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April 17, 20152015 NFL Draft, Johnny Manziel, Cavs playoffs and more with Dan Labbe – WFNY Podcast – 2015-04-17
April 17, 2015The 2015 NFL Draft is under two weeks away with excitement building every day. Over the course of the last month or so, I have released my top five players at each position and also my top 20 prospects on my big board. So, I have moved my focus to individual skills in the draft. Each player has a different skillset that defines who he is as a player. But, which players have the best individual skills in the draft? On Wednesday, I discussed the skills of the defensive backs in the draft. I am now moving to the front seven of the defense. So, check out the best individual skills of the defensive front seven prospects in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Inside Linebackers
Best Athlete: Stephone Anthony, Clemson
Anthony ran the third fastest 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine among all linebackers, including some edge rushers. He uses his speed to chase down ball carriers from sideline to sideline.
Best Instincts: Paul Dawson, TCU
Dawson is not the most athletic linebacker in the draft, but his instincts help him get to places quickly. He can read a play and react very fast to the ball to make a play.
Best Coverage Skills: Eric Kendricks, UCLA
Kendricks is my top inside linebacker and one of his best traits is his coverage skills. He reads the quarterback’s eyes very well and can cover slot receivers and tight ends because of his athleticism.
Best Run Defender: Paul Dawson, TCU
Dawson uses his instincts to run down hill and make plays at the line of scrimmage. He diagnoses plays quickly and plays with a lot of aggressiveness to make big stops against the run.
Best Tackler/Hardest Hitter: Denzel Perryman, Miami (FL)
Perryman is an old school linebacker who plays with toughness and instincts. He brings good technique along with great strength to lay the wood on ball carriers.
Edge Rushers
Best Athlete: Vic Beasley, Clemson
Beasley was a stud at the NFL Combine, ranking in the top portion of almost every athletic drill amongst the linebackers, including running the fastest 40-yard dash at 4.53 seconds. He uses his speed to blaze past tackles and get to the quarterback.
Best First Step: Shane Ray, Missouri
Ray is explosive off the line, gaining a quick advantage against offensive tackles. He is seemingly always the first one out of his stance.
Best Hands Usage: Shane Ray, Missouri
Ray has strong, violent hands that help him rush the passer. He uses swim moves and punches to stun the offensive lineman and get past him quickly.
Best Versatility: Dante Fowler Jr., Florida
Fowler Jr. is an athletic player with the ability to rush the passer, stop the run, and even play in coverage. He can be a three down threat who makes plays in any situation.
Best Strength/Power: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA
Odighizuwa is a strong, powerful edge rusher who can control blockers at the line of scrimmage. He can bull rush to pressure the passer and stand his ground to set the edge versus the run.
Best Run Defender: Dante Fowler Jr., Florida
Fowler Jr. is a strong player with the ability to set up a strong edge defense. He has the speed and athleticism to go sideline to sideline to tackle ball carriers from behind.
Best Coverage Ability: Bud Dupree, Kentucky
Dupree has the experience and knowledge to play in coverage because of his role at Kentucky. He has the athleticism to move in space and cover players on passing downs.
Interior Defensive Linemen
Best Athlete: Arik Armstead, Oregon
Armstead is a long, tall athlete with very good quickness and agile feet. He moves well in space and can chase down ball carriers from behind with his speed.
Best Strength/Power: Danny Shelton, Washington
Shelton is a gigantic defensive lineman who is incredibly hard to move. He has a strong base to bull rush blockers and strength to rip away from the blocks to make a play on the ball.
Best Versatility: Leonard Williams, USC
Williams best asset is his versatility to play multiple spots on the defensive line. His combination of speed and power allows him to be successful in multiple spots.
Best Run Stopper: Danny Shelton, Washington
Shelton fills gaps in the middle of the line and stands his ground to disrupt the run game. He can shed blocks very well and get to the ball carrier to make the stop.
Best Pass Rusher: Michael Bennett, Ohio State
Bennett has very good quickness and plays with good hands to slip past blockers to get to the quarterback. He has multiple rushing moves and the ability to shed blocks to get pressure on the quarterback.
Best Hand Usage: Leonard Williams, USC
Williams has long arms with great strong hands to control blockers. He has a powerful punch and rip away that stuns defenders and gets them off balance to allow him to get past them.
[Related: Best skills of the 2015 NFL Draft: Defensive backs]
3 Comments
Kendricks is a beast as is Beasley I know the D-line needs help but the thought of a real life young, athletic linebacker has me drooling. Not that either of these guys would be around by #12.
Front-7 is the strength of this draft class. If we use both our 1st round picks on it, then I will not be upset at all.
Really want Shelton and O-squared. Could transform our defense.
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