J-Off Pounds the Table - Defense

[Austin Tatious]

J-Off, do you have a sense as to why NFL teams seem to be undervaluing Willis? By undervaluing, I am hearing late first at the earliest. But, we have a guy with excellent testing, production, and attitude. He seems like a no-brainer top 15 pick, but what are NFL professionals seeing that is different from us that makes them think more of a 25-40 guy instead of top 15?

 

[ckparrothead]

That's a bit strange to me. I think Daeshon Hall has some great polish, including hand use, to his game. This is why he was putting some blockers to shame all during the Senior Bowl week.

https://youtu.be/3K9iEPlAvvk?t=63
https://youtu.be/3K9iEPlAvvk?t=95
https://youtu.be/3K9iEPlAvvk?t=275
https://youtu.be/3K9iEPlAvvk?t=316

Then you go to some of his tape and you have:
https://youtu.be/YZuavwT-01s?t=14
https://youtu.be/YZuavwT-01s?t=83
https://youtu.be/YZuavwT-01s?t=273

I just don't really consider it much of an issue for Daeshon Hall. I think it's clearly an issue for Takkarist McKinley. I think Watt and Basham at times flail their arms like wild men instead of football players. I think Daeshon Hall is pretty polished and that's part of his appeal.

 

[Canadi-Phin]

J

I'm with you, I don't get it. He played great. Showed his athletic ability at the combine, so it confirms his play isn't an enigma. I like his size, sure he could be 2 inches taller but I really don't care about that. I'd take at 22 and not look back. Maybe the media is missing it not the teams.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

I think he lets tackles latch on too often, loses the leverage battle early on a lot of snaps. But I agree that more or less everything else is very polished. I'm definitely on his bandwagon. He needs a better timed and more forceful.punch on a consistent basis.

 

[j-off-her-doll]

J-Off, do you have a sense as to why NFL teams seem to be undervaluing Willis? By undervaluing, I am hearing late first at the earliest. But, we have a guy with excellent testing, production, and attitude. He seems like a no-brainer top 15 pick, but what are NFL professionals seeing that is different from us that makes them think more of a 25-40 guy instead of top 15?

I can only repeat the negatives that I've heard:

*Tape doesn't match testing
*Straight-line athlete
*Lacks polish
*Poor get off

I agree with none of those, but they're the criticisms I've heard/read that come to mind. I'm curious to see where he actually goes. We'll find out soon enough.

 

[nick1]

I can only repeat the negatives that I've heard:

*Tape doesn't match testing
*Straight-line athlete
*Lacks polish
*Poor get off

I agree with none of those, but they're the criticisms I've heard/read that come to mind. I'm curious to see where he actually goes. We'll find out soon enough.

I've also heard that he is scheme specific meaning the wide 9. Not sure how many teams run a wide 9. I think he can play DE in any 4-3 variation. What makes the wide 9 so different. A little further from the tackles. More room to use speed I guess

 

[PSU Cane]

I can only repeat the negatives that I've heard:

*Tape doesn't match testing
*Straight-line athlete
*Lacks polish
*Poor get off

I agree with none of those, but they're the criticisms I've heard/read that come to mind. I'm curious to see where he actually goes. We'll find out soon enough.

I think he's very polished and uses his hands well.....he's just predictable and deliberate at times. His favorite move looks to be the straight arm push/pull with his power right, with some bull rushes and arm-over moves mixed in. Rarely does he utilize an inside counter or attack the outside shoulder with a dip and rip (when he does challenge, it's more of a hand slap and arc). When he mixes it up, he wins. Again, i can't tell how much is scheme and resulting habits vs. how much is him not being as instinctive/reactive as other rushers.

I am on the side of his tape not always matching his workout. He will flash at times, but others he looks like he's at a joggers pack on backside pursuit.....not like a 4.53 guy with burst. McKinkley looks like that guy on tape. At 4.53, i expect a guy to come off the corner as fast as a blitzing LB or CB who runs a 4.5, but i don't always get that from Willis. I forget which game it was, maybe WVU, but he used a spin move for a sack that looked like it was in slow motion. It worked, but when compared to Charlton's spin against Wisconsin's LT, or Charles Harris, it doesn't compare. He seems to rely more on his power than his speed/athleticism.

Another thing i noticed is Willis tends to rush too wide and upfield.....even on obvious passing 3rd downs.....instead of challenging the tackle and making him set early. He's in essence giving the tackle extra time to set and an easier angle to wash him by the QB. Plus, he squares up often, giving his chest. Luckily, his great hands allow him to disengage, but that's against college right tackles. The NFL will present much bigger challenges.

The traits are there, which makes him very intriguing.

 

[ckparrothead]

I don't remember ever seeing anyone criticize Jordan Willis's getoff from the blocks. My goodness that's wrong. Not criticizing J-off as I know that's not him saying it. But good lord that's like saying Deion Sanders sucked because he really wasn't that fast.

To me Jordan Willis's primary problem as a pass rusher is indecision on the move. He's going to have to get used to deciding what he's going to do to the tackle on the move based on what the tackle is showing him. It's a tough thing to learn.

Secondary to that is Jordan Willis's lack of bend. It's real. It's not real significant but it's real.

He's virtually identical to Michael Strahan coming out. I posted videos to that effect, posted a scouting report of Michael Strahan that could've been written word for word about Jordan Willis. Then a report came out that "5 or 6 teams" had told Willis he reminded them of Strahan.

People think of Strahan like what he became, as a Hall of Famer. He wasn't that coming from Texas Southern. He was an outside oriented speed rush guy with Willis's exact build, exact frame structure. If you watch Strahan's Texas Southern tape you see Willis.

 

[justdev7]

Awesome thread! Really like Blair Brown. Big fan of Tarell Basham too!