Sturm's Draft Series

Jiggyfly

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So no one is talking about Sturm's analysis of Jack?

To be fair, it's more or less exactly what I've said of him for a while now so it's nothing new but I thought people would be discussing it more since he's been a hot topic recently.

If we end up taking him at 4 I would be luke warm to it, not completely enthused, not distraught, I'd be willing to see how it works out because I think he could be a cornerstone type of LB, like a Bobby Wagner, Kuechly or Patrick Willis.

Still though, QB is the move, obviously.
Goff is the guy I want at 4 after that Jack is on the short list, he looks like a generational physical talent.

I really liked what I saw in the clips he seems to sniff out things early and then react immediatley.

This was particularly impressive.



I think he can expand his game and be more downfield guy, I want to read more about his instincts but they don't seem to be a huge issue.

I think he could be a Khalil Mack type in the right system.
 

Simpleton

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Goff and Wentz are my clear top choices for the reasons that have been discussed over and over over the last month or so.

Aside from the QB's, Jack is near the top of my list although he is not Khalil Mack aside from the two of them being somewhat similar in size. Mack is a DE/3-4 OLB who is a pure pass-rusher, who put up ridiculous TFL/sack numbers in college, Jack is a run/chase/cover 4-3 LB/3-4 ILB, he is much more comparable to Patrick Willis than Mack.

Anyway, to me Jack has the rarest traits/athleticism for his size/position of pretty much anybody in the draft, he is most certainly the best coverage LB I've seen probably ever. He will probably run in the low 4.5's at the Combine, perhaps even down into the high 4.4's, and his upside based on his athleticism is enormous. I also think his lack of production is overblown, especially in comparison to a guy like Jaylon Smith who everybody had pegged as a consensus top 5 pick. I do question his instincts and ability to play in confined spaces because UCLA had him in coverage/playing in space so often, but I think a guy like Lee could help him immensely with that.

If you want to see rare ability in coverage out of a LB just fast forward to 8:25 in this video, covering a WR out of the slot, flips his hips about 20 yards down field and makes the INT, and then flip to 9:03, this guy makes a one handed INT across his body 25 yards downfield:


Come on man, you just do not see that type of ability in college or even in the NFL really, it just doesn't really happen outside of a handful of LB's like Kuechly.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Aside from the QB's, Jack is near the top of my list although he is not Khalil Mack aside from the two of them being somewhat similar in size.
What have you been smoking today? Kahlil Mack is 6'3" 250 lbs and has a much longer frame.

Myles Jack is like 6'1" (That may end up being a little shorter after the combine) and has a far more compact frame. Although I have seen him listed at 245 lbs so their weight might be similar.

Now that I have gotten done wondering what the hell you and Jiggy are smoking I will mention what I really like about Jack. It's that he is basically built to stop a lot of what NFL teams are doing right now. The NFL is filled with routes going to the slot receiver and RBs out of the backfield. Imagine having a LBer that could literally cover those things. You no longer have to bring in sub packages that may make you vulnerable to the run or run after the catch. Instead you can literally have a guy like Myles Jack shift slightly outside and cover those guys. TE's would be the same thing for him. To me this is what is really appealing about Myles Jack. I don't know that he will create more turnovers but having a guy who can cover like that can be a pretty big deal in the NFL. Plus I think the TFLs will come for him in time. Especially in our defense. He is just too fast for them not to.
 

Jiggyfly

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I think Jack could do what Mack did if he was asked to do those things I don't think you can pigeonhole him as just a cover LB.

I am not saying he is as good as Mack, but I can see that type of player.
 

Simpleton

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What have you been smoking today? Kahlil Mack is 6'3" 250 lbs and has a much longer frame.

Myles Jack is like 6'1" (That may end up being a little shorter after the combine) and has a far more compact frame. Although I have seen him listed at 245 lbs so their weight might be similar.

Now that I have gotten done wondering what the hell you and Jiggy are smoking I will mention what I really like about Jack. It's that he is basically built to stop a lot of what NFL teams are doing right now. The NFL is filled with routes going to the slot receiver and RBs out of the backfield. Imagine having a LBer that could literally cover those things. You no longer have to bring in sub packages that may make you vulnerable to the run or run after the catch. Instead you can literally have a guy like Myles Jack shift slightly outside and cover those guys. TE's would be the same thing for him. To me this is what is really appealing about Myles Jack. I don't know that he will create more turnovers but having a guy who can cover like that can be a pretty big deal in the NFL. Plus I think the TFLs will come for him in time. Especially in our defense. He is just too fast for them not to.
Mack measured at about 6-2 and 1/2 and 250 at the Combine, Jack is probably about an inch or so shorter and around 5-10 lbs lighter, that is somewhat similar. Then I went on for a few sentences describing why they will play completely different roles in the NFL, so there's that.

Not really sure why you're so offended that I'm calling a guy about an inch or so shorter and about 10 lbs lighter somewhat similar in size.

Anyway, yes, Jack is in a way the ultimate answer to what teams are doing with RB's and TE's in the league these days and he is probably actually faster than most TE's and a good % of RB's.
 

GForce78NJ

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Other than the torn ACL, has Jack been dinged up a lot in his career? I love his tape but we can't take another injury prone linebacker. Look how many injuries we had across the board on defense already

If he isn't injury prone, I think he is the clear but choice at 4 (Bosa would be close there too but we just invested in Randy Gregory)
 

Cotton

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Other than the torn ACL, has Jack been dinged up a lot in his career? I love his tape but we can't take another injury prone linebacker. Look how many injuries we had across the board on defense already

If he isn't injury prone, I think he is the clear but choice at 4 (Bosa would be close there too but we just invested in Randy Gregory)
No, he didn't miss any significant time at all until his knee injury.
 

Simpleton

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Other than the torn ACL, has Jack been dinged up a lot in his career? I love his tape but we can't take another injury prone linebacker. Look how many injuries we had across the board on defense already

If he isn't injury prone, I think he is the clear but choice at 4 (Bosa would be close there too but we just invested in Randy Gregory)
It was a meniscus, not an ACL, so less severe.
 

GForce78NJ

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I think Linebacker was just as much of a glaring need as defensive back. Not to repeat the same thing I've always said but if you don't go QB, I think we need to work on our Linebackers or DL. I want a QB but maybe our scouts think different with this years crop.
 

boozeman

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[h=1]Bob Sturm's 2016 draft profile series: Notre Dame speedster Will Fuller would fit nicely in Dallas[/h] [h=2][/h]
By Bob Sturm , Special contributor Contact Bob Sturm on Twitter: @SportsSturm

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.To read more about the 2016 NFL Draft Project, Click Here.

Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame - 6'0, 184 - Junior - #7

There is no more important trick in today's NFL than the ability to make any play into 7 points. Defenses are getting better and better at making sure you can drive 12 plays down the field on them, so the pendulum always swings back to the guys who represent "instant offense".

This can make itself evident in a number of ways, but the easiest is just the simple idea of a weapon who "takes the top off the defense" and can run the "Go" all the way to the house. You just have to throw it as far as you can and he is so athletic and explosive that you cannot overthrow him. If you get it out there, he will go and get it. Well, there is no player in this draft that has done that repeatedly at the major college level than Will Fuller from Notre Dame. Fuller, another true junior, is blazing fast and no matter how far off your coverage is and no matter how fast you think your cornerback is (as USC's Adoree Jackson showed us) he can run right past him and off into the open field.

You want players high in the draft that have elite talents at certain things every team needs. Well, Fuller definitely has that, so now are his flaws such that he is one of the best few wide receivers in this draft? Further, knowing how many teams need deep threats and weapons at wide receiver, there are few spots on the field where we see such a high number of players from one position pushed into the Top 50 as we do with these guys. So, I used the USC, Stanford, Boston College, and Texas games to give Fuller a proper examination to see what he has in his big-play skill-set.







What I liked:Well, that is the easy part. He is responsible for so many high-profile plays that changed games in the last two years with a number of different QBs that there is no question that he is a big play receiver. Either you put a safety over the top of Fuller or he is going to destroy you. He also is pretty strong on all of his routes and the best part I really like is he seems strong on his ability to adjust and keep plays alive on the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] phase where he must improvise and uncover for a QB who is on the run. His whole route tree is worthy of getting excited about and I do think, that while it is true he had some quiet games, he will personally win some games for his team by exploding for a jaw-dropping play when you need it most. On the short Bubble screens, he is a terror because if you give him a small crease, he is gone. He really has a rare extra gear that is going to push him high in this draft. He is also fantastic at goading defensive backs into pass interference by using his body position to entice contact. It is quite an art form when done right, and he is very good at it.





What I did not like:There is a major concern about Fuller that the other Wide Receivers in his class are not dealing with as much. That major concern is the caliber of his hands. He has the rep as a body catcher who does not catch consistently with his hands and then fights drops from time to time. The hand measurement at the combine might reveal some things on this front, but overall, the tape shows drops and double-catches which both raise flags about the ultimate ceiling of a receiver. He is also not the biggest guy so running between the numbers might not be an ideal fit over the long term. Although I don't think he lacks toughness or courage at all. I think he is the type of player that is better in space.



Summary and Potential Fit For the Cowboys: Well, the summary is going to be as follows: you can't teach speed, but can you teach catching technique this late in the game? And if you were to mess with the way he brings in catches, would it ultimately do more harm than good? Will Fuller is an exceptional play maker who does seem to have a flaw that might be a non-starter for a fair number of teams who want fundamentally perfect performers at the high spots in the draft.


That said, how can anyone ignore the number of clips on his highlight tape? The clips included in this report are just scratching the surface of the number of plays he has made. In an offense that is not anywhere close to as prolific as Baylor's, he has basically matched Corey Coleman play for play, touchdown for touchdown, and catch for catch in the last 2 seasons. That is some significant production to say the least.

How would he fit with the Cowboys if he sits there at #34? Well, the idea of having a better version of Terrance Williams across from Dez Bryant is awfully tempting in the last year of Williams' rookie deal. Someone is going to get the safety and that leaves the other to torch the man coverage they are seeing. Or, you are working against light boxes in the running game all day. He definitely will help you tilt the field in your favor. He definitely is a body-catcher, but he has done very well with that on his resume.
You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.



 

Rev

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A body catcher rep. We already have one of those.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Terrance does catch with his body so yes we do.
And that's where the similarity ends. So basically yeah, not similar at all.

Interesting with Fuller is I have seen him make some really tough contested catches with his hands. But it seems to be more the routine boring catches he gets lazy with.
 

Rev

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And that's where the similarity ends. So basically yeah, not similar at all.

Interesting with Fuller is I have seen him make some really tough contested catches with his hands. But it seems to be more the routine boring catches he gets lazy with.
I said catching with the body and not what other skills they each possess. Point still stands true.
 

Cotton

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[h=1]Bob Sturm's 2016 Draft Profile Series: Notre Dame's Jaylon Smith Knee Concerns And Star Upside[/h]
By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturmon Twitter:@SportsSturm

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.To read more about the 2016 NFL Draft Project, Click Here.

Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame - 6'2, 240 - Junior - #9

Every year in the NFL Draft, we examine the cases of players who come with a fair amount more injury risk than the rest of the field. On New Year's Day, Jaylon Smith tore the ACL and LCL on his left knee, was carted off the field of his bowl game against Ohio State, and needed major surgery to repair it and to insure that there was no nerve damage that would make the injury even more significant. Now, you can make quite a list of players who suffered an injury, missed the better part of a year, and still had magnificent college and professional careers. In fact, you might say that aside from missing the time for the mending of the injury, you never noticed a drop off on any level.

Unfortunately, you can also make a list of players that were never quite the same and that knee turns into the one thing that held them back from being something special for the rest of his career. Odds are, if you were to select Smith, you would do it under the understanding that anything you get from him in this healing year would be a bonus. Yes, he could return to play in 2016, but any team that selects him must do so understanding that the best way to preserve his monster upside is to not rush back from this significant and gruesome incident and perhaps consider it some sort of redshirt year.

So, to even consider that at the price he would cost - surely a 1st round pick - he better be special. And, you would be very hard pressed to find an observer who would tell you anything else about the 5-star recruit/track star who has been patrolling the middle for the Fighting Irish for the last three seasons.







What I liked: Well, the 2015 Butkus Award winner does many things very, very well. He reads and reacts to a running play by getting out in front of the blockers and getting to the ball carrier in textbook fashion and in ways you have come to expect from the best linebackers in the business. This requires great film study to be aware of what an opponent does and then the anticipation and athleticism to do something about it. He does all of this very well. He is the run and hit linebacker whom can get sideline to sideline and also upfield with fine expertise. In today's NFL where a QB spy is often the mike linebacker, Smith does this as well as anyone and can close down and tackle with great ferocity. He seldom gets lost in traffic and can cut through the mess and arrive on the other side very well. He attacks the ball and is a tackling machine. He can cover downfield, but certainly not at the elite level of Myles Jack. It seems he has some very interesting edge rush ability that can add to his value and also he seems to have some expert-level blitzing in his skill-set. His timing and ability to close going forward are quite impressive. Those close to Smith cannot stop speaking about his character and his leadership to be the perfect lead dog on a defense on the field.





What I did not like: There are times when he seems to get extremely grabby in his coverage and will definitely be a candidate for defensive penalties in pass defense if he doesn't clean up his technique a bit. He doesn't necessarily explode with power through blocks on a regular basis to get off of his man and then go make the tackle. Sometimes he can do it but there is not the same violent consistency from game to game that you want to see. USC was very good, Clemson was not. Basically, since he will be compared head to head with Jack from UCLA, you would concede that he is not quite the absurd athlete with power to match speed and that makes him 2nd-best in coverage skills down the field, as well. He also doesn't try to rock guards when they arrive to block him like the kid from UCLA does. They are similar players, but they do each have their unique traits that require the drafting teams to use them properly to maximize value.





Summary and Potential Fit For the Cowboys: Like Jack, you would have to ask how much value you place on a mike/will LB who will not be a regular pass rusher. But, unlike Jack, you have to do it with Jaylon Smith with a more significant knee situation and one that will require slow and steady progress for the first offseason where most teams want a flawless specimen who is ready to run right onto the practice field immediately.

Jaylon Smith is the type of player who many think is between the 5thand 10th best player in the draft. He is so good that it is believed that despite the gruesome injury and the delay in his comeback, he will still go before pick #20 to some team that can't pass up his ability. If, somehow, he were to be available when the Cowboys come to the podium at the start of Round 2, this would be the type of player that would have them sprinting to turn in their card. He seems like a "can't miss" talent who will likely slide right to a team that is already pretty good and he will push them over the top. It may not be in 2016, but Jaylon Smith will be a star very soon.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.




 

Cotton

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[h=1]Bob Sturm's 2016 Draft Profile Series: Alabama's Jarran Reed Will Stuff Your Runs[/h]
By Bob Sturm, Special contributor Contact Bob Sturmon Twitter:@SportsSturm

I have never been a scout or a NFL General Manager, but I am willing to watch a ton of football. By watching about 200 snaps of each prospect, we can really get a feel for a player and then know what we are talking about a bit better. It is no exact science, but the NFL hasn't quite figured out drafting either, so we are going to do the best we can.To read more about the 2016 NFL Draft Project, Click Here.

Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama - 6'4, 313 - Senior - #90

Every game this season, Alabama opponents decided to call run plays an average of 31 times. The average yield from that commitment was a comical total of just 75 yards per game or 2.4 yards per carry. It led the country with ease and was the best mark of any college defense in the last 5 years - since Alabama 2011 did even better with 72.1 yards against per game (beating Alabama 2012). In other words, the 3 best seasons that have been put up against college football in the last 5 years are Alabama, Alabama, and Alabama. Nick Saban and company seem to have a pretty strong grasp about stopping the run.

Reed was right in the middle of it. He is a wonderful run-stuffer who stands his ground at that 1-technique and clogs up at any attempt at interior runs. He has elite talent all around him and they are all very good at stopping runs, but Reed, in particular, sticks out at building a wall at the line of scrimmage and regardless of your double-team, seems to factor in on any and all plays that surround him. The former junior college prospect stepped right in and joined A'Shawn Robinson and Jonathan Allen with Reggie Ragland behind them as a force that seldom budged an inch.

Then came the national title game. There were 2 moments that demonstrated in the game against Clemson what they were all about. The first was when Robinson and Reed were lined up as lead blockers at 310+ each providing 620+ pounds of lead fullbacks on a goal-line run play. The second was when DeShaun Watson broke to the sideline on a 2-point conversion and appeared to have a path to the end zone. Reed - all 313 of him - rumbled down the line and cut Watson off at the pass right inside the sideline. The next several minutes featured the football world marveling at how a defensive tackle could be that athletic. It was a rare feat for a man his size. Then, he was one of the main stories of the Senior Bowl. I used LSU, Tennessee, Georgia, and Clemson for the study.





What I liked: There is no question what he does well. He gets his hands up on his lineman with great speed at the snap and then controls the man in front of him by extending the arms and waiting for the play to come to him. He seldom gets pushed back and stands his ground, often holding up any OL progress and still getting an arm on the tackle. He moves up and down the Alabama line, sometimes out at DE, but interchanging between the 3-tech and the 1-tech (primarily) a fair amount based on matchups. In the open field, he has surprising wheels and when he wishes can run down a QB or a running play by using an appropriate angle to get to the action. He has an acceptable motor and appears to certainly have good hustle. He can be quick to get in the gap as his "get off" is solid for a man his size. He might be the best run-stuffing lineman in this class.





What I did not like: There are some disconcerting elements to taking a guy like this too high. First, his production is not exceptional behind the line of scrimmage. In fact, in 2 years at Alabama and in 29 games, he accumulated just 11 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. While his position is not a place to look for massive numbers, this ratio of less than 1 every 2 games is going to stick out. Second, because of that lack of production behind the line, he doesn't seem to be a third-down/nickel defense option in the NFL. That means on average, his type will only play about 30-35 of the 65 plays against in a given game. Still valuable, but part-time players have less value on draft day unless a team is so loaded they don't care.




Summary and Potential Fit For the Cowboys: There is no question he has some unreal athletic traits and despite no gaudy sack or TFL numbers, when opponents could not run the ball at all, he was part of the reason. But, he is not bringing his teammates or coaching staff with him to your team. Part of the reason Alabama is so great is because they have an ensemble of elite talent at every spot in their front 7. We need to be careful to evaluate each particular play and not the net result of the group.

I like Jarran Reed quite a bit. The question is what price is too much to pay for a fantastic run stopper who could really lock down the Cowboys 1-technique spot and make that defensive line a real force to be reckoned with inside? I am sure he would be very high on their list with that third pick in Round 2. They have not had anything too special at that spot since their scheme change and to fit a blue-chipper there might be what the doctor ordered. But, if he gets into Round 2, it sounds like most draft people would be pretty surprised. People tend to bet on big and strong interior players from Alabama and most of the time they are pretty pleased with the results. Expect Reed to go in the back half of round 1.

You can view plenty of his tape here at Draftbreakdown.com.



 

Simpleton

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There are too many DT's who are similar enough for one of them not to be there at 34.

Someone out of Billings, Clark, Rankins, Reed and Johnson will almost certainly be there, and if they are all gone somehow, it means someone like Darron Lee, Jaylon Smith, Jonathan Bullard or Kevin Dodd gets pushed down.

Worst case scenario at 34 is someone like Derrick Henry, who could easily have a 1200+ yard rookie season behind our OL.
 

Jiggyfly

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Alabama has been very average in turning out pro linemen, outside of Dareus they are rotational level at best.

If people knock Ramsey for lack of stats this guy should be right there as well.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Alabama has been very average in turning out pro linemen, outside of Dareus they are rotational level at best.

If people knock Ramsey for lack of stats this guy should be right there as well.
I like the other Alabama DT a lot more. I'm not big on Reed.
 
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