2018 Draft Prospects

[yomyyo]

Without using measurables, could someone explain to me why Davenport is desirable? Some tape to support an opinion would be appreciated. From the games I've watched, he doesn't seem impressive; use-of-hands seems particularly atrocious. 

To me, people pounding the table for him are doing so because of (positional) need, not because he is a particularly desirable prospect. However, I'm happy to be convinced. 

[beardown3231]

1 hour ago, Epyon said:

Honestly? Because the player value from the mock was good (a "Best player available" mindset), and I don't expect us to be able to fill every single hole this year regardless.

Pass rush is a critically important factor, yes...... but outside of Harold Landry in the first round, or Davenport if you strongly believe in his potential, you aren't going to get a pass rusher worth actually putting on the field this year regardless, because it's a terrible draft for them.. and even though I love Landry as a prospect, I think Barkley-RB, Ward-CB, and Nelson-OG are better overall players, so I can't get upset by choosing one of them over forcing a pass rusher pick.

I understand not taking one in round 1. Round 2? Okay, maybe, but *at all?* Pace can’t ignore that at all.

I realize you can’t address every need, but to ignore the top need all offseason would be tragic. That’s a topic worth having 20 pages about, not Cam Meredith.

[Superman(DH23)]

1 hour ago, yomyyo said:

Without using measurables, could someone explain to me why Davenport is desirable? Some tape to support an opinion would be appreciated. From the games I've watched, he doesn't seem impressive; use-of-hands seems particularly atrocious. 

To me, people pounding the table for him are doing so because of (positional) need, not because he is a particularly desirable prospect. However, I'm happy to be convinced. 

Measurables are a part of the package, so to say, dont use measurables but convince me he is worth the pick is more than a bit unfair.  Especially when you are talking about a small school guy.  But...#1 his hands are violent.  Im not going to tell you he has a great pass rush set of moves, bc he doesnt.  He straight up out muscled his way to sacks at UTSA.  That to me is what is truly impressive.  He is a GREAT athlete, he didnt even speed move guys, he threw them out the bar, and then arrived at the qb with violent intentions.  What Davenport has is things you cant teach. Those measurables (which compare favorably to Jadeveon Clowney and Aldon Smith), an amazing work ethic (we're talking about a kid under 200 lbs at 6'5" when he arrived at school.  He has put on 65+ lbs and hasnt lost a bit of his explosiveness.  He goes to the senior bowl, and after taking a couple days to get acclimated to the competition, then dominated the practices, the game, and was unblockable.  What you are getting with Davenport is a raw pass rusher prospect, who while you are waiting for those skills to really be developed, is going to be a really good lb.  Davenport sets the edge as well as anybody in this draft, he stacks and sheds extremely well and hes going to just get some sacks from being too long, too strong, too fast for ots to deal with.

[G08]

2 hours ago, yomyyo said:

Without using measurables, could someone explain to me why Davenport is desirable? Some tape to support an opinion would be appreciated. From the games I've watched, he doesn't seem impressive; use-of-hands seems particularly atrocious. 

To me, people pounding the table for him are doing so because of (positional) need, not because he is a particularly desirable prospect. However, I'm happy to be convinced. 

Yeah this isn't really a fair way to present a player... the NFL values athletic traits and you do not see many players his height/weight that have his speed and athleticism. That's an important aspect to who he is as a player.

If you want to go off the tape, he has an elite burst off the LOS and he combines that with very violent hands. When he times his hands and feet together and gets the proper bend, he puts offensive linemen on skates (and often times on their rear-end). He's got the length to keep these linemen off his body and the strength to pancake them. I've seen him drop in coverage and carry a RB up the sideline, I've seen him read reverses, stay home patiently, and then explode after the ball carrier and tackle him for a loss. The speed at which he moved really put my jaw on the ground -- nobody that size should move that fast/quickly.

He has work to do -- the kid weighed something like 198 lbs his senior year of high school. I read that he weighed in the 240s in 2016 and got up to the 260s this season. Some scouts are convinced he is still growing and getting stronger. For a 21 year old who still is learning the position? That's outstanding. Concerns I had about him playing lesser competition went away during the Senior Bowl practices because he got better every single day and was dominant in the game. Seriously, if you get a chance to watch/re-watch the game make sure to focus on him every snap -- he was a monster.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by G08

[Superman(DH23)]

2 minutes ago, G08 said:

Yeah this isn't really a fair way to present a player... the NFL values athletic traits and you do not see many players his height/weight that have his speed and athleticism. That's an important aspect to who he is as a player.

If you want to go off the tape, he has an elite burst off the LOS and he combines that with very violent hands. When he times his hands and feet together and gets the proper bend, he puts offensive linemen on skates (and often times on their rear-end). He's got the length to keep these linemen off his body and the strength to pancake them. I've seen him drop in coverage and carry a RB up the sideline, I've seen him read reverses, stay home patiently, and then explode after the ball carrier and tackle him for a loss. The speed at which he moved really put my jaw on the ground -- nobody that size should move that fast/quickly.

He has work to do -- the kid weighed something like 198 lbs his senior year of high school. I read that he weighed in the 240s in 2016 and got up to the 260s this season. Some scouts are convinced he is still growing and getting stronger. For a 21 year old who still is learning the position? That's outstanding. Concerns I had about him playing lesser competition went away during the Senior Bowl practices because he got better every single day and was dominant in the game. Seriously, if you get a chance to watch/re-watch the game make sure to focus on him every snap -- he was a monster.

Ill be honest, the first time i watched Davenport, i was fully expecting to see a guy who just got by on athleticism and ran around ots or out quicked them to the spot.  The first thing i noticed: Davenport knows the shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line.  This is a guy who wants to go THRU the competition to the qb.  He hasnt even learned how to use his speed, but he knows leverage. If you can teach him how to use that speed to turn the corner and counter that inside, you have something REALLY special.

[G08]

@Superman(DH23) He still rushes at times where it looks like he has no plan in mind, sometimes it leads to nothing and other times he is big/strong enough that he can power through whatever is in his way. That won't work in the NFL, but I'm of the opinion Vic Fangio is one of the best OLB coaches in the game and I'd have to think he'd take a personal approach to coaching this kid up if we draft him.

[Superman(DH23)]

1 hour ago, G08 said:

@Superman(DH23) He still rushes at times where it looks like he has no plan in mind, sometimes it leads to nothing and other times he is big/strong enough that he can power through whatever is in his way. That won't work in the NFL, but I'm of the opinion Vic Fangio is one of the best OLB coaches in the game and I'd have to think he'd take a personal approach to coaching this kid up if we draft him.

Hes a blunt instrument right now, but he has the metal i think to become a scalpal.  I keep watching highlights and he just whoops dudes every play.  

[G08]

Senior Bowl -- South Team Defensive snaps: Davenport is 93

 

[G08]

Davenport - 200 pass rushing opportunities last season, applied a pressure in 1 out of every 4 opps.

[AZBearsFan]

8 hours ago, G08 said:

Man I hope so. I just think the drop-off from Chubb/Davenport/Landry is substantial.

Agreed 100%. If our top pick is anyone but Chubb/Landry/Davenport I’ll be pretty disappointed personally. 

[Madmike90]

Looking at Pace's past and the fact he clearly really want Floyd I can't see a single reason why he wouldn't have an even higher grade on Davenport...yes Davenport doesn't have the insane initial get off Floyd does (who does?) Or bend but in terms of every other trait Davenport is right there but is also twice as powerful when converting speed to power and due to the face he can hold his weight better than Floyd appears to the upside is even higher...if he is there I so no reason he isn't the pick.

[WindyCity]

Davenport absolutlety stole the show in the Senior Bowl game against draftable OTs.

I think people expect pass rushers to win all the time. That is unrealistic, if you are generating pressure on 25% Of rushes that is pretty good for a single player.

[Superman(DH23)]

I think im getting myself too attached tp davenport where im going to be really disappointed if we dont get him lol.

[BEAR FACE DOWN ARROW]

I

8 minutes ago, Superman(DH23) said:

I think im getting myself too attached tp davenport where im going to be really disappointed if we dont get him lol.

I feel like I'm talking myself into Davenport as the solution to a problem that I can live with, as opposed to being really excited.  My preference remains: Chubb>Nelson*>Trade down and draft D>Davenport>McGlinchley>Edmunds>some DB

*Anyone else ever watch the Nelson highlight videos, and picture him saying "Hah-Hah" after he throws some linebacker down a well? 

[Superman(DH23)]

11 minutes ago, RunningVaccs said:

I

I feel like I'm talking myself into Davenport as the solution to a problem that I can live with, as opposed to being really excited.  My preference remains: Chubb>Nelson*>Trade down and draft D>Davenport>McGlinchley>Edmunds>some DB

*Anyone else ever watch the Nelson highlight videos, and picture him saying "Hah-Hah" after he throws some linebacker down a well? 

I dont want to say I wouldnt be happy with Nelson but the value between him and the iol available at 39 isnt going to be that great compared to Davenport and the edge players available at 39.