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1st Round: Jordyn Brooks / ILB / Texas Tech


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Jordyn Brooks / ILB / Texas Tech

Seattle Seahawks select Texas Tech LB Jordyn Brooks with No. 27 ...

 

Somewhat surprisingly, Seattle was not able to trade down from the 27th overall pick (there was reportedly a deal in place that fell through at the last minute), instead selecting Texas Tech ILB Jordyn Brooks. 

Admittedly, ILB was not a position I scouted this season as I assumed it was one of our most secure spots. Here's a couple of quick notes on the newest Seahawk: 

- 2019 2nd-Team All-American, 1st-Team All-Big12, Team Captain 

- Spent first 3 seasons playing OLB before converting to Mike LB in his SR season. This is where he unlocked his potential as a downhill tackle vacuum, finishing with 108 total tackles (more than Isaiah Simmons, Patrick Queen, Kenneth Murray, and Zach Baun) and 20 Tackles for Loss (2nd in entire FBS). 

- PFF charted him with a 15.5% run stop grade, which ranked 1st of any LB in the country. He finished with a ridiculous 91.5 run-defense grade. 

- Over the last 2 seasons, Brooks has a missed tackle rate of 7%, which is the lowest in the country among all off-ball LBs. 

- Brooks finished the 2019 season with 44 QB pressures, which tied for the lead for off-ball LBs. His success % was the highest in the country. 


SoS Jordyn Brooks Scouting Report
 

Strengths: One of the more decisive players that you'll see on tape, when he sees something he will stomp on the gas and commit to firing toward the football. Downhill attacker who can cover a lot of ground in a blink. Very efficient tackler, as noted by his CFB low 7% missed tackle rate; he does a great job squaring up, wrapping up, and not surrendering until his man is down. Incredibly efficient pass rusher between the A&B gaps, will absolutely fire through interior linemen to collapse the pocket and force a QB scrambling. Good density to his frame suggests that his strengths should easily transition over to the next level. Athletic enough to keep up with most TEs in man coverage.

WeaknessesHis greatest strength is perhaps his greatest weakness, as that same decisiveness that allows him to make flash plays also leads to him taking bad angles and missing plays altogether, which I would argue is worse than a missed tackle (at least there you're theoretically slowing your man down). Fairly undersized for the MIKE position he should transition into, shorter guy altogether who doesn't pose as an imposing threat. Lacks the type of acceleration when changing direction that is pivotal for a space player. Does not have the ideal foot speed to pursue quicker RBs to the edge. He had a heavy downhill responsibility at Texas Tech which rarely required him to diagnose plays and make football decisions. Does not possess notable play strength, really struggles to disengage from blockers or be an immovable object. Lacks an innate feel for concepts when dropping back in zone coverage.

Takeaway: Brooks is a decisive, downhill attacking LB who is very efficient in bringing ball carriers to the ground. His problem is getting to ball carriers, as he struggles to get through traffic and will at times take poor angles taking himself out of the play. Ultimately, he will be best used as an attacking WLB who is allowed to play close to the LOS to take advantage of his downhill capabilities and blitzing prowess.

 

Final Grade: Early-Mid 2nd Round

 

Edited by SaveOurSonics
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Such a cliche left-field pick by John & Co. 

With that said, if there's one position (outside of maybe CB) where I really trust this scouting department, it's LB. After seeing some of the metrics on Brooks, I'm really excited to turn on the tape and see what we have to work with. One things for sure; throw in Blair and Brooks to this defense and you're adding some serious speed and pop. I love seeing that Brooks is such a successful blitzer because it's something Bobby excelled at early in his career but we've lost a bit of that with age. 

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Seattle loved their 3 linebacker package last year... Seattle was also one of the worst teams stopping the run... so I guess it makes sense the more I think about it.

 

I also think Wagner has limited time left (just too many hits, was close to surgery on knee) and KJ Wright appears to have lost a step. I think we could've had him in the mid 2nd round but it's obvious Seattle wasn't able to trade down so they just took him. 

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Seattles run defense was dreadful. The defense at time looked a step slow. Lots of missed tackles. Brooks seems to add strength to those weaknesses.

Im not going to get my jimmies russtle'd over "value" or whatever. Brooks looks like he has the skillset to be a really good player. Seattle needs those. 

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8 hours ago, SaveOurSonics said:

Jordyn Brooks / ILB / Texas Tech

- Brooks finished the 2019 season with 44 QB pressures, which tied for the lead for off-ball LBs. His success % was the highest in the country. 

 

I think this indicates (at least in 2020) he plays that weakside backer role Kendricks was playing. 

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2 hours ago, animaltested said:

I think this indicates (at least in 2020) he plays that weakside backer role Kendricks was playing. 

He had the most QB pressure stats of ALL NCAAF linebackers, so that does make sense. He's also pretty good in coverage with the lowest missed tackle % among NCAAF linebackers so he may replace Kendricks as a SAM. 

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So a dirty secret from last year was Bobby and KJ were cooked, and cooked often in games. The 49ers, and Rams specifically attacked the edges with speed and really exploited Seattle declining speed on defense. Other teams utilized quick underneath passing, attacking Bobby and KJ on islands. Now some of the blame could be passed down to the how-hum DLINE, but not too much. Clowney - Ford - Woods - Jefferson is a decent run stopping unit. 

For 2021 and beyond; Brooks pairs with Blair nicely, in that both guys are missiles coming up field, cutting off running lanes and boundaries. I assume that's the style of defense Seattle is trying to rekindle with the youth movement going on in the backend.

He also has ability to SPY Murray in those Arizona games. Something to consider as well. 

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SoS Jordyn Brooks Scouting Report
 

Strengths: One of the more decisive players that you'll see on tape, when he sees something he will stomp on the gas and commit to firing toward the football. Downhill attacker who can cover a lot of ground in a blink. Very efficient tackler, as noted by his CFB low 7% missed tackle rate; he does a great job squaring up, wrapping up, and not surrendering until his man is down. Incredibly efficient pass rusher between the A&B gaps, will absolutely fire through interior linemen to collapse the pocket and force a QB scrambling. Good density to his frame suggests that his strengths should easily transition over to the next level. Athletic enough to keep up with most TEs in man coverage.

WeaknessesHis greatest strength is perhaps his greatest weakness, as that same decisiveness that allows him to make flash plays also leads to him taking bad angles and missing plays altogether, which I would argue is worse than a missed tackle (at least there you're theoretically slowing your man down). Fairly undersized for the MIKE position he should transition into, shorter guy altogether who doesn't pose as an imposing threat. Lacks the type of acceleration when changing direction that is pivotal for a space player. Does not have the ideal foot speed to pursue quicker RBs to the edge. He had a heavy downhill responsibility at Texas Tech which rarely required him to diagnose plays and make football decisions. Does not possess notable play strength, really struggles to disengage from blockers or be an immovable object. Lacks an innate feel for concepts when dropping back in zone coverage.

Takeaway: Brooks is a decisive, downhill attacking LB who is very efficient in bringing ball carriers to the ground. His problem is getting to ball carriers, as he struggles to get through traffic and will at times take poor angles taking himself out of the play. Ultimately, he will be best used as an attacking WLB who is allowed to play close to the LOS to take advantage of his downhill capabilities and blitzing prowess.

 

Final Grade: Early-Mid 2nd Round

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On 4/24/2020 at 2:19 PM, SaveOurSonics said:

I've been chastised for saying Bobby lost a step last year. Dude was far from an elite LB. 

 

Chastised by who? Wagner was still good last year but nowhere NEAR the elite linebacker he was in prior years... Wagner IMO is a hall of famer, but he's not far off from a major injury or just wearing down. Guy just took WAY too many hits (with all the tackles) in his career.

KJ Wright has not been the same since his injury in 2018.

Kendricks is gone.

Barton did not look good last year. Yes he's a rookie and I get a later pick, but he can't remotely fill in (YET, still time for development).

Burr-Kirven is a complete unknown.

 

We were actually DANGEROUSLY thin at linebacker and if Wagner/Wright go down this year (or in Wright's case continue to be mediocre from his 2019 campaign) we have a MAJOR hole at LBer.

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26 minutes ago, NFL_Announcer said:

Chastised by who? 

Barton did not look good last year. Yes he's a rookie and I get a later pick, but he can't remotely fill in (YET, still time for development).

Burr-Kirven is a complete unknown.

 

We were actually DANGEROUSLY thin at linebacker and if Wagner/Wright go down this year (or in Wright's case continue to be mediocre from his 2019 campaign) we have a MAJOR hole at LBer.

No one in here. Mostly water cooler talk. 

I'm just not sure where the Barton comment is coming from. Perhaps I'm wrong, but he was stout in his snaps. He also wasn't that late of a pick (particularly for LB) being drafted in the 3rd round. Great size/speed profile. BBK is a relative unknown but absolutely flashed in the preseason and Shaqueem Griffin is still there. 

 

Original point being, LB was one of our deeper positions. Which positions would you say were deeper going into the draft? OG? Maybe CB? That's about it. Whereas we're fairly thin at OT, WR, C, DT, and DE. I'm all for the rationale that Brooks is a long-term play to forecast a drop off in Bobby and/or KJ.

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