- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 48,343
- Name
- Burger man
Seeing that we are likely in the linebacker market come draft day, I found this an interesting read.
———
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...ck-shedding-and-everything-to-know-about-lbs/
2018 NFL Draft rankings: Speed, block-shedding and everything to know about LBs
The linebacker spot is one of the best groups in the 2018 draft class, and that's not just because of Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds.
There are three or four more high-quality off-ball linebacker prospects who'll likely be picked in one of the first two rounds and will become solid NFLplayers.
Below I've ranked each of the consensus top off-ball linebackers in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.
Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers, Defensive Tackles
Sideline-to-sideline speed
Sleeper:Jerome Baker
At 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, Baker has to be a speedy linebacker to win consistently, and he's exactly that. At Ohio State, he looks like what's become the norm at the collegiate and professional ranks: a large safety playing linebacker.
Coverage skills
Sleeper: Skai Moore
Moore intercepted 14 passes -- at least three each year -- during his productive, four-year career at South Carolina and knocked down six other throws. He's a choppy mover but gets from point A to point B quickly. He's quick to drop into zone down the seam and react to what he's seeing from the quarterback in the pocket.
Tackling reliability
Sleeper: Chris Worley
Mostly a between-the-tackles playmaker who's kind of a throwback linebacker, Worley is super consistent when he gets his hands on an offensive player who's holding the football.
Block-shedding
Sleeper: Jason Cabinda
Like Smith and Evans, Cabinda isn't afraid of contact, and he's not shy about asserting his will on bigger offensive linemen in his assigned gap. At times, his jolt surprises blockers and leads to the Penn State linebacker having an easy route to the ball-carrier.
Pass-Rushing/Blitzing
Sleeper: Micah Kiser
Kiser looks like an old-school linebacker... compact, strong, and effective between the tackles. He thrived as a run-stopper and was used frequently as an inside blitzer. His low center of gravity, deceptive athleticism, and upper body strength allow him to create disruption in the backfield.
Scheme Fits
Middle Linebacker
Sleeper:Cabinda
From his non-stop motor, to his block-shedding ability, good speed and deceptive change-of-direction skills, Cabinda seems like a classic middle linebacker with just enough athleticism to stick in today's souped-up, pass-happy NFL. If he sheds a few pounds to get a tick faster, that'd probably help him, but he's a smart second-level defender who was productive in his three years as a starter with the Nittany Lions.
Weakside Linebacker
Sleeper: Dorian O'Daniel
One of my favorite prospects in the entire class -- my No. 31 overall prospect -- O'Daniel is a fast, agile, reliable tackler who's proficient in zone coverage defender and a productive blitzer. The former Clemson standout is the exact type of player a team should want at weakside linebacker.
Strongside Linebacker
Sleeper: Fred Warner
Warner has the size -- over 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds -- and toughness to be a team's primary strongside linebacker. While he was involved with many tackles near the line of scrimmage and has quality range, he's also capable of flipping his hips and getting downfield in coverage. The BYU alum is one of the draft's sleepers likely best at weakside or strongside in the NFL.
———
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft...ck-shedding-and-everything-to-know-about-lbs/
2018 NFL Draft rankings: Speed, block-shedding and everything to know about LBs
The linebacker spot is one of the best groups in the 2018 draft class, and that's not just because of Roquan Smith and Tremaine Edmunds.
There are three or four more high-quality off-ball linebacker prospects who'll likely be picked in one of the first two rounds and will become solid NFLplayers.
Below I've ranked each of the consensus top off-ball linebackers in the qualities I deem most necessary to be successful at those positions in the pros (listed in order of importance). I've also added one player who should be available a bit later in the draft who excels at each particular trait.
Other installments in this series: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Offensive Tackles, Interior Offensive Linemen, Edge-Rushers, Defensive Tackles
Sideline-to-sideline speed
- Roquan Smith
- Leighton Vander Esch
- Malik Jefferson
- Tremaine Edmunds
- Darius Leonard
- Rashaan Evans
Sleeper:Jerome Baker
At 6-foot-1 and 229 pounds, Baker has to be a speedy linebacker to win consistently, and he's exactly that. At Ohio State, he looks like what's become the norm at the collegiate and professional ranks: a large safety playing linebacker.
Coverage skills
- Leonard
- Smith
- Vander Esch
- Edmunds
- Evans
- Jefferson
Sleeper: Skai Moore
Moore intercepted 14 passes -- at least three each year -- during his productive, four-year career at South Carolina and knocked down six other throws. He's a choppy mover but gets from point A to point B quickly. He's quick to drop into zone down the seam and react to what he's seeing from the quarterback in the pocket.
Tackling reliability
- Smith
- Vander Esch
- Evans
- Edmunds
- Leonard
- Jefferson
Sleeper: Chris Worley
Mostly a between-the-tackles playmaker who's kind of a throwback linebacker, Worley is super consistent when he gets his hands on an offensive player who's holding the football.
Block-shedding
- Smith
- Leonard
- Evans
- Edmunds
- Vander Esch
- Jefferson
Sleeper: Jason Cabinda
Like Smith and Evans, Cabinda isn't afraid of contact, and he's not shy about asserting his will on bigger offensive linemen in his assigned gap. At times, his jolt surprises blockers and leads to the Penn State linebacker having an easy route to the ball-carrier.
Pass-Rushing/Blitzing
- Evans
- Edmunds
- Jefferson
- Smith
- Leonard
- Vander Esch
Sleeper: Micah Kiser
Kiser looks like an old-school linebacker... compact, strong, and effective between the tackles. He thrived as a run-stopper and was used frequently as an inside blitzer. His low center of gravity, deceptive athleticism, and upper body strength allow him to create disruption in the backfield.
Scheme Fits
Middle Linebacker
- Smith
- Vander Esch
- Evans
- Leonard
- Edmunds
- Jefferson
Sleeper:Cabinda
From his non-stop motor, to his block-shedding ability, good speed and deceptive change-of-direction skills, Cabinda seems like a classic middle linebacker with just enough athleticism to stick in today's souped-up, pass-happy NFL. If he sheds a few pounds to get a tick faster, that'd probably help him, but he's a smart second-level defender who was productive in his three years as a starter with the Nittany Lions.
Weakside Linebacker
- Edmunds
- Smith
- Vander Esch
- Jefferson
- Leonard
- Evans
Sleeper: Dorian O'Daniel
One of my favorite prospects in the entire class -- my No. 31 overall prospect -- O'Daniel is a fast, agile, reliable tackler who's proficient in zone coverage defender and a productive blitzer. The former Clemson standout is the exact type of player a team should want at weakside linebacker.
Strongside Linebacker
- Evans
- Edmunds
- Vander Esch
- Jefferson
- Leonard
- Smith
Sleeper: Fred Warner
Warner has the size -- over 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds -- and toughness to be a team's primary strongside linebacker. While he was involved with many tackles near the line of scrimmage and has quality range, he's also capable of flipping his hips and getting downfield in coverage. The BYU alum is one of the draft's sleepers likely best at weakside or strongside in the NFL.