This years pass rushers are (rightly) getting a lot of attention. But how do they compare with last year's monster... Jadaveon Clowney ?
I had to remind myself just how intimidating he was... 6'5". 266lbs 4.53 seconds for the 40m 37.5 vertical jump 21 reps on the weights... He has 34.5" arms
Fowler, by comparison is 6'3" 261lbs. 4.6 40, 32.5 jump and 19 reps And 33 3/4" arms
Gregory is 6'5", but (as we know) was only 235lbs he had a 4.64 40, 36.5 jump and 24 reps. He has 34" arms
And (just picking one more) Leonard Williams is 6'5, 302lbs. He did the 40 in 4.97, a 29.5 jump And has 34.5 inch arms.
So Clowney out measures them all - but they come pretty close on their combine scores (Gregory would be very close if he put on some bulk...)
All good news if you are picking high in this year's draft.
Bc Clowney dominated in his rookie year...
Only Williams measures even close to Clowney.
Clowney's grade was rare.
Example:
NFL.com is in no way a professional grading system, so I'm using this solely as an example and not the gospel.
In 2014, Clowney was graded 7.5.
In 2015, Williams is graded 7.4.
The second highest graded player in 2015 is Amari Cooper at 7.0.
That shows you the gap behind Williams this season.
No pass rusher (OLB or otherwise) is graded above 6.8 this year. By comparison, Mack was the highest rated rusher behind Clowney at 7.2.
IMO, the average/casual fan looking at the draft (which includes analysts who mock selections instead of grade players) is overrating this crop of tweener 3-4 rush OLBs. They are projecting them to picks instead of valuing their grade.
That's why it's my opinion there's a sizeable drop-off after Williams if he's not available for us, and why we should trade out instead of choosing the best available tweener.
Sometimes you can't trade out
Quote:Sometimes you can't trade out
Very true.
That's why I've said Cooper wouldn't be a bad pick.
Certainly safer than gambling on a tweener, IMO.
Quote:Very true.
That's why I've said Cooper wouldn't be a bad pick.
Certainly safer than gambling on a tweener, IMO.
But if we get a wide receiver in free agency, we don't need to draft one. So I won't jump on the Amari Cooper train until I know what happens to Randall Cobb.
Bud Dupree has better if not close to Clowney numbers
Just to be clear, the numbers from the combine (and my comparisons based on them) are only a comparison of the raw physical ability/potential of these players.
There is a lot more to consider, such as college production, character, game tape etc
Having said that I'm not sure if the scores given by NFL.com are any more scientific than the raw numbers from the combine (looking back I see they gave Blaine Gabbert 8.49). But yes, another interesting comparison.
Someone said something yesterday about it in one of the other threads.......I would agree with him. Now that doesn't make Gregory a better prospect, but from an athletic standpoint he's the only one in this draft with that kind of potential.
Quote:Someone said something yesterday about it in one of the other threads.......I would agree with him. Now that doesn't make Gregory a better prospect, but from an athletic standpoint he's the only one in this draft with that kind of potential.
Of course he's a better athlete and is more flexible. He's at least 20 lbs lighter than Clowney. If rumors of him playing some at 220 last season, he's 40 lbs lighter than Clowney.
Strap a 40lb bag on Gregory and let's see him run a sub 4.6. Then we'll talk about how he's a better "athlete" than Clowney.
Cosell is a relly good talent evaluator. He doesn't seem all that high on Williams either and doesn't consider him a once in a lifetime player at all. Story on Jags homepage. Interesting takes.
The Strength and Conditioning has been an absolute joke at Nebraska that past 5 years. You get Gregory to a professional weight and nutrition program...........Look out
During his training for the combine he was up to about 245 before getting a stomach virus
Quote:Cosell is a relly good talent evaluator. He doesn't seem all that high on Williams either and doesn't consider him a once in a lifetime player at all. Story on Jags homepage. Interesting takes.
I agree I dont think he's a once in a generation talent, but he's BAP at #3 by a wide margin IMHO. That's basically all there is to it.
Ameer Abdullah does not look like a joke physically that dude is built so i dont fell like you can blame Nebraska for Gregory not being so built
Yes that makes sense lets compare the 3 time lifter of the year who had been at NEB for 4 years compared to the guy who had been on campus for a year and a half
Quote:Yes that makes sense lets compare the 3 time lifter of the year who had been at NEB for 4 years compared to the guy who had been on campus for a year and a half
So your saying by being in the program at Nebraska has helped Abdullah? Thanks for proving my point
You're totally right! None of the kids that have transferred out have come back and talked about how TCUs or Kentuckys training programs were much harder! I guess living in Nebraska and actually paying attention to NU football I missed how a couple athletes such as Ameer Abdullah or Rex Burkhead could have put in that extra time to get ready for the NFL.
There's a reason Dobson had to go to Vandy to get a job