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Cam Johnson

Virginia

Ht. 6-4 Wt. 270

Pass Rush:  Cam Johnson has a solid first step but not elite.  He can get by blockers with his quickness.  He moves laterally well and has developed some pass rush moves in 2011.  Enough power to bull rush opponents and uses his hands well to fight off blockers.  He plays a little high and gets upright on contact.  He will need to work on staying low through contact in order to be an effective pass rusher in the NFL.

Against the run:  Johnson’s hands placement and ability to gain leverage on opponents in the run game is a major plus.  He is violent with his hands which makes it tough to get into his body.  He’s a slippery guy in the run game and has good awareness.  He plays a little high in run game as well and isn’t as explosive against the run as you would like. Read the rest of this entry » «Cam Johnson Scouting Report»

Chandler Jones

Syracuse

Ht. 6-5 Wt. 265

Pass Rush:  Chandler Jones is a tall, lean guy with the body to fill out without losing speed.  He is raw but the abilities are there as a pass rusher.  He doesn’t have elite get off but enough to get the edge on most NFL tackles.  As I said, he’s raw so there’s a ton of downside to his game.  First and foremost, he plays high and drops his head into contact.  When I say high, it’s all 6’5 high.  He has to learn to drop his pad level because he’s not strong enough to rely on his bull rush against NFL OT’s.  He doesn’t move well laterally and really struggled in tight spaces.

Against the run:  Jones can stack and shed blocks.  He uses his long arms to extend into contact and shows solid hand placement.  His combination of length and strength makes it tough for blockers to stay engaged.  Once again, he struggles to keep his pads down.  He is a tall target and needs to work on lowering his base.  He struggles to anchor because of his length despite being a naturally strong athlete. Read the rest of this entry » «Chandler Jones Scouting Report»

Andre Branch

Clemson

Ht. 6-5 Wt. 260

Pass Rush:  Andre Branch is a long-limbed, linear athlete.  He can eat up space quickly and uses his length to fend off tackles and bring down the QB.  If he gets a step on the blocker, it’s pretty much over.  He a straight line guy that runs well.  Very good with his hands and excels turning outside speed into inside power.  He plays a little high, although he worked on this from 2010 to 2011.  He can get upright through contact and lose power and balance.  He’s not overly powerful and could stand to add at least 10 more pounds to his frame.

Against the run:  Branch anchors surprisingly well for a taller athlete.  Branch plays the run as he’s surging up field to the quarterback.  He’s got excellent eyes and good instincts.  He uses his arm length and active hands to stack and shed.  He has violent hands and uses his long frame to control blocks through contact.  High football IQ as he rarely is caught giving outside contain.  He will need to work on not popping upright on the snap.  Branch, as a run defender, may be able to set himself apart from other DE’s in this draft.  I was more impressed than I thought I would be. Read the rest of this entry » «Andre Branch Scouting Report»

Whitney Mercilus

Illinois

Ht. 6-4 Wt. 265

Pass Rush:  Whitney Mercilus is most effective when he can work the inside off initial outside speed.  Impressed with the amount of refinement to Mercilus pass rush repertoire for a guy that has little time playing the game.  He’s got a quick first step and enough speed to threaten the edge.  He keeps himself clean with his hands and is quick to make a move.  He plays a little high and loses leverage on contact.  He’s a linear athlete that struggles moving laterally.

Against the run:  Mercilus has some natural strength to hold up at the point of attack.  He needs a little refinement in the run game but has the makings of a quality run defender.  He struggles to get off contact and plays a little upright giving blocker a large target.  Biggest downfall is finding the football and disengaging from blocks.  He needs more experience and some top level coaching. Read the rest of this entry » «Whitney Mercilus Scouting Report»

Melvin Ingram

South Carolina

Ht. 6-2 Wt. 276

Pass Rush:  Melvin Ingram may be the most versatile pass rusher in this draft.  He boasts a bevy of pass rush moves and finds ways to the QB.  He possesses a ton of short area quickness and moves well laterally.  He most effective when he can get the first step and work his way inside.  His lack of height works for him as he’s able to bend and get underneath larger tackles.  Don’t be fooled by his size and short arms, he has enough power to surprise many.  A bulk of his QB pressures and sacks came from inside as a one-gap player.  He’s not lightning quick off the snap and doesn’t have the burst of the top level athletes at the position. Read the rest of this entry » «Melvin Ingram Scouting Report»

Quinton Coples

North Carolina

Ht. 6-6 Wt. 281

Pass Rush:  Quinton Coples possesses a ton of versatility as a pass rusher.  He can line up at a variety of positions and is scheme diverse.  For his size he can bend off the corner as well as most smaller ends.  He’s a powerful bull rusher that is tough to stop once he gets moving.  To loves to set up his inside moves with his speed off the edge.  He has a bevy of pass rush moves including a strong inside rip and swim move.  He doesn’t have the elite speed off the edge that teams look for in high first rounders.  He’s comparable to Da’Quan Bowers in terms of edge speed and first step. Read the rest of this entry » «Quinton Coples Scouting Report»