Analysis Analysis of Draft Picks & Undrafted Rookie Free Agents (2 Viewers)

[B_doggman47]

I will put out my player analysis's soon. I'm still going through information and looking at games and game tape on some players.

 

[TruSaint]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[B_doggman47]

Here's my first analysis. I started with QB. I'm sorry it took so long, but I wanted too watch as many games and tape on Rattler as I could to give the best evaluation as I could. This is what I came up with.

Spencer Rattler- QB, 5th Round Pick #150, South Carolina (6'1"/211#) 40 Time- 4.95 Vertical- 32" Broad Jump- 108"

The Positives:
Rattler is an experienced prospect, with over 1300 passes attempted in four years as a starter. He has excellent overall arm strength. From what I've watched of him in games and on film he is real good on the move and has the arm talent to make throws that most college-level QB's wouldn't even attempt. Even though he is viewed as a mobile QB, I find Rattler is skilled as a pocket passer and has a nice feel for pressure. He can spread the ball around anywhere on the field, especially when he is given a good pocket from which to operate from. He will step up in the pocket while keeping his eyes looking downfield. Rattler can reset his feet and delivers. His ball placement is a strength and Rattler has the natural instincts to make plays when he's forced to improvise.

The Negatives:
Rattler's pocket composure falters when he's under pressure and has a tendency to throw off of his back foot and overly relies on his arm strength when he throws on the move, which at times compromises his accuracy. His field vision is and area of concern. He has a habit of locking onto his primary target even when other options are open to him. Rattler sometimes has mental lapses in his decision making and he has some mechanical inconsistencies in his footwork and his release.

My Final Thoughts:
There are a lot of positives to Rattler's game. He possesses a dual-threat capability and he also has a rapid release. He impressed me with his quick release, accuracy and he has very good arm strength. From the games and tape that I watched of Rattler, he's accurate on intermediate and short throws, on intermediate outs and has the ability to lead receivers on deeper routes. He also has good zip and accuracy on the quick slant and good touch down the seam. He has the capability from a variety of arm angles. He does have some negative that I noticed in his games and tapes that I saw. He sometimes drifts backwards in the pocket causing him to throw off of his back foot. Rattler needs some work on his mechanics. He also has a bad habit of locking onto a WR, causing him to be late on throws and letting the rush get to him. A lot of these deficiencies can be corrected with good coaching. In my opinion a better O-Line would have better benefitted Rattler, his performance on the field would have been a lot better. All in all I believe 2 or 3 years of learning will benefit him and he can be a starter in this league. The Saints may have gotten a steal in Rattler in the 5th round. Only time will tell. I'm anxious to see what he can do in OTA's, training camp and preseason.

 

[B_doggman47]

Bub Means- WR, 5th Round Pick #170, Pittsburgh (6'1"/212#) 40 Time- 4.43 Bench- 19 reps Vertical-39.5 Broad Jump- 10'2".

I went through several games and whatever information I could find on Means. This is the analysis I came up with.

The Positives:
Means is a big receiver with build-up speed. For his size, Means is surprisingly adept at slipping press. He has good height with a big frame and excellent wingspan. He shows the ability to create separation on over routes and go routes once he hits top speed. Means has the suddenness to elude press and take an early lead on his routes. He can also win on contested throws.

The Negatives:
Means needs additional steps to stop his momentum on comebacks, so he could struggle with a route tree requiring him to gear up and gear down getting in and out of his breaks. At times he can sit and wait on zone throws and it allows defenders to knock the ball loose out of his hands. It looks to me like he has an average feel for putting the cornerback on his hip and keeping him there.

My Final Thoughts:
Means uses his catch radius to grab throws over the heads of cornerbacks, Means can win contested throws, but gives too many away when he doesn't use his size on the route. He does drop his head and hits the accelerator to extend his downfield separation. He could use better effort to sustain his run blocks. I found his production in college to be fairly average. It could be not having one of the best QB's throwing to him. His ability to lengthen and widen out the field more consistently, could eventually give him a shot at a backup role for now. he still needs a lot of coaching and reps

 

[tonyarm99]

I will put out my player analysis's soon. I'm still going through information and looking at games and game tape on some players.

Theses are very detailed and well researched analysis. Very awesome! Waiting for more!

 

[B_doggman47]

Theses are very detailed and well researched analysis. Very awesome! Waiting for more!

Thank you for the comments. If anyone can add to any of the analysis's, I would appreciate it. I'm sure I missed or didn't notice some things.

 

[B_doggman47]

This year I'm trying to do a deeper dive into each player that the Saints drafted and all their rookie free agents. So it's taking me a little longer to get everything out. I'm working on Fuaga right now.

 

[the-commish]

Thank you a bunch for doing these analyses. It is very useful for the fans.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Appreciate all the time you spend doing this

 

[football]

Here's my first analysis. I started with QB. I'm sorry it took so long, but I wanted too watch as many games and tape on Rattler as I could to give the best evaluation as I could. This is what I came up with.

Spencer Rattler- QB, 5th Round Pick #150, South Carolina (6'1"/211#) 40 Time- 4.95 Vertical- 32" Broad Jump- 108"

The Positives:
Rattler is an experienced prospect, with over 1300 passes attempted in four years as a starter. He has excellent overall arm strength. From what I've watched of him in games and on film he is real good on the move and has the arm talent to make throws that most college-level QB's wouldn't even attempt. Even though he is viewed as a mobile QB, I find Rattler is skilled as a pocket passer and has a nice feel for pressure. He can spread the ball around anywhere on the field, especially when he is given a good pocket from which to operate from. He will step up in the pocket while keeping his eyes looking downfield. Rattler can reset his feet and delivers. His ball placement is a strength and Rattler has the natural instincts to make plays when he's forced to improvise.

The Negatives:
Rattler's pocket composure falters when he's under pressure and has a tendency to throw off of his back foot and overly relies on his arm strength when he throws on the move, which at times compromises his accuracy. His field vision is and area of concern. He has a habit of locking onto his primary target even when other options are open to him. Rattler sometimes has mental lapses in his decision making and he has some mechanical inconsistencies in his footwork and his release.

My Final Thoughts:
There are a lot of positives to Rattler's game. He possesses a dual-threat capability and he also has a rapid release. He impressed me with his quick release, accuracy and he has very good arm strength. From the games and tape that I watched of Rattler, he's accurate on intermediate and short throws, on intermediate outs and has the ability to lead receivers on deeper routes. He also has good zip and accuracy on the quick slant and good touch down the seam. He has the capability from a variety of arm angles. He does have some negative that I noticed in his games and tapes that I saw. He sometimes drifts backwards in the pocket causing him to throw off of his back foot. Rattler needs some work on his mechanics. He also has a bad habit of locking onto a WR, causing him to be late on throws and letting the rush get to him. A lot of these deficiencies can be corrected with good coaching. In my opinion a better O-Line would have better benefitted Rattler, his performance on the field would have been a lot better. All in all I believe 2 or 3 years of learning will benefit him and he can be a starter in this league. The Saints may have gotten a steal in Rattler in the 5th round. Only time will tell. I'm anxious to see what he can do in OTA's, training camp and preseason.

Yeah that's what I saw too. I didn't want to say it but I do see him back pedaling too much when he get pressured. He needs a good scheme and coaching to be successful. In his defense I have seen some close up of the formation they ran at USC and it was horrible. No wonder he wasn't successful. No one was open. Hopefully he learn to avoid pressure and not take unnecessary sacks.

 

[B_doggman47]

Taliese Fuaga- OT, 1st Round Pick#14 Oregon St. (6'6"/324#) 40 Time- 5.13 Vertical- 32" Broad Jump- 111#

Watched a lot of games and highlights of Fuaga and also read quite a few articles about him. There's just not many flaws in his game.

The Positives:
Fuaga's ability to control the line of scrimmage in the run game is exceptional. He leverages his size and strength to overpower defenders. Fuaga's physical stature is ideal, robust and a durable foundation for his blocking abilities. He has heavy hands, his impact with his hand punch stuns defenders, effectively disrupting their momentum and control during engagements. Fuaga is also known for his aggressive playstyle and his forceful and dominant approach. He was consistently looking to overpower his opponents at the line of scrimmage. In pass protection Fuaga showed he has good technique and lateral movement.

The Negatives:
Fuaga's arm length is just shy of elite. his arm length while substantial, isn't quite at the top tier and sometimes it affects his reach and effectiveness in the run game. On passing downs, Fuaga has at times stood too upright and that at times can make him vulnerable to powerful bull rushes from defenders. He occasionally struggles with his footwork from what I saw in some of the games I watched of him. His playstyle, while it's generally an asset, at times leads to him overextending and mistiming blocks in the run game.

My Final Thoughts:
From what I've watched of Fuaga's games and highlights, his skills in the run game really stood out and were amazing. He uses his strength and mass to bulldoze defenders, setting a physical tone on the O-Line. His heavy-handed approach on the O-Line underlines his ability to disrupt and control the line, a key asset for the Saints new run heavy offense. In pass protection, in pass protection, Fuaga shows foundational skills--balance lateral movement and hand placement.
Some articles I've read about Fuaga, the analysists commented on his limited hip flexibility. Well from all the game tape and highlights I've watched, if he does have flexibility issues, they are barely noticeable. I read another article on his time at Oregon St., that he was just a 3-star recruit, but only got better each year until he became one of the best O-Linemen in the nation. I also read he holds the school record for not allowing 0 sacks while he was at Oregon St. I believe that whatever inconsistencies he does have can and will be corrected with good coaching. I also believe this, Fuaga is not just a player with the necessary physical tools, but a player with the dedication and football IQ to realize and harness all of his potential and he will only get better. Fuaga has that blend of size, strength, skill and developmental upside that could make him a cornerstone of the Saints O-Line for years to come.

 

[Jonboy]

Thank you! Excellent write-ups.

 

[B_doggman47]

Josiah Ezirim- OT, 7th Round Pick #239, Eastern Kentucky (6'6"/329#) 40 Time- 5.10

There was only limited game tape and information on Ezirim. This is the analysis I came up with, with the information I garnered.

The Positives:
Ezirim shows some nastiness to his game. He will sustain his blocks through the whistle. He thrives when working in short area. He's willing to aggressively attack and punches multiple times to finish the play. Ezirim is quick to pick up edge blitzes. He can easily adjust his angles and reset his feet. He can recover and reset his anchor and is rarely late off the snap. Ezirim is stout at the point of attack and maintains a wide base. He's at his beat mauling in the run game, playing with a nasty demeanor and consistently keeping it going through the whistle.

The Negatives:
While Ezirim is solid as an athlete, he's more comfortable moving forward as a run blocker than setting in pass protection, as he often relies solely on his initial punch to stand up pass rushers instead of moving his feet. His a little raw as a pass protector. Ezirim looks choppy and a little unnatural when moving back into his set and sometimes playing too upright.

My Final Thoughts:
Ezirim is a better athlete than I thought he would be. He is steadily improving in pass protection, but he's not there yet, he still looks a little uncomfortable setting up, He will need some coaching. When he initially gets beat off the line of scrimmage, he doesn't panic and lunge out, he can recover and rest quickly. Ezirim has good natural athleticism, has good knee bend and fluid lateral movement. Ezirim can become a good to solid player, or at worst good depth. But he could also develop into a good to solid starter. I'll be watching him during OTA's, training camp and preseason.

 

[B_doggman47]

If anyone else has some information on these player, you're more that welcome post them. It will be appreciated. Some of you may have more knowledge on these guys that I may have missed.

 

[ndcc]

Thank you for investing the time to post this.