H
HardRightEdge
Guest
I've taken note of Billings, for whom there's some enthusiasm in these pages.
He's in the mold of a true NT or strong side DT in the 4-3, and he looks NFL-ready. He's a space eater who shows some athleticism. While there's good depth at DT in this draft, it's a generally weak draft for first round talent nearly everywhere else...there's a very good chance he'll be gone by #27.
As an alternative, and actually a preference, I'd suggest Austin Johnson, a guy commonly scouted with a second round grade, though he'd probably require a trade up by the Packers in round 2.
Here's some tape against top competition:
Here's the nfl.com scouting report that generally syncs with the tape, though I don't think the tape shows him holding ground in the way the scouting report describes:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/andrew-billings?id=2555267
I like this guy a lot for the long haul, scheme fit and roster fit.
He's scouted for second round because he's not week 1 NFL-ready like Billings as a run defender; you see him giving ground in the run game, getting pushed around in double teams, and not getting off blocks as quick as you'd like, but there's not much that needs to be done to improve that.
He's playing high on most of these snaps. On a couple plays he sells out on the run and gets low to good effect. Seeing how the D-Line coaching fixed that with Pennel in one year, with Pennel being much rawer than Johnson coming in and something of mess in this regard, you'd think Johnson's pad level (McCarthy cliché notwithstanding) should show relatively quick improvement.
Johnson is 6' 4" as is Pennel...these taller guys working in the interior often have to put in work in this regard for the NFL, but it's the kind of fixable flaw that creates draft value.
Johnson did 25 lifts at the Combine, which is also consistent with the tape. NFL training can improve that. Besides, I'm not liking him for NT; I see him at DE but I'll get to that in a minute.
Let's look at the positives:
This guy is quicker and more athletic than Billings. He was an all-state basketball player his senior year in HS, which tells you something (and we know it says something to Thompson
). While that's on paper, the tape confirms the athletic profile. Further, you must love the 60 minute motor he puts on the field. He looks to be a better pass rusher than Billings right now.
But like I said, I don't project him to NT as his best position, and I question whether that's the primary D-Line need.
Start with Pennel. He may be the most underrated and unappreciated player on the roster, among fans anyway. With his jump in year 2, he gets my vote for most improved Packer player, and he ended the year still on an upward trajectory. And you don't draft on Day 1 to cover for a few early season games. Second, Guion did a fair amount of work at NT the last two years, and would be adequate as the short term starter and then Pennel backup/rotation guy.
The question you have to ask is, "who's the strong side DE on this roster to pair with Daniels on the weak side?" The closest you get is Guion...not bad but not optimal. We still don't know if Ringo has game, and he seems small for the job. That's all there is.
Given Johnson's quickness, you have to like what he might bring at 3-tech in the pass game with a little technique clean-up.
He has somewhat short arms for a 6'4" man at 32 3/4" but pretty big hands at 9 7/8". Do with that what you will.
He actually graduated from Penn St. with a journalism degree in 4 years, so he's no dummy. While intelligence is not particularly prized on the D-Line even in Packerland, it's a mark in the plus column.
Did I say you must love his motor?
I'd bang the table for this guy for this guy at the Packers second round pick if they have not already taken a D-Lineman in the first round. I doubt he lasts that long. Where he goes might even look like a reach to some, but then good value by year 2 and maybe sooner. As I said, Thompson would likely have to trade up for him. Capers is not the only guy who thinks athletic big men are hard to find.
He's in the mold of a true NT or strong side DT in the 4-3, and he looks NFL-ready. He's a space eater who shows some athleticism. While there's good depth at DT in this draft, it's a generally weak draft for first round talent nearly everywhere else...there's a very good chance he'll be gone by #27.
As an alternative, and actually a preference, I'd suggest Austin Johnson, a guy commonly scouted with a second round grade, though he'd probably require a trade up by the Packers in round 2.
Here's some tape against top competition:
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Here's the nfl.com scouting report that generally syncs with the tape, though I don't think the tape shows him holding ground in the way the scouting report describes:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/andrew-billings?id=2555267
I like this guy a lot for the long haul, scheme fit and roster fit.
He's scouted for second round because he's not week 1 NFL-ready like Billings as a run defender; you see him giving ground in the run game, getting pushed around in double teams, and not getting off blocks as quick as you'd like, but there's not much that needs to be done to improve that.
He's playing high on most of these snaps. On a couple plays he sells out on the run and gets low to good effect. Seeing how the D-Line coaching fixed that with Pennel in one year, with Pennel being much rawer than Johnson coming in and something of mess in this regard, you'd think Johnson's pad level (McCarthy cliché notwithstanding) should show relatively quick improvement.
Johnson is 6' 4" as is Pennel...these taller guys working in the interior often have to put in work in this regard for the NFL, but it's the kind of fixable flaw that creates draft value.
Johnson did 25 lifts at the Combine, which is also consistent with the tape. NFL training can improve that. Besides, I'm not liking him for NT; I see him at DE but I'll get to that in a minute.
Let's look at the positives:
This guy is quicker and more athletic than Billings. He was an all-state basketball player his senior year in HS, which tells you something (and we know it says something to Thompson
). While that's on paper, the tape confirms the athletic profile. Further, you must love the 60 minute motor he puts on the field. He looks to be a better pass rusher than Billings right now.But like I said, I don't project him to NT as his best position, and I question whether that's the primary D-Line need.
Start with Pennel. He may be the most underrated and unappreciated player on the roster, among fans anyway. With his jump in year 2, he gets my vote for most improved Packer player, and he ended the year still on an upward trajectory. And you don't draft on Day 1 to cover for a few early season games. Second, Guion did a fair amount of work at NT the last two years, and would be adequate as the short term starter and then Pennel backup/rotation guy.
The question you have to ask is, "who's the strong side DE on this roster to pair with Daniels on the weak side?" The closest you get is Guion...not bad but not optimal. We still don't know if Ringo has game, and he seems small for the job. That's all there is.
Given Johnson's quickness, you have to like what he might bring at 3-tech in the pass game with a little technique clean-up.
He has somewhat short arms for a 6'4" man at 32 3/4" but pretty big hands at 9 7/8". Do with that what you will.
He actually graduated from Penn St. with a journalism degree in 4 years, so he's no dummy. While intelligence is not particularly prized on the D-Line even in Packerland, it's a mark in the plus column.
Did I say you must love his motor?
I'd bang the table for this guy for this guy at the Packers second round pick if they have not already taken a D-Lineman in the first round. I doubt he lasts that long. Where he goes might even look like a reach to some, but then good value by year 2 and maybe sooner. As I said, Thompson would likely have to trade up for him. Capers is not the only guy who thinks athletic big men are hard to find.
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