Too Early 2016 Prospect Watch

[allblackraven]

I finally got around watching little bit of Carl Lawson tape and I must say I'm not too sure about him. Looks to me like he's trying to play too much using strength rather than technique. He'll definitely benefit from the NFL gym work.

 

The funny thing I noticed watching his tape was that I was more often than not drawn to McKinzy. Kind of the exact same thing I got with Dupree/Smith and Ray/Golden.

 

If I had to chose today, I'd take Ngakoue over him without much hesitation.

[JoeyFlex5]

I finally got around watching little bit of Carl Lawson tape and I must say I'm not too sure about him. Looks to me like he's trying to play too much using strength rather than technique. He'll definitely benefit from the NFL gym work.

The funny thing I noticed watching his tape was that I was more often than not drawn to McKinzy. Kind of the exact same thing I got with Dupree/Smith and Ray/Golden.

If I had to chose today, I'd take Ngakoue over him without much hesitation.

you're certain you aren't getting Carl confused for Shaq right? Edited January 2, 2016 by JoeyFlex5

[allblackraven]

you're certain you aren't getting call2 confused for Shaq right?

Lol. I am - watched Auburn vs Ole Miss and L'ville

[JoeyFlex5]

Watch, treadwells gonna mess around and end up in Cleveland playing bowl games like that

[JoeyFlex5]

Lol. I am - watched Auburn vs Ole Miss and L'ville

well relying on strength has never once looked like a concern for him in my eyes, that sounds like the other lawson.

[sflegend89]

Treadwell is a stud, pairing him up with Perriman/Aiken is a very exciting thought. Would love to see what Trestman could do with that trio. You could make the argument for Stanley in that spot as well assuming there's no VH3/Ramsey. While we could use Stanley more than Treadwell from a positional need standpoint I just feel better about Treadwell as a player. 

Edited January 2, 2016 by sflegend89

[Wildabeast88]

I didn't get to watch every play (and will probably do so later on), but outside a couple of plays, every time I looked Ogbah got manhandled by Tunsil today.

Yeah Tunsil owned him

[JoeyFlex5]

this is a good weekend for ravens fans who follow the draft, a lot of realistic prospects for us have separated themselves in one way or another. if i were to make an overly realistic board of possible picks that assumes every team ahead of us tries to crush our dream, then most of the players on that board would be playing this weekend. 

 

treadwell 

alexander 

hargreaves 

floyd

ogbah 

buckner

stanley

 

basically everyone on my radar minus maybe a few who i cant think of atm. if floyd has a strong game today then i think ill be ready to hop on board, ive slowly began to appreciate him again and what he can offer for this team, if no big time prospects fall to us then he seriously should get some consideration, his explosiveness and incredible movement skills will be just what the doctor ordered for our pass rush, and he plays with an intense but not stupid swagger. buckner is another guy whos been flying under the radar and hes grown on me a bit, as much as i hate to say it.

 

also some 2nd round guys like king, kearse, nassib, calhoun, apple, michael thomas, darron lee, jonathan allen, are all some guys who we can look at this weekend. 

[JoeyFlex5]

Lol. I am - watched Auburn vs Ole Miss and L'ville

i just went back and watched that film.. this is the best OT probably in the last decade were talking about, and lawson ran circles around him, beat him off the snap, had him on his heels, took the inside, took the edge, pretty much at will, and went to work on tunsils chest with some good and violent hands, if it wasnt for the ole miss qb making some absolute freak moves to avoid those rushes then lawson may have had 2 more sacks on that already impressive day. yeah man im just not seeing what youre talking about lol, this film is just confirming everything ive thought about him, which is that hes the most well rounded and natural 3-4 OLB in this class.

[GrimCoconut]

I love what I've seen from Carl Lawson after watching him. He's got great bend and he's got really great explosion off the ball and uses his hands so well. Negatives I saw were obviously his torn ACL is a major concern, he's not great in coverage, and his instincts aren't always the best to set the edge. Still, this guy understands how to get to the QB.

I think Bosa, Carl Lawson and Yannick Ngakoue are the top 3 OLB in this class and I may actually like the latter two better for this team than even Bosa. Still, really top talents here imo. I don't think I'd pass on Lawson just because of injuries. He tore an ACL and injured his hip flexor. These aren't exceptionally alarming injuries but I'd hate to pass on another Stefon Diggs because injuries scared us away.

[January J]

Watch, treadwells gonna mess around and end up in Cleveland playing bowl games like that

hey it's definitely a possibility , esp if they finally part ways with gordon. I can't see them using the second overall pick on a receiver esp considering who will be on the board but they have done much stranger things.

Treadwell drew a lot of anquan boldin comparisons yesterday.

[Mt. Crushmore]

Glad to see all you guys coming around on Lawson

 

That guy just hasn't been used much in Alabama offense but match-up nightmare is a perfect description.

 

Definitely underutilized in the Alabama offense 

[52520Andrew]

Lol. I am - watched Auburn vs Ole Miss and L'ville

Can't comment on the L'ville game but Lawson had 2 plays where he clearly won against Tunsil in the Ole Miss game. He had a couple others you could argue went his way as well. Most of his plays were on the right side though where he won and I did not see him getting stops in the run game.

[nishadrahman13]

this is a good weekend for ravens fans who follow the draft, a lot of realistic prospects for us have separated themselves in one way or another. if i were to make an overly realistic board of possible picks that assumes every team ahead of us tries to crush our dream, then most of the players on that board would be playing this weekend.

treadwell

alexander

hargreaves

floyd

ogbah

buckner

stanley

basically everyone on my radar minus maybe a few who i cant think of atm. if floyd has a strong game today then i think ill be ready to hop on board, ive slowly began to appreciate him again and what he can offer for this team, if no big time prospects fall to us then he seriously should get some consideration, his explosiveness and incredible movement skills will be just what the doctor ordered for our pass rush, and he plays with an intense but not stupid swagger. buckner is another guy whos been flying under the radar and hes grown on me a bit, as much as i hate to say it.

also some 2nd round guys like king, kearse, nassib, calhoun, apple, michael thomas, darron lee, jonathan allen, are all some guys who we can look at this weekend.

I actually see Floyd as a run and cover linebacker more than a pure pass rusher. More of a Jaylon Smith than a Bosa. And until he puts some weight on, I don't see that changing. His body type is a ton like Barkevious Mingo and that scares me.

[nishadrahman13]

i just went back and watched that film.. this is the best OT probably in the last decade were talking about, and lawson ran circles around him, beat him off the snap, had him on his heels, took the inside, took the edge, pretty much at will, and went to work on tunsils chest with some good and violent hands, if it wasnt for the ole miss qb making some absolute freak moves to avoid those rushes then lawson may have had 2 more sacks on that already impressive day. yeah man im just not seeing what youre talking about lol, this film is just confirming everything ive thought about him, which is that hes the most well rounded and natural 3-4 OLB in this class.

Yeah, these two games are what really clinched it for me. Even when Ole Miss's qb was putting some moves on, Lawson was disrupting the entire offense. I'll take one sack and five pressures over two sacks and nothing else all day. Being a pass rusher is about constantly creating chaos, and he did that like a boss.

[Mt. Crushmore]

Can't comment on the L'ville game but Lawson had 2 plays where he clearly won against Tunsil in the Ole Miss game. He had a couple others you could argue went his way as well. Most of his plays were on the right side though where he won and I did not see him getting stops in the run game.

 

He didn't play much in the Louisville game but he had a lot of hurries/hits 

[JoeyFlex5]

Glad to see all you guys coming around on Lawson

 

 

Definitely underutilized in the Alabama offense 

lawson has been my top 3-4 OLB basically since day 1. hes the most perfect fit for what we look for in a OLB

[Cillmatic]

Hearing people say that Ramsey blitzed more than he covered.

[JoeyFlex5]

I actually see Floyd as a run and cover linebacker more than a pure pass rusher. More of a Jaylon Smith than a Bosa. And until he puts some weight on, I don't see that changing. His body type is a ton like Barkevious Mingo and that scares me.

i see him as a very moveable and dangerous piece, i agree with the jaylon smith comparison but i also think his pass rush is far superior but his coverage isnt on the same level, love his instincts, explosion, motor and swagger though. if we were fond of mcphee here, we would go insane over floyd, with the right dc he will be an absolute nightmare, he needs to be mobilized, he cant just pin his ears back every play, he needs to be used like an attack dog and stunted and dropped back in a zone blitz, he can be a guy who gets 9-10 sacks and 2 int's annually if used right. 

 

put it this way, if chuckstrong comes back and we took floyd at some point, he would have a big stupid grin on his face thinking of the possibilities. honestly pees would probably use him really well too.

[nishadrahman13]

i see him as a very moveable and dangerous piece, i agree with the jaylon smith comparison but i also think his pass rush is far superior but his coverage isnt on the same level, love his instincts, explosion, motor and swagger though. if we were fond of mcphee here, we would go insane over floyd, with the right dc he will be an absolute nightmare, he needs to be mobilized, he cant just pin his ears back every play, he needs to be used like an attack dog and stunted and dropped back in a zone blitz, he can be a guy who gets 9-10 sacks and 2 int's annually if used right.

put it this way, if chuckstrong comes back and we took floyd at some point, he would have a big stupid grin on his face thinking of the possibilities. honestly pees would probably use him really well too.

Agree with the better pass rush but worse coverage. I am not opposed to him, but he isn't at the top of my choices. Carl Lawson and Treadwell are better players imo. But he's a fun chess piece no doubt.

[ravensnick]

In watching the Ohio State/Notre Dame game:

 

Bosa had a stupid hit and then got ejected. He was making his presence felt before hand. I have him as my number three prospect, below Tunsil and Stanley.

 

Darron Lee from Ohio State really impressed me. Incredible Athlete with great instincts. He had a pair of sacks that both greatly impacted the game, as well as the game winning forced fumble. He looked like a first rounder. 

 

Ezekiel Elliot continue to prove to be the top running back in the draft. If he tests well at the combine, I could see him going top 10 like Gurley. If its a little more average, he is a top 20 lock in my book. He is a strong runner, but unlike Derrick Henry, he can create his own holes and has very good breakaway speed. He is also a great asset in the passing game, and a very talented pass blocker. 

 

Jaylon Smith's injury could lower his stock to the second round. I liked him, but I didn't get the top 10 buzz. I like Myles Jack and Reggie Ragland a little bit better than him. 

 

Braxton Miller is an enigma. I feel he was drastically under used by OSU this year and he has the talent to be a really good player in the NFL. Probably a early 4th round type, maybe a third rounder based on the combine.

 

Ronnie Stanley didn't get his test against Bosa and had some false starts. Besides that, he did rather well.

 

Sheldon Day didn't make waves, but didn't get pushed around. He looks like a 3rd rounder to me.

 

Taylor Decker is an imposing figure at 6'8", but he is going to have to play RT in the NFL. He should be a mid-late first rounder. 

 

Micheal Thomas looked pretty good, but a really bad dropped touchdown after he burned his man one on one gives me concerns about his hands. He looks like a fringe first rounder, who will likely benefit from a weaker WR class.

 

Nick Varnett shined when given the chance, unfortunately, OSU uses their TEs primarily as blockers. He interests me as a mid round pick in a very weak TE class. 

 

Cole Luke had a solid game and I think he is one of the more underrated CBs in college. He played better than Russell the whole year. His height is a problem, however. 

 

Apple, Bell, and Powell make a fearsome trio in the Bucks secondary that result in Garveon Conley getting picked on a good bit. All three look like second rounders at least.

Edited January 2, 2016 by ravensnick

[ravensnick]

I'm mixed on Carl Lawson. If he went back to school and didn't get hurt, he'd be a high first rounder. If he gets hurt again, he might not be a late day guy. Right now, he is a mid-late second rounder IMO. 

Edited January 2, 2016 by ravensnick

[JoeyFlex5]

Agree with the better pass rush but worse coverage. I am not opposed to him, but he isn't at the top of my choices. Carl Lawson and Treadwell are better players imo. But he's a fun chess piece no doubt.

he put on a ton of pressure against ark today. He was asked to pass rush on maybe 1/4 snaps and he was In the qbs face nearly every time, and that wasnt even on blitzes, just pinning his ears back and taking on the OT. I really think he's gonna be dangerous. I never thought highly of Jordan or mingo or any of those overrated athletes posing as linebackers, but I think Floyd is just in another league from them, the true skill and smarts is much more apparent for him. I think he compares more to a von Miller or Bruce Irvin than those other guys named.

[GrimCoconut]

he put on a ton of pressure against ark today. He was asked to pass rush on maybe 1/4 snaps and he was In the qbs face nearly every time, and that wasnt even on blitzes, just pinning his ears back and taking on the OT. I really think he's gonna be dangerous. I never thought highly of Jordan or mingo or any of those overrated athletes posing as linebackers, but I think Floyd is just in another league from them, the true skill and smarts is much more apparent for him. I think he compares more to a von Miller or Bruce Irvin than those other guys named.

Bruce Irvin may be the best comparison.

[JoeyFlex5]

Bruce Irvin may be the best comparison.

I've always compared him to Bruce irvin In Terms of edge rushing, but I think his ceiling is much higher because he is actually very solid in pass coverage. I really think that he would change this defense, we have more than enough of a meatshield up front to keep him running wild

[nishadrahman13]

I've always compared him to Bruce irvin In Terms of edge rushing, but I think his ceiling is much higher because he is actually very solid in pass coverage. I really think that he would change this defense, we have more than enough of a meatshield up front to keep him running wild

As long as he's running wild and free, he'll be a stud. He also brings to mind Alec Ogletree of the Rams, except more of a pass rusher than a MLB. Floyd brings up a lot of NFL names.

[JoeyFlex5]

As long as he's running wild and free, he'll be a stud. He also brings to mind Alec Ogletree of the Rams, except more of a pass rusher than a MLB. Floyd brings up a lot of NFL names.

he draws a ton of comparisons because he has strong capabilities in so many different areas

[nishadrahman13]

he draws a ton of comparisons because he has strong capabilities in so many different areas

Fair enough, I see that. Yet I still think our biggest issue on defense is pass rush. We'll see how the dice fall; if he's the BPA, I'd be happy to have him.

[allblackraven]

i just went back and watched that film.. this is the best OT probably in the last decade were talking about, and lawson ran circles around him, beat him off the snap, had him on his heels, took the inside, took the edge, pretty much at will, and went to work on tunsils chest with some good and violent hands, if it wasnt for the ole miss qb making some absolute freak moves to avoid those rushes then lawson may have had 2 more sacks on that already impressive day. yeah man im just not seeing what youre talking about lol, this film is just confirming everything ive thought about him, which is that hes the most well rounded and natural 3-4 OLB in this class.

 

I want to see pass rusher get more to the QB and actually make sacks. That would be a sign that he can at least apply pressure at next level. I don't think he lacks in technique but he is not consistently using it. To me he definitely lacks in speed as well. I also want to see him drop in coverage better and more consistently set the edge. He's not great against the run either. If we're going to spend top 10 pick on OLB, I want to see him do all that. We need to find replacement for Suggs in next couple of drafts.

[GrimCoconut]

I want to see pass rusher get more to the QB and actually make sacks. That would be a sign that he can at least apply pressure at next level. I don't think he lacks in technique but he is not consistently using it. To me he definitely lacks in speed as well. I also want to see him drop in coverage better and more consistently set the edge. He's not great against the run either. If we're going to spend top 10 pick on OLB, I want to see him do all that. We need to find replacement for Suggs in next couple of drafts.

To be fair, you may be asking too much. Suggs didn't do all of that from jump. It took him time to set the edge and even cover. I'm not trying to make you look bad here but this is the kind of thinking that's wrong today. It's not just with fans but also teams. We've become so impatient at times that we expect prospects to come out with unfair expectations for rookie contributions.

I agree that Carl Lawson doesn't have that long speed you want. He doesn't catch up like I'd hope he would. That said, he's very fast off the ball and that's honestly more important to me.

Edited January 3, 2016 by GrimCoconut