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I'm going to try to shorten/narrow this down as much as I can.
-Last year Kikaha was drafted to play Sam LB(LOLB) in an Under Front.
-In an under front the SAM LB(LOLB) is essentially a chase player and typically ---gets put in favorable positions.
-Because of the LDE's alignment the SAM LB is either usually afforded a favorable matchup against TE's or RB'sin run blocking, is the unblocked man and allowed to be a chase player, or gets matched up with a slower footed RT or LT in pass protection on passing downs.
To underscore this point I've decided to post Kikaha's highlight video from his rookie year for your viewing pleasure. You'll notice a lot of his plays were of the above variety. Thats not to say he didn't win against LT's at times but those matchups were usually on passing downs and only occasionally in the run game*which he did a good job at too). The bulk of his work/plays however were made in the ways described above.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S04UxFNnO04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Now that we've gotten that out of the way the opposite of the under front is the over front (in a nutshell) So if the SAM is the free runner in the under front then the RDE is the free runner (or open end/chase player) in an over front.
Now here is where I had my sudden insight....
Where as in an under because you are on the Sam is on strong side you can have a 6'2 245-255 player as your Sam LB on all 3 downs. Hoewver, in an over because the weakside is usually an Athletic OT in the 300LB range you need to have a bigger (base end) OR the smaller player has to be an adequate run defender (which when you look at some of Kikaha's wins against LT's in the run game you can see how he translated to being the starter pre-injury). Thus is the reason you need that 6'5 270 body type. Thats the prototype. Now if that player has the size to play against LT's but the speed/bend to win like a smaller guy then thats a plus. Unfortunately guys like that are rare so you end up with more of a platoon or with a RDE that can just swap and play LDE on passing downs. You basically have him give way to the passrusher or 3rd down guy.
In short what I've realized is that in the over...unless the RDE is an elite guy that has size too(Think Chandler Jones)...the real star of the show is the 3rd down Nickel Rusher.
The object of FA will be to get a DE with size that can on occasion swap out with Jordan as a LDE or swap with a passrush specialist. This makes a role for a young undersized passrusher taken in the draft easy to step into. If that isn't possible then I'd expect them to sign an undersized guy and maybe combo that up with a young run defender in the draft.
Either way Kikaha/Gwachum will be joined by two similar body types.
-Last year Kikaha was drafted to play Sam LB(LOLB) in an Under Front.
-In an under front the SAM LB(LOLB) is essentially a chase player and typically ---gets put in favorable positions.
-Because of the LDE's alignment the SAM LB is either usually afforded a favorable matchup against TE's or RB'sin run blocking, is the unblocked man and allowed to be a chase player, or gets matched up with a slower footed RT or LT in pass protection on passing downs.
To underscore this point I've decided to post Kikaha's highlight video from his rookie year for your viewing pleasure. You'll notice a lot of his plays were of the above variety. Thats not to say he didn't win against LT's at times but those matchups were usually on passing downs and only occasionally in the run game*which he did a good job at too). The bulk of his work/plays however were made in the ways described above.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S04UxFNnO04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Now that we've gotten that out of the way the opposite of the under front is the over front (in a nutshell) So if the SAM is the free runner in the under front then the RDE is the free runner (or open end/chase player) in an over front.
Now here is where I had my sudden insight....
Where as in an under because you are on the Sam is on strong side you can have a 6'2 245-255 player as your Sam LB on all 3 downs. Hoewver, in an over because the weakside is usually an Athletic OT in the 300LB range you need to have a bigger (base end) OR the smaller player has to be an adequate run defender (which when you look at some of Kikaha's wins against LT's in the run game you can see how he translated to being the starter pre-injury). Thus is the reason you need that 6'5 270 body type. Thats the prototype. Now if that player has the size to play against LT's but the speed/bend to win like a smaller guy then thats a plus. Unfortunately guys like that are rare so you end up with more of a platoon or with a RDE that can just swap and play LDE on passing downs. You basically have him give way to the passrusher or 3rd down guy.
In short what I've realized is that in the over...unless the RDE is an elite guy that has size too(Think Chandler Jones)...the real star of the show is the 3rd down Nickel Rusher.
The object of FA will be to get a DE with size that can on occasion swap out with Jordan as a LDE or swap with a passrush specialist. This makes a role for a young undersized passrusher taken in the draft easy to step into. If that isn't possible then I'd expect them to sign an undersized guy and maybe combo that up with a young run defender in the draft.
Either way Kikaha/Gwachum will be joined by two similar body types.