2018 NFL Draft scouting reports: Inside linebackers

[BonifayRam]

Misone looks at the men in the middle of the defense and who stacks up as a legitimate NFL prospect.

Its a very long post by him so I decided not to post the entire article just go to the site below.


https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2018/...eports-inside-linebacker-la-rams-roquan-smith

 

[Merlin]

My biggest complaint about losing that 23rd pick is not having a shot at Rashaan Evans, who will probably end up being the best LB from this class. It's funny how different takes can be from watching film on these guys.

Merlin's ILB rankings in round one:

1. Edmunds (top 10 talent)
2. Evans (underrated as F, can do it all and is more physical than guys bigger than him, top 20 LB IMO)
3. Vander Esch (round 2 my @$$, this is a legit mid to late round 1 LB)
4. Smith (late round 1 to early round 2 similar to Lavonte David comin out)

 

[Malibu]

My biggest complaint about losing that 23rd pick is not having a shot at Rashaan Evans, who will probably end up being the best LB from this class. It's funny how different takes can be from watching film on these guys.

Merlin's ILB rankings in round one:

1. Edmunds (top 10 talent)
2. Evans (underrated as F, can do it all and is more physical than guys bigger than him, top 20 LB IMO)
3. Vander Esch (round 2 my @$$, this is a legit mid to late round 1 LB)
4. Smith (late round 1 to early round 2 similar to Lavonte David comin out)

My off-season philosophy is trade or acquire ELITE talent not the mid level NFL player unless in backup role. The Rams did just that with trading the #23 pick away. By acquiring Cooks, Snead and Snead followed my formula perfectly. What that formula is - it takes the guesswork out of the draft. We get a PROVEN star talent with ZERO learning curve who is still young and IMO easily better than Watkins.

Conversely we stayed at #23 and took Evans we still have a major hole in the WR Corp. Evans is no guarantee that he will be successful. He was on a massively talented team which IMO helps players pad some of their stats to a degree. Alabama played some inferior teams, the other players around Evans made him look better possibly.

The last two nights on the NFL mock draft show they have featured 2 separate teams reviewing their first round picks going back to 2010. They featured the Jags and the Bucs and put Hit or Miss or Meh on the first round talent taken by those teams. Both teams almost every pick was higher than our #23 this year and less than 50 were outright hits, several misses and several Messages. The point is at #23 we are taking our chances with taken an Evans or Landrt or Vander Esch or possibly one of the top LTs like Miller. By taking Cooks we are insuring success.

 

[SeminoleRam]

Misone looks at the men in the middle of the defense and who stacks up as a legitimate NFL prospect.

Its a very long post by him so I decided not to post the entire article just go to the site below.


https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2018/...eports-inside-linebacker-la-rams-roquan-smith

If you get an opportunity please watch the highlights on Josey Jewell! This guy is awesome! I know I sound like a broken record but he would be my pick if he is still available at #87!

 

[jrry32]

If you get an opportunity please watch the highlights on Josey Jewell! This guy is awesome! I know I sound like a broken record but he would be my pick if he is still available at #87!

James Laurinaitis 2.0 imo. He's a solid player, but he's not a star. Great instincts, reliable play, and sound tackling, but he's athletically limited and doesn't stack and shed well. I don't see him as a great scheme fit.

 

[jrry32]

Misone looks at the men in the middle of the defense and who stacks up as a legitimate NFL prospect.

Its a very long post by him so I decided not to post the entire article just go to the site below.


https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2018/...eports-inside-linebacker-la-rams-roquan-smith

That's a quality article. I don't agree with all of his evaluations, and I think his player comparisons are a bit generous, but it's still good work. I'll have to take a second look at Genard Avery. I wrote him off after my first look, but that may have been premature.

 

[Memento]

Sorry, but I looked at the UCLA tape and immediately wrote off Avery. Just seemed like the guy ran himself out of position almost every play, couldn't man cover worth a lick, etc

 

[Merlin]

Conversely we stayed at #23 and took Evans we still have a major hole in the WR Corp. Evans is no guarantee that he will be successful. He was on a massively talented team which IMO helps players pad some of their stats to a degree. Alabama played some inferior teams, the other players around Evans made him look better possibly.

Yeah I've been on record more than once as liking the trade, provided they sign Cooks.

Was just admitting that not having that round one pick and watching the nice fits that would have been lined up for us on defense not being there is going to suck.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Misone knows I like Jefferson for us in the 4th....and Lorenzo Carter in the 3rd....it was 2nd and 3rd...but that's all screwed up.....

 

[8to12]

Misone knows I like Jefferson for us in the 4th....and Lorenzo Carter in the 3rd....it was 2nd and 3rd...but that's all screwed up.....

Lorenzo Carter in the 3rd round? I'll bet he's gone by pick #55 (2nd rnd) I gave up hope of drafting him after the Rams traded for Cooks.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yeah I've been on record more than once as liking the trade, provided they sign Cooks.

Was just admitting that not having that round one pick and watching the nice fits that would have been lined up for us on defense not being there is going to suck.

Snead wasn't impressed with what he could get in this draft, at the top at least. Les may have overpaid for Cooks, in his final year of his contract with no guarantees of signing him. To me this speaks volumes of the depth of round one players that he felt will be available at 23. Personally, I think Landry is a pipe dream at 23. He won't last that long. In 2017 his play would have him ahead of Chubb. Apparently there isn't the same urgency to find a good ilb, like us fans want. Les must not like any linemen that may be there late either.

Or could it be that he was focused on that deep threat vacancy as priority one, and wasn't impressed with the receiver group?

I don't think this is a star studded draft. I think Mayfield is the best QB of the bunch. Rosen has always been streaky, kind of like Eli. I don't think Darnold has the head for it. Allen will bust with his low completion percentages and he also doesn't have the brain to get it done. Chubb is solid but he never wowed me with his play. I don't see college play like you did from Clowney or even Quinn. And he likely goes top ten, some think top three? There may be one top OLT in McGlinchey and he isn't as good as last top ten OTs. There is no Julio Jones type number one receiver. There will be a couple of stars like Vea or Edmunds, but people will look back at this draft as being mediocre to bad. I love that Les was so aggressive trading picks to fill holes with proven talent. The draft is fun, but winning is more fun.

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/downtownrams/status/984578406988894212?s=21

 

[Merlin]

Snead wasn't impressed with what he could get in this draft, at the top at least.

WRT the wideouts I fully agree, as this class is weak as F. But there are defensive fits that would have had excellent value for us there at 23. Him making that trade only proves that WR was a higher priority to them than LB. Which I can live with, since making sure their young QB and passing game at large doesn't regress due to lack of options is critical.

Again, I am behind the trade for Cooks. For me it's just about signing him. And it's also how I feel right now with AD and the OL at large, where they have to wrap up at least one of those three impending FAs. My guess is it'll be Havenstein, but who knows and they might not make that call until after the draft.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

WRT the wideouts I fully agree, as this class is weak as F. But there are defensive fits that would have had excellent value for us there at 23. Him making that trade only proves that WR was a higher priority to them than LB. Which I can live with, since making sure their young QB and passing game at large doesn't regress due to lack of options is critical.

Again, I am behind the trade for Cooks. For me it's just about signing him. And it's also how I feel right now with AD and the OL at large, where they have to wrap up at least one of those three impending FAs. My guess is it'll be Havenstein, but who knows and they might not make that call until after the draft.

I think the keep Saffold too. He won’t break the bank at his age.

 

[den-the-coach]

View: https://twitter.com/downtownrams/status/984578406988894212?s=21

One would also surmise with the addition of Jedd Fische as Senior Offensive Assistant to the Rams staff, that the Rams might take a few UCLA players because of Fische knowing them inside and out.

 

[OldSchool]

Not really a big fan of this guy, think he'll get over drafted.


View: https://twitter.com/tonypauline/status/984587065575854080?s=21


https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jerome-baker?id=32462018-0002-5601-29d4-3b922ef6c9a1

Overview
Baker is a likely 4-3 weakside linebacker candidate with the range and speed to chase and tackle around the field and the coverage talent to squeeze routes from man or zone. What Baker has in athletic ability and speed, he lacks in strength and toughness against the run. Baker's junior season failed to impress and teams will have to decide if he's a sub-package linebacker or a three-down talent. Baker lacks instincts teams look for from the position, but it's hard to ignore his rare speed. He could find early snaps in sub-packages, but may never be more than an average starter.
Strengths

• Moves fluidly and fast
• Has hip looseness and footwork to flow around the field
• Has trigger burst to flash from backside and close down running lanes
• Tremendously rangy as tackler
• Change of direction comes easily
• Capable of eluding blockers with quick lateral movement
• Takes efficient paths to the ball
• Sifts and works through traffic bouncing in and out of gaps
• Has athletic ability to handle premium athletes in space
• Shadowed Saquon Barkley for most of the game and helped keep him in check
• Talented in space with footwork to match receivers in space and hands to take the ball
• Can carry vertical receivers down the field
• Able to outrun mistakes and slow diagnosis

Weaknesses

• Skinny frame and gets engulfed by size
• Looks small, plays small
• Lacks functional play strength and sturdy base to withstand power
• Must improve hand work to keep himself clean
• Gets glued to blocks
• Slow to diagnose and instincts are below par
• Lingers on second level rather than bringing it to running backs
• Lack of size and nastiness could be a concern on run downs against bully-ball rush attacks
• Loses gap leverage and gets knocked around the field
• Ducks head into contact
• Has too many hit and slide tackle attempts
• Gets caught flowing past his run fits
• Motor can be inconsistent and will loaf at times in space.

 

[PressureD41]

My biggest complaint about losing that 23rd pick is not having a shot at Rashaan Evans, who will probably end up being the best LB from this class. It's funny how different takes can be from watching film on these guys.

Merlin's ILB rankings in round one:

1. Edmunds (top 10 talent)
2. Evans (underrated as F, can do it all and is more physical than guys bigger than him, top 20 LB IMO)
3. Vander Esch (round 2 my @$$, this is a legit mid to late round 1 LB)
4. Smith (late round 1 to early round 2 similar to Lavonte David comin out)

This is how I see. Evans is a 10 year low floor high ceiling stud, running the def while creaming the F out people. Jersey worthy already if he was a ram. love that dude. Edmunds could be a Willis type talent

 

[8to12]

Not really a big fan of this guy, think he'll get over drafted.


View: https://twitter.com/tonypauline/status/984587065575854080?s=21


https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jerome-baker?id=32462018-0002-5601-29d4-3b922ef6c9a1

Overview
Baker is a likely 4-3 weakside linebacker candidate with the range and speed to chase and tackle around the field and the coverage talent to squeeze routes from man or zone. What Baker has in athletic ability and speed, he lacks in strength and toughness against the run. Baker's junior season failed to impress and teams will have to decide if he's a sub-package linebacker or a three-down talent. Baker lacks instincts teams look for from the position, but it's hard to ignore his rare speed. He could find early snaps in sub-packages, but may never be more than an average starter.
Strengths

Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me. You keep Barron (small) on the roster and then draft Baker (small)?