Tag: Zack Baun

Bengals’ website says Zack Baun is the No. 33 pick in new mock draft

A new mock draft says the Cincinnati Bengals get Zack Baun at No. 33.

[jwplayer Emo6EFkO-ThvAeFxT]

Edge defenders continue to be a big point of speculation for the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 33 in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

And the newest — and most notable — mock draft features Wisconsin edge rusher Zack Baun as the pick.

Here’s a blurb of the explanation from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:

“This is certainly a need pick here. A no-brainer, you’d think.

Yes, in the first 2020 Bengals.com Media Mock Draft before the NFL scouting combine, we went with a SAM backer- type in Alabama’s Terrell Lewis, a Senior Bowler the Bengals coached for the South.”

The line of thinking is simple and could easily be what we see play out late this week. Cincinnati needs to improve its rotational pass rush, needs more versailtiy for its diverse front and could have a first-round grade on Baun.

Baun could slip to the second round in normal circumstances given the strength of the draft class in other areas. But it’s worth noting Baun tested positive for a diluted sample at the combine, which could play a part.

Speaking of the strength of the class, if Baun is the pick at No. 33, there will be plenty of quality wideout targets in the third round if things unfold like this.

“Do you hate this? Love it? Want to share your thoughts on this article? Sound off in the Bengals Wire forum!”

[vertical-gallery id=30975]

Multiple Badgers included in USA TODAY’s NFL Draft position rankings

Find out where former Badgers land in USA TODAY DraftWire’s final position rankings before draft day

Earlier today, our friends at DraftWire put out top 20 rankings by position for the upcoming NFL Draft.

Multiple Badgers across a wide variety of positions were included. Jonathan Taylor led the way for the running backs as the top overall ranked prospect at his position. The two-time Doak Walker Award winner was followed by Georgia’s D’Andre Swift and fellow Big Ten star J.K. Dobbins out of Ohio State. It would certainly be a surprise to not see Taylor as the first running back off the board come draft day. The question remains as to whether he is taken in round one on Thursday or has to wait until Friday to hear his name called.

Chris Orr, a player who has seen his stock rapidly rise after a sensational senior season followed by a solid Wisconsin pro day, was ranked as the tenth best linebacker. The rankings considered Badger ‘backer Zack Baun as an “edge defender,” and had the Brown Deer (Wisc.) native listed as the sixth best overall prospect at that position.

Former Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz was listed as the eighth best interior offensive lineman. Expect the 6-3 lineman to be the third Badger off the board, after Baun and Taylor respectively.

Rounding out the Badger appearances in USA TODAY’s rankings was wide receiver Quintez Cephus, who clocked in as the 18th overall prospect at his position. After a strong Wisconsin pro day performance where Cephus improved his 40-yard dash time from 4.73 at the combine to 4.58 on pro day, the Georgia native will hope to hear his name called near the end of this weekend.

 

An update and analysis on where former Badgers land in The Athletic’s latest mock draft

NFL Draft writer Dane Brugler of the Athletic released his 2020 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 last week and sees four former Badgers being selected…

[lawrence-newsletter]

NFL Draft writer Dane Brugler of the Athletic released his 2020 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 last week and sees four former Badgers being selected during next week’s event.

The four, to no surprise, are linebacker Zack Baun, running back Jonathan Taylor, center Tyler Biadasz and wide receiver Quintez Cephus.

What is a slight surprise, though, is where Brugler slotted some of the Badger products to go.

Here is an overview of where the mock draft has the four players, an analysis of whether the selections make sense and a look at their potential fits with those teams.

 

Zack Baun: 28th overall (1st round) to the Baltimore Ravens

This would be the best-case scenario for both Baun and the Ravens come draft day.

I went on the Locked on Badgers podcast yesterday and discussed the potential best landing spots for the Badgers entering the draft. When the topic shifted to Baun, the Ravens were my clear choice.

Baun brings valuable versatility to the table in addition to clearly being a stellar pass rusher. This fit would see Baun land in Baltimore on a defense headlined by Earl Thomas III, Calais Campbell, Matthew Judon, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and more.

One of the Ravens’ only needs in this draft is a pass rusher, a role Baun would fill tremendously as he would join a stellar defense, outlined above, that would put both him and the team in a position to succeed right away.

 

Jonathan Taylor: 35th overall (2nd round) to the Detroit Lions

This one does not make as much sense to me.

First of all, the Lions have a fine backfield set for 2020 with Kerryon Johnson, Bo Scarborough and Ty Johnson. Adding Taylor to this group would definitely be an upgrade but would also come at the peril of missing an obvious opportunity to fill the holes the team has at cornerback, pass rusher, interior defensive line, safety and more.

This selection would represent a fine fit from the former Badger running back’s perspective as the Lions have a solid offensive line, a good quarterback and an above-average overall offense when key pieces are healthy, something which wasn’t the case in 2019.

In total, though, the Lions have much more significant needs than running back and I don’t see it likely that they use the 35th overall pick on Taylor.

Side note: the mock draft has Taylor as the second running back off the board after Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins is selected at No. 26 by the Miami Dolphins.

 

Tyler Biadasz: 113th overall (4th round) to the Carolina Panthers

Brugler’s mock draft has the Panthers addressing their weaknesses at linebacker, cornerback and defensive line in the first three rounds before selecting Biadasz to sure-up their offensive line in round four.

I like this selection by the Panthers and like how Biadasz fits in Carolina, especially given running back Christian McCaffrey‘s new contract and how significant he is to the offense.

The former Badger would join an offensive line that ranked 18th in the NFL last season and would likely battle for the starting job with the team’s current center Matt Paradis, a guy who dropped off in 2019 after finding success in the beginning of his career and finished the season having allowed a position-high 47 quarterback pressures according to ProFootballFocus.

 

Quintez Cephus: 228th overall (7th round) to the Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons would be an ideal landing spot for Cephus, even if he has to wait until the seventh round to go there.

The former Badgers is from Macon, Georgia, about an hour outside of Atlanta, and would be a worthy flier for the Falcons to take with one of their late picks.

The current Falcons depth chart sees Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley at No. 1 and 2 respectively, but no sure thing after them. While a No. 3 receiver isn’t a glaring need for the team, aiming at a guy like Cephus in the late rounds would be a low-risk, high-reward plan to fill that role.

Cephus no doubt has the talent to make an NFL roster, and were it to be with the Falcons having Matt Ryan as his quarterback to begin his career would be great news for Cephus’ chances at sticking in the league.

 

The NFL Draft begins this upcoming Thursday night and will conclude on Saturday.

2020 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals team preview

Everything Cincinnati Bengal fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft

Everything Cincinnati Bengal fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.

VITALS

Head Coach: Zac Taylor

General Manager: Michael Brown

2019 Record: 2-14

2020 DRAFT PICKS

1 (1)

2 (33)

3 (65)

4 (107)

5 (147)

6 (180)

7 (215)

TEAM NEEDS

Quarterback

It all begins and ends at the quarterback position and for the Cincinnati Bengals it is no different. For the better part of the last five months, one name has been linked to the team more than any other. With the first selection, they should select Joe Burrow to be their new franchise-leading man. The Andy Dalton era has passed and now the Bengals can get behind Burrow as they try and rebuild the roster.

Offensive Line

After finding their new face of the franchise, the next focus should be on protecting that quarterback. The teams really could use an upgrade at both right guard and right tackle. Plenty of players in the upcoming draft to do so when the time comes but if they want to return to the playoffs in the near future, those two spots need attention.

Linebacker

Most NFL defenses spend the majority of their time in nickel and other sub packages, which makes athleticism a must for today’s linebackers, given the extra ground they have to cover in the middle of the field. That athleticism is lacking among Cincy’s current linebacker group, and they should look to address that in the early rounds with someone like LSU’s Patrick Queen or Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray.

TOP TARGETS

Joe Burrow | QB | Louisiana State

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Ezra Cleveland | OT | Boise State

Zack Baun | LB | Wisconsin

Patrick Queen | LB | LSU

Jalen Reagor | WR | Texas Christian

[vertical-gallery id=616154]

Locked On Badgers Podcast: Badgers NFL Draft preview and more with BadgersWire staff writer Ben Kenney

Asher and Ben talk the NFL Draft, the Greg Gard era, and reminisce on memories of going to games as Wisconsin students.

The Locked On Badgers Podcast is a daily Wisconsin basketball and football podcast bringing you short-form, daily coverage of Badgers sports Monday through Friday. On today’s episode, BadgersWire staff writer Ben Kenney joins Asher to talk NFL Draft, Greg Gard, and tell some sports stories from his time as a UW-Madison student.

You can listen to Locked On Badgers Monday through Friday wherever you get your podcasts.

Wisconsin LB Zack Baun has unusual explanation for testing positive for a diluted sample

Wisconsin LB Zack Baun has unusual explanation for testing positive for a diluted sample and it probably rules him out from the Lions

Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun gets a fair amount of run as a potential Detroit Lions target in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s a player often mocked to the Lions at No. 35 overall and played quite well for Matt Patricia and the Detroit coaches during Senior Bowl week in January.

The Lions might have some pause with Baun after the linebacker revealed on Tuesday that he tested positive for a diluted urine sample at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. But it’s not what you might think…

Baun wrote a letter to all 32 NFL teams explaining that he consumed a hefty amount of water in order to boost his weigh-in weight. Baun’s biggest issue in many scouts’ eyes is a lack of mass, and he weighed in at 238 pounds. Baun was 240 at the Senior Bowl weigh-in.

That’s a bigger concern for the Lions than it will be for some other teams. Detroit’s defense has consistently favored heavier LBs, and his lack of size almost certainly prevents Baun from playing as a full-time EDGE or JACK with the Lions. Needing to load up on water weight to get to a figure that’s still too light for the Lions’ metrics seems to disqualify Baun from Detroit’s consideration.

[lawrence-related id=41367]

Mel Kiper’s mock draft has Patriots selecting LB at 23rd overall

The New England Patriots may take a linebacker with the 23rd overall pick according to a mock draft from Mel Kiper Jr.

The NFL Draft is almost here, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper selected a linebacker for the New England Patriots in his latest mock draft. He selected Zack Baun out of Wisconsin with New England’s 23rd overall pick.

Baun had a stellar season statistically last year for the Wisconsin Badgers, recording 12.5 sacks and 19.5 total tackles for a loss. Baun was third on the Badgers last season with 76 tackles. That is certainly not a knock on him, as Wisconsin had a very capable group of linebackers.

As Kiper noted in his draft, New England could use depth at the position with the losses of Jamie Collins, Elandon Roberts, and Kyle van Noy in the offseason. Along with depth, age is also an issue at the position.

Dont’a Hightower is 30 years old and is entering his ninth season. He is still a productive player, recording 71 tackles last season, but he could certainly use help at the linebacker position. Kiper addresses some of the departures in his breakdown.

“It’s really tough to predict what Bill Belichick is going to do in a draft, but we know that he likes versatile front-seven pieces,” Kiper wrote. “That’s Baun, who broke out for the Badgers last season with 12.5 sacks and 19.5 total tackles for loss. The Patriots lost linebackers Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts in free agency, so Baun fills a need. Since it appears New England is happy with Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer at quarterback, I’ll stay away from that position.”

New England certainly has a lot of holes to fill. The linebacker position is one of them. Due to their lack of depth, this could be a position they focus on. The Patriots have several ways they can use their first-round pick. With Bill Belichick being a defensive-minded coach, picking a linebacker in the first round does not seem like that much of a stretch. Baun brings the physicality and athleticism that New England typically looks for in a linebacker,

[vertical-gallery id=83044]

Seahawks select linebacker in Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 6.0

In his “how I’d do it” mock draft, Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield believes the Seattle Seahawks should select linebacker Zach Baun.

Touchdown Wire’s mock draft 6.0 is a little different than the first five, with analyst Mark Schofield calling it his “how I’d do it” version if he was the general manager of each team calling the shots.

As of now, the Seahawks hold the No. 27 pick in the first round of April’s draft. Barring a trade, Schofield believes Seattle should linebacker Zach Baun out of Wisconsin in the first round.

“A quiet area of need for the Seattle Seahawks is up front on the defensive side of the football,” Schofield writes. “They did bring Bruce Irvin back in free agency, and there are hopes that they can re-sign Jadeveon Clowney as well, but even if Clowney does return, pass-rush is still a question mark.”

“Zack Baun was listed as a linebacker on the Wisconsin Badgers’ depth chart but is is a versatile player in the mold of Kyle Van Noy,” Schofield continues. “You could see him set the edge on first down, run with a slot receiver on second down, and collapse the pocket off the edge on third down. He can give the Seahawks another pass-rushing piece, while also giving them a Swiss Army knife type of defender they can utilize in a variety of ways. As a pass-rusher, he displays an impressive set of tools, including a solid dip/rip combination, but he was also solid in coverage for the Badgers. Pete Carroll and Co. will find lots of creative ways to employ him on Sundays.”

The NFL virtual draft is set to kick off on April 23.

[lawrence-related id=59186]

Zack Baun tests positive for a diluted combine sample, but will it have a major impact on his draft stock?

Will it have a major impact on his draft stock?

Badger linebacker Zack Baun recently told all 32 NFL teams that he has tested positive for a diluted sample at the combine per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter via Twitter. The Wisconsin native blamed the test on drinking too much water before his combine weigh-in:

The impact of the positive test will be relatively unknown until draft day, although a recent rule change in the NFL CBA may help the former Badger star according to Schefter.

Baun is currently projected to be as high as a late-first round pick, with a floor of being taken in the late-second round. Time will tell if the positive test has a major impact on his draft position, but the new CBA will certainly help lessen the effects of this.

Scouting breakdown: The 11 best edge rushers in the NFL draft

More than ever, it’s important for defenses to bring pressure. Here are the best edge-rushers in the 2020 draft class.

The argument over which defensive asset — coverage or pass rush — is more important in the modern NFL is a fascinating one. One could say that in an era where a lot of teams are playing more than 75% of their snaps with at least five defensive backs on the field at all times, and others double down with at least six on more than 40% of their snaps, coverage is obviously the superior factor.

One could also say that with so many defensive backs on the field against three- and four-receiver base sets, getting a pass rush going with four defensive linemen and a handful of smart blitzers is the order of the day. After all, it doesn’t matter how many defensive backs you have on the field and how good they are — if they have to cover their receivers for five seconds because your pass-rushers can’t get home, your defense is in big trouble.

In the 2020 draft class, there are all kinds of edge-rushers with all kinds of responsibilities. Here are the 11 best as we see them.

1. Chase Young, Ohio State

(Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)

Height: 6’5″ Weight: 264
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Bio: Young started high school as an undersized quarterback, switching to defensive end and tight end once he saw a growth spurt. By his senior season, he’d earned Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year honors with 118 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 19 sacks and five forced fumbles. Offers came from just about every major program in the country, but after a flirtation with Maryland, he chose Ohio State, following in the footsteps of Joey and Nick Bosa as top-shelf Buckeye edge-rushers. He put up 98 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, and 30.5 sacks in three seasons at Ohio State, though there were some concerns about the three-game sackless streak at the end of his collegiate career against Michigan, Wisconsin, and Clemson, Young had a ready answer for that at the scouting combine.

“I had a lot of quarterback hits, a lot of pressures. If you understand football, you would see that. You’ll see how they changed their whole offensive game plan for one guy. A lot of people might not know how to really study a tape or may not know how to watch football, but if you know football,  I made an impact in those games.

“Being the best defensive end isn’t about sacks, it’s about being the most disruptive player on the field. You can do that without having a sack.”

As I wrote during the combine, Young was absolutely correct about this. He was a top disruptor throughout the entire season, and he projects to be the same type of weapon at the NFL level very quickly.

Stat to Know: Young recorded a preposterous 75 total pressures in 2018, and while his opportunities were relatively limited in 2019, he still had 56 pressures in just 320 pass-rushing snaps (as opposed to 470 the year before).

Strengths: True field-flipping defender who forces opposing offenses to design their game plans around avoiding him. Has ideal first-step quickness to set tackles on edge and prime wins through the arc to the pocket. Turns the corner to the pocket with excellent bend and power. Strong enough to disable blockers when he gets his hands into their chests. Maintains his speed through the pocket to work mobile quarterbacks. Has a nice array of moves from bull-rush to swim and club/rip that can be developed more specifically at the NFL level. Sorts and sifts through multiple blockers to get where he wants to go. Spies the quarterback through the snap and has an innate sense of how to create pressure from broken plays. Adept enough with his feet to do a decent job in short coverage. Works gaps more than he uses a true inside counter, but has the tools to make it work.

Weaknesses: Young needs a more complete plan when he heads wide and gets beaten. Inside counter isn’t developed as it needs to be. Needs better awareness for run plays, zone reads, and misdirection when he’s pinning his ears back. Redirection reaction can be a problem at times, though the recovery speed is obviously there. Wins more on pure athleticism and power than advanced traits, though he’s well on his way.

Conclusion: The question of whether Yonng is the best and/or most valuable defensive player in this draft class is a fascinating one, and probably highly reliant on whether you think pressure or coverage is more important at the NFL level. There are those who might prefer cornerback Jeff Okudah, Young’s Ohio State teammate, because Okudah brings a lockdown man-coverage mentality that’s as worthy of franchise consideration as any non-quarterback skill set. But if you’re looking for an edge defender with an obvious and easily transferable ability to terrorize quarterbacks at the NFL level, look no further. Young is a different player than either of the Bosa brothers, but he certainly looks to have the same type of potential.

NFL Comparison: Aldon Smith. Smith was an absolute force as a pass-rusher before off-field issues unfortunately wrecked his athletic potential. But when Smith was on his game, he had the same combination of size, explosive speed, and unusual power that allowed him to total 33.5 sacks in 2011 and 2012 — the most for any NFL player in his first two seasons since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Young absolutely has the ability to make the same kind of impact, and has All-Pro potential especially if he cleans up a few non-pass rush issues that will make him a more complete player.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11