NFL Draft 2020 - Football Film Fight Volume 2 Part 5 - Outside Linebackers

Livin' on the Edge - Part I

The designation "Edge" is assigned to off the ball pass rushers at defensive end or outside linebacker.  Despite similar pass rushing duties, the roles are different so we will examine each position separately.  First, we will look at the OLB position and check out DEs in the next post.  Let's get into this Outside Linebacker Football Film Fight!

As always we take the first Mel Kiper post season Top 10 position list (published January 24, 2020 - we will compare his first list with his final list in another post) and pit them against each other head to head.  I view 3 games for each ( preferably, one from 2018 and two from the 2019 season) starting with #9 and #10. Winner moves on to face the next challenger and so on until we get a champion.  

*= In DL group of NFL Combine; ^= Ran the 40 at the Combine;  Ht = Height (inches); Wt = Weight (pound); DNS (Simple Density; highlighted = average range); DNS to Avg (Density + or - Combine LB Average); Sack Concentration = Team providing most sacks and % of total; Expl  =Explosiveness (70 or better is best per Pat Kirwan's formula here); n/a = Expl tests not performed.  

Round 1:  #10 Highsmith vs. #9 Gay

Highsmith Notes:

• Charlotte Career 
• Earned All-American honors as a senior along with All-Conference honors junior and senior years.  
• Career stats: 47 Tackles for Loss (TFL); 21 Sacks, 5 Passes Defended (PD) and 4 Forced Fumbles (FF) over 45 games.
• High School 
• All Conference (Wilmington, NC)
• Team Captain and MVP.

Viewed -  Clemson 2019, Buffalo 2019 and Florida Atlantic 2019 -  Primarily lined up at DE.  Acceptable get off at the LOS.  Can be blocked by a TE.  Does not hold the edge; often crashed in leaving the edge exposed. Think this is because he loses the ball in the backfield and commits w/o knowing who the ball carrier is.  Will work on developing tools -really saw only a sparingly used spin. Ran the 40 and his 4.70 time reflects his speed around the edge. Can use hands to shed blockers more effectively.

Gay Notes:

• Mississippi State Career 
• Started six of a total 31 career games. 
• Tallied 11 TFL, 6 sacks, 4 PD and 2 FF.
• High School 
• Four star prospect rating by multiple recruiting outlets.
• Considered as high as LB3 in his recruiting class. 
• Participated in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
• Also All-State (MS) junior and senior years. 

Viewed - Alabama 2018, Louisville 2019 and Kentucky 2019- Lined up at LB.  Coaches will want to sit him in the film room to look at analyze his pursuit angles in college; getting this corrected will make a huge difference.  Eyes in the backfield but can get frozen on play action.

Winner:   Gay, Jr.

His body of work is limited, which is a concern but he played at a higher competition level with greater intensity.     

Round 2:   Gay, Jr. vs. #8 Jennings

Jennings Notes:

• Alabama Career 
• Ended his campaign with 33.5 TFL, 14.5 sacks, 18 PD and 3 FF over 48 games.
• Rewarded with All-Conference honors his senior year. 
• High School 
•  All-state (AL) senior year playing in the Semper Fidelis All-American Game
• Consensus four start recruit.

Viewed - Ole Miss 2018, South Carolina 2019 and LSU  2019 -  Lined up at end. Smart, strong, disciplined player.  Holds that edge with eyes in the backfield.  Keeps hands moving to shed blocks. FAST get off when he needs it. Effective swim and cut moves.  Excellent in pursuit angles. Understands his role and will take on a block so his teammates can clean up.

Winner: Jennings  

No idea why Jennings is not being talked about more.  This is Danielle Hunter at LSU the year he came out.  Fully understands his assignments and does all the little things right so his numbers are not gaudy but it's clear if he were an exclusive pass rusher, he would have ridiculous numbers.

Round 3:   Jennings vs. #7 Uche

Uche Notes:

• Michigan Career 
• Tallied 19.5 TFL, 15.5 Sacks, 2 PD and 3 FF in a total of 26 games.
• All Conference honors (2019) and team's defensive Player of the Year. 
• High School 
• FL state championship finalist junior and senior years.
• Unanimous three-star prospect.  

Viewed - Ohio State 2018, Iowa 2019 and  Illinois 2019 - Played all over. All about speed but he has power also.  Tends to get absorbed by OL when lined up as DE so more effective from LB position. Eyes in backfield.  Quick around the edge but once larger OL gets hands on him he can be neutralized.

Winner:  Jennings
Uche has a lot of tools to work with but Jennings has a distinct advantage in power. 

.  

Round 4: Jennings  vs. #6 Okwara

Okwara Notes:  

• Notre Dame Career:
• In 35 games notched 24 TFL, 15.5 sacks and 4 FF.
• Team captain.  
• High School 
• All-region defensive lineman (Charlotte, NC).
• Brother Romeo is ND alum and current NY Giant.

Viewed - Vanderbilt 2018, Georgia 2019 and Virginia 2019 - Lined up mainly at DE.  Will need to fully develop a couple of moves. Coaches will instruct him to use his arms more to keep OL away...too often they get into his chest (per Mockdraftable, his arm length is in the 82nd percentile so this has he has to utilize this strength). Has the tools to be a game wrecker if properly utilized.

Winner:  Jennings 

 Okwara has the physical tools to excel but Jennings is farther up the learning curve at this point.

Round 5:   vs. #5 Weaver

Weaver Notes:  

• Boise State Career 
• 2019 All-American according to multiple outlets; 2019 Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
• Several 2017 All-American accolades.
• During his 40 game career rung up 47.5 TFL, 34 sacks, 6 PD and 3 FF.
• High School 
• Three star recruit out of St Anthony (Long Beach, CA) 
• All Section honors.

Viewed -  Florida State 2019,  Washington 2019 and UNLV 2019 - He plays on the DL and off as a true OLB so, for a big guy, he is an interesting evaluation.  Not to be rude, but based on his DNS/Avg he is 11.2% heavier than the average LB in the Combine group.  There will likely be quicker options for pure OLB in the draft so that will limit where he is selected. Functional but he is a tweener - not sure if he can even add any more bulk.  And if he drops weight, will he lose power?  Some plays will pursue all over the field others he will stand and watch the play. 

Winner:  Jennings

I  like the variety Weaver offers, but wish he would play with more consistent fire and quickness.

Round 6:  Jennings  vs. #4 Lewis

Lewis Notes:

• Alabama Career 
• Productive in the 14 games in which he played as he missed significant time due to injuries in 2017 (arm - missed 10 games) and 2018 (preseason knee kept him out all season) ending his career with 13.5 TFL, 7 sacks and 3 PD.
• Generated 11.5 TFL his final year at Bama his r-Junior year, earning All Conference honors.
• High School
• Five star prospect according to several outlets.
• Was Gatorade Player of the Year (DC).
• Under Armour All-America Game participant. 

Viewed - Georgia 2017,  South Carolina 2019 and Auburn 2019 - Lines up on DL mainly. Engages OL but doesn't have the functional strength to overcome them but also doesn't use the natural speed advantage you might expect. Needs to develop a move or two so he won't have to rely on power. Willing to hold edge but unable to disengage to make plays.

Winner: Jennings
Members of the Tide square off, but it seems the missed time on the practice field may have put Lewis behind Jennings at least for this viewing.

Round 7:   Jennings vs. #3 Baun

Baun Notes:

• Wisconsin Career 
• Generated 30.5 TFL, 15 sacks, 4 PD and 3 FF over 34 games.
• 2019 All American by several outlets.
• High School
• Three star prospect by most outlets.
• All-State (WI) as a QB scoring 94 total TDs over his 22 game career.

Viewed - Penn State 2018, Michigan State 2019 and Nebraska 2019  - Played all over. Prefer him vs run than pass because he lets OL get into his chest. Had success vs blocking TEs/Backs at the college level. Eyes in the backfield but sometimes fooled; needs to find the ball before reacting. Improved strength would help defeat OL since he relies on power more than speed/moves. At OLB, improved year over year in terms of reading plays.

Winner:  Jennings
Baun is a former QB who will make a lot of money for himself this draft on the other side of the ball. If he lands with a team that can work him up he has a great future.
.

Round 8: Jennings vs. #2 Chaisson

Chaisson Notes:

• LSU Career 
• Registered stats in 24 games with 19.0 TFL, 9.5 sacks and 4 PD.
• All Conference honors2017 and 2019); Conference Honor Roll every year in attendance.
• Permanent Team Captain (2019).
• High School 
• As high as five star prospect.
• All State (TX) senior year which was only his second year in organized ball.

Viewed - Miami 2018, Texas 2019 and Alabama 2019 - Set up on the defensive line, mainly.   Quick off the line but question the functional strength vs. NFL caliber OL.  Never too late to add moves to the repertoire so next level coaching will be critical.  Wanted to see him use the speed more but he engages much larger OL and doesn't quite yet have the power to disengage.

Winner - Jennings

 I know many have Chaisson as a top 10 pick and the 2nd Edge player off the board but the games viewed show a high ceiling, low floor player which, given he is relatively new to the sport, is not a diss.  

Round 9:   Jennings vs. #1 Simmons

Simmons Notes:

• Clemson Career 
  • Generated stats in 44 games ending his career with 28.5 TFL, 11 sacks, 20 PD and 6 FF.
  • Unanimous All-American and Butkus Award winner as a senior.
  • .
• High School 
  • All-State (KS) as both WR and DB.
  • State champion in the long jump in 2014 and 2015.

Viewed - Notre Dame 2018, North Carolina 2019 and Virginia 2019 -  Well, the kid is a safety.  Let's just put that out in the open and be honest.  He can run all over the field so putting him at WILL is OK but not sure we can expect very much in the way of DE at the next level (outside of stunts and/or blitzes).  This Football Film Fight is about finding the best OLB prospect so I have to judge him on the same standards as I have the other players so his FFF ranking is way different from his eventual draft landing spot.

2020 Outside Linebacker Football Film Fight Champion...

Anfernee Jennings

I know I'm not supposed to think for myself when it comes to draft rankings, but it's clear Jennings has competed at the highest level and has a foundation that NFL coaches can build upon.  He's OLB1.

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NFL Draft 2020 - Football Film Fight Volume 2 Part 4 - Quarterbacks

The Most Important Position in Sports

The quarterback is the unquestioned leader of the offense and in many cases, the team.  Despite football being the ultimate team sport, the signal caller takes the credit for wins and losses. This year's crop of quarterbacks has some solid prospects but whio among them is number one?  Let's look at them with this Quarterback Football Film Fight!

As always we take the first Mel Kiper post season Top 10 QB list for this draft and pit them against each other head to head.  I view 3 games for each (for this QB fight, looking only at 2019 games) starting with #9 and #10. Winner moves on to face the next challenger.

Round 1:  #10 "Flash" Gordon vs. #9 "Captain" Morgan

Gordon Notes:

• Washington State Career 
• JUCO- CA state championship winner and game MVP. 
• Started 13 games his senior year (appeared in 15 games)
• Set school and conference records for passing TDs, passing yards total offense and completions. 
• All-Pac12 (2nd Team)
• High School 
• All State (CA) as a senior.
• Senior year set regional record with 4,899 passing yards and 49 TDs
• Lettered 3 times in baseball.

Viewed -  Oregon 2019, Washington 2019 and Oregon State 2019 - The good...not even halfway into Oregon and he is really, really interesting.  He delivers the ball in stride.  Actually goes through progressions.  vs Oregon State - he was dead on for most of the game but then had a lapse. Came back to win the game but he was up and down.  The ugly...I don't recognize the guy vs. Washington.  All over the place.  Behind receivers all day.

vs.

Morgan Notes:

• Florida International Graduate Career 
• Started all games both years at FIU. 
• Set single season TD pass record (26) during school's best season ever (9 wins). 
• Earned all conference honors Junior year.
• Bowling Green - started 13 games (playing in 19 total).
• High School 
• 2X All State (WI); ranked 1st or 2nd by most outlets.
• ESPN 4 star athlete 
• 2X team captain also lettered in basketball. 

Viewed - Miami 2019, Marshall 2019 and Arkansas State 2019 - Decent arm strength.  Had some nice throws. Throws to the receiver more than the spot. Intermediate ball can sail on him-mechanics? Can put the ball behind the receiver which reduced YAC.

Winner:  Gordon

I'll take the risk on the upside.  When he was good he was extraordinary.  Gordon has a head for the game and knows where to put the ball for big plays.   Morgan did not have the receivers or coaching of Gordon but his ball placement was a liability. 

Round 2:  Gordon vs. #8 Montez

Montez Notes:

• Colorado Career 
• Played 10 games as a redshirt freshman and went on to start a total of 38 of the Buffaloes contests over 4 years. 
• Owner of 43 school records including career TD passes (61).
• High School 
•  All-state (TX) senior year. 
• Senior stats of 233/2967/46
• Over 111 TDs his HS career.
• 3X Basketball letterman
• Father Alfred played QB a Texas Tech and was an Oakland Raider 

Viewed - Utah 2019, Oregon 2019 and Colorado State  2019 - Definitely will need to come into a system where he can sit for at least a year. Throws to the man more than to the spot.

Winner:  Gordon

If we are talking about upside, Gordon shows you more right now.

Round 3: Gordon vs. #7 Hurts

Hurts Notes:

• Oklahoma Graduate Career 
• Started every game in his sole year as QB for the Sooners taking them to the BCS playoffs.
• All-American selection by several outfits
• Went 240/2780/23 with 9 INTs and 954 rushing yards with 13 TDs on the ground.  
• High School 
• Ranked #1 dual threat QB in the nation by 247Sports. 
• Unanimous 4 star athlete
• Threw for 2,384 yards and 26 TD passes, adding 25 more on the ground with 1,391 rushing yards. 

Viewed - LSU 2019, Texas 2019 and Baylor 2019 - He knows when to tuck it and run.  Would like to see more consistent ball placement to allow receivers a chance to pick up yards after the catch.   Needs to be more consistent in getting the ball to the outside on out routes - not throw behind his man. Goes through progressions, not a one read guy. 

Winner:  Gordon 

From the games viewed, Hurts was  acceptable but Gordon's best play was far better.  Watching the constantly average play of Hurts makes one understand Saban a bit more.  

Round 4: Gordon vs. #6 Fromm

Fromm Notes:  

• Georgia Career:
• Started 42 games in 3 years coming in as a true freshman.
• Earned Freshman All-American honors.
  
• Ended up with 234/2860/25 with 5 INTs.  
• High School 
• U.S. Army All-America Bowl participant and USA Today All-USA 2nd Team
• Georgia Player of the Year in 2016.
• Passed for 12,745 yards and 116 TDs in 46 games.

Viewed - Florida 2019, Baylor 2019 and LSU 2019 - Did not see many completions downfield...mostly short throws.  Hard to gauge arm strength when he is not taking a lot of shots.  Even though shorter passes, ball placement concerns remain.  Can scramble when he needs to.  Stares down a lot.  OK, in the Q4 of the Florida game the announcer said the Bulldogs had just completed their first pass over 15 yards vs. a SEC team THAT SEASON! That was in the 5th SEC game that year vs. the likes of Vandy, SCAR, Kentucky and Tennessee (combined 12-20 in 2019 SEC play). Habit of flipping the ball  in his palm during his hitches...the ball is constantly moving. That can't be good for ball security.

Winner:  Gordon 

Fromm really did not shine in the videos reviewed where he made his receivers work to corral some of his passes.  Left a lot of yards out there due to ball placement. Really surprised by the turn of events here.

Round 5:  Gordon vs. #5 Eason

Eason Notes:  

• Washington Transfer Career 
• Total of 13 games started sitting out one year per NCAA transfer rules.
• Went 260/3132/23 and 8 INTs. 
• At Georgia - two years as starter (only played 6 games in 2017 due to injury). 
• High School 
• 2015 Gatorade National Player of the Year and for his state (WA)
• Several All-American teams
• Went 235/3585/43 as a senior with just 3 INTs

Viewed -  Oregon 2019,  Stanford 2019 and Boise State 2019 - . Consistent ball placement to help his receivers gain YAC. Can put zip on the ball.  Put the ball on the money but there were frequent drops/misses. Would like to see him tuck the ball and run more when nothing is there rather than try to force the ball into coverage. Resilience? Q4 down vs Stanford was lackluster - want to see him rally his team.  Adjusted OL protection on obviously blitz which is good.  

Winner - Eason 

It was a nice run for Gordon, but Eason is just at that top tier level. 

Round 6:  Eason  vs. #4 Love

Love Notes:

• Utah State Career 
• Starter since r-Freshman year with conference honors each of the last two years.  
• Senior year he went 293/3402/20 with 17 INTs. 
• Holds several school records included most total offensive yards.
• High School
• Over 4,000 passing yards and 42 TD passes his two years starting.
• League MVP and player of the year as a senior. 
• Also played basketball. 

Viewed - LSU 2019, Nevada 2019 and Kent State 2019 - Deep ball is beautiful.  Underneath, he can work on consistency with placement.  Man, his guys dropped a lot of passes.  His dudes also don't run their complete routes - they stop where they believe he should have thrown the ball.  Coaches will focus on pocket presence/elusiveness at the next level.

Winner - Eason
Love has that nice deep ball but will need to work on placement. Still young at the position, he has a lot of room grow but Eason is farther along the curve.

Round 7:  Eason vs. #3 Herbert

Herbert Notes:

• Oregon Career 
• A total of 42 career starts in 44 games.
• First true freshman to start at QB since 1983. 
• Finished his senior year with 286/3471/32 with 6 INTs.
• Multiple Academic All American
• High School
• All-State honors (OR) in football and baseball as a senior; also a standout basketball player.
• Despite pedestian college rushing yards, totaled 543 yards  on the ground and 10 TDs as a senior.
•  Only had 4 other offers and none from any FBS school.

Viewed - Auburn 2019, Utah 2019 and Wisconsin 2019  - He puts the ball on the receiver, that's for sure.  OU didn't use him in the run game as much as they should have during the season (vs. Wisc they turned him loose). Vs. Auburn, he looks off a safety like a pro.  Not perfect by any means but he followed up bad throws with good decisions.  Second only to Eason to dropped passes.

Winner - Herbert
Was skeptical, now I'm a believer.  This kid will be a star.

Round 8:  Herbert vs. #2 Tagovialoa

Tagovailoa Notes:

• Alabama Career 
• Started 24 games with 32 appearances going 180/2840/33 with just 3 INTs last year.
• Consensus 2018 All-American, All Conference honors in 2019 (injury shortened season) among many other accolades
• Was MVP of the national championship game as a true freshman.
• High School 
• Five star prospect by most scouting outlets.
• State leader in career passing yards (HI) with 8,158.
• Gatorade Player of the Year for state of Hawai'i (2016)
• Played in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl; was MVP of Nike's 2016 "The Opening".

Viewed - LSU 2019, South Carolina 2019 and Duke 2019 - So many talented players around him guys were wide open all day; makes for a challenging evaluation. Gets the ball in the catch radius but ball placement better outside the hashmarks than between.

Winner - Herbert

 I cheated and looked at more than 3 videos to see if I could find a game where I could definitively give TT an edge over Herbert.  If it exists, I couldn't find it. Hard to really know what your QB provides when your receivers are always open.

Round 9:  Herbert vs. #1 Burrow

Burrow Notes:

• LSU Graduate Transfer Career 
  • 2019 Heisman trophy winner (as well as numerous awards including AP Player of the year); unanimous All-American selection.
  • Started all 26 games since arriving from Ohio State going 219/2894/16 with 5 INTs.
  • Elected a permanent Team Captain in 2018.
• High School 
  • Four star prospect by most scouting outlets.
  • Mr. Football for state of Ohio as a senior; Gatorade Player of the Year (OH) as a junior.
  • All-State selection junior and senior years; also all-state point guard in basketball.
  • Passed for 4,500 yards with 63 TDs with only 2 INTs.

Viewed - Auburn 2019, Florida 2019 and Clemson 2020 -  Coaches will work on ball placement/accuracy issues - many yards left out there due to receiver gymnastics to even pull in the ball.  He can make all the throws from a strength perspective.  Better success on quick throws than when asked to go through a progression. Nice deep ball.  Chase made a lot of plays other guys likely would not have which helped the numbers considerably.

2020 Quarterback Football Film Fight Champion...

Justin Herbert

Don't call it a comeback!  Pre-season QB1 by some outlets, Herbert is the real deal. 

Anytime I can be on the other side of McShay, I'm in.

#2 - Jacob Eason

You have to pick up the Stafford reverse cap bruh when he's there, don't you?

#3 - Tua Togavialoa

Dude's pops used to get the belt whenever he threw an INT so, no, I'm not worried about past injuries. He will play.

#4 Joe Burrow

JB is about to go #1 overall.  He couldn't possibly care less about what I think.

#5 Anthony Gordon

Not for nothing, but after being in Washington, Flash looks like he's going to have to go to a "legal" state.  Just saying.

****************************************************************

Just 9 days left to get your ballots in!!!!

Tired of reading other people's NFL Draft top players lists?  Give us your Top 100 list for the 4th Annual "PEOPLE'S" TOP 100 CREATED FOR US.  Check out last year's Top 100 HERE!  

Easy online balloting process allows you to vote for who you think are College Football's top players.  Just leave a comment of email boombearjrfootball@gmail.com to vote!



2020 NFL Combine Explosiveness

BOOM!

One of the books used in my Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW) NFL GM and Scouting course was "Take Your Eye off the Ball 2.0" by Pat Kirwan.  For those of you who might not know Pat, his resume is impressive. Prior to embarking on a successful career as a football journalist, he worked in coaching and front office management at all levels, working his way up to Director of Player Administration for the NY Jets.  His book is a vital teaching tool for anyone who scouts for a hobby or is looking for a career in this vocation.

Explosiveness

In his book, Pat gives the formula for desirable player explosiveness based on Combine numbers:

Bench Press Reps + Vertical Jump (Inches) +Broad Jump (Feet) > 70

This formula was designed to identify explosiveness for players in the defensive front seven and offensive linemen.  His track record in using this method has been pretty successful in his experience.  

Who rose to the occasion at the 2020 NFL Combine?

Defensive Front Seven

Notes

• Kenny Willekes -  A big value favorite of mine.  He had a great Senior Bowl to cap his highly  decorated career as a Spartan, which he ended as all-time leader for Tackles for Loss.  And when his 10.5 sacks from 2019 are adjusted, he is in the top 5 of draft eligbile players (article here).   NFL.com has him graded 5.5 which means "Chance to make end of roster or practice squad" while USAToday's post Combine evaluation put him as a Day 3 prospect ciitng below average athleticism which contradicts  Kirwan's Explosiveness metric.   There is potentially high value in selecting Willekes Day 3.
•  Khalene Hudson- I have to admit, I was not familiar with this name. Michigan's defense was all about speed last year and Hudson fit the bill.  He plays hard, fast and smart.  Very aggressive with eyes in the backfield.  He lines up everywhere and can play the run, cover backs and tight ends in the passing game and he can tackle.  Uche is getting a lot of recognition but so far in the evaluation process, Hudson might be a great value player to add. 
• Jabari Zuniga - I mean, you just can't put one body on him and expect your play to succeed.  So fast off the line and with quick hands to maintain space, his impact may be underestimated given lack of gaudy stats.  He required double teams into the 2nd half so this high motor guy won't last long.
• Willie Gay, Jr - Blew up the combine and got on the radar.  Had some non-injury issues staying on the field due to academics but once on he was a sideline to sideline backer. Watched his Louisville tape and he is solid at shedding blocks and getting to his spot faster than opponents.
•  DaVon Hamilton - The fifth-year senior had a respectable 10.5 TFL on the interior DL in 2019 playing in the shadow the concensus #1 player in the draft.  Sometimes he is double or triple teamed but other times you can contain him singled up so more film review will be necessary to see how he wins.  One thing is for sure, as the only true DT with a top Explosiveness rating, it's a good bet he will get some looks. 
• Alton Robinson -  He had at the Senior Bowl and he spent a lot of time with the kids in the stands after the game (he seems conscious he needs to put his past infractions behind him).  What remains to be seen is his ability to be a big impact player given his explosiveness.  Looking forward to his evaluation. 
• James Smith-Williams - This Wolfpacker is all set to work for IBM whenever his time on the gridiron is over.  We will see if he ends up in a suit and tie or shoulder pads and a helmet in a couple of weeks.  Very impressive high school academic record.

Offensive Line

Notes:

• John Simpson - All-American in 2019, this former HS state wrestling champ will likely be one of the top Guards selected during the NFL draft.  He is seen a probable Day 2 selection.
• Wirfs and Ruiz were already in the conversation for being top selections at their respective positions of OT and C,  so no surprises here. 

Other Positions

Kirwan's Explosiveness metric was designed for Defensive Front Seven and Offensive Linemen but there were 4 other position players who showed they met or exceeded the 70 point threshold.  Not saying the Explosiveness metric even matters for these players but it will be interesting to see. 

 I will be checking out Thomas and Olonilua as I have no opinion of either.  Big fan of Vildor as a late round guy for value and Reagor will be targeted in this deep WR draft. 

In Conclusion

It never hurts to examine other techniques for identifying talent - there are a thousand eligible prospects out there and most will be overlooked by the mainstream media. But each team has a 53 man roster and practice squad to fill and they will need draft selections as well as undrafted free agents to round out the team.  Every selection does not have to be a starter but he has to be able to contribute in practice, as a sub and, when called on, as an injury replacement starter, all of which are essential for team success.  I look forward to reviewing the careers of these players three years down the line to see how they have turned out.   

******************************************************************

Tired of reading other people's NFL Draft top players lists?  Give us your Top 100 list for the 4th Annual "PEOPLE'S" TOP 100 CREATED FOR US.  Check out last year's Top 100 HERE!  

Easy online balloting process allows you to vote for who you think are College Football's top players.  Just leave a comment of email boombearjrfootball@gmail.com to vote!

NFL Draft 2020 - Football Film Fight Volume 2 Part 3 - Cornerbacks

Shut 'em Down

The NFL Combine ended with defensive backs closing out the event with some notable performances.   Now that the pre-draft process is somewhat complete (except for Pro Days if schools even hold them given the current health environment), it's a great time to hold the Cornerback Football Film Fight.

If you haven't seen "Part 2 - Offensive Linemen" (Seen here), check it out for details on the process.  For now, let's take a look at game footage for Mel Kiper's pre Combine Top 10 and see who comes out on top!

DNS = body mass; DNS +/- is the % above or below the average DNS for the Combine cornerback group.

Round 1:  #10 Terrell vs. #9 Johnson

Terrell Notes:

• Clemson Career 
• Had 30 starts over a 3 year career with action in 44 games. 
• Notched 20 PBU, 6 INTs with 107 career tackles and 2 FF.
• First Team ACC (2019) and Third Team ACC (2018).
• High School 
• All State (GA) as a senior.
• Five star athlete per Rivals.
• Georgia Player of the Year (coaches selection)
• Under Armour All-American game.

Viewed -  Duke 2018, Ohio State 2019 and Syracue 2019 - .Very grabby after 5 yards. Better in press than off coverage; sometimes needs to tighten up on short distance when off. Less grabby in 2019 and still provided solid coverage.

vs. 

Johnson Notes:

• Utah Career 
• 2019 All American; two-time All-Pac 12 first team (2018 & 2019).
•  Credited with 29 starts and participation in 38 career games.   
• Totals:  102 tackles, 28 PBU and 7 INTs. 
• High School 
• Four star recruit grade from Rivals and Scout.
• USA Today All-California Team (2016)
• Named to the US Army All America Bowl.
• Also 3 letters in basketball.

Viewed - Stanford 2018, USC 2019 and Oregon 2019 - First move is not backwards, its arms moving forward to grab.  Will need to focus on cutting down the contact at the next level. You'll have to get run support elsewhere.

Winner:  Terrell

Both are grabby but Terrell has more film with less holding.

Round 2:  Terrell vs. #8 Dantzler

Dantzler Notes:

• Mississippi State Career 
• Total of 22 starts over his 3 year career and 35 games (after a redshirt year).
• Career total 108 tackles, 20 PBU and 5 INTs.
• High School 
•  Dual threat QB and DB. 
• All-state (LA) senior year. 
• State long jump champ (23 ft 3.25 in).

Viewed - Alabama  2018, Southern Miss 2019 and Ole Miss  2019 - Slim frame, likely maxed out. Not grabby but didn't see a lot of balls thrown his way. He will make a tackle, though. A couple of coverages blown on his side that were not exploited. Possibly not his fault but there could be better communication.

Winner:  Terrell

Terrell is more aggressive and was more effective vs targets based on the film viewed.

Round 3: Terrell vs. #7 Gladney

Gladney Notes:

• TCU Career 
• 44 starts in 4 years (redshirted freshman year).
• Notched 146 tackles with 43 PBU and 5 INTs.  
• High School 
• Ranked CB11 in the state of Texas by Scout. 
• District MVP as a senior. 

Viewed - Iowa State 2018, Texas 2019 and Oklahoma 2019 -   

Winner:  Gladney 

Solid coverage without being grabby.  Plays bigger than his size - David vs. Goliath (check him out vs ISU's Hakeem Butler). Solid fundamentals.  A couple of blown coverages but he learned in game and made the opponent pay the next time they went to the well. 

Round 4: Gladney vs. #6 Hall

Hall Notes:  

• Virginia Career:
• Started 39 games in 4 years as a Cavalier; shortened senior year due to injury.
• Several 2018 All-American selections.
  
• 154 total tackles, 44 PBU, 5 INTs and3 Forced Fumbles.  
• High School 
• WR/DB.
• All State (PA) Selection.

Viewed - NC State 2018, Pitt 2019 and Notre Dame 2019 - Turns his back instead of pivoting hips;  that is a no-no.  WR experience aids in route recognition.  Will come up to support run.  Wanted to see better orchestration of secondary given his rep but there was often confusion in coverages.  Great catch up speed.

Winner:  Gladney 

Definitely huge upside and it would be great to see Hall surrounded by better talent but Gladney gets the nod here.  Want to see Hall after a year or two of pro level seasoning. 

Round 5:  Gladney vs. #5 Diggs

Diggs Notes:  

• Alabama Career 
• Total of 46 games played participating on offense, defense and special teams.
• Total 68 tackles, 21 PDU, 4 INT and 2 Forced Fumbles.  
• Missed half of 2018 due to injury. 
• High School 
• Recognized as WR1 receiver in the state of Maryland; ATH1 for eastern part of the country.
• Participated in Nike's "The Opening".
• Brother of Stefon Diggs.

Viewed -  Texas A&M 2018, South Carolina 2019 and Alabama 2019 - His offensive acumen helps on the defensive side of the ball.  Plays aggressive press off the line but does not get guys off their routes and has limited success; not sure if it's strength or failure to understand the concept but that can be improved at the next level. Has to look when the receiver looks...tends to get his head around late at times and missed a few PBUs. 

Winner - Gladney 

The experience at WR is helpful but Gladney has the edge given his experience at the position. 

Round 6:  Gladney  vs. #4 Igbinoghene

Igbinoghene Notes:

• Auburn Career 
• Switched to corner from offense/ST and started his sophomore and junior years.  
• Gathered 92 tackles, 19 PBU and 1 INT. 
• Also participated as kick return man with an average of 31.4 yards/return.
• Competed on the Auburn track team as a long and triple jumper.
• High School
• All-State (AL) Wide Receiver.
• Ranked as high as WR25 in the nation. 
• Son of Olympic Track athletes (Mom won a bronze in the 400M relay; dad was SEC long and triple jump champ). 

Viewed - LSU 2018, Minnesota 2019 and Florida 2019 - Very quick, very fast. Not afraid to provide run support.  Will work on relating his WR experience to route recognition at the next level. 

Winner - Gladney
Igbinoghene has a ton of upside however Gladney has had more time to put it together at the corner position.

Round 7:  Gladney vs. #3 Fulton

Fulton Notes:

• Career 
• A total of 24 career starts in 27 games.
• Total of 65 tackles, 25 PBU and 2 INTs during his college career. 
• Missed his entire Sophomore year due to an NCAA testing issue.
• High School
• All-State honors (LA) product from Archbishop Rummel HS.
• Top recruit in the state of LA and CB3 from various outlets.
• Under Armour All-America Game participant.

Viewed - Florida 2018, Texas 2019 and Alabama 2019  - Very physical in press but Texas showed if you hit back he can be neutralized.  Can be grabby late in routes which led to 3 penalties during the games viewed. He plays very tight coverage and the receivers' eyes and hands, once he trusts his instincts and stops holding, he will be fine.

Winner - Gladney 

Round 8:  Gladney vs. #2 Henderson

Gladney Notes:

• Florida Career 
• Started 27 games with 34 overall appearances.
• Collected 92 tackles, 22 PBU, 6 INTs and 4 sacks.
• Several All Conference honors each of his 3 years.
• High School 
• Played in the Under Armour All-American game.
• Scholarship offers from Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Auburn and 23 other schools.

Viewed - LSU 2018, Missouri 2019 and Miami 2019 - Needs to make the tackles.  Missed many key stops that kept his team on the field far too long. Coverage is solid on fly routes, needs to maintain that level of stickiness when he man makes a cut.  Instead of tackling or dislodging a reception he more than anything gets to the right spot but needs to work on finishing.

Winner - Gladney

 I have read analysts say they need their CBs to cover and can overlook missed tackles but the coverage was not the tightest in the group so it's hard to advance CJ.

Round 9:  Gladney vs. #1 Okudah

Okudah Notes:

• Ohio State
• Played in 35 games over 3 years
• Total of 83 tackles, 18 PBU and 3 INT.
• Consensus 2019 All-American
• High School
• Five star All-State (TX) athlete.
• Ranked as high as CB1 in the nation for his recruiting class.
• Participant in U.S. Army All-America Bowl.

Viewed - Michigan 2018, Washington 2019 and Clemson 2019 - Fast and quick, above the neck player who will lay you out. Reads not just his receiver's route, but the other teams play keys.  Collapses blocking WRs and will stop the run.  Susceptible to back shoulder throws if bracketing the receiver with the sideline - not sure where he is focusing during these plays; will work on this at the next level.

2020 Cornerback Football Film Fight Champion...

Jeffrey Okudah

The portrait of the artist as a young man.  Clearly the best CB in the draft and a Top 5 player. 

#2 Jeff Gladney

Plays hard and fast. Next level coaching puts him over the top. 

#3 Noah Igbinoghene

Huge upside on a not so raw nearly complete project. 

#4 A.J. Terrell

Not one of the big names, but could possibly provide the most value this draft. 

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