Zack Baun – Page 21 – Syndication Server

Giants trade back, select Mekhi Becton in latest NFL.com mock draft

The New York Giants trade back and select OT Mekhi Becton in latest NFL.com three-round mock draft.

In the latest NFL.com mock draft, analyst Chad Reuter has New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman doing something very uncharacteristic — trading back in the first round.

In Gettleman’s seven trips to the NFL Draft table, he’s never traded back. This year, with his pick — No. 4 overall — a hot ticket, he’ll be getting some offers to move back, and he’s going to have break precedent and pull the trigger.

In Reuter’s three-round mock, Gettleman flips picks in the first round with No. 5 Miami, picking up a second-round pick this year and a mid-rounder next year.

With the fifth pick, Reuter projects Gettleman will select massive Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton after Miami takes Oregon quarterback at No. 4. The first three players Reuter sees being selected are LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa (Washington Redskins) and Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young (Detroit Lions).

Becton over Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons? Why not? He’s a surer bet. Simmons might be the sexier pick here, but Becton fills a more pressing need and he’s do big and athletic he’ll be hard to pass up. Personally, I would have held out for one of Miami’s other two first-round picks (No. 18 or 26) instead of a second rounder.

In Round 2 at No. 36, the Giants snatch up Wisconsin edge rusher Zack Baun and Utah defensive tackle Leki Fotu at No. 56.

Defense, defense, defense. They need defense. Can’t really argue with this. Baun comes from a long list of solid Badger defenders and Fotu is a 6-foot-5, 335-pound specimen who ran a 5.15 40 at the Combine.

In Round 3, the Giants don’t have their pick (No. 68) having foolishly forked it over the Jets in the Leonard Williams deal, but Reuter has Big Blue grabbing Louisiana Tech cornerback Amik Robertson with the 101st pick, which is scheduled to be awarded to them when the league announces the compensatory draft picks.

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Seahawks Wire’s post-combine mock has team selecting EDGE

Everyone else is doing a mock draft, so why not us? Here is a look at what the Seattle Seahawks could do in the 2020 NFL draft.

The Seattle Seahawks, perhaps more than any other team in the NFL, are unpredictable when it comes to the NFL draft.

General manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll have a unique way of evaluating talent, and the team’s desire to trade down and collect more draft picks has benefited them quite a bit in the past – and is entirely on the table again in 2020.

With the combine over and Pro Day season in full-swing, I decided to take a shot on my first official mock draft of the season. Using The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator – which does not account for comp picks – I selected five players who I think could be realistic targets for the Seahawks this year, starting with a potential first round pass rusher.

Round 1, Pick No. 27: Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin

There are a whole lot of people who have been mocked to the Seahawks in the first round, mostly on the defensive side of the ball.

While this class is not nearly as deep at defensive end as the 2019 class was, Baun is one of many EDGE defenders who could find his way to Seattle at No. 27 overall.

Baun is projected as a better fit in 3-4 defensive sets, but his versatility all along the defensive line will appeal to coach Pete Carroll, and his twitchiness and explosiveness will make him a strong pass rusher in due time.

He still has some development to do, which could give Seattle pause, but there is a reason he has drawn comparisons to Clay Matthews. If he’s around at No. 27 overall, it will be hard for Seattle to pass him up.

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Prospect for the Pack: Wisconsin LB Zack Baun

Breaking down the fit of Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun, a potential prospect for the Packers in the 2020 NFL draft.

The Green Bay Packers must use the 2020 NFL Draft to provide the finishing touches on a team that won 13 regular-season games and got within one game of the Super Bowl during Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach.

Between now and the draft, Packers Wire will periodically break down one top prospect fitting the Packers’ roster needs.

Up next is Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun:

What he can do

– Fluid hips for a man his size; drops into the zone well

– Was asked to cover quite a bit for an edge rusher and played the part well; as a former quarterback at Brown Deer High School, Baun “sees” the field well in coverage and seems to intuit pass lanes

– A slick pass rusher with a variety moves, Baun shows clear hip flexibility to dip and turn the corner underneath and around the tackle

– Also keeps a variety of counter rushes in his toolbox, including an inside spin (which can be devastating for over-leveraged offensive tackles)

– Uses hands/arms well to create and maintain separation and leverage

– Doesn’t have ideal edge rusher size (6-2, 238), which is likely why scouts see him as an off-ball linebacker

– Speed is just OK but makes up for it with instincts and savvy; anticipation puts him in the right spot more often than not. Baun ran a 4.65 40 at the NFL combine last week. His speed on tape is fine but that isn’t how he’s going to “win” at the next level

– That said, though he’s not the fastest straight-line speed guy, Baun is still a heck of an athlete. Possesses fluid change-of-direction skills; plays within his center

– Like most Badgers, Baun’s a high-effort, to-the-whistle defender

– While speedier runners may elude him, Baun plays in control and tackles well; he may not have the sideline-to-sideline ability of Patrick Queen or Kenneth Murray, but he’s also more judicious with his leverage, which often means less missed tackles.

How he fits

Baun is a difficult fit for Green Bay. The Packers’ acute need for premier three-down off-ball linebacker and defensive signal-caller may not be what Baun is. At this point, his capacity to play off the ball and be productive is a bigger projection than, say, Patrick Queen or Kenneth Murray, the consensus top-two inside linebacker prospects. The Packers could roll the dice, but Mike Pettine would have to have a plan. He can rush, and he’s best along the edge in that capacity, but with Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, and Rashan Gary, drafting Baun as a strict edge player might be a frivolous luxury the team can ill afford. With that said, if the Packers play him as their off-ball linebacker on obvious passing downs and use him as an additional rover, a la Za’Darius Smith, but with a greater tendency to drop into coverage, then they’d have a front seven full of chameleons. The additional athleticism – Baun’s tape looks like an athletic upgrade over Blake Martinez – should also help against the run.

NFL comp

Wild as it is, some are floating Clay Matthews as Baun’s comp. Matthews plays with a bit more ferocity than Baun, but they’re close in size and are similarly-bendy athletes. Another logical comp is Kyle Van Noy, who has played on the edge and off the ball.

Where the Packers can get him

It would probably take the No. 30 pick in the first round to secure Baun, depending on how teams view him. The dearth of edge talent might push a team to push his value a bit higher, but his floor isn’t much lower than the beginning of the second round.

Previous Prospects for the Pack

WR Tee Higgins
LB Kenneth Murray
LB Patrick Queen
WR Jalen Reagor
WR Justin Jefferson
TE Harrison Bryant
WR Denzel Mims
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR/TE Chase Claypool

Zack Baun is a natural replacement for Browns for fellow Wisconsin LB Joe Schobert

Zach Baun is a natural replacement for Browns for fellow Wisconsin LB Joe Schobert, to whom he’s often compared

Now that the reality is sinking in that Joe Schobert won’t be back in Cleveland, it’s time to find his replacement in the Browns’ linebacking corps. One place GM Andrew Berry and the Browns could turn is the man who spent the last few seasons playing the same position Schobert did during his college days at Wisconsin, Zack Baun.

Baun is frequently compared to Schobert, and he embraces the similarities. They even had the same amount of tackles for loss (19.5) in their respective senior years at Wisconsin playing the attacking OLB role in the Badgers defense. Like Schobert, Baun transitioned to more of an off-ball LB role at the Senior Bowl and that figures to be his NFL position.

The former HS option quarterback mentioned in his combine interview that he’s talked to Schobert for advice and guidance as he follows the similar path to the NFL draft.

“Yeah, (Schobert) said the best thing for him was just diving into his playbook and learning it as much as you can from the older guys,” Baun said. “We from Wisconsin are smart enough and intelligent enough to make any transition it may be, and I think that’s why guys get a leg up being from Wisconsin because we run such an intricate scheme and just having that advantage going into the next level, whether you’re playing the same position you are or making a transition it’s pretty flawless.”

Baun also noted he borrowed elements of his game from another ex-Badger, T.J. Watt, who has remained in the pass-rush EDGE role they all played in Madison. Baun is more physically like Schobert, however; they’re within a half-inch and six pounds, although Baun timed faster at the combine in both the 40-yard dash (4.65 seconds) and 3-cone (7.0 seconds) drills than Schobert did in 2016.

Most projections have Baun coming off the board in the second or third rounds. Given his quick learning curve to playing defense and his impressive athleticism for the position, it’s worthwhile for Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski to strongly consider him to fill the hole vacated by his eerily similar predecessor.

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8 potential Ravens 1st-round draft targets that impressed at the 2020 NFL Combine

These eight players did enough at the 2020 NFL Combine to put themselves in the running for the Baltimore Ravens 1st-round pick in the draft

The 2020 NFL Combine has come and gone, leaving only free agency remaining before the 2020 NFL Draft. The Baltimore Ravens, like the rest of the league, will likely begin finetuning their draft boards with all the main measurements figured out. But which players impressed at the 2020 NFL Combine enough to have Baltimore potentially fall in love with them in the first round?

These eight players showed up on the field and could have raised their stock enough to see the Ravens select them with the No. 28 pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

There really wasn’t a consensus top running back in this draft class, meaning the 2020 NFL Combine could be the deciding factor. Taylor apparently understood that and showed up in a big way.

At 5-foot-10 and 226 pounds, Taylor put up the fastest 40-yard dash among the running backs, finishing in just 4.39 seconds. Taylor also posted the fourth-fastest 3-cone drill and sixth-fastest 20-yard shuttle from the running backs. He also put up a respectable 36-inch vertical jump and 123-inch broad jump as well.

Taylor has frequently been mocked to Baltimore in the first round and after his 2020 NFL Combine results, the Ravens could very well be swayed to make him their pick.

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Zack Baun’s Results in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

How did Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun do during the 2020 NFL scouting combine?

Entering the NFL draft combine Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun had the best chance of being the first Badger to hear his name called when the NFL draft begins on April 23rd in Las Vegas.

After partaking in the drills on Saturday he hasn’t done anything to prove why he shouldn’t hear his name called potentially on the first day of the draft.

Baun who’s projected to go late first-round registered a 4.65-second 40-yard dash time, which tied for 13th with Fresno State’s Mykal Walker. Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons led the way with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash.

Baun will have another chance to see if he can improve upon his 40-yard dash time when Wisconsin holds its pro day in March. But he could also be happy with his time in Indianapolis and elect not to run again.

Prior to running a solid 40-yard dash time Baun was able to put up 24 reps on the bench press at 225 pounds, which ranked third. A pair of fellow Big Ten linebackers in Michigan’s Khaleke Hudson and Michigan State’s Joe Bachie finished with 30 and 26 reps respectively to finish ahead of Baun.

Baun finished his senior season with 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks and with pass rushers in demand by NFL teams, Baun’s demonstration of speed and strength should help him continue to solidify himself as a potential first-round draft pick.

Baun also posted a 7-second time in the three-cone drill, which ranked fifth, and a 4.31-second in the 20-yard shuttle, which ranked 10th among linebackers.

12 players Giants should watch carefully at 2020 NFL Combine

Workout at the 2020 NFL Combine will begin on Thursday, and here’s a quick look at 12 players the New York Giants should watch carefully.

The 20202 NFL Combine is being held this week in Indianapolis and the New York Giants, holders of the No. 4 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, will be seeking their next class of presumptive stars.

What will they be looking for and what the rest of the football world believes they should be looking for are two distinct and separate things.

If I ran the Giants, I’d be looking specifically for two types of players first: ones that can make plays on defense and ones that can protect my young quarterback.

What is going through general manager Dave Gettleman’s mind is anyone’s guess. Like most, I’m under the assumption he knows what his team in lacking, but you can never tell with him. He falls in love with players and ends up reaching.

Here’s some players the Giants should be interested in this week.

Offensive Tackles

Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama (JR, 6’5″, 320 pounds)
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (JR, 6’5″, 320 pounds)
Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (JR, 6’7″, 369 pounds)
Tristan Wirfs, OT/OG, Iowa (JR, 6’5″, 322 pounds)

You can take them in any order you’d like. They all should be there at No. 4 when the Giants select. The favorite here is Becton, who is just so massive and imposing he’s hard to pass up. The question is can you trade down a few spots and still get one of these guys?

The answer is yes. Gettleman should trade back from No. 4 with a team looking for a quarterback, grab some draft capital and maybe take one of the above and perhaps one from the below list in Round 1:

Isaiah Simmons, Clemson (rJR, 6’4″, 225 pounds)
Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma (JR, 6’2″, 234 pounds)
Patrick Queen, LSU (JR, 6’1″, 227 pounds)
Zack Baun, Wisconsin (rSR, 6’3″, 240 pounds)
A.J. Epenesa, Iowa (JR, 6’6″, 280 pounds)
K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU (JR, 6’4″, 250 pounds)
Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State (JR, 6’5″, 264 pounds)
Terrell Lewis, Alabama (rJR, 6’5″, 258 pounds)

Any one of the above players would walk right onto the practice field in East Rutherford and take someone’s job Day 1. Simmons would be the optimal choice, but the Giants might have to stay at No. 4 to get him, pending his Combine performance.

I love Epenesa and Baun, but they aren’t Top 5 worthy. The rest could be mid-late first rounders or even second rounders, but I’m putting Becton, Simmons, Baun and Epenesa on my dance card. I’ll also be interested to see how Chaisson fares as well.

For those who are into the best available player theory, Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy and Ohio State defensive back Jeffrey Okudah are two players to watch.

Wisconsin Football at the 2020 NFL Combine

Zack Baun, Tyler Biadasz, Quintez Cephus, and Jonathan Taylor looking to improve their NFL Draft stock at the scouting combine.

With the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine occurring this week marks an important week for outside linebacker Zack Baun, center Tyler Biadasz, wide receiver Quintez Cephus, and running back Jonathan Taylor.

The four former Wisconsin products have important weeks ahead of them as they look to boost their NFL draft stocks in Indianapolis.

The testing won’t begin until February 27th as the first position groups that will work out in front of all 32 NFL teams will be the tight ends, quarterbacks, and wide receivers.

Of the four players invited to the NFL combine from Wisconsin Cephus has the most to prove and with a good week, he could see his draft projection go from a day three selection to possible day two pick despite the wide receiver draft class being deep.

Cephus will need to be able to ace his interviews with the NFL teams that he meets with and his 40-yard dash will also be important. If he does well in both of these areas he’ll move up on teams draft boards. Cephus certainly has the talent to have success in the NFL but his ability to prove that he can consistently create separation from NFL defensive backs will go a long way.

Friday will be Biadasz’s and Taylor’s day as the running backs, offensive line, placekickers, and special teams will perform.

Due to Wisconsin’s success in producing NFL offensive lineman will be a plus for NFL scouts. It also helps that Biadasz never missed a start during his career at Wisconsin as he won the Rimington Award this past season, which is given to the best center each year.

Biadasz checked in at 6’4″ and 314 pounds good size for a center as Biadasz currently is projected to go either in the second or third round. It will take an impressive combine for Biadasz to sneak into the first round as over the last five drafts only four centers have been taken in the first round as two were drafted in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Taylor like Cephus can boost his draft stock with a good time in the 40-yard dash. Taylor should have success in the other testing areas and he’ll interview well with NFL teams as his 40-yard dash time will either move him up in the draft and solidify himself as a second-round draft pick or move him down.

Baun will be the last Badgers to partake in the testing drills as he’ll compete on Saturday. Baun has the best chance of potentially moving into the first round. Baun had a strong week at the Senior Bowl and he’ll look to carry over his performance in Mobile to Indianapolis.

Wisconsin’s recent success of producing linebackers to the NFL in addition to Baun having a breakout senior season has led to him shooting up NFL draft boards.

As NFL teams are consistently looking for athletic pass rushers and if Baun can post some impressive numbers he could solidify himself to be the first Badger to hear his name called when the NFL Draft opens on April 23rd in Las Vegas.

2020 NFL draft: Why Zack Baun is a good fit for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks need more pass rushing off the edge, and Wisconsin’s Zack Baun could be the man to give it to them.

The Seattle Seahawks were among the worst pass rushing teams in the NFL last year, a fact they’ll need to rectify before the start of the 2020 season if they want to stay afloat in the competitive NFC West.

While this year’s draft class is not nearly as ripe with pass rushers as the 2019 class was, there is still impactful players to be found in the first few rounds.

One player who appears to be a good fit for the Seahawks is Wisconsin edge defender Zack Baun.

Baun has already been mocked to the Seahawks a handful of times this offseason, and it’s not hard to see why he could appeal to Pete Carroll and company.

Although some scouting reports believe he’s better suited as a 3-4 outside linebacker, Baun has shown the flexibility to move around all seven frontline spots – a trait that always appeals to Carroll. He could line up as a SAM linebacker if needed, and could also rush off the edge on obvious passing downs.

Baun’s burst, athleticism, power, and variety of counters allow him to get to the quarterback quickly, which would give Seattle what they desperately need as soon as next season.

He probably needs to add mass in order to be an effective every down defender – as his run defense doesn’t project to be great at the next level – but if the Seahawks are looking for a rookie to come in and immediately get to the quarterback, using a second round pick on Baun is the perfect plan.

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5 EDGE prospects Bears should watch at NFL Scouting Combine

While defense isn’t the overwhelming concern for the Bears this offseason, but edge rusher still needs to be addressed.

While defense isn’t the overwhelming concern for the Bears this offseason, there are still position groups that need to be addressed, among them edge rusher.

Khalil Mack remains a force, despite a statistical dropoff in 2019, but the Bears need to find an edge rusher opposite Mack to really breathe life back into the pass rush. While Leonard Floyd remains on the roster — he’s due to make $13.2 million in 2020 — can the Bears justify retaining Floyd with his lack of production?

With that said, here are five edge rusher prospects the Bears should watch at the NFL Scouting Combine next week:

1. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State

The Bears need someone opposite Khalil Mack that can take advantage of one-on-one opportunities, and perhaps Penn State edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos is the guy for the job. Gross-Matos has a reputation for getting after the football and making plays, especially in pursuit. In the last two years at Penn State, he had 34.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks.

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