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Targets for 2014 Dolphins Draft

Discussion in 'NFL Draft Forum' started by Bpk, Sep 24, 2013.

  1. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    It's early in the 2013 season, but why not start the discussion about who we may want in the draft.

    RG and RT currently looking like areas of need.

    DT if Soliai or Starks (or both) leave.

    Upcoming FAs we may need to replace:
    Nolan Carroll
    Brent Grimes
    Tyson Clabo
    Chris Clemons
    Richie Incognito
    John Jerry
    Dustin Keller
    Paul Soliai
    Randy Starks

    I could see us needing another CB, S, DT, OG and OT. If a RB doesn't distinguish himself this year, maybe we go there too.

    Looks like the draft will be heavy on the trenches and secondary. Anyone you guys have your eye on who'd fit the bill for us?
     
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  2. PerfectTeam

    PerfectTeam Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Grimes should be kept at this point. Incognito, Starks and Soliai should be kept as well depending on the price. Clabo is on his last legs and Jerry...meh. Clemons and Carroll I'm still on the fence about but I'd rather keep them then try to replace them. Keller we've already had to work on replacing so I don't see that as a big deal but depending on his knee, I would like to see him back at the vet minimum.
     
  3. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Some early favorites of mine....

    QB:
    Teddy Bridgewater || Blake Bortles, Zach Mettenberger, Tajh Boyd, Jimmy Garoppolo || Rakeem Cato, Tyler Russell

    RB:
    Melvin Gordon || Lache Seastrunk, Tre Mason || Storm Johnson, Jahwan Edwards, James White, Marion Grice, Carlos Hyde, Antonio Andrews || Charles Sims, Karlos Williams, Zurlon Tipton, Andre Williams

    TE:
    Troy Niklas, Jace Amaro, Eric Ebron || C.J. Fiedorowicz, Randall Telfer, Xavier Grimble, Gator Hoskins || Colt Lyerla

    WR:
    Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins || Marquise Lee, Donte Moncrief || Brandin Cooks, Devin Street || Jordan Matthews, Cody Hoffman, Antwan Goodley || Willie Snead

    OT:
    Jake Matthews, Cyrus Kouandjio, Billy Turner, Taylor Lewan, Cameron Erving || JaWuan James, Seantrel Henderson || Morgan Moses

    OG:
    Josue Matias || Cyril Richardson, Zach Fulton

    OC:
    Weston Richburg

    DE:
    Jadaveon Clowney || Scott Crichton || James Gayle, Aaron Lynch, Kony Ealy || Kerry Hyder, Davon Coleman

    DT:
    Aaron Donald, Ra'Shede Hageman, Louis Nix || Will Sutton, Timmy Jernigan, DeAndre Coleman || Brent Urban

    OLB:
    Vic Beasley, Anthony Barr || Kyle Van Noy, Khalil Mack, Ryan Shazier || Michael Sam || Dee Ford, Walker May, Roosevelt Nix

    LB:
    Shayne Skov || Christian Jones || Reshard Cliett, DeDe Lattimore, Jairus Jones, Terrance Bullitt

    CB:
    Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Darqueze Dennard, Jason Verrett, Bradley Roby || Kyle Fuller, Stanley Jean-Baptiste || Carrington Byndom, E.J. Gaines, Bernard Blake, Bene Benwikere, Keith McGill

    S:
    Ha Ha Clinton-Dix || Nickoe Whitley, Kurtis Drummond, Deone Buchanon, Antone Exum
     
  4. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Defensive tackle Brent Urban of Virginia is a very interesting case.

    At 6'7" and 295 lbs, he reminds me of Daryl Gardener in how you think he belongs as a statue somewhere amongst ancient Greek ruins.

    He currently leads all defensive linemen, and indeed is tied for top-13 in the entire NCAA FBS for Pass Break Ups. He's managed to bat down 5 balls at the line this season. He's also got 11 tackles and 1.5 TFLs so far this season. He batted down three of Taysom Hill's passes en route to a 19-16 win over BYU, who went on to score 41 points against Texas the following week.

    He moves and bends PRETTY darn well for that kind of mammoth size. He's big #99 and this is from his Spring Game.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NOf7edrkKKc#t=1399
     
  5. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    No Vic Beasley on the list yet? He might even be a better pure pass rusher than Barr & Van Noy. He reminds me of Wake in ability, measurables, motor, and style of play. Quickest get-off in college and pound for pound is the strongest kid on the team. He has an incredible speed rush and can bend the corner as well as and as sharply as Wake. Can already convert speed to counter, speed to power [and does so like he weights 260 pounds], and has a spin move that looks more like that of a basketball point guard. Wind him up and he just goes and goes and goes.
     
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  6. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    He's growing on me. Give me time. I'm working two jobs as it is. Draft has now officially fallen down the list to third job.

    I am a little worried as to what I'd do with him in the NFL. Not sure he's an end. Guess you could've said the same about Wake too but it was Wake's incredible work ethic, not incredible natural talent, that pushed him through that glass ceiling.
     
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  7. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    I think you turn him into a hybrid OLB ala Von Miller b/c Beasley has that type of athleticism, flexibility, and ability to play in space........ Or use him the way Gus Bradley did Bruce Irvin. He's a hard worker and has improved by leaps and bounds at RE in just a year and 3 games, not just in his pass rush repertoire but his overall cognizance and awareness of the game. He's built like a brick sh-thouse, has more bulk than Kyle Van Noy, and most likely could play at 245 pounds at 6'1.5 w/o losing a drop of speed. If he had been developed as a 3-4 OLB all along there's a chance he'd presently be ahead of Van Noy or at least equal to him IMO.

    Or maybe you groom him behind Wake who needed time to transform himself from a 6'2 235 pound linebacker into the 255 pound beast of a pass rusher we see now. At least Beasley's LTI is shorter b/c he's already being developed as a pass rusher which Wake obviously wasn't in college.

    Robert Mathis was 6'2 235 out of Alabama. I can see a comparison there as well.
     
  8. invid

    invid Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    How about this Khalil Mack guy? On the heels of what you're saying Phinsational.
     
  9. NUGap

    NUGap Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Some of the guys I'm interested in, which is to say I'm not in love with all but find them interesting for some reason. I'l exclude the guys on CK's list because there's no point in repeating some of the more obvious names.

    QB: Teddy Bridgewater
    HB: Tre Mason, Bishop Sankey, Ka'Deem Carey
    WR: Brandin Cooks (been a fan since watching Wheaton last year), DeVante Parker, Devin Street, Tevin Reese
    LB: Chris Borland, Adrien Hubbard, Eddie Lackey
    CB: Darqueze Dennard, Victor Hampton
    S: Ibraheim Campbell, Chris Young (LB/S hybrid), Dion Bailey, Erick Dargan

    I'm sure there are plenty more, these are just the names I pulled off the top of my head.
     
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  10. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    Interesting player, Invid. IMO he'll draw greater attention from 3-4 teams b/c of his current Buffalo role and the fact he always plays standing up. For a 4-3 team like us, I'd rather target a guy like Beasley whom we already know can play with his fingers in the dirt as a true edge rusher, plus he has the versatility to stand up, drop in coverage, and play in space from his prior time spent at LB.

    This is Beasley's recent game vs NC St. He's explosive with a capital E and has the core power, suddenness, and change of direction of a Von Miller. He's #3 at RDE. I timestamped the clips but for some reason they wont work.... but they will work if you wait for the link to start playing and then type an "s" at the end of it in your browser and hit enter.

    For instance, the first link opens up in your browser as:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=l4mWYMDPJLQ#t=6124
    so add an "s" to the end like below and hit enter.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=l4mWYMDPJLQ#t=6124s

    If you wanna replay the clip, remove the "s" and hit enter to refresh it..... and then to replay again, add the "s" back in. rinse-repeat


    Beasley1
    Beasley2
    Beasley3
    Beasley4
    Beasley5
    Beasley6
    Beasley7
    Beasley8
     
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  11. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I've never been particularly impressed with Ka'Deem Carey and I get real frustrated with Bishop Sankey's vision. Both guys don't seem very physically impressive to me.

    Dion Bailey is a great call. I just flat out forgot about him

    On the same defense, Leonard Williams is a guy I talked about some a few months back along the defensive line...a guy I wish were going to be draft eligible next year. He's still just a true sophomore. He's a beast.

    Watching Brandin Cooks this year it's hard for me not to notice how far along Sean Mannion has really come. I think we're going to have to start paying attention to him in the QB race.
     
  12. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    I know we're likely not in the game for another corner after taking both Jamar Taylor and Will Davis, but CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste of Nebraska is really quite good.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6xHpOsSGQQ

    He's lengthy but more like an Antonio Cromartie than a Sean Smith in terms of his quickness and ability to turn his hips for a taller, lengthier player. I like him. Well built for the position.

    Already has 4 interceptions this year plus 5 pass breakups...in only 4 games.
     
  13. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Wow...revising the list already. DE Scott Crichton, yowsa.

    What a talent.
     
  14. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    yeah that kid's got some fine ability. Thought he was a 1st round talent when I saw him last year.
     
  15. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Also amending offensive tackle Morgan Moses onto the list.

    Strong OT class shaping up.
     
  16. NUGap

    NUGap Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I just went over (and charted, because I'm a glutton for punishment) Vic Beasley's games with NC State and UGA based on your posts here. I'm very impressed. A wide variety of moves like you mentioned, can go inside, outside, but also works the bull rush pretty frequently. The UGA game was solid, but against NC State he was everywhere. I have two batted passes for him in addition to the three sacks and three separate three pressures. ESPN and Clemson's site list here anywhere between 225-235 and I don't know where the upper range of his weight is, but I'm intrigued as a pass rusher.

    I still have to do the SC State game and I have a ton of data I'll dump in a post later, but right now I have 5 sacks, 3 pressures, and 1 knockdown for Beasley on 52 snaps. Which would give him a pass rush rating of 5.8. Even if you thought I had no clue how to assess a pressure, with just sacks it would still be 10.4, which is solid.
     
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  17. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    The rate at which he's picked up the game as a pass rusher is pretty astonishing, and he's got those long arms that he already uses quite well. Great work with his inside hand. I believe he's about 230 now as he added roughly a dozen pounds this year, which he seemed to have packed on fairly easily after moving to a position that requires more bulk. I could see 240-242 come combine. Yeah his bull rush is surprisingly effective given his size, but I guess that's where being the pound-for-pound strongest player on the team comes in handy, eh.

    I wouldn't bother with the SC State game; I don't recall him seeing much action. Thanks for tracking the stats BTW.
     
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  18. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    RB Andre Williams of Boston College is an interesting player.

    He's huge and strong, and that's immediately going to stand out to the scouts. He's listed 6'0" and 227 lbs and I don't doubt the listing. His legs are like tree trunks. He accelerates well on a straight line and has the ability to easily break through arm tackles. He has some lateral ability in the open field to run to daylight. He's a willing blocker than puts together pro-looking protection snaps at times, which is more than you can say for most college tailbacks. Really good vision. Sees the blocking as he's taking the handoff, knows what he needs to do with the football. Can't say that about a lot of guys, you'd be surprised.

    The problem is his lack of COD skills is significant. You won't make him a zone cutback runner because he can't hit the cutback. He'll see it, you can tell he sees it, but physically he can't hit that cutback. You can't let guys into the backfield because he can't make them miss. He's not going to bounce things outside with a 70 degree cut as he maxes out maybe around 40 degrees.

    You just have to know what systems you can get him into and what systems you really can't. He'll create some yards after contact and he'll break plenty of arm tackles though.
     
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  19. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Wow. RB Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin is fun to watch.

    Makes me realize what I'd been missing with some of these other guys. That's true explosive play making ability in a tailback. For some reason when I watch Gordon at tailback I'm reminded of Cordarrelle Patterson at receiver.

    His teammate RB James White is excellent as well, very polished vision, good build and ability to gain yards. But Gordon makes him look bad somehow.

    Revising my list...
     
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  20. NUGap

    NUGap Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I had him on my list but I'm intrigued by Devin Street from Pitt. For a 6-3/6-4 guy, he has great run after the catch ability. Not only on deep routes, but getting yards on slants and crossing routes. I've only seen the FSU game from this year, but he spent some time working out of the slot. I'm not sure if the Dolphins will look to do anything at WR with Gibson having two more years on his contract, but I think his versatility and quickness from the slot and as a deep threat could match well with the offense.

    I've seen some early scouting reports knocking his size and ability to get off press coverage, but I didn't see that too much in the positive or negative in the few games I looked at. I think if you're comparing him to similarly sized Justin Hunter from last year, I like Street's quickness/hands more than Hunter but Hunter's body control more. Feel like I haven't seen a ton of 'go up and get it' catches from Street. Plenty more games in the season to see if it develops though.
     
  21. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    CK, you included Tyler Russell on your list at quarterback. I'm curious what makes you put him there.

    I'm one of the ones that feels Dak Prescott should start the rest of the games for Mississippi State. Tyler just isn't a great fit for a spread to run system, and neither Urban Meyer nor Dan Mullen have done a good now or in the past at adapting their offense to a non-mobile quarterback.
     
  22. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'd be very interested in Louis Nix, the DT from Notre Dame, as a direct replacement for Paul Soliai. Obviously he's got size, but he's pretty mobile for a bigger guy, and allows you to maintain that flexibility to shift between fronts and techniques. The only thing that worries me are that he's had conditioning issues in the past.
     
  23. Bjorn

    Bjorn Season Ticket Holder

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    Keep an eye on Paul Richardson, WR Colorado. He's got star wr written all over him.
     
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  24. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    To me it would depend on how much Soliai is asking for. I think we'd have to weigh the cost/beneift of using a 1st rounder to save us $4 million/year at DT. Considering we have one quality 3-tech under contract another year [Odrick], I think it'd make more sense to re-sign Soliai to secure up the other DT spot and then draft another quality 3 tech to replace Starks and groom behind Odrick so that he's ready to go in 2015 should we not be able to get a deal done with Jared.
     
  25. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I think that'd dependent on what happens with Marvin Austin. I think he's a nice project to have as a developmental 3-technique. And, so far this year, Randy Starks is the best DT Miami has; he's been better than Soliai and Odrick. Odrick had a good game against Atlanta, and if that continues, then I'd be more inclined to let go of Starks. But, for now anyway, I'd rather re-sign Starks. I'm still not sure why he hasn't started over Odrick if it's purely based on performance and not...other factors, let's call it.

    As good as Soliai has been, I think some 3-4 team may offer him a boatload of money. I think Nix has a chance to be like a Vince Wilfork type of player.
     
  26. bigdevo

    bigdevo New Member

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    Look at the New Mexico running back Kasey Carrier. Dude is quick and has nice speed. Perfect mid draft target! He's not a big back, but looks like a mix of Giovani Bernard and MJD.

    Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2
     
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  27. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Tyler Russell has his problems in that offense which as you say seems a little more geared toward the spread with some run-option. Russell is more pro style.

    What I like about him really is just his ability to throw the football and fit it into tight windows over the intermediate areas of the field. I think he's destined to be a better pro than college player and I would take a good look at him for a backup position.

    The thing you don't know and can't tell unless you do some extensive interviewing or see more on the field is how he approaches the game, how much he studies, etc. Those are some of the things that have thrown up red flags for me.

    Bottom line to me though is he looks like a pro passer and I'd like to see more.
     
  28. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Two thoughts.

    1. I must need to see more of him because I don't see the fuss. He can clearly run well but he's light on his feet, doesn't look physical, doesn't look precise or balanced, doesn't play the ball in the air like a boss, and against Colorado State he had trouble separating in man coverage against their corners.

    2. I've got to check out Colorado State's corners more because despite some safety miscues that resulted in big plays, DeAndre Elliott and Bernard Blake had Richardson in lockdown whenever they covered him in man. Especially Bernard Blake who looks more polished than the younger Elliott right now...though Elliott might have more potential down the line.
     
  29. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    Well then. Guess what I saw in CB Bernard Blake wasn't so much a coincidence after all. Had an interception on A.J. McCarron when they played Alabama. I remember that game being frustrating because I picked Alabama to crush Colorado State and cover the very wide spread but Colorado State wouldn't stop playing quality defense, stopped Bama from just piling on the points on offense.

    The game ended up being 31-6 but only 24 of those points for Bama were on offense, and for most of the game I think Alabama's offense was more frustrated than not...and they were IN Tuscaloosa, to boot.

    Bernard Blake let up a big play to WR DeAndrew White in the game, who got him on a double move. Blake didn't have any safety help. But he still recovered, closed on the ball and physically contested the catch. He hit White as he jumped and caught it, but White made a good catch.

    White caught another ball with Blake in the area, this one a 30 yard TD strike...but it's not easy to tell who screwed up the coverage on that one. It looked like quarters coverage and the safety who had the quarter that DeAndrew White had steered into had bit down on another receiver, leaving his deep quarter open. I'm FAIRLY comfortable saying that given the technique Blake was playing on the play, which betrays the area of the field that he primarily had to be responsible for (deep left), that touchdown probably was not his fault. But see for yourself...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6saX2K3LHjo&feature=player_detailpage#t=6260

    Blake let up another 10 yard comeback to White in man coverage, but it was called back on a holding penalty by Bama's OL. There was another play where McCarron rolled out to his left and Blake failed to stay as plastered onto Kenny Bell as he needed to be, but that was because McCarron got hit as he rolled out to his left and tripped, and at that point seemingly the whole defense bit up thinking he wouldn't recover and throw a good pass. They were right in that McCarron didn't throw a GOOD pass, it sailed 5 yards past Kenny Bell, but because the defense including Blake bit when McCarron tripped, Bell had a good 2 yards on him vertically.

    But otherwise he picked off A.J. McCarron, smacked him good on a corner blitz, played Christian Jones in the slot on a 3rd & 5 and tackled him for only a 4 yard gain which forced a punt, and BEAUTIFULLY played and broke up a deep ball to Kenny Bell.

    The interception was a great play. McCarron came off his first read which was the left side of the field, scrambled out to the right a little bit and threw up a ball trusting his receiver to fight for it but Blake had stayed plastered to the receiver, undercut him, leaped for the ball and made the catch as he was going to the ground despite the receiver draped all over him trying to break it up.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6saX2K3LHjo&feature=player_detailpage#t=4239

    They moved him all over the field throughout the game. After the interception they even moved him into the slot where held a receiver to a 4 yard gain on 3rd & 5, forcing a punt.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6saX2K3LHjo&feature=player_detailpage#t=4970

    Here's the beautiful deep throw to Kenny Bell on Bernard Blake's single coverage. Blake stayed with Kenny and broke up the pass. I don't give two sh-ts that the officials called pass interference on the play. It was a poor call. Just because you make contact with the back hand while knocking down the pass with the front hand, does NOT mean a flag should be thrown. You need to actually have physically turned and affected the receiver with that back hand in order to garner the flag. Without having turned or tugged the guy, the contact is purely incidental. It's not Bernard Blake's fault the official doesn't have a proper understanding of the rules.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6saX2K3LHjo&feature=player_detailpage#t=7025

    Runs real fluidly in bail technique with excellent overall balance as he swivels his hips in coverage. He doesn't seem to trip over himself just because he needs to flip his hips around. On one play I saw him have to do this like two or three times and he still kept perfect balance and got involved breaking up the pass in the end zone against Colorado. Good at getting his head around at the end of a catch. He must have some athletic ability which he showed by keeping up in single coverage with Kenny Bell on a deep pass and still having enough juice left to leap up and knock away the football as he was at a dead run, which is hard to do athletically.

    Really willing to stick his nose in and be physical, even against much bigger and more powerful players. Knows to set the edge, and I haven't seen him fail to do it yet. Even on Bama's final TD of the game, he set the edge and forced the screen player inside where there should have been more defensive help. The help just didn't arrive. Flashes some nice form, stick and wrap tackling.

    Joey Porter is a defensive coaching assistant on that defense, incidentally.
     
  30. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    By the way NU_Gap, I think you might have something on Devin Street.

    Really interesting SYSTEM fit, given everything I've been doing on B/R showing how Philbin's system uses the slot receiver. You get a guy as big as Street that already has experience playing in the slot, sitting down in zones, making himself available for the QB, and yet he's got the ability to threaten the defense vertically, AND he's got run after catch ability which is currently what is missing from a Brandon Gibson...I think that's something the Dolphins could/should be interested in. Depending on what happens between now and April 2014, you might even be able to take a look at him for a cheaper price tag because he fits your system better than others.
     
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  31. NUGap

    NUGap Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    For those interested in this sort of thing, here's my metrics breakdown of Vic Beasley so far: http://t.co/m3vUVySTL6

    Highlights:

    -Quick on getting to the QB on sacks, averaged 3.16 seconds which is half a second faster than Mingo last year
    -11 total pressures so far on 69 total snaps, pass rush productivity of 6.7 (one pressure every 6.7 snaps)
    -42% of rushes to the outside shows he's not just a one-trick outside speed rush guy
     
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  32. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    I figure that this is why Dan won't just outright bench him, even though it is beyond obvious that the offense works better with Dak Prescott in the game. I've discussed this on some Mississippi State boards I'm a member of, but when you look at the history of this Urban Meyer/Dan Mullen style of spread-to-run offense, the coaches always struggle to adapt to a drop back style passer that doesn't bring a lot of mobility to the table.

    Tyler is a big, strong armed drop back passer that set a lot of school passing records last year. He got the attention of NFL scouts. I think that attention is the reason Dan won't just outright bench him. Expect to see a two quarterback system at Mississippi State from this point on, and Dan will likely try to maximize Tyler's passing from this point on.

    The alarming thing with Tyler to me is his play against stronger competition. On the year last year, Tyler had 24 TD passes and 10 INTs with a 135.42 rating and a 7.4 YPA average on about 30 attempts per game. Against ranked opponents though, his numbers drop to 4 TDs, 7 INTs, 108 rating, and 6.2 YPA in about 32 attempts per game through 4 games. Against non-ranked opponents, he had 20 TDs, 3 INTs, 148 rating, and 7.9 YPA in 9 games on about 30 attempts per game.

    I don't know if NUGap has any of his statistical break down on Tyler, but I'd like to see them if he does.

    This offense has always worked better with a mobile guy at quarterback though. At Bowlling Green, Urban and Dan started out with Andy Sahm (drop back guy), but the offense took off with Josh Harris (dual threat). At Utah, they had Alex Smith, who they chose to start over the pocket guy Brett Elliot. Elliot would later transfer to Linfield College, and oddly enough, he's a GA/quality control coach at Mississippi State now. At Florida, the offense was better with Tebow than it was with Brantley or Leak. Now at Ohio State, Urban has Braxton Miller.
     
  33. ToddPhin

    ToddPhin Premium Member Luxury Box Club Member

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    Those are some cool, interesting stats, NU.... especially measuring the avg time to sack. I wonder how that 3.16 compares to Von Miller.

    Nice article BTW.
     
  34. ckparrothead

    ckparrothead Draft Forum Moderator Luxury Box

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    If you want some thunder to go with Lamar Miller's lightning then you might look at FSU backup RB Karlos Williams. He is an underclassman though.

    When I originally saw Karlos play as a strong safety I thought he had 1st round pick ability at that position. They ended up short at tailback and asked him how he felt about moving to that position. They let him make the decision, he was going to play at either spot. He chose to make the move to tailback.

    At 6'1" you worry about him being too high for a tailback. But there have been runs against Nevada, Bethune-Cookman and Boston College where he lowers those pads into the hole while keeping his balance and feet and the guy is like a battering ram. There's an 11 yard run against Nevada, his last run of that game, that people really need to see if they're worried about power and pad level on the 6'1" and 225 lbs player.

    On the other hand because he's so new to the position he has a tendency, which I've seen maybe about three or four times out of 23 runs, to turn his shoulders in the hole off contact, trying to spin off it. It's an instinct many have to try and stretch for that final yard after contact but it's not a good habit in my opinion because it doesn't help you keep your balance or to get those yards after contact. Keeping your shoulders squares is the best strategy but I think it's an instinct that won't come natural to guys and it's something they've got to learn. Daniel Thomas does this constantly and it drives me nuts. So it is something to watch out for.

    But something else that drove me nuts about Daniel Thomas at K-State was when you just broke it down he wasn't breaking that many tackles or running for that many yards after contact. That's not Karlos Williams. Karlos Williams has broken several tackles on his 23 runs this year. Several times he's lowered those pads and just bulled players forward for between 3 and 8 yards (you have to see that Nevada run).

    The thing that most people are probably going to recognize first about Karlos Williams though is his speed and athletic ability. He was a defensive back. He's fast. His very first run of his career as a tailback was a 65 yard touchdown against Nevada. Did the offensive line blast open a hole that you or I could have run through? Yes. But there are a lot of tailbacks that take that 20, 25 maybe 30 yards and get caught. He was faster than every single defensive player giving chase. His lead on them was not decreasing to where he would've been met if he had 80 yards to run. Nor did he keep his lead simply because players gave up. That could've been a 100 yard touchdown.

    But there's another run against Bethune-Cookman that showed his pure ability. People will say blah blah blah, Bethune-Cookman, level of competition, yadda yadda. I don't care. Blot out every single player on the tape but him and have him running on a field by himself. The way he planted his foot and went from going east to north, the acceleration he showed after that plant, those things were top notch.

    As a blocker, you can tell he doesn't quite know what he's doing yet there. He hasn't been able to completely square up yet, that I have seen. But he's physically gifted and brings a linebacker/safety mentality to the job, and that makes him more effective than probably 80% of tailbacks I see blocking in college football. What I mean about a linebacker/safety mentality is that snap-to-whistle mentality of finding work and sticking to your task. As a safety or linebacker, you're pretty much always working toward the ball until the ball carrier is down or the ball is waaaay out of reach (like end zone out of reach). Too many offensive players (and defensive linemen) have like a single-shot mentality about what they're doing. They take aim and fire their shot and then as far as they're concerned, they're done.

    There's one particular play that best exhibits Williams' attitude about finding work and blocking, although I think I've seen two or three plays with signs of the attitude. During the best example, he doesn't quite square up successfully with the guy he's blocking off the edge, which as I said is part of him not quite being used to the position yet. So the guy is delayed a little but ends up getting past him. Karlos sticks with him the whole way though making sure the pass rusher didn't have completely free ability to track and mirror Jameis Winston (Jameis Christ), who was able to feel the rusher and sidestep him a little. As soon as Jameis made that slight move, that gave Williams the advantage again and he wiped the pass rusher out. But he wasn't done. Jameis continued to roll left and immediately after wiping out the pass rusher Karlos turned around to find his quarterback, run after him and continue to bodyguard him any way possible. Sure enough, Winston gets toward the sideline and there's a defender bearing down on him, Williams mows him over from the side (legally) and Jameis is able to run for the first down. As I said, most of these blockers have one bullet in the chamber and MAYBE one in the clip. Karlos Williams had one in the chamber and two in the clip on this play. I love that.

    We don't really know what he is as a receiver yet. I've seen him on one route use his body and shoulders to create separation as he broke outside, but there haven't been many reps like that one. The best rep he's had this way was a wheel route against Boston College where he got open against the linebacker's man coverage but the ball was under thrown and to the inside. He noticed the trajectory of the ball pretty early and made a move to cut inside to the football. The linebacker was doing all he could just to keep up and so he had his back turned to the ball and just ended up plowing right into Karlos Williams' chest as he tried to cut inside to the football. It was clear-cut pass interference and the officials threw the flag.

    As a physical specimen that happens to be a tall runner but maybe doesn't have quite the instincts for the position you need yet (still learning) he reminds me of a blend between Ronnie Brown and Darren McFadden.

    EDIT: Two touchdowns today versus #25 ranked Maryland. Has gained 4 yards from the 9-yard line, a TD from the 3-yard line, 1 yard from the 2-yard line, a TD from the 1-yard line, 10 yards from the 11-yard line, 0 yards from the 1-yard line, a TD from the 1-yard line, a TD from the 1-yard line, and a TD from the 17-yard line. Plus a play technically not in the red zone but was 19 yards from the 22-yard line. To be fair if we're counting those, also a 4 yard gain from the 20-yard line and a -3 yard loss from the 23-yard line. I account that as about an 80% success rate in the red zone by my own measures.
     
  35. Stitches

    Stitches ThePhin's Biggest Killjoy Luxury Box

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    Wonder if they'll be interested in a true FB like JC Copeland? (I only mention him specifically because he is who I am most familiar with)
     
  36. KB21

    KB21 Almost Never Wrong Club Member

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    Tyler got to play tonight. To me, he showed his potential and his warts. He made two beautiful passes for touchdowns, one a long pass and one a sweet back shoulder throw to Jameon Lewis over the coverage.

    Then, on 3rd and 11, he takes a sack because he doesn't pick up on the blitz and holds the ball too long. He then has an opportunity on 4th and long to convert the first down, but he doesn't put enough on the pass to get it behind the corner and in front of the safety.
     
  37. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    #1 target = Mettenberger
     
  38. TooGoodForDez

    TooGoodForDez Deion Sanders for GM

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    #2 target = DL Easley, Florida
     
  39. Stitches

    Stitches ThePhin's Biggest Killjoy Luxury Box

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    Not unless he comes packaged with Landry and Beckham.
     
  40. anlgp

    anlgp ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

    At this rate, I hope we keep draft O-line (high), RB (mid), Secondary (mid), DT (possibly high if Soliai / Starks go), TE (would like high)...

    did I mention O-line?
     

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