Film Review of 2014 Draft Class

[xwalker]

Thanks for the numbers. I guess we will see who is right over time. I like others a ton better for this team

How much I like a player is relative to where they will be drafted. If they Cowboys had to use their 1st round pick on Quarles, I wouldn't really like him that much; however, as a 2nd round pick I think he compares favorably to 2nd rounders from past drafts. If fell to the 3rd then I would love the pick.

 

[dantheman41]

How much I like a player is relative to where they will be drafted. If they Cowboys had to use their 1st round pick on Quarles, I wouldn't really like him that much; however, as a 2nd round pick I think he compares favorably to 2nd rounders from past drafts. If fell to the 3rd then I would love the pick.

Good point

 

[dantheman41]

Jordan Zumwalt (UCLA) Scouting Report

Positives: Very violent, physical player. Excellent length and height. Excellent special teams player. Always around the ball. Nice job of using his long arms to get off blocks. Excellent tackler.

Negatives: With his height and frame would do well to put on a little more weight. Not a great athlete or overly fast. Plays a little too upright. Not used a lot in coverage. Does not always take great angles.

How he could fit on this team:I feel he can play the strong side or at middle linebacker.

Overall feeling: Good physical player. I like some of the other linebackers more. But this guy would instantly be one of the best special teams players on this team. Nice job of playing with attitude and physicality. Could back up Sean Lee or compete for starting gig on strong side.

 

[dantheman41]

Ethan Westbrooks (West Texas A&M) Scouting Report

Positives: Excellent at timing snap count, and getting great jump. Really nice first step. Excellent at shooting the gap. Nice job of splitting double teams. Excellent motor, and very persistent. Makes a lot of plays against the run. Nice array of pass rush moves.

Negatives: Not great height or length for defensive end. Small school guy who is hard to project against better competition.

How he could fit on this team: Defense end in this scheme.

Overall feeling: Really good player. Dominated small school competition. Would love to take a flyer on a guy like this later in draft. Makes a lot of plays.

 

[dantheman41]

Carl Bradford (Arizona State) Scouting Report

Positives: Very quick first step. Violent with his hands. Position flex, plays both standing up and with his hands in the ground. Really nice closing speed. Good when used in coverage. Never stop moving, excellent motor player. Nice job of converting speed to power.

Negatives: Lacks a true position. Played defensive end in college, and standup rusher. Does not have the size or the length to play defensive end in the NFL.

How he could fit on this team: Not sure where he fits, but he is an explosive football player. He could probably play either outside linebacker position. Probably best fit is a SAM outside backer in this scheme.

Overall feeling: Very good explosive football player. His best position is rushing the passer, but he probably won't do that at the next level. I think he can succeed at linebacker in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. Has the athletic ability. Just have to have a specific role or a spot in mind for him. I really like him.

 

[dantheman41]

Jordan Tripp (Montana) Scouting Report

Positives: Excellent movement skills. Great speed and instincts. Always around the ball. Has nice size. Excellent closing speed.

Negatives: Takes bad angles. Difficulty getting off blocks. Could add some more weight to his frame and get stronger. Do not see used in coverage much.

How he could fit on this team: Has the movement skills and speed of a weak side linebacker.

Overall feeling: Like the player from what I saw. Really nice movement skills. Tracks the ball carrier well, but doesn't always take the best angles. Hard gauging against such small school competition.

 

[dantheman41]

Calvin Pryor (Louisville) Scouting Report

Positives: Extremely explosive. Really lays the wood. Always around the ball. Excellent speed and closing speed. Successful when covering slot receivers as well. Used in a variety of coverages (Single high, cover 2, cover 3, in the box) Good in run support. Excellent open field tackler. Very physical, aggressive player. Nonstop motor. Good special teams player.

Negatives: Always goes for the big hit. Not the greatest form tackler. Not used in a lot of man coverage, so hard to gauge his overall coverage ability.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety. Perfect complement to Church.

Overall feeling: LOVE this kid. Unbelievable athlete. Just an all around football player. I want him on my team. I think he can be the ball-hawking coverage safety this team has desperately looking for. I would take him over any of the DTs in this draft. Not because I want a safety so bad, but because I think he is a better player.

 

[dantheman41]

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (Alabama) Scouting Report

Positives: Great size and measurables. Good speed and athletic ability. Big hitter, and explosive player. Good in run support, and a solid tackler. Explosive athlete.

Negatives: Worried about his coverage ability. Saw lagging behind receivers a little too often in coverage, gave up some TDs in coverage. Fooled by play fakes and options.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety

Overall feeling: Like him, don't love him. Don't see nearly the explosion or the physical player of Pryor. I would not be in favor of selecting him the 1st round. Not sold on his ability. His coverage ability might not be better then what we already have.

 

[reddyuta]

Calvin Pryor (Louisville) Scouting Report

Positives: Extremely explosive. Really lays the wood. Always around the ball. Excellent speed and closing speed. Successful when covering slot receivers as well. Used in a variety of coverages (Single high, cover 2, cover 3, in the box) Good in run support. Excellent open field tackler. Very physical, aggressive player. Nonstop motor. Good special teams player.

Negatives: Always goes for the big hit. Not the greatest form tackler. Not used in a lot of man coverage, so hard to gauge his overall coverage ability.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety. Perfect complement to Church.

Overall feeling: LOVE this kid. Unbelievable athlete. Just an all around football player. I want him on my team. I think he can be the ball-hawking coverage safety this team has desperately looking for. I would take him over any of the DTs in this draft. Not because I want a safety so bad, but because I think he is a better player.

Sold.I have been saying from December, we need a FS who can actually cover with instincts.

 

[dantheman41]

Ahmad Dixon (Baylor) Scouting Report

Positives: Has the experience of playing in coverage a lot. Good in run support. Makes a lot of tackles. Big, sturdy body.

Negatives: Shows little awareness in coverage. Do not see a physical player for a guy his size. Does not have the quickness to cover receivers well. Do not see an explosive fast, ball hawking safety. More of a strong safety.

How he could fit on this team: Strong safety.

Overall feeling: Like the player. Don't love. Feel he isn't too different from what we already have

Sold.I have been saying from December, we need a FS who can actually cover with instincts.

I am too!

 

[JDSTAR]

A long shot, but can you get any video on Zach Moore from Concordia? Draftscout has him at 6'6 285. His sophomore highlights are impressive (albeit smaller competition). Looks like an inside rushman Marinelli could mold. Not sure how much video you can get from Concordia. Thanks!

 

[dantheman41]

Ed Reynolds (Stanford) Scouting Report

Positives: Good in run support, and covering the running back out of the backfield. Excellent size. Successful when used in coverage.

Negatives: Does not possess elite athleticism, speed, or quickness. Takes bad angles to the ball. Does not seem to be where he needs to be on the field at times. Not a great tackler. Very passive when taking on ball carriers, almost like he doesn't want to get hit.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety. Plays mostly single high.

Overall feeling: Not a fan. Has some nice characteristics. But more of a mid round guy to me. Does not have the athleticism or football smarts I want in a safety. Scares me how many tackles he misses.

 

[dantheman41]

A long shot, but can you get any video on Zach Moore from Concordia? Draftscout has him at 6'6 285. His sophomore highlights are impressive (albeit smaller competition). Looks like an inside rushman Marinelli could mold. Not sure how much video you can get from Concordia. Thanks!

I will look around.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Carl Bradford (Arizona State) Scouting Report

Positives: Very quick first step. Violent with his hands. Position flex, plays both standing up and with his hands in the ground. Really nice closing speed. Good when used in coverage. Never stop moving, excellent motor player. Nice job of converting speed to power.

Negatives: Lacks a true position. Played defensive end in college, and standup rusher. Does not have the size or the length to play defensive end in the NFL.

How he could fit on this team: Not sure where he fits, but he is an explosive football player. He could probably play either outside linebacker position. Probably best fit is a SAM outside backer in this scheme.

Overall feeling: Very good explosive football player. His best position is rushing the passer, but he probably won't do that at the next level. I think he can succeed at linebacker in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. Has the athletic ability. Just have to have a specific role or a spot in mind for him. I really like him.

Totally agree, big pet cat of mine.

 

[the_h0wey]

look at Josh Mauro they say he is DE but I play him at DE

A DE that you want to play at DE? Sounds like a stretch man.

 

[dantheman41]

Terrence Brooks (Florida State) Scouting Report

Positives: Really nice awareness. Tends to be where he needs to be on the field. Make a lot of plays on the ball. Shows excellent range in tracking down the ball in the air. Core special teams player. Excellent closing speed. Explosive football player. High energy, non stop motor. Good blitzer. Excellent play recognition.

Negatives: Lacks the ideal size of a safety. Tends to get blown off the ball a lot against the run. Needs to get stronger. Not a great tackler, has difficulty getting bigger running backs down.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety

Overall feeling: Loved watching this kid. I really really like him. In a lot of ways I like him better then Dix from Alabama. Less worries about coverage ability, and see him make more plays on the ball. I wouldn't think twice about taking him in the 2nd round. Awesome football player. Got a feeling this kid is going to get more talk in the coming months.

 

[dantheman41]

Dion Bailey (USC) Scouting Report

Positives: Good size. Nice range. Always around the ball. Used as a corner a lot, plays a lot of man coverage against receivers and tight ends. Excellent wrap up tackler. Willing tackler and is not afraid to take on blockers.

Negatives: Gives us way too much cushion at times in coverage. Does not possess great closing speed or athleticism. Does not play as a traditional safety so hard to know his play recognition and awareness.

How he could fit on this team: Free safety

Overall feeling: Like him, not nearly as much as Brooks but I think he is a really solid football player. Hard to really gauge his safety ability because USC used him basically as a corner, or a nickel linebacker. I think he certainly can offer something to the right team.

 

[dantheman41]

Jimmie Ward (Northern Illinois) Scouting Report

Positives: Real physical aggressive player. Has the ability to play either safety spot. Has the explosion you are looking for, and closing speed. Excellent when coming up in the box against the run. Always brings the ball carrier down, not always the prettiest in doing so. Has the coverage ability you are looking for. Stuck to his receivers like glue in coverage. Makes a lot of plays on the ball. Extremely athletic.

Negatives: Height. Believe he is only about 5'10. Didn't get to see used in deep coverage too often, so didn't get to see how he tracks the ball in the air. Did not go up against elite competition.

How he could fit on this team: Can play either safety spot.

Overall feeling: Excellent player. Does everything really really well. I would love to have him or Brooks from Florida State in the 2nd or 3rd round. I don't think the drop off is too big from Pryor with these two. The height doesn't worry me too much because I saw him cover bigger tight ends and knock the ball away effortlessly.

 

[tm1119]

Jimmie Ward (Northern Illinois) Scouting Report

Positives: Real physical aggressive player. Has the ability to play either safety spot. Has the explosion you are looking for, and closing speed. Excellent when coming up in the box against the run. Always brings the ball carrier down, not always the prettiest in doing so. Has the coverage ability you are looking for. Stuck to his receivers like glue in coverage. Makes a lot of plays on the ball. Extremely athletic.

Negatives: Height. Believe he is only about 5'10. Didn't get to see used in deep coverage too often, so didn't get to see how he tracks the ball in the air. Did not go up against elite competition.

How he could fit on this team: Can play either safety spot.

Overall feeling: Excellent player. Does everything really really well. I would love to have him or Brooks from Florida State in the 2nd or 3rd round. I don't think the drop off is too big from Pryor with these two. The height doesn't worry me too much because I saw him cover bigger tight ends and knock the ball away effortlessly.

Forget who said it but one of the guys on the nfl network called him the best cover corner at the senior bowl. Really like him as a free safety. He'd be the perfect compliment to church.

 

[xwalker]

Jimmie Ward (Northern Illinois) Scouting Report

Positives: Real physical aggressive player. Has the ability to play either safety spot. Has the explosion you are looking for, and closing speed. Excellent when coming up in the box against the run. Always brings the ball carrier down, not always the prettiest in doing so. Has the coverage ability you are looking for. Stuck to his receivers like glue in coverage. Makes a lot of plays on the ball. Extremely athletic.

Negatives: Height. Believe he is only about 5'10. Didn't get to see used in deep coverage too often, so didn't get to see how he tracks the ball in the air. Did not go up against elite competition.

How he could fit on this team: Can play either safety spot.

Overall feeling: Excellent player. Does everything really really well. I would love to have him or Brooks from Florida State in the 2nd or 3rd round. I don't think the drop off is too big from Pryor with these two. The height doesn't worry me too much because I saw him cover bigger tight ends and knock the ball away effortlessly.

I'm not as worried about height for a Free Safety as for SS or CB. The FS usually has a chance to time his jump; whereas, CBs have to jump while running stride for stide with the big WRs at full speed.