Category: 2021 Player Profiles

STRENGTHS
Kadarius is an offensive weapon. His size, vision, lateral explosion make him unique. Add to that, his natural strength, speed, and eye/hand coordination and you have an offensive weapon who is a match-up nightmare for any defensive back. When he is one on one in the open field he is near impossible to bring down after he catches the ball. He has the strength of a running back with the skills to catch the ball and run the routes of a wide receiver. Kadarius has a high football IQ and he is still learning. He doesn’t take the big hit when you go to tackle him because I swear, he can move his eyes 360 degrees like a chameleon. In the open field, he has the speed and route-running ability to score. In the red zone, he has the quickness to run any route and get open to score. On special teams, he has the sure hands and quickness to make the first man miss and the speed to bring it to the house. Like I stated before, Kadarius is an offensive weapon with 360-degree chameleon-like eyes that make him a receiving nightmare.

CONCERNS
There will be people who will nit-pick him because of his size or because he doesn’t run wide receiver routes and is just a slot receiver. Those people are attached to the teams always selecting in the top ten of a draft.

BOTTOM LINE 1.42
When Christian McCaffrey came out I said he was a weapon that should be used all over the field and not just as a running back. I believe that to this day. I’m telling you now, you select this kid and use him all over the field and he will impact more than if you try to make him one dimensional. He’s a weapon and yes, he can play a lot of positions but to expect him to be your franchise wide receiver will allow the sideline to help defenders defend him and that is not, what you want to do. You want Kadarius in the open field and in the middle of the field so that he can use the whole field with his 360-degree chameleon-like eyes, to make plays. You want him in the slot, as your move receiver, on the outside, in the backfield just all over your offense from play to play, disguising himself as a chameleon. You have to keep players like Kadarius healthy because when they get hurt you have no one that has their abilities sitting on your bench. That’s why you move them around, to help keep them from targeted injuries. I’m not suggesting Kadarius is not stout enough to play just one position and impact playing that position. I am suggesting to gain the advantage of ALL of his talents to impact on any given play, you move him around your offense so he can disguise himself and use his chameleon-like eyes to his benefit and stay healthy.

STRENGTHS
DeVonta is a smooth, long-striding receiver with the eye/hand coordination to catch any kind of pass thrown to him in any down and distance situation. He reminds me a lot of former Bills Andre Reed. Devonta’s ability to separate when running routes comes from his ability to run every route with the same smoothness so that his opponent cannot read and anticipate his assigned route. Those long smooth strides allow for him to, not have to slow down in and out of his breaks. Also, those long, smooth strides allow him to disguise when he is going to make his breaks. Watching Devonta on film is like looking at a Cadillac riding down the road. The longer the distance, the faster he goes with more power and size the people with smaller cars envy.

CONCERNS
DeVonta has good strength but long striders can be easily moved off their routes. DeVonta still has some tricks to learn physically or he will just become a complementary receiver and not a top receiver for the team that selects him.

BOTTOM LINE 1.61
Long striding receivers need room to work. They will get you into the red zone but once inside they struggle to make touchdowns. When the Bills first started the K-Gun offense they struggled to make touchdowns inside the red zone. They had two long-striding receivers, Andre Reed and James Lofton, along with a long-striding pass catching Tight End Keith McKeller whom, the offense was originally named after. They solved this problem by mentally and physically extending the red zone so that these long striders had more field to work with and gain separation. It’s the reason they scored so quickly once they got over the 50-yard line. Devonta needs field, to work with and as long as the team that selects him gives him that field (with their play-calling), Devonta will become a franchise receiver who will be a matchup nightmare. When you ask DeVonta to run a deep crossing route I think you will see too, that smooth cruising Cadillac gaining separation from all the other smaller cars, cruising into the end zone just like Andre Reed, during his heydays. DeVonta will bring the Cadillac back in vogue.

STRENGTHS
Mac is one of the most detail orientated quarterbacks, I have ever seen coming out in a draft. He has a high football IQ with the size, accuracy, and arm strength to throw any pass needed with the correct velocity that will be asked of him at the next level. He shows enough athletic talent to manipulate the pocket to extend plays along with possessing the mental strength to stand tall in a muddled pocket and make plays. He throws with good anticipation and accuracy but his true gift is in his leadership qualities. His ability on the field to handle the different characteristics of his teammates and quietly demand from them their best standard of play is unique and something you only see from the best franchise quarterbacks in the NFL. He does this all without fanfare or acknowledgment from outside the locker room. If I’m an owner Mac is the one QB in this draft I TRUST the most to lead my franchise, from this group of quarterbacks.

CONCERNS
Mac just needs to continue to grow on the field and off the field and handle success as well as adversity. There is no doubt’ in my mind that he will.

BOTTOM LINE 1.27
Mac is a positive thinking person. At least that’s what I see on film because I have never interviewed him or interacted with him personally. His play on the field and body language, and the way he interacts on the sidelines with his teammates and also, the respect his coaches have for him in the way they approach him and “discuss” issues with him during a game, tells me this. That’s right “discuss”, not yell, not scream, not shake their heads in frustration, just discuss. He listens and he reacts to what his coaches tell him but he is also not afraid to go off-script when he sees an opportunity that others might not see. Mac is a fast learner and is learning and absorbing a lot this year from his coaches. The truth is, I’m shocked at how quickly he learns and then brings what he learns onto the field successfully. Mac is like that Dolphin that leads your boat through the most dangerous waters as it puts a smile on your face with its athleticism and tricks. You trust that Dolphin because of its sureness and “Pelorus like” direction to lead and you respect its intelligence because of its ability to quickly put you at ease with its athleticism. Mac (Pelorus) Jones will give your team its “Pelorus like” direction and his athleticism and high football IQ will set you at ease with confidence. I trust that Mac will become a franchise quarterback, the kind that makes the team around him better because of his athletic talents, High football IQ, character, and leadership qualities

STRENGTHS
Kyle is an athletically talented receiver. His size and athletic talent are irreplaceable if he gets injured and misses games for the team that selects him. He shows excellent ability to adjust to the ball in the air and the strong hands to come down with any contested pass. He has the ability to go down and get the low ball just as well as he has the ability to catch the ball thrown high in the air. Kyle is a RedZone nightmare to match up with because of his agility to adjust to the ball and his eye hand coordination and strength to catch any contested ball. Kyle shows good balance and has the foot speed and strength, to gain yardage after the catch as well as any receiver in this draft. If I’m a GM, Head Coach or Offensive Coordinator and Kyle was sitting there for us to select him, I would not give a damn about any discussion of if he can play Tight End or receiver because there is a big difference between a position player and an offensive weapon. I call him Kyle (Scud) Pitts because like a scud missile, all you have to do is program his starting point and his Target point, get him the ball and watch the first downs and Touch Down explosions go off.

CONCERNS
I can, nit pick this kid to death, suggest he will never be a great in line blocker, So what! You’re not drafting him for his blocking. You just want him to make the effort and get in the way when it is needed. You’re drafting Kyle because he is an offensive weapon when the ball is in his hands so…cut the crap and the nit picking and just, GET HIM THE DAMN BALL!!!

BOTTOM LINE 1.43
I will say this, it’s up to Kyle to stay on the field and not get injured. With his long legs, injuries could be the biggest issue of concern. That being said, potential injuries are not a reason to not select any player high in the draft when there is no significant injury history. Kyle will have to learn when to give himself up so that he can stay on the field. He will also have to learn to be more physical and run better routes along with all the other receiving techniques most, if not every single receiver coming out, has to learn. The difference in Kyle and most other receivers is that Kyle… has the high football IQ to learn to be better than he is right now and I think the work ethic. As I stated before, Kyle is an offensive weapon. A matchup nightmare. Players with Kyle’s size, agility and eye/hand coordination do not come along often. Those god’s given talents can not be coached or taught, but everything else can be provided Kyle is willing to learn and I suspect that he is. Kyle (Scud) Pitts reminds me a lot of former Receiver/TE Shannon Sharpe. The truth is, I’d select Kyle over any receiver in this draft because he is not just a position player, he is an offensive weapon.

STRENGTHS
Kyle is a mentally tough quarterback with good size, strength, and arm talent to compete at a high level for the team that selects him. He has enough athletic talent to run and make 1st downs in short-yardage situations. Kyle stands strong in the pocket and will not be intimidated into throwing bad passes. If he throws a bad pass it’s because he threw a bad pass and not because of pressure in most cases. Kyle shows on film good enough feet to manipulate the pocket and extend plays. He shows the velocity needed to make the difficult pass in the red zone where the targets are tight and show the anticipation on routes to bring a team from behind in the 4th quarter to win a game. I believe Kyle is a quality quarterback who will start for the team that selects him and in the right system has the ability to win the big games. Kyle is a football player who just happens to play the quarterback position. I suspect even if he didn’t have the arm talent, that Kyle would still find a position to play just to get on the field. He is a bit of a beast, mentally and physically.

CONCERNS
Kyle has to gain better foot quickness and stop using his body like it’s a battering ram to gain yardage. He has to learn to better manipulate the pocket to extend plays and of course get the ball out of his hands faster. I know he can do all of these things and more if given a little time to develop.

BOTTOM LINE 1.74
Kyle reminds me a lot of former Colts Andrew Luck and like Andrew, in the right system, he could be very productive. Play action will be the system Kyle can flourish in and that means he needs the THREAT of a strong running game like Andrew needed. Kyle doesn’t seem to turn the ball over as much as Andrew did and that is a good thing but he does hold on to the ball and that means he will take a pounding in the pocket unless he can learn to manipulate the pocket and anticipate where the blitz is coming from. Nevertheless, Kyle with the right coaching and right system has the talent to start and be effective and also could develop into a franchise-type quarterback for the team that selects him. Andrew Luck was a good quarterback but struggled to be consistent because of injuries, turning the ball over and changing, the offensive system that maximized his weaknesses and minimized his impact.

STRENGTHS
Micah has the size, bulk, and athletic talent that every team in this draft should be excited about to add to their defense. He has an excellent burst to the ball and when he is sure of his assignment and reacts with confidence, he looks like a formula one race car with turbo power streaking to the play to make the tackle. Micah has the speed to go sideline to sideline and make plays. He has the speed to run down players from behind and when used to attack the line of scrimmage, Micah has the burst and explosion off the line, to make offensive tackles wear “depends” as standard underwear attire.

CONCERNS
Because Micah has only played 2 years at Penn State his football IQ and instincts to play linebacker is lacking. Because of his athletic talent and speed, he is able to wait for a play to develop and then make his move and that’s fine at the college level. He doesn’t shed blocks because he is free to make plays in Penn State’s system. He is free to blitz without taking a block on and because of his burst and speed he is just a better athlete than most players he goes up against. Micha has a lot to learn about playing linebacker.

BOTTOM LINE 2.08
The way Micah plays on the field and the way he is used by Penn State, reminds me, very much, of former Oklahoma LB Brian Bosworth. When Micah attacks the line of scrimmage the front four defensive lineman block like offensive lineman, opening holes for Micah to have a direct line into the backfield and make a play behind the line of scrimmage, just like Oklahoma did for Bosworth. If you’re looking for a size/ speed ratio guy to develop than Micah is your man but if you’re looking for a finished linebacker who will guide your defense and is a coach on the field, you might have to wait a few years until Micah can get up to speed mentally. He has excellent and unique athletic talent and along with his character that makes him a player that most teams will be willing to select early in this draft. I think a team that needs him to play and start right away will find that Micah will struggle to impact but a team in the playoffs with an established defense that can develop him slowly just might be the answer to Micah becoming an impact player at the next level. Nevertheless, it will be hard for any team in the 1st or 2nd round not to pull the trigger on selecting Micah, once he works out and interviews.

STRENGTHS
Gregory has the size and athletic talent to play any position on your defensive line in any style of defense. He is very strong and in spite of the fact he has long arms and long legs he plays with remarkedly leverage, gaining advantage off the line of scrimmage on every snap of the ball. He does an excellent job setting the edge when he plays Defensive End and when moved inside on obvious passing downs, Greg uses excellent pass-rushing techniques with his hands. Because of his log arms, Greg can easily keep offensive lineman off his body to shed and make tackles. Greg’s natural hand strength is the key to his impact as a defensive lineman. He is not explosive off the line of scrimmage but because he plays with leverage and has long strides that allow him to cover ground quickly, offensive lineman struggle with having enough lateral agility to block him just as if he were explosive off the line like other pass rushers. Greg reminds me a lot of a young Saints Cameron Jordan.

CONCERNS
I’d like to see Gregory (when playing defensive end) come off the ball with more explosiveness, turn the corner and make a sack. Right now, when playing that position his sacks or more coverage sacks. When he is moved inside he seems to play with more explosiveness off the ball.

BOTTOM LINE 1.30
Gregory plays defensive end like a defensive tackle playing in a 2-gap system, waiting patiently for the running back to try to slip by him in a gap or for the QB to step up in the pocket and then he sheds his block and makes a sack. Although he changes the line of scrimmage in his favor as a defensive end on almost every snap, his overall play is more calculating instead of being explosive. Greg has a unique style of play and the team that selects him is going to have to explore that uniqueness and find out how it fits into their team structure on defense. When they do I suspect Gregory to be the same impactful player that Cameron Jordan has been for his team because like Cameron, Gregory is a complete defensive lineman who can play in any style of defense and impact. The team that selects him is just going to have to find out how to use his unique style to get the most benefit of it.

STRENGTHS
Alex has the size and athletic talent to play multiple positions for you on your offensive line and play them all at a very high level. He can play either tackle position or either guard position. He shows good lateral agility to mirror his opponent when left on an island one on one, against most pass rushers. He is quick out of his stance with the leverage to be good when blocking for the run. He has the foot agility to get to the next level and make blocks that help his running backs get into the secondary after they break the line of scrimmage. Alex has the balance and foot speed to be used pulling on sweeps and the football IQ to get out and block for screens. He is a versatile and excellent offensive lineman with plug-in and play for ten years, type of ability that every team in the NFL has a big need for.

CONCERNS
He does get sloppy at times with his techniques and will get beat in pass blocking when that happens. If Alex wants to stay at Left Tackle he will have to become more consistent with his pass blocking techniques or he will get his QB knocked out of the game.

BOTTOM LINE 1.42
If Alex’s doesn’t wind up being your pro bowl left tackle, I have no doubt he will be your pro bowl Right Tackle… who can play left tackle in the case of injuries, and play it at a high enough level your original Left Tackle will wonder if his injury cost him his job. Consistency is always the key to what separates the great offensive lineman from the average offensive lineman. I have no doubt that Alex will become more consistent. Sometimes Alex is a little slow with his feet when blocking. This affects his lateral agility and when that happens Alex can be beaten but, when he sets himself and keeps himself square to his opponent, he is as good as any left tackle I have seen coming out of the college level. Nevertheless, Alex is a quality offensive lineman and selecting him early in this draft seems like a smart move to me because as I stated before, he can play multiple positions at a pro bowl level but, if that’s not what you are looking for as a GM and Head Coach than I suggest you update your resumes.

STRENGTHS
Ja’Marr is a powerful, run after the catch receiver who can make the chains move as well as go deep and catch the contested home run ball. Because of his size, speed and explosiveness, he is a miss-match nightmare for any size defensive back or hybrid LB/Safety in coverage. His ability to make the contested acrobatic catch, and then come down with the ball and break tackles to gain more run after the catch yardage, is equal to any of the top receivers in the NFL. Ja’Marr runs good routes and he is lethal, when running a double move and almost impossible to stop because of his size and speed once he gets behind the coverage. Ja’Marr has the potential to become a franchise receiver, the type you base your offensive passing game on, and the type of receiver that will make an average quarterback into a great quarterback.

CONCERNS
Because Ja’Marr is so physical he has a tendency, not to explode out of his breaks on every route like he does when he runs a deep route. His slant routes are sloppy until he gets his hands on the ball and then he is a monster to bring down… but I am nitpicking.

BOTTOM LINE 1.56
When Cordelle Patterson came out I thought he was going to be a beast and a great receiver. That has not happened and the truth is to this day, I don’t know why. Ja’Marr is almost a clone of Cordelle when he came out in the draft. Ja’Marr does just about anything he wants to do on the football field just like Amari Cooper did when he was in college and yet Amari got traded. There is no doubt about Ja’Marr’s potential to be a franchise receiver for the team that selects him and yet he still has to prove it and prove it every day. Until he goes to the NFL and proves it I can’t think about comparing him to a Larry Fitzgerald or a Jerry Rice or anyone playing and producing at the next level right now just because he has that talent and potential. I believe you don’t select a receiver in the first round and yet I also believe there are exceptions to every rule… Ja’Marr could be that exception. There will be teams in the top ten of this draft who would be foolish to pass on not selecting Ja’Marr. Last year there were no receivers selected in the top ten but there were six receivers selected in the first round and all of them (when able to play) seem to be impact receivers… so much for my rule! My guess is that Ja’Marr will be selected in the top ten because the potential will be too much to pass on. For me personally, I would need other scouts to convince me to select a WR in the first round because it’s not personal… it’s just business. Nevertheless, there is not doubt about his talent and the fact he is deserving of being selected at any point in this draft and with a need at WR position yes, even in the top ten.

STRENGTHS
Zach has the arm talent to be an excellent and efficient, starting quarterback for the team that selects him. He has excellent accuracy and shows on film, the kind of velocity when throwing the ball that should make all 32 teams interested in selecting him. Zach shows the athletic agility to manipulate the pocket and has good enough foot speed to make third downs on designed quarterback runs. He has the football IQ of a coach on the field and because of that knowledge, shows good confidence and leadership skills. When Zach starts to work out for teams and interviews, it will be very hard for some teams not to list him as the top QB in this class. With his style of play on the field, mechanics, management knowledge along with his uncanny accuracy, is the prototypical quarterback that teams fall in love with, in a draft.

CONCERNS
Zach’s injury history and lack of bulk to take the pounding at the next level will scare some teams. For me, I see a lack of confidence, accuracy when throwing under pressure, and the ability to deal mentally with the blitzes and speed that will come at him at the next level as the real issues of concern. He reminds me a lot of Jimmy Garoppolo and like Jimmy will need strong play calling and coaching to mask these issues in the big games.

BOTTOM LINE 1.77
I like Zach’s talent and overall game but… I also understand that he is borderline between a franchise quarterback and a really good starting quarterback because of what I saw in his play, in the Coastal Carolina game. He’s a tough kid and he really made plays in the passing game that were outstanding but, as the game wore on he was intimidated by the hard hits he was taking, in and out of the pocket. He fought those hits mentally but still, he started throwing off his back foot a lot, losing some of his velocity. When a quarterback, in the middle of a game, loses some of his velocity it shows up in his receivers dropping some passes that are right on target. It causes receivers to grasp and double-clutch balls and leads to drops at crucial times in a game. Coaches talk about the timing between quarterbacks and receivers all the time as it pertains to receivers running routes. That timing also has to do with how quickly a ball reaches a receiver and if a pass is not consistent in velocity, it can turn into a lot of drop balls during a game. The velocity can change depending on the route but, velocity has to be consistent from every route practiced, to the game when the quarterback is under pressure or dropped balls and interceptions will happen. As I said, don’t expect Zach in the playoffs and big games to carry a team. He is the type of quarterback who doesn’t make the talent around him better, they make him better. Similar to Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t pass on selecting him in the 1st round for sure, he has the talent to be an excellent starting quarterback for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Justin is a smooth, athletic quarterback who could play more than one position on your offense except that…playing quarterback is his natural position for the next level and his impact position. He has a high football IQ to go along with a strong arm with excellent accuracy, velocity, and touch to make all the throws for the next level. In spite of his athletic talents to makes plays out of the pocket with his legs, he just might be the best pocket passer out of this group of quarterbacks, and that is truly the skill strength that he brings for the team that selects him. Justin is one of the top quarterbacks in this draft class and just might be THE top quarterback in this class…at least on my board.

CONCERNS
Justin lacks maturity in his leadership skills and decision making at times, but he does have the skills. He also lacks the bulk to stand up to the pounding at the next level when he leaves the pocket and that’s why his talents to play from the pocket will allow for longevity at the next level.

BOTTOM LINE 1.43
What I like about Justin, is his ability to have an answer when adversity rears its ugly self. He is so smooth when he stays in the pocket and plays from the pocket in fact, his accuracy and decision-making is so much better than when he leaves the pocket and tries to play superman. Justin needs to understand that leaving the pocket for him might give him a first down and move the ball but it will not win him the game and his lack of bulk will be a detriment for his superman actions. His ability to play from the pocket at a higher level than most QB’s is what will win him more games than his ability to play like superman. Now, most in the media I suspect, are going to say that Justin is a perfect example of the New quarterback for the NFL but I’m going to tell you that his overall game for the NFL is not, running the ball or making plays leaving the pocket. His strength is playing from the pocket and he needs to learn to manipulate the pocket and use it to his advantage and not be so quick to leave it. When Justin does gain the skill of movement in the pocket, he could become the next Tom Brady or Matt Ryan, or Warren Moon or John Elway or Doug Williams. Notice I did not say Michael Vick or RGIII or Cam Newton. The truth is Justin someday, could be as good as Steve (Air) McNair or even, Aaron Rodgers…but he will never be as good as Superman and he should stop trying.