From Drew Boylhart

http://www.thehuddlereport.com/archive/2017profiles/Ejuan.Price.htm

Ejuan Price ER/LB Pittsburgh
TALENT
ROUND 5
STRENGTHS
Ejuan is pound for pound one of the best and complete defensive Edge Rushers in this draft and the chances of him getting selected in the seven rounds of this draft are slim to none. He is quick and powerful off the line with excellent hand fighting techniques. He is the quickest at shedding blocks and making tackles and changes the line of scrimmage to his benefit on every snap. He requires a double team and I have even seen some teams at times double team him with two big offensive linemen and then triple team him using a running back to chip block him. Ejuan has more tackles behind the line of scrimmage then just about any defensive lineman in this draft. He is strong against the run, holding up when double teamed allowing his teammates to make tackles. Ejuan has talent and production that is equal (if not better) than any Edge Rushing defensive lineman in this draft and the truth is if Ejuan was 4 inches taller…he might be the 1st player selected in this draft or at least a 1st Round draft pick but… he isn’t 4 inches taller and reality is reality.

CONCERNS
Ejuan numbers at the combine are 5’ 11”, 241 lbs. on top of that Ejuan ran a 4.84 in the forty but he did show his quickness running 1.66 in 10 yards. The fact is, to think Ejuan can be as impacting and competitive as an edge rusher in the NFL at his stature is a stretch. He will have to change positions and until he learns and proves that he can handle a new position (LB) I suspect that Ejuan will just be considered as a special teams player and a priority undrafted free agent for special teams after the draft.

BOTTOM LINE
Ejuan is an excellent college player and an impacting college player but until he gets play in NFL game conditions there is no way to evaluate if that impact can be carried over to the NFL. London Fletcher was an undrafted free agent who played linebacker in college who was the same size as Ejuan. The big difference is, London played Middle linebacker his entire football career and Ejuan plays as a hand on the ground defensive end. London Fletcher in spite of his size holds the record in the NFL for 215 Consecutive games STARTED at his position and was a core player for three team’s defenses at the MLB position. When I see Ejuan on the field all I can think of is London Fletcher. Same size, same athletic talent, same leadership skills same heart and passion, although London never had the technical skills to rush the passer that Ejuan has. I really believe that Ejuan has a special talent and I think he’s the type of player who could be used in a Clay Mathews like situation moving him around your defense to gain matchups in his favor that will allow him to become an impact pass rushing menace. Nevertheless, I would suspect that he will be considered a very late round pick or by most teams… a priority free agent after the draft is over. I’ll be honest, that’s how I would have to list him also. I mean truthfully how many 5’11’’ edge rushes are in the NFL? Could Ejuan be the exception? The answer is yes… he could be the exception if he ever gets on the field in a game to show it. The problem in the NFL is, once you get labeled it’s hard to find a coach that will rip off that label to see if there is another label underneath.

Drew Boylhart APR.2017

Brugler

EJUAN PRICE | Pittsburgh
5113|241 lbs|6SR Rankin, Pa. (Woodland Hills) 1/30/1993 (age 24) #5

Grade: 5th-6th round

BACKGROUND: A three-star linebacker recruit out of high school, Price originally committed to Ohio State as part of the 2011 recruiting class, but requested to be released from his letter of intent following Jim Tressel’s resignation in May 2011. He decided to stay close to home and signed with Pitt, starting five games as a true freshman and posting 27 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. After sitting out the 2012 season due to injury, Price returned in 2013 and recorded 4.0 tackles for loss over four starts before a different injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. He rehabbed and returned to the field, but another injury forced him to miss the entire 2014 season. Price stayed healthy in 2015 and started all 13 games, leading the team with 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks to earn First Team All-ACC honors. He was granted a medical hardship waiver and returned to Pitt for the sixth season in 2016, setting career-bests with 23.0 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and three forced fumbles to earn First Team All-ACC and multiple All-American honors. Price accepted his invitation to the 2017 East-West Shrine Game, but missed most of the week due to injury.
STRENGTHS: Naturally low pad level to gain leverage and get underneath blockers…fires out of his stance to run the arc or knife through gaps…lateral quickness and body control to shake blockers in space…explosive off the edge to dip and win the corner, forcing the quarterback to move from his spot…sharp cutting ability to make 90-degree turns without slowing down…eyes are always trained on the ball…recognition skills to sniff out plays and not fooled by much…powerful hands to fight off jabs and keep himself free…hunting motor doesn’t have an off switch and wastes little time attacking the pocket…competes with the same fight each snap despite rarely coming off the field the past two seasons…graduated with a degree in communications (May 2015)…voted a senior captain…elite production the past two seasons, ranking No. 2 in the FBS with 23.0 tackles for loss in 2016…blocked two PATs.

WEAKNESSES: Tweener frame with below average measurements…lacks the arm length to get free once blockers swallow him up…too easily stonewalled when blockers keep him square…lacks the field range to move to an off-ball linebacker role full-time…only average pursuit speed…overaggressive and loses control on tackle attempts…pass rush based more on persistence than planning…older prospect and already 24-years old…bright red flags with his medical history, missing almost three full seasons due to injury – shelved for the 2012 season due to a right pectoral injury (April 2012); missed most of the 2013 season after injuring his back (Oct. 2013); missed all of the 2014 season after surgery on his left pectoral (July 2014).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Pittsburgh, Price lined up primarily in a three-point stance at left and right defensive end in Pitt’s 4-3 base defense and was one of the most productive pass rushers in college football the past two seasons – tied with Aaron Donald for fourth on the school’s all-time sacks list (29.5). With his initial quickness, explosive hands and unforgiving motor, he lived in the backfield in college (51.1% of his tackles in 2016 were behind the line of scrimmage), but his size dimensions lead to NFL transition and fit concerns. Although he lacks the skill-set to be an every-down player at the next level, Price has the pass rush ability to be a productive subpackage edge rusher and poor man’s Elvis Dumervil – strong bet to be under-drafted.

My big take away from the Rogers pick is that is a place in this world called Mechanicsville. Next time my car breaks down, I hope I’m driving through Mechanicsville.

Ourlads

Three-year starter from Mechanicsville, VA. A Swiss Army knife player who lines up at multiple positions including tight end, wing back, slot and fullback. Also exceeds on special teams’ coverage. Rogers fits the profile of fullback durability, toughness and quickness. Blue collar approach to his job. Drives his feet on contact, cuts and rolls a defender. Good hands to catch seams, swing passes, and check downs. Runs good elementary routes. As a ball carrier he drives his legs after initial contact. Runs with low pad level. Has physical limitations to overcome – short arms, bulk and finish speed. Senior Bowl notes: Performed well in blocking and one-on-one pass coverage drills. Stepped up aggressively blocking inside or outside blitzes. During 7-on-7 leaked through and cut off linebacker flow. Rarely carried the ball, but turned his back going into the line. 2016 stats: 283 yards, 4.2 you, 2 TD, 24 rec, 301 yards, 12.5 ypr, 4 TD. Fifth/sixth round.

Ourlads

Three-year starter from Baton Rouge, LA. Played in 48 career games. Finished his career with 40.5 tackles for loss. Two-time first -team All-AAC selection. Bowling ball frame with upper tier explosion off the snap. Combine that with natural low centre of gravity and he can be a terror off the ball. Powerful calves and feet. Gets from point A to point B in a blink. Very quick twitched, can make a difference in a phone booth. At his size, his potential is simply limited. Struggles to push blockers back and can be locked onto by a bigger longer blocker. Upper body strength is average and his hand game doesn’t make much of a difference. Overmatched against double teams. Can use his low to the ground frame and initial quickness to his advantage consistently against blockers who have a hard time bending well. He may not be the most physically imposing player on the field, but he can make a difference as a rotational tackle. A hard guy to lock up at times and knows what to do when he is free within the tackle box. 2016 stats: 67 T, 18.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 QBH, 1 FF. seventh round/PFA

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by canadaram.

Dane Brugler

Grade: 4th/5th round

BACKGROUND: Under-recruited out of high school, Joshua “Josh” Reynolds didn’t receive any FBS-level offers out of Jay High School and considered taking a partial scholarship to Texas A&M as a hurdler and high jumper, but decided to play football at Tyler Junior College for one season to boost his recruitment. Aggies track and field coach Pat Henry tipped off football head coach Kevin Sumlin about Reynolds, who became a three-star JUCO recruit and received over a dozen offers. He narrowed his college choice to Oregon and Texas A&M, choosing the Aggies. With Mike Evans leaving for the NFL, Reynolds earned a starting job as a sophomore in 2014 and set a school-record with 13 receiving touchdowns. He started 12 games as a junior in 2015 and recorded 51 receptions for 907 yards and five scores. Reynolds had his most productive season as a senior with a team-best 1,039 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He accepted his invitation to the 2017 Senior Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Tall, long frame and looks like a track athlete…long-strider with gliding speed to close cushions in a flash…improved releases to evade at the line of scrimmage and gain a step vertically…uses his length to extend and stab catches away from his body…excellent locating skills with reliable focus on deep balls to highpoint and secure the football…home run threat downfield that defensive backs must respect – only player in SEC history with two 90+ touchdown catches in the same season (2016)…standout on punt coverage, getting downfield quickly to make plays…athletic bloodlines – mother (Michele) played college basketball at Old Dominion…productive career and senior season, becoming the fifth receiver in school history to reach 1,000-yards in a season – caught a touchdown in a school- record eight straight games in 2016.

WEAKNESSES: Skinny limbs and narrowly built…underpowered and too easily knocked off his routes, lacking the functional strength to match up with corners, even if he towers over them in height…needs to give himself better spacing along the sideline, allowing corners to pin him against the white…too finesse at the catch point on non-jump balls and needs to better work back to the quarterback…lets the football get into his body, leading to drops…unpolished route runner on non-vertical patterns and needs to improve his rhythm…inconsistent blocking effort and will make “business decisions” to avoid physical collisions…doesn’t have return experience on special teams…lacks ideal body armor, playing through a subluxation in his left shoulder in 2014 that required off-season surgery (Jan. 2015); bruised left hip (Sept. 2016).

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Texas A&M, Reynolds had few options out of high school, but the past three seasons, no SEC pass-catcher had more receiving yards or touchdown catches than him – finished top-three all-time in career receiving yards (2,788) and receiving scores (30) in Aggies’ history. He has excellent long- speed and tracks the ball naturally, extending his long arms to snag the ball and be a big play threat downfield. However, he requires refinement on non-vertical routes and won’t be able to work the sideline in the NFL unless he gets more physical with corners – his struggles vs. aggressive defenders could be a fatal flaw. Projecting him in the NFL, Reynolds has the vertical skills and special teams ability to stick as a No. 4 wide receiver, but that might be his ceiling as a pro unless he improves his aggressiveness and overall consistency that the NFL requires at the position.

Dane Brugler

15. JOHN JOHNSON | Boston College
6004|208 lbs|4SR West Hyattsville, Md. (Northwestern) 12/19/1994 (age 22) #9 GRADE 4th Round
YEAR (GP/GS) 2013: (12/0) 2014: (8/2) 2015: (12/12) 2016: (13/13) Total: (45/27)
TKLS TFL 4 1.0 25 1.0 63 1.5 77 2.5 169 6.0
SACK FF PD INT 0.0 0 0 0
1.0 0 2 0 0.5 2 6 3 1.0 1 12 3
(2 CB)
(9 SS, 3 CB) (13 FS)
2.5 3
20 6

BACKGROUND: A two-star safety recruit out of high school, John Johnson III committed to Boston College over offers from Duke, Pittsburgh and several others. After spending his true freshman season as a back-up cornerback, he worked his way into the starting mix as a sophomore with 25 tackles and two passes defended, making two starts before an arm injury sidelined him for the second half of the season. Johnson moved to strong safety as a junior in 2015 where he started the first nine games, moving back to left cornerback for the final three games. He finished the 2015 season with 63 tackles, six passes defended and three interceptions. Johnson moved to free safety as a senior in 2016 and led Boston College with 12 passes defended and three interceptions, adding 77 tackles. He accepted his invitation to the 2017 Senior Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Tall, long athlete…velvet feet and hip fluidity to smoothly redirect…long-strider to accelerate quickly and cover a lot of green…controls his gears well on the move to throttle down and stay controlled in space…strings out plays, holding outside leverage and closing gaps on the perimeter…run-and-hit style run defender, showing fast angles working downhill…determined chaser and looks to tune up his target…uses his arm length to take away passing lanes from various body positions…competes with an edge at the catch point, aggressively trying to knock the ball down…soft hands to finish interceptions – averaged 15.7 yards per return in 2016 (3/47/0)…team-oriented player and voted a senior captain – attractive intelligence and intangibles…versatile starting experience with 27 career starts, including multiple starts at each spot in the secondary (13 FS, 9 SS, 3 LCB, 2 RCB).

WEAKNESSES: Lean-muscled body type with questionable core strength and limited bulk potential…inconsistent route anticipation and can be caught guessing…tick late out of his breaks in man coverage, hesitating and allowing excess spacing on underneath patterns (slants, curls, digs, etc.)…over-thinks concepts and falls for eye candy…arrives too hot and creates poor angles…needs to improve his tackling skills in space…bad habit of throwing his shoulder downhill instead of coming to balance, squaring up and driving backwards…late to recognize blockers and can be bullied near the line of scrimmage, struggling to detach himself once engaged…undeveloped blitzing skills.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Boston College, Johnson lined up all over the secondary in his career, spending his senior season primarily as a single-high free safety and slot cornerback – never won All-ACC honors, but showed steady progress each season. He is a talented, long-striding athlete with excellent range and body control to cover ground. However, he needs to clean up some issues in run support and his lack of route anticipation stands out on film, allowing receivers to gain a step and give the quarterback a clear throwing lane. Although he is too reactive in coverage, Johnson has a high football aptitude and limits the mistakes with his versatile athleticism – core special teamer with starting potential at free safety or as a nickel defender.

nittany ram wrote:

My great fear is the American public eventually becomes so desensitized to the constant deluge of egregious acts coming from the Trump administration and the GOP that it eventually becomes conditioned to a new ‘normality’ where the people just shrug their shoulders in response to the ongoing fascism

Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel. Although, I would not have expressed myself as well as you did.

I knew that Trump’s values would conflict with my own, but I lacked the vision to know exactly how his administration would look. I knew that he would continue to say things that one is accustom to hearing from a brash teenager, but his cabinet appointments have floored me.

Yeah, below .500, that’s my expectation. It might just be learned helplessness at this point though.

wv wrote:

————-
Well, fwiw, McVay was influenced by the Shannahans. He worked with/for them, i believe.

w
v

Fine, but how many pillars is he? If it’s four pillars or less then I won’t be happy.

The defense wasn’t great, but considering that half the time it must have felt like Hekker was on his way out to punt before they reached the sideline after a 3rd down stop they played ok in my book. Also, with the losses in the secondary and the lack of production from the DEs it could have been much worse. It’s possible that they improve under a new DC, but it’s also a strong possibility that the D regresses. Imagine another bottom 3 offence and a bottom ten defense next season? 😳