Cover1 Breakdown of AJ Epenesa

[JESSEFEFFER]

Erik Turner's work is generally great but this is even a notch above.  It breaks down how he wins.  I like him as a Bill even more.  I searched Cover1 and didn't see it posted elsewhere.

 

Cover1: How AJ Epenesa Generates Pass Rush

Edited April 29, 2020 by JESSEFEFFER

[LABILLBACKER]

Wow....was I wrong about this guy. His arm technique is amazing not to mention his ability to cause turnovers. I take back all my Kelsay comparisons. This guy will be better than Kelsay and Shaq.....

[Lurker]

One of the biggest takeaways I got from that video is how raw Epenesa still is as a player.   

 

When I watched several of his games, I was surprised at how he seemed to struggle a bit with his vision and recognition on running plays.     Sometimes the runner would go right by him, or he would be late in filling a gap that could have taken the runner down.  It wasn't because he was out of position--it just seem like he didn't process the play quickly.   

 

What this video told me--which I hadn't realized--is just how inexperienced he really is.   Just 13 games as a starter, with his primary emphasis on pass rush, rather than being a 3-down player.    As a result, there's still a lot for him to still learn.   But importantly, he has the tools to round out his game and become more complete.   

 

He's in the perfect place to continue learning his craft and be mentored by some real pros, pros who will teach him how to play the game.    This should be exciting... 

[JESSEFEFFER]

10 minutes ago, Lurker said:

One of the biggest takeaways I got from that video is how raw Epenesa still is as a player.   

 

When I watched several of his games, I was surprised at how he seemed to struggle a bit with his vision and recognition on running plays.     Sometimes the runner would go right by him, or he would be late in filling a gap that could have taken the runner down.  It wasn't because he was out of position--it just seem like he didn't process the play quickly.   

 

What this video told me--which I hadn't realized--is just how inexperienced he really is.   Just 13 games as a starter, with his primary emphasis on pass rush, rather than being a 3-down player.    As a result, there's still a lot for him to still learn.   But importantly, he has the tools to round out his game and become more complete.   

 

He's in the perfect place to continue learning his craft and be mentored by some real pros, pros who will teach him how to play the game.    This should be exciting... 

 

Interesting.  I did not get "raw."  I thought refined which is pretty much the opposite.  Maybe raw in the run game but with refined pass rush skills?   Anyways, the best analogy I can think of is Greg Maddux (holy crap he's 54 now--man I'm getting old.)  His 355 career wins and 3300+ strikeouts came without having a power arm.  But he had outstanding control, pitched with a plan for every batter he faced and had a variety of great pitches at his disposal.  Just not a plus fastball.  I sort of thought of AJ that way after watching this video.  Lacking an elite fastball he has a repertoire of pass rush moves, especially with his hands, to execute a plan.  He is raw as in he has much to learn and develop, possibly with his eyes as you say, but it seems like he has some refined skills as well that help him create impact plays.  

 

I was dreading the Chris Kelsay analogy I'd been hearing.  Great, all we need is the next whipping boy of Bills Fandom for whenever Trent Murphy leaves.  This video made me think he could be much more.

[Lurker]

1 minute ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

 

Interesting.  I did not get "raw."  I thought refined which is pretty much the opposite.  Maybe raw in the run game but with refined pass rush skills?   Anyways, the best analogy I can think of is Greg Maddux (holy crap he's 54 now--man I'm getting old.)  His 355 career wins and 3300+ strikeouts came without having a power arm.  But he had outstanding control, pitched with a plan for every batter he faced and had a variety of great pitches at his disposal.  Just not a plus fastball.  I sort of thought of AJ that way after watching this video.  Lacking an elite fastball he has a repertoire of pass rush moves, especially with his hands, to execute a plan.  He is raw as in he has much to learn and develop, possibly with his eyes as you say, but it seems like he has some refined skills as well that help him create impact plays.  

 

I was dreading the Chris Kelsay analogy I'd been hearing.  Great, all we need is the next whipping boy of Bills Fandom for whenever Trent Murphy leaves.  This video made me think he could be much more.

 

The Cover 1 video was great, but to be honest, it just included "wins" and not the full picture of Epenesa's game.   

 

I watched several complete Iowa games on Youtube, particulary of the grudge match, strong competition and bowl game variety, which is how I like to get the measure of a prospect.   Not every play is a "win" and I learn just as much -- sometimes more -- watching where he didn't make a highlight (or even effective) play.   It's the best way to see the pros and the cons of a player's game, in my estimation.

 

IMO, Epenesa is a very raw -- but moldable -- player who still has a ton to learn.   But also a guy who can grow to be a better version of Lawson in a year or two.   That might seem like a low ceiling, but a consistent 6.5-7 sack guy who can also set the edge and play the run well in a rotational role is a very valuable player...

[BuffaloBob]

The guy has serious power and already knows how to use it.  Get that kid in the high tech weight room and he is going to be hard to move and will create serious pressure on the QB. He has much to learn, but will have lots of opportunity to do so with a great veteran room. I think he is going to be a huge edition to our defense as he develops. 

 

. I had no idea there was a Carioca pass rush!

[BruceVilanch]

Man, great video. that fake long arm is great stuff, like a pitcher who throws gas and hits you with a nasty changeup.

[Inigo Montoya]

I can't wait to see Epenesa line up next to Ed Oliver and watch them run stunts.  I wouldn't want to be the linemen opposite that pair.  It's going to be nasty!

 

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by Inigo Montoya

[Utah John]

1 hour ago, Inigo Montoya said:

I can't wait to see Epenesa lining up next to Ed Oliver and watch them run stunts off each other.  I wouldn't want to be the linemen opposite that pair.  It's going to be nasty!

 

If I'm not mistaken, Epenesa is heavier and taller than Oliver.  Usually D tackles are the biggest players on defense.  Epenesa's size might help with run defense if there's a strong push against Oliver.

[JaCrispy]

I love the violence Epenesa plays with...he reminds me of the type of player the Ravens or Steelers usually have...

[thebandit27]

His hand usage is reminiscent of another Bills’ DLman of yore...Kyle Williams.

[CNYfan]

Late 2nd round.   Needs time to develop 

[CapeBreton]

1 hour ago, Utah John said:

If I'm not mistaken, Epenesa is heavier and taller than Oliver.  Usually D tackles are the biggest players on defense.  Epenesa's size might help with run defense if there's a strong push against Oliver.

Epenesa is listed at 275 and Oliver is around 290. Epenesa actually had the highest body fat % of any DE at the combine so it will be interesting to see what the plan is at the gym for him. 

[Dragoon]

When we drafted this kid I didn’t care. 
 

Normally on draft day I’m sweating bullets because the Bills aren’t trustworthy and they do stupid things. 
 

I saw we drafted a DE with a ridiculously slow 40 and didn’t care. 
 

I didn’t care because I trust McBeane. It’s just nice to be able to trust the Bills. 
 

i think the kid will be good after watching him on YouTube but I don’t trust the pick because of his highlights, I trust the pick because McBeane made it so it’s good enough for me. 

[Troll Toll]

32 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

When we drafted this kid I didn’t care. 
 

Normally on draft day I’m sweating bullets because the Bills aren’t trustworthy and they do stupid things. 
 

I saw we drafted a DE with a ridiculously slow 40 and didn’t care. 
 

I didn’t care because I trust McBeane. It’s just nice to be able to trust the Bills. 
 

i think the kid will be good after watching him on YouTube but I don’t trust the pick because of his highlights, I trust the pick because McBeane made it so it’s good enough for me. 

Ha! Yeah in texts I had with my football buddies during the draft I said it is a lot less stressful since they don’t have a first round pick to screw up!

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

5 hours ago, JESSEFEFFER said:

 

Interesting.  I did not get "raw."  I thought refined which is pretty much the opposite.  Maybe raw in the run game but with refined pass rush skills?   Anyways, the best analogy I can think of is Greg Maddux (holy crap he's 54 now--man I'm getting old.)  His 355 career wins and 3300+ strikeouts came without having a power arm.  But he had outstanding control, pitched with a plan for every batter he faced and had a variety of great pitches at his disposal.  Just not a plus fastball.  I sort of thought of AJ that way after watching this video.  Lacking an elite fastball he has a repertoire of pass rush moves, especially with his hands, to execute a plan.  He is raw as in he has much to learn and develop, possibly with his eyes as you say, but it seems like he has some refined skills as well that help him create impact plays.  

 

I was dreading the Chris Kelsay analogy I'd been hearing.  Great, all we need is the next whipping boy of Bills Fandom for whenever Trent Murphy leaves.  This video made me think he could be much more.

Kelsay is a bad comp imo. Played with no power.  AJE looks like hes all power. 

[thebandit27]

1 hour ago, CapeBreton said:

Epenesa is listed at 275 and Oliver is around 290. Epenesa actually had the highest body fat % of any DE at the combine so it will be interesting to see what the plan is at the gym for him. 

I’m thinking he’ll end up at 270–eventually. He probably has to get to 260-265 first to lean out a bit and then take the long road back up to 270. Doing so over the course of 6-12 months he could hit target weight at ~17%.

 

Of course, I have no idea what he played at during the season. For a guy whose game operates on power, it’s not a bad thing to have that extra bulk since so much of it will shed during the season.

 

Speaking from personal experience, I know going into lifting competitions that an extra percentage point or two in BF can really make a difference in “game day strength”. I would imagine that some of the same dynamic is in play for DL guys too.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

15 minutes ago, thebandit27 said:

I’m thinking he’ll end up at 270–eventually. He probably has to get to 260-265 first to lean out a bit and then take the long road back up to 270. Doing so over the course of 6-12 months he could hit target weight at ~17%.

 

Of course, I have no idea what he played at during the season. For a guy whose game operates on power, it’s not a bad thing to have that extra bulk since so much of it will shed during the season.

 

Speaking from personal experience, I know going into lifting competitions that an extra percentage point or two in BF can really make a difference in “game day strength”. I would imagine that some of the same dynamic is in play for DL guys too.

 

Yeah - i think when you look at running/agility though you wonder if that extra affected those #s.  Maybe try and find some balance.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

2 hours ago, JaCrispy said:

I love the violence Epenesa plays with...he reminds me of the type of player the Ravens or Steelers usually have...

Yeah, this felt like a very Ravens-type pick to me - in a good way, obviously, since the Ravens have drafted so well. They always seem to pick up the sliding guy - the one who can just play football. They are super confident in what they see on film and don't out-think themselves with caveats and projections and imaginary what-ifs, which a lot of teams seem to do. Glad the Bills under Beane seem similar.

[TPS]

47 minutes ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Kelsay is a bad comp imo. Played with no power.  AJE looks like hes all power. 

A B-News article compared him to Phil Hansen.  I think that's a good one.  In his prime, Hansen averaged about 7-8 sacks/year at LDE and known for his toughness.  I'll take it.

[GaryPinC]

Thanks for posting this, OP.

The thing I hadn't noticed before but stood out to me is his footwork.  They scratched the surface of it with his "karaoke rush", AJ really excels with his multidirectional movement and generating power while doing it.

 

Where someone like Bruce would have a lot of bend but keep his feet pointed and moving upfield, AJ is completely comfortable turning his feet into the Olineman, moving laterally while shedding the OL and quickly exploding forward to the QB.  It's part of what allows him to quickly knife to the QB.

 

I agree with others in that he's still a bit raw, but he will be fun to watch grow this season.  Probably a situational pass rusher only for a while.

[K-9]

Lots of stabby chops. 

[JohnC]

Chad Leistikow who covered Iowa football was on WGR talking about Epenesa. This is a 12 minute segment that gives you an insight on Epenesa as a player and person. Chad felt that the player's combine time hurt his draft ranking. And because of the virus situation he was not able to improve his time at a practice setting. What is apparent is that Epenesa is a McDermott type of guy. 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/04-29-chad-leistikow-from-the-des-moines-register-on-aj-epenesa

[wppete]

Epenesa is a huge steal getting him at #54. Incredible that he fell to us. His play and size reminds a little of JJ Watt. Not saying he is JJ Watt but the play and player are similar. 

 

 

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

The most exciting player for me since JA.  Part is Hawkeye bias.  But man what a steal in the second!  He may get us to the next level.

[kenny3000]

9 hours ago, Lurker said:

 

The Cover 1 video was great, but to be honest, it just included "wins" and not the full picture of Epenesa's game.   

 

I watched several complete Iowa games on Youtube, particulary of the grudge match, strong competition and bowl game variety, which is how I like to get the measure of a prospect.   Not every play is a "win" and I learn just as much -- sometimes more -- watching where he didn't make a highlight (or even effective) play.   It's the best way to see the pros and the cons of a player's game, in my estimation.

 

IMO, Epenesa is a very raw -- but moldable -- player who still has a ton to learn.   But also a guy who can grow to be a better version of Lawson in a year or two.   That might seem like a low ceiling, but a consistent 6.5-7 sack guy who can also set the edge and play the run well in a rotational role is a very valuable player...

 

Seems like a high ceiling to me!  Getting AJ at 54 with him begin able to eclipse a 1st round pick in short order.   I also think his man-strength power game is gonna translate and flourish after a year or 2 in our strength and conditioning system.

[Ramza86]

Real nice hands.

 

He was great on passing plays. Knows how win and get to the QB. 

 

Not as aggressive against the run. A little too slow on the reaction against the RPO..but his job may have just been to hold his lane. So i cant say for sure. 

 

If his game doesnt get any better...I still see him a a key rotational player for any team.

[Ralonzo]

5 hours ago, JaCrispy said:

I love the violence Epenesa plays with...he reminds me of the type of player the Ravens or Steelers usually have...

 

This so much. The RB too. Beane/McD are building that kind of "beat you on the field or beat you in the alley" squad. 

9 hours ago, BuffaloBob said:

I had no idea there was a Carioca pass rush!

 

I only knew about Karaoke Rush. I'll pass.

[eball]

Yeah, I watched half of it and had seen enough.

 

Championship.

[Mark Vader]

12 hours ago, BuffaloBob said:

The guy has serious power and already knows how to use it.  Get that kid in the high tech weight room and he is going to be hard to move and will create serious pressure on the QB. He has much to learn, but will have lots of opportunity to do so with a great veteran room. I think he is going to be a huge edition to our defense as he develops. 

 

. I had no idea there was a Carioca pass rush!

Me neither, I thought the guy in the video made it up.

[Ralonzo]

2 hours ago, kenny3000 said:

 

Seems like a high ceiling to me!  Getting AJ at 54 with him begin able to eclipse a 1st round pick in short order.   I also think his man-strength power game is gonna translate and flourish after a year or 2 in our strength and conditioning system.

 

Don't think I've seen anyone touch on this yet. The tape shows him getting tackles off-balance with the arm stab, you think, jeez this guy must really be jacked. But not so much: his bench and body fat were low %ile. He's just naturally a bull with an aikido sense of redirecting the opponent's momentum and doing it with core strength and leverage. By year 3, with pro conditioning, he could maybe even gain half a step for the speed rush, and the arm stab might just put a tackle on his ass. To me that's describing your Watts and Seymours.

 

The more I learn about this pick the more I like it. Like JA, it's crazy to think this kid already does what he does, being as raw as he is.

[somnus00]

8 hours ago, CapeBreton said:

Epenesa is listed at 275 and Oliver is around 290. Epenesa actually had the highest body fat % of any DE at the combine so it will be interesting to see what the plan is at the gym for him. 

 

I didn't know that about the body fat. I wonder if playing at 260 - 265 would allow him to play quicker without losing too much strength.

[BubbaT]

I didn't follow Iowa. How was the rest of their D line? Did he draw the brunt of the other team's attention? Will Epenesa, as he learns and develops here, be helped by the fact there are quality linemen around him? This is the deepest Bills D line I can ever remember. Solid NFL pros all over the place. Epenesa certainly looks the part and his attitude seems right. I like the fit here.

[Coach Tuesday]

2 hours ago, Ralonzo said:

 

Don't think I've seen anyone touch on this yet. The tape shows him getting tackles off-balance with the arm stab, you think, jeez this guy must really be jacked. But not so much: his bench and body fat were low %ile. He's just naturally a bull with an aikido sense of redirecting the opponent's momentum and doing it with core strength and leverage. By year 3, with pro conditioning, he could maybe even gain half a step for the speed rush, and the arm stab might just put a tackle on his ass. To me that's describing your Watts and Seymours.

 

The more I learn about this pick the more I like it. Like JA, it's crazy to think this kid already does what he does, being as raw as he is.

exactly - I wondered in another thread whether he’s trained in jiu jitsu - he seems to use similar leverage concepts.

[ChattanoogaBills]

I also found lost footage of Epenesa seemingly getting ready for brady this season. 

Im not 100% sure of when or even if Epenesa actually shot this. But Epenesa is going to be a beast in the nfl. Enjoy!!!