Heavy Hitter Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Sorry I can't copy the article I'm on my phone, but here's the linkhttp://www.bigcatcountry.com/2015/2/28/8127287/jaguars-trade-down-nfl-draft-leo-pass-rusher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Dog Named Brian Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Once again in the NFL Draft it appears that the Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking for a LEO edge rusher. The team hasn't really been able to find one yet, using some patchwork players like Chris Clemons and Jason Babin in that spot, but with the No. 3 overall pick it's looking likely they could use that to finally pick the long term solution there. The past two offseason's I've presented some benchmarks to look for in a LEO edge rusher, at least in terms of athleticism. You can view the 2013 benchmarks here and the 2014 benchmarks here, and for the most part they were pretty accurate.The player will need to have arms measuring at least 33 inches, preferably longer. The player will need to run at least a 1.6 in the 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash, preferably lower. The player will also need to clock a sub 7.1 and a sub 4.4 in the 3-cone and shuttle drills, respectively. Last season I included vertical jump and broad jump into the mix, because those are usually measures of explosion. I debated upping the vertical from 32" to 34", but decided against it. Here are the results for the benchmarks in 2015: The only player to hit all the marks is Virginia OLB/DE Eli Harold, who raised a lot of eyebrows at the combine. He was a productive pass rusher in the ACC, but he certainly appears to be someone who would fit that LEO mold, though he's projected to go in the late first to early second round.Some players I didn't include because they didn't run at the combine and some players did do all of the drills (Randy Gregory and Bud Dupree), but I have a feeling those two probably would have hit their marks. It's also worth noting that Vic Beasley missed hitting all the marks by half an inch with his arm length, so I'd consider that irrelevant. The two most interesting players to me however are Miami's Anthony Chickallo and NDSU's Kyle Emanuel. Chickallo was used oddly at Miami, to put it nicely, often playing the role of a five-technique. He showed flashes as a pass rusher and was highly touted as a recruit, but it didn't appear as if Miami really "unleashed him" at all. On the flip side, Emanuel was a sack machine for NDSU with nearly 20 sacks last season and he caught a lot of people's eyes with how fluid he appeared doing linebacker drills. Edited March 26, 2015 by A Dog Named Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth B Told (TRU) Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 If Gus Bradley goes by that Beasley will be their pick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Hitter Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Quinn did say he sees eight to ten players in this draft that could fit the LEO position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis York Morgan Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Funny they mention Eli Harold and Preston Smith. I really like Eli as a 2nd round LEO and Smith has versatility in spades, dude can play all over the place, very much like a more athletic, rawer Michael Bennett. I know a few people in the draft forum love Chickillo, though I haven't watched him that much. Looks like Fowler is a bad fit according to their metrics too..."shocking" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEIST Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Gregory fills all the criteria for LEO too.1. Beasley2. Gregory3. Harold Would not mind a trade back for Harold, as unlikely as that may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durrty Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Eli Harold seems to be a great trade back option if all the other pass rushers are off the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSalmon Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Eli Harold seems to be a great trade back option if all the other pass rushers are off the board.Harold is a interesting guy. His measurables are off the chart. He's got some production but was on a bad teamHe could be a riser come draft day...believe it or not if we grabbed him early or had a slight trade back for him I wouldn't complain. I like him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTann Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I liked Eli Harold before I even saw this. A month ago I thought that Harold would last to the second round but for whatever reason, over the past couple of weeks, I've thought that Harold may go in the late 1st round. Remember when Marcus Smith was projected in the 2nd or 3rd but went late 1st to Philly? I'm kind of worried that Harold will end up like that and not last to our 2nd pick.Lately I've began to believe that Beasley and Fowler won't be there at #8 and that we'd have to choose between Ray, Dupree, and Gregory.I've warmed up to Gregory lately, despite the pot incident, as possibly playing linebacker.What if (and it's not likely) we ended up with Gregory at SLB and Harold at LEO? Durant-Reed-GregoryHarold-Hageman-Soliai-ClaybornShembo, Schofield, Maponga, Biermann as pass rush depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyBird757 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I am alright with drafting Gregory at 8, but I would also be happy with a traceback and nab Harold. I was just watching some UVA highlights and he seems to be pretty disruptive. He could very well be one of those guys that is overlooked and then flourishes in the NFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Kent™ Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 I've been one was high on Chickillo, but i think he is better suited as a 5 tech than a LEO. Not to say he can't play it, but i just think he would be better at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanadonis Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Leo Leo leo Leo !!!!!!!!!! Just give me a guy who can ******* play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebird310 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Leo Leo leo Leo !!!!!!!!!! Just give me a guy who can ******* play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth B Told (TRU) Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 I've been one was high on Chickillo, but i think he is better suited as a 5 tech than a LEO. Not to say he can't play it, but i just think he would be better at it. You and me both. I think he will be a sleeper in the mid to late rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blizzard_falcon Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Benardrick McKinney also fits a lot of the criteria listed here:33" arm length1.64 10-yard split (misses the grade by 0.04 seconds)7.21 3-cone (misses the grade by a 0.11 seconds)4.27 20-yard shuttle40.5" vertical jump, 3rd-highest of any linebacker at the combine121" broad jumpI saw some reports after the combine that some teams would consider him as an edge rusher instead of an inside linebacker, and there may be some merit to that. He should at least be given the chance to blitz a lot from the MIKE by whoever does draft him.Another really interesting prospect not on this list is Davis Tull, from University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.He wasn't able to run at the Combine, but he put up:42.5" vertical jump, best of any linebacker132" broad jump, second-best of any linebackerHe also ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, and that was with his hamstring tightening up on him halfway through.He lacks the length -- 31.5" arm length -- but other than that he may be the most physically-gifted and explosive linebacker available, from an athletic standpoint, other than Bud Dupree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blizzard_falcon Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Quinn said there were about 8 guys he thought fit the bill for the LEO. Just based on the table above, those 8 players would be:BeasleyChickilloClarkHaroldSmithWagenmannDupreeGregoryThey're the ones that only miss out on 2 or fewer of these benchmarks.Could be very interesting if we don't pick a pass rusher in the 1st round and go for someone like Brandon Scherff or Kevin White/Amari Cooper instead. Quinn might gamble on taking a guy like Eli Harold or Preston Smith in the 2nd round and turning them into a force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Maguire Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 I'd love to know whether or not that he is confident that he could unleash Danielle Hunter's athletic potential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight outta Atlanta Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 According to that chart Malliciah Goodman would be a great LEO. I'm not saying he is, but his numbers from his pro-day matches every category besides 3, and the 3 categories are very close.Chart Arm - 33 inches (Malliciah arm 36 3/8 inches)10 yd split - 1.60 sec (Malliciah 1.67 sec)3 cone - 7.10 sec (Malliciah 7.10 sec)Shuttle - 4.40 sec (Malliciah 4.48 sec)Vert - 32 inches (Malliciah 33 inches)Broad Jump - 115 (Malliciah 114) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truth B Told (TRU) Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 According to that chart Malliciah Goodman would be a great LEO. I'm not saying he is, but his numbers from his pro-day matches every category besides 3, and the 3 categories are very close.Chart Arm - 33 inches (Malliciah arm 36 3/8 inches)10 yd split - 1.60 sec (Malliciah 1.67 sec)3 cone - 7.10 sec (Malliciah 7.10 sec)Shuttle - 4.40 sec (Malliciah 4.48 sec)Vert - 32 inches (Malliciah 33 inches)Broad Jump - 115 (Malliciah 114)Quinn does want him to lose weight.http://espn.go.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/12233/a-smaller-goodman-could-help-falcons-pass-rush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimitiveJN Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Quinn does want him to lose weight.http://espn.go.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/12233/a-smaller-goodman-could-help-falcons-pass-rushYea weight he was asked to gain under Mike Smith and Mike Nolan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Hitter Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 According to that chart Malliciah Goodman would be a great LEO. I'm not saying he is, but his numbers from his pro-day matches every category besides 3, and the 3 categories are very close.Chart Arm - 33 inches (Malliciah arm 36 3/8 inches)10 yd split - 1.60 sec (Malliciah 1.67 sec)3 cone - 7.10 sec (Malliciah 7.10 sec)Shuttle - 4.40 sec (Malliciah 4.48 sec)Vert - 32 inches (Malliciah 33 inches)Broad Jump - 115 (Malliciah 114)I didn't realize his numbers was like that. He still makes for a better LDE in Quinn's system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.