Edge Rushers 2018
 

I'm starting this thread for a repository of my amateur analyses based on the tape I've seen from the top pass rushers in this draft.

Harold Landry, Boston College
Arden Key, LSU
Dorance Armstrong, Kansas
Sam Hubbard, Ohio State

Harold Landry, Boston College (6'3", 250 lbs) -- It's very early in the process and I have a lot of players to watch, but I find myself underwhelmed so far by Landry. He doesn't have the elite length you'd like from a player as highly regarded as a 1st round pick, though he does have long arms. He just doesn't stand out to me in any way as an elite talent. The one thing he has going for him as a potential Chiefs draft pick in the 1st or 2nd round is that he is frequently asked to drop into coverage, like the Chiefs ask their OLBs to do, and he looks pretty fundamentally sound in his spacing in coverage. He has nice bend in the passrush, but doesn't have the get-off or speed to truly be a speed threat. He's also a willing run defender but doesn't show much of an ability to shed blocks. I'll be interested to see how well he times at the Combine, honestly, because Boston College isn't exactly teeming with NFL talent and teams just double-teamed or went away from Landry as much as possible, so he's not getting as much on tape in 2017 as he otherwise would. It also should be mentioned the program that he's coming from: Boston College is renowned in churning out high character players, so I'm sure Landry is as well. However, despite being likely to become a 1st round pick, Landry wasn't voted team captain by his teammates, so it helps if your defense already has readymade leadership, as I doubt that's a tool this guy is bringing to the table.

Arden Key, LSU (6'6", 238 lbs) -- Key isn't quite Dee Ford 2.0, but there are a lot of similarities between the two. Key has elite length, but like Ford, looks really thin out there for an NFL-caliber passrusher. Ford must be 240 soaking wet, and Key looks to be even lighter than that. Key is an outstanding athlete, thanks to how light he is, and has elite-level closing speed. As far as his passrushing is concerned, he has an insane motor but no strength. His speed on the edge truly is NFL caliber, but I don't know if I've seen him effectively dip through a corner once -- and the Auburn tackles were just throwing him like a shotput when he hit the corner, so I don't know. He does have a pretty good spin move, and pairing it with another move or two makes his tenacity lethal, but whoever drafts this kid is going to have to teach him how to play football, because he needs a lot of work. He drops into coverage a good deal, and looks fluid in space. His run defense isn't terribly strong as he doesn't seem to have much of an ability to shed blocks, much like Dee Ford. It totally wouldn't surprise me if this guy had to redshirt for a year, but if he can body up to around 250, I suspect someone will take him in the first round due to the promise of his physical abilities.

Dorance Armstrong, Kansas (6'4", 246 lbs) -- The #1 thing that stands out about Armstrong is his motor. It is really, really rare to watch a player absolutely never stop playing, ever, until the whistle blows. I've seen Armstrong plow upfield in a passrush, only to retreat 20 yards back down the field if the pass is received and the receiver hasn't yet been downed. Armstrong is athletic and tenacious and has a ton of tools that can be developed, but his ability to never, ever stop, even when he plays on an ass-terrible team, is easy to truly admire. As far as the goods, he sure seems to have most of them. Most of his sacks come on absolute hustle plays, rather than truly destroying tackles. But he does show some bend (that will have to be developed), and some functional strength and quickness to penetrate the pocket. He doesn't drop into coverage often but he's clearly capable of doing that, no question. He also seems to be a decent run defender, though he'll need to improve on his ball awareness and consistency against big, mauling tackles. Technique is his big weakness there. But Armstrong has such great tools to work with that should he have a strong Combine, you're talking a potential Top 10 selection.

I can't believe KU has a top 10 DE

i dont think they do anymore, he hasn't had a great season

Sam Hubbard, Ohio State (6'5", 265 lbs) -- A riddle I haven't put much time into investigating is how inflated Hubbard's weight listing is. The player on the field looks roughly 250, not topping 260, but I digress. Hubbard is a high-floor passrusher with plenty of experience dropping into coverage. Hubbard isn't the elite athlete some of these other candidates are, but his functional strength is among the best as a pure rushbacker. He is as strong as they come in the run game, and features a mature set of passrush moves including a sneaky-good first step and a decent dip around the corner. I think Hubbard is a force in the NFL, though he may never be an All Pro, and should be able to fair just fine against the massive tackles he'll face. He is excellent at shooting a gap, and with some coaching, he should be able to put tackles on rollerskates and counter-move them to death. Hubbard played safety in high school, so he should be able to drop into coverage effortlessly. Hubbard also has a reputation as a do-anything-asked player who is incredibly reliable -- a pure Andy Reid type player. Even without a first round pick, I imagine the Chiefs have a ton of interest in Hubbard.

Hubbard's teammate Tyquan Lewis is twice the edge player that Hubbard is. Your drool, and others for that matter, over Hubbard is unfounded. To me, Hubbard is a 3rd or 4th rounder that you hope develops and is nowhere near ready to be an impact NFL player. Take that for what its worth from an OSU fan.

Lorenzo Carter, OLB, UGA is pretty damn good. He will probably go in the first round though.

He's just like Hubbard, lots of hype over the athleticism but has the production of a 3rd rounder.

We already have Dee Ford so....