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Underrated Need for 2020 Draft - ILB

Discussion in 'The Bill Nunn Draft Room' started by turtle, Mar 19, 2020.

  1. turtle

    turtle

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    Don't see many people talking about adding to the ILB spot whenever the draft takes place. We have 2nd year Bush and thumper Vince Williams. Ulysses Gilbert III is coming back from injury but is a complete unknown vs NFL talent.

    Mark Barron is down the road and STer Matakevich is off to the AFC East in Buffalo although he didn't really figure into the ILB rotation.

    We have needed to add depth here for awhile and have usually gone the FA route in Jon Bostic and Mark Barron.

    The draft this year could add some young prospects although the crop is very thin imo. The ILB crop has sucked the past couple years (probably why they went the FA route) and this one is no different. Especially for where we draft. They will need to target the middle rounds.

    I like this guy the best, but am still digging into the prospects.

    https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/draf...erest-in-lb-davion-taylor-at-colorado-pro-day
     
  2. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    I like my guys heavier.
     
  3. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    Tanner muse. 6-2 230 runs a 4.41. Perfect hybrid. The team had dinner with him. Bush, UG3, muse, spillane (don't count this kid out yet), vw (because we can't afford to get rid of him yet). Most of a group like that give us some really good speed at that position. Young but fast and all have a nose for the ball, and can help in coverage. :cool:
     
  4. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    • Agree Agree x 1
  5. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    I just wonder how much they like Gilbert and Spillane, and if that influenced their decision on Barron????

    If they like 1 of them, than maybe it isn't a high priority need in the draft.
     
  6. Jball

    Jball Well-Known Member

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    On Steel City Underground they said, according to their inside sources, they're pretty high on UGIII. I still think it would be smart to add a cheap vet.
     
  7. turtle

    turtle

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    I understand some of you wanting a heavier guy and that's fine. Davion Taylor is 6-2 225 and Darius Leonard is 6-2 230 for a size comparison and VW98 is 6-1 233. And you cannot coach speed.

    At 6-2, Taylor could pack on 5-10 pounds easy and still be a fast LBer.
     
  8. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    I don’t think VW is 233 anymore but if you think the guy can put on some weight I’m all for it...l
     
  9. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Jeremy Chinn for me.


    Essentially ILB ready with the ability to play any backend spot. Will be 22.5 by the time the new league year starts. Nevermind his insane athleticism, he has the tape to back it up as well. In addition, he is the nephew of Pro Football HOF Steve Atwater. The family connection is there for sure.


    Only major question becomes will the Steelers actually spend pick 49 on him?! Pittsburgh has not selected a small school defensive prospect within the First Two Rounds since Ricardo Colocough back in 2004.



    Honorable mention would be Malik Harrison. Limited in coverage though I believe shedding 10 pounds will do wonders. Outside of the weight though, nice partner for Devin Bush in the future as he brings the thunder in the running game. Tomlin seems to like his ILBs being within the 230-237 range weight wise.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2020
  10. turtle

    turtle

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    Ulysses Gilbert was listed at 6' 224 and they picked him. Just sayin'.....What kind of LBer do they want moving forward is the question. More athletic or more beef?
     
  11. turtle

    turtle

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    https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nf...ofile-jordyn-brooks-lb-texas-tech/ar-BB10DWWD

    LBer Jordyn Brooks out of Texas Tech. He has a great blend of athleticism and size...Reports on his pass coverage are mixed though. One site says he has no experience and others say he does it well. In either case, he wouldn't be needed in the lineup right away and can polish some of the weaknesses. Special teams no question.
     
  12. turtle

    turtle

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  13. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    Or both? The more I think about it and considering the moves we made in FA and the holes we’re still looking to fill. Josh Uche is becoming more and more enticing. Considering he can play off the ball and on the edge that gives us a chance to use him at both spots and monitor his development. Maybe he ends up more of a OLB or maybe he’s better suited as a ILB or possibly he shows he’s pretty good at both. It would be nice to have that option and flexibility when trying to solidify two position at once....put the Michigan boys together.
    I just completely talked myself into it....lol

    Edit: Uche in the 2nd, Winfield in the 3rd and all offense the rest of the way...OL,RB,WR
     
  14. turtle

    turtle

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    I haven't seen much of him so I will definitely look into the tape. If he can truly do both then yes, that would be awesome. Was he a hand in the dirt guy at Mich or standing up?
     
  15. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    • Like Like x 1
  16. turtle

    turtle

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    He's definitely lighter than what we are used to at the OLB spot and that's also shown by that Iowa tape at the bottom. Wirfs (like OTs he'll see in the NFL) engulfed him. Dude's a hustler though, I like that. I see him on the inside for the most part and like you said, blitzer on passing downs ala VW98. I'll have to watch some more for sure
     
  17. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    I just read a stat that he was 2nd behind Chase Young in pressure %. Wirfs is a beast as well , so at least it wasn’t a highlight tape....

    He abused Throckmorton at the SR Bowll
     
  18. turtle

    turtle

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  19. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    Malik Harrison is Vince 2.0. That was the weakest part of the Ohio state defense. At least most inconsistent. They have been and still are trying to keep Vince off the field. So much money tied up though so they have to keep him at some capacity. 15 targets against him last year and 13 completions. One was a drop and one he got a pass defended. I still think it's muse if they can get him. UG3 will have an expanded role and spillane was pretty active in preseason. He was also used some off the edge. He can play both.not ideal but another year in the system and he should have value as a decent backup.:cool:
     
  20. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    I agree, still would be nice to find a vet BU, but hard to find one who is not on the very back side of their careers. I think they are pretty high on UG3, and see upside in Spillane.
     
  21. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    I posted Chinn highlights earlier in a different thread, you think he will play safety or hybrid role in the NFL?
     
  22. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Rather have him play safety to be honest. Have him learn the ropes of the hybrid role in Pittsburgh. Let him expand his abilities from there.
     
  23. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    I did say honorable mention. I never said him to be a primary option. My vote still goes to Jeremy Chinn.
     
  24. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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  25. turtle

    turtle

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    I did some looking into the previous draft picks by the Steelers just to see if i could find one trait that they like for more than others in measurables and tbh its all over the place....I only went back to 2012 because of the evolution of the game.

    I should clarify...VW98 and UG3 were not combine invites so their numbers are from their pro day.

    Draftees -

    2012 - Sean Spence (for a prospect touted for his athleticism he had a lousy combine) 3rd round
    4.71 40, 12 reps, 33.5 vert, 119 broad, 7.46 3 cone, 4.2 short shuttle 5'11 231

    2013 - Vinny Vidi Vici 6th round
    4.76 40, 22 reps 6' 233

    2014 - Ryan Shazier 1st round
    25 reps, 42 vert, 130 broad, 6.91 3 cone, 4.21 short 6'1 237

    2014 - Jordan Zumwalt 6th round
    4.76 40, 33 vert, 116 broad, 6.99 3 cone, 4.25 short 6'4 235

    2016 - Tyler Matakevich 7th round
    4.81 40, 22 reps, 31 vert, 112 broad, 7.19 3 cone, 4.5 short 6' 238

    2019 - Devin Bush 1st round
    4.43 40, 21 reps, 40.5 vert, 124 broad, 6.93 3 cone, 4.23 short 5'11 234

    2019 - Ulysses Gilbert III 6th round
    4.46 40, 20 reps, 39.5 vert, 126 broad, 6.94 3 cone 6' 224

    40 times are from 4.4 to 4.8
    12 to 22 on the bench
    31 to 42 on the vertical
    112 to 130 on the broad jump
    6.91 to 7.46 in the 3 cone
    4.2 to 4.5 short shuttle, the only one that is fairly close for each player with Dirty Red the only one outside of 4.2 if that info was available.

    First thought - Shazier was a beast

    Second - Spence and Matakevich had most of the lower numbers testing wise.

    Third - I thought i would see a difference between the LBers chosen early (1st thru 3rd rounds) vs the ones chosen later. My thinking was that the ones chosen later were picked solely as ST prospects and not really with the expectation of becoming full time starters. Is that what the FO thought? I have no idea, just my take. But UG3 didn't fit that mold. Does that reflect the new NFL, I don't know. The ones taken early though only included Shazier, Bush and Spence and Sean Spence was 8 years ago.

    Big 10, MAC, ACC, Pac 12 no real favorite in conference
    Most were in the 230 weight range except Gilbert who was selected in the most recent draft.

    I really don't have a conclusion, maybe you can draw your own, but that's what I found just in the measurables dept. Obviously, production, interviews, and other factors come into play but just thought I'd post what I found.
     
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