Rams 1st pick, Taylor Rapp, safety

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  • #100375
    zn
    Moderator

    Huddlereport: https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=645

    Taylor Rapp S Washington
    by Drew Boylhart •

    STRENGTHS
    Taylor is a playmaker because you can use him all over your defense as a free safety, as an in the box safety, in nickel dime coverage, as your slot cover DB and even near the line on blitzes and stunts. He has excellent quickness to get up to his full speed in about three steps. He has good size and will support the run like a linebacker. He can cover running backs out of the back field. He can be used to cover bigger receivers because he is smart and instinctive. He is a leader through his play on the field and, because of his high football IQ he can be used all over your defense. He has excellent hands and I believe would be an excellent slot receiver for your offense if you wanted to use him that way. There is no doubt that he can be an impact special teams’ player on the cover unit and also return kicks or punts if you needed him too. Taylor is a multi-talent football player and there is not much that he can’t do on the football field.

    CONCERNS
    I liked to see him add a little more bulk and move to the linebacker position without it affecting his speed and burst because he could be as good as Luke Kuechly. He also has the potential to be used like former Steelers Troy Polamalu, not quite as fast but, Taylor has better cover skills. The biggest concern is…he might be considered by some teams as a tweener. Not by me… but by some who tend to over analyze and not trust film.

    TALENT BOARD ROUND 1.67
    Most defenses are in nickel/dime coverage almost 70% of the time in a game and Taylor is perfect fit for a 4-2-5 defense. He is a perfect fit for this style of defense because of his high football IQ, speed, burst, excellent tackling in space and overall coverage skills. Taylor played all over his defense in college similar to how the Steelers used Troy Polamalu. Some teams call that position a Cover 2 robber and some call it a bandit. Taylor can be used in this type of defense because as a free safety he can read run, and filter down as a ninth defender or, be used anywhere in the defensive scheme close to the line of scrimmage or in the slot to help stop the run. He can also be used to get into the backfield from the slot and disrupt or sack the QB. In that cover 2 robber free safety position on passing downs, he can read crossing routes and disrupt them or read and rob those curl and shallow routes or… if someone goes vertical he can take them. It’s a position that has to have the instincts and high football IQ to understand what plays the offense is most likely to use on every down and distance. Taylor has this type of talent physically and mentally. If I’m right Taylor will be selected early in this draft. If I’m wrong most likely, he will be selected in the third or fourth rounds. For me personal, if I’m doing the selecting I’m taking Taylor off the board in the first round because this type of player usually winds up in the pro bowl and the playoffs.

    #100377
    zn
    Moderator

    PHDram

    ourlads ranked him as the #1 safety
    26th player overall.

    #100379
    zn
    Moderator

    https://www.nfl.com/prospects/taylor-rapp?id=32195241-5050-5098-ef4c-235f382d663d

    Rapp’s family has Chinese ancestry, but he is a dual citizen between the United States and Canada. He promised his brother, Austin, that he would play major college football — a promise that has been fulfilled. He was an All-Washington pick from Bellingham that earned top 25 safety recruit grades from scouting services. Rapp broke his left hand in spring practices his freshman year, but played with a cast. That toughness impressed on coaches his willingness to fight through adversity, and he eventually won a starting role on defense in 10 of 14 games played in 2016 (53 tackles, four interceptions, two pass breakups). Rapp was the Pac-12 Championship Defensive MVP after intercepting two passes in the contest, returning one for a score. He also was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and a Freshman All-American for his efforts throughout the season. He started 12 of 13 games played as a sophomore, garnering first-team All-Pac-12 honors (in academics as well as on the field) and posting 59 stops, 3.5 for loss, two sacks, and an interception. Multiple All-American honors came his way in 2018, as did another first-team all-conference nod after he made plays around the line of scrimmage (59 tackles, six for loss, five sacks) and in coverage (two interceptions, five pass breakups while also finding himself around the ball (three fumble recoveries).

    Overview
    Versatile three-year starter who combines tenacity with football intelligence to play at a consistently high level. Rapp isn’t big, but he’s well-built and durability hasn’t been a concern despite his physical nature as a striker. He played all over the field this year and might be best-suited in a mix between down safety and two-high looks with the ability to cover tight ends. His coverage talent is average, but his run support effort and open-field tackling are clearly defined strengths that make him a relatively safe selection.

    Strengths
    Good size with compact frame and well-built chest
    Mister Fix-It asked to play all over the field for the defense
    Football intelligence considered top notch
    Despite compact frame, moves well
    Able to handle man cover duties on tight ends
    Impressive talent to diagnose and flow as box safety
    Recognizes run lane development like a running back
    Takes accurate pursuit angles
    Hip sink and footwork are catalysts for open-field tackling
    Always comes to balance and widens out to tackle
    Loves to thump
    Gifted kickoff cover man

    Weaknesses
    Hands out punishment but absorbs his share as well
    Can trigger a little earlier in run support from two-high
    Average lateral burst as open-field tackler
    Might be out-paced by NFL runners in his race to the edge
    Ability to range over the top appears to be just average
    Ball production has dropped since freshman season
    Routes to the throw can be fairly conservative
    Might have left some interceptions and breakups on the field

    #100380
    zn
    Moderator

    jrry32

    Rapp saw his draft stock fall after running a 40 in the 4.7s at his Pro Day. That doesn’t dissuade me at all. Rapp is as technically sound, intelligent, and reliable as they come with the ability to slide down into the slot and cover slot WRs due to his quickness and physicality. We’re landing an outstanding all-around player here. I’d compare him to Lawyer Milloy.

    He’s the defensive version of Cooper Kupp. He’s versatile (can blitz, cover M2M, drop into zone, and tackle in space), he’s highly intelligent, and he’s consistent. He rarely misses tackles. The only thing he really lacks is great ability as a center fielder. He tends to play it safe instead of trying to go for big plays.

    #100381
    zn
    Moderator

    #100390
    canadaram
    Participant

    Ourlads ranks him as the number one free safety. I just typed up and accidentally deleted the Ourlads write up. I will try again later.

    #100391
    zn
    Moderator

    dzrams

    PFF has him as their 38th ranked player and says this about him:

    Rapp was one of the most assignment-sure safeties in the country this past season and missed all of two tackles on 56 attempts.

    #100392
    zn
    Moderator

    Jeremiah

    http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001027342/article/daniel-jeremiahs-top-100-prospects-for-2019-nfl-draft

    Taylor Rapp, S
    39th overall

    Rapp is slightly undersized for the position, but he’s been very productive throughout his career. He lines up in the deep half, as well as underneath in the box. He anticipates well from the deep hash and always takes the proper angle to the ball. He has good (not great) closing speed and excellent ball awareness. He has a great feel as a blitzer, displaying timing and the ability to defeat a block. He is outstanding versus the run. He can sort through the trash when in the box and takes perfect angles to the alley from the deep half. He comes to balance and is a sure tackler in space. Overall, Rapp is one of the most reliable/dependable players in this draft class. Still, his lackluster speed at Washington’s pro day (where he ran a 40-yard dash in the 4.7s) will impact his draft stock.

    #100396
    canadaram
    Participant

    Ourlads

    Junior entry and three year starter from Bellingham, WA. Versatile prospect with the ability to play close to the line in the box, the outside flat and the deep hole. Often aligns in the box at LB depth showing instinctive reactions and quick change of direction versus the run. Natural knee bender. His experience in a variety of coverage playing quarters, one high and the short flat. Tracks well moving downhill from a deep alignment to make a tackle in space. Solid fundamental tackling skill with knee bend, explosiveness and finish Rarely misses. Explosive taking on blocks showing no fear throwing his body into bigger blockers. Powerful punch for his size getting quick separation from a blocker. Takes proper angles to the ball whenever he is on the field. Contains the edge run and squeezes running lanes back inside. Solid zone cover skills with awareness of multiple receivers in a zone. Adept at playing the short zones getting under deep routes and playing up to the flat. Reacts well on the throw often making big hits. Shows good range over the top with a closing burst. Has the speed to cover slots and TEs on vertical routes. Mirror ability is average and will get separated on a cut at times but recovers well. Slight tightness in some reactions such as centerfield turn, and turn and run but this is minimized with closing ability and positioning. Ball skills are average as he tends to go for the hit rather than working the catch point. Can be a little late arriving at the ball. Rapp has solid tools as an NFL starter in the right scheme. His run support is ability gibes him a fit as a nickel hybrid for many teams. Has outstanding kick coverage skill and has been productive in that area. 2018 stats: 59 T, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 5 PBU, 2 INT. (First/second round)

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by canadaram.
    #100412
    canadaram
    Participant

    Doc Serritella Draft Bible

    6. TAYLOR RAPP | WASHINGTON | #7 | JR | Bellingham, WA | 12.22.97 (age 21) | 5116 | 208 | 2nd RD | 8.0 |

    Wasserman HT WT ARM HAND WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
    COMBINE 5116 208 3034 0900 7278 n/a n/a n/a 35 9-7 3.99 6.82 17

    OUTLOOK: Chris Petersen has helped the Washington return to national prominence in part due to a focus on recruiting OKGs, or what he calls “Our Kind of Guys.” A perfect example of this is Rapp, a Chinese-American from a city just south of the Canadian border who began his college career labeled as “just” a three-star talent from recruiting experts. In the three years since, however, Rapp has earned recognition as the PAC-12’s Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, a First Team all- conference choice at safety as a sophomore, a consensus All-American in 2018 and emerged as one of the cleanest NFL prospects available, regardless of position, in the country. Sure, ball-skills and straight-line speed are important but the single most critical element to safety play remains being a reliable open-field tackler. He has defied odds his entire life and is expected to be the highest-drafted Asian player ever in NFL history (Ed Wang, Round 5, Pick 140 in 2010).

    PROS: While perhaps an inch or two shorter than ideal, Rapp looks the part of an NFL safety with a compact, well-muscled frame that provides the perfect body armor for his highly aggressive, physical style of play. Rapp’s greatest attributes are clearly his awareness and tackling ability. He shows Jedi-like instincts in locating the football with magnets for hands, resulting in seven interceptions and five fumbles (two forced, three covered) in just three seasons. Further, Rapp shows remarkable body control as a tackler, racing in from the secondary to make difficult tackles on elusive ball-carriers look easy. Generally speaking, he is a technically- sound face-up tackler who wraps his arms for the secure stop but he creates impressive force for real stopping power, as well, and shows excellent hand-eye coordination to trip up runners seemingly out of his reach. Rapp’s awareness also shows up in coverage, where he displays excellent route recognition, as well as impressive coordination and quickness in changing directions to stick in the hip pocket of potential receivers. Younger than most prospects, just turning 21.

    CONS: Appears quicker than fast and may lack preferred top-end speed for deep duties, especially for defenses planning to run a lot of single-high safety looks. Highly regarded for his playmaking ability but at times appears too willing to concede the reception and make the tackle rather than attack the ball.

    #100444
    InvaderRam
    Moderator

    dude is slow.

    but his short shuttle and 3 cone times are startlingly good.

    3.99 and 6.82.

    those are elite times. but his lack of top end speed worries me.

    #100453
    Herzog
    Participant

    Maybe he’s the new Barron

    #100457
    zn
    Moderator

    Maybe he’s the new Barron

    I think he’s a safety.And I bet a good one.

    The speed thing doesn’t bother me. His best attributes are so good IMO they negate any speed issues. So, for a lot of reasons (instincts, game smarts, play recognition) he plays fast.

    #100458
    zn
    Moderator

    Small note.

    Taylor Rapp is a dual USA/Canadian citizen of Chinese ancestry.

    #100464
    zn
    Moderator

    for a lot of reasons (instincts, game smarts, play recognition) he plays fast.

    Just to amplify that a bit. Just now listening to the post-draft press conference. McVay starts off by saying Rapp has “unbelievable instincts” (transcript is here: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/snead-mcvay-day-2-post-draft-vid/ ). They compare him to Weddle and Johnson. They had him ranked as a 1st round pick.

    I know the speed and size issues jump out at first glance, but I really believe that if you dig into what’s said about this guy, he really stands out. Plus I think they care more about short area quickness (which Rapp has in abundance) than speed. I think he’s a free safety too, not an SS.

    Plus as I have already said a few times, since 2012 one thing the Rams have consistently done well is hit on DBs. Heck in 2012 they hit on 3 starters in one year (2 picks & a UDFA–Jenkins, Johnson, McLeod). And before 2017, that was without Wade, and I think having Wade just makes them even better.

    #100467
    zn
    Moderator

    #100468
    zn
    Moderator

    #100469
    canadaram
    Participant

    Small note.

    Taylor Rapp is a dual USA/Canadian citizen of Chinese ancestry.

    Go Canada!

    #100502
    Herzog
    Participant

    Dang Zn, you got me excited.

    #100507
    Agamemnon
    Moderator

    https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/four-huskies-ranked-among-pffs-top-101-players-for-the-2018-season/

    No. 41: Taylor Rapp

    Rapp, a junior from Bellingham, ranked as the nations’ No. 2 safety and No. 5 overall player in the Pac-12, behind Murphy, Burr-Kirven, WSU’s Gardner Minshew (No. 38) and Stanford’s JJ Arcega-Whiteside. PFF wrote: “He blitzed on 41 occasions and came away with 11 pressures that included five sacks, just rounding out an all-around dominant year for one of the nation’s best defenses.” Rapp declared for the NFL draft last week.

    Agamemnon

    #100514
    zn
    Moderator

    Taylor Rapp timing the snap count at full speed

    McVay just raves about this guy, and I assume of course implicitly Wade feels the same. I know coaches love their picks on draft day, but still, this is high praise:

    MCVAY: [Snead] and his group had really looked at him, and he’s one of the top-rated players that we had in terms of just a guy who’s showing up, making a lot of different plays, showing a versatile skillset. And then once the coaches started to really look at him, he’s one of the guys that jumps off the screen. He’s got unbelievable instincts – talk about a guy that has a feel for navigating traffic and being able to make knife tackles as a blitzer. He’s playing in the box – extremely instinctual. And that’s where you just look at the tape, you talk about the short-space quickness. A lot of the things that you love so much about Eric (Weddle) and ‘JJ’ (John Johnson III) – we feel like Taylor (Rapp) has a lot of those similar traits and characteristics. And I think to be able to get him in a group where you’re playing and you’re learning behind those two guys, and then based on personnel groupings that we want to activate defensively. When you’ve got three players that have a versatile skillset you can really put yourself in an advantage situation defensively with guys that can do a lot of different things, and some of the disguises, and different amount of coverages that you can activate, or all these guys have the ability to blitz as well. So, we feel like he fits really well with some of the things that we’re looking for. But, most importantly – you guys hear us talk about it all the time – we’re looking for guys who love football, that are instinctual, and when you flip the tape on that’s exactly what you see from Taylor Rapp.”

    (On Rapp’s 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine)

    MCVAY: “I don’t know, but if you watch the tape that guy sure plays fast, so that is the biggest thing. Very rarely do you ask a safety to straight-line run 40 yards. You are seeing redirect and reactionary skills. I know this, he sure plays fast and that is what is important. We are playing football. The 40 time? We see a great football player that plays fast and that is what’s most important to us.”

    SNEAD: “I was going to say that (NFL Network Analyst) Daniel Jeremiah said that if he ran a certain subset of speed, he would have been a first-rounder. So, similarly to Cooper Kupp, you probably should evaluate the football, especially the play speed before you run. And I can say that history tells you that if you run a little slower, you might not get drafted as high. But, he missed a bowl game with a hip flexor – he might have produced a faster time, but he is so competitive, he was going to go run. If I was probably advising him and he was a little injured I would say don’t do it. But he is one of those guys that if you advise him to not do it, he is probably going to look at you and say no I’m doing it. So, play speed is more important.”

    #100606
    Agamemnon
    Moderator

    Agamemnon

    #100622
    InvaderRam
    Moderator

    McVay just raves about this guy, and I assume of course implicitly Wade feels the same.

    ya know. just have to trust these guys. especially when it comes to safety.

    if he is a starter next year, i will happily eat crow.

    i really do hope he was injured cuz that’s a slow time.

    slower than anquan boldin.

    #100624
    Zooey
    Moderator

    I’m not worried about his 40 time. They have other guys in the secondary who can be given the deep assignments in those situations. I wouldn’t expect to see Rapp get beat by SPEED more than once or twice a year. Those types of plays are not run very often in the first place, and like I said, there are other guys in the secondary anyway. Rapp plays fast in the middle of Junk, and that’s where most football happens. He’s one of the FASTEST guys in the middle of Junk. And he’s a sure tackler. I think he is likely to stand out for wrecking the offense more often than he gets burned. I mean…that’s what I’m reading, anyway.

    #100663
    Agamemnon
    Moderator

    https://www.hogshaven.com/2019/2/28/18238194/taylor-rapp

    Rapp was voted to PFF’s First-Team All-American list in 2018. PFF states “Rapp is a rare player with the ability to play any back-seven position if needed. He finishes the regular season as our highest-graded safety in the nation (91.4) and displayed his versatility with five sacks, two interceptions and five pass breakups.”

    Rapp is an interchangeable safety with the instincts of a free safety and the physicality of a box player. He can play man in the slot, can blitz, can play the run, and cover deep. I think there are some legitimate questions regarding his range, but his instincts and knack for tracking the ball may compensate for a lack of pure speed. I like Rapp but those that are trying to sell him to me as a late first to early second, I feel his draft value is probably a little high.

    Furthermore, PFF charged Rapp with surrendering just 8 receptions and missing only two tackles on the season. One of which, he missed a tackle while blitzing the QB, gets up, and then still gets the sack.

    Agamemnon

    #100712
    Agamemnon
    Moderator

    Agamemnon

    #100808
    zn
    Moderator

    #100831
    Agamemnon
    Moderator

    Agamemnon

    #100833
    zn
    Moderator

    That vid, the PFF guys. They call him a box safety. I don’t agree with that.

    #101131
    Agamemnon
    Moderator


    Agamemnon

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