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draft hunch


Pete

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We all know we need pass rushers.  My guess is Vander Esch is one of the combine standouts and moves up draft boards.  At 6'4 250 and lightning speed, he can rush the passer or cover gronk.  The new trend is basketball players converting to LB.  Between him and Milano, they can cover great.  I found this blurb interesting-

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2018-nfl-draft-this-class-will-provide-wave-of-the-future-at-the-linebacker-position/

The source added, "Imagine LeBron James playing defense. At linebacker he'd cover so much ground so quickly. That's the thought with these bigger freak athletes at linebacker. Most importantly, the league's been looking for someone to cover the Rob Gronkowski-type tight ends. For a long time, the NFL's tried bigger safeties, but these new linebackers are really big and really athletic."

Edmunds and Vander Esch are expected to have vertical leaps in the upper 30-inch range at 6-4 and 250-plus pounds. A source told me to not be surprised if Vander Esch's three-cone time approached the highly coveted 7.00 second mark.

For perspective, 6-0, 223-pound Matt Milano had the highest vertical (35 inches) among linebackers at the 2017 combine, and only five off-ball linebackers had three-cones faster than 7.00 seconds.

Their height comes with length, which helps Edmunds and Vander Esch get to the football a split-second faster ... and is a luxury in coverage.

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12 minutes ago, Pete said:

We all know we need pass rushers.  My guess is Vander Esch is one of the combine standouts and moves up draft boards.  At 6'4 250 and lightning speed, he can rush the passer or cover gronk.  The new trend is basketball players converting to LB.  Between him and Milano, they can cover great.  I found this blurb interesting-

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2018-nfl-draft-this-class-will-provide-wave-of-the-future-at-the-linebacker-position/

The source added, "Imagine LeBron James playing defense. At linebacker he'd cover so much ground so quickly. That's the thought with these bigger freak athletes at linebacker. Most importantly, the league's been looking for someone to cover the Rob Gronkowski-type tight ends. For a long time, the NFL's tried bigger safeties, but these new linebackers are really big and really athletic."

Edmunds and Vander Esch are expected to have vertical leaps in the upper 30-inch range at 6-4 and 250-plus pounds. A source told me to not be surprised if Vander Esch's three-cone time approached the highly coveted 7.00 second mark.

For perspective, 6-0, 223-pound Matt Milano had the highest vertical (35 inches) among linebackers at the 2017 combine, and only five off-ball linebackers had three-cones faster than 7.00 seconds.

Their height comes with length, which helps Edmunds and Vander Esch get to the football a split-second faster ... and is a luxury in coverage.

 Agreed.  He’s really the perfect fit for us.  Would be happy with him at 21-22 or in a trade down.  I can’t imagine him being available with our 2nd rd pick. T Edwards and R Smith are better imo, but can’t see either being available when we pick

Edited by NewEra
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And he's currently projected to be taken right around the Bills current range. Between Roquon, Edmunds, Evans, and Vander Esch, if the Bills hang onto one of their late 1st round picks, they should be able to get a great linebacker prospect which this team desperately needs.

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I don't doubt Pete's opinion on Esch in the OT.

 

However, and I know this may be an unpopular position, but in the last couple of years I have honestly cooled on the whole idea of it being of utmost importance to have tremendous pass rushers.

 

Don't get me wrong, I know they are "important"...but utmost?  IMO, not necessarily during a time in the NFL when it appears that all QBs seem to be quickly getting rid of the ball, rushed or not.  Additionally, they are usually very expensive after awhile.

 

Maybe I've been spoiled lately in Buffalo/McBeantown, but give me a three down LB, a good CB (or rather a very stable dback group of 4) and a a man-eating DT before a pass-rushing DE.

Edited by dollars 2 donuts
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14 hours ago, Pete said:

We all know we need pass rushers.  My guess is Vander Esch is one of the combine standouts and moves up draft boards.  At 6'4 250 and lightning speed, he can rush the passer or cover gronk.  The new trend is basketball players converting to LB.  Between him and Milano, they can cover great.  I found this blurb interesting-

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2018-nfl-draft-this-class-will-provide-wave-of-the-future-at-the-linebacker-position/

The source added, "Imagine LeBron James playing defense. At linebacker he'd cover so much ground so quickly. That's the thought with these bigger freak athletes at linebacker. Most importantly, the league's been looking for someone to cover the Rob Gronkowski-type tight ends. For a long time, the NFL's tried bigger safeties, but these new linebackers are really big and really athletic."

Edmunds and Vander Esch are expected to have vertical leaps in the upper 30-inch range at 6-4 and 250-plus pounds. A source told me to not be surprised if Vander Esch's three-cone time approached the highly coveted 7.00 second mark.

For perspective, 6-0, 223-pound Matt Milano had the highest vertical (35 inches) among linebackers at the 2017 combine, and only five off-ball linebackers had three-cones faster than 7.00 seconds.

Their height comes with length, which helps Edmunds and Vander Esch get to the football a split-second faster ... and is a luxury in coverage.

 

Big fan of Esch, hope we get him, never heard of Edmunds.

 

 

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