Good breakdown by position draft 2018

[antdrewjosh]

Accuracy, arm strength and everything to know about QBs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 7, 2018 • 9 min read

Everyone knows Josh Allen has the strongest arm in the 2018 NFL Draft, and Lamar Jackson is the most athletic. But who's the best down the field? Which quarterback's the most calm under pressure? Who's most ready to run an NFL offense featuring RPOs?

In one of the most-hyped quarterback classes of this generation, it's vital to break down and rank the individual capabilities of each signal-caller.

The first installment of this series will do exactly that. After closely examining the specific "skills" critical to each position -- in this case, the quarterback spot -- it's time to rank prospects in each facet.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top six quarterbacks in the qualities I deem most necessary to be a successful quarterback in the NFL (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Short/Intermediate Accuracy
Josh Rosen
Baker Mayfield
Mason Rudolph
Sam Darnold
Lamar Jackson
Josh Allen
Rosen's clean delivery, quality arm strength, and natural talent allow him to repeatedly throw with high-level ball placement on short and intermediate passes. And relative to the added difficulty of the throw, he's actually more accurate in the 10-19 yard range than he is close to the line of scrimmage.

Mayfield and Rudolph are closely behind Rosen in this category and demonstrated frequent pinpoint accuracy on quick passes and beyond the linebackers and in front of the safeties. Jackson, as you'll notice is a trend throughout in this article, drastically improved in this aspect of his game during his time as Louisville's starter.

Sleeper: Mike White

White operated a true spread system at Western Kentucky that prominently featured four and five wide receiver sets. His attack was based on the quick game, and he displayed consistent accuracy on those passes just beyond the line of scrimmage.

Processing
Rudolph
Rosen
Mayfield
Jackson
Darnold
Allen
Admittedly difficult to decipher what's going through the mind of a quarterback on film, in this class, Rudolph appears to possess the most speed moving from read to read. Some of those looks were seemingly predetermined pre-snap, but he made a variety of full-field reads at multiple levels, quickly scanning across the field split seconds after his initial read was covered.

Rosen is deft in this area as well on most of his snaps, yet I noticed him get "stuck" on his initial read a bit too long on a few too many plays, especially over-the-middle tosses to his tight ends. Jackson made gigantic strides in this area from 2016, and this facet of playing quarterback is the main knock I have on Mayfield. The Oklahoma scheme didn't help him here.

Sleeper: White

White is the sleeper here based on his vast experience throwing the football at Western Kentucky.

Pocket Movement
Rudolph
Rosen
Jackson
Mayfield
Darnold
Allen
At times, Rudolph held the ball too long and was sacked from behind on a chase-down pass rush. However, as he's going through his progressions, he naturally steps into the pocket. He often showed an awesome shoulder dip as he looked downfield when edge-rushers tried to get their hands on him around the corner. He also can move laterally and usually maintains a wide base to throw after drifting inside the pocket.

Jackson put some ridiculous pocket movement plays on film -- against free blitzers -- which led to him narrowly beating out Mayfield here, although the two are similar in this category. There are special flashes of creativity and a fair amount of times in which they run into pressure. Darnold has anxious feet in the pocket and can pull off incredible improvisational throws on the run. He's not refined calmly drifting from pressure right now though. Allen does tend to leave clean pockets much more than anyone listed above. I did notice a few plays of in-pocket maneuverability. He just needs to reign in his hyperactivity when things break down.

Sleeper: Logan Woodside

Woodside likes to lean on his passing prowess instead of his underrated scrambling ability and has some athleticism, which puts him at No. 6 in this category.

Decision-Making
Mayfield
Rudolph
Jackson
Rosen
Darnold
Allen
Mayfield rarely put the ball in harm's way in 2017. He had the luxury of throwing to wide open receivers time and time again and appeared to understand when it wasn't worth it to fire the football to a well-covered pass-catcher.

Rudolph is another quarterback who only made clearly bad decision a few times on nearly 500 pass attempts in 2017. Jackson has significantly improved in this area in his three years as the Louisville starter and was docked for his performance in the bowl game against Mississippi State, which did appear worse live than it did on the re-watch. Rosen's "over-improvisation" is the reason he's No. 4 here, although typically knows where to go with the football. Darnold is capable of elite-level anticipatory throws but is apt to be overly aggressive as well.

Sleeper: Brandon Silvers

On 443 passes in 2017, Silvers tossed just seven interceptions. His accuracy needs major work, as does his ability under pressure. He does do a good job keeping the ball away from the opponent.

Passing Under Pressure
Rudolph
Mayfield
Jackson
Rosen
Darnold
Rosen
Similar to his No. 1 ranking in the Pocket Movement category, Rudolph makes the most of plays in which he's pressured. Many of his long-ball connections -- and a handful of touchdowns -- came after a defender got free along the line of scrimmage.

Mayfield wasn't under pressure much behind Oklahoma's dominant offensive line yet showed the ability to make plays happen with pressure mounting. Jackson lacks some accuracy when protection cracks and counters that by being capable of making game-changing plays with his arm in those instances Rosen is probably the most accurate in this scenario. It's also when he tends to force the issue and either throw across his body, as he's falling down or off balance, or when coverage is too tight. The same goes for Josh Allen.

Sleeper: Woodside

Toledo had a strong offensive line in the MAC last season, yet blocking weakness showed against top competition. Check the game against Miami (FL). Woodside threw two touchdowns on under-pressure plays.

Deep Accuracy
Rudolph
Mayfield
Darnold
Jackson
Rosen
Allen
Yes, Rudolph threw to two NFL-caliber wideouts in James Washington and Marcell Ateman. He made the most of his enviable situation at Oklahoma State. Sometimes, he underthrows his deep tosses. Much more often than not, he drops passes 20-plus yards down the field right in the bucket.

Early in the season, Mayfield was more accurate down the field than he was later, yet overall, he exhibited fine ball placement on shot plays. This is one area where Rosen clearly struggles. Darnold and Jackson will misfire on two deep throws, then place the football perfectly downfield on their next five attempts. Allen, mainly due to his arm, is capable of connecting on outrageous long passes.

Sleeper: Woodside

Woodside's downfield ball placement deep leaves a little to be desired. He does have a tendency to find his receivers down the field though, even if a slight adjustment needs to be made.

Arm Strength
Allen
Jackson
Rosen
Darnold
Mayfield
Rudolph
No surprise here. Allen will have one of the NFL's strongest arms right away. Up there with Matthew Stafford and Joe Flacco.

Jackson possesses the Michael Vick-esque "flick" delivery that somehow leads to lasers being sent all over the field. The three in the middle all have underrated arms capable of fitting the ball into tight windows at the intermediate level and throwing the typical max distance in the NFL of 55 or 60 yards if need be. Benkert has a wide frame and a well-built upper body. That combination allows him to frequently throw the football at a high velocity. As for Rudolph, this is one area in which he's clearly behind his contemporaries. At times his aforementioned underthrows appear to be due to a lack of arm strength. Despite his reputation, at times, especially in the intermediate range where arm strength is needed most, Rudolph's passes arrive with plenty of zip.

Sleeper: Kurt Benkert

Benkert has a wide frame and a well-built upper body. That combination allows him to frequently throw the football at a high velocity.

Mobility
Jackson
Allen
Mayfield
Darnold
Rosen
Rudolph
No-doubter here. Jackson is the most electric, athletically gifted quarterback to enter the NFL since Mike Vick.

The top five quarterbacks in this category are well-rounded, highly sought after passers, so it's easy to assume they can't move. That isn't the case. They're all "new-age" signal-callers capable of scrambling when necessary.

Sleeper: J.T. Barrett

Barrett carried the football often at Ohio State, and is a proficient reading blocks.

Scheme Fits
West Coast
Rosen
Mayfield
Rudolph
Jackson
Darnold
Allen
Rosen is a rhythm passer who's the furthest ahead from under center than any of the top quarterbacks in this class. He works the middle portion of the field very well with impressive timing.

Mayfield and Rudolph are almost strictly shotgun passers -- which is not nearly as big of a deal as it's sometimes made to be -- and both are effective on timing throws in the short to intermediate range.

Sleeper: Nick Stevens

Each year it's getting more difficult to find the traditional "pro-style" offense being run at the collegiate level. Stevens took an assortment of snaps from under center and is comfortable operating deep-drop play-action plays.

Air Coryell
Darnold
Jackson
Allen
Rosen
Rudolph
Mayfield
Man, if Bruce Arians were still in Arizona, Darnold would've been the absolute perfect fit in his ultra-aggressive, vertical passing offense. For a 20-year-old quarterback, Darnold is immensely confident in his arm, often letting it rip down the field, and he has the arm and accuracy to threaten defenses.

Because of their ability to rocket the football downfield, Jackson and Allen would be fun in a Norv Turner-like play-action, deep-ball based system. Rosen, Rudolph, and Mayfield could theoretically work here, but a downfield scheme wouldn't be the best fits for their skill sets.

Sleeper: Riley Ferguson

Ferguson is well above-average on intermediate throws and doesn't shy away from the chance to hit a shot play down the field. He has a slightly unusual, almost three-quarter delivery yet the ball jumps out of his hand.

Spread/RPO
Mayfield
Rudolph
Jackson
Darnold
Rosen
Allen
The Oklahoma offense was the most creative attack I've ever watched. It manipulated linebackers on almost every snap with a dizzying variety of motions, misdirections, offensive linemen pulls, and options. Mayfield undoubtedly can efficiently run a spread attack, although I'm worried the scheme provided him with too many "easy" throws to wide open targets.

Rudolph's offense featured a fair amount of RPOs as well, and he played in a clear-cut spread scheme at Oklahoma State. This was a tough ranking because all the systems run at Louisville, USC, UCLA, and Wyoming had many spread concepts and utilized four and five wideouts plenty.

Sleepers To Watch: Nic Shimonek

Any Texas Tech quarterback is ready to call the shots in a spread offense after his time in college. While his arm or athleticism aren't close to Patrick Mahomes, Shimonek is one of the more physically capable Red Raider signal-callers of the past decade.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Hand use, bend and everything to know about edge-rushers
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 21, 2018 • 5 min read

The 2018 draft class of edge-rushers has grown on me the more I've watched, but it's not a loaded group like the running back, linebacker, or quarterback spots.

Bradley Chubb leads the way, and there are a handful of fun prospects who can become productive players at the next level.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top edge-rushers in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Line

Pass-Rushing Moves/Hand Use
Bradley Chubb
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Uchenna Nwosu
Marcus Davenport
Josh Sweat
Arden Key
Harold Landry
From a push-and-pull to a swim move to an inside rip, Chubb has the whole arsenal of pass-rushing moves in his repertoire. Okoronkwo isn't far behind, and he often utilizes a dazzling spin as well. Both Chubb and Okoronkwo have long arms and use them extremely well. As a smaller edge-rusher, Nwosu needs to be a master with his hands, and he is, consistently winning the leverage battle against bigger offensive tackles. Davenport is somewhat unpolished in this area but understands how to slip past offensive linemen after starting with his patented speed-to-power bull rush. Sweat jolts blockers with his long arms and heavy hands, especially against the run. Key has the ability to swipe his way to the quarterback but isn't consistent with his hand use. This is the one area of Landry's game that needs work, although in 2016, he did flash an inside move off his speed rush.

Sleeper: Duke Ejiofor

A long, powerful outside rusher, Ejiofor is a technician with his hands, as he can get skinny between linemen with a swim or simply rip inside after showing an outside rush. When getting after the quarterback, he rarely lets blockers into his frame. The former Wake Forest star also uses his arms to stave off linemen in the run game to make many plays behind or close to the line.

Burst/Dip/Bend
Landry
Okoronkwo
Davenport
Chubb
Key
Sweat
Nwosu
No one in this class has the vital burst/dip/bend combination of Landry, which is clearly his trump card. It takes insane athleticism and ankle flexibility to accelerate off the line, dip low underneath the outstretched arms of an offensive tackle then bend tightly to the quarterback. Okoronkwo flattens tremendously well too. For a taller edge-rusher, there's an impressive amount of bend to Davenport's game, and he's undoubtedly explosive. Chubb is more of a technically sound power rusher than anything else but certainly isn't stiff after he beats an offensive linemen to the pass-rushing apex. Key had long stretches of freakish burst, dip, and bend in 2016, yet those moments were few and far between this past season. Sweat and Nwosu are no slouches in this facet either. Sweat's more like Chubb, and Nwosu mainly wins with amazing leverage and hand use.

Sleeper: Gernard Avery

At slightly over 6-foot, and nearly 250 pounds, Avery was a multi-dimensional linebacker for Memphis, mainly playing off the ball on early downs and occasionally rushing the passer from the outside. He made a plethora of impact plays against the run, and his frame would suggest he'd fit best off the ball. Avery's edge-rushing attempts were fun to watch too. Deploying a mean combination of explosion, vicious hand use, and the ability to bend to the quarterback, he wreaked havoc when given the chance to rush the passer.

Run Defense
Chubb
Sweat
Davenport
Okoronkwo
Landry
Nwosu
Key
At over 6-4 and 269 pounds with long arms, Chubb looks like the prototypical three-down defensive end, and he plays like one. He's the strongest edge-setter in the class, routinely recognizes ball-carriers coming his way and can shed blocks to make tackles. Sweat's initial, low-center-of-gravity pop almost disorients offensive linemen and helps him get into the backfield in a hurry. Davenport's aforementioned speed-to-power game makes him a dominant run defender as well. Because of his his long, active hands, Okoronkwo is surprisingly stout on the outside against the run, and Landry is quick enough to chase down runners from the backside, although he gets locked onto blocks often. The lack of size for Nwosu and Key don't benefit them in the run game.

Sleeper: Justin Lawler

The former SMU standout is an amazing run defender with keen awareness, low pad level, and the strength to stack and shed blockers near the line. He also has enough athleticism to fire down on stretch runs to the opposite side of the field and stop those plays before they can materialize.

Position Fits
Defensive End
Chubb
Sweat
Davenport
Key
Okoronkwo
Landry
Nwosu
With nickel being the NFL's base package today -- used around 65 percent of the time -- clubs often use four down linemen. So whether a defensive coordinator has roots in a 3-4 or a 4-3, he'll want Chubb to man one of his outside spots on the defensive line, and the former NC State stud won't ever have to come off the field. Sweat is nearly 6-5 and could add another 10 or 15 pounds to his 251-pound frame. Best moving forward and somewhat awkward in coverage, whichever team drafts him will want him in a three-point stance frequently. Davenport has the length to play primarily with his hand in the dirt. The same goes for Key. Okoronkwo, Landry, and Nwosu would make more sense standing up on the outside with the occasional coverage duty.

Sleeper: Dorance Armstrong

A lengthy, powerful rusher, Armstrong went from playing mostly five technique (outside shoulder of the tackle) and even seven technique (inside shoulder of the tight end) in 2016 in a 4-3 system when he had 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks to playing heads up with the tackle (four technique) in a two-gap 3-4 this past season when his sack and tackle-for-loss numbers dipped. The most useful as a free-to-rush-the-quarterback edge-rusher, Armstrong also proved to be strong enough to deal with double teams and read-and-react on the outside in college.

3-4 Outside Linebacker
Landry
Okoronkwo
Nwosu
Davenport
Key
Chubb
Sweat
Because of his stellar burst/dip/bend ability, Landry would be able to reach his maximum potential if used as a traditional 3-4 outside linebacker predominately asked to get after the quarterback from a wide alignment. The same thought can be applied to Okoronkwo, who also has vast experience in coverage and quickly making plays against wide-receiver screens on the outside. Nwosu would be best in a stand-up role, and Davenport undoubtedly has the movement skills to have a variety of responsibilities on the edge. Key can drop in coverage and his length would, in theory, clog passing lanes. Chubb is a fine athlete but he has the body of a down lineman. Sweat has made it known he wants to just get after the quarterback in the NFL, and his game is ill-fit for even occasional coverage assignments.

Sleeper: Lorenzo Carter

Carter was a do-it-all second-level defender at Georgia, a long, angular plus-athlete with a wide array of skills. He flashed good hand usage and bend on edge-rush attempts, moved fluidly in coverage for a nearly 6-5, 240-ish pound linebacker and read his keys in a hurry to make plays against the run.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Elusiveness, power and everything to know about RBs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 8, 2018 • 5 min read

Saquon Barkley is the most hyped running back prospect in a while, but how does he really stack up to his contemporaries in this loaded draft class of ball-carriers?

Despite athleticism being crucial at running back -- and any position really -- the more nuanced ball-carriers are typically the players who produce at a higher level int he NFL. After closely examining the specific "skills" critical to the running back spot, it's time to rank prospects in each facet.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top seven running backs in the qualities I deem most necessary to be a successful running back in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Installment No. 1 in this series - Quarterbacks

Elusiveness
Barkley
Sony Michel
Derrius Guice
Ronald Jones
Nick Chubb
Kerryon Johnson
Royce Freeman
Barkley is amazingly flexible and fluid in his movements, and his low center-of-gravity and powerful, compact frame combine to generate ridiculous cuts behind the line of scrimmage, at the second level, and down the field.

Michel has the ability to change direction devastatingly fast, and for being a runner known for his between-the-tackle prowess, Guice is more than capable of deploying ultra-sudden maneuvers in tight quarters. He's just not as bendy as Barkley in the open field.

Sleeper: Ito Smith

Smith has a good argument for the most impressive jump-cutting ability in the class. His skill there is LeSean McCoy-like. Seriously. You do not want to meet him in space if you're a linebacker.

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Balance
Barkley
Guice
Chubb
Jones
Freeman
Johnson
Michel
Similar to why he was No. 1 in the elusiveness category, Barkley is tops here mainly due to his rare athleticism and a super-strong lower half. Guice and Chubb are sub 6-foot backs over 220 pounds who tend to stay on their feet after contact. In fact, Freeman and Johnson are similar to Chubb and Guice in that regard, and Michel is certainly capable of running through arm-tackle attempts.

Sleeper: John Kelly

Kelly is comparable to former Tennessee teammate and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara with his balance once he absorbs contact. He carries his weight well and prepares himself to deaden the force of a potential tackle, maintain his equilibrium, then continue downfield.

Vision
Guice
Jones
Barkley
Chubb
Michel
Johnson
Freeman
Yes, a category in which Barkley isn't No. 1. I'm as excited about the Penn State star as the next guy, the only drawback I noticed with his game is the tendency to frequently rely on the "bounce outside" when that route may not have been the most efficient path to more yardage. Guice is an absolute master at finding cracks in the defense, as is Jones. On those plays, Guice will make two defenders whiff then finish with immense power. Jones will locate a crevice then explode 50 yards for a touchdown.

Sleeper: Justin Jackson

Jackson tested better than I expected at the combine, which boosts his stock because I saw him as a technician on film who continually read his blocks and set up his blocks wonderfully to accumulate those non-flashy but important five- and- six-yard gains often at Northwestern. You don't average 4.8 yards per carry on 1,142 collegiate carries like Jackson did without plus vision.

Burst/Long speed
Barkley
Jones
Guice
Michel
Chubb
Freeman
Johnson
As we saw at the combine with his 4.40 in the 40 at 233 pounds, Barkley can absolutely fly. He also showcased that outlandish speed on a few kick returns and long runs during his illustrious career at Penn State. Jones' burst through the second level is tremendous, and Guice is underrated in this area. Johnson's acceleration is more noticeable than his sustained speed down the field.

Sleeper: Nyheim Hines

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Hines ran 4.38 at the combine and that speed is clearly visible on film. While his burst relative to his long speed leaves a little to be desired, Hines is electric in space.

Power
Guice
Barkley
Chubb
Freeman
Johnson
Jones
Michel
Watch LSU's game against Alabama in 2017. Guice faced eight-man boxes essentially all evening and took them on like King Leonidas in the movie "300." On a few occasions, he met linebacker Rashaan Evans in the hole and made him pay, finishing his run falling forward, which is one of his trademarks. Barkley and Chubb create plenty of power with their size and speed, and Freeman and Johnson lay the lumber a few times each game. Jones doesn't have a power-back frame but runs extremely hard.

Sleeper: Josh Adams

Adams isn't a short, bowling ball of a runner. He's tall and runs upright. As a one-cut guy, he leans on his leg churn to explode through tackles, something he does frequently each time out.

Pass-catching ability
Barkley
Guice
Johnson
Jones
Michael
Freeman
Chubb
Barkley's value is higher than the "normal" top running back because of his comfort catching the football and what he can do after it's in his hands. The rest of the backs on this list weren't routine pass-game features yet are all fun on screens and can create big gains on simple swing passes. Chubb simply didn't catch many passes at Georgia, with only 31 grabs in his four-year career.

Sleeper: Akrum Wadley

Wadley isn't a dynamic athlete and doesn't have 4.40 speed to win races down the field. He's a deft block-reader on chaotic screen plays and does have enough juice to quickly acceleration through a lane that opens after a downfield block, even if it's against the grain. Watch his game against Penn State for the best example of this.

Scheme Fits
Zone
Barkley
Jones
Michel
Johnson
Guice
Freeman
Chubb
Basically every team runs some semblance of inside zone, and most incorporate outside zone each game. Barkley's fluidity helps him on these stretch plays, and he definitely has the ability to plant his foot in the ground and flip on the jets through a cutback lane. Jones has plenty of instant acceleration to press the frontside on a zone run, and Barkley-esque talent to hit the backside lane. Johnson is a smooth mover too.

Sleeper: Adams

The former Notre Dame star reminds me a lot of Tevin Coleman, someone who's thrived in the Falcons' zone-based run scheme for years now. He produces enough momentum behind the line to make would-be tacklers bounce off him and is always peeking at that cutback option.

Power/Gap
Guice
Chubb
Barkley
Michel
Jones
Freeman
Johnson
Give Guice a lead fullback or a pulling guard on a variety of plays in the first two quarters, and linebackers will want no part of him in the second half. The same goes for Chubb, and Barkley's power is slightly underrated. Michel has the explosiveness to cut off lead blocks, as does Jones.

Sleeper: Rashaad Penny

Ultra-productive in San Diego State's well-established power-blocking scheme, Penny is a plus athlete with 4.46 speed at 5-11 and 220 pounds. He undoubtedly knows how to read blocks directly in front of him and cut off them near the second level.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Separating skill, blocking and everything to know about TEs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 14, 2018 • 5 min read

The 2018 draft class of tight ends isn't great. There, I said it. However, there are a few players who can thrive in the right roles at the next level.

Dallas Goedert, Mark Andrews, and Mike Gesicki headline the class, and unsurprisingly, they excel the most as pass-catchers.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top six tight ends in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at the position in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers


High-Pointing/Contested-Catch Ability
Mike Gesicki
Dallas Goedert
Mark Andrews
Ian Thomas
Hayden Hurst
Troy Fumagalli
Gesicki looks like the superb basketball player he was in high school when he's on the football field, ranging well outside his frame a few times each game to make acrobatic catches. Goedert is more solidly built than Gesicki, can undoubtedly box out smaller defenders and has large hands that make the ball look minuscule. Thomas has a flair for the dramatic grab -- check his Ohio State game -- and Hurst is capable of making catches with high degree of difficulty, especially near the sideline.

Sleeper: Tyler Conklin

During his reliable career at Central Michigan, Conklin made a variety of tough grabs in traffic and with defenders closing to make contact while he caught the football.

Separating Skill
Thomas
Gesicki
Hurst
Goedert
Andrews
Fumagalli
Thomas is the most fluid athlete in this tight end class. He glides in an out of his breaks without losing much speed. He'll be a productive player on option routes over the middle. Gesicki doesn't have top-notch change-of-direction ability, but once he gets his legs moving, he easily creates separation. The same goes for Hurst. Goedert chugs along a bit in his routes yet the explosiveness he showcases after planting his foot in the ground will give his quarterback room to fit in the football often. Andrews and Fumagalli are big-bodied, slower-movement types.


Sleeper: Jordan Atkins

Unfortunately, Atkins didn't work out at the combine, but at 6-foot-3 and 249 pounds, he has the ideal build to quickly move through the second level to create space for his quarterback. He averaged a solid 14.2 yards per catch during his career at UCF, which culminated with a 16.1 yards-per-grab campaign as a senior in 2017.

Yards After The Catch
Thomas
Goedert
Hurst
Gesicki
Andrews
Fumagalli
For many of the same reasons he was atop the Separating Skill category leads Thomas to the No. 1 spot here. His loose hips and flexible lower half allow him to almost float across the field before the ball is in his hands and after he catches it. He's a natural runner who with impressive vision and burst when he's accumulating extra yardage. Goedert's simply hard to bring to the turf because of his muscular frame, and Hurst and Gesicki create YAC with their speed in the open field.

Sleeper: Chris Herndon IV

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Herndon is deceptively fast as a classic long-strider. Despite his angular frame, he has some wiggle in the open field and impressive balance for a tight end close to 6-4 and 250-plus pounds. He's the type of pass-catcher you want to get the ball on a shallow cross against man or a seam pattern against zone.

Downfield Speed
Gesicki
Goedert
Hurst
Thomas
Andrews
Fumagalli
As we saw at the combine, Gesicki is in a class by himself in the speed department among the top tight ends in this class. He's an explosive linear player who will be able to run by some of the league's slower safeties. The rest of the tight ends on this list are build-up speed runners with Goedert being the fastest when he's in top gear. There's a rather large space between Andrews and Fumagalli in this category.

Sleeper: Atkins

Atkins can stretch the field with his plus athleticism and aggressive ball skills. He's the type of split tight end teams are using more today than they did a decade ago.


Blocking
Goedert
Fumagalli
Thomas
Andrews
Hurst
Gesicki
For his reputation as a mismatch pass-catcher, Goedert has a fair amount of experience blocking and really gets after it. Like the vast majority of tight ends, there are times he's overwhelmed by bigger, strong edge-rushers, but on blocks that ask him to get to the second level, he wins often. He's typically balanced and delivers a strong initial pop. As a Wisconsin guy, Fumagalli blocked frequently, yet I expected more out of him in that area. Thomas played on the line on occasion at Indiana and is similar to Goedert in his strengths and weaknesses as a blocker, he's just not as powerful as the South Dakota State alum. You do not want the last three with important edge-blocking responsibilities on a crucial run play.

Sleeper: Durham Smythe

Smythe was a glorified offensive tackle for much of his Notre Dame career, and his time spent in the trenches shows. His role expanded into the Fighting Irish pass game more in 2017 than it ever had before, and he moved people with more regularity as a junior. However, at over 6-5 and 250-plus pounds, Smythe blocks with proper fundamentals -- low pad level, strong grip, constantly moving feet, and a deceptive amount of strength.

Position Fits
Flex
Gesicki
Goedert
Hurst
Andrews
Thomas
Fumagalli
Gesicki is essentially a big wide receiver. I said on the Pick Six Podcast, he's kind of like Vincent Jackson. Similar size, similar athleticism. Goedert isn't Travis Kelce, but close. Hurst's game is reminiscent of Hunter Henry's. Andrews flashed crazy slipperiness early in the season and got downfield often but didn't show the reliable hands you'd want from your pass-catching tight end and lacks a bit in the athleticism department. At best, he's a Julius Thomas type.


Sleeper: Deon Yelder

The Western Kentucky tight end was featured in a wide-open, pass-happy attack and made the most of it as a senior, as he snagged 52 passes for 688 yards with seven touchdowns. He's not a tight end you want running intricate routes, yet he showed a knack to get open in simple, high-percentage throws in the 7-10 yard range in college.

In-Line
Goedert
Thomas
Fumagalli
Andrews
Hurst
Gesicki
Because of his reasonable blocking ability and definite threat as a receiver, Goedert would be ideal in-line, where his pre-snap alignment wouldn't give the defense any hint about whether the forthcoming play was a run or pass. Thomas and Fumagalli at least have experience against edge-setters.

Sleeper: Jordan Thomas


The big, former Mississippi State tight end -- nearly 6-6 and 265 pounds at the combine -- was kept in to block a portion of his snaps each game and clearly won due to his mass alone on an assortment of plays close to the line of scrimmage.

 

[AggieSteel]

Lol so what you're saying is.. Everyone should be trading up for Josh Allen! And letting Saquon be drafted to a team that isn't Cleveland!

 

[antdrewjosh]

everything to know about WRs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 9, 2018 • 4 min read

What's more vital to playing receiver in the NFL -- separation skill or contested-catch ability?

My answer is contested-catch ability, as it's the ultimate trump card to perfectly executed coverage.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top eight wideouts in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at the position in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs


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High-Pointing/Contested-Catch Ability
Courtland Sutton
James Washington
Michael Gallup
Anthony Miller
D.J. Moore
Christian Kirk
D.J. Chark
Calvin Ridley
Sutton measured in at slightly over 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds at the combine, and he plays bigger than that. He's comfortable making grabs over his head and has the size to box out smaller defenders. He's one of the better pure high-point wideouts in this class. Despite being under 6-0, Washington is ridiculous in contested-catch situations. And that's different from high-pointing. Washington won't leap 35 inches in the air to snag the ball outside his frame. But he tracks it so amazingly well, has long arms, big hands, and outstanding concentration that allow him to consistently reel in the football in tight coverage down the field. Gallup and Miller are aggressive when the ball is in the air too, and this is an area in which speedsters Chark and Ridley struggle.

Sleeper: Allen Lazard

At almost 6-5 and 225 pounds with a 38-inch vertical, Lazard is high-pointing master. And he can take hits in the air while extending for the football and still bring it in. The former Iowa State target is athletic enough to stay at wide receiver in the NFL and dominate on the outside due to his "rebounding" ability. Auden Tate from Florida State and Oklahoma State's Marcell Ateman are two other prospects who excel high-pointing the football.

Route Running
Ridley
Gallup
Miller
Washington
Moore
Kirk
Sutton
Chark
Ridley is impressive here, frequently winning at the line with sudden movement and sharply cutting on his routes with multiple breaks. Gallup is smoother than Ridley as a route-runner, making it look effortless to create separation. Miller and Washington run excellent downfield routes -- especially double moves -- as does Moore. Sutton wasn't asked to run a variety of routes at SMU but has the movement skills to create space. Chark was mainly a go-route wideout at LSU and is super explosive yet limited with his change of direction.


Sleeper: DaeSean Hamilton

The former Penn State star sells his routes like he's a 10-year veteran. Everything from his head to his shoulders to his hips look like he's breaking one way before he quickly turns in a different direction.

Yards After The Catch
Gallup
Moore
Miller
Sutton
Kirk
Ridley
Washington
Chark
Flip on Gallup's film, and you'll notice him making linebackers and defensive backs miss every game on short and intermediate routes. He doesn't look particularly explosive though. Gallup is just a smart, natural runner with the ball in his hands. Moore had a handful of highlight-reel YAC plays in college because of high-end athleticism and balance. For his size, Sutton's fluidity is outstanding. Kirk and Ridley are a bit underwhelming in this area despite being smaller, lighter wideouts with serious downfield speed. Washington and Chark are more linear players than they are lateral movers.

Sleeper: Korey Robertson


The former Southern Miss standout morphs into a no-nonsense running back after the catch, using stiff arms and subtle jukes to free himself down the field. Watch the opening game of the 2017 season against Kentucky for prime examples of his YAC skills.

Downfield Speed
Chark
Washington
Moore
Ridley
Kirk
Sutton
Gallup
Miller
Chark tested as a 4.34 prospect at the combine, and he's that fast on the field. LSU not only utilized him on deep shots but got him the football on end arounds often. Washington ran 4.54 but is a classic "faster on film" player. While capable of running past collegiate corners, neither Moore, Ridley, nor Kirk appear to have as much speed on the field as they did at the combine.

Sleeper: Jordan Lasley

Surprisingly, Lasley only ran 4.50 at the combine. He repeatedly blew the top off deep coverage in the Pac 12. I wouldn't be shocked if he bulked up to hit the 200-pound mark in Indy, which likely slowed him in the 40. He's one of the premier deep-ball specialists in this class.

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Position Fits
Outside
Sutton
Gallup
Washington
Moore
Miller
Chark
Ridley
Kirk
Sutton was made to play on the perimeter, and Gallup has loads of experience near the sidelines as well. Washington doesn't have ideal height to line up near the boundary but was college football's most productive receiver over the past two seasons while taking the majority of his snaps on the outside. On the outside, Chark, Ridley, and Kirk would have issues with bigger, physical cornerbacks.

Sleeper: Marcell Ateman

Ateman was a go-to target for Mason Rudolph in a variety of high-pressure situations last season, and the tall wideout works the sideline well thanks to tremendous high-pointing ability and plus body control.

Slot
Ridley
Kirk
Miller
Moore
Chark
Sutton
Gallup
Washington
The quickness of Ridley, Kirk, and Miller would be on full display inside, and Moore and Chark would be scary seam threats from the slot position. All of these receivers could make it work inside, but if Washington is on my team I want him in a position to run more North-South routes -- and posts -- than intricate patterns from the slot. The same goes for Sutton and Gallup.


Sleeper: Deontay Burnett

At just under 6-0 and 185 pounds, Burnett was built for the slot, and he absolutely excelled from that pre-snap position at USC. He's fast to recognize coverage, slippery in his routes and after the catch, and displayed high-level ball skills down the field.

 

[antdrewjosh]

game scheme fits and everything to know about OTs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 15, 2018 • 4 min read

The offensive tackle group in the 2018 NFL Draft lacks that elite, sure-fire top 10 pick typically featured in most classes. There are a select few with first-round ability.

Most interestingly, there's not a general agreement on which offensive tackle prospect is top dog.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top offensive tackles in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at the position in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends

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Pass Protection vs. Speed
Kolton Miller
Tyrell Crosby
Connor Williams
Mike McGlinchey
Orlando Brown
Chukwuma Okorafor
At nearly 6-foot-9 and 309 pounds with 34-inch arms and elite explosiveness, it should come as no surprise that Miller typically handles business against speed-rushers on the outside. Crosby has a vastly different body type than Miller but moves his compact frame extremely well. Williams might be a guard on some teams' boards, but he too was gifted with top-end physical talents that allow him to get to the pass-rushing apex quickly. McGlinchey, Brown, and Okorafor all occasionally run into issues against pure speed off the edge.

Sleeper: Joe Noteboom

Noteboom simply looks like a pass-protection specialist. He's 6-5, 309 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms and is a technician with his kick slide and punch timing. He's the exact type of blocker a team would want to face an outside-rusher who leans on his speed rush.

Pass Protection vs. Power
Brown
Williams
Okorafor
McGlinchey
Crosby
Miller
Brown simply dominates smaller pass-rushers with his length and sheer mass at nearly 6-8 and 345 pounds. Good luck beating him with a bull rush. Won't happen. Williams has a noticeable mean streak and seemingly enjoys hard-fought battles in the trenches. Like Brown, Okorafor's combination of long arms and 330-pound frame make him immovable even against a great deal of force around the corner. McGlinchey, Crosby, and especially Miller could all stand to add some weight and upper body strength at the next level.


Sleeper: Will Richardson

Richardson was boring to watch at right tackle for NC State in 2017. While he doesn't deploy the fastest kick slide, he delivers a stunning pop to outside-rushers and plays with outstanding balance. With clear-cut power and 35 1/4-inch arms, he rarely lets a defender get into his chest, the key to a successful bull rush.

Run-Blocking In Space
Crosby
Williams
Okorafor
Miller
McGlinchey
Brown
Crosby was an exquisite fit in Oregon's up-tempo, zone-heavy run game in 2017. He frequently got downfield to spring Royce Freeman and Co. on outside run plays and screens. More important than having the athleticism to quickly get to the second level, Crosby is almost always under control and accurate when looking for a linebacker or defensive back. Williams has similar characteristics to Crosby at a similar size. Okorafor is an excellent combo blocker. Miller grew a lot in this area from 2016 to this past year, and McGlinchey and Brown can undoubtedly hold their own with extra blocking responsibilities despite being bigger, taller tackles.

Sleeper: Desmond Harrison


The West Georgia star who was a Junior College All-American and spent the 2013 season at the University of Texas before being kicked off the team, is ridiculously mobile. He really looks like a tight end on the field with plenty of power and an impressive mean streak when finishing his blocks.

Man-on-Man Run-Blocking
Brown
Okorafor
Miller
McGlinchey
Williams
Crosby
Brown is the last offensive lineman a front seven player wants to see in a man-to-man situation. His long limbs and power are overwhelming. Okorafor has a comparable size and strength advantage in most of his one-on-one matchups, and Miller blocks with plenty of tenacity. McGlinchey and Williams have experience "on an island" although the former did receive a fair amount of help from teammate and future first-rounder Quenton Nelson at left guard.

Sleeper: Jamarco Jones

Speaking of blocking an an island, Jones did that often for Ohio State in 2017. While his career in Columbus took a while to take off, he matured into a super-reliable left tackle for the Buckeyes who could win with proper technique or plus power.


Position Fits
Power/Gap Scheme
Brown
Williams
McGlinchey
Okorafor
Crosby
Miller
Brown was actually used as a puller in Oklahoma's ultra-creative scheme more than you'd probably expect, and he fared well in that area. Williams is a punisher, and McGlinchey was a key piece on a variety of power plays at Notre Dame. Due to Miller's lack of bulk, he comes in at No. 6 in this category but flashes of more aggression in the run game in 2017 indicate the arrow is pointing in the right direction for him in the strength department.

Sleeper: David Bright

Stanford runs one of the most "traditional" power run schemes in the country, and Bright was integral to that offense operating at with extreme efficiency this past season. He's mobile and plays with low pad level to drive defenders backward often.

Zone Scheme
Crosby
Miller
Williams
McGlinchey
Okorafor
Brown
Due to his experience on stretches and his strengths executing those plays, Crosby would be the best fit in a zone-based rushing offense at the next level. Miller isn't your typical run-blocking left tackle, but his athleticism is an offensive line coach's dream. Williams has light feet too. The last three names here are much better fits in a more power-centric running offense.


Sleeper: Brian O'Neill

As a former tight end, O'Neill doesn't lack in the lateral movement department, which is ideal for a inside and outside zone run plays. He just needs to get considerably stronger and add some weight to deal with powerful edge-defenders

 

[antdrewjosh]

scheme fits and everything to know about interior OLs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 16, 2018 • 4 min read

You need an interior offensive linemen to boost your run game and protect your quarterback against the increasing number of high-caliber pass-rushing defensive tackles in today's NFL.

And there's a top-end prospect or two regardless of how you prefer your guard or center.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top interior offensive linemen -- both guards and centers -- in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft that excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles


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Pass Protection/Anchoring
Quenton Nelson
Isaiah Wynn
Will Hernandez
Frank Ragnow
Billy Price
James Daniels
In essence, this category pertains to the ability to sustain a bull rush, anchor then allow your back to bend without surrendering ground. Nelson is immensely strong and rarely, if ever allows himself to be beaten by sheer power. He dominated with his heavy hands and fantastic leverage at the collegiate level, and those two attributes are already at the caliber of an NFL starter. Wynn has the best back bend of any interior linemen I've watched in this class, and Hernandez grows roots quickly in pass protection. The same goes for Ragnow, who is the most effortless blocker in this group.

Sleeper: Wyatt Teller

Teller is a mauler, who seemingly wants a serious battle on every snap. With his wide base and loads of experience, he's ready to handle anything that comes his way in the power department.

Pass Protection/Grip
Hernandez
Nelson
Ragnow
Wynn
Price
Daniels
If Hernandez gets his hands on you, it's over. Donzo. Nelson and Ragnow have noticeably a strong grip too, and Wynn locked down edge-rushers with a fast and powerful punch. Price recovers well if he's initially beaten and displays outstanding technique with his hand placement. Daniels' game isn't about overpowering with his upper body, it's winning with his lower half.

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Sleeper: Austin Corbett

Corbett has some of the most violent and powerful hands in the class at the interior line spot. He's not overanxious but loves delivering a stunning first blow. With his hands on you, chances are you're not going anywhere.

Awareness
Nelson
Ragnow
Hernandez
Price
Daniels
Wynn
Nelson's film is littered with insane plays in which he demonstrates what seems to be a sixth sense to find delayed blitzers and slower twists and demolish them before they can impact the quarterback. Ragnow is quick to help his teammates on the inside, as is Hernandez. None of these players is particularly bad in this area, but Price can be slow reacting to stunts, and Wynn played left tackle at Georgia, so he was on an island often.

Sleeper: Will Clapp

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Clapp is a super-experienced center who faced plenty of future NFLers in his time at the pivot with the LSU Tigers. He's the type of center who'll call out exotic blitzes before the snap and get his line properly adjusted.

Mobility/Second-Level Blocking Accuracy
Daniels
Price
Nelson
Wynn
Ragnow
Hernandez
Daniels is a special mover, probably the most athletic center prospect I've ever scouted. Price is a close second in this class, which says a lot about the insane depth of this interior offensive linemen in this class. Nelson is mobile for his size and rarely misses a linebacker at the second level. With left tackle feet, Wynn is quick to get out in front of pitches and sweeps, and Ragnow is very accurate locating and contacting linebackers. The same goes for Hernandez.

Sleeper: Braden Smith

Smith wants to combo block a defense to oblivion, and he did that often at Auburn with an impressive blend of power, balance, and explosiveness.

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Man-on-Man Run-Blocking
Nelson
Hernandez
Ragnow
Price
Wynn
Daniels
Nelson is a pulverizer. So is Hernandez. Ragnow is an Evan Mathis type who doesn't pancake many defenders but simply blocks them with ease. Price really gets after it one-on-one, and Wynn has the ability to man up as well. Daniels' equilibrium can be shaken if he's heads up with polished defensive tackle.

Sleeper: Bradley Bozeman

At Alabama, the Crimson Tide incorporated a variety of power concepts, and Bozeman executed the middle of those plays wonderfully with subtle but effective down blocks. He's big and strong enough to handle massive nose tackles too.

Position Fits
Power/Gap Scheme
Nelson
Hernandez
Ragnow
Price
Wynn
Daniels
You want Nelson or Hernandez in your power scheme. Believe me. Their combination of strength and pulling ability will create many running lanes. Ragnow will get the job done here too. Price is a fantastic puller as well, and is a gritty fighter on the inside. Wynn and Daniels are on the lighter side, so they may not have the type of mass a team would want in a power-heavy scheme.


Sleeper: Taylor Hearn

Hearn is a phone-booth brawler who's impactful in tight spaces due to his plus strength and active hands. He probably shouldn't be a team's primary pulling guard, yet he'll destroy the front side defensive tackle often. Hearn is best in straight up, man-to-man situations.

Zone Scheme
Daniels
Wynn
Price
Nelson
Ragnow
Hernandez
Because of his elite athletic gifts, Daniels will likely be a first-round prospect on the boards of teams that run a lot of inside and outside zone. The mobility of Wynn and Price would make them nice fits in a zone-based scheme. Nelson, Ragnow, and Hernandez are players you want deploying their power on every play, not flowing laterally down the line of scrimmage.

Sleeper: Skyler Phillips


At Idaho State, Phillips frequently sent a devastating punch and did so while displaying quick feet to get down the line of scrimmage. He's not the type to hold a block for three seconds, and that's fine. In a zone scheme, he's someone who can get his hands on two or three defenders on one play and stop them in their tracks.

 

[antdrewjosh]

CBs Safeties and ILBs arent up yet

 

[Stryker]

I'm disappointed they don't have Tate listed in the WRs. Best hands I've seen yet in this class.

 

[antdrewjosh]

and everything to know about LBs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 23, 2018 • 6 min read

The linebacker spot is one of the best groups in the 2018 draft class, and that's not just because of Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds.

There are three or four more high-quality off-ball linebacker prospects who'll likely be picked in one of the first two rounds and will become solid NFL players.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top off-ball linebackers in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers, Defensive Tackles



Sideline-to-sideline speed
Roquan Smith
Leighton Vander Esch
Malik Jefferson
Tremaine Edmunds
Darius Leonard
Rashaan Evans
Smith ran 4.51 at slightly over 6-foot and 236 pounds, and he plays that fast on the field. Many of his impact plays came when he ranged from his spot in the middle of Georgia's defense to the sideline on either an outside run or wide receiver screen. Vander Esch also flies to the football, although he doesn't look as fast because he's a tall, long-strider. Jefferson gets to the perimeter in a hurry, and the same can be said about Edmunds. Leonard doesn't lack in the athleticism department whatsoever, and is more than capable of making plays on the outside. Evans has plus physical gifts too.

Sleeper: Jerome Baker

At 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, Baker has to be a speedy linebacker to win consistently, and he's exactly that. At Ohio State, he looks like what's become the norm at the collegiate and professional ranks: a large safety playing linebacker.

Coverage skills
Leonard
Smith
Vander Esch
Edmunds
Evans
Jefferson
Leonard is terrific smoothly following running backs out of the backfield and tight ends down the seam. He's a keenly aware, fluid athlete with plus long speed. Changing direction is not a problem for him, which also helps in coverage. Smith demonstrated tight coverage at Georgia often because of supreme athletic talents and route-recognition skills. Vander Esch is good in zone, where his length and speed are best utilized. Edmunds has insane coverage upside, yet his recognition skills are a tick slow when moving backward. Evans and Jefferson are the most effective making plays close to the line of scrimmage yet neither are heavy footed.


Sleeper: Skai Moore

Moore intercepted 14 passes -- at least three each year -- during his productive, four-year career at South Carolina and knocked down six other throws. He's a choppy mover but gets from point A to point B quickly. He's quick to drop into zone down the seam and react to what he's seeing from the quarterback in the pocket.

Tackling reliability
Smith
Vander Esch
Evans
Edmunds
Leonard
Jefferson
Smith is as sure of a tackler as they come, and his film is littered with big hits and, more importantly, textbook wrap-up takedowns. Vander Esch is a reliable tackler on plays near the line of scrimmage, where a large portion of his tackles are made. Evans and Edmunds will miss a tackle occasionally, but not frequently enough for it to be considered an issue. Leonard's tackling skills are good too, and he packs plenty of power when he gets to the ball-carrier. Jefferson flies all over the field, and his immense speed leads to a fair amount of whiffs when he gets in perfect position.

Sleeper: Chris Worley


Mostly a between-the-tackles playmaker who's kind of a throwback linebacker, Worley is super consistent when he gets his hands on an offensive player who's holding the football.

Block-shedding
Smith
Leonard
Evans
Edmunds
Vander Esch
Jefferson
To me, the ability to shed blocks separates the good linebackers from the superstars. Smith has a plan when blockers approach, often initiating contact to keep himself from being driven backward. Even when long-armed offensive linemen get into his frame, he is violent enough with his hand use to shed quickly to get in the running lane. Leonard too is aggressive on his shedding attempts, and it typically pays off. The rest of the players in this group struggle to disengage from blockers, the lone, clear-cut knock on their games.

Sleeper: Jason Cabinda

Like Smith and Evans, Cabinda isn't afraid of contact, and he's not shy about asserting his will on bigger offensive linemen in his assigned gap. At times, his jolt surprises blockers and leads to the Penn State linebacker having an easy route to the ball-carrier.


Pass-Rushing/Blitzing
Evans
Edmunds
Jefferson
Smith
Leonard
Vander Esch
Evans' pass-rushing skill comes mainly on the edge, where he was used by Nick Saban. His suddenness and hand use allow him to create a fair amount of pressure around the corner. Edmunds and Jefferson can overwhelm interior blockers by converting speed to power on A-gap blitzes. Edmunds could see some time on the edge too at 6-4 and nearly 260 pounds. Because Smith is smaller, his impact as a blitzer mostly comes from his agility and aggressive hands to work past offensive linemen. Leonard's high-cut frame doesn't help him as a blitzer. His springy athleticism does. Vander Esch isn't as powerful as you'd expect at 6-4 and 256 when sent on blitzes up the middle.

Sleeper: Micah Kiser

Kiser looks like an old-school linebacker... compact, strong, and effective between the tackles. He thrived as a run-stopper and was used frequently as an inside blitzer. His low center of gravity, deceptive athleticism, and upper body strength allow him to create disruption in the backfield.

Scheme Fits
Middle Linebacker
Smith
Vander Esch
Evans
Leonard
Edmunds
Jefferson
Smith is ready to be the quarterback of a defense and run with tight ends down the seam. Vander Esch's combination of range, coverage experience and size would translate to well to a spot in the middle. Evans is your classic Alabama linebacker with a bit more athleticism than we saw from the likes of Reggie Ragland, who was a second-round pick in 2016 and turned in a quality run-stopping season in 2017. Leonard has the skills to play in the middle but would probably be best utilized more on the outside, and the rawness that Edmunds and Jefferson display getting off blocks would create issues at middle linebacker.


Sleeper: Cabinda

From his non-stop motor, to his block-shedding ability, good speed and deceptive change-of-direction skills, Cabinda seems like a classic middle linebacker with just enough athleticism to stick in today's souped-up, pass-happy NFL. If he sheds a few pounds to get a tick faster, that'd probably help him, but he's a smart second-level defender who was productive in his three years as a starter with the Nittany Lions.

Weakside Linebacker
Edmunds
Smith
Vander Esch
Jefferson
Leonard
Evans
With Edmunds's linear speed and ridiculous length, he's the new-age physical prototype at the weakside spot, which is a position typically played by the most athletic linebacker on the defense, someone who can be a tackling machine if kept "clean" from mobile blockers. Despite their difference in size, both Smith and Vander Esch could be 125-plus tackle linebackers in a weakside role, and although he can play a bit high, making him a bigger target for offensive linemen, Leonard's athletic gifts would bode well as a run-and-chase linebacker. Evans would probably be best inside

Sleeper: Dorian O'Daniel


One of my favorite prospects in the entire class -- my No. 31 overall prospect -- O'Daniel is a fast, agile, reliable tackler who's proficient in zone coverage defender and a productive blitzer. The former Clemson standout is the exact type of player a team should want at weakside linebacker.

Strongside Linebacker
Evans
Edmunds
Vander Esch
Jefferson
Leonard
Smith
Given his flashes of impressive edge-rushing skills and overall physical nature, Evans is the best strongside linebacker prospect of this group -- a position typically shifted closer to the line of scrimmage in under fronts. He's athletic enough to handle some coverage responsibilities too. Edmunds's mammoth frame and explosiveness would make a fine candidate for a "SAM" role in the NFL. The same can be applied to the comparably sized Vander Esch. Jefferson isn't small by any stretch at over 6-foot-2 and 235-plus pounds. Leonard and Smith are middle or weakside 'backers.

Sleeper: Fred Warner

Warner has the size -- over 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds -- and toughness to be a team's primary strongside linebacker. While he was involved with many tackles near the line of scrimmage and has quality range, he's also capable of flipping his hips and getting downfield in coverage. The BYU alum is one of the draft's sleepers likely best at weakside or strongside in the NFL.

 

[antdrewjosh]

2018 NFL Draft rankings: Hand use, one gap vs. two gap and everything to know about DTs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com Mar 22, 2018 • 4 min read

This is the draft to pick a defensive tackle. The class of interior defenders features a handful of blue-chippers at the top and a plethora of quality prospects who'll likely be available anywhere from the second to the fifth round.

Michigan's Maurice Hurst is the standout among the defensive tackles, and Vita Vea from Washington is one of the most dynamic athletes among 340-plus pound linemen. Taven Bryan from Florida emerged as a disprutive force in the SEC and probably has his best football ahead of him. The same can be said about Da'Ron Payne from Alabama, who'll only be 20 years old when he's drafted.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top defensive linemen in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers.


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Pass-Rushing Moves/Hand Use
Maurice Hurst
Taven Bryan
Harrison Phillips
Vita Vea
Da'Ron Payne
B.J. Hill
Derrick Nnadi
Hurst's swim move and club through the line of scrimmage are both devastatingly effective wrecking offensive plays before they can materialize. Bryan uses his long arms to his advantage often, and Phillips isn't super-consistent with his hand work, yet when he deploys his arm over or straight-arms offensive linemen, it's over. Vea certainly knows how to use his heavy hands at times, and Payne flashed that ability too. Hill and Nnadi are better with their hands in the run game.

Sleeper: Will Geary

Geary is the blue-collar defensive tackle prospect with the greatest likelihood to outplay his draft position. Always a stout run defender due to his low center of gravity and active hands, Geary flourished as a pass-rusher in 2017 with a variety of pass-rushing moves that allowed him to out-leverage bigger, stronger, and more athletic blockers and get the angle advantage on them en route to the quarterback.

Burst/Quickness
Hurst
Bryan
Payne
Vea
Phillips
Hill
Nnadi
This is another area in which Hurst is clearly the best at his position in his class. The former Michigan star has a Geno Atkins-like first step and the lateral quickness to make plays moving down the line of scrimmage. Bryan is a supremely gifted athlete for his height and weight -- as evidenced by a combine performance that was close to as impressive as J.J. Watt's. Payne is an explosive mover. The final four prospects on this list don't win with their burst off the ball.

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Sleeper: Poona Ford

Somehow, Ford wasn't invited to the combine. Being a hair under 6-foot at the East-West Shrine Game likely didn't help him in that regard. The long-time, high-caliber producer at Texas is incredibly quick in one-gapping situations, and his smaller size actually helps him slip between bigger interior offensive linemen. There's a spin move in his pass-rushing arsenal too.

Run Defense
Hurst
Phillips
Vea
Payne
Nnadi
Bryan
Hill
Because of his excellent blend of hand use and explosiveness, Hurst is a run-stopper extraordinaire. Phillips, Vea, and Payne clog running lanes and devour backs with strength, proper hand placement, and the refined ability to shed blocks at the point of attack. Bryan and Hill are no slouches against the run either. Hill is a pure nose tackle who's nearly immovable on the interior.

Sleeper: Deadrin Senat

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Similar to Hill, Senat has an outstanding anchor and plays with constantly moving hands against the run. The former South Florida standout plays with a high motor and quickly finds the football then does what he needs to do to get there. He's strong enough to dispatch blockers on occasion but actually can make plays with sheer quickness as well.

Scheme Fits
One Gap
Hurst
Bryan
Payne
Hill
Vea
Phillips
Nnadi
Let Hurst get upfield, and he has the potential to be a double-digit sack interior lineman who'll also affect the opposition's run game. Bryan too would be best in a free, one-gap role but has the frame to play at an edge spot as well as inside if need be. Despite his nose-tackle frame, Hill would flourish if given the opportunity to get between the guard and tackle at three technique. Vea, Phillips, and Nnadi are better suited for two-gapping roles, where their strength and block-shedding skills would be accentuated best.

Sleeper: Tim Settle

At 6-foot-2 and 320-plus pounds, Settle is deceptively quick off the ball and hits offensive linemen with a crazy amount of momentum. He looks like a space-eating nose tackle. He's not that type of defensive tackle prospect at all. In a one-gapping role, even at the one-technique, the former Virginia Tech Hokie would be able to reach his maximum potential in the NFL.

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Two Gap
Vea
Payne
Phillips
Nnadi
Hill
Bryan
Hurst
Vea does have a good amount of potential in a one-gap role, yet would the most impactul with read-then-react duties. The same concept applies to Payne and Phillips. Nnadi, too is a wonderful run defender when he can see what's in front of him first. Hill certainly can two-gap and anchor against double teams. So can Bryan. Putting Hurst in a two-gapping role would be wasting his strengths as a penetrator.

Sleeper: Foley Fatukasi

An old-school two-gapping run-defender, Fatukasi can be the pivot man on a defensive line with an emphasis on stopping the ground game between the A and B gaps. Despite being taller than mose nose tackles, Fatukasi is generally good keeping his pad level relatively low, and he boasts a strong upper body.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Wow, that's a ton of information to process.

Thanks for the effort, but I think I'll just wait until after the draft so everyone can ***** about the picks.

 

[ark steel]

If Smith makes it to 10

We tell Bell that we will trade him to Oakland if he signs the tag. He signs the tag, we trade Bell and our 1st to Oak to take Smith.

 

[Litos]

Leonard in the 2nd might be a steal, I keep telling you guys

Sent from my [device_name] using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Superman]

does anyone know where to find the stats for QB release time on throws? I know the talking heads will play that up during the draft.

 

[Stewey]

Seems Steelers have Rudolph in their sights.

He compares himself to Big Ben. That's all we need to know....draft him LOL
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...ison-to-ben-roethlisberger-steelers-nfl-draft

Saw this strange photo on a Twitter post.

Apparently he will be the first set of Siamese twins conjoined at the chest to play in the NFL

https://twitter.com/APGroover/statu...ex.ssf/2018/03/steelers_qb_mason_rudolph.html

 

[antdrewjosh]

Ball skills, quickness and everything to know about CBs
By Chris Trapasso CBSSports.com 23h ago • 5 min read

The 2018 cornerback class has a handful of quality prospects at the top and a plethora of starting-caliber players who'll likely be selected in the second and third rounds.

While it may seem as though the ability to stay with a receiver is the most important trait for a cornerback, he needs to be able to consistently make plays on the football to thrive in the NFL.

Below I've ranked each of the consensus top cornerbacks in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.

Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers, Defensive Tackles, Linebackers

Ball Skills
Joshua Jackson
Isaiah Oliver
Jaire Alexander
Mike Hughes
Denzel Ward
This category is all encompassing regarding what it takes to make a play in coverage -- awareness and recognition as the ball arrives to get eyes on it, then, obviously, the ability to get your hands into the passing lane to either knock down the throw or intercept it. He was only highly productive for one year, but Jackson stands alone in this area. He's keenly aware, and uses his impressive blend of leaping ability and length to get his hands on the football frequently. Oliver made an assortment of plays on the ball in man coverage, which is typically more difficult than doing so from zone coverage. He quickly reacts when noticing the receiver is locked onto the football, gets his head around and his hands on the ball. Alexander is similar to Oliver in this area. Hughes plays the football aggressively from off-man coverage. Ward's ball skills certainly aren't a liability. He just fails to get his head back to the ball more often than you'd like from a first-round cornerback.

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Sleeper: Darious Williams

The former UAB star doesn't have ideal outside cornerback size but is twitchy and understands the importance of his getting his mitts on the football. He had 15 pass breakups and six interceptions in 2017. Williams aggressively attacks the hands of the wideout as the pass arrives and possesses the athleticism to slide around receivers to break up passes with his arm extended. He plays much bigger than his frame and is always zeroed in on the football. Tulane's Parry Nickerson and Utah State's Jalen Davis are also ball-skill studs.

Quickness
Alexander
Hughes
Ward
Jackson
Oliver
Alexander has outstanding short-area quicks, and Hughes is springy in all directions. Ward definitely doesn't lack much agility himself, but it's his downfield speed that pops the most. Jackson's change-of-direction skills are above-average for a bigger, zone cornerback. Oliver's hips aren't the most fluid as he's getting out of his backpedal, and he's a split-second late when he has to click and close.

Sleeper: D.J. Reed

The Kansas State alum boasts smooth athleticism and a game with plenty of explosion. Whether it be following a jerk route or planting then driving toward a run play, Reed's elite quickness is very apparent on film.

Speed
Ward
Oliver
Alexander
Hughes
Jackson
Being able to run with faster wideouts down the field isn't the only attribute that makes a cornerback in the NFL, but it's a luxury some teams covet from their top coverage defender. Ward absolutely flies all over the field, and you won't beat him deep. Despite running only a 4.50 at the combine, Oliver has track speed and even if he's beat with quickness off the line, his catch-up speed is effortless. Alexander can really run too, and though Hughes is probably quicker than he is fast, his return skills showcase the ability to kick it into an impressive top gear. Jackson isn't slow footed by any means, but he has the least downfield jets of this group.

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Sleeper: Donte Jackson

Jackson ran 4.32 at the combine, and that speed shows on the field. His awareness is lacking. His ability to make up for that deficiency is not.

Run Support/Tackling On Receiver Screens
Alexander
Ward
Hughes
Jackson
Oliver
Alexander is in a class by himself here, as his combination of twitchiness and super-aggressive demeanor really help him dealing with blockers on the outside. Ward and Hughes undoubtedly have the willingness the throw their weight around against the run but their smaller statures lead to them getting pushed around often. Jackson might be the most active run-support corner of these five prospect yet isn't a reliable tackler. Oliver needs to show more aggression in run support.

Sleeper: Williams

Williams rapidly diagnoses outside pitches and screens and makes his presence felt often, which is impressive for a sub-200 pound cornerback who's not even 5-foot-11.

Scheme Fits
Outside Man Cornerback
Alexander
Ward
Oliver
Hughes
Jackson
Height would be the only thing holding back Alexander with man-to-man duties on the outside. He's quick, has top-level awareness, and the speed to stay in phase throughout the entire route. The same can be said about Ward. Oliver got loads of experience in man at Colorado. Hughes' small frame could hurt him against bigger perimeter wideouts, and he's not a burner deep. Jackson is best in zone.

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Sleeper: Holton Hill

At 6-2 with 32-inch arms, impressive quickness for his size, and plus ball skills. Hill gives receivers fits on the outside. He's a Day Two or potentially early Day Three corner who can start in man right away near the perimeter. Auburn's Carlton Davis is another prime candidate to play man on the outside.

Outside Zone Cornerback
Jackson
Ward
Alexander
Hughes
Oliver
If Jackson can float back into zone and keep his eyes on the quarterback, he has Josh Norman potential in the NFL. The speed and click-and-close skills of Ward, Alexander, and Hughes would make them instant play-makers in zone coverage. Oliver lacks the explosiveness when changing directions to consistently make a big impact in this type of coverage, although he's not totally lost in zone.

Sleeper: Tarvarus McFadden

After an eight-interception 2016, McFadden regressed for the Seminoles this past season and didn't have a pick. While he predominately had press man duties, he had troubles with faster, quicker receivers and finding the football in 2017. At 6-2 with 32 1/2-inch arms, 38.5-inch vertical, and excellent ball skills, primarily playing zone on the outside would be the most ideal situation for him.

Slot Cornerback
Alexander
Ward
Hughes
Jackson
Oliver
Alexander's mirroring skills and dynamic athleticism make him capable of covering from anywhere. Ward can move into the slot too. Hughes might be best in the slot because of his smaller frame and twitchiness. Unless facing bigger slot receivers on the inside, Jackson and Oliver don't have the suddenness to win on the inside.

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Sleeper: Greg Stroman

Stroman was a disruptive cornerback during his illustrious career at Virginia Tech. His slender frame lends itself to explosive movements which help him close on routes with multiple cuts. Stroman's ball skills don't disappoint either.