Last week I wrote an article describing, in my opinion, the best offensive gems of this year’s draft. In this article, I will give the opposite of the last article, naming some choices of defensive gems at each position.
Edge Tyler Lacy, Oklahoma State
Tyler Lacy is a 6’4, 279-pound monster of an edge, that can be an instant upgrade to any team. Lacy is an edge technician with amazing hands, quick speed, and long arms that helps to get past blockers. Tyler’s excellent hustle and closing speed help to confine mobile quarterbacks. Lacy’s speed isn’t the only impressive attribute, Tyler brute strength provides some great rips and punishes offensive linemen with a massive punch to push through the interior on twists and stunts. Even though Tyler Lacy’s frame is quite huge, Lacy tends to play at a lower level without losing power and helps with the bull rush to arrive at the pocket. I know I am making Tyler Lacy out to be the next JJ Watt…
But that is not the case, one of the flaws Lacy has is the flexibility problem. Playing stiffly hurts Tyler from being a true nightmare edge. Lacy moves great laterally but is very inconsistent at getting there in pursuit of his prey. Yes, Lacy has great attributes to be a good edge, but Tyler’s pass rush needs refinement and doesn’t have a great variety in pass coverage. An NFL team can take a chance with Tyler Lacy in the 6th and help improve the flaws, you will be looking for a valuable and reliable edge that could be very serviceable.
Defensive Tackle Jonah Tavai, San Diego State
Jonah Tavai is ending his senior year with a bang, tacking ten cacks for the 2022 season. The six-foot lineman creates havoc against the run with his vigorous build and powerful core. Jonah’s bull rush technique ranks with the top college players coming out this year. Throwing a massive one, or two-punch helps deplete the blocks to create a play in the gap or outside of the box. Tavai uses his frame as an anchor to create a strong core and powerful hands shred defenders by swatting offenders off the line away. Jonah Tavai’s instincts are one of the best in the defensive line group. Tavai’s strong intelligence helps him locate the ball quickly and helps place his hands in the right place to create destruction. Even though Tavai has the brute strength to highlight some plays, his game has some flaws. Dipping and bending have been an issue for Jonah and have affected his ability to get around the line at times. Jonah Tavai’s skill set may hurt his stock, making scouts and experts believe Tavai is limited to one-gap systems. Mixing in Jonah’s speed and agility issues, the stock falls to the 6th round of the draft, maybe even farther. With the right scheme and help from both sides of the edge, Tavai might be able to catch on to the speed of the NFL and help with his progression. Tavai would make for an excellent pass-rush defensive tackle, which seems to be the trend of the NFL as of now. This gem could benefit any NFL team that is looking to pressure the opposing quarterback.
Linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati
This year’s linebacker class is pretty stacked with talent, the same as the edge class. One of the prospects that stands out to me is Ivan Pace Jr. out of Cincinnati. Pace is excellent with the backside pursuit coming from his speed and very flexible core. Ivan has NFL ready instinct to locate the ball very quickly and spin moves that compare to Dwight Freeney. Add Ivan’s massive lower body and powerful core helps Pace to be a crafty edge who plays the run well. Ivan Pace’s coaches compliment his high motor skills and the ability to go from coverage and switch to run pursuit. Ivan has a great feel for the run game and knows how to counter as the play goes on with ease. When I go over Ivan Pace Jr’s gameplay, the Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks comes to mind. Excellent in coverage and can blow up the run game.
Ivan Pace Jr.’s biggest flaw is his rawness, wet behind-the-ears play hurts his stock. Hands use and lack of violence in his hands are very inconsistent in his gameplay. Mix in his small frame and low weight, and battles on the line will be lost by Pace, especially by the more powerful linemen in the NFL. Ivan is projected around the fifth-round marker to be drafted. If Pace can add some weight without losing speed and athleticism will help the cause. Teams with defensive minds on staff; Robert Saleh, Steve Spagnuolo, Bill Belichick, and Demeco Ryans, could help the progression in Ivan Pace Jr gameplay. Also, teams with established linebackers could benefit Ivan’s progression. With a low-risk and high reward, Pace could be the defensive gem teams need to improve their defense in time.
Cornerback Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville
Louisville Junior cornerback Kei’Trel Clark may be small but uses his frame to get under receivers’ chins to disrupt their flow to the route. Despite his small frame, Clark is one of the best pure tacklers in the cornerback pool. Another benefit of a small frame is the ability to stay low on his backpedal and is excellent at moving laterally and breaking up plays in front of him. Clark has great instincts and tremendous ball skills to help to get a pick-six at any moment. Kei’Trel’s speed is powerful and quick, which helps him recover when needed. Clark’s explosiveness is unbeleviable at times, and seems like he was shot out of a cannon.
Experts have Clark being selected around the fifth round and I can see why. Of course, his height and frame are a concern but also the competition that was seen at Louisville was not great. Many experts believe Kei’Trel was a liability at big plays. Allowing big plays is concerning because Clark has the recovering speed to help make up for the missteps. The small frame of Clark also comes to mind with experts, by getting outmuscled and outplayed when it comes to blocking receivers. Even though Clark is a great tackler, his run game is effective tremendously by the frame issue. However, teams can hope Clark adds some weight and muscle before April 27-29. With some muscle, the right coach can help Clark with his tackling issues and getting through the blocks with ease. Coaching can also help with missteps, especially with Clark’s outrageous recovery speed. Teams can select Clark in the fifth, possibly in the sixth, and get a gem that could turn into a possible pro bowler.
Safety JL Skinner, Boise State
Same as the offensive gems in the last article, save the best for last! JL Skinner will be a pure steal and a great gem for any team in this draft. Playing at a 6’4 height, Skinner has a great frame to help JL be an explosive athlete. JL’s massive frame helps with his speed which helps with zone coverage and quickly changes directions of the field play. Skinner’s physical frame and unwilling speed enable Skinner to be a willing and more than capable hitter in the run support of the defense. Another great attribute given to Skinner because of his speed is the ability to cover the underneath quickly and be a menace over the middle. Skinner is an enforcer on every side of the defense, run and pass coverage. Watching JL Skinner’s game tape, the comparison to an NFL player is Hall of Famer Ed Reed.
As of now experts and scouts predict Skinner to be drafted as early as the fourth round. Some of the flaws that stock could be fixed with the right coaching and staff around JL. Skinner’s lack of ability to understand combinations of routes hurts his overall vision. At times, Skinner could be a step slower to react when the quarterback arrives on his side of play. Mixing in his inconsistency of getting off his blocks, hurts his stock of the draft. Then you add the competition level of play Boise State faced this year, which makes Skinner a day three selection. JL Skinner would have been a top fifteen pick of this year’s draft if Skinner chose a better school to attend. Any NFL team would benefit easily with the pick of Skinner, especially if you are a safety away from having a great defensive backfield. To me, JL Skinner has to be the best gem on the defensive side of the ball.
Besides the actual gameplay of the NFL, this is the best part of the year. The NFL draft is a great time to see some amazing young talent. If you want to see some more insight and breakdowns of this year’s draft check out the latest episode of the Texans Fan Battle Podcast with Brett Kollman.
