Category: 2019 Player Profiles

STRENGTHS
When Maxx is on the field there is no lack of effort or flailing arms in his overall play. He has a good burst off the line and with his flailing long arms he is at an advantage against offensive lineman right off the snap of the ball. Maxx is quick to get into the back field and disrupt the rhythm of plays against both the run and the pass. He is stout against the run when he uses good techniques, using his long arms to keep player’s off his body and shed and make tackles. Maxx has good athletic talent but right now, he does more damage with his overall effort and quickness off the ball. He has talent but that talent needs to be controlled and when it is, Maxx could become an impact player and a fan favorite for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Effort can be a gift and a curse when it is not under control. Maxx plays out of control losing his techniques and although causing havoc, that havoc isn’t effective. Sometimes Maxx has no idea were the ball is. Sometimes. Maxx runs around using lots of energy but can’t finish because, all of that energy and to much movement is just counterproductive. At times he is late to the play but still dives into the pile. When Maxx plays under control using the correct techniques and not trying to make plays all by himself he can be an excellent, impacting defensive player.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.11
You remember driving down the road and outside of a business seeing Tubey the tube man, the wacky, waving, flailing arms, inflatable, tube man? That’s what Maxx looks like when he starts playing out of control. He runs around with his long arms flailing faster than he can run, using up energy and not accomplishing anything. He doesn’t make the tackle, doesn’t make the sack and is late to the play. But when he uses those long arms, to control his opponent and work his techniques correctly, Maxx is a good as any defensive lineman in this draft and it’s just a matter of him learning to play more within the context of the defense and not going solo to impact. Maxx effort can easily be used against him if he doesn’t understand that defense is a team effort and not just one person’s effort. He will learn or he won’t play because every play he makes he gives up a bigger play because. he is out of control and easily fooled into making big mistakes. I believe he will learn, and become a core player and a fan favorite for the team that selects him and not like Tubey, the wacky, waving, flailing arms, inflatable tube man.

STRENGTHS
Jakobi has the size, strong hands, acrobatic talent to adjust to the ball in the air and might be one of the best blocking receivers in this draft. He has the potential to be a franchise receiver. Jakobi is the type of receiver who is always open, even when he is not open. He runs good routes and is quick in and out of his breaks. He has a large catch radius and is fearless working out of the slot or going over the middle, to catch the ball and move the chains. Jakobi has a high football IQ and because of his size and athletic talent and blocking skills he can be used at any one of the receiver positions in a team’s offense.

CONCERNS
Jakobi has not played the position of wide receiver very long and is still learning but the truth is he is a natural and his upside is tremendous. His work ethic has to get better and nagging injuries are a concern, pertaining to his mental strength to succeed in the face of adversity. His route running needs to improve, along with getting stronger and working on his speed but if he continues on the path he is on, Jakobi could become a franchise receiver for the team that selects him.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.17
Jakobi is still developing but the truth is, all that is needed for him to continue to develop, is for Jakobi to want it bad enough. Jakobi can to be one of the best because he has the natural talent. Like I stated before, he needs to continue to work on his speed and route running and become stronger but let me tell you this… this kid is a natural pass catcher. Jakobi is what I call a sleeper. To me a sleeper is not a player in a small division program that stands out and everyone can see his talent. A sleeper to me is a player in a division 1 program who is hiding in plain site because there is a player or two on the same team that attracts everyone’s attention. Jakobi stats last year, primarily working from the slot and injured most of the year was- 92 rec -1,047 yards 4 TB’s, 11.4 avg. That’s impressive for a player who hasn’t played the position very long and worked mainly in the slot. You might be asking yourself, Drew, why this guy over others in this draft with more time and experience and maybe better stats? The first time I notice Jacobi, he laid out (with an open field block), an opponent to spring a teammate for a first down that shook me as much as it knocked the living crap out of the poor defensive back who got knocked into his teams’ sidelines. I kept my eye on him and then noticed his improvement at the Senior Bowl practices and found out he played most of the year with a nagging leg injury and was recruited as a quarterback. The natural talent just screams out at you and that’s why I think Jacobi has a chance to be special.

STRENGTHS
Riley is a tall receiver with good speed and excellent hands to catch the ball. He has a big catch radius and will make the acrobatic catch when he is expected, to step up. Riley will go over the middle and has some run after the catch skills using a semi stiff arm to keep players off his legs to gain those yards. He knows where he is on the field and can move the chains when he is expected too. Riley is smart and like I stated before will step up when the pressure is put on him to step up. He has all then skills, size, speed and route running savvy, to be a top receiver for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
This year Riley’s route running lacked the same quickness and savvy it has in the past and because of a lack of strength in his upper and lower body, physical defensive backs could easily push him off his routes. This will be magnified at the next level. Riley looks to be more of a follower, than a leader and sometimes followers tend to have goals that are not the same as team goals because they tend to follow only one person. Of course, his goals or lack of, is all conjecture on my part.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.67
I believe there is more to Riley’s talent then he has shown at the college level. That is a good thing and a bad thing. Riley’s stats are better but his overall play and route running was shockingly poor compared to other years. Just about every route he ran, started off with him doing a stutter step, opening up his chest to the defender and then coming off the line the same way every single time. His ability to separate this year seemed to be a big problem compared to the film of him in other years. He quickness was not near what it was in his freshman year. So, what is a Draftnik to think? I’ll tell you what this Draftnik thinks…I think Riley is a follower and not a leader and if he gets with the right QB and coach that can push the right buttons that Riley can become very productive as a number 2 receiver for at least his first contract but after that who knows? He reminds me a lot of former Buffalo Bills 2d round pick, in the 1999 Draft, Peerless Price. (Look him up, I can’t do everything for you). For Peerless first contract, he was productive but still the Bills traded him to the Falcons for a first-round pick and the Falcons signed him for big money and even though Peerless showed up and played, no one could find him on the field ever again. But he got his money!

STRENGTHS
Ben has the size, length and track talent to be a specialty pass rusher. He has excellent foot speed and is adept at getting to the quarterback, when being used for stunts and when he is not blocked. He can play standing up or in a three-point stance and surprisingly his impact is the same. Ben has those long arm and legs and track speed that will attack some teams into selecting him.

CONCERNS
Ben has talent, but that talent can be blocked by my 95-year-old mother, with her walker. He lacks strength, passion, aggressiveness and doesn’t want to engage, avoiding blocks rather than taking them on and defeating them.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.67
Ben reminds me of Falcons Vic Beasley. All I can say in evaluating Ben is that I have a rule, it’s called Drew’s Draft rule number 14, “Pass Rushing is not a specialty. It should be included in the evaluation of the DE and LB positions in their totality. Personally, I don’t draft specialty players. I draft players who I feel can start and play and impact but there are others who think differently so I’m obligated to give Ben a talent board grade.

STRENGTHS
Isaiah is a size/speed ratio cornerback, with those long legs and long arms that defensive back field coaches dream about. He shows good strength and solid change of direction skills with very good recovery burst. He has the talent and size to be one of the better corners in this draft and to be used at more than one position in your defensive back field. Because of his size and strength Isaiah can be used inside against those big receivers and Tight Ends in nickel/dime packages. He is smart…maybe too smart, and uses those long arms to shock receivers at the line of scrimmage, disrupting the rhythm of a passing play at the snap of the ball. Isaiah will step up his game when challenged. He likes a challenge and becomes even more physical off the snap of the ball if he thinks his opponent can beat him. Isaiah has first round talent and in the right system with the right coaching he can become an impact starting corner back, safety or slot coverage back in nickel and dime situations for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
When Isaiah is forced to make a tackle…he will make the tackle and do it with force. The problem is he would rather some one else tackle instead of him. He is a bit of a trash talker and can be baited easily into penalties. He doesn’t read receivers very well understanding where the ball is and when the receiver is about to catch the ball. A smart physical receiver can beat this kid all day long like a drum because Isaiah’s main weapon of choice in defending is, intimation and not in using his talent and developing his skills.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.83
Isaiah has first round talent attached to the maturity level of a 7th round pick on the field. That makes me question his maturity off the field too. This kid has way too much talent to be playing the game in the fashion he has chosen to play. He doesn’t have confidence in his talent and that’s why he overcompensates with intimidating. Lots of great players have used intimidation as a weapon on the field but those players have also understood their talent and how to use it and they develop it. All I see with Isaiah is a kid that is using intimation on the field in the hope that he is not challenge. What really surprises me in his play on film is, when Isaiah is challenged he ups his game and shows his talent level and that talent level is pretty dam good. The lack of maturity on the field and MAYBE off the field is what is lacking but if the right coach can live through it and fix it, Isaiah will be one of the better defensive backs to come out in this draft. Isaiah has the talent to be as good as last years Charges 1st round selection Derwin James…he just doesn’t know it or he’s afraid to know for fear he won’t live up to the expectations of others.

STRENGTHS
Drew is a complete Tight End who can block and catch. His talents are similar to the Cowboys Jason Witten. Drew is an excellent in line blocker and does a solid job running routes but his ability to catch the ball with a big catch radius is accomplished because of the effort he gives to make the catch in any situation. Drew is a Tight Ends, Tight End. He shows excellent balance to make his blocks and good run “after the catch” skills because of his size and compact style of running, making it difficult for smaller LB’s, CB’s and Safeties to tackle him. Drew really showed his route running skills and Velcro like hands to catch the ball at the Senior Bowl practices but as it is his style, not many noticed.

CONCERNS
I do wish he was a little faster but as long as the team that selects him keeps him to the normal Tight End routes and doesn’t try to make him into a wide receiver, Drew will impact.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.00
Do you really want to know why no one but me…is talking about Drew Sample? It’s because his quarterback couldn’t identify an 8 ft tall, open tight end receiver, standing in the middle of the field, waving his arms with Kim Kardashian standing next to him. I cannot tell how many times I saw on film, Drew wide open and his QB throw the ball to a covered receiver down the field. To be honest…I don’t know how Drew didn’t come back to the huddle and smack that QB in the back of the head. It shows what kind of teammate and the type of character Drew has, that he never got upset and just went back to work trying to block for him. This kid has the potential to start for the team that selects him for the next ten years and have a career that will make fans fall in love with him. He will be a fan favorite and a core player for the team the selects him. Believe it. If he was faster and flashier, and if his QB only would have passed the ball to him, someone else, other than me might have taken notice…you can bet the scouts did.

STRENGTHS
Jace is a smooth route runner with silky soft like hands, to catch the ball. He is a willing blocker with good size. He has been used mostly off the line like an H-Back when blocking although when he is used for blocking in line he does a solid job. Jace does a good job separating when he runs his routes and because of this strength could be used in the red zone on the inside or outside. Jace is the type of receiver that QB’s fall in love with and when that happens he can be very productive in the passing game.

CONCERNS
Jace just needs to get stronger in his upper and lower body to help him finish his blocks and to help with his explosion off the line into routes.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.11
You look at Jace on film and his ability to catch the ball screams out at you and makes you think he should be a wide receiver but, Jace doesn’t have the speed or quickness to be a true receiver. Maybe a move receiver but even that, takes speed that Jace doesn’t have. So, the option is to become a pure and better Tight End. He has to get stronger in his lower body, upper body and gain strength in those silky, soft like hands to catch contested passes. Because of his willingness to block and the ability to catch the ball I can see big upside and potential in his overall game if Jace has the required work ethic.

STRENGTHS
Dawson is a worker bee type of blocking Tight End. He works very hard to make blocks being used mostly off the line like an H-Back. There’s no lack of effort in this kids play and he can line up on the line and hold his own run blocking because of this effort. He is very raw at this point of his career running routes but Dawson has the athletic talent and the work ethic to be better at the next level and improve into a complete Tight End.

CONCERNS
He is inconsistent catching the ball and will have to work more on catching contested passes and increasing his catch radius. He is also tight in the hips and struggles lateral and this could be an issue running routes and blocking in the open field.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.17
Dawson has upside to his game but because of his body type that upside is limited. His effort is outstanding and will help him to get on a team and develop and that means because of his blocking Dawson has made himself valuable especial since teams are starting, more and more to go back to running the ball. If Dawson can become more consistent catching the ball than he can become a more important and core player for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Josh has the potential to become a complete Tight End for the team that selects him. He shows the lateral agility and quickness to block and help out his offensive lineman when pass blocking. Josh has those long legs and arms that help him to be a match up night mare to cover when he is running routes. He has good hands to catch the ball and can make the difficult catch in the red zone and down the field. He shows on film, good speed but what he really brings with him is the quickness off the line, into his routes and when in the open field making his blocks.

CONCERNS
Josh has those long arms and legs that makes it hard for him to be a great run blocker but he gets the job done, because of his effort.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.39
Josh is a very good pass blocker but as run blocker…like said he does the job as ell as he can without penalties but it’s hard for him to finish and that could be the excuse for some teams to drop him to lower rounds in this draft. I think any Tight End that can pass block as well as catch the ball down the field as well as Josh does, doesn’t need to run block. I say draft him and coach better. On passing downs, use him to block or put him into the slot and bring another offensive lineman in to block. The offense can still run or pass the ball because Josh can catch the ball down the field as well as most receivers and he is quick off the line, better than most other tight ends. He is match up nightmare in coverage for LB’s and safeties because of those long arms and legs. Josh has the talent and passion to be an excellent Tight End for the team that selects him similar to the Redskins Jordan Reed.

STRENGTHS
Darnell is listed as a safety but the truth is, he could play many different positions on both sides of the ball. He has excellent quick/twitch athleticism with speed. He is an excellent tackler, has excellent hands to intercept the ball and might be THE best cover safety in this draft and one of the better cover corners in this draft. He has everything you look for in a receiver and a Defensive Back. He shows leadership skills through his play on the field, coverage skills when playing in the slot and speed, quickness, vision like a running back to take the ball to the house after an interception. On defense he can play any Defensive Back position. He is instinctive, decisive and when he goes to tackle he is like a heat seeking missile, taking down any size player with a form tackle and with authority. Darnell plays like a Rocket on the field and that’s why I call him Darnell (Rocket Man) Savage.

CONCERNS
Like I always say…you can nit-pick a player right into the 7th round if you want. Size maters in the draft but once a player hits the field and produces…all of a sudden, size doesn’t matter. Also, Darnell will be downgraded because the position he plays. Some teams just do not want to spend the money on the safety position in general and feel they can find a safety at any point in the draft. I agree but, than again… there are exceptions to every rule.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1.47
Darnell reminds me of former Patriots Troy Brown. Troy was selected in the 1993 Draft in the 8th round. He was drafted primarily as a wide receiver but he played special teams and cornerback. Troy played for 15 years for the Patriots. As a receiver he recorded 557 catches for 6,366 yards, 31 touchdowns. On defense he made 39 tackles, broke up 5 passes and had 3 interceptions. On Special Teams as a punt returner he accumulated 2,625 yards and scored 3 touchdowns. In 2017 the Titans selected in the first round (18th) Adoree’ Jackson and in just a few short years is creating a problem for his team in replacing his talent because he is playing and impacting on defense, offense and special teams. Darnell and Adoree’ are the same size and both have same Athletic talent. So, go ahead pass on selecting Danelle because of the one box, you can’t check (size) is the one box that really doesn’t matter once the game starts. Go ahead, I dare you to pass on selecting the heat seeking missile that can impact your teams defense, offense and special teams. Personally, I don’t pass on selecting defensive playmakers because of size. But, that’s just me, talking to myself.

STRENGTHS
Gerald has tremendous, athletic talent to be one of the best penetrating defensive tackles in this draft. He has excellent explosion changing the line of scrimmage in his favor on almost every play. He has enough flexibility to change direction once he gets into the back field to sack the quarterback and disrupt the rhythm of plays. Gerald has good foot speed to run down players from behind and tackle quarterbacks out of the pocket. He has the talent on the field to be a leader. He has the moxie to be the type of player his teammates depend on. Gerald has a lot of skills that need to be coached and to make him believe in himself but as I always say…it takes more that talent to play in the NFL.

CONCERNS
When I watch Gerald play, my reaction is, that he really pisses me off. His techniques are suspect and inconsistent and if his first move is stuffed, he struggles to make second move. His techniques against the run are poor and he tries to do everything with athletic talent and not using the correct techniques. It drives me crazy to see a big player with his lateral agility, not use the correct techniques to be a good run stuffer. Gerald must learn and use the correct techniques to keep players off his body so he can shed blocks and make tackles. I have more concerns, in fact too many to list but let me say this one thing…Gerald REALLY pisses me off when I watch him on film. He either struggles to accept authority and bring what he learns in practice on the field in game time or, he’s just stubborn and thinks he doesn’t need to use the correct techniques. Either way Gerald has a lot of work to do to reach his potential.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.22
Did I mention that Gerald pisses me off? He has such excellent potential to be more than he is on the field right now that it makes me want to cry. I see leadership in his play but I don’t see him leading. I see a potentially, excellent and COMPLETE Defensive lineman who could play more than one position on a defensive line but I don’t see on film that he believes that. How many players do you see on film, play sloppy but with great effort on every play? How many players do you see get into the backfield and then cannot finish because they didn’t use the right techniques to finish. If he was a freshman you could understand this type of play…but he’s not freshman and not as a player getting ready for the NFL Draft. What really gets me is, his teammates respond to him but I don’t think Gerald realizes it. He’s so busy giving so much effort that he doesn’t realize that his teammates are looking for him and reacting to his play. Some times you just have to take a chance on a kid like this. He has had some personal issues but I see a hell of a player emerging. I would take a chance that Gerald will become a much better, consistent and more of a complete defensive lineman at the next level than he has been at the college level. I truly believe that and now, the only other person who needs to believe it is Gerald. Maybe this profile of his play will piss him off and give him a kick in the buttocks, one can only hope.