NFL Scouts review Draft Class

[BlackBeak]

This is awesome. Some relevant ones:

Ronnie Stanley*, T, Notre Dame: 6-6, 312. Junior left tackle. "Good player, but I don't think he's special," said one scout. "He's in the top seven, eight (picks). He's a better player than the Giants took at No. 9 last year (tackle Ereck Flowers)." Not a great worker and doesn't always play hard. Three-year starter (39 games) at LT. "He needs to get stronger," another scout said. "He probably has the best pass set. He's really good technically as a pass blocker. Left tackle." Extremely long arms (35 5/8 inches)."

At this point I think we, the bloggers of RRR, need to cosign a letter addressed to all mock drafters that says: "We the esteemed bloggers of the Russell Street Report demand that you remove all reference to Ronnie Stanley as the #6 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Ravens. He is not good enough to warrant a sixth pick. That is all.

Tunsil, everyone likes but we know he won't fall to six, but Stanley? I haven't seen anyone here yet say that he's a fit for the Ravens.

[Mark]

DeForest Buckner must have the largest Hand Size to Wonderlic ratio in NFL history:
11.75 / 9.00

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Jack covers slot receivers, running backs and tight ends exceptionally well. I think him, Darron Lee and Su'a Cravens all fit into that category of small backers who fit better when we play nickel than when we play base defense. But the thing is we play nickel a lot and we still get toasted because we lack the instinctual, rangy guys in the middle who can understand zone and man concepts (except that Darly Smith was very good in coverage until last season when he slowed). Maybe Brown was supposed to be that guy but he has clearly demonstrated a lack of instincts. There were multiple reports out of training camp in Philly last year where he was getting burned by Philly's running backs. The other backers, Mosley, Orr and McClellan are more shoot the gap guys, so I think there is a clear need for a MLB who is really good in zone and man and can tackle well enough (but he should be protected by his linemen, generally).

:word

I think it was sword or another poster, but they posted a great piece in the Draft thread about the importance of sureing up the middle, rather than the DB group.

Jack is a good fit in a nickel formation, but I can see the concerns raised by BT in the base 3-4.

I dont know. Jack seems like one hell of a football player. BPA IMO between him and Hargreaves.

I wont gawk at either pick

[BlackBeak]

:word

I think it was sword or another poster, but they posted a great piece in the Draft thread about the importance of sureing up the middle, rather than the DB group.

Jack is a good fit in a nickel formation, but I can see the concerns raised by BT in the base 3-4.

I dont know. Jack seems like one hell of a football player. BPA IMO between him and Hargreaves.

I wont gawk at either pick

I know Wicked made some good points about that ref Jaylon Smith when he was in the mix. But I'm with you. I think that Hargreaves, with his lateral quickness, burst and feet, or Jack (who when you watch the tape covers like a CB) would really help to shore up a big weakness. I've made several posts that argued that the biggest innovation in the game in recent years has been the attempt by teams to nullify good pass rushes/blitzes by having; 1. QBs who have a quick enough release and awareness to release the ball within two seconds, and 2. Multiple quick-footed slot receivers who in combo with TEs and RBs running -- in an orchestrated way - what would normally be considered "hot routes."

To beat these teams you need LBs inside and outside who can cover and you need quick slot CBs. Jack and Hargreaves are prototypes.

[ravensintennessee]

DeForest Buckner must have the largest Hand Size to Wonderlic ratio in NFL history:
11.75 / 9.00

[GOTA]

:word

I think it was sword or another poster, but they posted a great piece in the Draft thread about the importance of sureing up the middle, rather than the DB group.

Jack is a good fit in a nickel formation, but I can see the concerns raised by BT in the base 3-4.

I dont know. Jack seems like one hell of a football player. BPA IMO between him and Hargreaves.

I wont gawk at either pick

It is important but there how you do that is up for debate. For years that was the role of a free safety. You still needed 1 ILB or a MLB who could play in space but it was the free safety who was the key to that middle of the field. What's changed is the the growth of slot receivers under the pass happy rules. Now you have a receiver who can force the FS to chase or even block the FS opening up the middle to a TE or RB. Go watch the way the Broncos beat the Patriots in the AFCCG and you'll see this being the key to the Broncos offense.

There is no single defensive way to react to these changes. You see some teams with big safeties who look and tackle like inside linebackers and others with lightweight but incredibly quick middle linebackers who cover better than they tackle. With Jack and Mosley what I'm looking at is 2 incredibly athletic players who are each going to be limited to a piece of what they can do. We don't have Rex Ryan out there mixing things up so you can have a Ray Lewis with a Bart Scott. We have a DC who does nothing deceptive and forces his players to play back and react.

Honestly, I see playing Mosley with someone of even average speed, which Smith didn't have last year, being more than enough to fix many of Mosley's problems last year. This isn't Matt Elam who was a SS who couldn't play FS. We saw Mosley play great as a rookie. Give him someone with more speed beside him and he'll get there again. Go sign Demario Davis and any questions about Mosley will be gone.