Always the horses, seldom the jockey...
Daily Commentary on the Dallas Sports Scene - By Bob Sturm - Sportsradio 1310, The Ticket - The Athletic Dallas - The Athletic - Bob Sturm
We slide into our second edition of 12 weekly digests by continuing with this deep group of high-end edge rushers. Due to the randomness of our ordering, we will actually find the top few of the 10 to be in this grouping. Make sure you catch our first volume from last week.
We begin the journey today at one of the most important positions on any contending roster — the edges. The NFL has forced edge rushers to evolve over the years. Once upon a time, your edges were 280-plus pounds and stout. Now, we want twitchy speed, but enough strength that you are not a target in the run game. We want guys with absurd abilities to run in space, change direction, but also able to stand tall at the point of attack as well as trouble offensive tackles with length, strength and pass-rush moves that utilize body control. More than anything, this is a position that requires an endless reserve of energy and passion. While some folks may roll their eyes at the concept of the “motor”, you will find that every great edge rusher has the ability to throw everything at you over and over for three hours of a game. Because that one fourth-quarter sack can make the entire game look like a success.
Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, March 5, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
NFL DRAFT DIGEST - WEEK 6
We will get to five talented defensive dudes below....
By now, hopefully you are up to speed on the weekly draft project to make sure we are familiar with all of the talented players who will be taken in the top two rounds in April's draft. It would be better if we had a little more time, because I already feel like getting to everyone is going to be a long shot, but here are prospects 26-30 (in terms of my random examination - not their quality by any stretch), so I imagine we will only be able to get to 50-60 names in all since today is St. Patrick's Day and I average five players a week.
We are only 41 days from the draft - so if we hurry, I can maybe get 30 more names under the bell. It all ticks by very fast.
As you also hopefully know, I am really stressing defense this year. I fully realize that the Cowboys were looking WR/TE in the first few rounds when I started this project - which was sort of solved by keeping Terrance Williams for about 12 hours before Doug Free retired. Now, if you told me they would grab a right tackle at #28 or #60, that might seem plausible, too.
That said, with three starters from the secondary gone, Jaylon Smith still a question, and the team obsessing over finding a war-daddy, I have decided to go 40-deep on defensive prospects and risk only getting 10-20 on offense. Sometimes, you have to make tough choices.
And now, on to this group - Week 6: Alabama's Reuben Foster, Wisconsin's TJ Watt, Vanderbilt's Zack Cunningham, Youngstown State's Derek Rivers, and Florida's Jarrad Davis:
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Reuben Foster - LB, Alabama
6'1 - 228
Stats last two years: 30 games | 188 tackles | 21 tackles for loss | 7 sacks | 11 passes broken up
Foster is another from the Alabama defensive machine that is widely talked about as a top-10 pick and a sideline-to-sideline monster who can anchor any defense.
POSITIVES: This All-American plays the inside linebacker position with the ability to run like a safety but bang into bodies like a linebacker. He mirrors running backs with great ease when he lines up against the run and pass and has hips to handle the turn and go. He closes on the ball with ferocity and looks the part of all of those first-round Alabama LBs before him who played the similar spot - Hightower, Mosely, Rolando McClain. He covers plenty of ground and comes through on both the A-gap blitzes but more impressively, can put his hand in the dirt and display some uncommon edge-rushing ability for these run-and-hit LBs, similar to Jaylon Smith last year. He stands tall and handles shedding guards and centers quite well.
CONCERNS: The biggest concern here - aside from the occasional off-field scrape - is that he plays on such a talented defense that he is not asked to perform some of the tasks of his fellow prospects. For instance, Foster almost always runs clean. This means he is allowed to mirror the RB with almost no contact. His defensive line is so good that we don't know much about his work in traffic or too many examples of shedding. He is always clean, which allows him to look his best. That will not go with him to the NFL. He also doesn't finish plays quite as much as you would expect as he goes in for the kill but will allow some to break through his effort and require help from mates to finish the play.
Foster is really, really good. I am not sure I like him as much as the consensus appears to be, but there is no question he belongs in the Top 25 prospects.
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Jarrad Davis - LB, Florida
6'2 - 238
Stats last two years: 23 games | 158 tackles | 17 tackles for loss | 5.5 sacks | 8 PBU
Davis is another high-quality inside linebacker who has intangibles that suggest he is a fine candidate to run your defense in addition to the athleticism and ability to lead it.
POSITIVES: There are times when you look at Davis and wonder if this is Ray Lewis. He is a tackling machine who is eager at the snap to spring into action and looking to physically battle guards and jack up the guy in front of him. He brings a real load when he hits and those around him rave about his communication skills and knowledge of what he's seeing. He can blitz through the A-gaps with intent and get where he needs to go. He will physically challenge offensive linemen who are much bigger than him. He definitely is the definition of a brute-force linebacker.
CONCERNS: He has had some health issues that cause us to wonder if this is a position to spend too much on. I have always considered this the defensive version of RB in that the career span and the job description demonstrates how difficult it is to play this position in this style and have a long career. The way he plays and his health history suggest that he might be an injury concern. Also, compared to Reuben Foster, Zack Cunningham and Haason Reddick, Davis looks a bit more stiff and tight and therefore we wonder about his ability to man-cover a RB in the flat. This is more and more becoming a key part of the job at times, and even though he can go sideline to sideline, when it requires turn-and-go, he can be left in the dust.
Davis is an absolute dude. I like him a lot. Just not quite as much as a few others in the inside LB group.
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Zack Cunningham: LB, Vanderbilt
6'3 | 234 | 4.67 40 | 34 3/4 arms
Stats, last two years: 25 games | 228 tackles | 33 tackles for loss | 4.5 sacks | 6 forced fumbles - 6 PBU
Cunningham is a Butkus Award finalist and All0American who is a fantastic prospect and a player who excelled despite being on a team without a ton of additional talent.
POSITIVES: Cunningham appears to be the type of player who is perfect for the further evolution of football where you watch a guy and you aren't sure which position he fits best, but you realize he will fit great at any of them. He is a sideline-to-sideline guy, if you wish. He is an outside LB who has the arms and talent to play edge for you. And, you know, Vanderbilt would send him out to the slot to defend receivers and tight ends like a safety. Is he Kam Chancellor? Is he Erik Kendricks? He is very quick, very athletic and finds the ball-carrier before stopping the play with authority. His 4th-and-1 stop to win the Georgia game was his calling card, but he makes plays all game long.
CONCERNS: The only legitimate concern here for me is that you are projecting a bit more and not seeing him surrounded by those who allow for more opportunities for splash plays. He also tackles high, which allows bowling-ball RBs to slip through at times. You would love just a little more bang in his hits, but beyond that, he is really impressive. His range will jump off the screen.
Cunningham is going to be a seek-and-destroy force on defense for a long, long time. He may end up being the best player from this group at the next level.
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These next 2 are back to "edge rushers" and guys who could be those high-sack producers we have visited about for weeks...
Derek Rivers: LB, Youngstown State
6'4 | 248 | 4.61 40 | 32 3/4 arms
Stats, last two years: 27 games | 110 tackles | 35 tackles for loss | 22 sacks
Rivers is the rare small-school prospect who is getting all sorts of positive reviews after showing well at the Senior Bowl and Combine as an elite athlete.
POSITIVES: Rivers is a really athletic edge who has the short-space quickness that dazzles on the screen. He also has production that borders on insane when you consider he had over 90 plays behind the line of scrimmage while in college. He gets low and his pursuit is absurd. His opponents have no choice but to hold him at times. He is off-the-charts twitchy. He has some people seeing DeMarcus Ware with his athletic traits and his small-school beginnings. He has the ability to look the part very well when he gets the game going in his direction. He brings electricity and suddenness to the edge which usually translate well if the traits are special enough. And they appear to be.
CONCERNS: The concern about Rivers is two-fold. Neither of these are deal-breakers at all, but they must be considered. 1) He is going up against very poor offensive linemen. He generally is lining up against the right tackle of these opponents and if Big 12 schools don't have two good tackles, you can imagine Northern Iowa doesn't, either. 2) He has very few moves most of the time. He has superior athleticism and that works at his level with a nice motor. The question is how well he can be taught moves that will be required where the tackles are very strong on Sundays. He is very interesting and may have a higher ceiling than most. That said, he may also have a lower floor than top-50 edge guys, so there is a gamble in trusting this tape.
Rivers has great quality and when forced to choose, he might be your guy. But he comes with a slight reservation - which is common with players from his level.
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TJ Watt: LB, Wisconsin
6'4 | 252 | 4.69 40 | 33 1/8 arms
Stats, last two years: 27 games | 71 tackles | 17 tackles for loss | 11.5 sacks | 28.5 explosives
Watt has been forever known as JJ's little brother, but he earned his own identity in the last year as a legitimate candidate for Round 1.
POSITIVES: You want an edge player who explodes over the line at the snap and attacks. This destroys run and pass plays alike and puts the offense into a defensive posture themselves. Watt does that so well with his ability to set the edge and close down plays. He can trouble left tackles with a pass-move array that uses power and quickness very well. He can destroy plays and he can also use his arms to just push a tackle back into the QB. He tested as an elite athlete and one of the best in this group. He is far from developed but the progress shown since September is just silly. He certainly is of interest by many teams at the moment.
CONCERNS: The biggest issue is that he was a TE/fullback just 18 months ago. That means he has so much to learn and there is not a massive sample size of his abilities. Despite that, you would not call his moves raw. You are trying to figure out what scheme he fits best in, but I believe I am comfortable with him in the Dallas scheme as an explosive edge element. His size might make you think more about a 3-4 OLB, as he was in college for the most part. There is also concern of adding too much value for his last name, but his brother had nothing to do with his tape or his combine performance - aside from DNA.
Watt looks the part and although he was not on the radar when this project began last summer, he is now comfortably in Round 1 discussions.
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Next week, we get back to the defensive backs as the Cowboys are trying to replace about 2,700 snaps in their secondary. It is a good draft for it, so plenty of work to do.
Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) sacks Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Joel Stave (2) during the third quarter of the Advocare Classic on Saturday, September 5, 2015 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)
Here we go with Week 3 of our Draft Digest -
I realize I am going rather heavy on defensive players this season, but that is the fun thing about my exercise each spring; I can tailor my search to what I perceive to be the Cowboys' main focuses. I have deduced that Dallas is search for sacks, cornerbacks, and selected skill position players on offense in the first two days of the draft. And, I have modified my search accordingly. That means that for the 3rd straight week, I am looking for big fellas who can get to Aaron Rodgers in a playoff game and help this team continue down the road.
Now, I want to make one simple point this week that seems obvious, but often gets lost in the shuffle. There is no point in taking a player who you already have (at least in Round 1). So, every time I look at this board, I am trying to ask myself, "Do the Cowboys already have someone who can do this?" And, if they do, is that player in the fold for a while? Because, I do want depth and a rotation, but this Cowboys front is definitely missing some elements -- and I would sure love to find players who fill the void, rather than players who simply provide redundancy. Redundancy is useful. It helps you sustain injuries and fatigue. But, it doesn't help you get to the QB on that one play in that one playoff situation. And that is the guy I am looking for. Of course, picking at #28 complicates the matter, too.
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So every week we grab five more prospects and really give them the eyeball -- 200 snaps -- and try to look at what they do and don't do well, with a projection as to how they would fit A) in the NFL, and B) in the Cowboys' defense. Some, obviously, look like terrific pros, but not a scheme fit.
So, now, let's move on to Week 3: Here we have: Alabama's Jonathan Allen, Alabama's Ryan Anderson, Michigan State's Malik McDowell, Temple's Haason Reddick, and Ohio's Tarell Basham. All of these players seem quite qualified to rank in the Top 50 (or so) prospects in this draft.
Allen has been considered one of the top names in this draft for quite a while and is perhaps the top defensive tackle in the entire group (Stanford's Solomon Thomas has something to say about that, too). Allen is a freakish athlete and can provide fabulous results against the run or pass.
POSITIVES: Allen is a very impressive athlete for a man his size which qualifies him for the rare title of being a "dancing bear" in the middle. These players possess size, but also the ability with their quickness and balance to seem unblockable for large parts of the game. He fights to beat double teams and can live in the backfield. He has great wrestler leverage which is important for defensive tackles. Perhaps one of his best traits is he appears highly intelligent in realizing what play is coming and knows what to do next to bring it to a stop. He certainly can play many spots, but I see him as a fantastic force inside. He is productive and he lives in the backfield where run plays go to tide. He seems a lot like Geno Atkins to me. You can't zone block him very well. Really has great hands and uses them to control the blocker in front of him easily. He is a destroyer at DT.
CONCERNS: Very few concerns to be honest. He seems like he can do whatever you ask him to do. Perhaps the closest thing to a concern is that he has already played a lot of football with 56 college games under his belt at a position where that means something. Otherwise, this is a true talent.
--- Has every quality you look for in a Top 5-10 selection.
Anderson is another key piece in this Alabama defense that will soon populate the NFL. There is a reason offenses felt hopeless trying to account for each of these studs.
POSITIVES: He can do a lot of things and Alabama asked him to prove that. Sometimes, he is a DE and is rushing the passer. Other times, he is clearly a stand-up OLB in a 3-4 and is dropping in coverage mostly into zones. In man, he seems a bit uncertain about his ability to stay with and thus can get too hand-on. He can really shed and tackle against the run. He is not afraid to go inside. He can dip around the edge, but I would be careful about expectations as a pure pass rusher.
CONCERNS: It is really difficult to analyze Alabama players who are a bit lower in the pecking order. When you feel like they are surrounded by 1st round picks, you have to be careful not to evaluate based on proximity. At Alabama, players get favorable matchups and sometime are left unaccounted for because of the scheme where Nick Saban will design a blitz and get a free rusher. We cannot assume a player like Anderson would shine as the top threat, and from what I have seen, there is some of that to consider with him. He is a very nice player, but I find him a bit of a tweener who causes me some real uncertainty when trying to picture him as a key component on a Sunday. I think I like him, but I don't love him. He isn't quite strong enough to win at the edge all day, but when he does, it is great. I have issues with his positional fit and quality projections.
--- Very serviceable Piece. Just have to Value correctly.
Basham is a real solid mid-major prospect that looks right at home when Ohio would step up in competition and seems to have all of the qualities to make it at the next level.
POSITIVES: Basham is a very impressive edge player who can turn the corner in a convincing manner with both speed and power. He is incredibly explosive and battles with real conviction. In one of his biggest tests of the season - at Tennessee - he put on a real show of terrorizing the entire Volunteer front. Just a defensive menace who can do many things. He sets the edge and prevents anyone from running outside zones to his side by walking his guy into traffic. He has a wonderful motor. He rallies to the ball. I love his combination of twitch and raw and functional power. I like him much more than most in this group.
CONCERNS: We need to see his weight at the combine because he ranges between 249 and 275. He looks like he has good size, but that is an awful big discrepancy. He has some technique rawness that seems plenty able to be developed, but does need to go through that process. He may be best as a 3-4 OLB and frankly, because of his abilities, he might be wasted as just a DE in a 4-3. The production does not completely match the tape. If he has been this good, we should likely have more than 41 explosives in 26 games at this MAC level.
--- I think he belongs with the group in the Top 2 Rounds. It is a bit of a projection and we want to see his testing results, but I am very bullish on Basham.
This very large inside player has unique traits that make him a rare prospect on the inside, but also comes with a number of interesting questions.
POSITIVES: McDowell is an athletic cut big man that makes you think of all of those special attributes of Calais Campbell and more recently, the big prospects from Oregon, Arik Amstead and Deforest Buckner. That means, initially, that he is a 5-technique in a 3-4, where he would take up double teams and drop anchor on plays to his side, with the athleticism to close plays down that go the other way. He is long and lean, but has freakishly long arms and on his day can really dominate inside against lesser athletes. He seems pretty smart at sniffing out plays meant to deceive the defense and is just a massive handful to contain. He has all sorts of ability and looks like a real high-end talent if everything falls right. He is very young and after watching his tape, I feel quite strongly about his ceiling.
CONCERNS: His production never approached his promise at Michigan State. He even got a tag of being lazy (which I dispute from my 200 snaps) and was hurt periodically. He will always have a leverage disadvantage in the trenches, but he battles and sneaks in creases very well. He seems to be cut like a Defensive End, but Michigan State liked him against guards inside. He had 7.5 college sacks in 37 games. That says quite a bit.
--- 1st Round talent, but it might take a few years to figure it all out.
Reddick is a fast-riser in this draft season as a jack of all trades defensive player that is simply a "baller" in scout's jargon. Not sure his best fit, just know he will be seen.
POSITIVES: He is a joker on the field in that it appears he is a safety playing up, but has the tenacity to bring the wood like a Linebacker and even rushes the passer at times like a DE. He is very small, but has electricity to his game where you try to find guys who get to the ball. He is very active and runs so well. He makes blockers miss and sheds traffic to make the stop. He may be undersized, but it seldom prevents him from getting in your backfield and getting the man down. Honestly, the way the NFL is going, where safeties play linebacker and linebackers play up, he seems to be this year's best example of that. At times, he appears to be literally everywhere.
CONCERNS: Clearly, the key will be to get a good fit with a defensive coach that will be willing to use him in a spot where it might not follow "the book". He is small. very small. And yet, at Temple, he would take over games and had an amazing ability to cause trouble all over. Finding the best fit and not asking him to do too much in coverage are both issues, but his upside and overall body of work tells you to let him play and enjoy the results.
--- Seemingly a 1st Round talent who fits in Today's NFL Quite Well.
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On Monday, now that 15 defensive front prospects have been eyed, I will try to rank them against each other to get a good view on where we currently stand. And then, we will move over to defensive backs for a few weeks.
