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NFL Combine

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
A link to the full list of participants can be found here:

http://www.nfl.com/combine/participants

slightly frustrated at some of the absences
  • Reggie Corbin RB (Illinois)
  • Chris Orr LB (Wisconsin)
  • Kevin Dotson OG (Louisiana-Lafayette) - im really annoyed about this one - he has a chance to be a top 100 pick or maybe a 4th-5th rounder but still that's worthy of going to the combine (especially as his OL partner Robert Hunt was invited)
  • Zach Shackelford OG (Texas) - this is egregious because the medicals are important with him - he's had ankle problems through his career and it would be helpful for that to be checked at the combine but alas
  • Tyler Clark DL (Georgia)
  • Bravvion Roy DT (Baylor)
  • Bryce Huff EDGE/LB (Memphis)
Combine starts on February 23rd.
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
the 40 times are gonna be huge for Collin Johnson, Jauan Jennings, KJ Hill, Michael Pittman - in the case of the first two it could be the difference between going in the top 100 (i dont see it but that's where some have projected them) and going undrafted

its fun to speculate about the guys at the top of the race who are going to hit the 4.2s etc. and that's exciting but ultimately their times wont be a real issue because we all know they are fast

its prospects like the above 4 who can move up or down more significantly but if jennings runs anything slower than a 4.69 you're going to see him nosedive on big boards
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator


unfortunate for him - there are/were doubters about his speed in draft circles and this robs him of the chance to prove himself

despite the fact he'll almost certainly be healthy for most offseason work - maybe even all offseason work it's a shame that this might take him out of contention for day 2
 

RavensMania

Staff Member
Administrator
With the change to the combine as a viewing experience with it moving to primetime - Thursday is the big day with the QBs, WRs and TEs all on one day from 4pm ET
I liked it better when the QBs WRs and TEs were all on the weekend during the day
 
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JO_75

Hall of Famer
How much does hand measurement actually change the draft stock of Quarterbacks? I've seen people saying Jordan Love has helped himself because his hand measurement was good while Jake Fromm had small hands and that would hurt him.
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
How much does hand measurement actually change the draft stock of Quarterbacks? I've seen people saying Jordan Love has helped himself because his hand measurement was good while Jake Fromm had small hands and that would hurt him.

probably depends on what division the QB is going to be playing in - it's not going to make or break a grade but it definitely will factor in

its more likely to hinder than help - a qb with bigger than desired hands... great - a qb with lower than desired hands might end up not on some teams boards as some teams have a threshold for certain measurements that guys have to reach to be draftable at certain positions

my guess is that threshold will be around the 9 inch mark so it might take fromm off some boards
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
I knew Aiyuk had a crazy wingspan but at 5'11 he has a larger wingspan than all except juwan johnson (who is 6'4), isaiah hodgins (who is over 6'3), Tee Higgins (who is over 6'3), Binjimen Victor (who is over 6'3) - so only 4 guys have longer wingspans and they're all 6'3+

there's only one other guy with the same 80" wingspan as him which is chase claypool who is 6'4...

that is patently ridiculous
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
Draft Notes from Eric Decosta's presser - as usual he was pretty ambiguous and did a lot of saying things without saying anything

  • With the offence we have he anticipates us having leads which makes pass rushers and the pass rush in general pretty important
  • Feel strongly about continuing to add playmakers around Lamar - that process started last year but will continue to be a focus this year
  • They feel pretty set at rb albeit if there’s a chance to grab an elite guy they will but not looking explicitly to add to the stable
  • Willie Snead obviously valuable as a receiver but seems to be maybe a leader in that group - edc mentioned him with regard to Hollywood’s development to year 2
  • Year 2 is critical for wide receivers (was response to Boykin question but relates to Hollywood also)
  • We’ll be looking for pass rushers - not necessarily worried about what position they play... whether they’re smaller DEs who we convert to OLB, whether they’re guys who play 5tech for us or whether it’s 3techs who can rush from defensive tackle
  • Says he sees pass rushers available in every round
  • Edc coming out and already talking about joe burrow as if he’s in our division already lol
  • Discussions have taken place with both judon and jimmy - franchise tag is still a consideration with judon - gets the sense that jimmy wants to see what his value will be on the open market
  • Has had extension talks with both Ronnie and Marlon already
  • No decision yet on Brandon Carr

to me it seems like we're definitely in the market in the draft for specifically 2 things - pass rush (from any position) and playmakers at offensive skill positions (but preferably wide receiver) - and in playmakers we clearly as an organisation adhere to the ideology of separation > catch radius/contested catches - and while its great if that guy is speedy we dont really care how they separate
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
Patrick Mahomes has Joe Burrow's back when it comes to small hands....


Burrows tweet is already legendary.

I think burrow is the first qb besides luck to have all this first overall hype that I genuinely buy into, and now I like his attitude too lol
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
I knew Aiyuk had a crazy wingspan but at 5'11 he has a larger wingspan than all except juwan johnson (who is 6'4), isaiah hodgins (who is over 6'3), Tee Higgins (who is over 6'3), Binjimen Victor (who is over 6'3) - so only 4 guys have longer wingspans and they're all 6'3+

there's only one other guy with the same 80" wingspan as him which is chase claypool who is 6'4...

that is patently ridiculous
Goddamn pterodactyl
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
Draft Notes from Joe Hortiz's appearance on the ravens's in-house podcast:

  • The bigger the better but guys that know how to get open get open = separation over catch radius... you’re looking for guys that have the “feel” - don’t have to be 4.4/4.3 or super length - knowing how to get open translates
  • Need doesn’t affect grades but does affect how the board gets stacked
  • Lamar did visit - hortiz and front office actively lied to reporters to hide it - had visits and discussions with lots of qbs that year and very few were reported
  • Strongest groups - WRs, RBs, DBs and QBs (obviously we aren’t interested but still interesting that he thinks it’s a good qb class)
  • Top end of wr might not be best ever (Julio aj green year was crazy at top) but definitely true that the middle depth is potentially absurd
  • Not scared of taking a 4.55/4.6 guy if they can get open but getting speed is appetising
  • You do need to have a feel for separation - adjusting mentally is the biggest thing for a receiver as the athletes you go against get better
  • Learning from Hollywood - look for the competitive toughness in those smaller guys
  • Zach Baun - like his versatility
  • Draft fits well with needs but it always depends on how the draft falls in relation to the board
  • What ravens look for in pass rushers - looking at those picks that have been successful recently - those guys finish... not the fastest athlete but finish - our system asks guys to go through defenders and play the run
  • But ultimately the ability to finish through contact - to get to the top of the rush and power through or dip the hips and get around the corner because tackles are so good they’re going to get their hands on you - you have to be able to play through contact
  • Matt Patricia at the senior bowl said every successful rusher in the league was a power rusher and what he meant was that pass rush moves in the nfl don’t work through just finesse - if the move or the rush doesn’t have power and violence behind it it won’t work in the nfl
  • Hortiz does say if you have elite speed obviously that’s going to be great but it’s rare for those guys to even make it close to the ravens pick (e.g. von millers going in the top 10 no matter the draft class) - those guys are hard to get outside the top 5 in a draft year
  • The judons and the ZDS can go through half the man (or all the man and go down the middle and get off late to finish) - but they found a way to finish - it’s probably why Ozzie and the ravens have always held to the old adage that sacks translate to the nfl (bodes well for Jaylon Ferguson)
  • Have to remember linebackers have to be able to play downhill and diagnose the run - if you can’t you’re probably not going to get on the field - you have to still be tough and instinctive at that position
  • The rush gets on you faster inside - when projecting tackles inside you have to get an idea for their ability to process - there are definitely some tackles that cannot move inside - when including all those tackles they think can move inside they feel like it’s a pretty decent class at guard
  • Pat mekari was a draftable player on our board but was under the radar - didn’t get invited to all star games or combine and edc held nerve and got him as udfa - Hortiz said they knew immediately he was going to make the roster in some fashion

The biggest thing here to me was what he said about pass rushing and how ultimately rush moves have to have power behind them which is why finishing translates from college - its why speed rushers have a harder time translating because in college they're used to not having to deal with contact but nfl tackles will always get hands on unless that speed is von miller elite level - so being able to manipulate half a man is a more transferrable trait - but that physicality could be as basic as being strong (and having the ankle flexion to hold up) when you bend the edge and doesnt just mean bull rushing or long arming
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
Draft Notes from Joe Hortiz's appearance on the ravens's in-house podcast:

  • The bigger the better but guys that know how to get open get open = separation over catch radius... you’re looking for guys that have the “feel” - don’t have to be 4.4/4.3 or super length - knowing how to get open translates
  • Need doesn’t affect grades but does affect how the board gets stacked
  • Lamar did visit - hortiz and front office actively lied to reporters to hide it - had visits and discussions with lots of qbs that year and very few were reported
  • Strongest groups - WRs, RBs, DBs and QBs (obviously we aren’t interested but still interesting that he thinks it’s a good qb class)
  • Top end of wr might not be best ever (Julio aj green year was crazy at top) but definitely true that the middle depth is potentially absurd
  • Not scared of taking a 4.55/4.6 guy if they can get open but getting speed is appetising
  • You do need to have a feel for separation - adjusting mentally is the biggest thing for a receiver as the athletes you go against get better
  • Learning from Hollywood - look for the competitive toughness in those smaller guys
  • Zach Baun - like his versatility
  • Draft fits well with needs but it always depends on how the draft falls in relation to the board
  • What ravens look for in pass rushers - looking at those picks that have been successful recently - those guys finish... not the fastest athlete but finish - our system asks guys to go through defenders and play the run
  • But ultimately the ability to finish through contact - to get to the top of the rush and power through or dip the hips and get around the corner because tackles are so good they’re going to get their hands on you - you have to be able to play through contact
  • Matt Patricia at the senior bowl said every successful rusher in the league was a power rusher and what he meant was that pass rush moves in the nfl don’t work through just finesse - if the move or the rush doesn’t have power and violence behind it it won’t work in the nfl
  • Hortiz does say if you have elite speed obviously that’s going to be great but it’s rare for those guys to even make it close to the ravens pick (e.g. von millers going in the top 10 no matter the draft class) - those guys are hard to get outside the top 5 in a draft year
  • The judons and the ZDS can go through half the man (or all the man and go down the middle and get off late to finish) - but they found a way to finish - it’s probably why Ozzie and the ravens have always held to the old adage that sacks translate to the nfl (bodes well for Jaylon Ferguson)
  • Have to remember linebackers have to be able to play downhill and diagnose the run - if you can’t you’re probably not going to get on the field - you have to still be tough and instinctive at that position
  • The rush gets on you faster inside - when projecting tackles inside you have to get an idea for their ability to process - there are definitely some tackles that cannot move inside - when including all those tackles they think can move inside they feel like it’s a pretty decent class at guard
  • Pat mekari was a draftable player on our board but was under the radar - didn’t get invited to all star games or combine and edc held nerve and got him as udfa - Hortiz said they knew immediately he was going to make the roster in some fashion
The biggest thing here to me was what he said about pass rushing and how ultimately rush moves have to have power behind them which is why finishing translates from college - its why speed rushers have a harder time translating because in college they're used to not having to deal with contact but nfl tackles will always get hands on unless that speed is von miller elite level - so being able to manipulate half a man is a more transferrable trait - but that physicality could be as basic as being strong (and having the ankle flexion to hold up) when you bend the edge and doesnt just mean bull rushing or long arming
The pass rush quote has me moving a lot of guys on a board if I was projecting a ravens board.

guys like YGM and chaisson and strictly as an edge and not off ball LB Baun probably all take hits in value, gallimore as well. sounds like Curtis weaver, Khalid Kareem, marlon Davidson, Ross blacklock, Justin madubuike, and late rounds a guy like Kenny willekes May move up.

I think based off of that, Curtis weaver is the exact player in that description that is realistic to us, and that if somehow he falls aj epenesa is the ravens dream prospect right now. If they feel that using physicality and bend to shorten the arc and push through the wide half of the OT to finish is key, then epenesa May become a trade up target if he begins to slip to the 20s. Also sounds like they wanna keep Judon because he fits that description as well. But as far as a realistic prospect that won’t take a round 1 trade up, Curtis weaver sounds ideal for our scouts
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
The pass rush quote has me moving a lot of guys on a board if I was projecting a ravens board.

guys like YGM and chaisson and strictly as an edge and not off ball LB Baun probably all take hits in value, gallimore as well. sounds like Curtis weaver, Khalid Kareem, marlon Davidson, Ross blacklock, Justin madubuike, and late rounds a guy like Kenny willekes May move up.

I think based off of that, Curtis weaver is the exact player in that description that is realistic to us, and that if somehow he falls aj epenesa is the ravens dream prospect right now. If they feel that using physicality and bend to shorten the arc and push through the wide half of the OT to finish is key, then epenesa May become a trade up target if he begins to slip to the 20s. Also sounds like they wanna keep Judon because he fits that description as well. But as far as a realistic prospect that won’t take a round 1 trade up, Curtis weaver sounds ideal for our scouts


i mean tbf i extrapolated for the whole matt patricia thing but it does seem to fit our "type" - i think if a guy like chaisson was there we'd take him but we've never expected guys with that sort of elite speed to ever fall to our pick so with those non-elite speed rushers we're looking at guys who can show an ability to play through contact in some way - or at least the ability to manipulate and operate despite contact - not necessarily that we're looking for guys who are strong vs fast but everyone we draft has to show a certain amount of functional strength no matter what style of rusher they are - it does suggest to me though that they feel pretty confident that a guy with chaisson's athletic talent will be long gone before we pick

but you're right that it probably means ive been too low on epenesa, baun might still be fine because of how much we value versatility and he's great and natural in coverage but we maybe arent looking at him as a pass rusher, khalid kareem is probably the best example of this - terrell lewis would fit this prototype well with his great length in his arms, i wouldnt say gallimore would drop from where i had him because he does show the ability to play through contact early in the down but its inconsistent

but i definitely feel justified in my thoughts about greenard, madubuike, kareem etc.

willikes is an interesting one - i can see how those comments would lift him up the board and yet i still dont really see it - i really must go back to the 2018 film

all in all its a really interesting interview and i recommend listening to it (it's less than an hour)
 
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