Tag: instant analysis

Instant analysis of Ravens 6th-round WR James Proche

The Ravens have doubled up on yet another position in the 2020 NFL Draft: wide receiver James Proche.

The Ravens have doubled up on yet another position in the 2020 NFL Draft, taking wide receiver James Proche in the sixth round. After taking the productive Devin Duvernay in the 3rd round, Baltimore selected another prolific 5-foot-11 200-pound wide receiver who can be a burner and is strong after the catch.

Proche played all 13 games for SMU in 2019, tallying 111 receptions (tied for the national lead), 1,225 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns.

Proche has unnatural ball skills, especially when tracking deep passes and he can win at the point of attack with strong hands. He also commands attention when lined up to the outside, as he saw a lot of stacked coverage in college. Proche excels in fluidly catching back-shoulder passes while keeping enough room between himself and the sideline. Proche also has the speed and sureness of hands to command respect as a punt or kick returner, which is a big need for Baltimore.

Proche only had four games where he managed to top 100 or more receiving yards even though he had 111 receptions. His routes tend to be a little more rounded which opens them up to cornerbacks jumping them for interceptions. He also takes too many unnecessary steps during some routes which hurts his speed and effectiveness there. With limited length, Proche can also have some issues against press coverage which will limit his ability to go deep at times.

However, a lot of his negatives can be coached up. And when looking at his film or the stat sheet, you can’t help but see that he gets the job done regardless. Proche can play both inside and outside but might get more time in the slot in Baltimore.

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Instant analysis of Ravens selecting Texas Tech DT Broderick Washington

The Ravens have taken their second defensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft, adding another big body to a crowded defensive line room.

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The Ravens have used the 170th pick to select their second defensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft, taking Texas Tech’s Broderick Washington Jr. The selection adds another big body to their already frightening rotation of defensive linemen.

A little undersized for a typical defensive tackle, Washington gets the job done as a run-stuffing interior defensive lineman. Washington utilized his great strength and a bulldog mentality that matches the mean streaks of his opposition to disrupt offensive game plans. He’s a leader, earning team-captain status at Texas Tech.

After looking at some of his plays, he reminds me a bit of Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams. He relies primarily on brute force to make his way into the backfield. Washington is a little stiff and inconsistent in both shedding blocks and leverage, which limits his ability to get upfield as a pass rusher.

As a fifth-round pick, it should be pretty obvious that Washington is a developmental depth option. He does some things well and he could polish up into a rotational piece but in a crowded defensive line group, it’ll be difficult seeing him get much playing time early on.

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Instant analysis of Ravens’ 4th-round pick Michigan G Ben Bredeson

The Ravens now have taken two consecutive guards in the NFL Draft with the selection of Ben Bredeson out of Michigan.

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The Ravens now have taken two consecutive guards in the 2020 NFL Draft with the selection of Ben Bredeson out of Michigan in the fourth round.

Bredeson, at 6-foot-5 and 325 pounds, is an absolute bulldozer off the ball in the run game and we considered him to be the top guard in the fourth round for the Ravens. The four-year starter at Michigan was a team captain and started all 13 games at left guard as well as winning 3rd-team AP All-American and first-team All-Conference.

Bredeson’s technique is highly lauded by analysts, showing polish in both power and RPO systems. He’s able to stun defenders across from him with strong punches while blocking and has fluid enough hips to change direction in the case of twists. He maintains exceptional balance in both areas of his game and creates a ton of leverage while blocking. He’s a leader on the field and is someone who lets his play do the talking.

He isn’t that fast, though, and pulling is not his fortė. He still moves at a relative college speed, so the transition to the NFL could be tough and a little slower for him.

It’s also worth a note that Jim Harbaugh, John’s brother, is the head coach at Michigan.

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Instant Analysis: Falcons get depth from Jaylinn Hawkins

The Falcons got Keanu Neal insurance with their selection of safety Jaylinn Hawkins.

With Falcons safety Keanu Neal coming off of injury, the team had a need for an aggressive safety who loves to destroy offensive players. The team selected safety Jaylinn Hawkins in the fourth round, which feels like a bit of a reach. However, his fit in Atlanta’s defense is becoming more apparent the more we learn about him. Hawkins is a 6-foot-1, 208-pound defender who has decent speed.

Overall, this looks more and more like a special teams and long-term depth pick. Hawkins doesn’t have the kind of instincts that will get him a ton of playing time right away, but as the team’s fourth or fifth safety, he’ll be more likely to play on special teams than start in 2020.

Coverage is an issue early for Hawkins, but he wasn’t selected to have an impact as a rookie. We have to wonder if Hawkins long-term potential isn’t more at linebacker than safety. He doesn’t seem to have the athletic profile the Falcons would really look for at safety.

Why Jaylinn Hawkins instead of TE Hunter Bryant or CB Bryce Hall?

The Falcons felt they needed more safety depth behind Keanu Neal with how often he’s been injured. A second tight end wasn’t too much of a need since the Atlanta likes Hayden Hurst, and the team must feel that Bryce Hall isn’t worth the trouble at this point. The Falcons needed to get that depth that Jamal Carter wasn’t providing behind Neal.

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Instant analysis for the Lions selecting G Logan Stenberg

Instant analysis of the the Detroit Lions selecting Kentucky guard Logan Sternberg in the fourth round

The Lions decided to fortify their offensive line further by selecting Kentucky guard Logan Stenberg with the 121st overall pick.

Stenberg is a three-year starter who lined up exclusively at left guard while playing a run-heavy offense at Kentucky. He hasn’t allowed a single sack in the last two seasons and helped paved the way for 278.8 rushing yards per game, which was fourth-best in college football.

Stenberg is a true blue-collar player and wears his attitude on his sleeve. He plays with a mean streak and isn’t afraid to make his presence known by laying defenders out with a smile on his face. Because of his mauler attitude, he gets in the minds of the defenders and plays a strong mental game. He has sharp football intelligence coupled with his strength, makes him a sheer force on the offensive line.

Even though his physicality can be beneficial, he has also hurt him with tallying 14 penalties, which was second-most among interior defenders in the FBS. He needs some technique work, especially when it comes to his pad level, where he tends to get up in pass blocking sets. He can be late with his hands, where he is left scrambling and allowing defenders to get past him.

With the additions of D’Andre Swift and Jonah Jackson, you have to believe the Lions are not messing around in establishing a formidable running game. Stenberg was a team captain and participated at the Senior Bowl, checking off some of the boxes the Lions look for.

The Lions are getting a mauler in the trenches, and if he can refine his technique and solve his discipline problems, the Lions could have another version of Larry Warford.

Instant Analysis: Falcons get versatility from LB Mykal Walker

The Falcons needed some linebacker depth and Mykal Walker should be a good fit for the Falcons defense with his versatility and intelligence.

Mykal Walker out of Fresno State was the Atlanta Falcons‘ early fourth-round selection as the team attempts to find someone who can play their strong-side linebacker role in base defense. Walker is one of the better all-around linebackers as he’s solid in coverage, can rush the passer and plays the run well. But the issue he has is that he’s a jack of all trades, and a master of none.

The versatility is useful for a team like Atlanta, though. Walker should make an impact early with his experience at both middle linebacker and strong-side linebacker in Fresno State’s defense. The Falcons should see him come right in and start on the strong-side with very little competition from Edmond Robinson and LaRoy Reynolds for that role.

In terms of overall depth, the team got a big improvement in their linebacker corps this offseason already with Robinson and Reynolds, but adding a replacement for De’Vondre Campbell was important. Walker will be that guy, and shouldn’t be too much of a drop off from Campbell as a rookie.

Why Mykal Walker instead of CB Bryce Hall or EDGE Curtis Weaver?

Atlanta needed to get someone who could start at strong-side linebacker with De’Vondre Campbell leaving for Arizona. Bryce Hall would have been nice to enhance the cornerback depth, and Curtis Weaver could have been good to add to the pass rush. However, at this point, the Falcons really needed to enhance the mid-level of their defense. Drafting Walker is a great start in doing that.

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Instant analysis of Redskins selection of OT Saahdiq Charles with pick No. 108

Washington has a major hole at LT, and they will do so with Saahdiq Charles, who is a great talent if he can keep his discipline together.

The Washington Redskins took Saahdiq Charles with an eye towards the depth chart, knowing that they had a significant need at the LT position with Trent Williams now officially out of Washington.

News broke right before the Redskins made their fourth-round pick that Washington had traded Williams to the San Francisco 49ers, receiving a 2020 fifth-round pick, and a 2021 third-round pick in return.

With the end of the Trent Williams saga now behind us, it is time to focus on the future, and the Redskins know that they have a major hole to fill at LT. Enter Saahdiqu Charles, a big-bodied tackle from LSU who was rated as a second-round prospect.

While Charles has some great on-field talent, there are questions about his off-field mentality. Several times in college, Charles as disciplined for off-field issues, and he missed games due to suspension as well. But if we know one thing, it’s that Ron Rivera is a strict coach and has the ability to whip anyone into shape.

There are other left tackles on the roster in Washington, so Charles will have to compete for the starting job in training camp. However, I expect that he will be able to win the starting spot and will slot into the top rung on the depth chart for Week 1. If all goes well with his off-field discipline issues, I expect that the Redskins found great value here in the fourth round.

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Analysis of Ravens picking OL Tyre Phillips in 3rd round

The Baltimore Ravens came into the draft needing depth on the offensive line an get it in the road-grading Tyre Phillips

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The Baltimore Ravens came into the 2020 NFL Draft needing to bolster the depth along the interior of their offensive line and they got it with the versatile Tyre Phillips with the last pick in the third round.

Phillips started all 13 games at Mississippi State last season but was at left tackle. Thanks to limited athleticism, Phillips projects as a guard for Baltimore, even though the versatility is comforting to have.

Phillips is a bruiser who opened and cleared lanes with ease in college. The versatile lineman has excellent footwork and blocking technique which only amplifies the natural ability of his 6-foot-5 frame. The main knock on Phillips is his lack of elite speed off the snap which limits his block range, even if his technique is lauded by scouts. He can pull as a guard but struggles with holding blocks in diagonal sets.

The Ravens desperately needed to bring in another lineman, especially one as versatile as Phillips, following the cutting of James Hurst and the retirement of Marshal Yanda. The lack of depth on the line is concerning with center Matt Skura still recovering from multiple torn ligaments in his knee, but this pick helps out tremendously elsewhere.

Phillips played 26 games in his career at Mississippi State and allowed no sacks at any point in his career, something that the Ravens certainly took into account. Phillips will join the offensive unit that broke quite a few rushing records in 2019 and will likely be asked to use his run-blocking abilities to help them replicate that performance.

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Analysis of Ravens drafting Ohio State LB Malik Harrison

The Baltimore Ravens continued to strengthen their inside linebacker depth chart, adding a mean hitter and run defender in Malik Harrison

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The Baltimore Ravens added another inside linebacker to supplement their depth chart in the 2020 NFL Draft, picking Ohio State’s Malik Harrison in the third round. After taking LSU’s Patrick Queen in the first round, depth was added to shore up what is one of the weakest positions on the defense.

Harrison is a little more stout than Queen, standing at 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds. Where he really excels is in run support, using his bigger frame to shed blockers and plug the hole. He’s an excellent tackler, with 66% of his tackles at Ohio State being solo. Harrison does have some speed to him and can drop back into coverage but it’s not his strong suit. He tends to get a little lost in coverage and struggles to make the right read on occasion.

Harrison was used as a blitzer at Ohio State and had an incredible 16.5 tackles-for-loss in 2019, only 5.5 less than defensive tackle and draft mate Justin Madubuike.

If Harrison can separate himself from the other linebackers in the room, he could make an excellent foil to Queen, who excels in pass coverage but is a little undersized. If Harrison can focus on stopping the run, which should be easy for him with the talented defensive line in front of him, that would free up Queen to freelance and make more plays.

Whatever the depth chart at inside linebacker looks like come the NFL season, it looks better with Harrison in it.

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Dimitroff likes Hennessy’s ‘versatility to play both guard and center’

The Falcons landed another potential starter on Friday night when the team selected Temple offensive lineman Matt Hennessy in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Falcons landed another potential starter on Friday night when the team selected Temple offensive lineman Matt Hennessy in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

There’s no guarantee that Hennessy, who played center most recently, will start at left guard in 2020, but he’ll certainly be in the mix. Plus, with Alex Mack playing what could be his last season in Atlanta, Hennessy figures to take over at center eventually.

His versatility to play all three interior positions, along with the team having needs at both guard and center made this a very logical pick for Atlanta.

Watch Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff talk about his appreciation for Hennessy’s ability to play the guard and center positions below:

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