Category: 2019 Player Profiles

STRENGTHS
Johnathan reminds me a lot of Los Angeles Rams S/LB Mark Barron. He has a linebacker’s mentality in a safeties body. He has the speed and the athleticism to cover but what he wants to do…what he needs to do…is tackle. Johnathan has enough change of direction skills to cover the bigger receivers in the slot. He has the “attack the line of scrimmage” skills, to blitz and get into the backfield and make open field tackles. He has the speed to go sideline to sideline to make tackles and he has the communicating skills to work well with his teammates. Johnathan has the talent to be used as a hybrid safety/linebacker and that means in the right system he can become a core player for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Johnathan could be a pure safety if he wanted to be, the problem is he’s plays safety like a linebacker getting fooled with play action and when in coverage, looking to early into the back field instead of reading the receiver and covering him. Johnathan is always looking for the big play and at the next level that will put him on the bench because QB’s and OC’s will take advantage of his aggressiveness. If he wants to be a linebacker, he better bulk up, shed blocks quicker and let the play come to him more. If he wants to be a safety he has to increase his football IQ and use his athleticism to cover better. Right now, Johnathan is a tweener and a tweener does not get to play very much except maybe on special teams.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.67
The only way to get Johnathan to be a good safety is to change his mentality and make him a free safety. That’s right keep him off the line of scrimmage and not near the line of scrimmage. Make him think pass first, run second. Right now, it’s all about playing the run and then, the tackle for Johnathan but he is not near big enough to play up near the line on every play to do that. If Johnathan wants to be a hybrid LB/S he has to gain 20 more pounds of muscle without losing any quickness or speed. That being said, there is no doubt in my mind that he has the speed and size to be an outstanding safety if he just believes more in his coverage skills. He needs to keep the play in front of him as most safeties do but he does well in coverage when he concentrates on covering. Johnathan wants to make the big, impacting, open field tackle behind the line of scrimmage but he doesn’t realize all the interceptions and big hits he could be making down the field if he just believes more in his coverage skills. At least that’s how I see it. Johnathan may have the mindset of a linebacker but he has the skills and size of a pure safety if he just sees it. As a safety he fits a lot of different defensive schemes, as a hybrid LB/S he only fits a few and the percentages to fail will be higher. So, it’s up to him, can he reset his thinking to pass first, run second and be a very good safety? I hope so because that’s what I believe he needs to do to keep him in the NFL past his first contract.

STRENGTHS
Amani has good size to play more than one defensive back position for the team that selects him. He has good size and good speed and is a willing tackler. Amani does a good job playing zone coverages and has been moved in side in the slot at times to cover and be used to blitz. He does a good job communicating with his teammates and shows some leadership skills when he is playing confidently. Amani has the athletic talent to play at the next level. He has the pure speed, size and length teams are looking for in their defensive backs and should become a solid player at the next level for the team that selects him.

CONCERNS
Amani has to get stronger and tackle better because right now at the college level receivers are gaining yardage after he makes tackles. He also has very poor hip flip and balance because he is on his heels all the time. Amani also takes too many false steps guessing on routes and needs to understand down and distance better, and what routes are run on those downs and distance. Amani has talent but he doesn’t trust that talent and until he does he needs to keep the play in front of him to impact.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.89
Amani should be a solid zone coverage defensive back but he has to get stronger and tackle with more aggressiveness. As far as being a cover corner…once again he has the talent but has to gain more confidence in his talents and increase his football IQ. At the next level most receivers are making most of their yardage after they catch the ball because of the pressure defensive lines are putting on the QB’s. That’s just the reality of the NFL. You can be a good cover corner and that might get you selected early in a draft but you won’t get past your first contract if you can’t or won’t tackle or, if you’re not strong enough to tackle. That being said, you can have a good solid career if you are a good tackler. You might play for a few different teams but you will still play past your first contract. So, my suggestion for Amani is to get stronger and become a better tackler. Mack sure that you limit run after the catch yardage and that along with your natural talent to cover, will keep you in the NFL for more than one contract.

STRENGTHS
Kaleb is a strong, powerful offensive lineman. He has the size and length to play on the outside and the quickness out of his stance and strength to play on the inside. Kaleb is smart and has an excellent work ethic. He shows leadership qualities through his play on the field and an excellent work ethic on and off the field. Kaleb can move well enough to be effective at the next level if he works hard and takes what he learns in practice into the game. I don’t think that will be a problem once he gets into a pro system.

CONCERNS
Kaleb is tight in the hips and lacks the lateral flexibility and agility to play the tackle position but with a little more technique work he can compensate. Kaleb needs a lot of work with his hands, right now he catches pass rushes and doesn’t shock them and move them back off his body. If Kaleb doesn’t get the timing down and learn the hand usage techniques needed to play tackle, then moving him to one of the guard positions might be the answer. That being said, he still has to learn to finish his blocks and to keep his feet moving once he engages. Trust me when I say, Kaleb will be worth the time to develop.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.50
Kaleb’s lack of lateral flexibility will not stop him from becoming a solid offensive lineman, it just stops him from playing a certain position unless he becomes a student of the game and learns the techniques that will minimize his limitations. I can see him becoming an excellent Right Tackle but at same time, I can also see him become a pro bowl left guard too. Kaleb has tremendous potential and he reminds me a lot of the Bears Kyle Long who has played Right Tackle and Guard. It would not surprise me if Kaleb plays both until he finds the right position that he can impact at also. Like I stated before, Kaleb will be worth the time to develop and don’t be surprised if he is selected earlier than this talent grade suggest.

STRENGTHS
Elgton is a big, strong, powerful offensive lineman. He can make all the snaps and has the ability to handle those big nose tackles that seem to abuse those smaller centers. He does a good job getting his hands on his opponent quickly, and that helps him to be stout against those defensive tackles who are trying to slip by him when they attack a gap. Elgton’s size will help him to be able to play more than one interior line position for the team that selects him and makes that him a value selection in this draft.

CONCERNS
After Elgton snaps the ball he is quick out of his stance but, is too upright and loses leverage when pass blocking. This forces him to be off balance and leaning back on his heels and this makes him a liability unless he can break this very bad habit of his pad level being too high. I also do not see the lateral agility to help out blocking when there is no one playing over him and he lacks the foot agility to handle stunts. I don’t see on film the movement skills that Elgton will need to play center at the next level.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.56
I believe because of Elgton’s size that playing guard is in his future but I don’t see the athleticism that the average offensive lineman needs to have, to play the center position at a high enough level to be a starting center. Nevertheless, he can be a starting right guard with the ability to back up at center in a pinch because he has shown that he can play center if need be. Elgton will have to improve his pad level when run blocking and pass blocking and when he does, because of his size, he should be a solid offensive right guard for the team that selects him.

STRENGTHS
Trayvon has the length and size that teams are looking for in their cornerbacks. He has good speed and with his long legs and long arms he has the ability to trail a receiver and still make a play on the ball. He has good enough hands to make the interception and along with his length, Trayvon has the bulk to play more than one position in your defensive back field. As a corner he likes to play in single coverage or man to man. When forced to play zone he does a solid job understanding who and what his responsibilities are and communicating with his teammates.

CONCERNS
There are two issues that Trayvon needs to improve at. He prefers others on the team do the tackling and is inconsistent shedding blocks to make tackles. He can and will do both if he absolutely has too but if he see’s other teammates near the play, he prefers they make that tackle first. If the team that selects him holds him accountable than I believe Trayvon will be an excellent defensive back who can play more than one position in spite of the fact that he lacks the ability to quickly flip his hips, stay on balance and run with the receiver deep. I guess that’s more than two issues.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 3.17
Trayvon happens to be a good tackler when he is forced to make the tackle. But looking at film it seems like his priority is to make sure he is not caught in a situation that requires him to make the tackle. Trayvon has good overall talent and although he struggles flipping his hips he compensates for it and that shows me that he is very smart. At the next level quick fast receivers will give him problems if he is singled up with them and as far as moving to the slot he has to get better tackling and shedding blocks along with improving his change of direction skills. Although Trayvon is limited in his athletic skills in the right system he can be excellent but…in that right system he will have to show the coaches that he is willing to tackle without any hesitation. I know he has the talent and ability to be a good, solid, defensive back but improvement in his “passion to compete” will be mandatory.

STRENGTHS
D’Andre has a high football IQ and this along with his athletic talent will allow teams to use him in different positions along the defensive front seven. He can play on the edge and rush the passer and has enough agility to cover those pesky running backs on those swings routes out of the back field. He also has the size and burst to the play to be moved to an inside linebacker position and to be used on stunts to get into the back field, sack quarterbacks and run-down players from behind. He has excellent instincts to the play and shows leadership skills through his play on the field. What I also see is, respect from his teammates when D’Andre makes a play and he seems to be well liked on the field. D’Andre’s potential reminds me a lot of the Buffalo Bills Lorenzo Alexander and I believe once D’Andre gains the experience and is in the right defense for his talents he can impact in the same way and became a fan favorite and a core player for his team’s defense.

CONCERNS
D’Andre may lack the elite overall athleticism and size but makes up for it with a high football IQ, instincts and effort on every play. If D’Andre stays on the outside as an edge rusher he will need to get quicker getting off blocks and needs more strength in his lower body to deal with those big offensive lineman and double teams.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.53
D’Andre is the style of player the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens find in the draft to make their defenses the best in the NFL. They have the coaching and mental flexibility to use a player like D’Andre and get the most out of him. I think D’Andre could be moved to middle linebacker or used outside in a 4/3 and I think he can be used inside or as an edge rusher in a 3/4 defense also. He is a little short as an edge rusher but he gets the job done. He needs to get stronger against the run on the outside but he will, I have no doubts. There is never a lack of effort on every down and his instincts, allow him to play faster than his workout numbers might show. Like I said, D’Andre might be a fit for certain teams because only those teams will see his potential and not try to pigeon hole his talents because he might not fit the parameters of a pure edge rusher. Then again, I agree he doesn’t fit the parameters of a pure pass rusher for the NFL but he does fit the parameters of a football player and that’s what I would be interested in if I was selecting a player for my team.

STRENGTHS
JJ is a touch down maker. He has excellent size and is quicker than he looks in a small space. He does an excellent job using his body to shield smaller players from the ball and is a master at catching contested passes in the red zone. He will move the chains and can catch the ball deep down the field, picking up yardage in chunks. Although he doesn’t have quick speed he does have long speed to get down the field and has a big catch radius. He does a good job blocking and with his strong hands to catch the ball is fearless going over the middle making the difficult catch look easy. JJ is a big body receiver who can play in the slot, block like an H-back and be used as a wideout inside the red zone to score touchdowns. He has talent similar to Anquan Boldin. (Look him up, I can’t do everything)

CONCERNS
He has talent to run routes better than he does but relies too much on running his routes and using his body to shield his defender to catch the ball. He has to trust his quickness more than he does, learn to set up defenders and get in and out of breaks to separate better. He has the talent but like I said relies too much on his basketball skills to defeat his opponent.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.06
JJ has the athletic talent to run better routes he just doesn’t believe it but when he does, he will become a weapon on offense that will be hard to stop. He is so used to using his body to shield his defender from the ball he has become lazy and hasn’t worked on running routes with more authority. He has to become more of a student of the route running game. He has the desire and ability but until he runs better routes he will struggle at the next level because those corners and safeties are just as big and as physical as he is. JJ is smart and he will learn to run better routes and to use his natural quickness when he runs his routes. He has long speed and can catch the ball anyplace on the field and like I stated before, is fearless going over the middle. His passion to be an impact player is another one of his attributes that shows up on film when I watch him. I believe this kid will be an impact receiver, just give him some time to adjust and become a student of running routes. Until then you can use him in the red zone to score touchdowns and that alone will make him an impact player for your offense.

STRENGTHS
Lonnie has all the traits teams are looking for in Defensive Backs. He has the size and length and good overall speed to be an outstanding defensive back who could play more than one position on defense. He is listed at 6’2” at 213lbs and has the athletic talent to play safety or corner back. He was timed at the combine 4.52 in the forty and his skill drills were all excellent and worthy of playing either position. Looking at his film I see his potential athletically to be considered one of the top Defensive Backs in this draft and worthy just on a size/speed ratio to be considered as a 1st round selection. Nevertheless, I believe it takes more than the near perfect athletic talent to play in the NFL.

CONCERNS
There are a lot of little things Lonnie is lacking in his overall play that add up to some big question marks. The biggest is his lack of consistent tackling. He lays the wood, big time on “unsuspecting” players in front of him catching the ball but struggles to tackle running backs in the open field, running right at him. His ability in single coverages is all based on his athletic talent and not using consistent techniques and this allows him to get beat deep, struggle changing directions when he tries to mirror his opponent. Good receivers blow right by him and set him up because he lacks the football IQ to understand the big picture. This sends a signal to me that his mental work ethic does not match his physical work ethic.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.00
It comes down to this, just because you look the part and try out for the part doesn’t mean you get the part. Does Lonnie want to learn to be better or, because of his athletic talent and his workout numbers does he think he’s good enough right now? Does he accept coaching and does he take what he learns in practice on to the field. Where are his leadership skills? When I profile a player, I try to relate to you how his play on the field will show me the talent and character traits that will make him successful at the next level. I believe that in most cases HOW a player plays will show his talent AND character. In a lot of cases I think it shows better a player’s character on film then in interviews, and interviews should just confirm the character of a player that you see on the film. It’s that old proverb…actions speak louder than words. I’m not suggesting this is fool proof method, by any means. I’m just saying for me, not being on the inside, that’s how I do what I do. Lonnie’s style of play does not match his talent but it does suggest his character. For purposes of this draft and with the information I have, I would struggle selecting him as early as his workout numbers and overall athletic talents suggest he should be drafted. I will admit this about my process in profiling, I don’t miss often, but when I do I miss “big time” and who knows maybe this is one of those big times but I don’t think so.

STRENGTHS
Joe is a deceivingly, good and an underrated Defensive End. He has good explosion off the line on passing downs, and on run plays does an excellent job taking on the double teams allowing his teammates to make tackles. He shows on film the needed foot speed to run players down from behind and has excellent effort on every play never giving up until he hears the whistle. Joe has all the ingredients to be an excellent defensive end in a 4/3 defense and requires offensive coordinators to game plan for him on every play. Like I stated before, he is a very underrated football player.

CONCERNS
Joe needs to learn better techniques to keep players off his body. Right now, he struggles to get free from all the double teams. He also needs to get stronger in his lower body to turn the corner when pass rushing, with more strength.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 1.94
Joe is up against more double teams than parents with twins. When singled up, his opponents just run to the other side away from him. On passing downs Joe needs to think more about getting into the back field and less about gap control but when he does, he is one of the best in the draft class at sacking the quarterback or disrupting the offense play. Watching him on film he is the only defensive lineman that other teams have to worry about so they load up against him. When Joe gets into the NFL, he will get better coaching and become stronger and I have no doubt become even more of a complete defensive end who gets double digit sacks and stops the run to his side. I have no doubts, other may because the see him getting double teamed but I know that’s the sign of an impact football player and Joe will be just that, an impact football player

STRENGTHS
Dave has decent athletic talent, the kind of athletic talent that can make him a starting offensive lineman at the next level. He has excellent size and good foot quickness. He has the ability to turn his hips and push his opponent up the field giving his quarterback the chance to manipulate the pocket and extend plays. Dave is a tall offensive lineman and has the advantage of long arms to keep players off his body and shock them at the line. He is quick enough out of his stance to play more than one position and does a good job lowering his pad level when run blocking to gain advantage and move his man off the line.

CONCERNS
Dave has enough athletic talent but his techniques are poor and he hasn’t really improved much from game to game. The excuse is that he hasn’t played his position very long, nevertheless showing some improvement from game to game should have happened and it hasn’t. He lunges out of his stance and doesn’t bring his feet when run blocking and when pass blocking Dave struggles to stay on balance and once again move his feet, as well as losing leverage. Dave has the feet to move but struggles to keep moving them, when he engages when pass blocking or run blocking. The few times he has stayed on balance and moved his feet you can see he has the talent to be a solid offensive lineman. If Dave can become more consistent and develops better mental stamina he can become a starting offense lineman for the team that selects him.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 4.56
If Dave had shown improvement from game to game this year I would consider him as one of the better offensive tackles in this draft but I saw no improvement from game to game. In fact, as most games got into the third quarter he got sloppy using the few techniques he was using earlier in the game. Dave has the talent and because of his size teams will be drawn to him but for me I think I might let someone else do all the work and see were Dave might be at after his first contract is up. He has the talent and size but not improving from game to game sends the wrong signal to me. But…I’ve been wrong before and you never know.

STRENGTHS
Chris is an excellent pass blocking offensive guard. He shows the quick feet in a box that is needed for a guard to stay in front of his opponent. Chis does a good job using his hands, shocking his opponent and making the Defensive lineman go to a second move quicker than most would like to do. Chris is excellent, picking up stunts and transferring players quickly, staying on balance. He does a solid job going out to the second level but his strength is pass blocking and he is very good at that.

CONCERNS
Chris struggles run blocking because he lunges and engages and then doesn’t bring his feet. He also is not quick enough to handle those quick 1 gap defensive lineman because, although he has quick feet he struggles with the lateral agility needed out of his stance. Chris also struggles getting to the second level and making his blocks on the quicker linebackers and safeties that do not come down hill and attack the line of scrimmage. Some of these issues can be minimized with learning better techniques and some Chris will always struggle with unless he is in the right blocking scheme. In his defense, you can say that about most every offensive guard but most cannot pass block like Chris can.

TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.17
If you believe the NFL is a passing league than Chris will be rated high on your draft board. Those teams that are starting to get into the running game more, will rate him lower unless they are using a scheme that minimizes Chris’s run blocking like, a zone blocking scheme. Chris should be able to handle the Left guard position although I believe he has only played Right guard and some tackle in college. The left guard in the NFL usually is up against the Defensive tackle who has some pass rushing skills. If Chris can learn better techniques to handle those quicker 1 gap defensive tackles by himself, than he can be moved to the Left Guard position taking advantage of his pass blocking talent. If he continues to struggle getting out of his stance and using some lateral agility to cut down that 1 gap attack Defensive Tackle, than right guard will be his position.