• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

Can Pittsburgh Still Land Rashaan Evans in the First Round?

Steeler Nation

Steeler Nation

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Apr 7, 2014
Messages
2,542
Reaction score
4,985
Points
93
With his stock clearly rising due to his obvious talent and experience, it would be a match made in heaven if Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans fell to Pittsburgh as originally projected in earlier mock drafts. Ever since Ryan Shazier suffered his devastating spinal injury, the defense was never the same. Although his talent and ability […]

More...
 
Production production, I like me a prospect that has a proven track record. And at a big time college program a plus.

Part of me wonders about if his injury history is significant enough to be worrisome. But I am sure the Steelers have better insight to that.

If he is their BPA, I have no problem with this pick.

I have my eye on a corner, and a RB. I think S might be a second round selection, but that isn't out either.
 
Vander Esch has been rising and Evans has been falling. Evans is now listed as a later first or even 2nd rounder while VDE has moved up in most mocks inside the top 20.
 
Not sure comparing a OLBer to a ILBer would be accurate. Especially with Evans not doing some drills and JJ did all of his if I remember correctly. Also Evans is coming off a injury. Jarvis wasn't.

I think Evan's floor is higher IMO, based on competition faced and production.

Steelers draft on game tape and competition and production more than combine performance.

Just because Jarvis busted out, doesn't mean every LBer that doesn't blow up the combine will bust out.

If we are comparing combines, didn't Heath skip his due to his sports injury?
 
Evans had a groin injury which should have healed months ago. It sounds like an excuse for not testing well. And at this point him not running the 40 is an admission of being slow. I’m thinking 4.9 would be a good time to him.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
Watching the gamess i dont see the JJ that FF sees. I went back and looked after FFs analysis.

Im on Coach's bandwagon of concern about the combine results, such as they were. The only reasons for not running the 40 are both red flags. Either it will show how slow you are (watching his games, this does not appear to be an issue) or you have a lingering injury.

Pre combine, i was all-in on Evans.

Does it seem odd to anyone that Draftbreakdown doesnt have games for VDE?
 
ark steel said:
Watching the gamess i dont see the JJ that FF sees. I went back and looked after FFs analysis.

Im on Coach's bandwagon of concern about the combine results, such as they were. The only reasons for not running the 40 are both red flags. Either it will show how slow you are (watching his games, this does not appear to be an issue) or you have a lingering injury.

Pre combine, i was all-in on Evans.

Does it seem odd to anyone that Draftbreakdown doesnt have games for VDE?
Click to expand...

Thing is Evans had the groin issue and played with it in the Nat’l championship. He was still recovering from it leading up to the combine. I don’t know what type of grade it was but I would assume it’s the major kind if it’s the reason for not running (Cope can you clarify?) or doing drills. It could be this new mindset that’s starting to emerge about doing private workouts instead of the combine (a agent tactic) so as to control the results. I personally don’t like the tactic, I’d say perform against your peers to solidify your tape. Him passing on the pro days is also curious. I am supposing Evans and his agent has spoken, sidebar, with the teams about his injury. The was also some speculation that Evans re aggravated it prepping for the combine


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
Last edited:
I’m not saying I’m right I’m saying it’s my opinion. If the Steelers do draft him I’ll be rooting for him to succeed as if it does it’s good for the team and I’d admit I was wrong. If he is drafted by us and a bust I will be disappointed that I was right.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
I'd rather take Genard Avery in the 5th....
 
FordFairLane said:
I’m not saying I’m right I’m saying it’s my opinion. If the Steelers do draft him I’ll be rooting for him to succeed as if it does it’s good for the team and I’d admit I was wrong. If he is drafted by us and a bust I will be disappointed that I was right.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

Thats not how this works....
 
Ike Kelly said:
Thing is Evans had the groin issue and played with it in the Nat’l championship. He was still recovering from it leading up to the combine. I don’t know what type of grade it was but I would assume it’s the major kind if it’s the reason for not running (Cope can you clarify?) or doing drills. It could be this new mindset that’s starting to emerge about doing private workouts instead of the combine (a agent tactic) so as to control the results. I personally don’t like the tactic, I’d say perform against your peers to solidify your tape. Him passing on the pro days is also curious. I am supposing Evans and his agent has spoken, sidebar, with the teams about his injury. The was also some speculation that Evans re aggravated it prepping for the combine


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

I expect it is the injury. And, if so, still a red flag.
 
mightyguru said:
I'd rather take Genard Avery in the 5th....
Click to expand...

That kid has tree trunks for thighs, damn. 10' 4" long jump at 255 pounds? And he can move for a big LB running 4.59. Seems like a decent prospect if we can't get one early.
 
Great scouting report on Avery, thanks mightyguru for bringing this guy up. Click on article for embedded video clips. Getting this guy in the 5th sounds like a steal.

Memphis LB Genard Avery is hidden gem of 2018 NFL Draft
https://www.ndtscouting.com/tuls-memphis-lb-genard-avery-is-hidden-gem-of-2018-nfl-draft/

Despite being an undersized linebacker at 6’0, Avery has the combination of power and speed at his frame of 248 pounds. He proved that with some silly numbers in the athletic testing drills. Avery put up a 4.59 40-yard dash, 36-inch vertical jump, 124-inch broad jump, and 6.9 three cone drill. Those are ridiculous numbers for a linebacker his size, and his performance truly put him on the map for me.
Click to expand...

Then I looked at the tape, and the first game I turned on was Memphis’ first matchup against UCF. They got clobbered, but sure enough, Genard Avery was all over the field. He played this hybrid linebacker role for Memphis all season as a guy who would switch back and forth as an on-ball edge defender to an off-ball linebacker from game to game, depending on the matchup. When I dove deeper, you could see why this coaching staff did that.
Click to expand...

Here is a look of where Avery will play mostly at the next level. In this off-ball role, he gets depth, but he then reads the quarterback’s eyes and uses his range to chase down the quarterback for a minimal gain. This is where you see the 4.59 time on his 40-yard dash and know that it is legit on tape. Avery is a blur in the open field, especially when he is asked to chase in space.
Click to expand...

Again, here is Avery at inside linebacker reading the backfield and trusting his instincts and athleticism to put him position to make this play. One of the most important traits you look for in an off-ball linebacker is reactionary quickness. In other words, how quickly can that player make the transition from his eyes to his feet. You can see that click and close burst from Avery here. When he sees it, he is screaming to the ball carrier, but he does so with calculated angles and a fundamental wrap-up. This is textbook at all points of the play.
Click to expand...

Now we move the AAC championship game against UCF, which ended up being a much more competitive game. I’ve already shown you that Avery has the skills of an off-ball and versatile on-ball defender to translate to the next level, but what is his motor like? Quite frankly, I think Avery is the hardest working player I’ve seen all year on tape. He hustles on each snap relentlessly until the whistle blows. This is a lost art, but it is something that coaches will absolutely fall in love with him for, not only on defense, but also on special teams as well. Also, this again shows how athletic he is to make all that ground up to complete this touchdown-saving, shoestring tackle.
Click to expand...

As you may know by now, Memphis loves to move Avery around. Here is playing on the edge again, and no, this clip is not fast forwarded. He literally throws the tight end’s momentum so hard inside that it knocks down both the defensive tackle and guard, proceeding to use that uncanny burst and explosion to chase down the running back. Just an insane rep that goes to show once again how versatile he can be as a multi-dimensional chess piece at linebacker. Think of him like Haason Reddick, the linebacker out of Temple who was drafted in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017. 3-4 teams are going to love that he can rush and drop, but 4-3 teams are also going to love the fact that he can play SAM or WILL as an off-ball linebacker with sub-package rush value.
Click to expand...

When you look at Genard Avery’s measurables, they clearly match up on tape. The 4.59 speed is evident with his sideline to sideline range. The 6.9 three cone mirrors what he shows with his foot quickness and change of direction. The jumps match his lower-body explosiveness and burst to the football. With that being said, there are not 50 players I have watched that are better than Genard Avery in this draft. When you combine the tape and the measurables, he looks like a Haason Reddick clone, and I would have no problem taking him as high as the second round. The only question I have is the same question I had with Reddick. He is not experienced in coverage, especially in man. That is the only thing holding me back from putting a first round grade on Avery because his tape and athletic ability translates towards a productive starter with special chess-piece traits in multiple schemes.
Click to expand...
 
FordFairLane said:
I would take Avery over Evans everyday of the week and twice on football Sunday. If we got him in round 3, and go RB/S with our first two picks it will have been a successful draft for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

Looking like the 3rd...that scouting report has to be on every NFL team's desk. No way he lasts til the 5th...and we have no 4th.
 
I noticed Avery while watching UCF...he was all over the place. Impressive kid.
 
Tibs said:
Great scouting report on Avery, thanks mightyguru for bringing this guy up. Click on article for embedded video clips. Getting this guy in the 5th sounds like a steal.

Memphis LB Genard Avery is hidden gem of 2018 NFL Draft
https://www.ndtscouting.com/tuls-memphis-lb-genard-avery-is-hidden-gem-of-2018-nfl-draft/
Click to expand...


this guy has us taking Darius Leonard in 2nd round. From the clips I seen,, no thanks!
https://www.ndtscouting.com/tuls-two-round-2018-nfl-mock-draft-with-trades/
 
slashsteel said:
who are you wanting? trying to remember if your choo choo didn't come with significant question marks...
Click to expand...

The train is crashing so not Evans. I would take LVE at 28 but wouldn’t trade up for him. Tremaine Edmunds would be worth trading up for but he won’t fall to a point to make that an option.

I think our first round pick could be RB. To be honest I think LB is burning bridges and the Steelers are about done with his bs.


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
Like LVE isn't a possible train crash. Small school, competition question marks. Injury question marks. 1 year wonder.

Yeah if he doesn't scream choo choo on a collision course of high risk. Nothing does.

He isn't any less of a question mark than Evans. In fact he presents with more concerns.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top