An edge-rusher for the Philadelphia Eagles to consider in each round
The Philadelphia Eagles have several pressing needs on the offensive side of the ball, but the Eagles could choose to add another pass rusher to the roster via the draft.
There are several big-named edge-rushers set to enter the NFL and with the Eagles looking to become a quicker, more versatile team, Howie Roseman could choose to add more depth to a pass-rushing unit that already looks formidable in Philadelphia.
We’ve provided an edge-rusher for the Eagles to consider in each round.
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Oct 12, 2019; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson (18) tackles Florida Gators running back Lamical Perine (2) during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
1. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
The Eagles can get younger along the defensive line and the LSU star wouldn’t be a bad player to start with. Chaisson is a Danielle Hunter clone and is versatile enough to play on the edge or in space.
The Baltimore Ravens need to continue to beef up their pass rush and will likely turn to the 2020 NFL Draft as their remedy.
Despite the additions of Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe this offseason, one of the Baltimore Ravens’ biggest priorities heading into the draft will be to beef up their outside pass rush. The Ravens were the most blitz heavy team in the NFL in 2019, but despite sending extra rushers on 54.9% of their defensive snaps they still finished the season with the 12th fewest sacks.
Though Baltimore has outside linebacker Matthew Judon returning in 2020 via the franchise tag, they could use some help opposite him and potentially need his replacement. In order to remedy their pass rush and build towards the future, the Ravens will likely turn to the 2020 NFL Draft. But as we’ve seen in previous years, Baltimore won’t reach for a player and could look to any of the seven rounds for their player.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the best options for the Ravens in each round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
1st Round – Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
The two best edge-rushing prospects in the draft, Chase Young and K’Lavon Chaisson, will be long gone by the time the Ravens make their first pick at 28. But there’s a good chance Gross-Matos will still be available.
Gross-Matos ended his time with the Penn State Nittany Lions with 18.5 sacks as well as a whopping 36.5 tackles for loss. He played as an edge defender for most of his career but was often deployed inside on passing downs. His versatility would be an asset to Baltimore and make him a handy tool for defensive coordinator Don Martindale.
Gross-Matos is far from a finished product but he has enough skills to contribute as a pass rush specialist early in his career while he finetunes the rest of his game.
Entering the 2020 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts are much better on the defensive line than they were at the beginning of the offseason. But they could still add to the edge during the offseason’s biggest event.
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With seven picks between Rounds 2–6, the Colts will have ample opportunity to add to the edge rusher room that already includes Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay, Ben Banogu and Al-Quadin Muhammad as the players heavily in the rotation.
Even without a first and seventh-round pick, here is the best EDGE prospect for the Colts in each round of the draft:
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Round 1: K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Even if the Colts were to trade up into the 20s on Day 1, Chaisson likely wouldn’t be available. However, there have been some questions rising about his scheme limits primarily projecting as a 3-4 outside linebacker and not necessarily one that would put his hand in the dirt consistently.
However, Chaisson has the speed and bend around the edge to get after the quarterback consistently while also having the recognition and burst off the line to be extremely intriguing for the Colts. It’s highly unlikely they would be able to trade up for him but if he somehow falls to the back end of the first round, it would have to be something they consider.
Other prospects: A.J. Epenesa, Iowa | Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
In a recent seven-round simulated mock from The Draft Network, the Birds landed Alabama All-American, Jerry Jeudy at pick No. 21 and then scooped up Arizona State star Brandon Aiyuk in the second round.
Who did the Colts take in Sporting news latest mock?
The 2020 NFL draft is less than two weeks away and while it will be a different format than we’ve ever seen before, the biggest event of the offseason is going to arrive.
The Colts have seven selections in the upcoming draft, all of which are in Rounds 2–6. Trades are a part of their draft plan and are almost a guarantee for Chris Ballard whether he’s looking to move up to grab a player or move back and add a later pick.
Sporting News ran a seven-round mock draft on Friday. Here’s what the haul looked like for the Colts:
Day 2: Rounds 2–3
No. 34: WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State No. 44: TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame No. 75: QB Jacob Eason, Washington
After making some big moves to the defensive side of the ball during free agency, the Colts went and added some playmakers to the other side in this mock draft. Aiyuk should be an exciting prospect for the Colts given what he can do vertically and after the catch. However, there are concerns about his ability to beat press coverage on the boundary, which means he’d likely be relegated to the slot.
Kmet is one of the top tight ends in the draft and would be a fantastic addition to a room that needs a future. His blocking needs development, but he’d be a nice fit in the scheme for Frank Reich.
Eason is a volatile prospect with a high ceiling given his arm talent. His footwork and decision-making have to improve but there would likely be more optimism given that he would sit at least a year behind Philip Rivers.
Day 3: Rounds 4–6
No. 122: OT Alex Taylor, South Carolina State No. 160: EDGE Alex Highsmith, Charlotte No. 193: LB Jason Strnad, Wake Forest No. 197: WR James Proche, SMU
All developmental players on Day 3 for the Colts here. Taylor is intriguing as a prospect given his size (6’8″ – 308) and length (36.125″). He’s a mauler on the edge with a mean streak in the run game but needs to refine his technique with his pass protection.
Highsmith would be a solid addition in the fifth round. He’s explosive off the edge and would fit nicely in the one-gap front for the Colts. Have him develop behind Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu.
Strnad is an intriguing linebacker prospect for the Colts and fits the bill of being a rangy playmaker in the middle of the field. He’d slide as a WILL behind Darius Leonard but has some intriguing traits to fill in as a depth piece.
Proche is a contested-catch receiver with strong tracking skills and the ability to challenge on 50/50 balls. But his lack of refinement as a route runner could keep him lower on the depth chart while working on special teams.
Luke Easterling’s picks for the most underrated prospects at every position in the 2020 NFL draft class
We’re two weeks away from the 2020 NFL Draft, and while there are plenty of top prospects getting their well-earned attention in the first-round conversation, others are flying under the radar.
Here are my picks for the most underrated prospects at every position in this year’s draft:
QUARTERBACK
Jalen Hurts | Oklahoma
It’s hard to imagine a player with Hurts’ resume being underrated, but he’s still not getting enough respect as a top quarterback prospect in this class. Hurts made huge improvements as a passer in his senior year, similar to what we saw from Dak Prescott in his final season at Mississippi State.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Hurts has a similar skill set to Prescott, too, and has the ability to make a similar impact at the next level. Hurts should be in the second-round conversation after one of the most incredible careers of any college quarterback in history.
The Jags need help in the trenches and could bolster both units with 12 selections in the upcoming draft.
With the most important part of free agency over, all of the league’s 32 teams likely have their draft boards set and a plan in place of what direction they will go in with their selections.
In the Jacksonville Jaguars’ case, it’s likely suiting up to be the most interesting selection process in team history as they have 12 draft selections. While they’ve addressed several needs in free agency with the addition of players like linebacker Joe Schobert, defensive lineman Rodney Gunter, and tight end Tyler Eifert (if healthy), there are still plenty of holes to fill within the roster.
It’s going to get crazy within the top-8 selections and a very good player will fall to the Jags. In this case, it was Auburn’s Derrick Brown who would bolster the team’s presence in the middle.
At 6-foot-5, 326-pounds, he can be a space-eating nose tackle for them in the middle or provide them with a push in the interior when a pass-rush is needed. Most feel he’s an elite prospect and it’s hard to envision the Jags not thinking the same.
The New York Giants select Alabama OT Jedrick Wills and two others in the latest CBS Sports mock draft.
In the latest NFL mock draft, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has the New York Giants doing the very obvious by taking a left tackle, a safety and an edge rusher.
The picks are based on need and it can be questioned if these are the best players for the job. The Giants did a decent job filling some needs in free agency and many are hoping they don’t do that here in the draft but rather bring in the most talented players they can to build upon.
Wills was dominant last season for Alabama and he’ll solidify the right side of the Giants’ O-line, which is great news for Daniel Jones.
With all four top tackles on the board, I would have rated Wills fourth, so my pick would have been Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs or Mekhi Becton of Louisville. That is, if the pressure to take Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons didn’t overtake me.
The Giants add a talented safety with NFL pedigree to their secondary.
Would not be my choice. I don’t like 5-foot-9 safeties (see Jayron Hosley). They get eaten up by tight ends and we’ve seen that way too often. The taller Ashtyn Davis of Cal was still on the board here, as was Iowa edge rusher A.J. Epenesa. I would have gone with one of them at this spot.
Round 3, Pick 99: Alex Highsmith, EDGE, Charlotte (6’3″, 248)
The Giants need to find some pass-rush help off the edge, and Highsmith is the type of prospect who can have an early impact.
I like Highsmith but only would have gone with him here if I didn’t take Epenesa. Still you can’t have too many pass rushers, so the more the merrier I guess.
Examining and identifying the top on-field EDGE rushers performances from the 2020 NFL Combine.
The 2020 NFL Combine continued their on-field drills on Saturday night, this time featuring interior defensive lineman, EDGE rushers, and linebackers. As always, the workouts begin with the 40-yard-dash, and when they shifted into position drills, we got to see a handful of new drills.
The Lions could use help on the edge in a variety of ways and that means they’ll be paying attention to all the players in this group so they can keep their options open. Let’s take a look at those who earned positive marks today.
Alton Robinson, Syracuse
6-3, 264, 10 y/s: 1.65, 3-cone: 7.32, short shuttle: 4.32
You want a sleeper EDGE rusher that the Lions could consider on Day 2, let me introduce you to Alton Robinson. Athletically, he clears all five of the Lions’ benchmarks for EDGE rushers and backed it up in on-field drills. Additionally, not only does he come from the same Alma Mater as coach Matt Patricia, but the two spent the Senior Bowl week together on the North squad. He is flying under the radar after a down senior year but his junior year tape showed loads of potential.
Alex Highsmith, Charlotte
6-3, 248, 10 y/s: 1.68, 3-cone: 7.32, short shuttle: 4.31
Highsmith played everywhere from a 4i-technique to a standing rush edge at Charlotte but looks best suited for a JACK role in the NFL. He had a strong workout on Saturday night, looking fluid in his backpedal and lateral movement, played under control, and showed the ability to throttle speeds as needed. Athletically, he checked every box the Lions are looking for.
D.J. Wommum, South Carolina
6-4.5, 258, 10 y/s: 1.7, 3-cone: 7.25, short shuttle: 4.44
Wommum had a terrific cumulative day showing better athleticism than anticipated. Currently, he looks like a Day 3 pass rusher only, but he has the athleticism, length (34 1/8″ arms) and character (three-time captain) that the Lions look for.
Notes:
Several of the top EDGE rushers elected not to compete or were injured preventing them from competing, including Chase Young (OSU), K’Lavon Chaisson (LSU), Josh Uche (Michigan), Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State), Terrell Lewis (Alabama), Curtis Weaver (Boise State), Julain Okwara (Notre Dame), Darnell Taylor (Tennessee), Khalid Kareem (Notre Dame), and Anfernee Jennings (Alabama).
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Charlotte pass rusher Alex Highsmith
If your favorite NFL team is looking for an under-the-radar pass rusher who could be one of this year’s best bargains at a premium position, Charlotte’s Alex Highsmith should be high on their list of targets.
A well-rounded prospect who has proven himself against top competition, Highsmith recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience at the East-West Shrine Game, how he handles the “small school” criticism, and what kind of impact he’ll make at the next level.
JM: You decided to play your final season at Charlotte as a redshirt senior. You also played in this year’s East-West Shrine Game. How do you look back on the past few months?
AH: The last few months have been awesome. I’m just trying to make this transition from being a collegiate athlete to becoming a pro. I’m out here training at EXOS in Arizona and it’s been awesome. I’ve loved every single minute of it. The Shrine Game was such a great experience as well. I received some excellent coaching out there and it gave me an opportunity to play against some of the best players around the country. I’m really enjoying my training out here in Arizona. We’re getting ready for the combine and I feel great about it. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead of me.
JM: That EXOS facility in Arizona might be the best in the world.
AH: Oh yeah, it’s amazing. It’s definitely the best facility I’ve ever been to. There’s so much to it, more than just the training. The strength coaches have been amazing. The nutritional coaches and staff are top notch. We eat so well. It’s really helping us transform our bodies. It’s been so great. The recovery is amazing. We’re always in the treatment rooms getting worked on. The physical therapists are top of the line. The trainers are really helping us with any little nagging injury. They’re always helping us get back to our training as quickly as they can. It’s been an amazing experience so far.
(AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
JM: I wanna get into your skill set now. How would you describe your pass rush arsenal?
AH: I have a bunch of different moves in my arsenal. I learned a lot this past year. I didn’t have as many moves in my arsenal during my junior year. That’s the reason my numbers improved so significantly this past year in my opinion. I took a big step forward. We had a brand new coaching staff. Coach [Will] Healy brought in coach [Marcus] West with him from Minnesota. The day I heard that he was hired, I remember going to coach West’s Twitter profile and it said that he was a pass rushing specialist. I immediately got excited.
He taught me so many different moves and techniques this past season. He helped me realize that I could become a pretty special pass rusher with some fine tuning. It’s all about working the edge and trying to spin around the corner. I love using my chop-rip and I enjoy converting speed to power as well. I try to mix things up. I definitely have a lot of moves in my arsenal.
JM: It sounds like Coach West really helped develop you this past year. Did he teach you anything regarding how to keep an offensive linemen guessing on a snap-by-snap basis?
AH: I think it’s all about varying your moves as the game goes on. You definitely have to switch things up. I like starting off with speed and making the tackle start to get out of his stance a little quicker. He starts to get off balance with his feet when I’m doing that at a high level. I can shake him up that way. I start incorporating different moves as he starts to over-prepare for speed and stop his feet. I like switching up my stance as well. Sometimes I’ll point my inside or my outside hand down just to switch things up. You won’t know if I’m going inside or outside. I’m gonna attack you in a variety of ways.
JM: Who are some of the best offensive tackles you’ve played against?
AH: We played against Clemson this past year. Those guys were great. Their tackles Jackson Carman and Tremayne Anchrum were a huge challenge to go up against. I played right end primarily so I went up against Carman most of the game. He might be the best tackle I’ve ever played against throughout my time in college. He’s that good. He had great hand usage, he’s big and moves his feet well. We played a couple of guys like that throughout the season. I remember playing against Kansas State when I was a sophomore and they had a strong offensive line unit, as well.
(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
JM: What are some key traits a successful pass rusher must possess at the next level?
AH: I think your motor is first and foremost. Anyone can have moves, but can you execute them at a high level? You can work the move but it doesn’t matter if you’re not aggressive or in attack mode. You need to have that motor to get after the quarterback. Sometimes that extra effort is the difference between a sack and a pressure. You need to make an effort to get to the quarterback at all times. I would say the ability to bend comes next. You have to be able to turn that corner. It’s such an important trait for us pass rushers. That’s another trait that I really developed over this past season.
JM: What do you prefer more: Getting after the quarterback, or setting the edge in the run game?
AH: I definitely prefer to rush the passer. Being a sack artist is where we make our money. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing in the run game as well. Making a tackle behind the line of scrimmage is awesome. There’s just something about pinning your ears back and getting after the quarterback though. There’s something about that feeling on third down and you know it’s a passing situation. It’s a mindset. It’s our bread and butter as pass rushers.
JM: The Charlotte program has improved a lot over the last couple of years, but there’s still some small-school pedigree attached to it’s name. It’s inevitable that a scout will sit you down at some point during this process and question the level of competition you faced. How will you answer those questions?
AH: I’ll just tell them to pull up my tape from the best teams we played against this past season. I felt like two of my best games came against Clemson and App State. They were some of the top teams in the nation. I really showed that I could prove myself at that level. I showed up against the big guys. Look at my game against Tennessee from the year before. That was one of my breakout games. I think my film against our best opponents answers that question.
JM: What kind of impact is Alex Highsmith going to make at the next level?
AH: I can’t wait to make an impact both on and off the field. I just wanna use my platform to glorify God. The ability to play this game is everything I have and I’m very thankful for that. I wanna use this platform to give thanks to God and to help my community off the field. Not only am I gonna help a team reach the Super Bowl, but I’m going to do everything I can in my community to help make this world a better place.
