2020 Steelers Draft Preview: Pt. 4

As the Draft approaches, its time to bring back my annual preview of prospects with some connection to the Steelers (official visits, mock drafts, etc). The summaries are from NFL.com.

LB Akeem Davis Gaither (App. State) - 6'1" 224lbs

2019: 104tckls (14.5TFLs), 5scks, 1INT, 8PU's, 1 block, Sunbelt DPOY

combine: 21reps

strengths: Above-average run instincts. Block slipper deluxe. Drops hips & shoulders to dip under blocks and makes tackles. Rangy & long with top-end speed in pursuit. Talent for timing & batting down passes. Good hip explosion into wrap-up tackling. Has special teams cover talent.

weaknesses: Mental mistakes covering in space. Likely a drag-down tackler. A straight-line mover with tight hips. Limited reactive agility. Needs more urgency getting off blocks in space. Occasionally loses leverage on backside.

grade: 6.12 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Maurice Alexander

proj: Rd. 4

RB Zack Moss (Utah) - 5'9" 223lbs

2019: 235car/1,416yds/15TDs, 28rec/386yds/2TDs, 3rd All-American/1st All-PAC12

combine: 4.65s 40, 19reps, 33"vert

strengths: He's both patient & urgent. Runs with a rare calm. Underrated vision to process beyond the line of scrimmage. Elite contact balance. Absorbs contact. Spin moves toss tacklers aside. Drops & squares up pads as a finisher.

weaknesses: Tight hips can limit his turn radius. Average overall game speed. Running style could lead to durability issues. Quicker than fast & unlikely to run away from NFL speed.

grade: 6.34 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: Marion Barber

proj: Rd. 4

CB Cameron Dantzler (Miss. St) - 6'2" 188lbs

2019: 40tckls (2TFLs), 2INTs, 8PUs

combine: 4.64s 40, 34.5"vert

strengths: An explosive athlete. Good anticipation to jump in squeeze slants. Crowds & stays in phase with routes outside numbers. Maximizes length to shield 50/50 balls. Rips through hands if he can't make the catch. Response time from the zone is fairly immediate. Sticks & drives back with suddenness.

weaknesses: Bigger WRs can body him up at the top of routes. Needs to limit handsy face-guarding. Loses positioning when turning to find the ball. Slow to get off blocks in quick game. Not a square & wrap tackler. Tackling style could lead to durability concerns.

grade: 6.26 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Al Harris

proj: Rds. 1-2

CB Jaylon Johnson (Utah) - 6' 193lbs

2019: 36tckls, 2INTs, 11PUs, 2nd AP All-American/1st All-PAC12

combine: 4.50s 40, 15reps, 36.5"vert

strengths: Low & leering from the press crouch. Alters press techniques to keep foes guessing. Slides & jabs forcefully. Smart & instinctive in off-man & zone. Good recognition of route combinations & route breaks. Explosive vertical leaper to eliminate jump balls. Good size & range to hold down run support in space.

weaknesses: Feet get jittery & impatient at times. Overreactions lead to longing & reaching. Quick counter steps against press could cause early problems. Has average balance. Gives ground & lateral transitions. Occasionally loses sight of the WR when focusing on passer.

grade: 6.43 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: Shaquill Griffin

proj: Rd. 2

OLB Josh Uche (Michigan) - 6'1" 245lbs

2019: 35tckls (11.5TFLs), 8.5scks, 2PUs, 2FF, 2nd All-Big 10

combine: 18reps

strengths: Sudden & lively feet on the 2nd level. Impressive burst to close as a tackler. Has diversified rush attacks. Good edge speed with ability to dip & bend at the top. Can peel & cover when lined up as a rusher. Good pop & redirect on TEs into routes.

weaknesses: Can be engulfed by size as an edge rusher. Signs of confusion on 2nd level alignments. Hasn't developed LB's instincts yet. Could struggle in cover-man early on. Foot & meniscus injury history.

grade: 6.26 (Good backup who could become a starter)

proj: Rd. 4

WR Devin Duvernay (Texas) - 5'10" 200lbs

2019: 106rec/1,386yds/9TDs, 1st All-Big12

combine: 4.39s 40, 35.5"vert

strengths: Potential to separate on deep balls. Thrives with catch & runs. Blasts through tacklers. Good sideline awareness. Slows & settles into zone windows. Can pluck throws. Very reliable hands.

weaknesses: Tight hips limit lateral agility. Needs greater attention to detail as a route runner. Tends to drift on overs & deep digs. Inconsistent use of burst. Below-average ball skills down field. Lacks length & timing for 50/50 wins.

grade: 6.0 (developmental traits prospect)

proj: Rd. 5

S Brandon Jones (Texas) - 5'11" 198lbs

2019: 86tckls (4.5TFLs), 1sck, 2INTs, 4PUs, 2nd All-Big12

strengths: Has an attacking demeanor. Motor to pursue ball-carriers from across the field. Displays agility & reactive athleticism as an open-field tackler. Speed & range to play over the top. Runs with deep cover targets. Can step into early role on return coverage. 

weaknesses: Can be exploited in man coverage. Needs to play with better route anticipation. Average response time. Has average instincts. Could have issues handling big targets on jump balls. Can be a little slow to read & react.

grade: 5.99 (backup/special teamer)

proj: Rd. 4

OT Ezra Cleveland (Boise St) - 6'6" 311lbs

2019: 1st All-MWC

combine: 4.93s 40, 30reps, 30"vert

strengths: Ability to accelerate and cross-fade from backside. Consistent reach & seal as play-side blocker. After contact works feet & hips into position to secure the block. Foot quickness to stay connected. Patient approach in pass sets. Quiet hands with direct punch & quick resets. 

weaknesses: Struggles to punch & separate. Gets walked into the pocket by speed-to-power charges. Needs better punch timing. Will coast at times rather than finishing blocks. Not much clinch & secure gap strength.

grade: 6.29 (Good backup who could become a starter)

proj: Rds. 2-3

OG John Simpson (Clemson) - 6'4" 321lbs

2019: 1st All-ACC

combine: 5.24s 40, 34reps, 30"vert

strengths: Accelerates into 1st contact. Always has eyes on the LB during work-up blocks. Difficult to bull-rush. Unlocks hips & anchors down when challenged. Athletic enough to get into space on screen passes.

weaknesses: Slow starts allow for head-starts for upfield three-techniques. Inconsistent bringing feet with him in base blocks. Too many holding & false-start penalties. Inconsistent angles up to the 2nd level. Slow to reignite feet to redirection against twists & counters.

grade: 6.35 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: Kelechi Osemele

proj: Rd. 4

S K'Von Wallace (Clemson) - 5'11" 206lbs

2019: 78tckls (3TFLs), 2scks, 2INts(1TD), 10PUs, 3rd All-ACC

combine: 4.53s 40, 18reps, 38"vert

strengths: Intense and aggressive play demeanor. Hard-charging and highly determined blitzer. Accelerates through hips as a tackler. A punishing striker. Quick response to QB from the zone.

weaknesses: Jittery at the break point. Lacks balance & route anticipation in man-coverage. Gets spun around in coverage. Short-area agility is limited. Below-average open-field tackling traits.

grade: 5.86 (backup/special teamer)

proj: Rd. 5

S Tanner Muse (Clemson) - 6'2" 227lbs

2019: 74tckls (6TFLs), 2scks, 4INTs, 5PUs, 3rd AP-All American/1st All-ACC

combine: 4.41s 40, 20reps, 34.5"vert

strengths: Has a history of finding the football. Excellent ball-tracking. Quick to diagnose & trigger downhill against the run. Good straight-line speed as a LB prospect. Leverages runner to the sideline. Wide & well-balanced in tackle approach. Should be a 4-phase special teams player.

weaknesses: Has tight hips & plays too upright in space. Lacks fluidity. Can't stay with RBs or WRs as a safety. Average instincts & urgency in fitting up in run support. Lateral change of direction is a little labored. Below-average agility & short-area athleticism as an open-field tackler.

grade: 5.80 (backup/special teamer)

proj: Rd. 6-PFA

OG Ben Bredson (Michigan) - 6'5" 315lbs

2019: 3rd AP All-American/1st All-Big 10

strengths: Peppery pass punch to stun defenders. Sharp to snap & catch in response to twists. Looks for work when uncovered. Able to unlock hips & creates leverage in the run game. Can match power across from him as a drive blocker.

weaknesses: Below-average initial quickness. Heavy feet hinders lateral movements. Will struggle redirecting & adjusting. Needs more accurate hand placement. Room for improvement with anchor technique in pass sets.

grade: 6.11 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Joe Dahl

proj: Rd. 3

LB Evan Weaver (California) - 6'2" 237lbs

2019: 182tckls (10TFLs), 2.5scks, 3PUs, 3FF, 1st AP All-American/1st All-PAC 12

combine: 4.76s 40, 15reps, 32"vert

strengths: Instinctive with elite recognition of blocking schemes. Patience to not get trapped by misdirection. Feels blocks & alters flow angles when necessary. Has aggressive heavy hands. Punches & plays off blocks with consistency. Motor & pursuit seem unfazed by contact. Makes plays on the ball in passing game. 

weaknesses: Lack of speed offers little margin for error in diagnosing plays. Lower body tightness creates movement limitations. Lacks agility to circumvent traffic quickly. Plays upright. Not sudden enough for NFL blitzing.

grade: 5.95 (backup/special teamer)

proj: Rd. 5

QB Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) - 6'1" 222lbs

2019: 69.7compl%, 237/340, 3,851yds, 32TDs/8INTs, 233car/1,298yds/20TDs, 2rec/25yds/TD, 3rd AP All-American/1st All-BIG 12, Heisman/Maxwell/O'Brien award finalist

combine: 4.59s 40, 35"vert

strengths: Extremely tough & durable. Poise to make plays late in games. Experience in a variety  of schemes. Uses athletic ability & strength to elude pocket pressure. Good accuracy on intermediate passes. A capable roll-out passer. A talented, powerful runner.

weaknesses: Issues sustaining rhythm as a passer. Inconsistent patience allowing routes to develop. Leaves slants & crossers behind targets. Misses checkdowns & opts for harder throws. Needs to get better at trusting his pocket. Quick to drop eyes when pressure mounts.

grade: 6.14 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Tim Tebow

proj: Rds. 3-4 

   

2020 Steelers Draft Preview: Pt. 3

As the Draft approaches, its time to bring back my annual preview of prospects with some connection to the Steelers (official visits, mock drafts, etc). The summaries are from NFL.com.

OG Logan Sternberg (Kentucky) - 6'6" 317lbs

2019: 2nd All-SEC

combine: 5.30s 40, 26" vert

strengths: Uses grip strength & determination for additional block sustain. Plays with an edge. Good awareness & set-up to snap & catch twisting defenders. Has a tight-stiff punch. He works hard at improving position post-contact.

weaknesses: Looks to get away with excessive sneak-holds. High center of gravity diminishes his ability to move defenders. Average hand quickness. Could struggle to protect the edge in pass protection.

grade: 5.98 (backup/special teamer)

projection: Rd. 3

DT Raequan Williams (Michigan St.) - 6'4" 308lbs

2019: 48tckls (7.5TFLs), 5scks, 2PU's, 3rd All-Big 10

combine: 5.04s 40, 17reps, 25.5" vert

strengths: Very versatile. Big lateral slide step to skip across the center's face. Jab & counter footwork to open the edge. Active hands as a rusher. Effective arm-over inside counter. Creates downhill bull-rush momentum.

weaknesses: Slow-moving off the snap. Crushed by angle blocks. Struggles with double teams. Unable to get rid of blocks quickly. Has poor vision & awareness of the ball. Doesn't keep his feet low to the ground on lateral movements.

grade: 5.86 (backup/special teamer)

projection: Rd. 6

S Jordan Fuller (Ohio St.) - 6'2" 203lbs

2019: 62tckls, 2ints, 4PUs, 1st All-Big 10

combine: 4.67s 40, 35.5" vert

strengths: Can cover TEs. Hurries downhill to cut off angles. Has reactive athleticism. Maintains depth integrity. Can track & attack downfield. Has leadership traits on and off the field.

weaknesses: Heavy legged backpedal. Lacks desired range & long speed. Manipulated out of position by the QB. Gets lost at route stems in space. Has man coverage issues. Needs to run through tackle attempts.

grade: 5.62 (Chance to make end of roster or practice squad)

proj: Rd. 6-PFA

CB Noah Igbinoghene (Auburn) - 5'10" 198lbs

2019: 42tckls (1TFL), 7PUs, return TD

combine: 4.48s 40, 15reps, 37" vert

strengths: Explosive athleticism. Treats press jam like a sparring session. Instant acceleration to open & chase. Low center of gravity for quicker change of direction. Aggressive challenge diminishes WR's focus at the catch point. Hands force incompletions. Good balance & radar as an open-field tackler.

weaknesses: Lacks natural footwork. Inconsistent mirroring release. Eye balance between the QB & WR is lacking. Lacks finesse. Panic sets in with his back to the ball. Had interference problems. Needs to lower his target aim.

grade: 6.29 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Darqueze Dennard

proj: Rd. 2

RB Javon Leake (Maryland) - 6' 215lbs

2019: 102car/736yds/8TDs, 9rec/55yds, Honorable All-Big 10

combine: 4.65s 40, 34" vert

strengths: Feet are springy & explosive. Runs with good instincts. Processes defense quickly without slowing. Plays with quick gather-and-cut footwork. Loose hips held elude open-field tackles. A return specialist.

weaknesses: Some hesitation as a gap runner. Has a narrow base. Tries to take runs wide open even when outflanked. Not a pile mover. Poor ball security. Engages in pass protection with helmet & shoulder rather than hands. 

grade: 5.92 (backup/special teamer)

comp: Tevin Coleman

proj: Rds. 6-7

OG Damien Lewis (LSU) - 6'2" 327lbs

2019: 2nd All-SEC, Joe Moore Award

combine: 5.24s 40, 27reps, 30" vert

strengths: Measured & controlled. Wide base with an explosive power zone. Uses strong hands to gather, center & secure opponents. Leverages hips into blocks. Bulldozing down blocker. Won't be bull-rushed. Looks for work when uncovered.

weaknesses: Lacks athletic ability for outside zone or long pulls. Limited quickness for climb-up blocks. Slow to reset his feet. Below-average slide quickness. Needs earlier awareness of blitzes.

grade: 6.22 (Good backup who could become a starter)

comp: Gabe Jackson

proj: Rds. 3-4

DE Alex Highsmith (Charlotte) - 6'3" 248lbs

2019: 75tckls (21.5TFLs), 14scks, 3rd All-American/1st All-CUSA

combine: 4.70s 40, 33"vert

strengths: Throws a variety of rush attacks at tackles. Clever euro-step to slip around block at the top of the rush. Quick spin counter. Instinctive against the run. Charges into the backfield. Deft shoulder turn to slip under pulling blocks. Lateral range in short spaces.

weaknesses: Gets bounced around as an edge-setter. Hands need to become more violent into initial attack. Allows himself to be squared up in the pass punch. Leaves feet when attempting to leap past tackle.

grade: 5.99 (backup/special teamer)

proj: Rd. 4

RB Cam Akers (Florida St.) - 5'10" 217lbs

2019: 231car/1,144yds/14TDs, 30rec/225yds/4TDs, 2nd All-ACC

combine: 4.47s 40, 20reps, 35.5"vert

strengths: Tough finisher who's able to shed arm tackles. Wicked open-field spin move. An instinctive runner. Eyes & feet work in unison. Has trick play potential. Sudden feet to elude traffic. Open-field vision boosts his screen-game value. Has the grit needed to handle pass-blocking duties.

weaknesses: Ball security could be a concern. Attracts heavy contact rather than slipping it. Wide scan of terrain can cause brief delays to see openings. Hands aren't that natural. Trouble adjusting to throws outside of his frame.

grade: 6.35 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: Duke Johnson

proj: Rd. 3

WR Jalen Reagor (TCU) - 5'11" 206lbs

2019: 43rec/611yds/5TDs, 2 return TDs, 2nd All-Big 12

combine: 4.47s 40, 17reps, 42"vert

strengths: Fluid but explosive. Works all three levels. Sells vertical push to set up route breaks. Shows ability to lose coverage at the top of the route. Gets to top speed quickly. Snags passes at the high-point. Plays like a slashing RB in space. Has home-run potential as a returner.

weaknesses: Gets stalled by press more than expected. Needs to maintain focus & finish routes. CBs go un-stacked on long throws. Inconsistent leveraging space to catch. Ball skills fail to match his athletic ability.

grade: 6.39 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: Curtis Samuel

proj: Rd. 2

DE/OLB Curtis Weaver (Boise St) - 6'2" 265lbs

2019: 52tckls (18.5TFLs), 13.5scks, 1int, 3PUs, 2nd All-American/1st All-MWC, Ted Hendricks Award Finalist, MWC DPOY

combine: 32.5" vert

strengths: Quick lateral reaction to cross-fade blocker. Hands & feet work in unison. Slick & seamless at working around blocks. Accelerates into rush arc. Instinctive with rush counters. A heavy striker as a tackler.

weaknesses: Lacks functional pursuit speed as an edge defender. Below-average athlete to drop & cover in space. Has issues with balance & body control. Ineffective punching. Too much head-ducking when taking on blocks. Lacks hustle from back slide of plays.

grade: 6.10 (Good backup who could become a starter)

proj: Rds. 3-4

DT Ross Blacklock (TCU) - 6'3" 290lbs

2019: 40tckls (9TFLs), 3.5scks, 1st All-Big 12

combine: 4.90s 40, 29"vert

strengths: Athletic & agile in short spaces. Snappy initial quickness. Leverage & leg-drive to play under & through edge blocks. Rush instincts of a DE. Elite lateral quickness & change of direction. Plays with fast hands. Impossible for only one player to mirror.

weaknesses: Drops his head into double-team challenges. Inconsistent as a two-gapper. Needs improved hand placement. Knocked around by interior power. Ends up on the ground too often. Loses rush momentum to stiff punch. Failed to convert pressures to sacks at a steady clip.

grade: 6.39 (Will be a starter within first 2 seasons)

comp: B.J. Hill

proj: Rd. 2