ILBs

[jrry32]

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

I gotta admit that I scoffed the first time I read this. After seeing the damage Smith did against Oklahoma and Alabama, it was hard for me to believe. However, going back and watching Smith closely, he has a major weakness. Blockers stick to him like velcro. With his range, instincts, and overall athleticism, he'll be a quality LB in the NFL, but you're right when you say that Vander Esch is better.

Vander Esch will be in my next Rams mock. The only "weakness" I saw with that kid is that he's not landing knockout hits. He does everything else. He's only a one-year starter, but he produced at an insane level. You rarely see his lack of experience show up on film. In coverage, he's graceful and effortless in his movements. He can drop down the seam in zone with ease. He can man up on TEs and HBs with ease. He can run sideline to sideline. In the running game, he attacks without hesitation and can be an absolute force. He plays through blocks and uses his length to finish.

Call me crazy, but he reminds me of Brian Urlacher.

 

[den-the-coach]

Vander Esch will be in my next Rams mock.
Call me crazy, but he reminds me of Brian Urlacher.

The 2017 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, Vander Esch is a tackling machine who can also drop back into coverage and rush the passer. He’s a terrific prospect at the middle linebacker position and has the athletic ability to avoid getting lost in the shuffle of a deep draft class despite playing in what many feel is an inferior conference.

 

[Merlin]

I gotta admit that I scoffed the first time I read this. After seeing the damage Smith did against Oklahoma and Alabama, it was hard for me to believe. However, going back and watching Smith closely, he has a major weakness. Blockers stick to him like velcro. With his range, instincts, and overall athleticism, he'll be a quality LB in the NFL, but you're right when you say that Vander Esch is better.

Vander Esch will be in my next Rams mock. The only "weakness" I saw with that kid is that he's not landing knockout hits. He does everything else. He's only a one-year starter, but he produced at an insane level. You rarely see his lack of experience show up on film. In coverage, he's graceful and effortless in his movements. He can drop down the seam in zone with ease. He can man up on TEs and HBs with ease. He can run sideline to sideline. In the running game, he attacks without hesitation and can be an absolute force. He plays through blocks and uses his length to finish.

Call me crazy, but he reminds me of Brian Urlacher.

I think Urlacher has some similarities to him, yeah. The same size and range/smoothness, reliability snap to snap, etc. I don't recall him being overly physical either tbh so they definitely share some traits going off my poor memory.

Honestly as I began watching the film on these guys I had some preconceptions, particularly on Smith. He's consistently listed so high and gets around the field so well that I was surprised to see how he gets wired to blockers like that. So for the Rams, yeah, he's not the ideal player from this class. Then I looked back wrt a lot of these beefed up SS types with great range and tackling and there's precedent for them to go round 2 range (for example Lavonte David who everyone compares him to) due to those weaknesses they all have with blockers.

That only gets worse at the NFL level, so yeah I think Smith is overvalued as ILB in the mocks a bit, although the fact he would also excel as a 4-3 WILL might still mean he goes over some of the other guys who are better ILBs than him.

It would not surprise me if Vander Esch were our pick, and same goes for Evans who I think Wade could do some really great things with in allowing him to rush at times/moving him around. Only thing there is that damn CB class, the talent of those top 4 is just ridiculous, will that many go off the board before 23? Idk, but it's been fun lookin at it so appreciate the feedback, I figured the best way to discuss these guys is to put up some clips and let folks make their own decisions.

 

[Merlin]

Interview with Evans below. Now that the Rams have addressed CB1, have to admit I am very hopeful they come out of round 1 with this dude:

View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/up-to-the-minute/0ap3000000917252/Rashaan-Evans-explains-why-his-versatility-separates-him-from-other-Alabama-LBs-in-NFL-Draft-in-recent-years

 

[Riverumbbq]

Interview with Evans below. Now that the Rams have addressed CB1, have to admit I am very hopeful they come out of round 1 with this dude:

View: http://www.nfl.com/videos/up-to-the-minute/0ap3000000917252/Rashaan-Evans-explains-why-his-versatility-separates-him-from-other-Alabama-LBs-in-NFL-Draft-in-recent-years

You might like this mock then Merlin ...

https://www.draftsite.com/mydraftsite/jsc4820/nfl/mock-draft/2018/

Personally, I think I'd stick with the free agency market at ILB, but I can see why you like him.

 

[Merlin]

You might like this mock then Merlin ...

https://www.draftsite.com/mydraftsite/jsc4820/nfl/mock-draft/2018/

Personally, I think I'd stick with the free agency market at ILB, but I can see why you like him.

I do like it lol and thx. What I love about Evans as a fit is he can do a bit of everything, and is a really good rusher. That is going to set him apart playing for a DC like Phillips, who is crafty and good at adjusting his scheme to allow for extra talent.

With us he'd be on the strong inside spot during run downs and take care of business, but can also drop, do a little shadowing, or bring the heat on the QB. I love Evans man and now that the Rams need a CB2 it's a bit easier for them to make the call to take a dude like him. Assuming he makes it to us which meh, I doubt happens but we'll see.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Great list....like the kid outta Boise a bunch too....

Think we can find a steal at ILB in the 4th round....couple small school demons...
https://www.diehards.com/national/film-room-small-school-big-board-2018-nfl-draft

15. Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State

Darius Leonard is a poor man’s Deion Jones. Like the Atlanta Falcons linebacker, Leonard is a weakside linebacker who may not have sniffed a team 10 years ago. Now, he’s becoming the prototype.

As everyone goes spread, and the game is played outside the tackle box, defenses need guys with the flexibility to match up against different body types and the athleticism to cover ground in a hurry.

He put up a ludicrous stat line in 2017: 113 tackles, 8 TFLs, 8 sacks, a forced fumble and a pair of interceptions. The tape was even more impressive. He bounces all over the field with blurry speed.

He plays aggressive, bordering on violent. He takes on blockers with a visceral disdain, dispatching them at will – he finished up his collegiate career with 14 sacks and 42 TFLs. That’s a lot of plays in the opposing backfield.

Yet it’s Leonard’s coverage skills that separate him from others. He mirrors backs out of the backfield and has shown the ability to turn and run in coverage with receivers downfield.

Small, but has played LINEBACKER....sorta like Tree....keep Tree where he is...grab a NT (Nathan Sheperd outta Fort Wayne St.???)...and put a guy like this in there....

https://nflspinzone.com/2018/02/28/nfl-draft-2018-best-small-school-prospects/
Darius Leonard, OLB (South Carolina State)

Leonard was a beast during his Bulldog career. In 2016, the outside linebacker earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors with 124 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. While he’s not the biggest linebacker at 6-2, 230 pounds, Leonard makes up for it with great speed and athleticism. His football instincts and nose for the ball should compliment any NFL team with a need for a defensive weapon.

and yeah, he's listed as an OLB....but I'm putting him inside...

You should see the small school TE everyone is touting....looks pretty good too....and a couple of NT's.

 

[Merlin]

Darius Leonard, OLB (South Carolina State)

Leonard was a beast during his Bulldog career. In 2016, the outside linebacker earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year honors with 124 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles. While he’s not the biggest linebacker at 6-2, 230 pounds, Leonard makes up for it with great speed and athleticism. His football instincts and nose for the ball should compliment any NFL team with a need for a defensive weapon.

and yeah, he's listed as an OLB....but I'm putting him inside...

This is why I put the cutups on these guys in this thread. When I watch Leonard's games I don't see instincts and nose for the ball. I see a safety type playing inside, a guy best suited for WILL in a 4-3.

But that's what makes this fun eh?