NFL Draft Searching for DJ's replacement - Page 2

OldSchool · 09-09-2014, 04:12 PM

I'm looking at the college football landscape and what I'm seeing isn't all that great. There will be no surefire 1st round ILB prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft like a Kuechly or Patrick Willis or even a CJ Mosley. The position just isn't very strong up top from what I've seen so far. There is no athletic phenom who is taking college football by storm at the ILB position, so I don't see us taking one in the 1st round, the value just isn't there. However, here are two who stand out from what I've seen.

1. Denzel Perryman - 5'11", 242 pounds.

Why I like him: Perryman is about as good a form tackler as you will find in college; he delivers the big hits but also wraps up the ball carrier for a sure tackle in the process. He displays great instincts against the run and has decent range. He has shown the ability and strength to take on blockers and shed them to make a play on the ball carrier. Perryman looks the part of a starting ILB and is pretty disciplined in his drops in coverage. He possesses great short area quickness and has a powerfully built body and should be a day 1 starter at ILB.

Why I don't: While Perryman shows that he has the ability to play the ILB position at a very high level, he doesn't consistently do it over the course of an entire season or throughout an entire game. Whether it's due to wear and tear or just plain lack of effort, there are plays where he easily takes on the block of a big lineman and sheds him to make the tackle and plays where he gives up a big run because he allows himself to be taken out of the play by a WR or FB. Perryman also doesn't make very many plays in the passing game, he gets to his spot but doesn't anticipate the pass or read the QB very well; he is always late on breaking to the ball while in zone coverage and will give up easy receptions because of it; he doesn't show the same awareness in the passing game as he does against the run. His lack of height and length will hurt him in coverage against the receiving TEs in this league.

Here he is vs Virginia Tech.

Should we draft him? Perryman may end up being out of our range. He is a borderline 1st round pick but doesn't have the elite measurables or consistency to crack the top 16 right now. He would be a very nice take early in the 2nd round though.

2. Shaq Thompson - 6'1", 231 pounds. Former 5-star safety recruit that primarily plays the LB position for Washington.

Why I like him: Being a former safety recruit, Thompson still possesses the coverage skills that made him a 5-star recruit in the first place. He is college football's best coverage LB and is still asked to drop into coverage as a safety from time to time because of it; he is also often asked to line up against slot receivers. Thompson is probably the fastest and most athletic of the LB prospects in next year's draft, he plays with great instincts, vision, and closes in on the ball carrier like a missile; he's a playmaker for the Washington defense. He's also an extremely versatile player (had 66 rushing yards on 3 carries for Washington this past Saturday to go along with 14 tackles).

Why I don't: For an ILB prospect, Thompson is undersized and may not be a great fit for a 3-4 defense, at least not on early downs. I almost like him better as a SS prospect in the Kam Chancellor/Eric Berry role. When allowed to run around freely, Thompson can make plays with the best of them; however, like all smaller LBs, he isn't great at taking on blockers and shedding them due to his lack of elite size. He plays more like a box safety than a dominant LB prospect. He is probably a better fit at "Will" for a 4-3 scheme.

Here is a vid of his game against UCLA last year.

Should we draft him? I would say yes, even though he might not be a perfect fit due to his size, he is still around the same size as Akeem Jordan was. Even if he is a bit small, there is always room on the roster for a LB who can cover like a safety, especially because we play in the nickel package so often; he may be a better fit for the current NFL than any other LB prospects due to his abilities in pass coverage. If he is there in the 2nd round, I would take him.

Any other ILBs that caught your eyes that should be added to the list?

**SAUTO** · 09-09-2014, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

I don't know why any of you think we will be looking to fill holes on this roster.

I believe Poe and Berry's contracts expire in 2016, so we'll be looking to find their replacements.

Poe sucks ass/saccopoo
Posted via Mobile Device

Discuss Thrower · 09-09-2014, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

I don't know why any of you think we will be looking to fill holes on this roster.

I believe Poe and Berry's contracts expire in 2016, so we'll be looking to find their replacements.

They'll keep one of those two.

OldSchool · 09-09-2014, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

I hope we lose every game an0d draft Hundley.

Hundley? Seriously?

OldSchool · 09-09-2014, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Poe sucks ass/saccopoo
Posted via Mobile Device

Well, he was getting pushed around way too easily by the Titans. Expect him to step it up though.

09-09-2014, 04:12 PM
OldSchool MVP Join Date: Sep 2013 Casino cash: $10035212	Searching for DJ's replacement I'm looking at the college football landscape and what I'm seeing isn't all that great. There will be no surefire 1st round ILB prospect in the 2015 NFL Draft like a Kuechly or Patrick Willis or even a CJ Mosley. The position just isn't very strong up top from what I've seen so far. There is no athletic phenom who is taking college football by storm at the ILB position, so I don't see us taking one in the 1st round, the value just isn't there. However, here are two who stand out from what I've seen. 1. Denzel Perryman - 5'11", 242 pounds. Why I like him: Perryman is about as good a form tackler as you will find in college; he delivers the big hits but also wraps up the ball carrier for a sure tackle in the process. He displays great instincts against the run and has decent range. He has shown the ability and strength to take on blockers and shed them to make a play on the ball carrier. Perryman looks the part of a starting ILB and is pretty disciplined in his drops in coverage. He possesses great short area quickness and has a powerfully built body and should be a day 1 starter at ILB. Why I don't: While Perryman shows that he has the ability to play the ILB position at a very high level, he doesn't consistently do it over the course of an entire season or throughout an entire game. Whether it's due to wear and tear or just plain lack of effort, there are plays where he easily takes on the block of a big lineman and sheds him to make the tackle and plays where he gives up a big run because he allows himself to be taken out of the play by a WR or FB. Perryman also doesn't make very many plays in the passing game, he gets to his spot but doesn't anticipate the pass or read the QB very well; he is always late on breaking to the ball while in zone coverage and will give up easy receptions because of it; he doesn't show the same awareness in the passing game as he does against the run. His lack of height and length will hurt him in coverage against the receiving TEs in this league. Here he is vs Virginia Tech. Should we draft him? Perryman may end up being out of our range. He is a borderline 1st round pick but doesn't have the elite measurables or consistency to crack the top 16 right now. He would be a very nice take early in the 2nd round though. 2. Shaq Thompson - 6'1", 231 pounds. Former 5-star safety recruit that primarily plays the LB position for Washington. Why I like him: Being a former safety recruit, Thompson still possesses the coverage skills that made him a 5-star recruit in the first place. He is college football's best coverage LB and is still asked to drop into coverage as a safety from time to time because of it; he is also often asked to line up against slot receivers. Thompson is probably the fastest and most athletic of the LB prospects in next year's draft, he plays with great instincts, vision, and closes in on the ball carrier like a missile; he's a playmaker for the Washington defense. He's also an extremely versatile player (had 66 rushing yards on 3 carries for Washington this past Saturday to go along with 14 tackles). Why I don't: For an ILB prospect, Thompson is undersized and may not be a great fit for a 3-4 defense, at least not on early downs. I almost like him better as a SS prospect in the Kam Chancellor/Eric Berry role. When allowed to run around freely, Thompson can make plays with the best of them; however, like all smaller LBs, he isn't great at taking on blockers and shedding them due to his lack of elite size. He plays more like a box safety than a dominant LB prospect. He is probably a better fit at "Will" for a 4-3 scheme. Here is a vid of his game against UCLA last year. Should we draft him? I would say yes, even though he might not be a perfect fit due to his size, he is still around the same size as Akeem Jordan was. Even if he is a bit small, there is always room on the roster for a LB who can cover like a safety, especially because we play in the nickel package so often; he may be a better fit for the current NFL than any other LB prospects due to his abilities in pass coverage. If he is there in the 2nd round, I would take him. Any other ILBs that caught your eyes that should be added to the list?
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