What's the complete 411 on Taco?

[LittleBoyBlue]

Can you guys that know about the players expound on him?

I would like yo hear personal accounts ... not just the writers blurbs.

Thanks.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Played with a high ankle sprain this year

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Can you guys that know about the players expound on him?

I would like yo hear personal accounts ... not just the writers blurbs.

Thanks.

My personal completely uninformed opinion is that he could be a potential ten sack guy with a long steady career. Never an "elite" level DE, but good enough that Dallas can count on him to be an asset for years to come. I guess that sounds a little unspectacular until you consider we have not had a player on the defensive line that has fit that description in some time. If David Irving and Maliek Collins can both become what they showed flashes of last year then the team could look have a much better D-line come the first game of 2017.

 

[lkelly]

This video should tell you all you need to know.

 

[ceerrece]

Here's the scouting report for Taco from Pro Football Focus. They had him ranked above Watt, Harris, and McKinley.

Position fit: Edge defender, either a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker

Stats to know: In 2016, he ranked third in pass-rush productivity among all draft-eligible defenders with at least 100 pass rush attempts.

What he does best:

• Aggressive with his hands – can set his blocker, control line of scrimmage.
• Looks smaller than he is because he plays with good leverage, low to the ground.
• Has a variety of moves; can press the edge with speed, spin back inside, use hands to rip and shed.
• Uses his hands well against cut blocks, chips.
• Uses leverage to create power – can bull, collapse pocket.
• Understands leverage point – attacks correct shoulder, etc.
• Excellent read and recognition skills, aided by ability to set with his length.
• Works to keep blocker’s hands off him on pass rushes.
• Snaps distributed evenly between left and right end.
• Shows ability against the run when he locks out on blocker, locates ball – doesn’t get bullied by tackles.

Biggest concerns:

• Struggled with power against Michigan State.
• Can get caught peeking inside, get washed down LOS.
• Can win off the edge when he gets the jump but doesn’t have the elite burst of some other prospects.
• Can get caught peeking inside when unblocked on backside, allowing wing peel, QB to get outside with ease.

Player comparison: Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers

Johnson has similar athletic ability and a comparable body type to Charlton. When healthy, Johnson has been an outstanding pass-rusher, and has recently improved his play against the run over the level he was at five years ago.

Bottom line: Charlton has a well-built frame with enough strength and length to play defensive end in a 4-3 and enough athleticism to play off the ball in a 3-4. While he lacks elite first-step quickness, he can be an effective rusher off the edge, due in large part to his hand usage. He does an excellent job of keeping blockers from locking onto him, and can set up a variety of moves. At times he will get caught peeking inside and can get sealed off the edge on cutbacks or washed down the line of scrimmage by side blocks. While he lacks the elite athletic skill set of a Myles Garrett to warrant a top-10 pick, Charlton’s size and hand usage puts him ahead of the curve, and should be ready to contribute more quickly than many other prospects at his position. He should be in play in the first round.

 

[xwalker]

Can you guys that know about the players expound on him?

I would like yo hear personal accounts ... not just the writers blurbs.

Thanks.

Comparisons:
Greg Hardy
Chandler Jones
Charles Johnson

Has ideal height, weight and arm length. Looked terrific in game footage at times, but needed more consistency. Played through bad ankle which might have affected consistency. Needs work on technique.

Some fans and draft media tried to claim that his lack of consistency was due to inconsistent effort, but I can't find any sign of that in game footage. Garrett said his best attribute is his character and work-ethic.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

A notch or two above "serviceable".... I'll take it!

My personal completely uninformed opinion is that he could be a potential ten sack guy with a long steady career. Never an "elite" level DE, but good enough that Dallas can count on him to be an asset for years to come. I guess that sounds a little unspectacular until you consider we have not had a player on the defensive line that has fit that description in some time. If David Irving and Maliek Collins can both become what they showed flashes of last year then the team could look have a much better D-line come the first game of 2017.

Yeah, you gotta believe this pick was all about making others better too! Not just a superstar DE pickup.

 

[manster4ever]

Here's the scouting report for Taco from Pro Football Focus. They had him ranked above Watt, Harris, and McKinley.

Position fit: Edge defender, either a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker

Stats to know: In 2016, he ranked third in pass-rush productivity among all draft-eligible defenders with at least 100 pass rush attempts.

What he does best:

• Aggressive with his hands – can set his blocker, control line of scrimmage.
• Looks smaller than he is because he plays with good leverage, low to the ground.
• Has a variety of moves; can press the edge with speed, spin back inside, use hands to rip and shed.
• Uses his hands well against cut blocks, chips.
• Uses leverage to create power – can bull, collapse pocket.
• Understands leverage point – attacks correct shoulder, etc.
• Excellent read and recognition skills, aided by ability to set with his length.
• Works to keep blocker’s hands off him on pass rushes.
• Snaps distributed evenly between left and right end.
• Shows ability against the run when he locks out on blocker, locates ball – doesn’t get bullied by tackles.

Biggest concerns:

• Struggled with power against Michigan State.
• Can get caught peeking inside, get washed down LOS.
• Can win off the edge when he gets the jump but doesn’t have the elite burst of some other prospects.
• Can get caught peeking inside when unblocked on backside, allowing wing peel, QB to get outside with ease.

Player comparison: Charles Johnson, Carolina Panthers

Johnson has similar athletic ability and a comparable body type to Charlton. When healthy, Johnson has been an outstanding pass-rusher, and has recently improved his play against the run over the level he was at five years ago.

Bottom line: Charlton has a well-built frame with enough strength and length to play defensive end in a 4-3 and enough athleticism to play off the ball in a 3-4. While he lacks elite first-step quickness, he can be an effective rusher off the edge, due in large part to his hand usage. He does an excellent job of keeping blockers from locking onto him, and can set up a variety of moves. At times he will get caught peeking inside and can get sealed off the edge on cutbacks or washed down the line of scrimmage by side blocks. While he lacks the elite athletic skill set of a Myles Garrett to warrant a top-10 pick, Charlton’s size and hand usage puts him ahead of the curve, and should be ready to contribute more quickly than many other prospects at his position. He should be in play in the first round.

The 'biggest concerns' are legit and are what knocked him down to 28 IMO:

Biggest concerns:

• Struggled with power against Michigan State.
• Can get caught peeking inside, get washed down LOS.
• Can win off the edge when he gets the jump but doesn’t have the elite burst of some other prospects.
• Can get caught peeking inside when unblocked on backside, allowing wing peel, QB to get outside with ease.

The two biggest concerns are #'s 1 and 3. I live in Michigan and have seen him play numerous times. He absolutely struggles against power Olinemen. MSU and Wisconsin gave him fits by going right at him and running the ball. I said it last night and I'll say it again. He better shore up his core, legs and butt to take the pounding the NFL dishes out. He isn't ready to go up against big Olinemen (like ours in practice) yet. He needs another 10 lbs of good weight and most of it should be concentrated at and below his waist.

He doesn't have elite burst at all and this concerns me for his pass rush but he does make up for it by getting low and sinking his hips exceptionally well. Rod knows he's raw and can mold him into what he wants but TC has to be willing to put in the work. He won't be a big difference maker his first year unless he's willing to work damn hard. Really hope he comes in ready to go. I'd like to see him play at about 280 his first game.

 

[manster4ever]

Comparisons:
Greg Hardy
Chandler Jones
Charles Johnson

Has ideal height, weight and arm length. Looked terrific in game footage at times, but needed more consistency. Played through bad ankle which might have affected consistency. Needs work on technique.

Some fans and draft media tried to claim that his lack of consistency was due to inconsistent effort, but I can't find any sign of that in game footage. Garrett said his best attribute is his character and work-ethic.

It's hard to say xwalker. He did disappear in some games, make no mistake but he only started one year and so...hard to say. Most people don't understand how physically demanding playing D.End is. I don't believe the kid was "taking plays off" necessarily, but that he might have got a little winded. Again, he didn't start until last year. It's a progression. He better be ready to go to work because he hasn't seen anything yet. I'll guarantee he's never seen anything close to the Cowboys OLinemen. I'd also like to agree with your point on technique...it can and WILL get better with Rod. He's a nice piece, and VERY good value at 28.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

The 'biggest concerns' are legit and are what knocked him down to 28 IMO:

Biggest concerns:

• Struggled with power against Michigan State.
• Can get caught peeking inside, get washed down LOS.
• Can win off the edge when he gets the jump but doesn’t have the elite burst of some other prospects.
• Can get caught peeking inside when unblocked on backside, allowing wing peel, QB to get outside with ease.

The two biggest concerns are #'s 1 and 3. I live in Michigan and have seen him play numerous times. He absolutely struggles against power Olinemen. MSU and Wisconsin gave him fits by going right at him and running the ball. I said it last night and I'll say it again. He better shore up his core, legs and butt to take the pounding the NFL dishes out. He isn't ready to go up against big Olinemen (like ours in practice) yet. He needs another 10 lbs of good weight and most of it should be concentrated at and below his waist.

He doesn't have elite burst at all and this concerns me for his pass rush but he does make up for it by getting low and sinking his hips exceptionally well. Rod knows he's raw and can mold him into what he wants but TC has to be willing to put in the work. He won't be a big difference maker his first year unless he's willing to work damn hard. Really hope he comes in ready to go. I'd like to see him play at about 280 his first game.

It's hard to say xwalker. He did disappear in some games, make no mistake but he only started one year and so...hard to say. Most people don't understand how physically demanding playing D.End is. I don't believe the kid was "taking plays off" necessarily, but that he might have got a little winded. Again, he didn't start until last year. It's a progression. He better be ready to go to work because he hasn't seen anything yet. I'll guarantee he's never seen anything close to the Cowboys OLinemen. I'd also like to agree with your point on technique...it can and WILL get better with Rod. He's a nice piece, and VERY good value at 28.

Ok... so after these posts... it's looking like serviceable.

We'll see.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Reminds me a lot of Greg Ellis............will not lead the league in sacks, but will be a solid 7-10 sack guy year in and year out.

In other words, he should be a good player for us, just not a great player.

 

[BermyStar]

These were my thought s on him 2 months ago before I knew he was a Cowboy, so it's unbiased lol.

http://thelandryhat.com/2017/01/28/dallas-cowboys-draft-five-defensive-ends/

 

[locked&loaded]

Need to know how much his ankle bothered him. Theres a handful of plays where he looks the part athletically, especially considering short area burst. However, theres a lot more where he looks like JAG. If the play is not to his side he lollygags instead of trying to wreak havoc from behind.

Another thing that came to me, michigan had such a good defense taco was often a hair or two late. On a worse team he may have stood out more? But, he would have drawn a lot more attention too i suppose.

In conclusion, as of now, i am not high on taco. Ill cheer for him and hope he can bottle up the positives and improve his motor ( i wonder if this is part of what rod meant by the next level?).

P.s. i only watched michigan wisconsin game live. All other video watched on draftbreakdown

 

[CF74]

His detractors continue to gloss over the fact that he still put up mad numbers despite playing with a bad ankle...

 

[Bullflop]

He'll be practicing vs. Tyron Smith in practice -- you couldn't ask for better experience than that!

Charlton will find out early-on exactly what works and doesn't work versus an elite LT like Tyron.

 

[xwalker]

The 'biggest concerns' are legit and are what knocked him down to 28 IMO:

Biggest concerns:

• Struggled with power against Michigan State.
• Can get caught peeking inside, get washed down LOS.
• Can win off the edge when he gets the jump but doesn’t have the elite burst of some other prospects.
• Can get caught peeking inside when unblocked on backside, allowing wing peel, QB to get outside with ease.

The two biggest concerns are #'s 1 and 3. I live in Michigan and have seen him play numerous times. He absolutely struggles against power Olinemen. MSU and Wisconsin gave him fits by going right at him and running the ball. I said it last night and I'll say it again. He better shore up his core, legs and butt to take the pounding the NFL dishes out. He isn't ready to go up against big Olinemen (like ours in practice) yet. He needs another 10 lbs of good weight and most of it should be concentrated at and below his waist.

He doesn't have elite burst at all and this concerns me for his pass rush but he does make up for it by getting low and sinking his hips exceptionally well. Rod knows he's raw and can mold him into what he wants but TC has to be willing to put in the work. He won't be a big difference maker his first year unless he's willing to work damn hard. Really hope he comes in ready to go. I'd like to see him play at about 280 his first game.

It's hard to say xwalker. He did disappear in some games, make no mistake but he only started one year and so...hard to say. Most people don't understand how physically demanding playing D.End is. I don't believe the kid was "taking plays off" necessarily, but that he might have got a little winded. Again, he didn't start until last year. It's a progression. He better be ready to go to work because he hasn't seen anything yet. I'll guarantee he's never seen anything close to the Cowboys OLinemen. I'd also like to agree with your point on technique...it can and WILL get better with Rod. He's a nice piece, and VERY good value at 28.

If Watt or some of those other 250 pound guys had played replaced Taco at Michigan, they would have been much worse trying to hold up to the requirements placed on the Michigan DEs.

Garrett/Marinelli/Stephen indicated he would likely play RDE. In Marinelli's scheme, the RDE takes way less pounding against the run than the LDE. The entire DL is basically shifted Right, which moves the LDE more inside but the moves the RDE more outside. Marinelli also often has a LB cover for the RDE on run defense; whereas, the LDE is often all alone in comparison. This allows the RDE to basically rush the passer from the snap without worrying about being a primary run defender. This doesn't happen on all snaps, but way more than it does with the LDE.

Michigan played a 3-4 until 2016. Taco was miscast in that defense. From what I saw, they used other players to start in the base 3-4 and then Taco often came in when they went to a 4 man line in passing situations. He was too big at 6-6, 277 to play OLB in the 3-4 but one starters at 3-4 DE was the much bigger Chris Wormley (298 pounds) and Willie Henry (303 pounds).

Taco's 10-yard time was very close to the much smaller players like Watt, McKinley, etc (1.63 vs 1.59 and 1.60), but he outweighed them by about 25 pounds. I would guess there is not way those smaller players have those times if they gain 25 pounds.

His ability to get low (bend) and his agility is as good or better than most of the other options at DE like McKinley, Harris, etc.. He's definitely more fluid/agile than the guy from Kansas St. (Willis).

He occasionally got in a bad position and got over-powered, but he also had a lot a really good bull-rushes where he powered the OT straight back to the QB. I think his "power" issue is as much or more about technique as it is physical ability.