The Official 2019 NFL Draft Edge Thread

[The Excellector]

The closer the draft nears, the more you develop an appreciation for how much effort goes into watching tape on so many prospects. It takes a great deal of mental endurance which, for those familiar with my situation, I just don't have right now. However, I still managed to key in on the main guys with this one and will continue checking out players at various positions, all the way up to the draft.

2019 NFL Draft EDGE

Josh Allen, Kentucky: I think most of us have heard a bit about Josh Allen. The first game tape I watched, early on, he was constantly double teamed and plays were consistently ran away from him. Now, for those of you who may not be privy to college players or Allen in particularly, you may ask yourself why. Well, all you have to do is keep watching the tape. Eventually, they take the double team off of him and you see his speed and bend on display.

Allen is an Edge guy, who would benefit from not being given too much responsibility early on. He would be best suited in a 3-4 defense where he is able to focus on rushing and be utilized to attack various gaps.

Where he needs work is in hand technique, which is very coachable. One reason why he will remain high on draft boards. His glaring weakness, from a physical standpoint, is that he lacks strength. If your feet are quick or your reach is good, he can be washed out of the play at times. As long as the double team is coordinated properly, he's not going to break it, as a result of lacking that strength and hand-technique. He has speed move ability to the inside and to the outside. So, he'll definitely need to be coached up. However, as a pass rusher, his main issues are coachable.

Mentally, where he struggles can be in play recognition. He has the athleticism to get to any spot on the field, but his play recognition can often leave him a step behind, a critique I also had for Tyus Bowser when he came out.

His run defense is not only poor, but his effort in run defense does not come close to matching up to when he's rushing the passer. When he's rushing the passer, he is far more relentless. In run defense, it is not difficult to move him out of the way and he's rarely going to make it such himself. He also doesn't hit ball carriers with much authority when tackling.

At first glance, he's the type of guy you'd want to say is one dimensional. However, he can be an asset in coverage as well. There, he plays his assignment well and has all of the athleticism you could want. He isn't quite good at jamming when spread out, again, due to the hand technique issue. However, if you keep it simple for him, it could work.

He's a guy who needs things simplified early on. However, again, most of his issues are coachable and his ceiling is extremely high. More than anything, his ceiling is what teams will bank on.

Rashan Gary: You know, every year, there are guys who are taken in the first round, who you can tell just aren't going to work out. Sure enough, they never do. Vernon Gholston. Dion Jordan. The reality is that not every player is a good prospect and them being taken in the first round doesn't change that. Insert: Rashan Gary. I watched tape of him and he just does not stand out at all. He is not one to get push in run defense. His speed is not great. His leverage is not all that. He just tries to burst his way wide around the edge and Tackles just take him well past the QB, who then nonchalantly steps up in the pocket and makes the throw. Whoever gets him will still be looking for a pass rusher in the 2020 NFL Draft. End of story.

Montez Sweat, Mississippi State: Sweat is one of, if not, thee most pro-ready edge player in this draft. I'm talking day one starter and, depending on where he goes, Defensive Rookie of the Year type of talent. The first thing that works in Sweat's favor is that he has three-down LB potential. In run defense, he can take on blockers to set up others, by setting the edge and forcing RBs back inside, or taking the inside and forcing RBs out to pursuing DBs. He uses good power and leverage to shed blocks when the ball carrier is coming his way and even help take down ball carriers while still fighting off blocks.

As a pass rusher, he has a variety of moves and can mix speed with power at his leisure. He can go pure speed to the outside, power to speed around the edge, use underneath moves to get inside of blockers. I mean, he is a foundational piece on the edge.

Along with his athleticism, one of his best traits is his angle-taking. In run defense and pass defense, he has a knack for taking very good angles to the ball carrier. Every now and then, when State is falling behind, he'll fall in love with speed moves around the edge, chasing big plays instead of letting them come to him. Otherwise, there aren't many flaws in his game.

To me, in this particular draft, Sweat is a top 15 talent at least.

Brian Burns, Florida State: Burns' quickness and speed immediately flash on tape and you can see why many consider him a first round prospect. His closing speed is top notch, he finishes tackles in pursuit and he has pretty good bend. Burns', however, is more of a one-dimensional pure speed rusher. Watching his tape, the results of the play seemed very simple: If you get your hands on him good, you can take him out of the play, if not completely, if you don't get your hands on him, he can wreck shop. Inside or out, it doesn't matter where the lane is. If you don't get your hands on him and allow him that lane, the play is all but dead.

At the next level, I don't expect him to make an immediate impact, as guys are going to be able to get their hands on him and he doesn't always seem willing to take on blockers.

Personally, I think he would fit best with a team that already has a All-purpose three down backer in place that he can play opposite. He is not the sort of player that you try to make a foundational piece and he'll need some work on his hand technique. Quite a bit of work. I would think about it in the second round, but I would not personally take him in the first.

Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech: This young man has all of the potential in the world. He has a good combination of power and burst when pursuing the QB. He can shed blocks and set the edge against the run. He has a variety of pass rushing moves. He's just a country strong type of guy. Unfortunately, watching his tape, there are two knocks on his game that I just can't bring myself to overlook: His reaction time and his motor.

Man, his motor just leaves a lot to be desired. his back side pursuit can almost be downright lazy at times. When he's presented with RPOs or any misdirection play-action, it's like he's stuck in sand trying to decipher who has the ball.

I decided to go back and read up on him and, sure enough, his weight is a concern, as is his effort. The effort issue apparently worked itself out as the season progressed, but man I'm just not taking that chance. If that weren't such a red flag, Ferguson has the tools to be a true player at the next level. He's just not the type of experiment I'd be interested in.

D'andre Walker, Georgia: Watching D'andre Walker's tape, he just comes off as a defender who knows what he's doing and has studied his opponent. His feel for the play and overall recognition of the play is very good for a prospect. Very quick. On top of that, he plays his assignment very well. You can tell when his assignment is to take on other blockers to create opportunities for his teammates or to push a play toward his teammates. Georgia had the guys to finish those plays off and it actually helps to see what his responsibility was on certain plays. Often times, guys play their assignment, but don't have finishers on the back end. So, on tape, at first glance, it makes them look bad. As if they abandoned a gap or took a bad angle to the QB.

As of right now, while he is good at defending the run and rushing the passer, I would say he's more consistent at defending the run. From diagnosing the run, to setting the edge or taking on blockers, to shedding blocks to get in on a tackle. Walker is not an OLB who will have to come off the field.
As a pass rusher, some of his inconsistencies come at the point of attack, when linemen can get that initial punch on him. He has difficulty re-gathering himself and seems indecisive on which move to turn to. The good thing is that he does have a variety of moves, and can rush inside and out. Not so much lining up inside as looping inside, but he understands leverage pretty well and that helps him inside. I think it's just an issue where he'll need to be coached up on his hand technique and proper reach (Not to be confused with actually leaning and reaching) at the point of attack.

I like Walker. I like him a good deal. To me, he's a second round talent who, if put in the right situation, could surprise and be a solid day one starter. On tape, his game just comes off as very coachable. His instincts are already there. His athleticism is already there, his pursuit is already there. His tackling is already there. Just clean up a few minor inconsistencies and he's good to go. I could see him being taken in the first or early in the second.

[The Excellector]

Christian Miller, Alabama: Christian Miller's style is that of a speed rusher, who, unlike a lot of speed rushers, does not shy away from the dirty work. Where he lacks in current ability, he does not lack in effort. For example, he has significant struggles getting off of blocks when defending the run. However, when the run is coming his way, he still works hard to drag the blocker wide, stretch him out, while still engaged, giving time for his teammates in pursuit. When he is able to get off of a block, he will chase plays down. Particularly, in bigger games. A lot of times, when watching Alabama play far inferior competition, you can see that they dominate without having to kick things into full gear.

As a pass rusher, he really lacks leverage, reaching a bit too much and that makes it easier for blockers to keep their hands on him. He also lacks varying moves for a guy who relies on speed as he does. He has a little, quick semi-swim move, but not much outside of that. While he is relentless, he can be swallowed up at times.

He is also one of the few backers who is put in coverage situations, but looks comfortable there. A lot of guys are put there, simply, due to their athleticism convincing coaches that they can be molded for those responsibilities. However, they rarely seem comfortable and their instincts are often a step behind. Miller is comfortable in coverage. He's not a guy who has to be reserved to jamming at the LOS. He can actually move and hang with pass catchers.

I like his mentality. I think it's rare to find these sort of 'blue-collar' speed guys. I'm just not sure how much of an impact at the next level. I feel like it will really depend on how he's coached up. He's a guy who may take a couple of years before you see him tapping into his potential. On effort alone, he'll at least be a rotational guy and maybe a starter who you can rely on to just do his job.

[Mmcclend]

This was actually pretty good. Respect. I agree with most, if not all.

[Mmcclend]

But what about Jachai Polite?

[GOTA]

I see Gary being very solid in the NFL. He has true position versatility and can play both inside and out. Put him on a team with and established outside rush and he could be extremely effective. Gary playing DT on the Broncos for example would make for a dominant defensive line. In our mock draft I took him for the Vikings for much the same reason. Conversely if Gary ends up on the Giants he's going to get lost in the mediocrity. I don't see bust but I do see average. Gary is someone who will rise or fall depending on who is around him. He is more piece of the puzzle than the whole puzzle.

[BcRaven]

Many of you seem to be disregarding my favorite : Clelin Ferrell (Clemson).
He just gives me the same gut feeling I had about Deforest Buckner who was my favorite in the 2016 draft. Unfortunately the Ravens desperately needed a LT and drafted Stanley. A necessary and good move for us. Anyway, trade down aside, if Ferrell falls to #22, I'd draft him... Bc

[The Excellector]

But what about Jachai Polite?

I just got home from the gym and I'll watch his tape now.

[The Excellector]

Well, I can certainly see why a team would draft Polite in the first round. I would imagine that it's very easy to fall in love with his speed off the edge. While he is not a terrible prospect, I am not completely sold on him as a first round pick. For one thing, he is very inconsistent. He flashed a good deal against LSU, but was non-existent against Georgia and their offensive line. He was nearly non-existent against Florida State until they fell behind in the second half and had to throw, taking away the unpredictability they used in the first half. He's just too easy to push out of the play. The majority of his damage is done in one on one situations against RTs. LTs tend to have little issue in dealing with him one on one. I think that because he struggles to go anywhere when linemen are able to use their reach and get their hands on him, he shows his hand early. LTs tend to pick up on when he's going to the spin move inside or the quick under inside, and when he's trying to do his wide 9 routine. When he goes wide, they just push him out of the way. He ends up going well past the QB who may or even may not have to simply take a step up in the pocket.

In run defense, if you run right at him, he won't be a problem at all. If you run a play wide, he actually does a good job of keeping space with linemen, occasionally enabling him to shed the block. However, due to his lack of skill-set in shedding blocks, TEs and WRs who can better match his athleticism will actually have better success blocking him out in space.

Personally, I would not draft him in the first round.