Tag: Gregory Rousseau

Titans select Gregory Rousseau in Mel Kiper’s first mock draft

Gregory Rousseau has been mocked to the Titans on multiple occasions already.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his first mock draft of 2021 on Tuesday, and in it he has the Tennessee Titans taking a prospect at No. 22 overall that has been pegged to the team in other mock drafts we’ve covered.

That player is Miami (FL) defensive end Gregory Rousseau. Here’s what Kiper had to say about his pick for Tennessee:

This has to be an edge rusher, right? The Titans had a putrid pass rush last season, finishing with 19 total sacks, which was only two more than the last-ranked Bengals. They got very little from free-agent signing Jadeveon Clowney, and their leading sacker Harold Landry finished with only 5.5. That’s not good enough for a team that thinks it’s a Super Bowl contender. The 6-foot-7 Rousseau, another opt-out, had 15.5 sacks in a breakout 2019 season, but he doesn’t have an elite first step and needs to add some moves to his repertoire. With only one year of production and no live football in a year, he’s another wild card in his class. But again, teams love pass-rushers, so he could be in demand.

Despite the 6-foot-7, 267-pound defender finishing with an impressive 15.5 sacks in 2019, he’s still a bit of a wild card. Rousseau opted out of the 2020 campaign and saw his 2018 season end early after two games due to a fractured ankle, so there isn’t a lot of tape to go on.

While Rousseau is no doubt an intriguing prospect (check out a scouting report here), he’s going to be raw and needs some development. Still, we’re definitely a fan of his potential and would sign up for this pick at No. 22.

After the Titans had one of the league’s worst pass rushes in 2020, general manager Jon Robinson needs to explore every avenue possible to upgrade.

His top priority should be adding a pass rusher in free agency with Tennessee in win-now mode and needing an immediate upgrade that a rookie might not provide, but we’d also like to see Robinson add one in the draft after failing to do so last year.

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Vikings draft Miami’s Gregory Rousseau in Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft

It wasn’t a secret that the Vikings’ pass rush struggled in 2020.

It wasn’t a secret that the Vikings’ pass rush struggled in 2020. A big part of that had to do with the loss of Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, who is expected to be back in 2021.

However, opposite of him, the Vikings will be looking for an upgrade next season.

Could that come in the draft? Daniel Jeremiah over at NFL.com thinks so.

In his latest mock draft, Jeremiah has the Vikings drafting Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau.

Here’s what Jeremiah wrote about the pick:

I’m a big fan of Rousseau and his potential at the next level. He has elite length and surprising pass rush polish despite his limited experience at the position. The Vikings’ defense took a big step back last year due to an inability to pressure the quarterback.

For those wanting the Vikings to draft a quarterback, four quarterbacks were drafted in the first round, but all before where the Vikings draft at No. 14.

You can check out Jeremiah’s full mock draft here.

Vikings take Miami DE Gregory Rousseau in PFF mock draft

The Vikings have the 14th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Some teams are playing in the playoffs.

Other teams are trying to ignore the fact that their team isn’t in the playoffs and instead focusing on the 2021 NFL Draft.

That includes the Vikings, who will draft 14th overall in this year’s draft.

Seth Galina over at Pro Football Focus put together a mock draft and with their first-round pick, Galina has the Vikings drafting Miami defensive lineman Gregory Rasseau.

Here’s what Galina wrote about Rasseau:

Rousseau did play a lot as a 3-tech in 2019, but he does seem suited for the outside in the NFL. He is as raw as anything but has the athleticism that is uncoachable, as they say. Both Quincy Roche and Jaelan Phillips played better for Miami in 2020 than Rousseau did in 2019, but athletes rule in the NFL.

The Vikings need some help on the defensive line certainly, and this would help address that. Minnesota will, hopefully, be getting Danielle Hunter back in 2021 as well.

Panthers 2021 mock draft: Scott Fitterer trades down in first round

In our newest seven-round 2021 mock draft Fitterer makes two trades, including a move down in round one.

On Thursday, the Carolina Panthers’ wide-ranging search for a new front office chief came to a fitting end. Scott Fitterer, a 20-year member of the Seattle Seahawks’ braintrust, was named the franchise’s latest general manager after agreeing to a five-year deal.

Fitterer, who began in Seattle as an area scout in 2001, has served as an integral part of one of the sport’s most successful franchises. His rise began in 2011, when he was promoted to director of college scouting, which would then be followed by bumps up to co-director of player personnel in 2015 and most recently, VP of football operations in 2020.

The first true test for Fitterer in his latest gig will come this spring, when he heads the war room for the first time in Carolina. If his time in Seattle is any indication, it will be a busy occasion. In our newest seven-round 2021 mock draft Fitterer makes two trades, including a move down in round one.

 

PFF’s draft recommendations for Cowboys’ ‘ugly’ defense

Pro Football Focus spotlights the Cowboys’ defensive deficiencies and lists several top college prospects who could help in 2021.

Pro Football Focus has analyzed the Cowboys roster top to bottom and come away with a conclusion that was obvious to anyone who watched the team for more than a few quarters this season.

The new defensive scheme under coordinator Mike Nolan was an “utter disaster.” When it comes to identifying their drafts needs for 2021, the club could literally pick any position on that side of the ball, according to their latest recommendations.

The trouble spots were indeed numerous. In posting 10-plus losses for the first time since 2015, the Cowboys defense in particular shouldered most of the blame. Nolan’s unit was Dallas’s worst at stopping the run since 2000, and they allowed the most points per game in franchise history.

Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, once billed as the best linebacking duo in the sport, both set career-low grades in PFF’s system. And while edge rusher Randy Gregory was singled out as a bright spot who exceeded expectations, the site’s reviews of the team’s defensive tackles were less than glowing. The Cowboys interior linemen posted a grade that ranked them 30th among all 32 teams; former second-round pick Trysten Hill dragged down that curve significantly with a 33.8 grade, “one of the lowest among the position in the league.”

So how do new coordinator Dan Quinn and the Cowboys address their defensive woes via the draft? Where do they start?

According to PFF:

“Literally anywhere along that defensive line, linebacking corps, cornerback group, safety,” goes the advice. “They could go anywhere on that roster, defensively. That’s how many holes they have. That’s how ugly it was for them this season.”

For what it’s worth, here’s what Pro Football Focus has to say about several of the highest-rated defensive prospects in this upcoming draft, listed by their overall rank within the site’s Top 100. Most- if not all- of these players will be available when Dallas goes on the clock with the tenth overall pick.

Colts select DE Gregory Rousseau in PFF mock draft

Indy adds an edge rusher in PFF’s latest mock draft.

When the Indianapolis Colts get on the clock for their first pick in the 2021 NFL draft, it is anybody’s guess as to which direction they could go.

They could trade up or select their future quarterback. They could take Anthony Castonzo’s replacement at left tackle or even add to the skill positions.

In Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft, the Colts went in another direction at a position of need. With the No. 21 overall pick, they selected edge rusher Gregory Rousseau out of Miami.

Rousseau is one of the biggest unknowns in the class, but his physical tools give him the chance to pay big dividends. Size, length, athleticism, bend, versatility are all boxes the 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive linemen checks, but consistency and production are not. Yes, he notched 16 sacks in 2019, but that’s a bit noisy. Over half of those sacks were charted as either unblocked or as a cleanup sack, and Rousseau ranked outside the top 50 in the FBS in pass-rush grade and win rate.

He’s going to be a bit of a project, but the flashes of high-end reps and the tools are too hard to ignore.

Adding to the defensive end room is an absolute must this offseason for Indy. They have elite pieces on the interior in Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, but it is the edge that keeps this unit from being in the upper tier of pass rushers.

Rousseau has been described as a raw prospect but with an extremely high ceiling. He opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns with COVID-19 so he didn’t get to show off any improvements with his consistency.

It will be interesting to see what the offseason has in store for the Colts, but they should have an eye on the edge rushers in this class.

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5 edge rushers Giants could target this offseason

The New York Giants are in need of a quality edge rusher, so here’s a look at five (plus) players they could target this offseason.

One position the New York Giants will be seeking to fill this offseason is edge rusher.

Currently, the Giants are slated to head into the 2021 season with third-year linebacker Oshane Ximines, who spent the last 13 weeks of this season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and fourth-year linebacker Lorenzo Carter, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 5, on the outside.

Kyler Fackrell was only signed to a one-year deal and will be a free agent come March should the Giants not extend him. So will defensive linemen Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson.

General manager Dave Gettleman has work to do in this area. He will likely retain Williams, as that will be a priority, but the Giants still need more at the edge rusher role.

Here are some possibilities for the pass rush next season. The landscape is not bountiful with them and the salary cap will be going down so the Giants may have to get creative here.

Defensive prospects Chargers could target with No. 13 pick in 2021 NFL draft

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists six defenders that could be on Los Angeles’ radar.

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The Chargers are loaded with talent on the defensive side of the ball, but there are some players that are set to be free agents like edge defender Melvin Ingram and some that might have their best playing days behind them like cornerback Casey Hayward.

With that being said, let’s dive into some potential defensive targets for Los Angeles with pick No. 13.

EDGE Kwity Paye, Michigan

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Like I mentioned, Ingram is set to be a free agent this offseason and the question looms whether or not the Chargers will re-sign him. Given the fact that his contract year consisted of injuries and lack of production when he was on the field, the team might let him test the market. Therefore, Los Angeles could look to find a compliment to Joey Bosa if he walks.

Arguably one of the premier athletes at the position in this year’s class, Paye was featured in Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. The 6-foot-2 and 270 pounder is an explosive pass rusher who’s powerful with his hands, making him impactful rushing the passer, as equally well as he defends the run.

Given that L.A. only produced 27 sacks during the regular season, Paye could provide another spark the team needs when pressuring quarterbacks. In just four games for the Wolverines, he posted 22 pressures. His alignment versatility would be coveted, too, since he possesses the ability to rush inside and out on obvious passing downs.

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Giants select Gregory Rousseau in latest Todd McShay mock draft

In the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay, the New York Giants select Miami DE Gregory Rousseau.

The 2020 regular season and year-end press conferences have come and gone for the New York Giants, which means the focus shifts to the offseason.

Although the Giants appear to be trending in the right direction, there’s no denying they have a multitude of holes to fill in both free agency and the 2021 NFL draft. And while the former will impact the approach in the latter, that never stops the experts from releasing an endless flow of mock drafts beforehand.

Such was the case on Thursday when ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest mock, which has the Giants selecting Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau at No. 11 overall.

11. New York Giants

Gregory Rousseau, DE/OLB, Miami-FL*

The Giants managed 40 sacks this season, thanks in large part to Leonard Williams bouncing back and getting 11.5 of them. But few would argue against the Giants needing edge-rushing help to take a much-improved defense to the next level, particularly if they don’t return Williams, who played this season on the franchise tag. Rousseau opted out this season, but he had 15.5 sacks for the Hurricanes in 2019 and has speed and power coming around the corner. Alternatively, offensive line, wide receiver or cornerback could be areas to keep an eye on for New York.

The Giants are in desperate need of playmakers for quarterback Daniel Jones and have made it abundantly clear that is a priority, but at No. 11, the pickings may be slim.

The good news is that a boat load of solid defensive players will be available at the time the Giants pick, so they should be able to reinforce and already solid defense. And Rousseau would certainly represent the sort of edge rushing talent that could help put things over-the-top.

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Giants select edge rusher Gregory Rousseau in latest Draft Wire mock

In the latest mock draft courtesy of Draft Wire, the New York Giants select Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau.

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The New York Giants have a quality defense that appears set up for years to come, but there are a few missing pieces that would put them over-the-top.

One of those pieces would be a cornerback to pair with Pro Bowler James Bradberry, while the other would be an elite edge rusher to give the Giants that added advantage.

Our friends over at Draft Wire recognize that need and in their latest 2021 mock draft, have the Giants selecting Miami edge rusher Gregory Rousseau at No. 10 overall.

10. New York Giants
Gregory Rousseau | EDGE | Miami (FL)

Rousseau, who opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, is expected to be a top 5 or top 10 pick come April and would be a steal for the Giants at the back-end of that projection. He recorded 15.5 sacks in 2019 and many expected him to take an even bigger leap in 2020.

“I put in so much work before last season. I was going to improve in 2020 as well. I was ready to go to war with my brothers. That part of opting out really sucked. I really wanted to play football this season. I did what I had to do. I went with my heart. I’m just going forward,” Rousseau told Draft Wire.

Rousseau would start immediately on Patrick Graham’s defense and make an already talented front 7 that much more dangerous.

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