Tag: bucky brooks

Bucky Brooks pegs Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray as his 2020 NFL MVP

NFL analyst Bucky Brooks pegs Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray his 2020 NFL MVP

Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks is all-in on Kyler Murray.

Brooks, a current analyst for NFL.com, named Murray his 2020 NFL MVP.

He cited that, while it is early for predictions, it only adds to his confidence in the Cardinals’ quarterback. Murray was 2019’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, something each of the past MVP winners, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, have won.

Murray joined free agent Cam Newton as the only rookie quarterbacks to throw for 3,500 yards and rush for 500. He led all rookies in passing yards and completions, and finished third best all-time on rookie completions begind Carson Wentz and fellow Sooner Sam Bradford.

“Think about that.” Brooks wrote in an article on NFL.com. “Murray put up historic numbers on an offense that was adapting to a former college head coach/play-caller transitioning to the pro game while managing a roster littered with holes along the offensive line and limited in playmakers on the perimeter. If that’s not enough of a challenge, the electric QB1 needed to compensate for a leaky defense that finished last in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed. How do you like that for context?”

The Cardinals are currently slated to begin their regular season on September 13, barring any cancellations or postponements due to the coronavirus.

Where does Danielle Hunter rank among top edge rushers?

Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter became the first player in NFL history to pile up 50 career sacks before turning 25 years old.

Last season, Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter became the first player in NFL history to pile up 50 career sacks before turning 25 years old.

Hunter is coming off of back-to-back 14.5 sack seasons and is one of the young stars of today’s game.

Bucky Brooks over at NFL.com ranked his top-five edge rushers in the NFL and Hunter came in at No. 3.

Here’s what Brooks wrote about Hunter:

The former third-round pick has quickly joined the ranks of the elite, notching 48.5 sacks over the past four seasons. Hunter has outstanding first-step quickness, and he’s capable of winning with speed or power off the edge. He uses a slippery dip-and-rip maneuver to turn the corner and complements it with a variety of hand-to-hand combat moves that enable him to win with power. Hunter is an artistic technician with a refined game that’s about as polished as you’ll find at the position.

The Vikings hope the two-time Pro Bowler can turn in another elite season as this new-face defense will surely need it.

Last season, Hunter finished with a Pro Football Focus grade of 89, a mark that ranked eighth among edge rushers in the league.

Chargers pegged as worst-to-first candidate for 2020 season

An NFL Network analyst believes that the Los Angeles Chargers will have a bounce-back season in 2020.

After finishing with a 12-4 record and earning a trip to the playoffs during the 2018 season, the Chargers followed that up with a dud of a season in 2019, going 5-11 and finishing last in the division.

Many analysts pegged Los Angeles to go to the Super Bowl this time around last year, but they clearly failed to live up to all of the hype that they received.

The talent was there, but the woeful campaign was a result of injuries to key players, a coaching change midway through the season and failing to finish games as a handful of those 11 losses were within a touchdown.

Heading into the new decade, the Bolts have the majority of the roster intact, but they received some more reinforcements with offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, guard Trai Turner, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and defensive tackle Linval Joseph via free agency and some through the draft.

The biggest difference is at the quarterback position where Philip Rivers will no longer be the one under center after 14 seasons as the starter. The show will now be ran by Tyrod Taylor and first-round selection Justin Herbert.

With the pieces that the Chargers have, NFL Media’s Bucky Brooks believes that they’re good enough to turn it around after a dreadful outcome last season.

“We can talk about that defense being lights out with [Joey] Bosa, [Melvin] Ingram, Derwin James and Kenneth Murray, but let’s look at the obvious,” Brooks said. “Justin Herbert. I know Tyrod Taylor is slated to start, but let’s say Justin Herbert gets the opportunity to run this offense.

The weapons that he has on the outside with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Hunter Henry. But what about Josh Kelley? Joshua Kelley playing the role as the running back. Look, get your t-shirts ready. I think it’s going to happen in L.A. The Chargers with their draft picks can get it done.”

Not mentioned by Brooks, who should be a huge contributor on the offensive side of the ball, is running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler made a significant impact as a runner and a pass-catcher, which is why he earned a four-year contract extension earlier this offseason.

Even though Rivers won’t be calling the shots anymore, I believe Los Angeles is still capable of getting the job done with Taylor or Herbert, especially with the new offense that they’re going to run, which should be similar to the Ravens of last season, and given the amount of talent they have from top to bottom.

The most vital key to any kind of success for them is health of the players. Like last year, if they can’t stay injury-free it’ll be hard to have a bounce-back season. If they do, the Chargers are capable of making some serious noise during the regular season and into the playoffs.

Another key to success will be dethroning the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 27-3 against AFC West teams since 2015 and have claimed four straight division titles.

Bucky Brooks’ new mock draft is predictable for the Bucs, but a shocker for Tua

Bucky Brooks’ new mock draft over at NFL.com is no shocker when it comes to who the Bucs pick, but it is when it comes to where Tua goes.

With the NFL draft just a little over a week away, final mock drafts are coming in and beginning to provide some clarity before the big day. As usual, almost every single mock draft since day one has had LSU quarterback Joe Burrow pegged as the top pick by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Burrow is just one of several high-profile college quarterbacks expected to go early in round one, along with Justin Herbert of Oregon and Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama. (Even Jordan Love of Utah State could find himself going high in round one.)

Tagovailoa is one of the more interesting cases. Despite having a decorated career at Alabama, a hip injury last November has left some NFL teams questioning his long-term durability. While many mocks still have Tua going in the top five to the Miami Dolphins, Bucky Brooks over at NFL.com made a bold prediction today in his latest mock draft.

Brooks has Tagovailoa falling all the way to No. 9 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after the Dolphins go with Herbert at the five spot and the QB-needy Los Angeles Chargers opt for Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Per Brooks:

“This should be a no-brainer for the Jaguars if Tagovailoa slides to this point. The Alabama standout is a significant upgrade over Gardner Minshew and gives the team a long-term option at QB1.”

It’s hard to imagine Tua falling that far, but stranger things have happened.

As for who Brooks thinks the Bucs will select at the 14th spot, well, there’s no surprise there (thankfully). He, like many draft experts, like Georgia OT Andrew Thomas. “Adding protection around Tom Brady is priority No.1 for the Buccaneers,” Brooks said.

Thomas would be a great selection by the Bucs. SI even said in their recent mock draft that Thomas may very well be the most pro-ready offensive tackle in this year’s class.

Still, when it comes to offensive tackles and the NFL draft, nothing is guaranteed.

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Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks propose a realistic Lions trade in Twitter mock draft

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks did a mock draft on Twitter and executed what they believed was a realistic trade for the Detroit Lions.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks — who also co-host the Move the Sticks podcast — did a mock draft on Twitter, altering selections between themselves.

Brooks opened the draft by giving Joe Burrow (QB, LSU) to the Bengals, while Jeremiah paired Washington with Chase Young (EDGE, OSU). But when the Lions got on the clock at pick No. 3, Jeremiah proposed a trade offer to Brooks for the pick.

Jeremiah, having the even-numbered picks, offered Brooks the Los Angeles Chargers No. 6 overall pick, as well as pick No. 37 in the second round, and the Chargers second-round pick in the 2021 draft.

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Brooks entertained the offer but countered by also asking for the Chargers fourth-round pick in 2020, No. 112 overall. Jeremiah accepted the counteroffer and selected Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Alabama) for the Chargers.

Jeremiah then gave the Giants Mekhi Becton (OT, Louisville), with Brooks selecting Justin Herbert (QB, Oregon) for the Dolphins.

With the Lions back on the clock Brooks had the option to choose from Jeff Okudah (CB, OSU), Isaiah Simmons (LB/S Clemson), or Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn) — and in a mild upset, Brooks went with Simmons.

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A haul of Simmons picks No. 37 and No. 112, as well as a future second-round pick, would make most Lions fans very happy — and realistically, that is a scenario that could very well play out this April.

Here’s a look at how the entire mock draft played out: