Tag: 2019 NFL draft

Seahawks expect Cody Barton to take step forward in Week 15

The Seattle Seahawks are hoping a week of experience will allow rookie Cody Barton to be more comfortable on Sunday against the Panthers.

The Seattle Seahawks will once again be without SAM linebacker Mychal Kendricks (hamstring) on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

That means rookie Cody Barton will draw his second start in a row.

Barton recorded four combined tackles and one pass defended on Sunday against the Rams, but struggled with play-recognition and assignments at times, which proved costly.

However, with a full week of experience under his belt, coach Pete Carroll is confident Barton will be more comfortable against the Panthers, and that his play will reflect that.

“I think he’ll feel much more comfortable,” Carroll said on Friday. “We were just fast and furious, and he was busting his tail running around trying to make his plays and all that. I think he’ll be settling in even more so. Like I said to you, he’s such a smart kid and he works so hard. That’s so important to him. He’ll take advantage of one week to the next week. I think you’ll see him improve for a long time now because of the way he applies himself and all that. We’re expecting him to make a little jump and just clean it up and be more specifically accountable and stuff. The running and hitting part, he was fine. It was just the little things on assignments and recognition and things like that.”

Barton was a third round pick out of the University of Utah in the 2019 NFL draft. He played primarily middle linebacker in college, but has acclimated himself to all three linebacker positions for the Seahawks, serving as the team’s primary backup at each position.

While he may still be behind Kendricks in learning how to recognize plays – simply because of lack of experience – his work ethic and natural ability should help him play better this week, which will be important against a Carolina team with plenty of offensive weapons.

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Seahawks WR DK Metcalf leads all rookies in receptions and yards

Seattle Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf leads all rookies in receiving yards and total receptions, and is tied for second in touchdowns.

Seattle Seahawks rookie receiver DK Metcalf was one of few bright spots for the team in their 28-12 loss on Sunday night at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams.

Metcalf finished with six receptions, on six targets, for a team high 78 yards.

That gives him 50 receptions for 783 yards and five touchdowns on the season. The 50 receptions and 783 yards are both tops in the league among rookies. The five touchdowns is second, with four players tied for first place with six.

Metcalf was able to do most of his damage on Sunday despite being covered by Jalen Ramsey, one of the league’s strongest cover cornerbacks.

“He’s been really consistent in his competitiveness,” coach Pete Carroll commented on Monday. “He’s battled every week. He had a great matchup this week and he came through in a big way. Played one of the better guys in football who was trying to stop him and shut him down and he didn’t let that happen. He just kept working and coming through.”

Metcalf was perhaps the most polarizing pick of the 2019 NFL draft, lauded for his elite combination of size and speed, but criticized for his perceived lack of route running. He has proven more than capable of handling a multidimensional route tree in Seattle, and his coach likes that he is more than just a pass catcher as well.

“Tough catches, running after the catch, blocking,” Carroll continued. “He’s more than just a catcher. He’s done a lot of good stuff. I go back to his makeup. He’s a great competitor. He really wants to be great and he’s willing to work at it. He plays hard and physical and tough and it’s paying off for him. He’s been a real positive factor for us.”

The Seahawks will look to get back on track in Week 15 with their final road game of the season against the Panthers in Carolina on Sunday morning.

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Is Utah State QB Jordan Love Looking To Transfer?

Jordan Love is reportedly looking to either go to the NFL Draft or possibly transfer to a different FBS program.

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Is Utah State QB Jordan Love Looking To Transfer?

Yahoo reports Love is weighing his options.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Is Love on his way out of Logan?

Utah State quarterback Jordan Love is reportedly looking around and could leave Utah State for either the NFL or a few other FBS programs, per Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel.

Love has NFL aspirations and heading into the 2019 season he was considered a first-round pick and maybe even a top-15 pick according to some draft pundits.

His season in Logan this year has not gone as planned and he struggled to put up numbers even in the same neighborhood as he did last season. Love’s 16 interceptions were most in the Mountain West and five more than what he had in the prior two years combined.

There are a few reasons that was the case and some of it has to do with new talent around him in skill positions and the offensive line and also a new head coach in Gary Andersen which saw the offense change a little compared to Matt Wells who is currently at Texas Tech and one of the schools Love is reportedly considering. Also to consider is the level of competition was better in 2019 compared to 2018.

It should be noted that just last week, Love shot down rumors of him transferring to Texas Tech when NFL media’s Chase Goodbread spoke to the Aggie quarterback last week.

Love has plenty of options as a graduate transfer. Stay at Utah State, go to another FBS school and be immediately eligible or go to the NFL. He is said to consider the NFL Draft evaluation which could end all transfer talk moot if he goes to the league.

The schools listed as options make a lot of sense. Texas Tech would reunite him with his former coaches from a year ago with Wells and offensive coordinator David Yoast. Playing in the Big 12 would provide a bigger showcase. However, the top two quarterbacks on the Red Raiders roster are back so there would be no guarantee of a starting spot.

Oklahoma is another school and all they seem to do over the past few years is taking in transfer quarterbacks and make them Heisman winners or at the least give a huge boost. Current Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts is graduating this year so there is an open spot for Love, but Oklahoma also recruits extremely well and that also would lead to a competition.

Houston makes the least sense as their profile is on par and at best slightly better than Utah State. The AAC, on the whole, is a touch better than the Mountain West but not enough to get a huge advantage when looking at the next level. The odds of Love starting at Houston are the highest among the three even with the Cougars returning Clayton Tune who took over for D’Eriq King who decided to redshirt this year and reports are he is likely leaving the Houston program.

As of now, these are all reports and conflicting info from Love himself. These things can move fast for players to decide to up and move. Odds are that Love will test the NFL Draft waters and get some sort of feedback and then decide what his future holds.

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Josh Allen proving to be a bright spot despite Jags’ struggles

Jaguars first round pick Josh Allen continues to make his case for Defensive Rookie of the Year and once again balled out Week 13.

In the midst of a rough game against the Tampa Bay Bucs Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars at least had a few players who stood out and Josh Allen was amongst them. The rookie has terrorized opposing quarterbacks all season and that once again was the case for Jameis Winston as Allen had a sack on the day in addition to accumulating four tackles.

In total, Allen now has nine sacks on the season which is good for the franchise’s record for rookies. Yannick Ngakoue held the previous record of eight, until Allen tied him this month and eventually surpassed him. His performance on the field further proves that the Jags were lucky he fell to them this April and made the right decision to draft him.

Throughout the process of his rookie success, the young pass rusher seemingly has become a fan favorite and a popular name as he was second at his position in Pro Bowl votes for the AFC. That popularity should only increase the more he closes in on Jevon Kearse’s rookie sack record of 14.5 sacks.

Most fans feel that the Jags immediate future may not be too bright when looking at the spiraling path the team is taking, but the next regime at least will have arguably the best pass rusher from the 2019 class (and maybe Ngakoue) getting after the quarterback. That said, fans who are disappointed in the team will at least have a reason to watch the remaining games as Allen has shown promise that is undeniable at the moment.

Checking in on Chargers rookie DT Jerry Tillery

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down the first 11 games of defensive tackle Jerry Tillery’s professional career.

In need of shoring up the interior part of the defensive line, Chargers general manager took former Notre Dame product Jerry Tillery with the team’s first-round selection of the 2019 NFL draft.

The pick had many fans ecstatic when his name was announced and the hype continued to build up entering this season after a phenomenal summer. But since then, Tillery hasn’t been as hot, thus having those wondering what’s going on with the No. 28 overall selection.

Let’s start off with his stat line through 11 games of his rookie campaign.

11 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks

Tillery’s usage is floating slightly above 40% of the defensive snaps, so he’s certainly up there with other notable players at the position — Damion Square (46.8%), Justin Jones (42.8%), Brandon Mebane (37.4%).

Los Angeles drafted Tillery to serve as a key interior pass rusher, so that way he could take some of the pressure off defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. So, why doesn’t his stat sheet suggest that?

The first thing is that the Chargers have primarily played Tillery on first and second down and have resorted to taking him off the field during obvious passing downs. Instead, defensive end Isaac Rochell has been used in that role.

On the field, there has there have been evident growing pains, but Tillery has shown flashes that may go unnoticed. Coming out of college, he beat defenders with speed, strength and pure athleticism.

We see that here as Tillery creates immediate movement with his initial surge and forward lean into the blocker. With him being so lengthy, his pad level has been an issue. But we see when he stays low, he will win the battle.

Tillery has seen a hefty amount of double teams, and one issue that he had since coming out of college is struggling when blockers get to his hip which has still been clear. A part of that has to do with him tending to play high, but also the lack of countering.

But he does a nice job controlling the point of attack when square with blockers, and we have seen glimpses of solid countering when he is locked up with a blocker.

Here, Tillery goes with an arm over on the guard and spins off the center to create pressure on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Here, Tillery gets locked up with the guard at first, but he throws a club and dips to disengage and shows great effort to pressure quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Speaking of effort, that also shows in the run game, too. Tillery works down the line of scrimmage and stops running back Derrick Henry in his tracks for a little gain.

Here, he generates good power on this play and he displays great balance, body control and a strong rip move to slither his way through his blocker.

Many think that Tillery is underperforming for a first round selection, but the truth is, even though he’s not as superior statistically, the other defensive tackles that were taken before him aren’t that spectacular in Year 1, either.

New York Jets DT Quinnen Williams (No. 3 overall)

20 combined tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss

Buffalo Bills DT Ed Oliver (No. 9 overall)

23 combined tackles 2.0 sacks, 1 tackle for loss

Miami Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins (No. 13 overall)

36 combined tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 tackles for loss

New York Giants DT Dexter Lawrence (No. 17 overall)

26 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 tackles for loss

The bottom line is that while it would have been nice for Tillery to play like his draft slot immediately, but there’s no reason to label him as a first-year ‘bust’. He hasn’t been primarily played in the role the Chargers drafted him for as a pass-rusher and there are signs of technical deficiencies that could easily be fixed.

I expect Tillery to continue to blossom into a key part of the defensive line by Year 2 or 3, where he’s racking up four or more sacks per season. The offseason will be essential to his growth. And keep in mind, Tillery will have a fresh slate as he spent a good chunk of this past offseason rehabbing his torn labrum.

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Josh Allen currently second in fan votes for AFC at DE position

While Josh Allen may not be getting the respect he deserves in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation, he’s been a hit on the Pro Bowl ballot. In fact, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed that the rookie is currently second in terms of total …

While Josh Allen may not be getting the respect he deserves in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation, he’s been a hit on the Pro Bowl ballot. In fact, the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed that the rookie is currently second in terms of total fan votes for the AFC at the defensive end position.

Allen’s success on the Pro Bowl ballot comes after the rookie has put together a solid rookie campaign, accumulating 27 tackles, nine tackles for loss and eight sacks. Despite just having four starts to his name, his eight sacks are good for the most on the Jags’ roster, which is saying a lot as he plays alongside Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue. That figure is also good for the most of any rookie, even Nick Bosa who is the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and has twice as many starts.

Allen was a player the Jags weren’t expecting to be available for the No. 7 overall pick in April’s draft, so when he fell to them it was an easy decision. With the team planning to get him even more involved, it’s possible he’ll continue to garner the support of Pro Bowl voters as his increased snaps could lead to more production.

Adam Gase praises rookie CB Bless Austin’s strong start

Jets head coach Adam Gase has high praise for rookie cornerback Bless Austin, who missed the past 14 months recovering from an ACL injury.

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After being away from football for over a year, Jets rookie cornerback Bless Austin has jumped onto the scene with New York desperately thin at corner.

After an increasingly long layoff — 14 months without playing football — Austin’s dominant performances through his first two NFL games have caught the eye of many. That includes his head coach.

“He was driving us nuts on the scout team,” Adam Gase said following Thursday’s practice. “When you’re making receivers angry… you know he’s got something to him.”

Austin dons No. 31, the same number Antonio Cromartie did when he was a shutdown cornerback for the Jets. If Austin carves himself out a nice career like Cromartie, it would be a nice parting gift from Mike Maccagnan in his last draft.

Austin, who spent the first eight games on the Non-Football Injury list as he recovered from his second ACL surgery, has held up well in two starts. He has allowed only six catches for 59 yards as the closest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

In his second NFL game, Sunday against the Redskins, Pro Football Focus graded him (77.2), the Jets’ best defensive player.

In a small sample size, Austin has proved himself a worthy candidate to watch down the stretch. If he can stay healthy, the Jets might have found themselves a second-round talent in the sixth-round.

The ACL injuries have taken a toll on Austin, but he’s emerging as a reliable cornerback when desperate times have called for desperate measures. On a whim, New York benched struggling CB Nate Hairston in favor of Austin in the midst of the Giants game. The Jets may never look back.

It’s too early to judge Dwayne Haskins as an NFL quarterback

With just 57 total pass attempts, it’s too early to judge Haskins by his play on the field, but his determination to get better is great.

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Dwayne Haskins had the best game of his young career last Sunday against the New York Jets, though that isn’t saying much.

He finished with 214 yards and two touchdowns in the air, though his team fell once again, 34-17. There were some flashes of competence throughout the competition, but far more growing pains that point towards much-needed improvement before Haskins is crowned as the franchise QB that he was expected to be when the Washington Redskins drafted him with the No. 15 overall pick in 2019.

Luckily for them, Haskins seems to be a very smart and self-aware player that knows what he doesn’t know and is knowledgable about what he needs to get better at.

As a quarterback in the NFL, Haskins has thrown just 57 total passes. It’s too early to judge his play on the field as of yet, but it’s not too early to make a determination on his character and drive. In that department, the rookie QB is hungry to grow and get better.

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Deebo Samuel quietly showing No. 1 WR traits

Deebo Samuel’s numbers aren’t eye popping, but he’s quickly becoming the 49ers’ top receiver.

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49ers rookie wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s traditional numbers aren’t eye-popping, but the second-round pick is quietly putting together a stellar first season.

Samuel, who the 49ers took No. 36 overall out of South Carolina, had another big game Sunday against the Cardinals. He caught eight balls for a career-best 134 yards. That put his season totals at 38 catches for 473 yards and one touchdown.

He’s tied for No. 53 in the league in receptions, No. 50 in yards, No. 61 in yards per reception, and he’s way down the ranks in touchdown catches.

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However, he leads all rookie receivers in receptions, and he’s No. 4 in yards despite San Francisco ranking 27th in pass attempts.

Where Samuel’s No. 1 receiver traits shine through are in his advanced numbers. He made the Pro Football Focus Week 11 Team of the Week with an 84.4 overall grade to lead the 49ers offense Sunday. He’s forced 12 missed tackles – tops in the NFL at his position, and he’s No. 1 with 7.2 yards per reception after the catch per PFF’s Jeff Deeney.

The ability to create yards after the catch is part of the reason Samuel was an attractive target for San Francisco in the second round. While Shanahan tends to create YAC with his scheme, Samuel has generated plenty of his own by forcing defenders to whiff in the open field. Tackling the 5-11, 215-pound Samuel looks a little bit like trying to wrestle a grizzly bear.

He also made this ridiculous catch Sunday:

A lot of Samuel’s YAC early in the season came on screens and quick throws, but now his game is expanding as he’s gotten more comfortable and the need for playmakers has expedited his increased role in the offense.

Jimmy Garoppolo is looking for the rookie more often than ever in the intermediate and deep areas of the passing game, and it’s producing results.

Samuel has shined in two games without tight end George Kittle and with Emmanuel Sanders nursing a rib injury. He’s posted 16 catches for 246 yards on 21 targets in those two contests, and became the first 49ers rookie since the AFL-NFL merger to have 100 receiving yards in back-to-back games per Josh Dubow of the AP.

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San Francisco has badly needed Samuel to step in and be effective right away, and the receiver has answered the bell with a rookie season that appears to be peaking at the right time. Even if Samuel doesn’t finish the year as the team’s top wide receiver, his trajectory and expanding skill set have him on track to get there soon.

Bears rookie draft class has played fewest snaps in the NFL

Despite receiving high praise coming out of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Bears’ 2019 draft class has been nowhere to be seen.

It’s been nearly seven months since the 2019 NFL Draft concluded in Nashville, and 254 players saw their NFL dreams come true. Five of those eventually becoming Chicago Bears.

Running back David Montgomery, wide receiver Riley Ridley, cornerback Duke Shelley, running back Kerrith Whyte Jr. and cornerback Stephen Denmark rounded out the 2019 Bears rookie class, a group that received high marks following the draft.

But despite the high praise, you may have noticed that outside of Montgomery, the Bears rookie class has been nowhere to be seen. It’s not your eyes playing tricks on you, it’s reality.

After calculating each team’s snap counts via Pro Football Reference through Week 10 of the NFL season, the Bears rookie draft class has played a total of just 366 snaps, the fewest in the NFL. For context, NFL rookie draft classes have averaged 1,441 snaps. The New York Giants, led by quarterback Daniel Jones, have the most snaps at 3,226.

Out of the Bears’ 366 snaps, Montgomery, their top draft pick selected in the third round, accounts for 329 and Shelley, their sixth-round pick, has played the remaining 37 plays. Ridley, Whyte Jr., and Denmark have yet to see the field.

Without a first or second round pick due to trades involving outside linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Anthony Miller, respectively, the Bears relied on their mid-round picks to find talent.

General manager Ryan Pace has had success in rounds 3-7 throughout his tenure, finding gems such as safety Adrian Amos, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski, safety Eddie Jackson, running back Tarik Cohen, and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols, who contributed immediately in the regular season and/or developed into solid players in the NFL.

But after a slew of success in those rounds, the Bears appear to have stalled this season, only utilizing one rookie regularly in games. While they did tie with the New Orleans Saints for the fewest amount of picks in the draft, the Saints’ rookie class has played 1,095 snaps so far in 2019, ranked 23rd in the league.

With such few picks, the need to hit on draft picks is more crucial than ever. Montgomery has shown flashes of his hard-nosed running that made him a popular back while at Iowa State.

Ridley was touted as a precise route-running receiver who would translate well to the next level, and Shelley was a ball hawk at Kansas State before injuring his ankle, hurting his draft stock. Both players are on the active roster, but have been healthy scratches for most, if not all the games. Ridley has not been active for any game this year and Shelley last played in Week 4 against Minnesota on special teams. Whyte Jr. and Denmark have spent the season on the practice squad.

With six games remaining and a spot in the playoffs still achievable, it’s unlikely fans will see the other members of the rookie draft class barring injury. But at some point, Matt Nagy and the rest of the coaching staff need to know what they have in their rookies and how they can contribute in 2020 and beyond.

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