2019 Draft Prospects To Keep An Eye On

[wu-dai clan]

Study our depth chart and scheme.

Recognize the cycles of football.

...we play modern defensive football...

[Lone Bolt]

Study our depth chart and scheme.

Recognize the cycles of football.

...we play modern defensive football...

In studying depth chart and scheme a few years ago, did you think we were gonna take Bosa?

I can dream about a dline full of monsters if I want to....:hello:

[Topcat]

Study our depth chart and scheme.

Recognize the cycles of football.

...we play modern defensive football...

Wood, does that mean:

1. Draft a DT who can pass rush AND run-stuff?
2. Draft an OT who can pass pro AND road grade?
3. Draft a LB who can tackle AND cover?
4. Draft a CB who can play zone AND man up?

[wu-dai clan]

In studying depth chart and scheme a few years ago, did you think we were gonna take Bosa?

I can dream about a dline full of monsters if I want to....:hello:

Ancient history.
Now, about our 2019 roster, this draft, and current/future scheme...

[wu-dai clan]

Wood, does that mean:

1. Draft a DT who can pass rush AND run-stuff?
2. Draft an OT who can pass pro AND road grade?
3. Draft a LB who can tackle AND cover?
4. Draft a CB who can play zone AND man up?

Soon.


...we play modern defensive football.

[Topcat]

Soon.


...we play modern defensive football.

When I hear "modern defensive football," what comes to mind immediately is how to defend against a team like the Cheatriots. We need hybrid players, versatile players, 3-DOWN PLAYERS, who are able to adapt, improvise and overcome whatever Brady and Belicheat throw at us, pass, run, scramble, whatever it is, we have to have the horses to defend it, or go home after the playoffs...

[NoMoreChillies]

When I hear "modern defensive football," what comes to mind immediately is how to defend against a team like the Cheatriots. We need hybrid players, versatile players, 3-DOWN PLAYERS, who are able to adapt, improvise and overcome whatever Brady and Belicheat throw at us, pass, run, scramble, whatever it is, we have to have the horses to defend it, or go home after the playoffs...

I agree. Cheatriots are the bar to beat.

Draft:
1. Dexter Lawrence : He will be surrounded by elite talent and O-lines will have to double team him or lose their QB. This free's up other players to beat 1on1
2. Kaleb McGary : Run blocking beast who was adequate at pass blocking. More Melvin Gordon means less Rivers INT
3. TJ Edwards : Hybrid LB / Safety type player, who behind Ingram-Jones-Lawrence-Bosa front four will shine in zone coverage and become a ball hawk.

Seem modern enough for you folks?

[Topcat]

I agree. Cheatriots are the bar to beat.

Draft:
1. Dexter Lawrence : He will be surrounded by elite talent and O-lines will have to double team him or lose their QB. This free's up other players to beat 1on1
2. Kaleb McGary : Run blocking beast who was adequate at pass blocking. More Melvin Gordon means less Rivers INT
3. TJ Edwards : Hybrid LB / Safety type player, who behind Ingram-Jones-Lawrence-Bosa front four will shine in zone coverage and become a ball hawk.

Seem modern enough for you folks?

Chili, I like Lawrence and McGary, but one knock on Edwards is his supposed lack of coverage ability:

"Coverage Skills - Does not have a great deal of range due to tightness in the hips. Labors to hinge and gain depth, will have to turn eyes away from the backfield to get momentum and then lose the football. Is not going to match-up well in man to man due to athletic restrictions."

https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/t-j-edwards

And yet, Edwards was very strong in coverage, and in overall production in his college career. Look:

"Looking at Edwards now, it's tough to see him as a high school quarterback. The three-star recruit and two-time honorable mention All-Illinois selection was clearly a linebacker prospect when he arrived at UW. After redshirting the 2014 season, he exploded on the scene, earning Freshman All-American honors by leading his squad with 84 tackles (6.5 for loss) and breaking up four passes in 13 starts inside. Edwards was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2016, again topping his defense with 89 stops while posting 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three interceptions and two pass breakups in 13 games (12 starts). He was the Most Valuable Player of UW's win over undefeated Western Michigan that year (10 tackles, INT, forced fumble). His reputation grew in 2017, landing him on the Butkus Award finalist list and first-team Associated Press All-American and All-Big Ten squads. He started all 14 games, recording 81 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks, four interceptions (one returned for a score) and seven pass breakups. Edwards was a second-team all-conference pick as a senior, leading the Badgers with 113 stops, 11.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. He also compiled three sacks and two pass breakups in 13 starts."

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/t.j.-e...e-50db2aafad56

Definitely worth looking at him in round 3-4. Keep digging up these potential gems...

[Boltjolt]

Chili, I like Lawrence and McGary, but one knock on Edwards is his supposed lack of coverage ability:

"Coverage Skills - Does not have a great deal of range due to tightness in the hips. Labors to hinge and gain depth, will have to turn eyes away from the backfield to get momentum and then lose the football. Is not going to match-up well in man to man due to athletic restrictions."

https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/t-j-edwards

And yet, Edwards was very strong in coverage, and in overall production in his college career. Look:

"Looking at Edwards now, it's tough to see him as a high school quarterback. The three-star recruit and two-time honorable mention All-Illinois selection was clearly a linebacker prospect when he arrived at UW. After redshirting the 2014 season, he exploded on the scene, earning Freshman All-American honors by leading his squad with 84 tackles (6.5 for loss) and breaking up four passes in 13 starts inside. Edwards was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2016, again topping his defense with 89 stops while posting 8.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three interceptions and two pass breakups in 13 games (12 starts). He was the Most Valuable Player of UW's win over undefeated Western Michigan that year (10 tackles, INT, forced fumble). His reputation grew in 2017, landing him on the Butkus Award finalist list and first-team Associated Press All-American and All-Big Ten squads. He started all 14 games, recording 81 tackles, 11 for loss, two sacks, four interceptions (one returned for a score) and seven pass breakups. Edwards was a second-team all-conference pick as a senior, leading the Badgers with 113 stops, 11.5 tackles for loss, and three interceptions. He also compiled three sacks and two pass breakups in 13 starts."

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/t.j.-e...e-50db2aafad56

Definitely worth looking at him in round 3-4. Keep digging up these potential gems...

I think Edwards issue in the NFL will be his lack of quickness and speed. Otherwise I like him.

[Steve]

One of the things this thread is highlighting is the college production vs NFL production. There are some players and some stats that translate well to the NFL from college and some that do not.

Watch Dex Lawrence and see how he plays. Do you really think he can go after and catch QB in the NFL? Does he get quick pressure on the QB? Some players who are very effective in college simply cannot make the jump to the NFL. It is faster and quicker and there are a lot more instinctive players.

When I watch Dex Lawrence, he does make plays by forcing the QB off the mark and then finishes up the QB some when his teammates get the QB to scramble. How often do you see plays like that, in the same kind of time frame in the NFL? I know what his stats say, that he can force the QB off his mark and into the arms of another pass rusher. Maybe he is quick/fast enough to do some of that in the NFL. But to me, it looks like he is slow enough that he won't get there/do it in the NFL. Maybe I am wrong, but what is wrong is just blindly taking the stats and extrapolating them forward without any context. Math/Statistics are languages, but like all language, they need context.

Edwards is a similar sort of players. He really is one of the best coverage LB in college football. But he is slowish and while he has some short area quickness. But as far as making plays, while he makes a ton of plays on the ball (for a LB) those are not what you really want to know. Can he cover well enough in our scheme that the QB throws somewhere else. That is what coverage is, cover the guy so the QB has to make a bad decision or throw away. Edwards is a tackle to tackle thumper who might have it, but you have to account for his movement skills accordingly. Would you be willing to put Edwards at MLB for us, and then ask him to cover Alvin Kamara or Kareem Hunt?

[Steve]

When I hear "modern defensive football," what comes to mind immediately is how to defend against a team like the Cheatriots. We need hybrid players, versatile players, 3-DOWN PLAYERS, who are able to adapt, improvise and overcome whatever Brady and Belicheat throw at us, pass, run, scramble, whatever it is, we have to have the horses to defend it, or go home after the playoffs...

But how many players are there like that? How many players can develop those skills to be really effective at it?

Why not play more limited players and rotate them? Everyone can have their wet dream fantasies of the ideal 3 down players, but SB history is full of part time players who filled a role and were able to contribute, and win the SB. It is cheaper in terms of draft capital and financially. We want to add some 3 down players at the top, but once you get a bit lower in the draft, better to find someone who is exceptional in one area, and scheme around that skills, rather then have some half assed guy who does everything OK but doesn't excel in any one area.

As far as your evaluation of the Pats, there is a major flaw in it. You are comparing yourself against last years team, not this years. NE is not going to have the same sort of team. They lost Gronk, and they don't have the same kind of roster. He made that whole run pass thing go. A massive inline TE you cannot cover with a LB and who was the among the best blocking TE in football. He was what made that go, and he is no longer in that equation. We proved vs Baltimore that they don't have that same kind of run/pass option on every down. They are the next closest team in terms of having TE who can block and catch, and they are no where close to making it work like NE did. TO beat them, I would be looking for another mid/late round S type who can play in the box and might be a better run stuffer than pure coverage guy

[wu-dai clan]

Steve, Hockenson looks outstanding.

What a TE prospect !

Top 10 if not Top 5 IMV.