nfl combine – linebackers

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  • #83450
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    tons of athletes. too many to even name. there should be guys available even in the third round i would think.

    one guy who interests me is leighton vander esch.

    he should be available when the rams pick in the first round. an unknown quantity. only started one year. a run stopping machine. makes plays in pass defense too. but with his size and speed (4.65 40) and length (33.75″ arms). i wonder if he couldn’t play outside as a pass rusher as well. waiting to see what his agility numbers are.

    • This topic was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Avatar photoInvaderRam.
    #83452
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    tons of athletes. too many to even name. there should be guys available even in the third round i would think.

    one guy who interests me is leighton vander esch.

    he should be available when the rams pick in the first round. an unknown quantity. only started one year. a run stopping machine. makes plays in pass defense too. but with his size and speed (4.65 40) and length (33.75″ arms). i wonder if he couldn’t play outside as a pass rusher as well. waiting to see what his agility numbers are.

    Height, weight, school?

    Thanks.

    #83453
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    ok. so. wow.

    he’s 6’4″ 256 pounds boise st

    arms – 33.875″
    hands 9.75″
    40 – 4.65s
    bench – 20
    vert – 39.5″
    broad – 124″
    3-cone – 6.88s
    short shuttle – 4.15s

    for comparison – khalil mack
    6’3″ 251 pounds

    arms – 33.25″
    hands 10.25″
    40 – 4.65s
    bench – 23
    vert – 40.5″
    broad – 128″
    3-cone – 7.08s
    short shuttle – 4.18s

    wow. great measurables. but question marks on production. why did he only start one year? granted that one year was great.

    141 tackles 8.5 tfl 4 sacks 3 int 4 ff

    rams need a linebacker bad right now. this guy oozes potential. could probably play multiple linebacker positions. probably drops because of question marks about production.

    outside of tremaine edmunds, who will never last until the rams pick, this guy is the one who intrigues me the most of the linebacking crew. just the measurables. haven’t seen him in drills yet. watching it on replay right now.

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Avatar photoInvaderRam.
    #83455
    JackPMiller
    Participant

    There are a ton of talented 3/4 OLBs we can get after round 3. Darius Jackson of Jacksonville State, Chad Thomas of Miami(FL), and Marcell Frazier of Missouri are a few to name. Now is the time to think LT for our first round pick.

    #83456
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    besides edmunds and vander esch.

    i liked dorance armstrong. he didn’t test the best. but he looked good in the drills. smooth. the lack of speed might make him available in the third. and i keep reading that he played out of position last season. when he played in his usual position the year before, he was dominant.

    arden key looked alright too. as did harold landry. like i said. this group just seems loaded with athletes. too many to try and mention.

    but vander esch is the one i’m really focused on right now.

    #83457
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    According to draftniks, at this point, which are seen as the strong positions in this draft, and which are seen as the weaker ones?

    #83459
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    There are a ton of talented 3/4 OLBs we can get after round 3. Darius Jackson of Jacksonville State, Chad Thomas of Miami(FL), and Marcell Frazier of Missouri are a few to name. Now is the time to think LT for our first round pick.

    i am on board with left tackle as long as that player is the best available.

    honestly. i think andrew whitworth is good for at least one more year. possibly two. so i’m not on board with drafting a left tackle for need. only if he is the best player available. the defense needs help right now. the linebacking crew is nothing right now. they could even use another corner.

    i’m still for best available player.

    #83460
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    According to draftniks, at this point, which are seen as the strong positions in this draft, and which are seen as the weaker ones?

    i’m not an expert, but the running back class seems unusually strong. i think the position is about to make a comeback.

    defensive line and linebacker is strong.

    tight end, outside of gesicki, is weak. even then, gesicki is not without his blemishes from a football standpoint. athletically the dude is off the charts.

    #83463
    JackPMiller
    Participant

    i am on board with left tackle as long as that player is the best available.

    honestly. i think andrew whitworth is good for at least one more year. possibly two. so i’m not on board with drafting a left tackle for need. only if he is the best player available. the defense needs help right now. the linebacking crew is nothing right now. they could even use another corner.

    i’m still for best available player.

    If Wentworth goes down, then we are screwed. At least if we draft our future LT now, we can start him somewhere else, and if Whit does go down, we are prepared.

    #83472
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Barry Helps Run Linebacker Drills at Combine

    Myles Simmons

    http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Barry-Helps-Run-Linebacker-Drills-at-Combine/5cd71261-55ab-4692-8187-b5f1b94aa7bd

    INDIANAPOLIS — Linebackers were on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for the penultimate day of the 2018 NFL Combine, and Rams assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Barry was down on the turf with them.

    In fact, Barry ran one of the drills on Sunday afternoon, getting a true up-close-and-personal look at the game’s incoming rookies.

    “The thing that’s great for me is you actually get to stand right next to a guy,” Barry said on Sunday. “So you’re not watching it on film, like we will when we go back to L.A. We’re not watching it even from the stands or the suite. We’re actually down on the field standing right next to a guy, seeing how he competes. We get a true, hands-on feel. So it’s a nice advantage where we’re allowed to be down on the field, watching these guys compete.”

    Being down on the field and instructing during the Combine is a task that fits right in with Barry’s personality.

    “I can’t stand still and just be quiet and watch a guy,” he said. “I’ve got to all of a sudden start coaching a drill, even if it’s a drill that I’m not running. But I mean, the energy down there is phenomenal. So I’m all about energy, I love it. And to be able to just be hands on with those 42 guys that we had — we got to watch them [get measured by] height and weight, we got to watch them do bench press. But now we’re actually down on the field with them. So that was great.”

    A significant part of the advantage of being on the field is seeing how each player responds in a competitive situation.

    “I know it’s not a game setting — but you get to see how a guy gets himself ready when you’re down on the field next to him,” Barry said. “[E]ven though it’s not true competition, they’re all competing down there to do the best that they can do in that drill. So you get to see a guy, look in his eyes, and see how he competes.”

    And not only is it a competitive situation, but it’s also one inherently filled with pressure.

    “Not that the lights came on for a game, but the lights came on. This is a job interview for these kids,” Barry said. “This is, in their athletic careers, the biggest job interview they’ve ever participated in. So to be able to be down on the floor with them while they’re competing, look them in the eye and see how they get jacked up — or how they don’t get jacked up — I think it’s a nice window that we as coaches get to have.”

    #83495
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    vander esch might not even be available at #23. whispers that the packers are considering him at #14.

    good news though is that’ll push other talented guys down.

    at offensive tackle i still like kolton miller. a friend of mine has said nothing but good things about him. athletically, he’s more than solid. what i like most about miller is that he is said to grade very positively in the run game but also seems to have the athleticism to hold up in the passing game as well. a year at right tackle or just learning under one of the best in whitworth would be good. if he isn’t available, i really don’t see any tackle worth a first round pick. mcglinchey, but he isn’t gonna last until 23. tyrell crosby maybe? but from what i’ve read he profiles as a right tackle – not a left.

    if they don’t get offensive tackle, i want them to go defense. defensive line, corner, or linebacker. i don’t care. there’s talent at all three levels it seems like. someone is going to be there. they could even trade back if there isn’t an offensive tackle there to groom.

    if they stay. and mike gesicki is there. i would be far from disappointed if they decided on a luxury pick and went with him. his athleticism is off the charts. and given mcvay’s track record with tight ends, i think the pick would make too much sense. mcvay would get the most out of him. he doesn’t have to be a blocker. i think with gurley and gesicki. woods and kupp. defenses would have a helluva time trying to match up with that offense.

    #83498
    Avatar photosnowman
    Participant

    An outside linebacker named Landry looked very good in the agility drills, comes from a 3-4 college system.

    There was this drill where the linebackers or d-linemen had to run back, then sideways, then run forward and catch a pass thrown right at them. Quite a few players could not handle the pass, let it hit them in the chest and bounce off. Mike Mayock commented, “If the ball was a javelin, these guys would be dead.”

    #83501
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    An outside linebacker named Landry looked very good in the agility drills, comes from a 3-4 college system.

    There was this drill where the linebackers or d-linemen had to run back, then sideways, then run forward and catch a pass thrown right at them. Quite a few players could not handle the pass, let it hit them in the chest and bounce off. Mike Mayock commented, “If the ball was a javelin, these guys would be dead.”

    much like a corner, if those guys could actually catch the ball, they’d be better off playing tight end! ha!

    seriously though, yeah. landry looked good too. if they wanted to go defense, my guess is they could trade back into the second round and still find talent. i think it’s that deep.

    harold landry
    6’3″ 252 lbs from boston college

    arms – 32.875″
    hands 9.375″
    40 – 4.64s
    bench – 24
    vert – 36″
    broad – 119″
    3-cone – 6.88s
    short shuttle – 4.19s

    athletically, a tick below khalil mack. but still explosive. his agility numbers compare to a guy 30 pounds lighter than he is.

    his length isn’t elite. again, just a tick below. but more than adequate.

    he actually weighed in bigger than they expected. i read somewhere they were thinking he’d be 6’1″ 240 pounds.

    a lot more nimble than they thought he’d be too looking at the agility numbers.

    i think he played in college as a defensive end. someone correct me if i’m wrong, but that’s what i read. based on his combine performance maybe he’s still got some potential to be tapped playing as a stand up edge rusher. phenomenal numbers his junior year. but had a down year in 2017. i noticed he only played 8 games, so maybe he was dealing with injuries. i don’t know.

    but again. those agility numbers. mayock said he looked good in drills. sounds like a fit.

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Avatar photoInvaderRam.
    • This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Avatar photoInvaderRam.
    #83503
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    harold landry
    6’3″ 252 lbs from boston college

    EDGE
    HAROLD LANDRY

    His numbers dipped a bit in 2017, as he played in just nine games due to an ankle injury. Landry still earned third-team All-ACC recognition with 38 stops, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and two pass breakups.

    ANALYSIS

    STRENGTHS Lacks height, but arm length makes up for it. Fluid athlete with good twitch. Flies out of the gates with no false steps. Long-strider who takes early leads on races to the edge. Uses loose hips and upper body turn to create an angular, leaning target that is hard to punch squarely. Limbo-stick edge-bender. Has flexibility to drop way under a tackle’s hands and can corner with a tight turn and plus burst to the quarterback. Expected to show out at the Combine. Willing to attack the throwing arm and not just the quarterback. Creates strip sacks and batted balls with his long, active arms. Uses athletic ability to ramp up a secondary rush and scoop up scrambling quarterbacks. Rangy with plus pursuit speed against the run. Has experience standing and dropping into space. Plays with good change of direction and quick lateral movement to track down bootlegs.

    WEAKNESSES Burst-oriented rusher in need of a more diverse rush approach. Still learning to string moves together. Primary rush counter is a basic, inside move. Hasn’t learned to tie edge burst with hand work to help soften the edge. Long tackles can be a deterrent. Upper body strength is below average. Hasn’t shown consistent ability to convert his edge speed into power. Rides on blocks for too long. Lacking consistent grit at point of attack. Would rather chase and tackle than have running play come downhill at him. Can get to tackles but needs to do a better job of wrapping and finishing. Landry’s effort level this year didn’t seem to match his 2016 tape even before he suffered an ankle injury.

    DRAFT PROJECTION Round 1

    SOURCES TELL US “He’s just like (Vic) Beasley coming out with the way he comes off the snap. You remember how Beasley struggled early because he had to learn to be a pass rusher and not just a sprinter? I think Landry might be the same early on. When he puts it together, he’ll do what Beasley did.” — NFC team pro personnel director

    NFL COMPARISON Bruce Irvin

    BOTTOM LINE Landry lacks premium size, but his burst, stride length and ability to dip and rip around the edge give him special potential as an edge rusher. Landry lacks strength at the point of attack and may be a designated pass rusher early in his career. While he can play standing for 3-4 teams, he’s at his best with his hand in the dirt as a rusher. Landry can get by as an NFL rusher with just speed and athleticism, but he has an opportunity to become a Pro Bowler if he can improve his hand usage and develop an inside counter.
    -Lance Zierlein http://www.nfl.com/draft/2018/profiles/harold-landry?id=2559923

    #83504
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    While he can play standing for 3-4 teams, he’s at his best with his hand in the dirt as a rusher.

    i like landry. but he’s strictly an edge rusher. a 3-4 outside linebacker. it sounds like. but he could be a helluva 3-4 outside linebacker. so at #23, that’d be a bargain for sure. i wouldn’t be complaining about that.

    but what intrigues me about vander esch is, much like tremaine edmunds, this guy might be able to play all 4 linebacker positions. and play them all well. maybe not immediately. but eventually. he can defend the run and pass as well as rush the passer. whereas landry sound like he’s primarily an edge rusher.

    there are multiple guys it sounds like who fit landry’s description. maybe they don’t do it as well as landry but they have similar skill sets.

    edmunds and vander esch. i just don’t get the sense that you find too many players who have that blend of size and skill.

    #83505
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    here’s an article on harold landry. it pretty much says what a lot of the scouting reports say about landry.

    https://medium.com/the-mesh-point/film-breakdown-harold-landry-vs-notre-dame-2017-148171b8fe16

    #83506
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    dorance armstrong also looks good. i think he could be gotten in the third round. his production was outstanding in 2016 and then there was a drop off in 2017. from what i read, the defense changed schemes, and he was playing out of position for pretty much the entire season. in the nfl, he’ll be playing more the position he played in 2016 when he had 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks!!!

    6’4″ 257 pounds from kansas

    arms – 34.75″
    hands 10″
    40 – 4.87s
    bench – 20
    vert – 30″
    broad – 118″
    3-cone – 7.12s
    short shuttle – 4.23s

    very mediocre explosion numbers. the vertical and broad numbers are not the best. his speed has a lot to be desired. but that is partially why he drops to the third. his agility numbers are good though. not elite. but good. a drastic difference between his 40 and his short shuttle times. but then he’s got elite length. long long arms. i think he’d be a good pick up.

    if the rams could re-sign trujo. and then draft armstrong in the third. and let’s say they draft a rashaan evans in the first. that’d be a helluva defense there.

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