Give Me Your Scouting Reports for the Class of 2017

[Maryland]

Title says it all. Give me your opinions on strengths, weaknesses, scheme fit, and career outlook for the Ravens' 2017 class of drafted and undrafted players. I linked their respective Draft Breakdown pages for easy watching. (Eluemunor doesn't have any vids, fyi)

 

Marlon Humphrey

Tyus Bowser

Chris Wormley

Tim Williams

Nico Siragusa

Jermaine Eluemunor

Chuck Clark

 

UDFA class will be posted later after information becomes official

[JoeyFlex5]

Humphrey - best in class in top-down coverage. Big struggles in downfield coverage. Commits too early and gets burned at times from it. Footwork could be better. Struggles to locate the ball. Ferocious hitter, physical press guy and with more consistent handwork he could jam guys right into the bench. Closes in on the pass like a bat outta hell and brings the heat to let the receiver know he's there. Gets off blocks like a linebacker for blitzing and blowing up screens 

 

Bowser - natural LB, covers well with great athleticism and instincts, incredible awareness in zone coverage, feels the traffic behind him without seeing it and keeps eyes on the qb without losing his man/men. Great first step in the rush, good shoulder dip to get low and bend the edge when given the opportunity, but won't create many opportunities for himself. Needs to bulk up and maintain burst to rush the passer And work on his hands. 

Wormley - behemoth who surprises the hell out of you with athleticism from time to time. He doesn't always seem to have it but sometimes he will break off a lightning fast counter move and leave the tackle hugging ghosts, doesn't play as strong as his size would suggest but plays a good bit more athletic than his size suggests. Would like to see him play lower and generate more push from his hips, would like to see him use his hands better to disengage, a man that big shouldn't be relying on quick footwork counter moves to disengage every time. Day one starter at 5T, seeing Lawrence guy comps but im not buying it, I see more of a poor mans cam heyward. 

Tim Williams - first step is out of this world, after the jump he eats up space super fast. Multitude of disengage moves, most notably his vicious spin, he drags the tackle, plants his foot and completely counters back upfield throwing his arms wide and violently to totally break free of the tackles arms. Powerful and violent hands, brings the pain to both the qb and the tackle despite being 10lbs less than ideal weight. Motor through the roof. Intense and passionate alpha male type player. Does a great job flattening the edge, gets a step and then dips that inside shoulder and throws it into the tackle keeping him staggered. Makes good reads and angles against the run but often gets too excited and fails to finish the play. Needs to set the edge more often there rather than penetrate.

got nothing on the other guys

[balfan23]

14 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Humphrey - best in class in top-down coverage. Big struggles in downfield coverage. Commits too early and gets burned at times from it. Footwork could be better. Struggles to locate the ball. Ferocious hitter, physical press guy and with more consistent handwork he could jam guys right into the bench. Closes in on the pass like a bat outta hell and brings the heat to let the receiver know he's there. Gets off blocks like a linebacker for blitzing and blowing up screens 

I noted Gruden really emphasizing something that I had not thought of but seems to make sense ... he didn't state it specifically about Humphrey, but in general. Almost every college player coming out needs work on something. Virtually no one comes out 100% NFL ready. For him, the thing you cannot select high, because the current CBA does not allow you to work on and that is how to tackle. If you come out of college and you are not a good tackler - then you can expect that to be an issue that will linger - possibly forever. 

One guy he seemed to blast on this front is Hooker. Yes, he's an amazing athlete and has a ton of talent, but has bad tackling habits that he doesn't see being able to be adequately addressed. When you look at the report on Humphrey, it would seem like the things he needs to work out can be worked on, such as downfield coverage and tracking of the ball. It doesn't seem like he needs to be coached up on how to lay the wood. 

So - I'll take that as a good thing, when it comes to our selection. Hopefully we can get some of these issues fixed and quickly. It also is helpful that we've got a nice set of safeties to help on deep coverage. I know we don't want to rush the guy, but I'd like to see him making on impact on this defense ... sooner rather than later. 

[52520Andrew]

58 minutes ago, JoeyFlex5 said:

Tim Williams - first step is out of this world, after the jump he eats up space super fast. Multitude of disengage moves, most notably his vicious spin, he drags the tackle, plants his foot and completely counters back upfield throwing his arms wide and violently to totally break free of the tackles arms. Powerful and violent hands, brings the pain to both the qb and the tackle despite being 10lbs less than ideal weight. Motor through the roof. Intense and passionate alpha male type player. Does a great job flattening the edge, gets a step and then dips that inside shoulder and throws it into the tackle keeping him staggered. Makes good reads and angles against the run but often gets too excited and fails to finish the play. Needs to set the edge more often there rather than penetrate.

I know someone who approves of this

[JoeyFlex5]

Just now, 52520Andrew said:

I know someone who approves of this

Lots of lean quick twitch muscle as well

[Moderator 3]

2 hours ago, balfan23 said:

I noted Gruden really emphasizing something that I had not thought of but seems to make sense ... he didn't state it specifically about Humphrey, but in general. Almost every college player coming out needs work on something. Virtually no one comes out 100% NFL ready. For him, the thing you cannot select high, because the current CBA does not allow you to work on and that is how to tackle. If you come out of college and you are not a good tackler - then you can expect that to be an issue that will linger - possibly forever. 

One guy he seemed to blast on this front is Hooker. Yes, he's an amazing athlete and has a ton of talent, but has bad tackling habits that he doesn't see being able to be adequately addressed. When you look at the report on Humphrey, it would seem like the things he needs to work out can be worked on, such as downfield coverage and tracking of the ball. It doesn't seem like he needs to be coached up on how to lay the wood. 

So - I'll take that as a good thing, when it comes to our selection. Hopefully we can get some of these issues fixed and quickly. It also is helpful that we've got a nice set of safeties to help on deep coverage. I know we don't want to rush the guy, but I'd like to see him making on impact on this defense ... sooner rather than later. 

I wish you had posted that in his Welcome thread.  Copy and paste maybe?

[balfan23]

4 hours ago, Moderator 3 said:

I wish you had posted that in his Welcome thread.  Copy and paste maybe?

Sure. 

[ravened]

Humphrey-Will be full-time starter next year. He will assist this season with injuries to our secondary. Savy pick!

Bowser-Will learn from Suggs. He will be our steady rusher in 2018. Two year learning curve!

Wormley-He will start for us and will be a beast with BW in stopping the run. Possible defense rookie of the year, Seven sacks in 2017.

Williams-Will be thrown to the "wolves", but will hold his own. As a part-time rusher-3rd down only, he will show up in division games. Good pick.

Siragusa-Will start at left guard and provide a road grater. Great pick Ozzie!

Eluemunor-Project. He will not start in 2017.

Clark-Special teams if he makes the team.

 

 

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

What's the #1 complaint you hear all season about our Defense and CB's... especially late in games when defending the 2 minute drill? Why are our CB's playing 5-10 yds off the ball and why do we give up the underneath stuff?? 

Well, Humphrey might be the best CB in the draft for playing this type of defense. Has the ability to come up and jam receivers at the line, with the speed/quickness to recover quickly if he makes a mistake.... but where he can be dominant is in a zone or off man, with the play in front of him. He closes not only with lightning fast speed, but also with force to jar the ball loose if he cant knock it away.

He will make WR's who catch the ball in his coverage start hearing foot steps on future plays. And, he makes our coverage scheme more effective in that he rarely allows for YAC on the short stuff. Sound, fundamental tackler.

 

Bowser gives us a chess piece early on that can match up with the many athletic, pass catching TE's we face. While raw as a player, his athleticism is through the roof and hes surprisingly developed in coverage. Can make an impact there right away, and this diversity could help him be a more impactful pass rusher early on... in that the OL wont know if hes dropping in man, covering a zone, rushing the passer. Delayed blitzes could be nightmares to deal with. Also has the ability to bend along with explosive first step and functional strength.... so the natural traits are there to develop into a good pass rusher.

Hes a less polished Haason Reddick. So if you wanted Reddick in the 1st, you got the next best thing. Think Adalius Thomas. Could be a Jack of All Trades and Master of Most. Wont be surprised if hes one of the best coverage OLB's in the game eventually, as well as a guy with potential to put up 10+ sacks if given the opportunity.

Looks like he can add bulk too, which will only help him set the edge better, get off blocks, and add an effective bull rush to his game. Which if he does then hes a bigger, stronger and almost just as explosive and athletic as Reddick. Could become the better player.

 

Wormley is underrated imo bc its not a sexy pick. Has positional flexibilty where i could see him play snaps at both 5T and 3T. Stout against the run, with great quickness for his size to be a very effective interior pass rusher. BWill, Pierce and Wormley could be darn near impossible to run on while still offering pass rush ability.... while Pierce, Wormley, and Kaufusi could bring serious interior heat collapsing pockets and slicing into gaps without being a liability on runs.

Early starter or serious contributor in a rotation, who i could easily see being a 10 year starter. Could easily see him being like a Kelly Gregg, Corey Redding, or Trevor Pryce type player for us who is never a household name or national star... may not be recognized with pro bowls or all pros... may never light up a stat sheet.... but whose value will be clear and known by all Ravens fans.

 

And Tim Williams.... Timmy Willy.... man, he is just exciting to watch. Hes a blur off the edge. When he times the snap right, Tackles are hopeless. You literally cant get a hand on him. Hes what weve been missing for so long. We havent had a player on the edge with that speed and burst since.... maybe ever.

Knows when to bail on his initial rush plan and spin back inside. Has a great arm over move. Can get down lower than tackles want to without sacrificing that burst. 

Year 1 they just need to let him do what he does best. Let him be the DPR in obvious passing situations, in  2 minute drills, etc... Again its another piece like Humphrey that makes the game Pees calls way more effective. While Humphrey closes, jars the ball lose, and tackles to limit YAC.... Williams can get to the QB faster than they can get rid of it.

If thats all he does this year - who cares? We got him in the 3rd round. Honestly would have been happy if Williams was our 1st round pick, was hoping to pick him in the 2nd (though wasnt at all upset we went with Bowser, had we not even got Williams) and nearly jumped through the roof when we took him at 78. This could be THE steal of the draft. Even in a limited role as just a DPR -- he has the potential to put up 15+ sacks. 1 pressure every 5 rush attempts. That is absolutely INSANE productivity and efficiency.

 

Siragusa was a big value pick. In a weak OL class that wasnt incredibly deep, getting a player of his caliber in the 4th was huge. I think the only reason he was available is that he isnt scheme diverse. Hes a terrible fit for a wide/stretch zone which a lot of teams employ.... but hes a great fit for a power/gap scheme. Big, powerful, nasty mauler and a finisher.

He moves big men off the line. Anchors without having to give up much if any ground on pass sets. Plays to the whistle and seems to enjoy putting guys on the ground. He will compete for a starting job right away. 3+ year starter blocking for the all-time rushing leader. He blows open holes. Needs to work on pulling a little bit -- seems over eager to initiate contact and will lunge/lean into his blocks when pulling instead of bringing his feet before punching and latching on... which can make him off balance and eliminates any chance of pushing his man back. But i imagine thats very teachable. Has the footwork and enough athleticism to get there and the intelligence to get the right man while taking the proper angle. 

Also very good at recognizing stunts/twists. Will set up his man initially, pass him off cleanly, and receives the 2nd man with shoulders square, knees bent and eyes up. Not easily fooled, and rarely out of position. In a phone booth, probably one of the best interior OL in this draft. PFF rated him the #2 interior pass blocker and #2 run blocker in all of college football. Obviously have to account for level of competition, but this is a very good player.

 

Eluemunor was an early favorite of mine. Clearly needs work, but hes just scratching the surface of his ability. Didnt start playing until 14 years old and had only just seen the game for the 1st time two years prior. Its taken for granted how much of an advantage it is to grow up in a culture where football is so popular, and having played the game from a young age. We assume a lot -- yet this kid literally had no clue how to play until 6 years ago. Hes basically in his development where most other players were when they were 14.

Got to love the size, length, athletic traits. As a former soccer player he has great movement skills. With an NFL program i think he'll lean out a bit and get a more powerful lower body and core to carry his weight better. With that he will have scary good footwork and mirror/match ability. Already an incredibly powerful upper body.

Also, was offered D1 scholarships as a wrestler... so has that background which usually plays out well for OL. Understands leverage, balance, and how to control someone. Strong hands and endurance.

1 year starter, which many see as a knock, but again i think it speaks more to how much room this kid has to grow. Most have had years of playing against the best and still struggle when they get to the top level. He had 0 prep, was thrown into the sharks, and yes he struggled.... but not nearly as much as youd expect. 

Will most likely take a year or more to develop -- but Wagner didnt play his rookie year. Dont be surprised if in 4 years we look back on this pick much in the way we looked at Wagners. Has the positional flexibility to play RT or OG. Will compete for a starting job, but probably isnt ready to win it just yet. Players with his size/athletic traits just usually arent available in the 5th round. Its a risk, but if you can develop him the potential reward is enormous. Might have the most upside of any of our draft picks.

Cant really say he has weaknesses yet... bc i usually deem weaknesses as things that are habits. Habits are hard to break. I think its unfair to say he has those bc theyre developed over time. I dont think hes played yet to call anything a weakness. He just has things that are in development... which is actually a huge positive. Much easier to teach a player something for the first time than it is to break the bad habits and re-teach them the proper way. The fact that his first real education in playing OL is going to come from some of the best teachers in the game is huge for him.

That could really accelerate his growth compared to his peers.

 

And i honestly know nothing about Chuck Clark. So i wont pretend to. But i hear hes not overly athletic but makes up for it with plus instincts. Probably will have to earn a spot with ST contributions bc of how stacked our secondary is... but maybe potential down the line to earn snaps as a dime/nickel back. 

 

Overall, this is one of my favorite draft classes in a while. I really liked last years, especially that 4th round. I think this will go down as one of the best Day 2's we've ever had. The first 5 players could be anywhere from starters to big contributors for us right away. And 6 players will star potential. Perfect blend of clean, polished ready to go prospects; athletic, raw, huge upside prospects; and specialized, niche, prospects with an elite skill set for a defined role in our team.

Immediate impact mixed with sky high long term potential. Filled holes while stacking depth. Made strengths stronger while also supporting weaknesses. Great draft with not a whole lot to complain about (other than maybe WR, but other than Godwin in the 3rd or grabbing a long shot prospect in the 6th there was never a WR value available that id take over what we did).