I'll probably get to every player worth talking about. eventually.

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Coordinators scheme against him and teams win because of him. For quarterbacks, this isn't a Hall of Fame endorsement, but you are the franchise player and the team will go as far as you can take them.

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hype train is emptying so I'll move up a few seats. yeah, he hasn't been the greatest over the middle of the season, but I still think he's the guy you can give the keys to a franchise. getting beat up and torn down some after everyone called you Andrew Luck mixed with Troy Aikman is probably a good thing.

why keep the faith? he still has a ton of excellent plays. his arm can run any offense, and he throws like a NFL quarterback when he's on the move or resetting in the pocket. he diagnoses coverages pre-snap, he can go through three reads in as many seconds, and he understands how accurate you need to be when your throwing windows shrink down to pinholes in the NFL.

so yeah, I'm in. if you look around at the top 15 quarterbacks in the league, does he have the tools to be in that class? absolutely.

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I haven't followed a minute of the NFL this year, but isn't he playing for probably the worst remaining head coach in the NFL?

________________

https://i.imgur.com/ZkkZekl.gif

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

But I got into a debate with a Steelers' fan who thinks they should sign him as Big Ben's replacement.

I don't get the 9 lives we extend mediocre white QBs. Hell some are in the league 10 years and people are still waiting for them to turn the corner.


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He left Miami and Gase. Darnold plays for the worse coach and team in the NFL.

when he's clicking it's a beautiful thing to watch. other quarterbacks wow you, but he has a polished, rhythmic perfection to his game -- almost Peyton-esque. he probably practiced five-step drops in elementary school.

his arm strength lets you call the entire playbook, and he throws the most catchable ball in this class. if you give him the basic hierarchy of quarterback needs (two seconds of protection, a non-anemic run threat and receivers with hands) he will carve a defense to the bone.

he hasn't always had that in his career, however. his receivers don't separate, his running backs are a missing persons unit and UCLA has the worst P5 defense in the country. I'll blame all that for the stubborn prayers he puts in the air every game.

the two weeks he's been hurt this year, and you can see how gotdamn awful his team is. they couldn't even compete. when he plays, though, he makes everyone better and gives his side a chance. that's a franchise quarterback quality.

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just so that the Giants don't get him
I need that talent away from that team and the NFC East

Yes, I'm mad. Let's move on.

Jays | Cavs | Eagles | Sabres | Tarheels

PSN: Dr_Claw_77 | XBL: Dr Claw 077 | FB: drclaw077 | T: @drclaw77 | http://thepeoplesvault.wordpress.com

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when I first started going through his 2016 games, honestly I was a little bored. he was smooth, productive, and not that exciting to watch run the football.

then I put on the Wisconsin game. there's a specific play where T.J. Watt charges into the backfield unblocked. Barkley, with no momentum because Penn State is in shotgun and he’s offset, has barely taken the hand-off when Watt is close enough to breathe on him. Barkley immediately does a jump-cut that makes Watt piss himself, explodes upfield and somehow gains four yards.

that's a move only a NFL feature back can make. and that's all you really need to see. he's a three-down back (better start working on those outside blitz pickups, though) with the perfect body type for his position. draft him, put him in the backfield for the next half-decade and consider your running game solved.

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Read nothing into his rushing stats this year. This is what it looks like when every defensive player keys on one guy running behind a trash offensive line. I don't know the last back with his combination of speed, power, moves, hands, instincts, and patience.

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bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

>Read nothing into his rushing stats this year. This is what
>it looks like when every defensive player keys on one guy
>running behind a trash offensive line. I don't know the last
>back with his combination of speed, power, moves, hands,
>instincts, and patience.

to say he's better than all those dudes is a big statement...

________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

Granted, penn state doesn’t exactly have a roster full of dudes in Canton or anything, but Saquon’s talent is undeniable.

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bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

http://i.imgur.com/vPqCzVU.jpg

To be clear, if he had rushed for 1800 yards behind this line, he’d be the next coming of Barry Sanders. You’ll see how bad the line truly is next year.

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bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

it's striking how much he resembles his old teammate Jalen Ramsey at times. Predator-like, how smooth he stops-starts and closes in on people. and same as Ramsey, his best trait is his pterodactyl wingspan -- he blocks the sun on normally open throwing windows.

unlike Ramsey he'll stay at safety, although he can man-up the slot. great route-reader and good-enough speed. plus you want him close to the ball, because he's an A+ blitzer and strong tackler.

so everything is great, right? not entirely. the knee injury last year has obviously affected him. he looked like the second coming as a freshman, but there were plenty of times this past season where he was more ordinary. same guy but with less fearless aggression.

that said, I'm buying stock that he gets back to his 2015 level in the NFL. he's one of those players who makes everything look very easy, and that's a hard thing to do.

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very good starter who can have games at an elite level, but not as consistently as the best players. markedly better than who the opposing team lines up against him. for quarterbacks, this is a guy you can win with over the long haul.

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to me, he's more fun to watch than Barkley. seeing him burst through the line of scrimmage, then start pinballing off linebackers and safeties...it's one thing to see a big back do that, but a smaller guy giving forearm shivers to defenders is a beautiful, rare treat.

I love his vision (he can run in any system), and once he gets to the second level it's like the running of the bulls, with him out to hurt somebody bigger than him. of course NFL defenses are going to make that tougher, but I trust his superior balance and pad level to carry him through.

he is behind in the passing game because LSU in general hasn't been able to throw the football for a half-decade, so he'll concede third downs early in his career. but he gives your offense an identity when running the ball, and that's still worth something.

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you know raping people and all

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he's nasty. his release, his routes, his ability after the catch...if you're having an off day as a corner, he'll make a highlight out of you. he runs right past press, and if you play off-man, his double moves can lock anybody's knees up -- he put a stop-and-go on Marlon Humphrey last year that juked the first-rounder back into his freshman year.

burst is elite once he has the ball, as he just outruns pursuit angles. not the biggest guy but he does the whole Marvin Harrison-DeSean Jackson trick of being too quick to hit squarely. hands are good, and he even returns punts. Chris Peterson's offense is more about running his system rather than feeding his studs, so he's had quiet games, but he can go off when called upon and is able to play any receiver position. he'd murder in the slot.

I like him better than John Ross coming out of college. throw him the ball for instant-offense.

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Ross is ALL speed. Pettis is ALL talent. Pettis reminds me of Doug Baldwin + 3-4 inches of height.

And I love John Ross.

If Jake Browning wasn't eating his own dick this year, Pettis would be standing out a lot more.

Even still, he just set the NCAA record for punt return TDs.

>If Jake Browning wasn't eating his own dick this year, Pettis
>would be standing out a lot more.

at least once a game Pettis has scorched the last line of defense, then has slow to a stop for one of Browning's whiffleball deep passes.

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plus, not only that but like you said, Pettis will just cook his guy off the line and Browning never even sees him or has already done one of his dumb rollouts to the opposite side of Pettis.

Browning is my most love/hate UW athlete of all time.

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a freaking animal. he plays angry all the time, and mauls his way through any sort of chip block or double-team just to get his post-throw hit in. and you need to send help his direction, because he's got a great first step that'll make your tackle look really bad. once he gets really comfortable running around your linemen, he'll start using those long, pass-rushing arms to counter with a bull rush/inside rip and run them over instead.

this type of abuse happens every time the offense drops back to pass. and he brings the same attitude to the run game -- send a pulling guard his way and he will detonate him at the line of scrimmage.

now he is a little top-heavy, and lacks that elite dip and balance the NFL superstars have. he's a bully though, and a guy that is going to force the offense into a big mistake. I'm a huge fan -- he's Clemson's best player this year.

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love this guy. the difference between him and a lot of fast athletes playing linebacker, is he can get in the scrum and crack some pads. so you combine his elite burst, with the willingness to throw a forearm shiver at a 300-pounder, and great tackling...yeah, I'll sign up for that on my team.

still developing in coverage, but you can put him over a tight end or back and he has the speed to run with them until the whistle. he eats up the same ground in zone; I'd drop him as an underneath robber so he can chase and destroy crossing routes on third down. or just blitz him -- he explodes past guards on A-gap runs, right into the quarterback's "oh fuck" part of the pocket.

modern day inside linebacker who'll be just 20 years old when the 2018 NFL season starts. only going to get better.

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took me a while to warm up to him, but he's definitely a beast. he's built like a cut linebacker, with prototypical 4-3 end size, and carries it well. I've seen him clamp down on Lamar Jackson, as well as line up outside the numbers in man coverage against a running back.

as a pass rusher he doesn't do one thing exceptionally well, but the overall package is a handful to deal with. his hands are strong. he can dip and bend the corner. he has a hell of a swim move. he can run twist games and beat you cross-face.

above all, he's relentless. he plays with a real edge, bordering illegal, and will scratch-claw-elbow his way into a quarterback pressure. he doesn't take run plays off, either, so he earns his pass rush opportunities.

Michael Bennett potential with a little slower first step.

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Lazy Pac-12 comparison incoming, but he's Haloti Ngata-esque. It's rare to see major conference linemen being thrown on their asses, but that's what he does to opponents, every other play. He flings guards and centers across the field like a judo master at the YMCA (no Marine-o) -- that's really the difference between him and other big guys, since he knows how to use his hands and leverage.

He's got that alligator closing speed as well, and can run you down from the backside if you test his burst. Plays hard and is on the field all the damn time. Not a natural pass-rusher, but you have to keep two on him because he's apt to embarrass someone and have a clear lane to your franchise quarterback.

I think he's definitely better than his old teammate Danny Shelton, who went top 15. Front-seven, two-gap centerpiece who is not going to rack up counting stats but will have the respect of every team he plays for and against.

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i forgot who it was against this year...i think Utah (who typically have big linemen)...where he basically body slammed two linemen with his left arm and reached out with his right to snag the RB as he ran by.

dude is a beast. he's DOMINANT in college and should be a problem at the next level. Shelton has been solid as an NFL'er but not as dominant as people thought he'd be. i think Vea can bring that dominance.

he's not quite as good as his old teammate Marshon Lattimore, but better than Gareon Conley. Ohio State uses him everywhere but he'd be ideal in the slot -- his backpedal is elite. you see him mirroring routes 10 yards downfield without opening his hips, which is ridiculous. great burst and can run with most anybody.

a bit light in the ass, so not the guy you want setting the edge too often. his ball skills aren't the best either, but he'll catch the ones thrown right at him. will get into a jersey-grabbing contest downfield until he remembers he's athletic enough to cover legally.

that backpedal, though. you could tie his hands behind his back, walk him to the line, and he'd still be able to shadow his man wherever he went. the NFL covets unique traits and he's got one of them.

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I love, love him as a collegian -- he was appointment television every Saturday -- but the knocks against him are not without merit.

inside the pocket he can be really unnatural, even with fundamentals. for example, his footwork is glaringly bad sometimes -- I don’t mean "weight transfer" and "drop depth" coach-speak bad, but "his feet are so close they could touch" kind of bad. nearly all his accuracy issues can be traced back to some mortal sin in quarterback technique.

bit of a one-read passer, as well. the college game is all about spreading the defense, forcing them to declare coverages, then signaling the quarterback where to throw it. that's more or less what Jackson is tasked with, and after that it's the improv show. which he is fantastic at. for as stilted as he looks inside the pocket, he's a natural passer in the scramble drill. his release speed and arm strength combination is elite -- he can fire bullets to anywhere on the field, from all sorts of moving angles.

or he can just run. I read a presser with Belichick this season, and a reporter asked why all teams don't just put a spy on mobile quarterbacks. "oh yeah, that's great. you've still got to tackle him. he beats the spy and now there's nobody left, so it's 30 yards." that's the part of Jackson that cannot be accounted for; he's the most explosive runner at his position in the last 16 years.

overall, inconsistent as hell, but he's so engrossing you almost forget his flaws. seeing him flick his wrist and hit a deep post in stride, or cutting at warp speed and making a first-rounder look like he should lose his scholarship...yeah, this is a player mold that only comes around once a decade. worth the patience to see if you can unlock a franchise quarterback.

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Buffalo, Jets, Miami. one of those teams

if he's starting year one, I think it'll be worse for him over the long run.

I'm sure Buffalo isn't having three black quarterbacks in a row. plus their ownership is terrible; they punted a game while in playoff contention so they could start a fifth-round white guy this season.

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watching him beat angles to the outside of DEs was highly entertaining

watching him sail funballs between the hashmarks was not

seemed to be missing a little zip at times too

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

his lack of fundamentals inside the pocket really hurt him. all those interceptions -- even the tipped ball -- could've been avoided if he had more consistency with his mechanics. his three-step drops can be ugh, and his upper body is not working in concert with his lower body on a lot of throws.

but those two runs in the second quarter? fucking Nightcrawler out there.

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now this is what I'm talking about. twitchy, knows how to get open in traffic and can turn any reception into six points.

mainly a slot receiver, he's a terror against zones because he has a feel for the vacant spots. he stems his routes, slows down and sits when there's an opening but also speeds up to pull defenders away from their spots. some receivers just run their route, but he actually has a purpose with every movement. he also piles up the YAC because of his burst and balance.

so he can work between the sticks, but what really makes him special is his speed. again, some receivers are just fast in a straight line, but he is football fast. you take a false step on a slant and he's gone. he has that pure separation speed, where he goes from being covered to wide open in a blink.

undersized, and will drop enough gimmies to annoy you, but he has Brandin Cooks potential. I'm a big fan.

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and Will Fuller, who both do what he does better

only 23 though

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I've been waiting to write his NFL obituary since last year. he plays in a one-read system of five-yard throws. his deep ball accuracy is scattered. his Houdini scramble act isn't going to work against professional defenders.

yet as much as I wanted to let everyone know he's a mirage, when I watched his games this season he proved me wrong more times than not. he throws on time and with touch, meaning those five-yard passes often turn into 20-yard gains. he hits tight, contested windows. he doesn't have the purest arm, but his deep passes were much improved. his feet are quick and he can fling it on the move, so the scramble plays will still be there for him.

when OU played Texas they blitzed the hell out of him, and poked a few holes in his protection (he greatly benefits from the best line in the country). they got him to throw an interception (another was dropped) on a few disguised, NFL-style coverages. they won the third-down battle, and they had the athletes to keep him honest outside the pocket.

he still threw the game-winning touchdown on a perfect strike down the sideline.

that said, I'm not his biggest champion because of a few things. his height is the reason he breaks the pocket quickly, because he is affected when his guard-to-guard throwing lanes aren't super clean. quick feet or not, he gets away with holding the ball forever in college. he actively looks for contact in the open field, and despite his sturdy build, that's a really stupid thing to do in the NFL.

he's flawed, but he's also improved every single year, so whatever happens next should be really interesting. the Russell Wilson comps exist because they are pretty darn close. then again, I didn't think much of Wilson coming out of college either, so what do I know.

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________________________________________
"Take the surprise out your voice Shaq."-The REAL CP3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2H5K-BUMS0

but his is probably the best QB take I have in this thread

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always popped out on the loaded 2016 defense, and the same was true this season while he played more snaps. he's a natural three-tech, which is sort of old-school now that the Tampa 2 defense has come and gone. well, there's always a spot for someone to rush the passer, but the number of NFL starters under 300 pounds is a very small list.

good news is he has the skills. he can beat his man to either side, wins his hand-fights and has that perfect blend of power and agility. fantastic jump too, which is crucial for his style of play. run-defense is a lot of gap shooting and slants -- obviously he can be vulnerable to direct blocking because of his size, but he does well enough to stay on the field.

could move to defensive end, or rotate positions based on down and distance. he's disruptive and shows technique -- both things I really like.

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he was one of the most dominant players in the country imo

his get-off is something im not sure ive ever seen before

should have won every award applicable to him

WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE

him or Jourdan Lewis. Taco was great but Hurst just has three or four *wow* snaps every game.

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perfect boundary corner. he has the long, pliable frame to play press or zone equally well, and closes on throws with a burst. best part about his game are his elite ball skills -- he led the country in interceptions (8) this past season, and none of them were flukes. he goes up for deep balls like a receiver, and gets incredible jumps while baiting in zone. an absolute fade-killer at the goal-line; he defends the end-zone better than any defensive back in this draft.

he does give up a step on pure speed routes, but it's hard to throw over his wingspan. also never put him in the slot; he's terrible inside. average tackler (Saquon Barkley put him on a poster when he hurdled him this season) but sets the edge as needed.

overall though, he has number one corner potential if you let him play his game.

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he has the chance to be an *elite* route-runner. it starts with his release, which is fantastic – a Keenan Allen, Antonio Brown-type first step. his stems are superb, and he comes out of his breaks so damn cleanly. typical play: hyper-speed off the line to dust the press, runs go route hard to get the corner on his heels, then bang, he's at a dead stop and ready for the hitch.

has some concentration drops but he tracks the ball naturally and with his hands in good position. for better or worse, he's also used to a ton of inaccurate and late throws playing with Hurts, so he knows how to adjust. plenty fast and can run away from anyone that gives him a little space.

production has been stalled by his offensive system, but he's a natural receiver. not the biggest guy or very physical, but the way he moves he'll always be open. will be a better pro than collegian.

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>he has the chance to be an *elite* route-runner.

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as far as interior linemen go, I've been scarred since Chance Warmack and Jonathan Cooper both went in the top ten a half-decade ago. one was classically dominating, the other a freak of nature for the position. neither became the guaranteed All-Pro they were supposed to be.

I realize that has nothing to do with Nelson, but the same talk is accompanying him ("safest pick in the draft"). and there's not a ton to critique about his play: he can absolutely destroy people. he's strong, with the size, the wingspan, and balance to anchor the pocket or move the line of scrimmage. balanced, too, so even when he gets caught out of position he recovers well.

he isn't as good pulling to the wide side, and can waist-bend some out in space, but those were about all the deficiencies I noticed. also you have to love the fact he plays mean, and enjoys punishing his opponent.

considering the overall decrepit state of lines across the league, a Zack Martin-like guard would do wonders for nearly every team.

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above the shoulders he's exactly what you want at middle linebacker. he diagnoses plays extremely well, and leads himself to the action. end-around? he's there. play-action boot? he shadows the quarterback without over-pursuit, because he's looking behind his shoulder for a crossing route in the vacated space. top-level awareness, exactly what you want from your field general.

stature-wise, I can see how you'd be put off by his size. he's short and light, without the timed speed of say, Deion Jones (Atlanta). his wingspan doesn't seem all that great from afar, either. game-speed though, he looks plenty fast. hardly ever out of position to start with, and he shows a closing burst in coverage and attacking the run. direct linemen blocks can move him off his point, but his hands are super strong -- probably his most underrated advantage. that helps him punch away blockers, and why he is so good at corralling guys in the open. he doesn't have the best form or base on a lot of tackles, but he can still reach out with one hand and bring the ball-carrier to the ground.

all that's to say, I like his game. controlled burst and has a natural radar for the ball. his size isn't elite, but the rest of his attributes play well for your leader inside.

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sound, NFL-quality player. put him into the lineup and know you won't be at a huge disadvantage against anybody. for quarterbacks, this is who you give the chance to run a team, but is ultimately replaceable based on results.

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doesn't excite me much, especially for a guy who has put a lot of quarterbacks on the ground. he bends the corner and he's a hell of a finisher, but the NFL is all about having unique advantages. and he's not a game-wrecker in that sense.

better teams don't scheme for him, even with his coaches flipping him across the formation to find a match-up. they just run their offense as usual. they know he's coming from way out wide, with the same speed rush, and once you start cutting that off he doesn't show any reliable counters. being sized the same as Von Miller-Jamie Collins, I like my outside rushers to be a lot more twitchy -- he's smooth, but his jumps are inconsistent and I've seen him dusted in space too many times.

he has a future as a solid rush linebacker. he just won't be a star.

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he's a bit overrated at this point in the draft process. a good prospect being presented as an elite one.

A&M works hard to get him free, whether it's backfield motion or pick plays, and he does well to find cracks in zones. excellent, excellent hands with the body control to match. just a really great feel for catching the ball. pure speed isn't his game but he can sneak behind your safety.

although he's presented as this master route-runner, he has room to improve (over-eager to get into his break, leading to contested catches). and boy he can suck against a real press corner. like I mentioned, he's either stacked or in the slot to mitigate that, but it's just another reason why he's not a top-level prospect.

I like his competitiveness -- he throws his body around and blocks like a man -- and most NFL teams could use a guy who does what he does. which is fine, as long as you're not expecting a centerpiece offensive star. he's a complimentary one.

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he dropped a game winning catch, he routinely cant hit the deep ball with Murray. its really frustrating bc he is the piece that could make the Cardinals not lose all of these very close games. he should be thriving with DHop.

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he needs a year of practice reps and a hell of a position coach, but the outline of a starting NFL receiver is all there. when defenses let him run around he can be scary -- he moves effortlessly for his size, and once he's downfield your safeties have a problem. he's a three-touchdown threat on any given Saturday.

there's definitely stuff that gives you pause, though. he's a little soft against contested throws, and his hands are just OK. he doesn't have a reliable way to beat press coverage. he gets lost against zone, and will end up covering himself. sort of basic professional receiver things.

seems like he has the right attitude -- blocks like a monster, first to congratulate a teammate and doesn't pout when he's often a decoy -- so that's encouraging. as long as you don't expect too much, too soon, he could reward you nicely down the line.

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people will point to his off-field stuff as a huge hit to his draft capital, but I don't think he was quite the second coming to begin with.

he flies off the edge like a fucking rocket, but he's all arms and legs -- which means his lankiness works against him when you need to dip around the corner against NFL linemen (*Dion Jordan shudder*).

that first step is great, though, and his punch could be awesome with more work. move him around and he'd be scary coming down the A-gaps. build up his inside move, to go with his natural speed, and that combination is going to threaten an offense. just not Von Miller 2.0, as advertised in 2016.

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I thought he'd be a double-team anchor since he lines up at nose tackle frequently, but he's more of a one-gap player. fairly agile -- he has a sharp, quick jump off the snap, and immediately shoots his hands up under his opponent's pads. an absolute bear on zone runs; he doesn't get reach blocked and he can carry his lineman into the backfield.

negatives: lacks true nose tackle size, can play high and is mostly left single-blocked. also not a dynamic pass-rusher. I'd compare him to Bennie Logan, who has a lot of similarities in his build and game.

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he can look ordinary between the tackles, mostly because of a weak leg drive -- he goes to the ground quicker than you'd like. but if he finds a cutback crease or a little space outside, he turns into a different player. speedy, shifty, and a pain to corral.

very natural hands so he can help you in the screen and option route game. also an excellent kick returner; he averaged 30.2 yards per return for his career and scored eight times. a bigger, faster Giovani Bernard.

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think Golden Tate. he only needs a little space because he always makes the first man miss. he has that low-to-the-ground, powerful leg drive to squirm out of jams and changes direction beautifully.

he ran a lot of routes as an outside receiver at Maryland, although he can slide inside whenever needed. his route tree didn't have many branches, but he has great body control -- he can put on a double move and knows how to curl in-between defenders to open himself up in zone.

like Tate, he's a real good punt returner as well. I'm sold. he can grow into a real weapon as a number two receiver.

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remarkable to watch down the stretch of the season. his effort against Washington with a high-ankle sprain was one of the best performances of the year.

to be honest, he often had *great* blocking on his big runs, but his speed made a 30-yard gain into a 70-yard touchdown. that's not insignificant. he has quick feet -- not so much a jump cut runner as one who will micro-step his way through the second level. and his burst is special, with the speed to beat secondary defenders to the end line.

more impressive than his speed is how tough he runs; he breaks way more tackles than he ever should. with his size, though, against NFL defenders he's going to have some 18-carry, 60-yard games when he can't break one.

if he's managed well and can stay healthy, he offers a big play opportunity on the ground -- a rare thing in today's league.

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it took a while for the light to come on for him, now is it going to stay on? physical, he's rare. he has incredible wingspan and moves like a panther. not the super-explosive, nitro-boost kind of guy, but incredible sleek. smooth enough to line up over a slot receiver, jam the hell out of him, and at least run with him through his first route break. clip his best plays and you've got a first-rounder.

issue is, he's a senior and still a part-time player. there are stretches he looks the part and whole games where he might as well not have played. he can lack violence and technique at times, which leads to a lot of wasted snaps. if you're not a technician you better be overwhelming with your physical traits, and he's not as forceful as he could be.

he has gotten great coaching, and to his credit he is high-effort and improved every fall, but collectively his game has not matched his potential...yet. if you can pull more out of him that's great; as long as you aren't *expecting* that next jump, he can be useful at his current level.

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shades of Frank Gore. nothing fancy about his style, he just gets up-field, stays balanced and uses those battering ram thighs to break tackles. not quite the all-around back Gore was coming out of college but he can still help you on all three downs.

I do think he never got the electricity back from his freshman season, but he's running with a lot more confidence than last year. lacks an elite trait, but does everything very well.

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whoo boy, this is a scary man. for everybody. little interest as a gangly receiver out of high school, gained 70 pounds over the next few years, switched positions and started mauling the hell out of poor Conference USA linemen.

he has an incredible get-off, and is overwhelming with his initial speed-to-power conversion. for his size he is still twitchy, and moves everywhere with a burst. when he's on the field, he cannot be missed.

right now I'd describe him as undeveloped, though. he does not consistently use his hands, which is a death wish in the NFL – even in college, better linemen control his chest because he rushes at them wildly. he also has to remember to play low, because his height is a big leverage target. definitely needs to develop more of a pass-rush arsenal; he doesn't have go-to rips/swims/spins he can hang his hat on. even his basic outside speed rush could be a lot better if he knew how to disengage his opponent's hands.

that's a ton of stuff his new position coach will have to work on. right now he's a sub-package rusher that an offensive tackle has to take seriously, if only for his athleticism. in two years he could be a full-fledged All-Pro, or he could level out as a third-down player only. big bet in the first round depending on your job security.

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edge-setter with some basic pass-rush ability. he's great at stack-and-shed, holds his ground and makes it hard to run his direction. on passing downs he's more of a nuisance than anything – he shows strong hands, but his jump is mediocre and he takes a linear route to the quarterback.

lower end of the starting spectrum, yet the type of defender you need to play winning football.

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master of none. he can line up nearly anywhere: single-high, as a split safety, nickel corner, outside corner, 20-yards off the ball or right outside a lineman's shoulder. and he's good in all of those spots. I don't think he does anything *great*, however.

coverage-wise he has great closing speed and is aces against most routes thrown in front of him. not trustworthy on downfield throws; he'll turn around and start looking for constellations without any idea of where the ball is going. average wingspan so bigger receivers can get to passes he can't.

as a safety he plays his assignment well and gets to the action in a hurry. decent tackler and not afraid to blow up a block, but he misses his share and isn't the biggest defender to begin with. the lack of pure ball skills (most of his career interceptions were thrown right at him) also prevents me from recommending him as a deep third protector.

this past season he was largely a hybrid nickel corner-box safety depending on how the play unfolded, which is probably his best spot overall. is that worth a top-five pick? not to me. more of a defensive glue guy than elite difference-maker.

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He impressed me much more in the Clemson game. He was ghost (i.e. doing his job and not much else) in the championship game.

I was much more gassed on him as a possible first round pick a couple of weeks ago.

Seems like a guy that could find a real niche after a year as a rotational player. The fact that he is often touted as a defensive general could also benefit him should his deficiencies not hamper his transition to the NFL.

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the type of corner who will make you grimace for three quarters than win the game at the end. this past season was a bust due to injuries, but in 2016 he had some spectacular moments -- mainly due to the fact he is always around the ball. just a natural at forcing takeaways, cutting off route angles and baiting quarterbacks. sure-handed and his punt-return skills give him a chance to score from anywhere.

his hyper-aggressive style can work against him, though. his press coverage often devolves into outright holding. he will stare into the backfield and be burnt crisp on double moves. him playing over slot gives him a great viewpoint of the action and lets him jump throws, but he also can look bad against elite route-runners who expose his sometimes stilted movement. tackling is more of an idea in his head than practiced in reality.

all those negatives included, I still love his ability to flip the field on any play. not a star, but he will help more than hurt.

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Pettine really helped smooth out those rough parts to his game

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one of the most improved players in the country. I wrote him off when looking at his 2016 games, yet he kept producing in big spots this season. had to take a second look.

people get fried for mentioning this, but he has the shadow of Le'Veon Bell to his running style. he can be incredibly patient in the backfield, and then jump cuts or slides through the gap he was waiting for. it's very innate -- you'll watch the hand-off and think this is a two-yard gain based on the blocking, then he spots a crease last-second and makes a cut for five yards.

now he lacks Bell's explosion, and nobody can emulate Bell's style like the master, but the semblance is there. not near the receiver the Steeler is, either, although his hands are soft. other negatives are his long-stride and tendency to run high, leading to some easy targets for NFL hitters. he was diving when it happened, but good gracious Ronnie Harrison put a missile lock on his shoulder this Iron Bowl.

I think he'll be a solid, not flashy, starter. although he's proved me wrong before.

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in practice shorts he's not going to look like much; a smaller guy without overwhelming speed. on the field, though, he's always making plays. he can make YouTube catches -- either one-handing bullets while being tackled, or snapping up an overthrown sideline pass then hitting a toe-tap. and he did so at least once per game, because his quarterback had the downfield accuracy of a water hose.

but my favorite part of his game is his balance. his body control is top-level when adjusting to throws, running routes or after the ball is in his hands. it compensates for the fact he's not physically imposing or beat everyone in a race fast, because his steps are quick and he is a pain to actually knock over. same applies to his routes, where he gets his releases and late separation using his quick feet, jab-stepping into open parts of the field. one big negative is he is very careless with the ball during all of this, and he will also drop gimmies thrown his way.

nice slot receiver who can get loose against a variety of coverages. reminds me of Emmanuel Sanders at times.

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it'd be really cool if he was faster to the ball. he came out of relative obscurity this season and made a bunch of impressive plays, but most of them were reactionary. tip drills and such. when I watched him snap to snap, he didn't come downhill with the speed and consistency that's ideal. led to him being a step late on several plays, whether it's a missed tackle or not contesting a downfield throw.

Texas moved him around, from down in the box to 20 yards deep, so it's good to see they trusted him in a variety of positions. he's a solid wrap tackler when he's aggressive, and has the ball skills to steal a possession. maybe on the stiffer side when opening up his hips, but I'd trust him over a tight end in the slot.

intriguing qualities. his 40 time will be huge, as it should show whether he can get faster to the ball, or that he's already getting there as soon as he can.

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spot starters but ideal playing limited snaps. has some sort of flaw that prevents him from being a regular in lineup. for quarterbacks, a developmental prospect.

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solid guy to have on your three-deep. he lacks that certain NFL feature back magic, but he's great at waiting for his blocks to set up, can break a few tackles and won't kill you in the passing game. he's run out of all the pro formations (shotgun offset, single back, I-form) in college and done so well.

great at falling forward and making compact cuts to slip around penetration. burst and long speed are only average -- he loses races to the corner -- plus his open field moves are comedic. his favorite is the triple-juke, trip-myself-into-a-ground-tackle.

got in the doghouse for soft fumbles in 2017, then injured, so his overall numbers are down. but in 2016, Michigan and Ohio State gave him eight-man boxes full of NFL defenders and he had two of his career-best games.

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is this a joke? he checks off every box when it comes to the great overhyped quarterback: tall, big arm, white, and unable to throw accurately or read defenses.

people will talk about the lack of talent he had this year, and the skill position players are admittedly not great. but he makes it harder on them, because he doesn't throw with touch or timing. plus, his line gives him good enough protection -- half his sacks are him walking into them.

even if he had a great team around him, they wouldn't help his inability to get the ball out on time. holy hell he is late on nearly every throw. he can't anticipate an open receiver, and has to wait until he sees him open before he cocks the hammer. which is too late in the NFL, no matter how big of an arm you have. we’re talking fatal flaw here.

I'm not even going to get into detail about his scattered accuracy, half-dozen throws off his back foot each game, and fuck-it mentality when he goes through progressions. he’s got a hell of an arm, but that's about as useful as a fast wide receiver who can't run a route. he's a pro day quarterback, not a game day one.

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I remember asking if you'd reassessed after I think his rookie yr. Said he needed to string a couple good seasons together to change your mind. Looks like we may be getting there

he may get some extra love because of what Dak has done, but fuck that -- Dan Mullen also coached Tim Tebow if we're going to be all about transitive property.

I do think he's worth a developmental shot, however. when his offense stays ahead of the sticks and defenses respect his running ability (he moves well enough for his size), he can look really good. he does some defender manipulation with head fakes, and will go through multiple reads as needed.

that said, when defenses take away that RPO-check-with-the-sideline on first down, and they start throwing out different coverage looks, he gets bogged down. he can be slow to process everything going on around him, which is basically the mortal sin of quarterbacking. timing goes, ball placement goes, and the bad reads come. even at his best he is not a supremely accurate thrower, so the ugly sequences snowball quickly with him.

overall he has enough NFL-quality traits to be on a roster, and maybe he puts it together in time. or maybe not. certainly not a gamble I would spend a high pick to bet on.

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reminds me of Kevin Minter when he was in college. or Denzel Perryman. short, squatty middle linebacker who flows to the ball and has a big punch. not afraid to challenge a blocker and a sure tackler. coverage drops are actually half-decent, as he moves well enough, but he's a '90s linebacker playing in 2017. not many buyers in that market.

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fun college receiver but doesn't have a standout NFL ability. good hands, can win the ball in the air and hard to pin down after the catch. but his size-speed-routes aren't really going to make anybody on an NFL defense worried.

Jeremy Kerley-type who can make a few plays in light duty.

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the usual Alabama back made better by his circumstances. hurt all the time because he runs tall and has thin legs, and that's with him taking less hits due to a great offensive line.

speaking of, while he does a good job sliding off first tackle, most of his misses happen because he can do a warm-up jog before reaching the second level. vision is nothing special; he's a straight-line runner who follows play exactly or bounces it to the outside with great blocking.

has a nice stride for a big guy and long speed as well. change of pace back; he won't be an effective starter and his propensity for injury works against him as well.

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this is the guy that should have gotten at least 20 carries a game. much better vision than Bo. got faster by dropping weight.

Harris had only 2 more carries than Bo for the year, but had 350 more yards. no idea why he wasn't played more.

I like Bo, but he's not number 1 on this club and he's no Derrick Henry.

Y'all buy those labels, I was born supreme