Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Traits vs Stats

Posted February 28th, 2025 | 3 Comments »

Two years ago I studied an athletic, undersized pass rusher from Georgia. The more I watched tape of Nolan Smith, the more I fell in love with his potential. He ran 4.39 and had a 41-inch vertical at the Combine. Great workout numbers.

The problem is that Smith was only 6-2, 238. That is small for an edge rusher. You would prefer someone up in the 6-3, 250 range. Smith didn’t have the frame to add much bulk so you were going to have to live with his size. He also didn’t have great stats. Smith finished his career with 11.5 sacks. He never had more than 3.5 in a season.

There are some reasons for the lack of production. Schemes aren’t as simple as they used to be. UGA doesn’t have rushers flying off the ball play after play. Good defenses rotate a lot. College offenses also do a lot of quick throws, making it tough to get sacks. Smith had Top 10 potential, but fell to pick 30. I think things worked out okay for Smith and the Eagles.

I brought up this story because there are going to be some challenging evaluations in this draft class.

Shemar Stewart should be a Top 5 pick based on his workout. He should be a UDFA based on production. If you pass on that guy and he turns into the next Myles Garrett, someone is getting fired. If you take him early and he is a bust, someone is getting fired. Stewart isn’t the only player like this. He is just the most extreme case.

He will go in the Top 20, probably up high, so the Eagles don’t have to worry about him. Howie Roseman and the scouts will have some other talented DL/pass rushers they do have to make judgments on. It will be interesting to see who they take in late April.

There is no correct formula for draft success. Some executives will tell you sacks and DL production is important. But then you have a guy like Derek Barnett who set the Tennessee record for sacks in his college career and he’s been mostly a role player in the NFL. He has started 50 games and does have 29 sacks, but Barnett didn’t pan out as the Eagles hoped for a Top 15 pick. He was a good enough athlete for college, but not the NFL.

Teams have to study each situation carefully, understanding the circumstances and the scheme. They need to decide how the prospect projects to the NFL. Can that player succeed against pro competition?

Mike Green is 6-3, 251 and led the nation in sacks. The only ding is that he played at Marshall. But then Green had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl so he probably feels like a safe pick.

James Pearce is 6-5, 245 and was a star for Tennessee. He could go in the late first round. Should the Eagles be interested?

Pearce didn’t have a good vertical jump, which concerns you. That shows lower body explosion, which is critical for pass rushers. If he has a better VJ at his Pro Day, you don’t worry about it. If he only jumps 31 inches, you have to figure out if that’s an issue.

Josaiah Stewart measured in at 6-1, 249, so that’s not ideal size. Watch him against USC. He was outstanding in that game, at setting the edge and rushing the passer. I could see the Eagles liking Stewart. The question is where he goes. He could be in play at pick 64. While Smith isn’t as big as you want, he plays big. Like Nolan Smith. You can be tough and physical even if you aren’t Reggie White’s size.

It will be interesting to see what kind of edge rusher the Eagles take. There are guys of different sizes and skill sets.

The Combine is a good tool for helping to evaluate players, but context is always needed. Measurements and workout times don’t mean anything if they don’t translate to the field. How do you measure instincts? Combine numbers can lead to a lot of head scratching and confusion.

You’d have to watch the tape on those players to understand if that nugget means anything, but it is interesting.

The Eagles had to come away happy after watching the DTs, edge rushers and LBs work out. The Eagles are going to lose some free agents, but they have a chance to add some talented rookies to build that depth back.

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Hybrids and Tweeners

Posted February 26th, 2025 | 2 Comments »

The game of football is constantly morphing. Fundamentals like blocking and tackling don’t change, but who plays and where they play change all the time. The 2024 Eagles are a great example.

Zack Baun played OLB at Wisconsin. He was a good edge rusher, but also showed the ability to drop in coverage and play in space. The Saints drafted Baun and used him as a role player on defense and STs. He spent most of his time as a backup pass rusher. Howie Roseman wanted him for the same role in Philly. Vic Fangio agreed that he wanted Baun, but said he should move to ILB. Howie agreed. Baun bought into the idea and made the move. The rest is history.

How good is Baun? Even British people like him!!!

Jonny does really good work. Make sure to follow him on Twitter and read the stuff he posts. I probably shouldn’t have read the piece because it just makes me love Baun even more. Such a good player. And a special dude. I haven’t wanted the Eagles to re-sign a player this badly since Reggie White back in 1993. Thankfully Norman Braman isn’t the owner this time and Rich Kotite isn’t the coach.

People talk about how the Eagles don’t value off-ball LBs. They haven’t. That is a fair point. But Baun is different. He has the ability to play ILB, but also to move around in Fangio’s scheme. He will line up as an edge defender at times, giving offenses a different look. Baun is a good blitzer. He has good coverage ability. He’s not just a tackling machine, like so many LBs are. Baun is a tool for the defense. He allows Fangio to be creative. That gives him additional value and means he is likely a player the Eagles will want to play good money to.

Jeff McLane says he is hearing that keeping Baun will be a priority for the Eagles.

Milton Williams played DE and DT in college. He found a home at DT in the NFL. It took him a bit of time to adjust to playing inside full time against massive NFL blockers. Once it clicked, Williams became a difference-maker.

Brandon Graham came to Philly as a 4-3 DE. One of his selling points back in 2010 is that he could line up inside as a rusher on third downs. Then Chip Kelly brought the 3-4 defense to town and BG had to learn how to play LB. Now at age 250, BG can play anywhere other than NT. Fangio moved him around and had him do different things. BG’s greatest moment as an Eagle came with him rushing from DT and knocking the ball away from Tom Brady.

Jalyx Hunt was a DB at Cornell five years ago. He is now a DE/LB for the Super Bowl champs. Hunt got bigger, but kept his athleticism and DB movement skills. It will be interesting to see him develop over time.

When Nolan Smith was drafted I wondered if a team might consider playing him at off-ball LB in base sets. I was trying to figure out how to get a gifted athlete like him on the field as much as possible. I didn’t realize you could just let him start and then beat the crap out of anyone that came near him.

Choose violence.

The Eagles have done well with hybrid and tweener defenders. The good news is that the upcoming draft class is full of them. I won’t list them all because I might be here for a week. I will focus on a few big names.

Abdul Carter – 6-3, 254 – Began his PSU career at LB. They wanted to take advantage of his speed. Carter can fly. Moved to DE full time and had a great year in 2024. He is a player that might need to move around in the NFL, like Micah Parsons.

Jalon Walker – 6-2, 245 – Went to UGA as an ILB. Good athlete who most project as an edge rusher. Could he be the reverse Zack Baun? Most think he’s likely to be a Top 10 pick.

Jihad Campbell – 6-3, 245 – Went to Bama as an edge rusher. Moved to ILB to get on the field because he was stuck behind great players. Gifted athlete who was a star for the Crimson Tide defense in 2024. Projected as an ILB in the NFL.

Jordan Burch – 6-5, 280 – I’ve seen him listed anywhere from 6-4 to 6-6 and 280 to 295. He is a big, athletic dude. Burch played as an edge rusher at Oregon. With his size, you could play him all over. Interesting prospect.

David Walker – 6-1, 267 – Was a star pass rusher at Central Arkansas. Dominant at his level. Went to the Senior Bowl and showed that he can hang with the big boys. He reminds me of Brandon Graham when he was a prospect.

Carson Schwesinger – 6-2, 227 – Moved from edge rusher to LB as a senior and became a star for UCLA. Great combination of instincts and athleticism. Will be an ILB at the next level.

Jamaree Caldwell – 6-2, 342 – Has a NT build. Played there at Oregon in 2024. Was at Houston before that and they played him as a 5-technique (3-4 DE). Good athlete with a really good motor. Can play a variety of spots in the NFL.

*****

TJ Sanders is an athletic DT. Disruptive player with a lot of ability. He was 6-4, 284 at the Senior Bowl. That’s similar in size to Milton Williams. And he’s got a similar game.

Sanders would make sense as an Eagles target.

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