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  1. #25

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Quote Originally Posted by darb72 View Post
    He's one of my favorites. I'll probably get to his write-up tonight or tomorrow.

    If there's a particular player anybody wants me to look at, put 'em in the correct thread and I'll do my best.
    Both of UMD DBS

    I’ve looked at them both

    Riley moss is guy I’m really liking

    I like iowas edge Lukas van ness

    And LB jack Cambell too


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





  2. #26
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    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    I don't get how the Ravens are so good at drafting corners but are terrible at evaluating WRs. Yes totally different skill sets, but both are premium positions in this league. What is they do at Corner that they don't do when evaluating WRs? Mystery





  3. #27

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Quote Originally Posted by leachisabeast View Post
    I don't get how the Ravens are so good at drafting corners but are terrible at evaluating WRs. Yes totally different skill sets, but both are premium positions in this league. What is they do at Corner that they don't do when evaluating WRs? Mystery
    They fall in love with height/weight/speed with receivers and not production. It started with Travis Taylor and hasn't improved. Best receiver we've ever drafted, with a nod to Hollywood who is still playing, is Brandon Stokley.
    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  4. #28

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    DJ Turner II, Michigan. 5'11, 180. 4.26.

    Speed kills and Turner has it. Unlike some folks, I won't write him off for being 5'11, 180. Hump is 6'0, 200. Turner can line up inside or outside. Don't want him going up against the Claypools of the NFL, but I feel pretty confident with him covering an average sized receiver. He can also slide down into the slot.

    I decided to watch Michigan vs TCU for the Johnston/Turner matchup. Johnston had 6 catches for 163 yards. I don't think any of them came against Turner. That isn't to say Turner was amazing. He was above average but gave up a few plays worth looking at. On a busted play, Turner let #4 get out in front of him for a TD. It was a long developing play so the fault isn't entirely on Turner since you can't cover forever. The second play is when Turner had the angle on Johnston and just whiffed the tackle. I wish he'd have come in slower to hold Johnston up until help arrived. Third was when TCU ran it in from the one. Johnston had the inside step and a sure TD if they'd have thrown it.

    Positives: Sticky coverage. When I evaluate CBs, I look to see how they do in man-coverage. Figure decent coaching can make them at least average in zone-schemes. Can play slot or boundary. Very aggressive. He will come up and blast receivers in the open field, and Michigan had him blitzing some. 17 passes defended over the last two years.

    Negatives: The big one I've read about is his penalties. Four, I believe, this year, and they all came when he was in zone coverage. If he wants to stick in the league, he will have to learn how to play zone because of how often defenses disguise their coverages. He can be a little too aggressive when tackling. Highlight hits look great, but when you try to blast someone who outweighs you by almost forty pounds physics is not your friend. Precious little in the way of turnovers. The old adage apparently holds true; DBs are WRs who didn't learn how to catch. Didn't see him on special teams which is where day two and three guys need to shine.

    Fit for the Ravens: Meh. There's a lot to like about Turner's game. His ability to go slot/boundary in the middle of a drive is impressive. The Ravens do like to mix up their coverages so it'll be a year or so before he's a valuable commodity. I've got a third round grade on him, but there should be better players available at positions we need.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  5. #29

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Tyrique Stevenson, Miami. 6'0, 198. 4.45.

    I watched Miami vs North Carolina. But first I watched Stevenson's highlight tape. When said tape starts off with a punt return that did not go for a touchdown, odds are it's not going to be that good. It wasn't.

    Before watching anything I figured he' be a late third type guy based on draft writeups, athletic with a need for proper coaching. Now I've got him with a fifth or sixth round grade, and that's specifically because he'd probably be a decent gunner on special teams. He got absolutely torched in the North Carolina game by receivers who won't be in the NFL.

    Positives: Shows some talent as a hitter. Stocky build, good speed, decent athletic makeup. Theoretically returns kicks so there is some special teams value. Might make a solid backup safety.

    Negatives: Can't play zone. Can't play press. Struggles in deep coverage. Will look lethargic immediately after looking like a legit prospect. Not good at returning kicks.

    Fit for the Ravens: Nope. He doesn't improve the team at all.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  6. #30

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Sterling Thomas V, University of Alabama-Birmingham. 6'0, 194. 4.28 (proday)

    Okay, this one is a bit out there. Difficult draft position to pin down because he wasn't invited to the combine and plays at a small school. He's got the athletic ability: 4.28 shuttle, 37.5 vert, 10.5 broad jump. He could be a future starter or colossal bust. Let's see if we can find some video.

    UAB vs Miami (Ohio). I watched it so you don't have to.

    There was some impressive athleticism on display from Thomas. At one point he was shuffle-sliding with a receiver 20 yards downfield. He generally was in the back pocket of his guy meaning the QB threw away from them, so there was little chance to judge his ball skills. Had one of the better jams I've seen, standing the receiver up for a split-second. Gave up a long TD, but hard to blame him. On the replay you can see Thomas coming up like he had stumbled. Now if he was juked or just fell over, I don't know. He did catch up with the receiver in the span of about 15 yards, but it was a heck of a throw by the QB.

    Positives: Thick and proportionate. Thomas looks like a ballplayer, which isn't something I've mentioned a lot because I don't like looking at half-naked men, naked men, or men in general. I mention it here because Thomas is strong. 14 bench reps at his pro-day. He smacked that poor receiver in press and rocked him backwards. Smooth feet and hips for transition. Shows good field awareness. On the last play of the game, the receiver catches the ball at about the four and the safety meets him. Thomas in there in a flash to help keep the receiver from scoring and preserve the victory. In a pinch Thomas can return punts. I don't expect him to be great at it. Has the speed and tackling ability to be an excellent gunner.

    Negatives: Small school. Lack of competition to judge him against. Had 18 PBUs over the past two seasons, but only two INTs, both of which came in 2021. Will need to be coached up for a year before he's ready.

    How does he fit the Ravens? Honestly, I can't tell you. If they feel he's a starter, and depending how the draft board falls, he'd make sense in the fourth. We did just draft two CBs in the fourth last year, so I wouldn't pull the trigger unless he's a sure upgrade. I'm not certain he is.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  7. #31

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Riley Moss, Iowa. 6'1, 193. 4.45.

    This here my dawg. Big ol' redneck looking joker. Last time I saw a face like that with that kind of speed the meth head at the trailerpark was booking it from the K9. Gonna get him, Charlie Jones, and Aidan O'Connell and every Sunday the Ravens are coming out to Free Bird! IF I LEAVE HERE TOMORROW... Remember boys, never marry a virgin. She ain't good enough for her cousins, she ain't good enough for you.

    Anyway. I watched Iowa vs Ohio State because Ohio State is loaded with first rounders at WR and QB. Moss was singled up with Marvin Harrison Jr. all game long. Harrison had a stat line of 7-62-1, but I don't know if that was all Moss. I do know Moss gave up the TD on an out at the goal-line. He also decleated Harrison earlier in the game. All said, you have one of the top two QBs in this year's draft class throwing to arguably the number one receiver in next year's class. Giving up that stat line is pretty damned good.

    Positives: Very athletic. Has the hips to turn and run with anybody. Can jam the receiver then easily trail them down field. Is one of the better tacklers at CB in this draft, with some teams even considering having him move to safety. Superb functional strength to jam the WR in press. Click-and-go vision in zone. 11 career INTs with 3 taken to the house. Can play slot or boundary. Experienced special-teams guy. Had two forced fumbles this year.

    Negatives: Needs to get his head on a swivel. Is too good of an athlete to focus so much on the QB. Solid tackler, but need to see him try to fight through blocks more often. Not one of the big-5 so there are warts to work on.

    How does he fit the Ravens? He is my favorite CB outside the first round. With Sterling Thomas V, there are questions about the level of competition and lack of INTs. Moss showed well against top-notch competition and created turnovers. I think Moss plays special teams and rotates in on defense before starting for whichever team drafts him for the next 7-10 years. He's not scheme specific, but zone is likely a better fit. Bone-jarring tackles will fit great on this defense. Then there is the ever present question of draft capital.

    We need an ED, a couple of WRs, and ideally two CBs. We also need defensive linemen, maybe a linebacker. If we take a CB in the first like we damned well should, then have A.T. Perry and Moss sitting there in the fourth, who do we take? In this scenario we've taken my edge guy in the third. On paper, we draft Perry. As much as I like him as a player, Perry has more questions than Moss does.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  8. #32

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Darius Rush, South Carolina. 6'2, 198. 4.36.

    This is our second CB from South Carolina, and the second to receive high praise from me. Well done... Sandlapper state... the hell is a sandlapper? Okay, apparently George Washington called the citizens of South Carolina "sandlappers" and nobody thought to smack him. Now they're known as sandlappers. Could go with Palmetto state, but this amuses me more. In my defense this is twice I've written about Gamecocks without giggling. Shows a lot of personal growth. I'm very proud.

    Darius Rush, from Sandlapper U, is a raw cornerback with outstanding size/speed. He signed as a WR out of high school and it shows in his route recognition. As a senior in high-school he caught 47-863-17. After switching to defense, he started for the last two years. I went back and watched South Carolina vs Tennessee again because it's readily available. And Tennessee has two viable first round receivers along with a damned good QB. Rush played pretty well. The only TD he gave up was off a batted pass. Hooker certainly didn't target the guy Rush was covering.

    Positives: One of the better size/athleticism guys in this class. Rush can easily stay with just about any receiver you put him up against, along with the size to play tough with the big boys. Excellent route recognition. His time at receiver has taught him all the little tricks they like to use against DBs. Has experience on special-teams. Sandlapper U, or U Sandlapper for folks reading this in a mirror, blitzed him sometimes. Has the strength and grit to effectively set the edge.

    Negatives: Will be a 23 year old rookie with some medical baggage. Missed all of 2018, then had shoulder surgery, and dealt with a hammy last year. Despite his advanced age, Rush has only played for two years. Shows some hesitancy in zone. All that time at receiver means he didn't get to practice at CB, delaying his maturation at the position. Can fight through blocks a little better.

    Fit with the Ravens: I love the kid's tape. He doesn't back down from a fight and can push people around. Unfortunately he'll be a 23 year old rookie with a checkered medical history and a desperate need for great coaching. I think he will eventually be an improvement over what we have, but he's two years away from reaching that level. He's going in the third/early fourth and there are likely other players who will contribute more, sooner.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  9. #33

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Jakorian Bennett, Maryland. 5'11, 188 pounds. 4.3.

    I need to restate this; 5'11 does not preclude me from sticking a guy out on the boundary. Bennett tested extremely well at the combine with a 40.5 inch vertical, 11'1 broad jump, and 13 reps on the bench. Before we get to the video, I'm going to lay out the one stat that makes me more interested in Bennett than most cornerbacks; he has a blocked kick. Typically those go to guys who are four to five inches taller than him, so it shows me his explosion and hand-eye coordination. Coolest thing was he didn't land on his stomach. He kept his feet after the block and looked to block someone. Great play all around. I don't view Bennett as a slot guy at this moment, but big receivers are going to give him trouble. Tough, heady player who went the JUCO route because there weren't a lot of teams beating down his door.

    Okay, wow. I like this kid. Watched Maryland vs Ohio State because of reasons already stated. Bennett was more than up to the challenge. The only negative play I have on him is the pass-interference call which was highly questionable. Read somewhere that he doesn't play a lot of man, but seemed pretty comfortable from what I saw. Rarely out of position. Didn't give up any cheap catches. And dang he can fly. On that blocked kick return he blurred the sideline.

    Positives: Bennett is a football player. Guys like that you get on your team, then figure out where to play 'em. I've seen him mocked to safety. That's a waste of his athletic ability, in my opinion. Smooth hips, blistering feet, and good field awareness puts him solidly in the cornerback spot. Will fight through the block to make the tackle. Can lay the wood. Will be a monster on special teams. 15 PBUs with four INTs over the last two years. Just wants to play ball.

    Negatives: Not a whole lot for someone with a fifth round grade. Normally with guys this athletic we need to worry about teaching them zone concepts. Bennett has that down pat. He needs to learn about route concepts and how to counteract them. Can be a little taller.

    Fit for the Ravens: He makes us better. I honestly don't see Bennett making out of his rookie season without at least two starts. Whichever team is lucky enough to get him will put him at slot-corner and he'll open a few games based on personnel packages. After his rookie season, who knows. My money is on him becoming a solid number 2 corner with some limitations due to size. Heck, in the fifth round teams are happy with a special teams contributor, which he is going to be from day one.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  10. #34

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Quote Originally Posted by darb72 View Post
    Jakorian Bennett, Maryland. 5'11, 188 pounds. 4.3.

    I need to restate this; 5'11 does not preclude me from sticking a guy out on the boundary. Bennett tested extremely well at the combine with a 40.5 inch vertical, 11'1 broad jump, and 13 reps on the bench. Before we get to the video, I'm going to lay out the one stat that makes me more interested in Bennett than most cornerbacks; he has a blocked kick. Typically those go to guys who are four to five inches taller than him, so it shows me his explosion and hand-eye coordination. Coolest thing was he didn't land on his stomach. He kept his feet after the block and looked to block someone. Great play all around. I don't view Bennett as a slot guy at this moment, but big receivers are going to give him trouble. Tough, heady player who went the JUCO route because there weren't a lot of teams beating down his door.

    Okay, wow. I like this kid. Watched Maryland vs Ohio State because of reasons already stated. Bennett was more than up to the challenge. The only negative play I have on him is the pass-interference call which was highly questionable. Read somewhere that he doesn't play a lot of man, but seemed pretty comfortable from what I saw. Rarely out of position. Didn't give up any cheap catches. And dang he can fly. On that blocked kick return he blurred the sideline.

    Positives: Bennett is a football player. Guys like that you get on your team, then figure out where to play 'em. I've seen him mocked to safety. That's a waste of his athletic ability, in my opinion. Smooth hips, blistering feet, and good field awareness puts him solidly in the cornerback spot. Will fight through the block to make the tackle. Can lay the wood. Will be a monster on special teams. 15 PBUs with four INTs over the last two years. Just wants to play ball.

    Negatives: Not a whole lot for someone with a fifth round grade. Normally with guys this athletic we need to worry about teaching them zone concepts. Bennett has that down pat. He needs to learn about route concepts and how to counteract them. Can be a little taller.

    Fit for the Ravens: He makes us better. I honestly don't see Bennett making out of his rookie season without at least two starts. Whichever team is lucky enough to get him will put him at slot-corner and he'll open a few games based on personnel packages. After his rookie season, who knows. My money is on him becoming a solid number 2 corner with some limitations due to size. Heck, in the fifth round teams are happy with a special teams contributor, which he is going to be from day one.

    I like this guy a lot.

    Would be happy to take him in the fourth, as I can’t see him lasting until our fifth round pick.

    Would it be worth trading back in the first and get another fourth round pick and taking AT Perry & Bennett…. Using the trades back pick on Tillman…. Basically is a first round CB worth Tillman & Bennett (plus another mid round pick, as you would get more than a fourth for trading back into the early second from pick 22).





  11. #35

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Quote Originally Posted by LittleG View Post
    I like this guy a lot.

    Would be happy to take him in the fourth, as I can’t see him lasting until our fifth round pick.

    Would it be worth trading back in the first and get another fourth round pick and taking AT Perry & Bennett…. Using the trades back pick on Tillman…. Basically is a first round CB worth Tillman & Bennett (plus another mid round pick, as you would get more than a fourth for trading back into the early second from pick 22).
    Pre-judging the draft is difficult. I wouldn't be surprised if Tillman is the first receiver off the board since he is a step up from everybody.

    Going by your scenario, I think Tillman, Moss, and Charlie Jones works out better than one of the first round CBs and a receiver. I like Perry a lot, but he and Tillman fill the same niche as receivers, but Tillman does it better. I have Moss as slightly better than Bennett. This is an absolute dream scenario.

    To answer your specific question, I balance out the two first round CBs I have falling to us in Forbes and Smith with a good receiver and a slot CB plus an undecided player. Yeah, I probably make that trade. We make a lot out of lack of talent in the receiver room, but the cornerbacks are looking rough too. Just one isn't going to do much.
    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





  12. #36

    Re: Cornerbacks in the draft

    Terell Smith, Minnesota. 6'0, 204. 4.41.

    Smith is a guy I didn't look at until the combine. I admit to just looking at 40 times for someone to write about. I'm pleasantly surprised with his film.

    I watched Minnesota vs Purdue because Charlie Jones is a receiver I'm high on and want to see how he matched up with Smith. First thing to note is that the only time Purdue sent Jones deep was when Smith wasn't covering him. Jones stat line was 6-55 with a long of 28, which means he had to go for 5-27 the rest of the way against Smith. This next part I want to preface a little bit. Smith was an Academic All-Big 10 the last four years. He is currently enrolled in the Masters program in human resource development. I bring this up because he made one of the smartest plays I've seen on a football field, and some pundits would use it as a strike against him.

    Around the 1:30 mark Purdue's RB breaks through and heads towards the right sideline. The receiver and Smith are in a stalemate. Instead of trying to slip past the WR to make the stop, Smith turns his body so his back is against the sideline so the RB can't get the corner. Picks up about three yards or so, but he'd have been long gone if he'd have hit the sideline.

    Positives: Decent height, and overall bulk to play in the league. Above average speed and strength. Highly intelligent player. Much better in run support than he's been given credit for. Blitzes effectively with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks on the year. Knows what the offense is trying to do and generally stops them. Can play zone or man.

    Negatives: Not as athletic as his speed would indicate. Says he likes man coverage the best but might not have the hips to make that his full-time job. Can do it, but likely fits better in zone. No chance I slide him inside to slot. He's a pure boundary corner where he can use his strength and the sideline.

    Fit for the Ravens: We have maybe three NFL quality cornerbacks on our roster right now. Smith has a good shot at being a starter. I don't think he's position diverse; outside only. I am interested in his intelligence on the field. I've seen him all the way down in the sixth to up in the second. Moss and Bennett I think benefit the Ravens the most, but Smith is going to be a player.

    "A moron, a rapist, and a Pittsburgh Steeler walk into a bar. He sits down and says, “Hi I’m Ben may I have a drink please?”
    ProFootballMock





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