Tag: Shaka Toney

5 potential replacements for Chargers’ Melvin Ingram in 2021 NFL draft

The Los Angeles Chargers should be looking for more help off the edge this offseason.

Melvin Ingram will be one of the most sought out options this offseason. While Ingram has been a key piece of the defense and locker room for years now, his time in the blue and gold is up in the air.

If the Chargers choose to not re-sign Ingram, the team will be thin at edge rusher. There’s Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu but not much else behind them.

With that being said, here are five prospects that Los Angeles should consider as replacements for Ingram in this year’s draft.

Quincy Roche, Miami

Roche eclipsed 11 quarterback pressures in three games for the Hurricanes in 2020. In total, he posted 27 pressures and 3.5 sacks. The year before that, he amassed 68 quarterback pressures, 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for Temple in 2019.

Roche, the 6-foot-2 and 243 pounder, is a slippery rusher with the initial burst, functional strength, and length to threaten the pocket on a regular basis and defend the run, projecting as a promising outside linebacker at the next level.

Jordan Smith, UAB

In his first season at UAB, Smith finished with 53 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. This past season in eight games, Smith amassed 22 tackles, nine for loss, 4.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and an interception.

Smith has the explosiveness, length and great agility to win around the edge and the ability to hold his own the run game. He needs to add some counter moves to be a more well-rounded player but with refinement, he could be a steal.

Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State

Earning first-team All-American honors in 2019, Rashed burst onto the scene in 2019. That season he amassed 62 total tackles, 14.0 sacks, and 22.5 tackles for loss. Despite a lack of production in his senior season, his tools still translate to the next level.

His pass-rush arsenal lacks variety, and his production is based more on effort and athleticism than technique. However, Rashed is only scratching the surface of his ability and shows the athleticism, competitive toughness and physical traits to be a productive NFL pass rusher.

Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma

Perkins had at least five sacks in every season and had a career-high 13.5 tackles for loss in 2019. He followed that up with arguably his best season in 2020.

In only six games, Perkins had 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for losses en route to being named Pro Football Focus’ second-best edge defender.

Perkins is a naturally gifted pass rusher, with an excellent first step, a very good ability to get up the arc and out-leverage tackles and closing burst, while showing great competitive toughness and physicality.

He doesn’t have the ideal length and he must improve his use of hands at the next level, but he is a guy who could be posting double-digit sacks in the NFL.

Shaka Toney, Penn State

Toney led the Nittany Lions this past season with five sacks and his 7.5 tackles for loss were second. In his 47-game Penn State career, Toney finished with 20.5 sacks, which was eighth on the program’s all-time list, and had five games with two or more sacks.

Overall, Toney is a twitchy & athletic pass rusher, who has the ideal profile to play in space as a 3-4 OLB. His ability to string pass rushing moves together, while utilizing his excellent quickness, cornering/flexibility at the top of the arc and speed in space is invaluable.

Senior Bowl: 10 defensive linemen for the Eagles to watch

Here are 10 defensive linemen for the Eagles to watch at the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles will face legit salary cap questions heading into the 2021 offseason and if the Birds move on from Brandon Graham or Derek Barnett, the defensive line could become a position of need.

The NFL draft starts in Mobile, and there are some heavyweight pass rushers and defensive linemen in attendance.

Here are 10 that Howie Roseman and company should keep an eye on.

Senior Bowl Players to Watch: Defense

Mark Schofield highlights some of the defensive players to watch at this week’s Senior Bowl.

As the NFL season winds down, the draft season heats up.

This year the draft process will be a bit different than in year’s past, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But the unofficial kickoff to draft season is upon us, the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

While this week usually gives teams a chance to see draft prospects up close over the course of a few days of practice, the circumstances of 2021 might mean the Senior Bowl takes on even more importance. With the NFL shelving the Scouting Combine, Senior Bowl Week is now the best chance for teams to get true face time with prospects before the draft, meaning those who have good weeks down in Mobile could truly improve their draft stock.

With that in mind, here are just some of the names I’ll be keeping a close eye on this week on the defensive side of the ball.

5 players to watch: Michigan football vs. Penn State

Michigan football attempts to start a winning streak as it takes on a winless Penn State team. What players should you watch closely?

[jwplayer YaOcRwS8-XNcErKyb]

Despite losing three games in a row, Michigan football finally got a victory last week as it defeated Rutgers in triple-overtime 48-42. With a 2-3 record, the Wolverines still have a chance to end its season with a record above .500 with four games left in the season. Michigan’s next opponent is its easiest one so far, against a winless Penn State Nittany Lions team.

Penn State is struggling like the Wolverines are, but it’s more extreme as the Nittany Lions haven’t been able to win a game this season, and they haven’t been playing the top teams all season long — save for Big Ten Week 2. Penn State started with a heartbreaking loss in overtime to Indiana and then took on Ohio State on the road. Its next three losses came to unexpected teams, Maryland, Nebraska, and Iowa. Penn State now will look to capture its first win of the year against a Michigan team that is not up to its standards.

Both teams look at this week’s game as a big moment for programs. For Penn State, can it finally capture its first win of the year? Is it able to take down Michigan in back-to-back seasons? For Michigan, can it obliterate a team it has no excuse to lose against? Could this win spark a late-season push?

Those questions and more will be answered on Saturday, but some players might need an extra set of eyes to watch out for when it comes to the action on the field. From two quarterbacks in the middle of controversy to an NFL ready player looking to build his resume for the draft, check out which five players you should pay attention to below.

Cardinals 2021 NFL Draft Profile: EDGE Shaka Toney

One player that would be a perfect fit for the future of the Cardinals’ edge rushing core is Penn State’s Shaka Toney.

Entering week seven of the NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals have started to get their momentum back, despite losing pass rusher Chandler Jones to a torn biceps, which ends his 2020 season. However, they did go out and trade for New York Giants edge rusher Markus Golden for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The Cardinals have talented edge rushers, but it is still an area of concern. They have Devon Kennard on a three-year deal and Jordan Phillips through the 2022 season. Markus Golden is only with the Cardinals through this season, and they need another player that possesses elite speed with a high motor. 

The Cardinals will have some talented edge rushers to choose from in the 2021 NFL Draft. One player that would be a perfect fit for the future of the Cardinals’ pass-rushing corps is Penn State’s Shaka Toney. 

Shaka Toney has a tremendous burst of speed and has the talent to be a key contributor for the Cardinals’ defense. The 6-foot-3 and 253-pound edge rusher has the athletic ability to make big plays out of nowhere, as he has done before. Toney plays with a high motor and uses his athleticism to his advantage. Penn State is without arguably one of the most talented prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft in Micah Parsons to an opt-out. They still have both Toney and Jayson Oweh as their top defensive stars. Last season, Toney recorded 40 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. The minute he stepped onto the field for the first time as a Nittany Lion, he was an immediate contributor. In 2017, Toney was named to the All-Freshman team by BTN.com, recording 17 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. Toney is one of the most impressive edge rushers in the Big Ten that should not be overlooked. 

Shaka Toney is an impressive talent. However, there are two traits that he will have to polish up. First, Toney’s technique is impressive, he just needs to stay consistent with it. He is powerful with his rip move, but there are times where he will rely too much on his athleticism, meaning he will play too high and is not as active with his hands as he should be. Toney can also be a bit of a high tackler at times. This is an area where he should not have too much of a problem polishing up, as he has been on his game before of being an efficient tackler. 

Shaka Toney has the talent to be a key contributor for the Arizona Cardinals. He possesses elite speed and athleticism that Vance Joseph will fall in love with. He has room to grow and with the loss of Micah Parsons to the NFL Draft, this is a big opportunity for Toney to take that big leap in his final season as a Penn State Nittany Lion.  

[vertical-gallery id=445148]

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Latest show:


Previous shows:


and