices.

Thanks for the tips! I will review Kennard and a few of the other OLB's next couple days. Then I want to go on to the DT's.

 

[dantheman41]

Devon Kennard (USC) Scouting Report

Positives: Not overly explosive, but explosive enough. Excellent stunter. Smart football player. Reads out screens really well. Good spin move. Physical when used in coverage. Good pass rusher.

Negatives: Injury concerns in the past. More of an outside linebacker in a 3-4, likes to stand up. No catch up speed, so he rarely chases down running backs. Worried about lack of motor.

How he could fit on this team: Defensive end if there is a fit

Overall feeling: Like the player. Reminds me of Victor Butler. Has a knack for getting to the QB, even though he isn't the best athlete. Like Butler, he tends to overrun the QB. Not a great player against the run. If there is good value in the draft, I wouldn't shy away from him as long as injury concerns are not bad.

 

[dantheman41]

Dee Ford (Auburn) Scouting Report

Positives: Position flex. Lines up both with hand on the ground, and standing up. Really aggressive player, especially with his hands. Very explosive. Good in coverage when needed. Does not get fooled by option QBs. Disciplined. Played his best in big games, and at big times in the game. Really good pass rusher, unblockable at times.

Negatives: Lack of size and strength. Non factor in the run game. Not a great tackler.

How he could fit on this team: Probably doesn't. His height will be a deciding factor. Too short to be a defensive end. His best asset is his pass rushing, so I am sure he will be drafted by a 3-4 team to play outside linebacker.

Overall feeling: Loved this player before I saw the Alabama game. Completely wiped out in Alabama game, got mauled almost every play. That worries me. Needs to bulk up and strengthen up a little.

 

[xwalker]

Trevor Reilly (Utah) Scouting Report

Positives: Excellent movement skills, really fluid. Used successfully in coverage a lot. Plays like a man possessed. Really fast, athletic player. Hard hitter, in a lot of piles. Excellent spin move. Has a high ceiling. Smart player. Really good against the run. Excellent instincts. Really quick to read and react. Moves around. Some games they play him as a DE, others more of a linebacker.

Negatives: Is he a disciplined player? Little all over the place. Might be more of a 3-4 outside linebacker. Lacking ideal size for a DE. Needs to add strength and doesn't play powerful enough to play defensive end. Little too overaggressive at times. Raw as a pass rusher.
How he could fit on this team: I would LOVE this player as a weak side linebacker. Exactly the guy you want lighting a fire under Bruce Carter's butt. Has the exact opposite characteristics. Plays his heart out every play. Excellent in coverage, and understands zones and drops. If he has a bad characteristic it is his overaggressiveness, which we all wish Bruce Carter had a little more of.

Overall feeling: Like the player, but I doubt this team will like him unless they think he could play the weak side linebacker. The lack of height and bulk makes drafting him unlikely as a DE. A 3-4 team that likes their rush linebackers to be used in coverage is more likely to take him. Excellent coverage skills. Really moves well in space. A team better able to use his ability to cover should take him.

He's listed at 6-4.5 by NFLDS.

 

[xwalker]

Marcus Smith and Michael Sam are my two favorites at the position. You're seeing exactly what I've always liked in them. Also agree with your take on Ealy…mediocre. Every time I tuned in to watch Ealy, Sam was destroying the play from LDE while Ealy was still stuck at the line. Ealy may be capable as a LDE in the pros, but those aren't 1st round guys unless you're talking about J J Watt.

I think you should possibly consider Khalil Mack as a DE for us. It will all be 2-pt stance work, but he's rushing the passer 90% of the time. He's always listed as a OLB only, but he's in the same area as Sam and Smith. He's built pretty stout. I see some potential in his frame that could max out around 265 or so. He has enough power and a strong enough base to rock back OT, whereas Anthony Barr (at roughly the same size) is pretty thin-legged and an OLB only. Mack reminds me of someone like Cameron Wake at Miami.

James Gayle is another one I like a lot, but on the strong-side only.

Khalil Mack is expected to be a top 10 pick.

 

[dantheman41]

Khalil Mack is expected to be a top 10 pick.

Yup definitely. These weigh ins and height checks are going to be interesting tomorrow at the senior bowl. Dying to see what some of these players really are

 

[dantheman41]

Ryan Shazier (Ohio State) Scouting Report

Positives: Excellent play recognition. Good pursuit in finding the ball. Effective when used in coverage. Good lateral movement. Tracks down a lot of runners. Willing to take on bigger guys.

Negatives: Undersized, built more like a safety. Lack of strength hurts him when taking on ball carriers, needs help to take down bigger runners. Not a pass rusher. Not overly explosive for his size surprisingly. Gets blocked too often by tight ends and receivers.

How he could fit on this team: With his size probably a weak side linebacker in this scheme.

Overall feeling: Like him but don't love him. Maybe I will like better if he gets stronger and bulks up a little more. I see him more as a safety who plays linebacker. His lack of strength and ability to tackle consistently worries me for a linebacker.

 

[dantheman41]

Kyle Van Noy (BYU) Scouting Report

Positives: Explosive player. Good player against the run. Has some nice pass rush moves, especially his spin move. Moves around a lot on the line. Smart football player. Effective when used in coverage.

Negatives: More of a stand up outside linebacker. Needs to gain a little more size and strength.

How he could fit on this team: Defensive end, if there is a fit.

Overall feeling: Hard to review this player. Defense disguises lot of plays. Doesn't rush as much as I would like. Really like the player, but doubt their is a fit on this team. He is an explosive pass rusher, but is just as good in the run game. Gets great penetration consistently. Will only get better. A 3-4 team is going to get an excellent football player.

 

[reddyuta]

Ryan Shazier (Ohio State) Scouting Report

Positives: Excellent play recognition. Good pursuit in finding the ball. Effective when used in coverage. Good lateral movement. Tracks down a lot of runners. Willing to take on bigger guys.

Negatives: Undersized, built more like a safety. Lack of strength hurts him when taking on ball carriers, needs help to take down bigger runners. Not a pass rusher. Not overly explosive for his size surprisingly. Gets blocked too often by tight ends and receivers.
How he could fit on this team: With his size probably a weak side linebacker in this scheme.

Overall feeling: Like him but don't love him. Maybe I will like better if he gets stronger and bulks up a little more. I see him more as a safety who plays linebacker. His lack of strength and ability to tackle consistently worries me for a linebacker.

seems like a 3rd rder to me,not worth a 2nd rd pick.

 

[tm1119]

Kyle Van Noy (BYU) Scouting Report

Positives: Explosive player. Good player against the run. Has some nice pass rush moves, especially his spin move. Moves around a lot on the line. Smart football player. Effective when used in coverage.

Negatives: More of a stand up outside linebacker. Needs to gain a little more size and strength.
How he could fit on this team: Defensive end, if there is a fit.

Overall feeling: Hard to review this player. Defense disguises lot of plays. Doesn't rush as much as I would like. Really like the player, but doubt their is a fit on this team. He is an explosive pass rusher, but is just as good in the run game. Gets great penetration consistently. Will only get better. A 3-4 team is going to get an excellent football player.

Why couldn't Van Noy play lb in our scheme? You said yourself that he is pretty good in coverage and sets the edge well against the run. I think he'd make a very good solb. If he was available in the 2nd, which he won't be, I'd pull the trigger in a heartbeat.