My take on the draft and the Offseason

[Sami84]

I hope Perriman can take his game to a level that is worthy of something more than a Torrey smith and at least get to a Mike Wallace in his prime days.I have my doubts but lets see.Hope his dad is doing better too. Okay, so my take on the draft and the UDFA’s. I had spent days watching tapes of each player and so here we are. It’s disappointing to lose KO but he’s not worth 12 million at all.I also see him getting injuries and being out of games. Good Riddance, he’s overrated. He’s very good, but he is NO Zach Martin. Will Hill, this one hurts. He’s awesome..Having him and Weddle would have been so much better than having Webb or that scrub lewis ( told you so last year).I think Webb should have been cut a long long time ago. Mike Wallace is an X factor but could turn out to be lee Evans and might just be slightly past it,however,I think he’ll have a good season.His speed was so ridiculous at his peak that he’s still faster than most corners now. Ben Watson wasn’t really needed..Eric Weddle is still elite, he’s one of those who will only fall off slightly when he’s 34 or something.Great signing, sorry winchester, you probably said the same thing about daryl smith in 2013? I said he’s still going to be awesome and as usual, I was correct.

For me the main message in this draft was ‘’ No more Carl Davis’s and Terrence Cody's, get guys who go 110% all the time’’ and when it comes to pass rushers, we got some real relentless ones who have terrific motors and stamina. 

 

 

1: Ronnie Stanley

I loved this pick.Tunsil is more powerful blocker in the run game but if you take into account injuries, character and comparable ability it’s not that much of a difference as of right now. I feel Tunsil is closer to his potential than Stanley. Stanley must build more upper body strength. Against powerful NFL caliber bullrush DE’s and OLB’s he might get pushed back a bit too often regardless of his great footwork. While Tunsil might have a higher ceiling(honestly HOF ceiling ala Walter Jones), the guy that reminds me the most of Stanley coming out of college was Da’Brickashaw Ferguson. I think we'll take that, thank you very much. I think we should keep him and Monroe, with both manning the tackle positions. Monroe, when healthy, is a solid LT. Having him and Stanley at both tackle positions sounds pretty elite to me. While Tunsil would have EASILY worked at the LG spot, I don’t think Stanley would be the best option in that role for his first year. I say it’s either LT or RT for Stanley and Monroe. Oh and btw I’m no Jalen Ramsey fan, he’s a great athlete more so than a great football player. Rod Woodson he is not, Sean Taylor he is not. He’s the next Michael Huff. Before you guys laugh, talk to people, read college reports from 2005-2006 etc OR watch his tape.he blanketed receivers because of his ELITE athletic ability and Length..We dodged a bullet.At best he’s a more physical Michael Huff.Typical of this FO to  buy into his pre draft hype and his combine results.He really isn’t that good. Vernon Hargreaves > Ramsey. Stanley is a better pick than BOTH.

 

Grade A

 

2               Kamalei Correa

 

Not the best value here but I guess the FO wanted a pass rusher at this round and a few went before our 2nd round pick. I get that conceptually as a 3-4 OLB he’s a good fit. He has a very good burst, crazy motor and doesn’t take plays off. However, his short arms and an inconsistent corner bend can make him an easy target for NFL tackles to simply push away through superior leverage. He’s questionable in the run game, in coverage he was good and sometimes not so good. He can get lost in plays. He’s a sure tackler when he has a chance to make one and for his size, his edge setting skills are not bad at all. I still don’t see him being an impact player for us.It won’t be for a lack of effort though, i just don’t think his game will translate effectively to the NFL as a starter, unless he can put on a few more pounds, improve his torque bend and not lose his burst.Can see him being invisible for long stretches.I foresee a journeyman type of career ahead. I’m not a Noah Spence fan by any stretch of the imagination(he’s average in my view) and those clamoring for him would end up disappointed with that pick also. My pick here would have been Chris Jones, or I would have tried trading down and down until late in the 2nd, get one more 4th and perhaps a 5th and nab Sua’Cravens for ILB next to Mosely. His only saving grace could be at ILB but that is well into the future as he’s not ready for it yet and needs time to learn that position at the highest level. I hope to be proven wrong here but unless it’s about creating a blitz gap for him where he closes space in a hurry, I just don’t see him being that pass rushing dynamo the FO clearly thinks he can be. I HOPE he can prove me wrong. This isn’t matt elam,  as you all remember, I said when we drafted him he had no shot being an NFL player, so lets see.

 

 

Grade: C-

 

 

  3          Bronson Kaufusi

 

It’s quite simple really, I liked this pick BUT he has to do two things, learn to play lower and gain more upper body strength. Kaufusi has REAL pass rush ability. He’s got terrific measurables and his production is excellent. He just needs to play lower and gain a bit more core strength. I don’t think he needs to gain more than a few pounds of muscle. Value wise, it trumps an overrated De’Forest Buckner. I feel you are getting a similar player, a lot more athletic too! A concern is that at the age of 25, has he reached his physical peak? He has a high floor and will contribute. Will his potential be a pro bowl calibre player like calais campbell or more of a Canty/Redding/Wolfe standard (just a notch under)? Probably the latter but those three guys are/were solid pro’s. While he isn’t a lock to not be a bust, I do feel he has a high floor. Super High Motor too.

 

Grade:

B+

 

 

4a    Tavon Young

      I like Tavon a lot. He has intangibles, he’s fearless, excellent vs slot guys. Obviously he will always play nickel. He’s speedy, very quick feet and has good ball skills. Solid pick.Will have to battle out Arrington and Powers. I think it will be the latter who shares the most reps with him at the nickel. I see Arrington as a cut.For Tavon, it’s about keeping the assignment at the slot and sticking with him man on man. Keep it simple and he’ll grow from there and become more and more confident. Someone compared to him to potentially antoine winfield and while I don’t think he’s close to winfield, I do see a bit of Captain Munnerlyn in him! I feel that could be his potential.Concerns? 2013 and 2014 tape looked a lot better than last years and by a considerable margin. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

Grade B+

 

 

4b. Chris Moore

 

Moore is a guy I watched a lot and It’s an interesting one for me. He’s not got any particularly BAD weakness but I need to see a bit more fluidity/suddenness to his game.It was good to hear him even admit to this recently.He has shown it in small spurts.I’d like to see him cut loose with his routes.The whole deal about burning the top corners is a bit deceiving too.Some plays are geared and executed as such that the defense has no shot.He did burn Eli Apple once in particular but I never rated Apple to begin with (worst pick in the 1st round by a landslide) . Moore is an underrated route runner but not a great one (he isn’t raw like some of the experts have claimed), with good build up speed and his hands are not as bad as advertised by some outlets although they do need work, even though I think some just have ‘’it’’ and some don’t. I just don’t know if he’ll handle press coverage well in this league.Unless he becomes a bit more unpredictable, I don’t think the 9 route while in press coverage will be something he can make the most of. He needs to get stronger.I would have preferred Malcolm Mitchell here. He’s shown some glimpses  of overcoming some of the shortcomings I’ve mentioned. He high points the ball well and is a pretty willing blocker.However, I don’t see how he’s a better prospect out of college than demitrius williams or yamon figurs. Fans need to realize that a good draft usually only brings 1 or 2 stars at the MOST and a coupe of solid starters at the most. 70% of entire draft classes( all teams) are out of the league in a  couple of years,so time to get real here.It seems like when every draft comes about, fans on this forum just seem to think they are all going to make it( or just act way too positive).

 

Grade C

 

4c. Alex Lewis

 

One of my two LEAST favorite picks. I just don’t see what the ravens see in this guy. De Costa actually said he could play left tackle and I laughed and just shook my head. He’s a project at the NFL level and unless he gains more strength, i see him as backup or PS member. If he does gain more power he could be a serviceable backup gaurd. I don’t see him as tackle material at the NFL level as he’s a bit flat footed and will struggle against speed rushes time and time again. Poor Pick, better players out there. This is Ramon Harewood standard stuff(maybe worse), not even Jah Reid. For all the hype about our 4th round, this one put a real damper on it with the superior talent left. Why not spencer drango instead? Wasted pick and hearing what de costa says about him, I must say his eye for talent isn’t the best. He isn’t strong enough and he’s slow footed..so even if he does get a lot stronger, he’ll never make it as an NFL tackle you’d want on either side (see james hurst as reference but way worse).

 

Grade F

 

 

4d. Willie Henry

 

I like this pick. Henry has an insane motor and his first step is explosive. Outside of Chris Jones, who would have been my pick over Correa in Round 2, there aren’t many that have that ability through the 1 gap like Henry does. He needs to work on hand technique but he’s only going to get better with age and his run stopping, which is considered a weakness, isn’t that bad.He will be great in rush packages. He’s a lot more athletic than Jernigan and will push Carl Davis(no explosion and gasses easily) out of the rotation. As you remember from last years draft, I stated I was not a big Carl Davis fan anyway and last season did little to make me feel different(although his first game was impressive and did give me reason to hope temporarily ). Henry is raw in many aspects though and needs to work on refining things a bit. He plays reckless at times and It’s up to him to bring it all together.This Draft was deep in this position, he is one of the more raw prospects in that group but from an athletic standpoint, he’s in the top tier. His burst is elite.Someone to look up to? Geno Atkins.

 

Grade B+

 

4e. Kenneth Dixon

 

Best value pick of the draft( ALL TEAMS!!). Quite frankly, outside of his ball protection, which i feel improved at Louisiana Tech over the seasons, he’s the best running back in the draft with E.Elliot. He’s smart, elusive and has a great side step, twitch and agility. He finds the hole, is a natural playmaker, terrific receiver and decent pass protector(not as good as forsett or rice but still above average).High football IQ. Perfect Scheme fit for us and I can’t overstate this enough, he knows how to find space in the open field when plays seem dead or broken up and saves his QB. I see him as the best running back on our team even before a ball has been snapped. Loved this pick.

 

A+

 

5.Matt Judon

 

This is the ultimate wildcard pick. I’ll tell you what I love, like and don’t like. I love his power. This guy has LEGIT power and plays with a nonstop motor. What i have liked a lot about this draft is that we are drafting guys that have serious stamina, which is something we didn’t always do in the past. He’s physically the part, very long arms for potentially great leverage ( needs to work on that technique but he is blessed with sheer power and potential leverage here ). He’s ferocious when closing space, once he has turned the corner, boy will he finish with a killer instinct(will likely cause a FF).His hands are powerful.He might be the strongest DE/OLB in the draft and that combined with 34 inch arms is scary. Here is the issue i have with him and it’s a BIG ONE at the highest level, he needs to have much more torque and ability to change directions. Basically I don’t think his lower body, while immensely powerful(that big butt was made for a bullrush lol), is agile enough.If he had that torque or bend, I’d say he’s potentially the best OLB pass rusher in the draft. He’s 275 pounds, but i think he best get to 260-265 and see if he can improve his agility/torque and if he does that, as well as improve his run stopping game for a more all-round OLB style of play, he could be a 6 foot 3inch James Harrison. Right now he could actually be dominant on the inside. He has a really powerful Trevor Pryce style rip move. Simply put, I’ve not seen a more dominant D2 linesman in recent years. 21 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss in just 12 games is FLAT OUT RIDICULOUS, even at DII level. I must stress though, he needs to improve his turning/agility or he will never fulfill his potential. Evidence of this is also apparent in his combine results, great everywhere but 3-cone where it was average. Generally speaking the most successful 260-270 pound pass rushers have great 3-cone times (7.2 or under while his was 7.6). Can this be rectified? i’m not a physical trainer but I hope so because there is  a lot to like here.I think a move to 260 pounds and some intense agility training could produce a pro bowl calibre player in the future.I’m rooting for him like crazy.

 

Grade B+ 

 

 

 

6.Keenan Reynolds

 

i know why this pick was made.De Costa said it was an emotional pick etc but look, I’m not an army guy..I’m an anarchist and believe in mutual freedoms being respected(for those who think anarchy is chaos, congrats you clearly are a product of stupidity as it’s actually the epitome of freedom and peace). I am not a statist, i don’t believe in the military, Patriotism and Nationalism are the two most trivial BS ideologies that keep people slaved to fear, violence and naivity.I cringe at the national anthem and hope one day it’s never ever sung again.I think they are the most brainwashed people on the planet, but hey..whatever, read Larken Rose’s ‘’The most Dangerous Superstition’’.Anyway, back to football..outside of that, I think this kid has the ‘’it’’ factor, the only problem is, if he’s a WR who on earth is he going to displace? This guy has football talent, he’s smart,quick, has a feel for the game in general. Crazy thing is, I truly don’t know how is doesn’t end up on the practice squad or IR? if anyone here can give me a scenario where he doesn’t ( outside of injuries) please do. I hope we can use him to get creative at the very least..it does make us a bit more unpredictable and we might need to be at pivotal points during the season.

 

Grade B

 

6.b Maurice Canady

 

Watched a lot of film on this guy and came away super unimpressed.I do wonder what on earth this scouting department see’s at times, if they are lazy and just go by shrine games and the senior bowl(i.e. carl davis etc). He seems caught in 2 minds often. Plays off way too much. Inconsistent tackling. Kalen Reed from Southern Miss should have been the pick here(although he wasn’t at the combine or drills and thats all our scouts seem to go by). Watched him right after Canady and I had 2nd round grade on him. He would have been one of the steals of the draft. I see a Raashan Melvin on a bad day in Canady. Poor pick. Could have gone for Scooby Wright to address ILB possibly.Scooby might not have the measurable’s but at this juncture how could anyone slight his production?It’s times like these I wish the ravens scouts/FO put less emphasis on a couple of games and actually watched full seasons because I think our scouting department is actually quite lazy in this regard(so many picks seem to come from impressive senior bowls and shrine games with relatively average seasons being ignored).He was somewhat impressive in one on one drills but look at the season tape for you know whats sake... PS member or won’t make the team. The only thing that kept him decent at college level is his athletic ability and size, which won’t cut it in the NFL. He’s one of the worst corners I’ve watched on tape.His awareness is flat out AWFUL and plays scared. We may need to get whoever scouted and recommended him medically checked. Raven fans will not like this guy one bit. Worst pick of the draft.

 

Grade F

 

 

UDFA

 

Victor Ochi

Love this dude.He will find a way to make an impact at some point. I actually like him more than Correa. He plays faster than his combine results suggests. GREAT burst off the line and tackles with great form. High motor, long arms and the bend is there. I hope we have space for him because I could see him flourishing on another team if we put him on the PS. Needs to watch his over aggressiveness and develop awareness at the highest level.I had a 3rd round grade on him. The steal of all UDFA’s. Rooting for him.

 

Grade A+

 

Jarrell Braxton

Watch out for this guy. I know Baylor’s scheme is OL friendly but I think he could surprise a few people. He’s big, powerful, nasty, and i don’t think i saw him get beat last year even once! I actually am surprised he wasn’t drafted. I had a 4 round grade on him.Could be a great fit at LG. I like him more as a prospect than Alex Lewis. I wanted his teammate drango too.

 

Grade A

 

Matt Skura

I like this guy.Center is one of those positions where you can really find a pro bowl calibre player at ANY point in the draft. Watching tape, he looks really strong and took on double teams well. Plays with great leverage .Isn’t the quickest for a zone scheme but plays with great football IQ. Due to roster room, I see him as a PS candidate.

 

Grade B

 

 

The other UDFA’s i haven’t watched much film on..

 

Outside of Correa,Moore,Lewis and Canady(in particular) whom i’d have replaced with Chris Jones,Malcolm Mitchell, Spencer Drango and Kalen Reed, this is a draft with a lot of potential. I really like the chances of the UDFA”s I mentioned here making the team and 1 of them making an impact! 

 

I like to keep the good..these would have been my amendments though. 

 

Ronnie Stanley

Chris Jones or or down for Sua’ Cravens

Bronson Kaufusi

Tavon Young

Malcolm Mitchell

Spencer Drango 

Willie Henry

Kenneth Dixon

Matt Judon

Keenan Reynolds

Kalen Reed * 

 

*this one hurts, as Canady isn’t NFL material while reed is a confident, fluid playmaker who teams have missed out on much like adalius thomas in 2000, which is kinda funny as they are both from the same alumni, and Adalius presented the pick! AND HIS SURNAME IS REED..DAMMNIT lol 

 

I think most experts and fans here would agree that my draft would have been even more epic I just think Correa was a wasted pick.The only good thing about it is we got a 4th and 5th out of it.

 

Sad thing is that this was all possible.I truly believe that if the draft had gone this way we would look back at it as the best in ravens history as it pertains to the amount of starters it produced.

 

The two guys I expect nothing from are Lewis and Canady( as in won’t be on the roster or in PS and out of the nfl soon enough). I also expect Correa to struggle but he’ll bounce around a few teams before he’s out.He will be a workhorse and great on special teams though. Bold Prediction? One of Judon/Ochi become revelations( STARS). The rest of the picks will contribute at varying levels with dixon being the star and stanley will get better and better as the season progresses.

 

The stars out of this draft. (Pro Bowl/All Pro type career)

 

Ronnie Stanley

Kenneth Dixon

 

The Solid Starters ( High floor for their position if not necessarily

 elite) 

 

Bronson Kaufusi

Tavon Young ( Purely at nickel)

 

The Wildcards (self explanatory, it’s up to them),

Matt Judon 

Willie Henry

Keenan Reynolds

 

 

The Journeymen ( Will bounce around the league as backups )

Kamalei Correa 

Chris Moore

 

 

The no chance in hell of having a career

 

Maurice Canady -the ravens must have been drunk or taking the piss when they made this pick.

Alex Lewis-Unless he gains serious strength he’ll be out of the league in a hurry, never mind being an okay backup.

 

 

UDFA gems/starters

 

Victor Ochi-I see a star in him. Ie Robert Mathis, Elvis Dumervil. Yup he’s that gem. 

 

Jarrell Broxton- Will make up for the Alex Lewis pick

 

Matt Skura- If he doesn’t make the roster here I see him having an NFL career elsewhere. Zuttah isn’t a sure thing in the long run(and is merely above average in general) and while urschel is serviceable, I don’t see him being anything more than average as a starter.

 

The breakout veterans

 

Michael Campanaro- Please Mike, please stay healthy.This guy is an awesome weapon. I almost feel he’s a new draft pick when he’s healthy as he’s such a weapon and we rarely have had a chance to use him.

 

Maxx Williams- We saw glimpses of it at the end of the season. This guy has the best hands on our team. He’s still only 21. I predict our TE’s to be awesome this year.

 

My Preferred 53 Man Roster 

 

OFFENSE

 

QB FLACCO/MALLET 

 

RB DIXON/ALLEN/FORSETT

 

FB JUSZCZYK ( do we need him? if not, bring back forsett as a 3rd RB)

 

WR-SLOT- SSR/CAMPANARO

 

WR R9- PERRIMAN/WALLACE/MOORE

 

WR -AIKEN/REYNOLDS

 

TE- GILLMORE/WILLIAMS/WATSON

 

LT MONROE (or STANLEY)

LG BROXTON/ JENSEN

C   ZUTTAH/ URSCHEL

RG YANDA/ DUCASSE

RT STANLEY/ WAGNER/LEWIS (OR MONROE)

 

DEFENSE

 

DT  WILLIAMS/ DAVIS

LE JERNIGAN/GUY/HENRY

RE KAUFUSI/ URBAN

ROLB ZA’DARIUS SMITH/DUMERVIL/OCHI

LOLB SUGGS/JUDON/CORREA

 

ILB CJ MOSELY/ORR/McCLELLAN 

 

SS WEDDLE/ BROOKS

FS WEBB/LEWIS/ ( cringe worthy)

 

CB SMITH/DAVIS

CB2 WRIGHT/POWERS

CB3-Nickel POWERS/YOUNG

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

 

LS MORGAN COX

P SAM KOCH

K JUSTIN TUCKER

 

IR OR PS: LEWIS, CANADY,WALLER, LEVINE,MATHEWS.ONSWAULER,SKURA,BOYLE (DTR)

 

CUT: BROWN, ELAM,BUTLER,PITTA,LEVINE

 

This is in my eyes the best 53 man roster we could put together but I fully expect harbs and co to let me down. Regardless, without Will Hill, we have a weakness in our safety combinations and our inside linebacking situation is pretty average to say the least. Mosely can’t afford to just be a solid linebacker, he needs to take it to a higher level. I also don’t think our cornerback situation is particularly good. The main difference this year is that we have immense pass rush options to perhaps help compensate. We must keep eugene monroe. At the end of the day he is a proven tackle in this league when healthy and no one else is in the same league on our roster.We are a better football team with both stanley and monroe starting( esp in pass protection).

 

We need to, via trade I feel, get an ILB next to Mosely. I don’t want another Josh Bynes situation. Our weakness is simple, at ILB and Safety(depending on which position webb plays in, SS or FS) while our corners are average. On offense, our only weakness could be an injury report. We have everything we need to be a top 8 offense in this league. We have the O-line, The Running backs, The TE’s and the deep threats. Joe, get it done. 

 

Grades for each position

 

QB: A (mallet is a very good backup )

RB: A (depth and a star in dixon)

OL:B+ ( If KO stayed would have been an A+ with stanley and monroe. Monroe,KO,Zuttah,Yanda Stanley…damn..anyway)

TE:A+ (Best in the league depth wise)

WR:B ( More than good enough to be effective, just need to be injury free)

 

DL:B+ ( Young and Dynamic and insane depth)

OLB:B+( Suggs will likely be in deep decline so its up to the young guys to do it and i think they can)

ILB: D ( this going to be the weak point all year. Mosely must step up another level)

CB: C  ( Jimmy has to be great this year or we will suffer)

S:B- ( and its only that because of weddle)

 

K:  A+

P:   A+

LS: A+

The reason why I gave the DLINE a B+ is because it’s very young and unproven. The potential is there for an A. The ravens strength coming into this year is the Offense but defensive stars will come about by the end of the year.

 

Opinions anyone?

 

Edited May 21, 2016 by Moderator 3
Off-topic political commentary removed

[usmccharles]

Interesting breakdown.   But as always,  grading a draft before the players even take their first nfl snap is pointless.  Did you not grade the FA acquisitions or did I miss it? 

Welcome back

[Sami84]

I give Weddle an A 

Wallace a B 

Watson a C

Powers a C+ 

 

thanks

[JoeyFlex5]

Oddly enough I agree strongly with everything except for correa, I think you're reading too much into position and scheme with him. I think there are a lot of signs of us switching to a 43 and Correa looks like a decent 34OLB/ILB mover but a potentially elite 43OLB. Just like I think BK has an elite ceiling as a 43DE but plays too high and weak to be a successful 2 gap 34DE. Willie henry lacks the size and anchor to hold down a 2gap as a 34DE but has elite one gap knifing ability, judon has a long learning curve as a 34OLB but could jump right into the mix as a 43DE etc etc... 

 

I just think a lot of things are pointinf towards a 43 and guys like Correa who you question as a 34OLB look much better as a 43OLB.

[Jacquouille]

I don't think it's worth wondering whether or not we're switching to a 4-3. Our defense is a hybrid with many forms and Harbs values that a lot. I would personally love us to use a 4-3, but in today's NFL you don't use one formation and one only.

[Sami84]

12 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Oddly enough I agree strongly with everything except for correa, I think you're reading too much into position and scheme with him. I think there are a lot of signs of us switching to a 43 and Correa looks like a decent 34OLB/ILB mover but a potentially elite 43OLB. Just like I think BK has an elite ceiling as a 43DE but plays too high and weak to be a successful 2 gap 34DE. Willie henry lacks the size and anchor to hold down a 2gap as a 34DE but has elite one gap knifing ability, judon has a long learning curve as a 34OLB but could jump right into the mix as a 43DE etc etc... 

 

I just think a lot of things are pointinf towards a 43 and guys like Correa who you question as a 34OLB look much better as a 43OLB.

4

I agree. We can be really unpredictable. As a unit, we have everything to be a dominant pass rushing team, where the players compliment each other and we can be super flexible. btw Victor Ochi reminds me a lot of dumervil.

[elemento]

Even though your opinions are always polemic , I like the fact that you don't say amen to everything Ozzie and cia do. This board HATES any kind of criticism, even when the arguments are good. 

I actually agree with several points, especially about Henry and Dixon, who were my favorite drafted players. Both were massive steals.

I've seen some fellows taking out Henry of the the final 53 and i'm willing to bet that not only he makes the team, but he also becomes integral part of the rotation and possibly a starter in less than 2 years.  

Dixon was my favorite RB in the draft along with Devontae Booker and I think both will have great careers. I wouldn't even be surprised if they end up as the best backs in the draft. 

I didn't like 3 pícks : Moore, Young and Canady.

Young is a decent player, but he is a nickel and we needed an outside CB . Canady is soft and soft players do not last long in this franchise. I don't hate Moore, but I felt that there were better picks. The Bengals got Billings in the end of the 4th round. Talk about a huge steal. 

Anyway, I'm ok with the Ravens draft. I think Ozzie did better than most GMs. 

I hope you're wrong about Correa and personally I loved the picks of Stanley and Kaufusi. 

[JoeyFlex5]

10 minutes ago, Sami84 said:

I agree. We can be really unpredictable. As a unit, we have everything to be a dominant pass rushing team, where the players compliment each other and we can be super flexible. btw Victor Ochi reminds me a lot of dumervil.

I think that's the point to our defense. We have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions and harbs had always valued that but I think this draft has really shined a light on how much we value players who can play in diverse schemes.

 

Also, idk how ochi went undrafted...

[Sami84]

2 minutes ago, elemento said:

Even though your opinions are always polemic , I like the fact that you don't say amen to everything Ozzie and cia do. This board HATES any kind of criticism, even when the arguments are good. 

I actually agree with several points, especially about Henry and Dixon, who were my favorite drafted players. Both were massive steals.

I've seen some fellows taking out Henry of the the final 53 and i'm willing to bet that not only he makes the team, but he also becomes integral part of the rotation and possibly a starter in less than 2 years.  

Dixon was my favorite RB in the draft along with Devontae Booker and I think both will have great careers. I wouldn't even be surprised if they end up as the best backs in the draft. 

I didn't like 3 pícks : Moore, Young and Canady.

Young is a decent player, but he is a nickel and we needed an outside CB . Canady is soft and soft players do not last long in this franchise. I don't hate Moore, but I felt that there were better picks. The Bengals got Billings in the end of the 4th round. Talk about a huge steal. 

Anyway, I'm ok with the Ravens draft. I think Ozzie did better than most GMs. 

I hope you're wrong about Correa and personally I loved the picks of Stanley and Kaufusi. 

5

I loved Kalen reed as a prospect for the outside or inside.I know he's a nickel but tavon young reminds me of captain munnerlyn and i think you would take that on our roster, yes? Oh trust me, i want correa to work out but I just don't see it for now. Myles jack (minus the knee) would have been the perfect fit for us..alas. 

[Sami84]

10 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

I think that's the point to our defense. We have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions and harbs had always valued that but I think this draft has really shined a light on how much we value players who can play in diverse schemes.

 

Also, idk how ochi went undrafted...

 

I don't know either. Well i do, his combine results were average ( like mathis and dumervil) and he plays for stony brook

 

eye test says otherwise

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

10 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

I think that's the point to our defense. We have a lot of guys who can play multiple positions and harbs had always valued that but I think this draft has really shined a light on how much we value players who can play in diverse schemes.

 

Also, idk how ochi went undrafted...

This offseason we clearly placed an emphasis on getting more scheme diverse players with positional flexibility. We now have a boatload of guys that can play multiple positions in the front 7 and that allow us to seamlessly transition from 3-4 to 4-3 and back. We should have a ton of success doing so to exploit matchups in our favor.

Even in the secondary with Webb now at safety and with guys that can play both nickel and on the outside, we should have success disguising coverage and alignment pre-snap.

And Ochi was a huge steal. Love that we were able to sign him... thought for sure he'd be drafted and would've been totally fine using a 4th rd pick on him.

[jazz1988]

I disagreed with some of the stuff you said but good read

[Winchester]

 

Great post.Of course nobody ever agrees completely but good honest write up. Ron Stanley however because of his need for upper bod power has a better ceiling than tunsil. Cuz he is doing it while needing more power. Once he has it all pro is the ceiling. Correa I agree he is not an end or rush olb that will consistently best nfl tackles. He has speed and motor to be a really good LB if he can learn to play LB. Correa was a need reach cuz ravens need young edge rushers. There were better nfl ready players available. But ravens wanted an edge rusher in a bad draft for the position. Chris may need more flexibility but runs fast sudden routes. I liked Mitchell and Robinson better and Ozzies scouting WRs makes Matt Millen look like nostradaumus.  But I still like Chris Moore a lot. And if he puts in the work to disguise his routes he could be a legit wr. But Mitchell and Robinson are better players for now.

 

Henry has great tools work ethic. Once he is coached up and tweaks his body through his hard work he is going to be a steal. Kufusi is not an interior player. And that includes 3-4 defensive end. It is more ideal he drop some bad weight (16-20 lbs) to get faster, explosive and flexible to  play edge rush positions. He could put on 10-14 lbs of muscle without slowing him down any. But I like his potential if he maxes out his power/athleticism.  T. Young in my opinion can be more than a slot guy. Did not like the judon or Lewis pick. Would prefer Mitchell Or Demarcus/Reshard Robinson.

[GrimCoconut]

I actually found myself agreeing with a lot of what Sami said. 

[lgcs27288]

I've been waiting to hear your analysis

 

Edit: After reading, I tend to agree. I'll wait until at least halfway through the season to rank these guys based on impact.

 

Curious, why do project Z Smith starting  over Doom? 

Edited May 22, 2016 by lgcs27288

[ellicottraven]

7 hours ago, Sami84 said:

I give Weddle an A 

Wallace a B 

Watson a C

Powers a C+ 

 

thanks

What's with you and smiley faces now? lol!

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Sami84 said:

Opinions anyone?

 

Did you really post about the 2016 Draft ....Unrestricted Free Agents....Veteran Breakouts...and Veteran Cuts in the same post?

We'll give you an A for attempting to get it all in. 

Since Alex Lewis is the Stanley backup plan, especially if we send Monroe packing, (Which I discount), can't agree he gets that low a score. Nor Stanley that high a score.

 

 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

2 hours ago, lgcs27288 said:

I've been waiting to hear your analysis

 

Edit: After reading, I tend to agree. I'll wait until at least halfway through the season to rank these guys based on impact.

 

Curious, why do project Z Smith starting  over Doom? 

Don't want to speak for anyone, but since I tend to agree with the idea, I'll assume the logic is similar. Doom was pressed to start last year bc Suggs went down - had he not, technically Upshaw/Suggs would have been the starters with Doom either listed as the co-starter with Upshaw, or rotating in as a pass rush specialist.

Dooms productivity went down last year, due in large part to having to be a 3-down LB. He's at his best, and especially at this point in his career, when he can pin his ears back and get after it. He just doesn't set the edge well and because of the wear from playing a larger load of early down snaps he wasn't as fresh for pass rushing situations.

I see Z taking over much of Upshaw's role, at least early on in the season, so we can get back to using Dumervil in the way that he was so effective in 2014. That doesn't mean that Z will play more or is the better player... its more of a 1A and 1B situation, where each plays situationally depending on the down, distance, offensive personnel, and the flow of the game.

[Winchester]

I liked Daryl Smith signing in 2013-2014. After that I said ok now we need a young instinctive 3 down Lb. As for weddle. I dunno guys I guess he is an upgrade. BUT would be cool if he were 2 yrs younger. I like young talent. Football is a business and finding young talent is like getting in early on a stock that is about to skyrocket. Once out of their prime you sell.  I want the next players up to make 5 or more all pros. Not interested in the last guy to make 5 all pros. Even if he has one good year left. Unless ravens are a legit contender for a championship. Then an aging vet is a good signing to fill a void. As for Wallace I'm more interested in Chris Moore and Perriman breaking out. while i really like Malcolm Mitchell and Demarcus Robinson, to appreciate how sharp Chris Moores routes are, you have to watch his games and routes where he is not even the primary target.

[JoeyFlex5]

There is never, I repeat, NEVER, a reason to quote the OP. Its the topic of the post and you can reply by simply posting. Please don't quote OPs that are this long, it's a pain to scroll through it on mobile and completely unnecessary 

[Winchester]

I know I know, it was a mistake!! Sorry dude. Will Henry I agree has athleticism and speed to play Lb. He is a better athlete than Jarrett Johnson and Mcphee. However he can 2gap better than credited for. While not a full time wrapper he is an interior player that plays witb top shelf bend and leverage. With really good power. And with his unusual  dedication to the weight training and getting stronger he will get better at 2 gapping. His job will be penetrator as a 43 tackle or 34 defensive end but on the occasions he is asked to 2gap he is fine at it. That is what makes him special. He is an athletic penetrator that can 2gap. That and his commitment to getting stronger and more explosive. He should really break out after a year hitting the weights in an nfl program much like Atkins broke out in year2.

Edited May 22, 2016 by Winchester

[Sami84]

1 hour ago, Winchester said:

I know I know, it was a mistake!! Sorry dude. Will Henry I agree has athleticism and speed to play Lb. He is a better athlete than Jarrett Johnson and Mcphee. However he can 2gap better than credited for. While not a full time wrapper he is an interior player that plays witb top shelf bend and leverage. With really good power. And with his unusual  dedication to the weight training and getting stronger he will get better at 2 gapping. His job will be penetrator as a 43 tackle or 34 defensive end but on the occasions he is asked to 2gap he is fine at it. That is what makes him special. He is an athletic penetrator that can 2gap. That and his commitment to getting stronger and more explosive. He should really break out after a year hitting the weights in an nfl program much like Atkins broke out in year2.

7

 

winchester, quick question..as you seem to know quite a bit about physical traning etc Do you feel matt judon can improve his lower body agility? IN my eyes, he has everything else to succeed but this is maybe his one flaw. Great closing speed, powerful upperbody ( and lower body, just not agile) 34 inch arms for great leverage...He is immensely powerful in general.He could Bullrush some less powerful tackles with ease, but against the elite he'll need to contort his body more. Like theoretically, if my cone time is 7.5-7.6 is it relatively possible to get it to 7.1 with the right regimen? Or could it be a combination of footwork technique as well as a regimen?

 

thanks!

Edited May 22, 2016 by Sami84

[Winchester]

2 hours ago, Sami84 said:

winchester, quick question..as you seem to know quite a bit about physical traning etc Do you feel matt judon can improve his lower body agility? IN my eyes, he has everything else to succeed but this is maybe his one flaw. Great closing speed, powerful upperbody ( and lower body, just not agile) 34 inch arms for great leverage...He is immensely powerful in general.He could Bullrush some less powerful tackles with ease, but against the elite he'll need to contort his body more. Like theoretically, if my cone time is 7.5-7.6 is it relatively possible to get it to 7.1 with the right regimen? Or could it be a combination of footwork technique as well as a regimen?

 

thanks!

 

Good question. But no definitive answer. Not completely anyways.  I personally see the same flaw in him. Anyways of course he can improve his lower body agility and flexibility. But by how much is the big mystery.  He can improve his agility to functional levels.  But he is going to have focus a lot of attention, hard work and detail on his own time. He is going to need multiple trainers and employ techniques outside traditional football drills. Such as  resistance yoga/pilates,martial arts,ballet and gymnastics. And focus on strength and flexibility in his hips,ankles, and core. And especially the smaller muscle groups,ligaments and tendons. And cross it over into football training. He will never be a freakish bender like Von Miller and those guys that can bend,accelerate and even shift gears simultaneously.  But it can be improved. Antonio Brown was already pretty agile/flexible but he improved his agility/flexibility as well as strength and burst through cutting edge techniques. Hard to say how much Judon could improve but he should be able to get to functional levels. But it is going to take a lot of focused training. Ravens trainers are going to have to recommend a couple trainers for him. And He will need the work ethic and acknowledge he needs to be more flexible and agile. He will never have the agility of Miller or maybe even Will Henry(see michigan state) but he could shave his 3cone while getting more flexible and agile. Much like people become more flexible and agile learning martial arts. Kufusi bends pretty well for a big guy. But judon should be able to at least compare to him. But it will be a while of focused specific training. Kufusi has good agility for a big guy and could improve his as well. But his is good enough for now and his biggest improvement will be obtained from cutting 16-20 lbs of excess weight to gain speed for edge rusher position. 34 olb 43 defensive end. While carefully putting on 10-14 lbs of functional muscle. He can add about that much without losing the speed he gains from cutting bad weight. He could then focus on agility,flexibility training. But in my opinion him playing at a leaner and more explosive yet stronger 277-280 lbs is enough for him to be cyclone of an edge rusher even with minor flexibility training for him.His 40 should get to 4.75,vertical 34-35 and broad jump to nearly 10'. Which will transfer to game explosion,speed to power

[Halshayeji]

Great write, great read, and great comments!

i just gladly killed an hour of my day chilling at the pool lol

[Jacquouille]

I just saw, for those who want to see Alex Lewis and Ochi in action among others, the Shrine Game is available on YouTube. It's fun to watch.

[Sami84]

On 5/22/2016 at 4:55 AM, lgcs27288 said:

I've been waiting to hear your analysis

 

Edit: After reading, I tend to agree. I'll wait until at least halfway through the season to rank these guys based on impact.

 

Curious, why do project Z Smith starting  over Doom? 

 

Oh..ignore the position there..not the case..i feel snaps will be distributed among more players this year so both suggs and dooms snaps should go down considerably. we have soo much more pass rushing options..so much so i dont think anyones going to have a dominant snap count % 

[Sami84]

16 hours ago, Jacquouille said:

I just saw, for those who want to see Alex Lewis and Ochi in action among others, the Shrine Game is available on YouTube. It's fun to watch.

Ochi caused him problems in that game to say the least.

[Sami84]

17 hours ago, Winchester said:

 

Good question. But no definitive answer. Not completely anyways.  I personally see the same flaw in him. Anyways of course he can improve his lower body agility and flexibility. But by how much is the big mystery.  He can improve his agility to functional levels.  But he is going to have focus a lot of attention, hard work and detail on his own time. He is going to need multiple trainers and employ techniques outside traditional football drills. Such as  resistance yoga/pilates,martial arts,ballet and gymnastics. And focus on strength and flexibility in his hips,ankles, and core. And especially the smaller muscle groups,ligaments and tendons. And cross it over into football training. He will never be a freakish bender like Von Miller and those guys that can bend,accelerate and even shift gears simultaneously.  But it can be improved. Antonio Brown was already pretty agile/flexible but he improved his agility/flexibility as well as strength and burst through cutting edge techniques. Hard to say how much Judon could improve but he should be able to get to functional levels. But it is going to take a lot of focused training. Ravens trainers are going to have to recommend a couple trainers for him. And He will need the work ethic and acknowledge he needs to be more flexible and agile. He will never have the agility of Miller or maybe even Will Henry(see michigan state) but he could shave his 3cone while getting more flexible and agile. Much like people become more flexible and agile learning martial arts. Kufusi bends pretty well for a big guy. But judon should be able to at least compare to him. But it will be a while of focused specific training. Kufusi has good agility for a big guy and could improve his as well. But his is good enough for now and his biggest improvement will be obtained from cutting 16-20 lbs of excess weight to gain speed for edge rusher position. 34 olb 43 defensive end. While carefully putting on 10-14 lbs of functional muscle. He can add about that much without losing the speed he gains from cutting bad weight. He could then focus on agility,flexibility training. But in my opinion him playing at a leaner and more explosive yet stronger 277-280 lbs is enough for him to be cyclone of an edge rusher even with minor flexibility training for him.His 40 should get to 4.75,vertical 34-35 and broad jump to nearly 10'. Which will transfer to game explosion,speed to power

14

14

great write up. Judon is an interesting case because he has a great burst. I really am a fan. He also repped the most out of all OLB/DE's in the draft and that combined with 34 inch arms and a 4.73 40 yard dash at 275 pounds is pretty impressive. If he can get slightly more flexible than awesome. With Kufusi i think hes going to be a SOLID player at worst on the inside or outside..just needs some more upper body power and he will be a very very good player..

 

yeah i dont envision judon as a von miller...he actually reminds me a lot of a bigger james harrison. Harrison was sheer power but coming out of colllege his torque wasnt the best but got by with bull rushes..he eventually improved his torque..i'm hoping for the same with judon.

Edited May 23, 2016 by Sami84

[DR32]

Is it bad that I'm most excited to see Judon and Ochi out of all of our draft picks/udfas?  The bad part is I'm not nearly as excited about Kafusi or Correa (hope I'm wrong). I guess the positive take is if we can hit on 2 of the 4 it's a great draft regardless of where they were taken. 

[Winchester]

2 hours ago, DR32 said:

Is it bad that I'm most excited to see Judon and Ochi out of all of our draft picks/udfas?  The bad part is I'm not nearly as excited about Kafusi or Correa (hope I'm wrong). I guess the positive take is if we can hit on 2 of the 4 it's a great draft regardless of where they were taken. 

Kufusi is a big athletic dude. Like I said he is not really an interior player. He would help himself cutting 16-20lbs of bad weight and building 10-14 lbs of muscle to play the edge. With that kind of size,power and athleticism he could come out like a man among boys as a rookie. After a little body reshaping to play the edge he would be in the Mario Williams category at a leaner and stronger 6'6 280 lbs. He has very similar skills to Cameron Jordan but a little bigger stronger and more explosive than Jordan. My opinion that is his best nfl position. To lean out a little and play edge rusher