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Depth Chart
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Player Evaluations
2008 DRAFT ISSUE
Draft Summary Page
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About the Big Red Sheet
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About the Editor
Memory of a True Card Fan
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Defensive Ends |
|
Charted comments are mostly
drawn from NFL Draft Scouts.com narratives (shown in black) with
comments from additional sources shown in different colors. BRS =
Red Sporting
News War Room = Orange. USA Today =
Green. Surfire Scouting =
Purple. PFW - Blue. |
|
There has been a lot of
talk about the Cardinals' seeking to add a more explosive outside
dimension - either at DE or OLB. The interchangeability of the two
positions makes it hard to gauge depth (because we can always move an
OLB to DE to shore up depth or vice versa). But all in all, we'd have
to agree that - our backup depth at both positions is, at best, kind
of shaggy (and we'll have to pray that Chike and
B-Train remain healthy. We expect to draft a pass rush specialist in the
first 3 or 4 rounds - probably not the first (unless someone like a Keith
Rivers were to fall to us at #16) but more likely someone like Quentin
Groves or a Phillip Merling in round 2 or 3 would be more logical. |
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
1 |
Chris Long, Va. |
6-4 |
266 |
4.75 |
-- |
1.61 |
2.71 |
34 |
10-4 |
4.21 |
-- |
7.02 |
-- |
|
Pro Day
- Kept his combine numbers for everything else. Virginia head coach Al
Groh put him through linebacker drills and did not include defensive
line drills, which he will do at a later date.
BRS
(Gollin) - Poster child for the type of player you'd like to draft
#1. Comes from terrific FB pedigree. Physically outstanding. Bright.
Character guy. He will be long gone by the time we pick (In fact, we
have him rated #1 of all players).
The
Sporting News War Room - One of the most polished college DE's our
scouts have ever evaluated. Plays smart and shows great technique.
Surefire
Scouting - A naturally gifted athlete who also possesses the
toughness, work ethic, intelligence and drive to be great. Long is the
embodiment of a "Professional Football Player."
PFW
-Arguably the safest pick in the draft. The big question teams must
answer is if his production is due to top shelf effort or innate
athletic ability and they must determine how much better he'll get.
|
Physical |
Has long arms and large hands, with good upper body muscle tone,
tight waist and hips and shows good lower body thickness |
|
Strength |
Has better leverage than strength to anchor...Has enough size
and strength to hold up at the point-of-attack and the
flexibility to sit in the crease and hold his ground or get off
blocks...has the functional strength to generate inside pressure
vs. offensive line-man's outside shoulder. |
|
Quicks/COD |
Quick-twitch athlete who shows good quickness, agility and
flexibility, showing good knee bend...Builds to top acceleration
nicely in long pursuit and shows good redirection skills in his
pass rush off the edge...outstanding quickness off the ball and
natural movement ability to close...Comes off the snap with good
pad level, getting into the blocker quickly with a solid hand
jolt to rock the opponent back on his heels...But lacks an
explosive burst...Has very crisp plant-and-drive agility to make
quick change of direction moves working down the line...One of
his better assets is his lateral agility |
|
Pass Rush |
Best when taking angles to the quarterback, as he does not have
the foot speed to take the wide loop in pursuit...Lacks
suddenness off the snap to surprise a lethargic blocker....When
he takes dead aim on the quarterback he shows good intent to get
there...With his leverage, he can beat the blocker in and out to
close on the passer...Might be a better fit as a defensive
tackle in a 4-3 alignment, so as not to expose his adequate
closing burst |
|
Run Defense |
Defends the run well, using his hands and extending at the
point-of-attack |
|
Pursuit |
Moves very well laterally and displays good effort in
pursuit...His above average lateral quickness is utilized well
in his back-side pursuit...High energy type who's had better
success disengaging thanks to clearing his feet and chasing hard
to run down plays in pursuit...takes good angles when pursuing
downfield |
|
Diagnostics |
Quick
instincts to locate the ball through trash |
|
Tackling |
Physical tackler who can bend, roll his hips and drive through
the ballcarrier...Does a good job when asked to wrap up and drag
down the ballcarrier in space...Might not generate explosive
hits, but he has the strength to push the pocket...Makes a good
effort to arm tackle. |
|
Hands |
Uses his long reach well to keep blockers away from his body,
also utilizing it, along with good timing and leaping ability to
bat down a fair share of passes at the line of
scrimmage...demonstrates good hand placement and the ability to
separate from blockers...has good leverage and reach to separate
from blocks and close on the quarterback...has the hand punch to
quickly shed blockers...When he extends his arms (and keeps them
active), he plays with good leverage and can hold ground at the
point of attack vs. the isolated blocker...When he keeps his
hands inside the framework, he can keep separation from the
blocker (exposes his chest when his hands get too wide). |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Susceptible to the low block and needs to do a better job of
slipping off double teams (must execute his spin move
more)...Has a good feel for blocks and knows what to do to avoid
in pursuit |
|
Moves |
Has
developed a solid inside counter move to generate pressure...Has
the upfield speed, along with swim and rip moves to go with the
inside counter and bull rush (asset needed for a potential move
to defensive tackle)...Uses flexibility and a good burst to
collapse the pocket and displays the quick hands and feet, along
with good hip-flex to turn the corner on edge rushes...Needs to
be more active with his hands, especially when executing counter
moves...Does not use his reach or counter moves with consistency |
|
Smarts |
What sets him apart from most young defensive ends is his keen
knowledge of the game and his uncanny ability to read block
pressure and quickly locate the ball |
|
Intangibles |
Shows solid football instincts and is able to learn and retain
information easily...Plays and practices hard and with a
purpose, showing good effort and toughness throughout the
play...Leads by example, as well as with his voice, as the
coaches encourage the younger players to emulate his great work
ethic...Can handle tough coaching and is harder on himself than
the staff is when he fails to make a play or blows an
assignment. |
|
Resembles |
Aaron Kampman |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
2 |
Cliff Avril,
Purdue DE/LB |
6-2
|
250 |
4.52 |
26 |
1.52 |
2.59 |
36
|
9-9 |
4.31 |
-- |
6.90 |
-- |
|
Pro Day
- Had a 36½-inch vertical jump and 4.31 short shuttle. Ran position
drills and stuck with his combine numbers for everything else.
BRS
(Gollin) - We've moved him way up because we see him as a terrific
needs/position fit for the hybrid DE/OLB position. He has 4.52 speed.
He's a primo pass rusher but also tough against the run. He's a
student of the game and a character guy.
The
Sporting News War Room - One of the better athletes in this class.
Projects as a 3-4 outside LB...does not use his hands effectively as a
pass rusher.
Surefire
Scouting - Lack of prototypical size may force a move to OLB.
Shows nice burst off the corner but can be overpowered. Uncertainly as
to Avril's ability to play in space and drop into coverage as a 3-4
OLB will restrict his draft status to a degree. Ultimately, he may end
up as a 4-3 pass rush specialist.
PFW -
Lacks ideal athleticism to line up outside in a 3-4 and lacks the
instincts needed inside but will be tried there.
|
Physical |
Undersized to be any every down defensive end, but he has good
upper-body muscle tone, ideal arm length, big hands, tapered
thighs and calves, along with the feet, balance and
change-of-direction agility to bring better value as a
strong-side linebacker... |
|
Strength |
Attacks the point with good intent, even
when he knows he will be washed out by the bigger blockers...Undersized
defensive end who converted from outside linebacker early in his
junior year and lacks the bulk to face up to the bigger
offensive tackles...if the lineman gets his hands locked on, he
struggles to shed...Lacks the anchor to maintain ground vs.
double teams and can be pushed back when trying to work
inside...Not strong enough to plug the inside rush lanes as a
defensive lineman... |
|
Quicks/COD |
Has exceptional closing speed vs. plays in front of him and the
lateral agility to string plays wide...builds acceleration
nicely when attacking downfield...His best asset is his initial
step off the snap, as he is quick to elude, dip his pads and
redirect to plays underneath....Has good balance, staying on his
feet and bounces up quickly when cut...Is quick to react to the
play when he locates the ball and has the short-area quickness
to spill inside, getting his hands up to deflect passes at the
line of scrimmage...Carries his pads well, evident in
Senior Bowl practices when he constantly chased down
ballcarriers on the outside or challenged the QBs on naked
bootlegs... |
|
Pass Rush |
Can impact the pocket coming off the edge, using his sudden
burst to slip past a lethargic blocker, but needs to add some
more pass rush moves and keep his hands more active when
attempting counter moves...Has the agility to bend down the line
and cover ground well, showing good urgency closing on the
pocket... Will generate better production standing up, but even
with his hand down, if he gets a dip inside, a slower blocker
can't recover...shows good vision to locate the quarterback and
flush him out of the pocket...when he finds a clean rush lane,
he will sell out, go airborne and do whatever is needed to
pressure the pocket...Has a decent feel for the blitz and with
his speed, he can bring the heat, thanks to good
change-of-direction skills that make it difficult for slower
linemen to block him. |
|
Run Defense |
Good go-with-the-flow outside run container who can run, slide
and move in space to make plays... |
|
Pursuit |
Gives total effort in his chase ...Capable of getting very good
production making plays from the backside...Keeps his feet and
will sell out to get wide on a play (runs long distances to
deliver the hit)....Covers ground and closes well from the
backside better than he does in-line... |
|
Diagnostics |
Plays
with his head up, showing good instincts to find the ball,
especially vs. naked bootlegs...Has a good feel for reading
blocking keys and is usually in proper position, rarely biting
on play-action...Will flow too fast and overrun a few plays, but
is quick to redirect.... |
|
Tackling |
You won't see too many misses or leaks when tackling, if he
keeps his hands inside and pad level true......ot a hammer-type
of hitter, but can run the field, hit and sell out, showing the
body control to break down and wrap up (gets lazy at times and
tries to take a side)...Can get the ballcarrier down along the
outside, but needs to wrap and get in front of the opponent
better, as he tends to grab or take a side |
|
Hands |
Uses his hands well to keep separation when he keeps them inside
his frame...uses his hands better vs. the run than as a pass
rusher... |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Better performer on the move than working through trash and has
the balance to quickly redirect and close...Needs to use his
hands more to ward off blocks, but is a slippery type with good
avoidance skills on the move...Will sometimes run around blocks,
but can stay square in one-on-one encounters... |
|
Moves |
Prefers using his swim move at the "five" technique to combat
turn out blocks, but just needs to do it with better
consistency...does have a nifty spin move in-line to beat a
lethargic blocker...pass-rush moves are still raw and he needs
to add to those array of moves (has a great spin move, but must
be more forceful with his hands on club moves and show better
shoulder positioning on rip moves)...Telegraphs his moves coming
off the snap and when his hands get outside his frame, blockers
can easily neutralize his counter moves... |
|
Smarts |
Smart player who will have no problem digesting a playbook at
multiple positions... |
|
Intangibles |
.Plays until the whistle...Puts in extra hours studying tape of
the upcoming opponent and, while a leader by example, he will
not hesitate to get vocal in the huddle.....Plays with good
aggression and determination, despite being outweighed vs. every
opponent...Will need
time to re-adjust to playing linebacker (must refine his pass
drop depth and open his hips quicker to come out of his breaks). |
|
Resembles |
Shaun Phillips |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
3 |
Vernon Gholston*, Ohio St. |
6-2
|
263 |
4.58 |
37 |
1.59 |
2.69 |
42 |
10-5 |
4.40 |
-- |
7.12 |
-- |
|
): Pro Day - Ran the 40 in 4.58, had a 42-inch vertical jump,
ran position drills and stuck with his other numbers from the combine.
BRS - Although he aced the numbers part of his combine workout, Gholston was said to appear stiff and muscle-bound in his position
drills. Will no doubt be gone by the Jets pick at #6.
The
Sporting News War Room - Can dominate some games and totally
disappear in others.
Surefire
Scouting - Great combination of size, speed and power. While he
and Saint DE Will Smith will draw comparisons, Gholston plays with
more intensity and gives a more consistent effort.
PFW -
A rare physical specimen who has shown the ability to dominate.
Gholston is smart, hard working and loaded with upside. Does not know
how good he can be and may have more upside than any player in the
draft.
|
Physical |
Has a well-built frame with a wide back, broad shoulders,
V-shaped torso, large hands, long limbs, defined muscles
throughout and thick thighs and calves.. |
|
Strength |
Has a low center of gravity and strong anchor, making it very
rare to see him on the ground...Has that good blend of quickness
and strength to hold ground at the point of attack... |
|
Quicks/COD |
Low
center of gravity...Has loose hips, good knee bend and balance
in his running stride when chasing long distances...Has rare
ability to run the field for a player his size and can be sudden
in his initial movement...When he is taken off of his feet, he is
quick to recover and get back into the action...Has the
quickness to penetrate when working inside and is very
disruptive coming off the snap, as he is quick and active with
his hand punch to rock the bigger blockers back on their heels..Has great flexibility and
balance working down the line and changing direction.... |
|
Pass Rush |
Excellent speed rusher who needs to be accounted for on every
play ...Has the ability to consistently disrupt the backfield,
as he has the speed to escape and the strength to overpower
offensive tackles off the edge...Has a sudden first step to
defeat an offensive tackle coming off the edge and the uncanny
ability to anticipate the snap cadence and time his
jumps...Consistently plays on his feet and is very quick coming
off the edge, as he can turn the corner, showing the flexibility
and counter moves (must be more consistent with the counter) to
come under and also has the strength to bull rush or push the
pocket...Is starting to develop a good feel for his pass-rush
package and knows how to keep his hands off and get free...Has
the second gear to close on the pocket and, while he gets most
of his sacks off backside pursuit |
|
Run Defense |
Has
good field presence, locating the ball quickly to fly to it and
contain the run...able to take an in-line gap to impact the
backfield...Could punch and shed blockers sooner but he can get upfield
and collide with the ballcarrier with good pop on contact.. |
|
Pursuit |
No info |
|
Diagnostics |
Can be fooled by misdirection and while he gives total effort,
he sometimes can't find the ball until it is past him... |
|
Tackling |
Strong wrap-up tackler who can adjust in space and finish plays
on his own... |
|
Hands |
Generally uses his hands effectively to shed and separate, as he
battles until the whistle... |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Must develop a better feel for blocking schemes, as he doesn't
always protect his body from cut blocks... |
|
Moves |
Has improved his technique, but can't be considered a technician
using his hands or displaying an array of pass rush moves... |
|
Smarts |
Instinctive player, but is still a relatively new to the game
and needs more reps to help him gain experience... |
|
Intangibles |
Plays with the type of effort and emotion that makes a coach
comfortable knowing that he will make plays all over the
field...Plays with a high motor and shows a natural feel for the
game, as he continues to improve his ability to anticipate and
jump the play...Self-starter with a great passion for the game
and is a hard worker in the training room...While very confident
in his ability, he is also a humble character with no off-field
issues...Rare to see him talk trash and just goes about his
business.. |
|
Resembles |
John Abraham |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
4 |
Phillip Merling*, Clemson |
6-4
|
276 |
4.75 |
18 |
-- |
-- |
|
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
BRS
(Gollin) - Another good Cardinal fit and, like Avril, likely to be
on our board at #16 and, therefore, a good possibility. More of a
traditional DE than the smaller Avril but less of a pass rushing
terror (although still pretty danged good).
The
Sporting News War Room - Goes 100 MPH every snap. Might lack the
premier athleticism of some of the other prospects but will be a more
productive NFL starter.
Surefire
Scouting - Has prototypical size (is stout)...will have to learn a
variety of pass rush moves...has adequate quickness but is not a
speedy edge pass rusher. Lacks top notch athleticism but nonetheless
develop into a solid starter because of his size, strength and
football instincts.
PFW -
Merling's a cross between Michael Strahan and Jamaal Anderson but
tougher, stronger and more stout.
|
Physical |
Well-built with thick legs and long arms, tight waist and hips,
and minimal body fat... |
|
Strength |
Has decent anchor and leverage ability to hold ground vs.
isolated blockers at the point of attack...Still needs to
improve his overall strength, but he has enough raw power to
deliver pop when making contact with the quarterback...His
lower-body frame lacks the power to take on bulky blockers with
consistency, and he shows a decent anchor vs. tight ends and
backs, but he can still be driven off the ball when offensive
linemen go directly at him...doesn't have the raw power needed
to split double teams... |
|
Quicks/COD |
Flashes good explosion off the ball...Shows good balance in his
moves down the line, demonstrating the knee bend to keep his
feet on the move...Easily defeats blocks with his speed, showing
the ability to dip and turn the corner in a flash...Disengages
quickly from his man to move toward the ball and plays until the
whistle, showing an explosive closing burst...Has that extra
surge to consistently finish off his blocks, taking good angles
to pressure the pocket....While he has the leverage to hold up,
with his speed, he is much more effective on the move, where he
can combine his lateral quickness and motor to keep containment
on the outside... |
|
Pass Rush |
Quick off the edge and shows good hustle to the ball, utilizing
his upfield burst to give him an advantage over the large,
slower blockers...Natural pass rusher who comes off the ball
with a quick twitch, body lean and leverage...Has the foot speed
to close on the quarterbacks and collapse the pocket...Comes off
the line at the proper pad level and can burst around the corner
with speed, looping through the gaps with good urgency...Has the functional leg drive to bull rush at times, but
his best trait is his ability to get upfield in a hurry... |
|
Run Defense |
Has the arm strength to drag down the ballcarriers... |
|
Pursuit |
Best
when operating in plays away from him, so he can redirect and
give backside chase....Extends his arms well to keep blockers
off him and has the swim move lateral agility to excel coming
from the backside...Has a sudden short burst to penetrate and
shows the sustained speed to be effective in long pursuit... |
|
Diagnostics |
Reads hats well and reacts to the play effectively, showing the
ball awareness instincts on the move to neutralize and redirect
the outside running lanes...Seems to recognize the ball quicker
when he's on the move rather than working through a crowd
inside.. |
|
Tackling |
Shows good breakdown and body control in his tackling form,
using his long arms to capture ballcarriers in space...Not an
explosive tackle, but will hit, wrap and secure... |
|
Hands |
Has improved his hand usage during his junior year |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Needs to improve his hand play -- he sometimes struggles to
disengage once blockers lock on -- and keep blockers off his
feet... |
|
Moves |
He still needs to develop rush moves (club and rip are lacking,
but his swim move is very effective), as he relies too much on
quickness to separate... |
|
Smarts |
No info |
|
Intangibles |
High-energy player who is best on the move, showing better
ability to make plays along the edge than working inside...Plays
with a good motor, but will get frustrated and shut down when
the bigger blockers consistently neutralize him.
|
|
Resembles |
Justin Tuck |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
5 |
Calais Campbell*, Miami (FL) |
6-8 |
283 |
5.01 |
17 |
1.71 |
2.90 |
30 |
9-2 |
4.60 |
-- |
7.19 |
-- |
|
Pro Day
- Ran the 40-yard dash twice and finished in 5.01 seconds both times.
He ran the short shuttle in 4.6 seconds and the cone drill in 7.19. He
ran position drills but let his bench press at the combine stand.
BRS
(Gollin) - Maybe better than many ratings because of poor coaching
on the part of the most recent "U" coaching staff. Huge wingspan and
height - a Fred Wakefield with more explosion and athleticism. Kind of
guy who figures to bat down a lot of short outlet passes to the RB.
The
Sporting News War Room - Will likely be inconsistent early in his
pro career but the light should go on by his second or third season
Surefire
Scouting - Solid student with a rare combination of size,
quickness and athleticism. Fits into both three and four-man fronts
and can provide a creative DC with the flexibility of rotating between
the two schemes.
PFW -
Raw talent whose combination of size and speed could make coaches
salivate. However, he really regressed as a junior under a new
coaching staff.
|
Physical |
Has a strong, well-defined and muscular frame and is an amazing
physical specimen with a long wingspan, thick calves, a muscular
build and cat-like quickness... |
|
Strength |
Has above-average playing strength for his position, showing
excellent leg drive...More suited to play the edge, as he had
problems defeating the combo blocks when forced to play in-line,
as he struggles to sink his weight and keep his pads down,
causing problems for him protecting his feet vs. low
blocks...Could use more lower-body strength, as he can be ridden
wide at the point of attack... |
|
Quicks/COD |
His explosive natural initial burst that will surprise the
offensive lineman......Has decent change-of-direction agility
and shows good second effort getting back to the action when he
outruns the ball... |
|
Pass Rush |
Has a sudden burst off the edge to slip past a slow offensive
tackle, but needs to be more active with his hands fending off
low blocks...Plays with leverage, doing a nice job of dropping
his shoulder and turn the corner, as he is very light on his
feet....Can sink and run the horn to flush the quarterback out
of the pocket, as he will usually stay active until the
whistle...Gets upfield quickly and has a sudden burst as a pass
rusher off the edge...Has a quick swim move and shows
enough of a hand punch to defeat blocks and pressure the
pocket...Can close on the quarterback with an extra surge and
when he uses his hands with authority to jolt, he can control
the point of attack...Has learned how to use his long arms to
create separation, stuff and shed, as he has the feet to adjust
to movement. |
|
Run Defense |
Strong run defender who plays with leverage and good knee bend
but, when he gets tall in his stance, he can be ridden off the
snap...Has the explosive initial step to defeat combo blocks,
when he uses his hands to fend them off and is a disruptive
penetrating...Can ride blocks and move laterally...must improve
his anchor to neutralize double teams, but is able to stack and
hold his ground when he drops his weight and plants his foot
into the ground...Effective at stringing out the running plays
and redirecting vs. outside action... |
|
Pursuit |
An explosive and fluid athlete in pursuit, showing the range to
generate speed long distance...Hustles in pursuit and quickly
recognizes blocking schemes, showing good urgency to attack the
crease...Gets up in a hurry when knocked down and has that high
motor needed to be relentless in pursuit, especially on the back
side...hysical player, but he sometimes spends too much time
trying to overpower the blocker when he should be slipping off
the block to make plays in pursuit....Frustration late in games
will see him over-pursue. |
|
Diagnostics |
Needs to show better recognition ability, as he will bite on
pumps and fakes... |
|
Tackling |
Shows good explosion and wrap-up technique to stop the ballcarrier's
progress and is a physical striker who makes his presence felt
upon arrival... |
|
Hands |
When he plays at a low pad level,
he is quick to get his hands into the blocker's chest...When he
keeps his hands inside the frame of his body, he can deliver a
solid hand slap, coupled with a fluid swim move to shed and
close on the passer... |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Can shed and pursue instantly, crashing into ball carriers to
wrap and secure...Needs to be quicker using his hands to escape
from the low blocks, but works fluidly back towards the
ball...Must learn to protect his legs, as he leaves his lower
body exposed too often... |
|
Moves |
Strong rip-and-swim moves in one-on-one combat ( |
|
Smarts |
No info |
|
Intangibles |
Willing to do the little extras to get better and has no problem
taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field...Shows
impressive football instincts and plays with a high motor |
|
Resembles |
Julius Peppers |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
6 |
Lawrence Jackson, USC |
6-4
|
267 |
4.81 |
31 |
1.66 |
2.82 |
34
|
8-11 |
4.40 |
-- |
7.08 |
-- |
|
Pro Day - Had a 34 ½-inch vertical jump, ran position drills,
kept everything else from the combine.
BRS
(Gollin) - I may downgrade him - more of a low ceiling/high floor
type of consistent plodder at a playmaking position.
The
Sporting News War Room - An underrated player who consistently
produces. Will probably be underdrafted because of his lack of
explosion.
Surefire
Scouting - Has great size and strength but his tenacity is
questionable. He could develop into a starter or be out of the league
after a few years.
PFW -
Jackson underachieved throughout his college career and never became
the dominant player he has shown flashes of becoming.
|
Physical |
Has a tall, thick frame with good arm length and adequate
straight-line speed, but lacks ideal change of direction
skills...Might have to fill out his frame more for a potential
shift to defensive tackle, as he lacks the top speed you look
for in a defender coming off the edge... lacks the "sand in his
pants" to perform there at his current playing weight at the
next level... |
|
Strength |
Struggles to defeat double teams, as he is too inconsistent with
his leverage... |
|
Quicks/COD |
Shows good foot quickness, agility and balance working in short
areas...Even though he can't change direction well, he is a
quick reactor with enough pursuit speed to push the running game
back inside...More of a semi-long strider who might show
adequate acceleration and initial quickness, but lacks the
explosiveness coming off the line to surprise a lethargic
defender...Does not change directions quickly while on the move,
taking false steps as he needs to gather...plays tall at times
and does not use proper technique to defeat blockers, as he
tends to leave his feet too often...Flashes good lateral
quickness and will accelerate in space, but (gets
frustrated when his initial move fails).. |
|
Pass Rush |
Has the functional hand strength to counter vs. the offensive
tackle...and enough of a burst to get wide...Does a good job of
coming off the edge and flattening in his quest to get to the
quarterback, as he does a decent job of freeing up on twists and
games, despite poor change of direction agility...Demonstrated
an improved extra surge to finish the deal getting to the
quarterback as a senior than he did in the past...Can close with
good quickness when he escapes from blockers, but doesn't
possess the explosiveness or quickness to close on the
quarterback without getting a free lane...has the ability to get
up field when coming off the edge, but too often he leaves
himself exposed and gives poor effort, resulting in him easily
succumbing when he gets pushed passed the quarterback...Does not
have the suddenness you look for in an edge rusher, as he fails
to utilize quick redirection skills |
|
Run Defense |
Sometimes soft to play at the X's, but when he utilizes good
hand placement he can play with leverage...Will generally play
with good toughness, but lacks consistency in his play and is
not always aggressive and physical attacking the ballcarrier
(motor runs hot and cold)... |
|
Pursuit |
Shows the functional speed to give chase from the backside... |
|
Diagnostics |
Shows valid instincts and vision to quickly locate the ball..Has
the field vision to make quick reads to recognize and react, but
does not show that field awareness on a consistent basis... |
|
Tackling |
Efficient wrap-up tackler with the strength to drag ballcarriers
down, throwing his body around well to impede the opponent's
forward progress...When he stays low in his pads, he can
generate explosion behind his hits... Has the strength to wrap
up and take down the ballcarrier, but struggles to redirect and
make the play while on the move |
|
Hands |
He
has enough of a hand punch to jolt and shed...when he shoots his
hands he can keep separation, control and get off blocks |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Quick
to shed and gain quick advantage... |
|
Moves |
Shows good rip and counter moves on the bull rush...needs to
develop more pass rush moves... |
|
Smarts |
Student of the game who will put in the extra hours watching
tapes... |
|
Intangibles |
Has a good grasp of the playbook...Vocal leader type that takes
well to hard coaching...as never missed any games due to
injuries, but his surgically repaired right ankle has given him
problems |
|
Resembles |
Mark Anderson |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
7 |
Jason Jones,
E. Michigan |
6-5
|
275 |
4.79 |
19 |
1.60 |
2.74 |
30
|
10-3 |
4.23 |
-- |
7.28 |
-- |
|
Pro Day
- Had a 30½-inch vertical jump. Kept his combine numbers for
everything else. Note: has very long arms.
Senior Bowl
-
While Jones flashed quickness off the ball to threaten the corner, he
tended to pop upright and too often played high. He struggled to get
off blocks and make plays. He looked raw and more like a developmental
prospect
BRS
(Gollin) - Played inside, but better suited as a strong-side DE in
a 4-3 or maybe (with more bulk) in a 3-4. Needs a lot of technique
work.
The
Sporting News War Room - Should eventually become a productive
starter in either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme.
Surefire
Scouting - Played out of position at DT. Has the strength to
bull-rush and the quickness to go outside in pursuit of the QB. His
most natural position is as a traditional DE where he should develop
into a solid starter.
PFW -
Is too big, quick and athletic not to warrant early notice.
|
Physical |
Excellent height and length for the power end position. ... |
|
Strength |
Used inside a lot because of a lack of bulk in EMU's defense.
...Is not strong in the upper body and may not be able to get
off NFL tackle blocks. ... Plays a bit high, allowing linemen to
move him around too much |
|
Quicks/COD |
Gets off the ball very quickly. ... Good straight-line speed.
...Needs to work in space for full effectiveness. ... |
|
Pass Rush |
Needs to get those long arms up to block passes if he can't get
to the quarterback. ... |
|
Run Defense |
Moves down the line while being blocked to stay in the play.
...When playing inside, he did not penetrate as often as you'd
think |
|
Pursuit |
Hustles downfield to make tackles. ...Good effort in pursuit. |
|
Diagnostics |
No info |
|
Tackling |
No info |
|
Hands |
No info |
|
Shedding Blocks |
Can disengage from blocks to make tackles. ... |
|
Moves |
Does not possess many pass rush moves... |
|
Smarts |
No info |
|
Intangibles |
Jones often dominates against lesser competition in the
Mid-American Conference. He has been versatile enough to play
inside and outside for the Eagles, but projects outside at power
end in the NFL....Scouts have certainly taken notice as he has
put up 50 tackles for loss the past three seasons....Getting
over a knee sprain and moving outside may put him into the top
100. |
|
Resembles |
No info |
|
|
Rk |
Name/School |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
BP |
10 |
20 |
VJ |
BJ |
20S |
60S |
3C |
WU |
|
8 |
Chris Ellis, Va. Tech (LB) |
6-4 |
262 |
4.71 |
22 |
1.57 |
2.71 |
30
|
9-0 |
4.64 |
-- |
7.65 |
-- |
|
Pro Day
- Had a 30½-inch vertical jump, 22 reps in the bench press, ran
position drills and kept his numbers from the combine for everything
else
BRS
(Gollin) - Character issues along with disappointing edge
quickness post season may push him down the charts a bit.
The
Sporting News War Room - Will be a productive 4-3 end but also has
the athleticism to be a rush linebacker. Could move up the boards if
he adds bulk and improives his forty time
Surefire
Scouting - Good size with long arms. Could turn out to be a steal
as a valuable pass rush specialist if not an every down player at the
next level. Struggled in Senior Bowl practices failing to show edge
pass rush speed and did not look comfortable in LB drills. This
combined with an off-field incident and durability concerns have
caused his draft stock to slide.
PFW -
Will first have to satisfy concerns regarding his character,
immaturity and a general disregard for others that already has
eliminated him from consideration for some teams.
|
Physical |
Has a developing frame with room to carry at least another 10
pounds of bulk without resulting in a loss of quickness...Has
adequate muscle tone, but shows natural strength in his hand
punch......Has adequate muscle tone in his upper body and
possesses, smooth straight calves and needs to add
muscle...Lacks the "sand in his pants" to split double teams and
bull rush inside... |
|
Strength |
Does
an efficient job of holding ground at the point of attack on the
edge...Can handle fullbacks and tight ends, but will get
redirected vs. the linemen and neutralized by double
teams...Needs to develop a stronger anchor, as he can be pushed
off the ball, especially vs. double teams...as active hands and
good weight-room strength, but that power fails to translate to
the field in the form of a jolting hand punch...Lacks the bulk
to take on combo blocks, lacking the lower-body strength to
anchor... |
|
Quicks/COD |
His timed speed is impressive enough for a potential move to a
3-4 strong-side linebacker, but he will need to open his hips
better in his pass drops to get proper depth...In one-on-one situations, he
.With his sudden burst and ability to generate a pass rush off
the edge, he could shift to strong-side linebacker in the pros
and has experience at the position prior to
college...Quic | | |