Sleeper DE - Jordon Willis

[DeaconMoss]

I really dont want an LDE only unless he is dominant or has some position flex. The roster is already littered with those types but no dominant ones.

Thats my plan also. If I see tape of a player playing mostly 5 technique, I am disregarding them. We need a 7 tek rush man

 

[Manwiththeplan]

My guess is he checks in around 6'4", 255-260 at the weigh-in. And, according to CBS's pre-combine #'s, he may run a sub-4.7 40. Critique away..........

cfbstats had him listed at 6'5 which really intrigued me, but at the senior bowl, he measured in at 6'3 (3/4). kinda disappointing but his arm length could make up for that.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I still don't understand how we haven't been able to hit on a D-line since Marinelli has gotten here. It seems like every season we say "but Marinelli has nothing to work with." That was an acceptable excuse the year we purged ourselves of Ware, Ratliff and Hatcher, but we've had a long time to add pieces. We've struck gold on QB, RB, OL, CB (Brown in the 6th), FS, maybe LB (Smith), but we've failed so many times on D-line to the point where we're relying on Jack Crawford. Hopefully Maliek Collins will be the beginning of the transformation of our D-line. He has the potential to be a great pick.

Well Joey, he's really only been the DC since 2014 so basically, only three drafts. In 2014, we took Lawrence, who I always thought was a RDE with not enough size or twitch. In 2015, we took Gregory, who I thought was just plain small and had a lot of strength issues to overcome but more then that, had a problem with the weed that was a real concern. Last year, we spent our 2nd round pick on an injured Smith.

In 14, 3 DEs went in the first round, ahead of our pick. We took Zack Martin in the 1st round. In 2015, 6 DEs went before our 2nd round pick (two in the first round) and we took Gregory. Now to be fair, this board was all over that pick and loved it at the time. In 2016, five DEs were taken before our 2nd round pick, three in the first round. This past draft, if you want to say that this past draft illustrates your point, there might be an argument there. We took an Injured player, who did not play a snap for us and remains to be seen if he ever will, and passed on Noah Spence. Spence might end up being a really, really good player. Then again, like other times in previous years, this board seems to love the Smith pick so can we really put that on Marinelli?

Bottom line, we haven't spent a 1st round pick on a DE since 2005.

 

[Verdict]

Well Joey, he's really only been the DC since 2014 so basically, only three drafts. In 2014, we took Lawrence, who I always thought was a RDE with not enough size or twitch. In 2015, we took Gregory, who I thought was just plain small and had a lot of strength issues to overcome but more then that, had a problem with the weed that was a real concern. Last year, we spent our 2nd round pick on an injured Smith.

In 14, 3 DEs went in the first round, ahead of our pick. We took Zack Martin in the 1st round. In 2015, 6 DEs went before our 2nd round pick (two in the first round) and we took Gregory. Now to be fair, this board was all over that pick and loved it at the time. In 2016, five DEs were taken before our 2nd round pick, three in the first round. This past draft, if you want to say that this past draft illustrates your point, there might be an argument there. We took an Injured player, who did not play a snap for us and remains to be seen if he ever will, and passed on Noah Spence. Spence might end up being a really, really good player. Then again, like other times in previous years, this board seems to love the Smith pick so can we really put that on Marinelli?

Bottom line, we haven't spent a 1st round pick on a DE since 2005.

Before that we spent a first rounder on a couple of different DE's. Greg Ellis, Ebeneezer Ekuban come to mind immediately. I don't recall if they were first rounders but we also drafted Kavika Pittman and Shante Carver really high too (1st or 2nd round I think) and really all of those guys really sucked bad. I guess Ellis was OK, but was only serviceable.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Before that we spent a first rounder on a couple of different DE's. Greg Ellis, Ebeneezer Ekuban come to mind immediately. I don't recall if they were first rounders but we also drafted Kavika Pittman and Shante Carver really high too (1st or 2nd round I think) and really all of those guys really sucked bad. I guess Ellis was OK, but was only serviceable.

Ellis was better then OK, IMO, but I suppose that is a different conversation. However, the point being addressed was Marinelli. None of the guys mentioned in this thread have anything to do with Marinelli and what he has had to work with over the past few years. I think it's a matter of talent and how we are investing in the position. There is no guarantee that a player taken anywhere are going to turn out for you but, I do think that if you want a chance to get a good edge rusher, you gotta be willing to spend a 1st on one.

JMO

 

[Rogerthat12]

Ellis was better then OK, IMO, but I suppose that is a different conversation. However, the point being addressed was Marinelli. None of the guys mentioned in this thread have anything to do with Marinelli and what he has had to work with over the past few years. I think it's a matter of talent and how we are investing in the position. There is no guarantee that a player taken anywhere are going to turn out for you but, I do think that if you want a chance to get a good edge rusher, you gotta be willing to spend a 1st on one.

JMO

Yep, you are right and the fact is even in the first round, it is hard to hit on them as well.

That is why these guys get the big bucks in free agency, they are hard to find but you have to try!

 

[Verdict]

Ellis was better then OK, IMO, but I suppose that is a different conversation. However, the point being addressed was Marinelli. None of the guys mentioned in this thread have anything to do with Marinelli and what he has had to work with over the past few years. I think it's a matter of talent and how we are investing in the position. There is no guarantee that a player taken anywhere are going to turn out for you but, I do think that if you want a chance to get a good edge rusher, you gotta be willing to spend a 1st on one.

JMO

My point was that I'm not so sure we have the best talent evaluators for defensive ends. Maybe that has changed since way back then, but we have experienced an extended dry spell at the position.

 

[gmoney112]

Didn't he get handled in Senior Bowl practices?

 

[gmoney112]

My point was that I'm not so sure we have the best talent evaluators for defensive ends. Maybe that has changed since way back then, but we have experienced an extended dry spell at the position.

Where are the resources? We dedicated a 2+3 to Lawrence who's just been injured. A 2nd for Gregory who I think would have been great, if he wasn't an idiot. Tapper was going to be a steal imo, but he was injured too. Other then that, what else is there?

I think the talent evaluation is fine. They just need to do a better job analyzing some of these guys medically, and don't try and use the wildcat mentality for players.

Hopefully we get a 1st rounder this year and he actually plays.

 

[Verdict]

Where are the resources? We dedicated a 2+3 to Lawrence who's just been injured. A 2nd for Gregory who I think would have been great, if he wasn't an idiot. Tapper was going to be a steal imo, but he was injured too. Other then that, what else is there?

I think the talent evaluation is fine. They just need to do a better job analyzing some of these guys medically, and don't try and use the wildcat mentality for players.

Hopefully we get a 1st rounder this year and he actually plays.

I don't think Lawrence is that good to be totally honest. He doesn't suck, per se, but he wasn't worth a second and a third. He is probably a step down from Almost Anthony Spencer and Spencer was only a mediocre defensive end on the strong side and was useless as a pass rusher from the pass rushing side.

I am probably one of the few that isn't that high on Gregory either, not only because of his drug issues but because he really didn't play that well even when he was playing. His first year he was not effective as a pass rusher at all.

If Gregory wasn't a second round pick most of you would have the pitchforks out saying how bad he sucks.

 

[JeffInDC]

So, yes, I'm starting up my Willis intrigue again. SOMEBODY is gonna teach this kid to loosen up and add some pass-rushing moves to his arsenal........because you CAN'T TEACH 6'4", 255lbs. running a 4.53 40 to go along with BEST 3-Cone time (6.85 sec) and tied for 3rd best Shuttle (4.28 sec) among the DLine. This kid is gonna shock some folks I'm telling ya.

 

[Tristan]

Before that we spent a first rounder on a couple of different DE's. Greg Ellis, Ebeneezer Ekuban come to mind immediately. I don't recall if they were first rounders but we also drafted Kavika Pittman and Shante Carver really high too (1st or 2nd round I think) and really all of those guys really sucked bad. I guess Ellis was OK, but was only serviceable.

Ahh greg ellis, ruined my life! We were robbed by "chastity belt chan girly" of enjoying the most dominant wr duo ever, Randy Moss opposite Michael Irvin. I will never, ever, ever, get over this!! Screw you greg average ellis!!!!!!!!

 

[rambo2]

Good character kid. But is not your typical explosive pass rusher, although he does a solid job. Looks like a LDE only though, did not see him move around much.

20 sacks in 2 seasons.

 

[Paniolo22]

Very smooth in the drills too. Just couldn't catch a cold today, but we don't care about that anyway. I'm officially intrigued. Be ok with a 3rd on him for sure

 

[Silverstar]

20 sacks in 2 seasons.

He got 21 sacks, 33 tackles for loss and 7 forced fumbles in the last 2 seasons (26 games).

2016 - 11.5 sacks, 17.5 TFL, 3 FF
2015 - 9.5 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 4 FF

 

[rambo2]

Very smooth in the drills too. Just couldn't catch a cold today, but we don't care about that anyway. I'm officially intrigued. Be ok with a 3rd on him for sure

lol especially since he will go in the late 1st or 2nd.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

lol especially since he will go in the late 1st or 2nd.

With those numbers, I would be shocked if he makes it out of the first round.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

At the people saying he is not an explosive player.

He has been my pet cat since I started watching him at draftbreakdown.

After being a top 5 performer in literally every combine category my dreams of him being available in the third are over.

 

[stilltheguru88]

I'm not a fan but if he's there at 60 I won't be mad

 

[JeffInDC]

At the people saying he is not an explosive player.

He has been my pet cat since I started watching him at draftbreakdown.

After being a top 5 performer in literally every combine category my dreams of him being available in the third are over.

What I saw in his 40 is a guy that has very long strides that make it seem like he's barely moving.........yet, he eats up a lot of space in a short time. I swear it seemed like he only took 10 strides to cover the 40 yards. The best you can hope for is he's available at 60.