Video: Youtube Scouting: Anthony Hitchens

[FuzzyLumpkins]

If you want to watch him, you have to do some work and find him. He typically will be right behind the line playing weakside although he does sometimes flair out to the slot or play mike. He does sometimes crowd the edge. He is the one wearing 31 and looks like a chubby fire hydrant. The MLB is white so if worse comes to worst look at the arm. Enjoy.

LSU 2013:


Michigan 2013:


Minnesota 2013:


Nebraska 2013:


Iowa State 2012:


Central Michigan 2012:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD9oMkKte9o

 

[CyberB0b]

Thanks for the hard work. Wow, that LSU game is TERRIBLE. He gets blocked and eliminated from nearly every play. Can't shed a block to save his life.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He played will mostly at Iowa but I think he is best suited at mike or sam. He can be a very physical player with good burst and when he is aggressive filling the hole or taking on blockers he can stone FB and even guards in the hole. When he is not aggressive and OL make it to the second level, he is inconsistent in shedding and making tackles. At times he will take on the block and shed but others he is passive and allows himself to be swallowed up.

The physicality also translates into his tackling. For the most part he stays disciplined and only goes for lowered shoulder kill shot when he has teammates in on the action and he is assisting. He can lay the lumber striking heavy blows even when wrapup form tackling. He will sloberknocker a ball carrier given the chance. He will take some bad angles though and allow runners to slip by.

In pursuit, he can get caught up in trash but he runs well and does a good job making the tackle or pushing the pile backwards when he gets there. He is around the ball alot. He is very susceptible to cut blocks and getting his legs cut out from under him. LSU and other teams used the cut block to great effect against him. His balance is mediocre.

In the passing game, he was the one that was most often asked to flare out and help on bunch formations and slot receivers. I am pretty sure that is why they put him outside. Does a good job rerouting receivers at the line and getting back to his zone. While he didn't give up very many receptions in his zone, when balls were thrown in he area he demonstrates a complete lack of ball skills. He doesn't really seem to know how to even try and make a play on the ball.

He blitzed a good amount in 2013 and his burst allowed him to close ground quickly into the backfield. He got in some good shots. He also did a good job when picked up to still create pressure either by plowing into the blocker or vaulting over cut blocks.

I have talked a lot about his bad body and its on full display. What I am hoping is that the poor balance and sluggishness in dealing with those cut blocks will improve with reps and some work with Cowboys trainers.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Thanks for the hard work. Wow, that LSU game is TERRIBLE. He gets blocked and eliminated from nearly every play. Can't shed a block to save his life.

True but his line wasn't doing him any favors. It was the only game where OL were consistently getting tot he second level and he suffered for it. They cut him several times and he went down and out of the play. Getting off a block 7 yards downfield doesn't help either.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Just don't see a 4th round pick out there, I think maybe our scouts partied a little to hard the night before and got some of the tags mixed up on the board..............LOL

 

[Idgit]

Man. I just don't get this pick.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Man. I just don't get this pick.

When JJ talked to him he said that the ST's coach "laid down on the train tracks" to get him-- which I guess is JJ language for, the ST's coach wanted him really badly and convinced the rest of the staff to draft him.

So, at best then, the front office is looking for a ST stud and back up LBer. We are all looking at drafting a potential starter in the 4th round, so the pick looks disappointing from that perspective.

At the end of the day-- we just have to come to grips with the fact that the Dallas front office was fine with using a 4th round pick on a guy they considered a ST ace. I think you draft for talent-- not role-- and there were a TON of more talented players in the 4th round than Hitchens-- so to me, this pick is a huge FAIL from a value standpoint.

That said-- if the STs coach wanted a guy that badly, I guess there has to be the opportunity in the war room to campaign and make sure you get him… But, man-- this front office has zero credibility with me. Remember the "STs draft in 2009"?!

 

[Idgit]

I'm trying not to dislike the player. I like his backstory, anyway. I just don't see the need, or the fit, and I don't buy that he was a good value for his round or that there weren't comparable players below him at the same position.

It's fine. I don't expect to like every pick, but this guy just confuses me. Makes me wonder what I'm missing.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I said in the other threads that I was really worried about his ability to cover receivers. I like the dude's fire, but I think good QBs would salivate if they see him in the line-up. I see a possible SAM out of him.

 

[visionary]

When JJ talked to him he said that the ST's coach "laid down on the train tracks" to get him-- which I guess is JJ language for, the ST's coach wanted him really badly and convinced the rest of the staff to draft him.

So, at best then, the front office is looking for a ST stud and back up LBer. We are all looking at drafting a potential starter in the 4th round, so the pick looks disappointing from that perspective.

At the end of the day-- we just have to come to grips with the fact that the Dallas front office was fine with using a 4th round pick on a guy they considered a ST ace. I think you draft for talent-- not role-- and there were a TON of more talented players in the 4th round than Hitchens-- so to me, this pick is a huge FAIL from a value standpoint.

That said-- if the STs coach wanted a guy that badly, I guess there has to be the opportunity in the war room to campaign and make sure you get him… But, man-- this front office has zero credibility with me. Remember the "STs draft in 2009"?!

If only Jerry had the power to overrule McClay and Garrett

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

When JJ talked to him he said that the ST's coach "laid down on the train tracks" to get him-- which I guess is JJ language for, the ST's coach wanted him really badly and convinced the rest of the staff to draft him.

So, at best then, the front office is looking for a ST stud and back up LBer. We are all looking at drafting a potential starter in the 4th round, so the pick looks disappointing from that perspective.

At the end of the day-- we just have to come to grips with the fact that the Dallas front office was fine with using a 4th round pick on a guy they considered a ST ace. I think you draft for talent-- not role-- and there were a TON of more talented players in the 4th round than Hitchens-- so to me, this pick is a huge FAIL from a value standpoint.

That said-- if the STs coach wanted a guy that badly, I guess there has to be the opportunity in the war room to campaign and make sure you get him… But, man-- this front office has zero credibility with me. Remember the "STs draft in 2009"?!

It's amazing what one can glean from a sentence said in a phone call to a player. The entirelty of their strategy from a throwaway line. . .

Garrett at the post draft press conference said they were not in the business of getting players who could only play special teams. They had to be positional or developmental prospects that could play special teams.

If you don't like him I can understand. He has some serious flaws in his game especially for a passing league but they at least do not view him as a ST only prospect.

 

[morasp]

I started watching the outback bowl and turned it off. Maybe he can develop into a player for us, Eberflus is a really good coach and Lee isn't afraid to share his knowledge.

 

[casmith07]

It's amazing what one can glean from a sentence said in a phone call to a player. The entirelty of their strategy from a throwaway line. . .

Garrett at the post draft press conference said they were not in the business of getting players who could only play special teams. They had to be positional or developmental prospects that could play special teams.

If you don't like him I can understand. He has some serious flaws in his game especially for a passing league but they at least do not view him as a ST only prospect.

And sometimes you draft players based on potential. The way I see it is if the 49ers and Seahawks also had a 4th round grade on the guy, they too saw him as a project that has high boom and obviously low bust risk.

Seattle maybe more so. They probably would have turned him into a Bruce Irvin clone who's job was to stuff the run and get the QB and come off the field on passing downs.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I started watching the outback bowl and turned it off. Maybe he can develop into a player for us, Eberflus is a really good coach and Lee isn't afraid to share his knowledge.

That by far is his worst game. He does well in the others relative to that.

 

[Alexander]

Just don't see a 4th round pick out there, I think maybe our scouts partied a little to hard the night before and got some of the tags mixed up on the board..............LOL

It was a special teams pick as much as anything else, that much is clear as it was Bisaccia vouching for him. They are just trying to package it as some sort of special coup, a gem that got missed, when it really was a significant reach.

They probably would have turned him into a Bruce Irvin clone who's job was to stuff the run and get the QB and come off the field on passing downs.

Very doubtful. He does not even come close to Bruce Irvin's skill set in any way.

BTW, the player Seattle actually did chose, they are comparing to Navarro Bowman and the same execs that got him in SF are in Seattle now.

 

[xwalker]

If you want to watch him, you have to do some work and find him. He typically will be right behind the line playing weakside although he does sometimes flair out to the slot or play mike. He does sometimes crowd the edge. He is the one wearing 31 and looks like a chubby fire hydrant. The MLB is white so if worse comes to worst look at the arm. Enjoy.

Prediction: People that don't understand assignment sound football are going to say that he didn't play well in the LSU game.

In reality, there were some plays where is appeared that he failed, but on many of them he played the correct assignment and other players failed their assignment.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

As I said in another thread: I am neither impressed nor disappointed in the draft. The positive side of me is willing to give Will McClay time to prove to us he has a clue about talent. He has until midseason.

The negative side of me, though, sees the same old song and dance, just difference partners….

 

[Crown Royal]

If only Jerry had the power to overrule McClay and Garrett

Hard to get angry at this point at Jerry for doing what his scouts/coaches want and ask.

 

[speedkilz88]

Hard to get angry at this point at Jerry for doing what his scouts/coaches want and ask.

Sometimes I think they would prefer Jerry just go off of Mayock or Kiper's list.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Prediction: People that don't understand assignment sound football are going to say that he didn't play well in the LSU game.

In reality, there were some plays where is appeared that he failed, but on many of them he played the correct assignment and other players failed their assignment.

The line was getting single blocked and still getting blown off the ball. There were OG on the second level similar to what Hayden and co brought to the table for us last season. That being said he was being taken out consistently with cut blocks to the point where he was completely out of the play. That is on him as it is easy to exploit.

He has his flaws but he has his good points too. The biggest problem I see is constant binary thinking where either you are a stud or you are worthless.