2020 NFL Draft - ILB Thread

[edromeo]

La Confora just interviewed former Bears/Eagles executive Bobby Depaul (who knows Harbs through Philly) on the radio. He offered ten ILBs that he likes this year.

Overall, he calls the position "thin" and thinks there may be an early run on them because of that thinness.

GROUP A - Studs
Isaiah Simmons
Kenneth Murray - wrote in a vote for him for the Butkus Award

GROUP B - 3 Down ILB
Patrick Queen - loves the Oklahoma tape, compares him to Lance Briggs
Logan Wilson - compares him to CJ Mosley
Jordyn Brooks - warns of possible surgery on shoulder, trying to confirm

GROUP C - EDGE players that can play some ILB
Zack Baun
Josh Uche
Cam Brown

GROUP D - sleeper LB/S types, nickel or slot LBs
Davian Taylor - from Colorado
Khaleke Hudson - from Michigan

One name conspicuously missing from his list: Malik Harrison.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to WNCRavensFan again

[alien bird]

I'm a lot higher on Dye than most here. I think he's just a hair behind Harrison as the 4th best ILB prospect in this draft. He's a bit undersized. Otherwise. I love his game.

I saw the comparison to Onwuasor made earlier. I see some similarities, but Dye is much stronger in pass coverage.

Dude also played the 2nd half of 2019 with a torn meniscus. I'll take him on my team any day.

Troy Dye is a stupid good athlete, but but I don't think his size/weight is going to translate well as a true middle linebacker.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Troy Dye is a stupid good athlete, but but I don't think his size/weight is going to translate well as a true middle linebacker.

He's a WILL.

[AmishlandRavenFan]

Someone talk me down from the ledge. The more I read about all of these guys, the more I find myself TRYING to like any of them. Seems to be lots of ? and low ceilings.

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[Shas]

In The Athletic today Jeff Zrebiec participated in their regular AFC Whiparound column with writers for the other three teams in the division. The first question was, now that free agency is essentially over, "was there a big surprise (or a big miss)?"

Jeff's answer was that he was surprised how laser focused they were on the interior defensive line, and he called out needs at WR, edge rush, and interior offensive line as surprisingly unaddressed thus far.

I am not sure I am exactly surprised that these positions have yet to be fortified in the off season, with the possible exception of the offensive line, with depth already stripped (Eluemanor and Senat) and now Yanda and Hurst gone, with Skura coming off an injury, Powers a complete unknown, and with tests of Mekari and Bozeman incomplete.

Still, with all that said, at least there are bodies who are somewhat battle tested.

I was surprised Jeff didn't mention inside linebacker, where the returning players only gave them 300 snap counts for the entire season. (By comparison, Marlon Humphrey alone tallied nearly 1,000)

Here was what I wrote in the comment section of the Whiparound story:

Regarding remaining needs for the Ravens that are surprising I might be inclined to include the inside linebacking corps.

They came into last season having just lost CJ Mosley to free agency, but didn't address this in the draft, trusting they could move Onwuasor from WILL to MIKE and slip Kenny Young alongside. Backing them up were undrafted free agents Alaka and Board.

Young lasted four games before being traded away. The back ups were not trusted to step up; street free agents Josh Bynes and LJ Fort were added. They somehow held it together.

Now, coming into this season, they are without their top three ILBs from the uncertain start of last season--Young, Onwuasor, and Bynes--with only Fort, Alaka and Board still in the fold. All three mostly unproven and known for special teams play.

At this point they have somewhat surprisingly chosen to not to sign any of the many available free agents Board is the apparent #1 MIKE, with no back up.

I'm not saying they have to use their top pick on the next Lewis or Mosley, but I am a bit surprised how confident they must be that they will land two more reliable contributors through the draft, or failing this, that they will be able to sign another veteran.

Should I be concerned? Our Filmstudy friend argues that we are better served with a rotating crew of specialists who are adept at one role, be it pass coverage, blitz or run stopping...and we don't need 3-down unicorns. He is confident there is better value finding these role players later in the draft.

Perhaps EDC proved this theory correct in being able to wave his wand and produce Bynes and Fort to get them through times of trouble.

What say you?

[Mark]

I'm pretty interested in Logan Wilson, who hasn't really come up here very often (at least not that I've noticed)

Top priority pick IMO either in Round 4 or at the end of the comp picks in Round 3 (106 is more a 4th rounder anyway). Joe Schobert 2.0

[TDL1000]

He's a WILL.

Queen is as well. He doesnt play the run well and lacks the size to hold up at the position over the long haul, imo. Murray doesn't play the run well either. I think the earliest Mike ILB won't be drafted until the middle to late second round.

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[edromeo]

...Should I be concerned? Our Filmstudy friend argues that we are better served with a rotating crew of specialists who are adept at one role, be it pass coverage, blitz or run stopping...and we don't need 3-down unicorns. He is confident there is better value finding these role players later in the draft.

Perhaps EDC proved this theory correct in being able to wave his wand and produce Bynes and Fort to get them through times of trouble.

What say you?

I think there are several ways to build a team. There isn't just "A" way. The success of the defense last year is proof that you can field a top defensive unit without spending a premium at ILB. On the flip side the run was an issue from the ILB spot for at least 1/4 of the season. And there is no question that having a 3rd down ILB that can chase from sideline to sideline to limit edge runs and can coverage the deep hole in Cover-2 and provide good coverage on most RB and TEs is valuable for a defense.

So....my answer is Yes.

[edromeo]

Someone talk me down from the ledge. The more I read about all of these guys, the more I find myself TRYING to like any of them. Seems to be lots of ? and low ceilings.

Scouting is like looking for a house, there are no perfect houses and there are no perfect prospects.

[QtR Nevermore]

Someone talk me down from the ledge. The more I read about all of these guys, the more I find myself TRYING to like any of them. Seems to be lots of ? and low ceilings.

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I don't think we need a high ceiling player. Someone good against the run who isn't a total disaster against the pass and can blitz occassionally would do, I think.

There aren't many great linebackers anywhere in the league now that Keuchly's retired and Wagner's slowed down. I can only really think of a few - Littleton, Warner, Leonard, Hightower and Kendricks - but most teams don't have a really good one.

[edromeo]

Based on those numbers it seems like it's coverage alone that makes Murray and Queen 'first rounders'.

Yes, but I think its the ability to cover then their actual "coverage" grades. It might be a fine/thin distinction but its their movement, speed, quickness, change of direction more then coverage grade or passer rating allowed.

We'd probably get similar coverage (and maybe all round play) from a late round safety and given how few plays we run with two iLBs, I don't see how either would make much sense for us in the first 2 rounds (unless there was some crazy, unexpected run on linebackers or something).

To play devil advocate for Murray/Queen. Having a 3 down ILB changes the defense dramatically. Maybe the base defense changes to maximize

o give Wink personnel flexibility to disguise defenses/coverages w/o having to scheme it up via sub packages
o It improves the sideline to sideline range from the ILB which should clean up the edge rush issues
o if the ILB is an alpha provides leadership from the middle of the defense (some coaches believe a defense won't fully be able to thrive until they have "that" dude at ILB

[one eyed bird]

I don’t think the 2 down LB applies anymore, seems more teams throw on first down than run, if you have your run stoping MLB in on first down teams matching up would just throw the ball on first down , taking advantage of the match up