Time to Get Down to Business
The NCAA 2017 football regular season is over, however, now is the time where true fans watch more game footage than during the year to prepare for the upcoming NFL Player Draft. To help, this space will run several "Crash Course" pieces which will not definitively state the best players come April, but will simply help get you up to speed on some name you may not know.
This first piece will discuss the seniors who have the highest Tackles for Loss ratio.
The Numbers
This analysis is simple: It ranks players by number of plays it takes him to obtain one Tackle for a Loss (TFL). This helps normalize statistics as some players, due to facing a higher number of opponents plays, would naturally have higher TFL totals. The lower the ratio, the better. The players were listed on the Total Tackles for Loss statistical report on the NCAA webpage. Despite many underclassmen being eligible for the NFL draft, only seniors are profiled here.
Division 3
Based on average TFL ratio of all subjects, D3 had the second best average with its players generating on average one TFL every 51.07 snaps (106% better than the average of 1 every 53.53).
Overall #1 - Nicholas Giorgio, Junior, Springfield College: 1 TFL ever 26.01 snaps (#1 NCAA)
This 6'1" 240 lbs Defensive End from Cumberland, Rhode Island is not just number one in Division 3, he's number 1 in our overall analysis across FBS, FCS and also D2.
Top Senior - Montel Lee, Ferrum 1 TFL every 28.70 snaps (87% better than average).
Recently named the USA South Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the year for the second consecutive year, this 5'10" 260 lbs Defensive Tackle was the leagues' Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Along with his 23 TFL in 2017, he added 4 forced fumbles.
Here is about the only footage I could find of him:
The following players round out the Top 5 Division 3 TFL Leaders:
Overall #1 - TIE: John Cominsky (6'5" 275 lbs) and Kahzin Daniels (6'4" 240 lbs), Charleston (WV) with a TFL every 27.26 plays (96% better than average).
Top Senior - Montel Lee, Ferrum 1 TFL every 28.70 snaps (87% better than average).
Recently named the USA South Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the year for the second consecutive year, this 5'10" 260 lbs Defensive Tackle was the leagues' Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Along with his 23 TFL in 2017, he added 4 forced fumbles.
Here is about the only footage I could find of him:
The following players round out the Top 5 Division 3 TFL Leaders:
Division 2
Of the NCAA subdivisions, Division 2 as a whole required the most plays on average to generate one TFL (57.01).
Not sure what they put in the water at Charleston but the top 2 DII DL in terms of TTFL are both Juniors so it will be interesting to see what havoc the Golden Eagles wreak next year.
Top Senior - Jalen Nelson, Charleston (WV) 1 TFL every 29.86 plays run by the opponent. (79% > average).
How long before Charleston Defensive Line coach Zach Santolla gets noticed by FBS? His defense is generating TFL at a ridiculous pace. The top DII senior is Nelson, a 6'1", 240 lbs LB all Mountain East Conference 1st Teamer, is also a Golden Eagle.
Here is his high school footage:
Take a look at the rest of the Top 5 for Division II:
FCS
Overall, the FCS was third in terms of average Plays per TTFL with 54.58.
Overall #1 - The top defender for FCS in terms of TTFL is 6'1" 240 lbs Jonathan Petersen of San Diego, who is also a Senior with 25.5 TTFL. For his efforts, Petersen captured the Pioneer League's Defensive Player of the Year award.
Here he is in action:
Here are the rest of the FCS Top 5:
FBS
For NCAA's premier subdivision turned in the best performance as a group, requiring only 46.39 plays to convert a tackle for loss; no other division broke the 50 play barrier.
Overall #1 - Sutton Smith of Northern Illinois is a 6'0" 225 lbs LB who collected 28.5 TTFL as a redshirt Sophomore has the pedigree (both parents played collegiate sports) and was Player of the Year in high school out of the Saint Charles, MO area. It will be interesting to see how he fares next year.
Top Senior - Bradley Chubb of North Carolina State - The 6'4" 275 lbs DE, already projected to be a top pick, was a force his entire career, laying out 26 TTFL. His father played at Georgia and he brother Brandon is currently on the Detroit Lions and his cousin Nick is a running back at Georgia, will also be prized this coming NFL Draft.
Here is some of his finest work:
The rest of the Top 5:
Watch this space for more NFL Draft Crash Course pieces where we attempt to take fresh looks at the top prospects.
Shameless Self-Promotion!
Watch this spot for more College Football and WR updates and analysis, including weekly updates of ROI.
Also, go like the new Boombearjr Football Analysis Facebook Page and follow me there! https://www.facebook.com/boombearjr/.
Even More Shameless!!!
Gearing up for the 2nd DraftTwitter NFL Draft Top 100 and I need your feedback on the top 100 prospects, the only list that is created by amateur (and some professional) scouts like you! And I'd love you to submit a ballot. Check out last year's here. Stay tuned for more info coming over the next few weeks.
