ILBs

[Merlin]

Going to kick this thread off with a player who is likely going mid-rounds, who lacks that high end speed to go early but is strong and has a nice ability to shed blocks or avoid them to make the tackle. Also showed up and played hard during Senior Bowl week and game, and fits nicely what the Rams are looking for next to Tree. By all accounts from staff to players at Auburn, he played hurt all season, with an assortment of shoulders, neck, concussion, etc.

ILB Tre Williams, Auburn

Strengths: physical & has attitude, can get off blocks, rarely gets pushed around, lays the wood.

Weaknesses: range is iffy on tape, concerns about his ability to stay healthy.

Here's his game this year vs UCF...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKvazJO8Ouw

 

[Merlin]

This is that ILB type that ends up going in every year's draft anywhere from mid first to the second round, you know, the hopped up SS who can run 'n gun like a beast, chase like a devil, even drop and cover and thus stay on the field all three downs in today's NFL. And he has the same weaknesses those types do, some lack of physicality due to frame/size. He's listed on some media sites well into the first round, but I see him as a late first round value, which means he might be in play for the Rams at 23.

ILB Roquan Smith, Georgia

Strengths: fast, instinctive, excellent on all three downs.

Weaknesses: can get engulfed by OL, big pass catching targets outsize him.

Here he is in the National Championship game vs Bama...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qasFqTytkG4

 

[Memento]

Shaquem Griffin or Josey Jewell are my picks.

 

[Merlin]

This is another ILB who slates into that round 1 range due to his ability to play three downs. That said he's a little more than the "hopped up SS" type, in that he's got range but also possesses length and instincts vs the run, on the rush, and in coverage. IMO he's the best all-around LB in this class and should follow Edmunds as the second LB off the board. I don't think he makes it to us at 23, but if he does he would be an outstanding pick for us because Wade could move him around while keeping him on the field for every down. This guy is going to be something in the NFL.

ILB Rashaan Evans, Bama

Strengths: does it all well, gets off blocks and avoids them, plays whistle to whistle.

Weaknesses: could use technique work but he's close to a finished product.

Gonna use his tape vs Clemson since the championship game he did a lot of spying...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfEj-7cjM2g&index=3&list=PLsn43s1sCBjtgN5uuvHSzkFCb3OorQasY

 

[den-the-coach]

Can we pass on Auburn players for a while and I'll take any athlete, who played in Athens, GA., Because God knows, they all look the part.

 

[Merlin]

So now for the long-awaited LB whose name many have been throwing around on different threads. This is a top ten player, due to the combination of tape on top of his physical gifts. You just can't find guys of his size and ability, and that rarity will drive him being off the board well before 23. IMO of the combined LB class you have this guy and then Evans as far as fits for this defense in round 1 who can be moved around a little, inside to outside, and rush on passing downs if needed, but sadly this dude is just too talented at a position where you have smaller SS types routinely converted for NFL level play due to speed and coverage requirements. Listed here because ILB was his primary usage in college ball.

ILB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia.

Strengths: instinctive in pass and run, stops runners cold, sheds blocks, solid on the rush, physical freak at LB.

Weaknesses: pass coverage will be his toughest NFL transition but no real weaknesses.

Here's a game of his vs Clemson this year...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPkaeRI1Fpk

 

[Merlin]

This player has good height (vs a lot of the smallish ILBs you see coming out nowadays), but when you look at his tape he looks like a chase type weakside backer who is playing on the interior at the college level. He's a less instinctive version of Tree, in terms of comparisons. I don't know if his eventual home in the NFL will be inside, but most of his film shows his usage there so including him among this group. He's a rounds 3-4 guy in that he's got the talent and skills but hasn't put it all together yet on the instinct side of things, with a lot of hesitancy. Which in a nutshell is why I see him as a 4-3 weakside OLB just IMO. He will be in play for the Rams midrounds, he's a guy who has excellent upside there.

ILB Darius Leonard, South Carolina State

Strengths: nice size and speed, looks part of 3 down backer, chases exceptionally well, decent when he does rush.

Weaknesses: tentative in his run fits, gets taken out of plays, takes himself out of plays, non-instinctive.

Here's a game of his from this year...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWMn2kZ3r0

 

[Merlin]

This player is a big kid and a very good athlete for an ILB, kind of combo that means round one given the way his film looks. I think he's a bit underrated, listed moreso as a round two guy who might get into round one, but IMO he is a better player than Roquan Smith, for example. For myself he is a solid late round one talent, no doubt about it. Rams will undoubtedly love him, as he has some of the skills they'll be looking for to pair with Tree. Is he going to be ranked on their board higher than the CBs? Well that's probably doubtful, depending on how many go off the board. So he's a possibility albeit not a strong one at 23 IMO.

ILB Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

Strengths: strong all-around game, tough enough to beat blocks, assertive shooting his gap, high productivity.

Weaknesses: gotta look really hard for weaknesses on this guy

Here's his game from this year vs Virginia...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Bn4JQ2mqs

 

[DaveFan'51]

Going to kick this thread off with a player who is likely going mid-rounds, who lacks that high end speed to go early but is strong and has a nice ability to shed blocks or avoid them to make the tackle. Also showed up and played hard during Senior Bowl week and game, and fits nicely what the Rams are looking for next to Tree. By all accounts from staff to players at Auburn, he played hurt all season, with an assortment of shoulders, neck, concussion, etc.

ILB Tre Williams, Auburn

Strengths: physical & has attitude, can get off blocks, rarely gets pushed around, lays the wood.

Weaknesses: range is iffy on tape, concerns about his ability to stay healthy.

Here's his game this year vs UCF...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKvazJO8Ouw

As of right now Tre Williams is not even projected to be Drafted, probably do to injury concerns, so he has his work cut-out for him pre Draft!

 

[DaveFan'51]

This is that ILB type that ends up going in every year's draft anywhere from mid first to the second round, you know, the hopped up SS who can run 'n gun like a beast, chase like a devil, even drop and cover and thus stay on the field all three downs in today's NFL. And he has the same weaknesses those types do, some lack of physicality due to frame/size. He's listed on some media sites well into the first round, but I see him as a late first round value, which means he might be in play for the Rams at 23.

ILB Roquan Smith, Georgia

Strengths: fast, instinctive, excellent on all three downs.

Weaknesses: can get engulfed by OL, big pass catching targets outsize him.

Here he is in the National Championship game vs Bama...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qasFqTytkG4

Smith is the Highest rated ILB I have, at the moment. But I also have one I'm looking at for round 3 or 4, Micah Kiser - Virginia. He's a "Thumper", 6 ft. 2 Inch. / 240, and I think wade would like him!

 

[DaveFan'51]

This player has good height (vs a lot of the smallish ILBs you see coming out nowadays), but when you look at his tape he looks like a chase type weakside backer who is playing on the interior at the college level. He's a less instinctive version of Tree, in terms of comparisons. I don't know if his eventual home in the NFL will be inside, but most of his film shows his usage there so including him among this group. He's a rounds 3-4 guy in that he's got the talent and skills but hasn't put it all together yet on the instinct side of things, with a lot of hesitancy. Which in a nutshell is why I see him as a 4-3 weakside OLB just IMO. He will be in play for the Rams midrounds, he's a guy who has excellent upside there.

ILB Darius Leonard, South Carolina State

Strengths: nice size and speed, looks part of 3 down backer, chases exceptionally well, decent when he does rush.

Weaknesses: tentative in his run fits, gets taken out of plays, takes himself out of plays, non-instinctive.

Here's a game of his from this year...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWMn2kZ3r0

IF Leonard is considered more of an "OLB" vs an "ILB" I see him going more in the 2nd round range!

 

[Merlin]

As of right now Tre Williams is not even projected to be Drafted, probably do to injury concerns, so he has his work cut-out for him pre Draft!

I can't really get too caught up in the draft projections Dave, simply because I don't have the time to look at enough players to build my own overall board, so it's all guesswork for me. Looking at Williams I have no idea what the teams are going to find out on the medical side, but if he goes UDFA someone might get one hell of a player on the cheap. I really like his tape, but yeah given his injury tendencies would not touch him until mid to late rounds depending on the medical side stuff.

Rams should be very competitive on the ILBs in the UDFA period if they don't address the position in round one. If they manage to get a guy like Edmunds or Evans that would change things, as either of them would be a day one starter next to Tree. But outside that type of addition there should be some open competition at the strong side ILB slot and these UDFAs are very good nowadays about going where the opportunity is.

 

[Merlin]

Smith is the Highest rated ILB I have, at the moment. But I also have one I'm looking at for round 3 or 4, Micah Kiser - Virginia. He's a "Thumper", 6 ft. 2 Inch. / 240, and I think wade would like him!

You and everyone else it seems with Smith, Dave. But my list is shaped towards what I see as the Rams' needs, and while Smith would make this defense better I don't see him as a great fit for what the Rams need next to Tree. Wade might want more speed and field coverage, who knows, but personally I feel this defense needs some strength and power on the interior next to Tree who is a field coverage/speed guy. For that, in round one IMO, you have only three options really in order those being Edmunds > Evans > Vander Esch.

Of those the way I see it... Edmunds is a guy the Rams would probably take over the CBs, as he'll be very high on their board. Evans is probably in the same group as some of those CBs so it's likely a discussion with the CBs having the edge due to need. Vander Esch probably won't be in play unless the CBs they like are off the board.

Oh and re: Kiser and some of these others I plan on putting up some film of them, just really busy of late.

 

[DaveFan'51]

You and everyone else it seems with Smith, Dave. But my list is shaped towards what I see as the Rams' needs, and while Smith would make this defense better I don't see him as a great fit for what the Rams need next to Tree. Wade might want more speed and field coverage, who knows, but personally I feel this defense needs some strength and power on the interior next to Tree who is a field coverage/speed guy. For that, in round one IMO, you have only three options really in order those being Edmunds > Evans > Vander Esch.

Of those the way I see it... Edmunds is a guy the Rams would probably take over the CBs, as he'll be very high on their board. Evans is probably in the same group as some of those CBs so it's likely a discussion with the CBs having the edge due to need. Vander Esch probably won't be in play unless the CBs they like are off the board.

Oh and re: Kiser and some of these others I plan on putting up some film of them, just really busy of late.

Unless the Rams Plan on taking a CB in the 1st round I don't think that Edmunds and Evans will be around for the Rams because we don't have a 2nd round pick, I think they will be gone long before we pick in the 3rd!

 

[jrry32]

Unless the Rams Plan on taking a CB in the 1st round I don't think that Edmunds and Evans will be around for the Rams because we don't have a 2nd round pick, I think they will be gone long before we pick in the 3rd!

From all reports, Edmunds is gone long before we pick in the 1st.

 

[DaveFan'51]

From all reports, Edmunds is gone long before we pick in the 1st.

Edmunds for sure, but maybe Evans will be there at 23.

 

[Merlin]

This is a player who has some special ability to play in the NFL. He's got good size, excellent range on his game tape, and looks like the kind of player who will play three downs at the next level. There are some rumors and whatnot about his desire, but I don't see it on the tape. That's one of those situations where the teams have the inside track, but he looks to me like a solid round 2 pick in this draft, given his direct comparison to the guys who look like round 1 prospects.

ILB Malik Jefferson, Texas

Strengths: elite closing speed (seriously just wow), excellent range, very high upside.

Weaknesses: not as physical as he should be, can disappear in traffic.

Here he is against my Trojans this year...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQVM0mup8Y

 

[Merlin]

This player is a round 3-4 talent to my eye, who is extremely disciplined and plays with very high energy snap to snap. He's the type of player who will rack up a ton of tackles and production for you, just not necessarily a high amount of splash plays. For the Rams he fits in a pairing with Tree, as his weakness is his coverage, he doesn't look to have good instincts when he drops but would be effective in a run stopping role.

ILB Josie Jewell, Iowa

Strengths: always around the ball, high effort, high tackle count guy.

Weaknesses: needs a lot of work in coverage, often out of play when he can't avoid blocks.

Here's his tape from this year vs a very good Ohio State team...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zpgb-zak8w

 

[Merlin]

This player is really tough to get good film on. I had to watch actual games and defensive cuts vs player cuts, which is a pain in the damn @$$. And he is another of the beefed up safety types that college teams produce for the NFL, however in his case he's shown an ability to play on the line, behind the line, and in the secondary which is pretty damn cool. Oh and judging from a lot of non-football vids he's a good kid too. This guy is an excellent sleeper candidate.

ILB Oren Burks, Vanderbilt

Strengths: excellent coverage ability and instincts, smooth and athletic/range, flexibility.

Weaknesses: needs to get better vs blocks, looks like a safety playing LB.

Here's a full game of his vs Bama, take a gander at him snuffin out the wheel route about 5 mins through the first quarter...


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGYNGJkdtdc

 

[Merlin]

Here's another high-tackle ILB who is known for his physical play. He's the size of the beefed up safety types, but lacks the range you want to stick on the field on passing downs where he's a damn fish out of water. I've included an extra tape of him vs Navy below, because, hey, if you want to know how a LB plays the run there's no better tape than vs Navy. He is a late round fit for the Rams for pairing with Tree.

ILB Micah Kiser, Virginia

Strengths: downhill hole filler, good strength for size and racks up tackles.

Weaknesses: absolute non-factor in coverage, just ugly.

Here's his game vs Boise St...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUpc36AF0Ck


Here's bonus film of him on the receiving end of some anchor's aweigh...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj7k-WykdwM