Tag: Ivan Pace

Secret Superstars: The underrated players for Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season

From Baker Mayfield to Zack Moss to Ivan Pace Jr. to Deommodore Lenoir to Geno Stone, here are the NFL’s Secret Superstars for Week 2.

Not every great NFL performance is given by a well-known player. Just as often as you see the league’s marquee names ball out, there are those under-the-radar guys who rise up at the right time to add weight to their own names.

It happens every week, and we have collected this list of the most prominent Week 2 performances from those players whose deeds outweighed the import of their reputations.

Here are the NFL’s Secret Superstars for Week 2 of the 2023 NFL season.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions). 

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/cmFdq4oB6a832FGHiRm1/1695092983510_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”PHNjcmlwdCBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vcGxheWVyLnBvcHRvay5jb20vYW55Y2xpcC13aWRnZXQvbHJlLXdpZGdldC9wcm9kL3YxL3NyYy9scmUuanMiIGRhdGEtYXI9IjE2OjkiIGRhdGEtcGxpZD0ibW53dW16ZHJncnh1ZW50YmhhenRlcnNoamJ1dmUzanIiIHB1Ym5hbWU9IjE5OTgiIHdpZGdldG5hbWU9IjAwMTZNMDAwMDJVMEIxa1FBRl9NODMyNSI+Cjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==”][/anyclip-media]

4 roster building lessons from the Vikings 53-man roster

After the Vikings unveiled their initial 53-man roster, @TheKevinFielder looks at what we can learn from it

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is only in his second season as the general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, but there’s already a clear direction that the team is heading.

Sparing the masses from the discussion about a “competitive rebuild,” the Vikings’ initial 53-man roster was another step in shaping how the team will approach roster building.

Understanding which trends are worth watching can be challenging because rosters can change week-to-week, let alone every season, but enough stuff is worth observing as the Vikings continue in this direction.

Vikings LB Ivan Pace Jr. pushing for a starting job

Ivan Pace went undrafted out of Cincinnati but has played very well.

Those of us who study the NFL draft and prospects in great depth are always shocked when players who we viewed as great prospects fall through the cracks in the draft. Perhaps the biggest one for me was former Cincinnati linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.

Pace ended up going undrafted and being signed by the Minnesota Vikings. All he has done since showing up in Minnesota is wow the coaches there. In the team’s first preseason game, Pace led the team with six total tackles and showed range and strength his critics dinged him for pre-draft.

Pace’s college film was beyond impressive. He played every play like he was shot out of a cannon and showed impressive instincts to go with his athleticism and physicality. His one season with the Bearcats was remarkable. He had 137 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in 13 starts.

Right now, the Vikings have Brian Asamoah II and Jordan Hicks on the depth chart as starting ILB in their base 3-4 defense. But if Pace keeps playing like he has, he will at minimum push for playing time as the primary backup but could find himself starting at some point this season.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Breaking down the Vikings UDFA signings

The Minnesota Vikings brought in 15 UDFA signings. @TheKevinFielder provides an introduction with a brief synopsis of all 15.

While hearing their name called during the NFL Draft is the dream of every college prospect, some don’t get that luxury.

With just 259 draft picks, more players find themselves waiting after Saturday’s conclusion to find their chance. Often forgotten, these undrafted free agents come into the NFL with limited expectations but high hopes.

Over the years, a laundry list of undrafted free agents have carved out long careers, including former Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle, John Randle.

This season, the Vikings signed 15 players to an undrafted free-agent deal. These players will go through the off-season program, hoping to make the team’s 53-man roster before the regular season begins.

Here are each of those signings.

Day 3 Cleveland Browns mock draft with first three rounds complete

How will the Browns round out their 2023 draft class?

Day 2 of the 2023 NFL draft saw the Cleveland Browns finally on the clock with two Day 3 picks at pick no. 74 and pick no. 98. The team addressed depth at wide receiver with the selection of Cedric Tillman at 74 before continuing to build the defensive line by selecting Siaki Ika at pick 98. Could they address defensive end with a name like Isaiah McGuire on Day 3?

The team could still use some help at edge rusher with some really intriguing options still on the board as their next pick will come at pick no. 111. They could also use more depth along the offensive line and in the running back room, let’s look at how the draft’s final day could shape up for the Browns.

30 Browns prospects in 30 days: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati

Could Pace stay in the state of Ohio?

The 2023 NFL draft is nearly here and the Cleveland Browns are in a good spot to draft just pure talent and not need. With the free agency period so far one thing they are missing is the future at linebacker after 2023. Cincinnati’s Ivan Pace Jr. provides an intriguing skill set the Browns could target.

Pace has elite-level short-area quickness and isn’t afraid of contact. He is undersized but his athleticism helps him make up for it. He always seems to be calm on the field and understands his assignment and stays disciplined in those assignments.

One more intriguing aspect is the fact that he has a great skill set as a pass rusher and blitzer. For Cincinnati, he totaled 10 sacks and could be an excellent sub-package pass rusher in Jim Schwartz’s defense.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]

NFL Draft: 12 mid/late-round prospects that could be steals for the Eagles

We’re looking at 12 mid to late-round NFL draft prospects that could end up being steals for the Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have had success hitting on late-round picks in the past few years, with Jordan Mailata (2018), Kenneth Gainwell (2021), Jack Driscoll (2020), Quez Watkins (2020), Josh Sweat (2018), Nathan Gerry, Jalen Mills, and Jason Kelce being some of the late round picks who’ve played in a Super Bowl.

The 2023 NFL draft offers Philadelphia another opportunity to reload in the late rounds.

The expectation is that GM Howie Roseman will move around the board, acquiring draft assets and a large group of undrafted free agents.

With the draft just three weeks away, we’re taking an early look at 12 mid to late-round prospects that could end up as steals for the Eagles.

7 prospects the Browns should keep an eye on at the Senior Bowl

These players could be targets for the Browns in April’s draft.

The draft process begins in just a couple of weeks with the Senior Bowl in Mobile Alabama. The Cleveland Browns will undoubtedly have their eyes on several players during practices and the game on February 4. The team needs to remake the defensive line outside of Myles Garrett and there will be plenty of players to study on the defensive line.

Mobile is another chance for players to showcase what they can do especially players from smaller schools going up against players from Power-Five schools. The Senior Bowl is the first major milestone toward the 2023 NFL Draft and no doubt will be intriguing to watch this year.

Here are some players that Browns fans should be watching in a couple of weeks.

[listicle id=83506]