2021 'Who are you watching?' NFL prospect thread.
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I've seen him listed as 6'3" 230 Lbs and as 6'2" 225 lbs. Until we see the Combine we would be just guessing.
6'1 5/8 220. Just took 3 different media listings and averaged the numbers out.
Chazz Surratt is 6’2’’ 6’3’’ depending on the source. He’s got the steeleresque pass rush motor.
As you pointed out seems a little rough around the edges I believe he spent his first year at QB...it is no wonder. Seems like a high ceiling guy when he learns the nuances of the position. He’s been highly productive this year top 10 tackler in the ACC
His brother is pretty good too
So far the UNC defense plays a lot of under/odd fronts and do a damn fine job clogging interior gaps. In short, he's a linebacker that can move but would have to be protected because of his size. Think - Roquan Smith.
So far the UNC defense plays a lot of under/odd fronts and do a damn fine job clogging interior gaps. In short, he's a linebacker that can move but would have to be protected because of his size. Think - Roquan Smith.
Whenever you get around to watching a game or two of him, I'd be interested in your take. It's disappointing he will not play against that A&M running attack which also features a lot of TE 3rd down conversion play. I wanted to see how he performed against good OL blocking schemes.
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@the-gipper said:
You are on my list of Cowards : Robert Ford, the Captain of the Costa Concordia....and others.
Either offer proper analysis of your own or stay the fuck out of my thread with your bullshit meant to take up space and troll. The rest of us have insight to share. I'll have your posts removed if need be.
Thanks for your cooperation.
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@the-gipper said:
You are on my list of Cowards : Robert Ford, the Captain of the Costa Concordia....and others.
Either offer proper analysis of your own or stay the fuck out of my thread with your bullshit meant to take up space and troll. The rest of us have insight to share. I'll have your posts removed if need be.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Either offer proper analysis of your own or stay the fuck out of my thread with your bullshit meant to take up space and troll. The rest of us have insight to share. I'll have your posts removed if need be.
Thanks for your cooperation.
LOL! tia what are you doing up so early in the morning. 4am my time is 5 am yours. I'm retired so it doesn't matter when I'm up.??
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Either offer proper analysis of your own or stay the fuck out of my thread with your bullshit meant to take up space and troll. The rest of us have insight to share. I'll have your posts removed if need be.
Thanks for your cooperation.
LOL! tia what are you doing up so early in the morning. 4am my time is 5 am yours. I'm retired so it doesn't matter when I'm up.??
LOL! tia what are you doing up so early in the morning. 4am my time is 5 am yours. I'm retired so it doesn't matter when I'm up.??
Between covid and the holidays, I've had to get creative to avoid people during workouts. Especially those who are on vacation, because they won't be in the gym this early.
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LOL! tia what are you doing up so early in the morning. 4am my time is 5 am yours. I'm retired so it doesn't matter when I'm up.??
Between covid and the holidays, I've had to get creative to avoid people during workouts. Especially those who are on vacation, because they won't be in the gym this early.
Between covid and the holidays, I've had to get creative to avoid people during workouts. Especially those who are on vacation, because they won't be in the gym this early.
Now that I'm back in Texas where we are getting low 70s, I can ride my bicycle for an hour or two in shorts and a T-shirt in early afternoons. In Colorado I was putting on ice & snow cleats to trek the various trails in Rocky Mountain NP. My siblings and wife always worry about me doing that because I go up pretty high on the trails and at nearly 74 they are afraid I might get in trouble. I just laugh and tell them, "Hey, I made it to 73 plus so I'm living on borrowed time anyway. If God wants to take me up there I'm all in and totally at peace with it." Besides they always insist that I take a cell phone with me since 911 works up there.?
️?️
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Garrett likely won't be available in the late rounds.. he just made PFF's first team All American squad. Third team big10, first team all american.. Seems legit.
The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you. "When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." Paul Brown -
The problem with Farley is he will be long gone by our pick.
Probably, but so hard to predict right now. Lots of time for prospects to rise or fall...
... or simply get pushed down.
There's only so many players that can be stuffed into the top 25 of a draft... somewhere between 24 and 26 is my guess.
Probably, but so hard to predict right now. Lots of time for prospects to rise or fall...
... or simply get pushed down.
There's only so many players that can be stuffed into the top 25 of a draft... somewhere between 24 and 26 is my guess.
True, but corners are a premium position, and when you are one of the top few players at that position, if not the top player, the odds of you going top 10 are better than going in the mid to late 20's
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Garrett likely won't be available in the late rounds.. he just made PFF's first team All American squad. Third team big10, first team all american.. Seems legit.
Garrett likely won't be available in the late rounds.. he just made PFF's first team All American squad. Third team big10, first team all american.. Seems legit.
Foruntately for us, PFF collegiate grades and prospect projections are about as horseshit as they come.
Curtis Weaver as a top 100 pick? Yeah, Ok.
Now that I'm back in Texas where we are getting low 70s, I can ride my bicycle for an hour or two in shorts and a T-shirt in early afternoons. In Colorado I was putting on ice & snow cleats to trek the various trails in Rocky Mountain NP. My siblings and wife always worry about me doing that because I go up pretty high on the trails and at nearly 74 they are afraid I might get in trouble. I just laugh and tell them, "Hey, I made it to 73 plus so I'm living on borrowed time anyway. If God wants to take me up there I'm all in and totally at peace with it." Besides they always insist that I take a cell phone with me since 911 works up there.?
️?️
He died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
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Garrett likely won't be available in the late rounds.. he just made PFF's first team All American squad. Third team big10, first team all american.. Seems legit.
Foruntately for us, PFF collegiate grades and prospect projections are about as horseshit as they come.
Curtis Weaver as a top 100 pick? Yeah, Ok.
Now that I'm back in Texas where we are getting low 70s, I can ride my bicycle for an hour or two in shorts and a T-shirt in early afternoons. In Colorado I was putting on ice & snow cleats to trek the various trails in Rocky Mountain NP. My siblings and wife always worry about me doing that because I go up pretty high on the trails and at nearly 74 they are afraid I might get in trouble. I just laugh and tell them, "Hey, I made it to 73 plus so I'm living on borrowed time anyway. If God wants to take me up there I'm all in and totally at peace with it." Besides they always insist that I take a cell phone with me since 911 works up there.?
️?️
He died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
dHe died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
No disagreement there. I already told them if I was ready for a nursing home to just take me down to the coast and let me take sail with my little trimaran Hobie-cat and point me in the general direction of the Caribbean Isles.?️
Anchors away!??️
Or just put this on the old tombstone:
Ma loved Pa, Pa loved women
Ma caught Pa with two in swimmin'
Here lies Pa.??
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Curtis Weaver Details -- We'll see if he can contribute in the DE mix next season.
Miami picked him in the 5th, waived due to injury after his first 5 practices. Claimed by Cleveland 48h later and immediately placed on IR.
Don't forget him as well as DI Billings [a top-10 DL FA] who we signed to a 1-year but he opted out of the entire season.. so our 1-year deal is now the 2021 season.
The more labels you have for yourself, the dumber they make you. "When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." Paul Brown -
Garrett likely won't be available in the late rounds.. he just made PFF's first team All American squad. Third team big10, first team all american.. Seems legit.
Foruntately for us, PFF collegiate grades and prospect projections are about as horseshit as they come.
Curtis Weaver as a top 100 pick? Yeah, Ok.
Now that I'm back in Texas where we are getting low 70s, I can ride my bicycle for an hour or two in shorts and a T-shirt in early afternoons. In Colorado I was putting on ice & snow cleats to trek the various trails in Rocky Mountain NP. My siblings and wife always worry about me doing that because I go up pretty high on the trails and at nearly 74 they are afraid I might get in trouble. I just laugh and tell them, "Hey, I made it to 73 plus so I'm living on borrowed time anyway. If God wants to take me up there I'm all in and totally at peace with it." Besides they always insist that I take a cell phone with me since 911 works up there.?
️?️
He died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
Foruntately for us, PFF collegiate grades and prospect projections are about as horseshit as they come.
Curtis Weaver as a top 100 pick? Yeah, Ok.
He died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
Id be curious to see a H. Garrett film breakdown especially this year. Granted, he had a lot of dudes around him his Soph. And JR years I thought he played well when he rotated in the lineup. This year he’s stepped up even more. I think scouts wanted to see him without an all world DE playing next to him.
He was highly recruited out of HS and didn’t redshirt I always felt he was great against the run.
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Curtis Weaver Details -- We'll see if he can contribute in the DE mix next season.
Miami picked him in the 5th, waived due to injury after his first 5 practices. Claimed by Cleveland 48h later and immediately placed on IR.
Don't forget him as well as DI Billings [a top-10 DL FA] who we signed to a 1-year but he opted out of the entire season.. so our 1-year deal is now the 2021 season.
Curtis Weaver Details -- We'll see if he can contribute in the DE mix next season.
Miami picked him in the 5th, waived due to injury after his first 5 practices. Claimed by Cleveland 48h later and immediately placed on IR.
Don't forget him as well as DI Billings [a top-10 DL FA] who we signed to a 1-year but he opted out of the entire season.. so our 1-year deal is now the 2021 season.
I'm well aware of Billings and his future importance to this team. I'm pretty sure you'll find my posts on here saying he was (secretly) my favorite signing this year.
Weaver? Not so much.
PFF and myself have some similar molds re: NFL grading and some evaluation.
PFF and myself can't be further apart at times re: their collegiate grades and how they use them for NFL projections. And some of their misses just make absolutely zero sense.
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Foruntately for us, PFF collegiate grades and prospect projections are about as horseshit as they come.
Curtis Weaver as a top 100 pick? Yeah, Ok.
He died as he lived.... Stubborn as all hell.
Id be curious to see a H. Garrett film breakdown especially this year. Granted, he had a lot of dudes around him his Soph. And JR years I thought he played well when he rotated in the lineup. This year he’s stepped up even more. I think scouts wanted to see him without an all world DE playing next to him.
He was highly recruited out of HS and didn’t redshirt I always felt he was great against the run.
Id be curious to see a H. Garrett film breakdown especially this year. Granted, he had a lot of dudes around him his Soph. And JR years I thought he played well when he rotated in the lineup. This year he’s stepped up even more. I think scouts wanted to see him without an all world DE playing next to him.
He was highly recruited out of HS and didn’t redshirt I always felt he was great against the run.
When I've had time to watch closely this season (not often) he's played alright enough. But for a 2i/3tech he, along with the rest of the Buckeyes D-line, have struggled to get off blocks all season.
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Here is one we could probably sign as a UDFA. He was the leading LB on the A&M team (A&M ILB Buddy Johnson was just named Texas College Defensive POTY), but opted out of this COVID season. Consequently no one really knows about him. But he and OSU's Browning were the two best LBs in Texas HS football, both 5* rated players. I saw him play at Plano East and he was a tackling machine on an otherwise not very great team.
Whoever signs him gets a real darkhorse, I think good enough to start in the NFL some day. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by signing him.
Anthony Hines 6'3" 220 ILB
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Jack Sanborn Mike Backer Wisconsin. Another guy I’d like to see what you think regarding the tape.
I thought he Played well last season...especially OSU BigTen Champ game but I didn’t see a lot of him this year.
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Jack Sanborn Mike Backer Wisconsin. Another guy I’d like to see what you think regarding the tape.
I thought he Played well last season...especially OSU BigTen Champ game but I didn’t see a lot of him this year.
Jack Sanborn Mike Backer Wisconsin. Another guy I’d like to see what you think regarding the tape.
I thought he Played well last season...especially OSU BigTen Champ game but I didn’t see a lot of him this year.
I'll try to get around to him as well.
Right now I'm relaxing and watching Chazz Surratt and his cutup against 'Cuse. Wasn't much to talk about 1st half, but the 2nd half of this game has caught my eye. Kid can move and he doesn't hesitate when he see's something. You also see some of his experience in the QB room paying off on how he attacks underneath stuff and follows a QB's eyes based on formation and personnel. Also has shown a nice ability to get underneath blockers and fight to the ball carrier.
He has my curiosity.
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So it's obvious the Browns are going to be concentrating on defense this offseason.
Thing is, I'm not sure what type of players fits a Joe Woods defense. Does he like smaller, faster one-gap DLinemen? Or bigger, space-eating DLinemen? Fast, athletic LBs that can cover sideline-to-sideline or big, bruising LBs? Man-to-man cornerbacks, or smart, bigger CBs who specialize in playing the zone?
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So it's obvious the Browns are going to be concentrating on defense this offseason.
Thing is, I'm not sure what type of players fits a Joe Woods defense. Does he like smaller, faster one-gap DLinemen? Or bigger, space-eating DLinemen? Fast, athletic LBs that can cover sideline-to-sideline or big, bruising LBs? Man-to-man cornerbacks, or smart, bigger CBs who specialize in playing the zone?
So it's obvious the Browns are going to be concentrating on defense this offseason.
Thing is, I'm not sure what type of players fits a Joe Woods defense. Does he like smaller, faster one-gap DLinemen? Or bigger, space-eating DLinemen? Fast, athletic LBs that can cover sideline-to-sideline or big, bruising LBs? Man-to-man cornerbacks, or smart, bigger CBs who specialize in playing the zone?
Going off his 2 year tape at Denver, both on the line. There are 2 and blended gap fronts he used in base and some nickel situations. As for LB's? Again, I think you're looking for role players in the defense more than anything. Who can do what with some additional responsibilities if need be. As for CB's? Even the most man-heavy teams only play man about 55-60% of the time. You need DB's that can do everything in today's NFL.
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The first game in the results for Chazz Surratt was vs 'Cuse this season. I cut out of work early today to start my holiday break, so I'm going to go through this cutup and give you my "rough draft" thoughts. This was a single viewing with a couple pauses. So I'm sure I'm going to miss something here and there. My hand-writing on the fly isn't so great.
First thing that jumps out to me was, like I said - his size. 6'1 and change, about 220lbs in season. Which means he'll probably show up to the combine around 230 with a few to spare.
- The 'Cuse Oline is either very bad, or the UNC Dline is quite good this year. Sadly I don't have enough to make that call yet.
- A lot of okie/odd fronts in base and over in nickel and dime situations. I suspect for a couple reasons. The UNC staff wants to beat speed with speed, believes in their linebackers but most importantly (and demonstrated by the base fronts) know they have to "protect" their linebackers. With that speed comes a lack of size. The Mack and Buck backers in their odd/okie/under fronts are setup to have the interior Oline as occupied as humanly possible freeing them up to run sideline to sideline and downhill without second level interference. You'll remember another rather undersized Mike LB in Buckeye history - Brian Rolle. On that team which took the Rose Bowl against Oregon. They ran a lot of base odd and under fronts to maximize their strengths as a Dline but especially to protect the skill of linebackers. Go ahead and youtube "2009 Ohio State defense" to refresh yourself. It looks like what many call a "3-4". I guess that's pretty much what it is depending on how you designate some of your 2pt edge players. Tex won't be so familiar with those Buckeye teams, so I'd encourage to youtube that for some contrast and find Brian Rolle. He won't be hard to spot among the other linebackers, trust me.
- There was a lot of designated pressures or straight drops blended in with "traditional" LB reads. And I wasn't all that impressed with Chazz' ability to time a snap or get small in a hole on pressure. Honestly, he wasn't very good at it in this game. But he does fly out in coverage. Doesn't always mean to the right spot, but he has some wheels. On pressures, UNC routinely lined him up to the boundary and would roll a safety over the vacated receiver. I don't recall a single sack, maybe a pressure? That was it. But to counter, UNC would also let him pick up the #2 to the boundary in coverage to sort of balance the looks between pressure and not. A guessing game, basically. Not an overly complex one if a decent coaching staff gets to look at it for a full half of game.
- There is a play @ 42 seconds I like. UNC tries to bracket the #2 receiver to the boundary, Chazz uses his eyes and trusts them. Because the 'Cuse QB leads him right to the ball. In true fashion of a player who hasn't spent much time making the position 2nd nature, his ability to minimize his contact area while maximizing hitting force was.... bad. He fucked himself up. Need to turn that shoulder juuuuuuust a hair.
- Where Chazz shined was downhill. @ 2:48 gets underneath and past guard peeling to the 2nd level, gets square and delivers a great hit. At which point, 'Cuse lineman started looking specifically for CS when they would get off combo blocks. You'll see an even better example @ 6:04. Getting through a power lead look, fights under the pull with a lineman on him, and makes the play on the RB. The might be the most impressive play of this game for him. That's a hell of an ask for an undersized LB. And the difference between making that play and not making that play is the "want to". You have to give him credit, switching from QB and showing physical play as a weakside backer is not something I take lightly. You need a mental makeup for that which most players simple don't have. I'm not one to impress easily, but this was (in a vacuum) just a badass snap. Things like this, when you can't interview or speak to a prospect, really stand out in terms of that football character.
Summarize a short video. He's a quick, but undersized weakside linebacker that UNC has setup to be the man who fly's around to the ball carrier and makes the plays. There are times in coverage he looks a little lost and can get caught just starring at QB action in the backfield, other times when him locking onto a QB's eyes take him right to the ball on underneath responsibility. I have to ask, does that make him more susceptible to QB's manipulating him with his eyes? Or perhaps less with the addition of spending time in a college QB room with professional coaches? I don't have an answer for that one without more film. The 3x2 open from 'Cuse is a good example. He can bracket a receiver to the boundary, but if he gets looked off and the DB is outside leverage, then that backside post will be a paycheck for someone.
The few times he did carry a receiver downfield he didn't look awful, but he clearly needs more work/time understanding how to leverage his body position against certain routes, trusting his athletic ability and working his eyes separate from his body.
Despite him being undersized, there is zero hesitation or lack of physical presence from his play. The two I noted above are the best examples of this and probably won't find better ones in the entire season. When he feels he has the read, he goes - the wheels turn immediately. And he has a great first step. Again, helps being a bit on the smaller side. But he'll run a 4.6 something at the combine, I'm sure. Maybe even faster.
A day 2 pick? Sure. First viewing, depending on other prospects, need v want, and how the rest of the film works out... I can see enough initial interest to understand why people might grow to be high on him. I can also understand concerns of a position switch late and the mental game, along with his physical development, needed a respectable amount of time. How that fits with the Browns? I'm not sure at the moment. But when you have a defense such as ours that needs an immediate injection of talent, the last thing you can afford is taking a player who needs time in both areas of development and not catch hell for it. But pairing a mike backer like Goodson with someone who can run, cover and hit? Yeah, that's what we need.
I will be looking for and reporting back more from Chazz when I watch it.
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The first game in the results for Chazz Surratt was vs 'Cuse this season. I cut out of work early today to start my holiday break, so I'm going to go through this cutup and give you my "rough draft" thoughts. This was a single viewing with a couple pauses. So I'm sure I'm going to miss something here and there. My hand-writing on the fly isn't so great.
First thing that jumps out to me was, like I said - his size. 6'1 and change, about 220lbs in season. Which means he'll probably show up to the combine around 230 with a few to spare.
- The 'Cuse Oline is either very bad, or the UNC Dline is quite good this year. Sadly I don't have enough to make that call yet.
- A lot of okie/odd fronts in base and over in nickel and dime situations. I suspect for a couple reasons. The UNC staff wants to beat speed with speed, believes in their linebackers but most importantly (and demonstrated by the base fronts) know they have to "protect" their linebackers. With that speed comes a lack of size. The Mack and Buck backers in their odd/okie/under fronts are setup to have the interior Oline as occupied as humanly possible freeing them up to run sideline to sideline and downhill without second level interference. You'll remember another rather undersized Mike LB in Buckeye history - Brian Rolle. On that team which took the Rose Bowl against Oregon. They ran a lot of base odd and under fronts to maximize their strengths as a Dline but especially to protect the skill of linebackers. Go ahead and youtube "2009 Ohio State defense" to refresh yourself. It looks like what many call a "3-4". I guess that's pretty much what it is depending on how you designate some of your 2pt edge players. Tex won't be so familiar with those Buckeye teams, so I'd encourage to youtube that for some contrast and find Brian Rolle. He won't be hard to spot among the other linebackers, trust me.
- There was a lot of designated pressures or straight drops blended in with "traditional" LB reads. And I wasn't all that impressed with Chazz' ability to time a snap or get small in a hole on pressure. Honestly, he wasn't very good at it in this game. But he does fly out in coverage. Doesn't always mean to the right spot, but he has some wheels. On pressures, UNC routinely lined him up to the boundary and would roll a safety over the vacated receiver. I don't recall a single sack, maybe a pressure? That was it. But to counter, UNC would also let him pick up the #2 to the boundary in coverage to sort of balance the looks between pressure and not. A guessing game, basically. Not an overly complex one if a decent coaching staff gets to look at it for a full half of game.
- There is a play @ 42 seconds I like. UNC tries to bracket the #2 receiver to the boundary, Chazz uses his eyes and trusts them. Because the 'Cuse QB leads him right to the ball. In true fashion of a player who hasn't spent much time making the position 2nd nature, his ability to minimize his contact area while maximizing hitting force was.... bad. He fucked himself up. Need to turn that shoulder juuuuuuust a hair.
- Where Chazz shined was downhill. @ 2:48 gets underneath and past guard peeling to the 2nd level, gets square and delivers a great hit. At which point, 'Cuse lineman started looking specifically for CS when they would get off combo blocks. You'll see an even better example @ 6:04. Getting through a power lead look, fights under the pull with a lineman on him, and makes the play on the RB. The might be the most impressive play of this game for him. That's a hell of an ask for an undersized LB. And the difference between making that play and not making that play is the "want to". You have to give him credit, switching from QB and showing physical play as a weakside backer is not something I take lightly. You need a mental makeup for that which most players simple don't have. I'm not one to impress easily, but this was (in a vacuum) just a badass snap. Things like this, when you can't interview or speak to a prospect, really stand out in terms of that football character.
Summarize a short video. He's a quick, but undersized weakside linebacker that UNC has setup to be the man who fly's around to the ball carrier and makes the plays. There are times in coverage he looks a little lost and can get caught just starring at QB action in the backfield, other times when him locking onto a QB's eyes take him right to the ball on underneath responsibility. I have to ask, does that make him more susceptible to QB's manipulating him with his eyes? Or perhaps less with the addition of spending time in a college QB room with professional coaches? I don't have an answer for that one without more film. The 3x2 open from 'Cuse is a good example. He can bracket a receiver to the boundary, but if he gets looked off and the DB is outside leverage, then that backside post will be a paycheck for someone.
The few times he did carry a receiver downfield he didn't look awful, but he clearly needs more work/time understanding how to leverage his body position against certain routes, trusting his athletic ability and working his eyes separate from his body.
Despite him being undersized, there is zero hesitation or lack of physical presence from his play. The two I noted above are the best examples of this and probably won't find better ones in the entire season. When he feels he has the read, he goes - the wheels turn immediately. And he has a great first step. Again, helps being a bit on the smaller side. But he'll run a 4.6 something at the combine, I'm sure. Maybe even faster.
A day 2 pick? Sure. First viewing, depending on other prospects, need v want, and how the rest of the film works out... I can see enough initial interest to understand why people might grow to be high on him. I can also understand concerns of a position switch late and the mental game, along with his physical development, needed a respectable amount of time. How that fits with the Browns? I'm not sure at the moment. But when you have a defense such as ours that needs an immediate injection of talent, the last thing you can afford is taking a player who needs time in both areas of development and not catch hell for it. But pairing a mike backer like Goodson with someone who can run, cover and hit? Yeah, that's what we need.
I will be looking for and reporting back more from Chazz when I watch it.
The first game in the results for Chazz Surratt was vs 'Cuse this season. I cut out of work early today to start my holiday break, so I'm going to go through this cutup and give you my "rough draft" thoughts. This was a single viewing with a couple pauses. So I'm sure I'm going to miss something here and there. My hand-writing on the fly isn't so great.
First thing that jumps out to me was, like I said - his size. 6'1 and change, about 220lbs in season. Which means he'll probably show up to the combine around 230 with a few to spare.
- The 'Cuse Oline is either very bad, or the UNC Dline is quite good this year. Sadly I don't have enough to make that call yet.
- A lot of okie/odd fronts in base and over in nickel and dime situations. I suspect for a couple reasons. The UNC staff wants to beat speed with speed, believes in their linebackers but most importantly (and demonstrated by the base fronts) know they have to "protect" their linebackers. With that speed comes a lack of size. The Mack and Buck backers in their odd/okie/under fronts are setup to have the interior Oline as occupied as humanly possible freeing them up to run sideline to sideline and downhill without second level interference. You'll remember another rather undersized Mike LB in Buckeye history - Brian Rolle. On that team which took the Rose Bowl against Oregon. They ran a lot of base odd and under fronts to maximize their strengths as a Dline but especially to protect the skill of linebackers. Go ahead and youtube "2009 Ohio State defense" to refresh yourself. It looks like what many call a "3-4". I guess that's pretty much what it is depending on how you designate some of your 2pt edge players. Tex won't be so familiar with those Buckeye teams, so I'd encourage to youtube that for some contrast and find Brian Rolle. He won't be hard to spot among the other linebackers, trust me.
- There was a lot of designated pressures or straight drops blended in with "traditional" LB reads. And I wasn't all that impressed with Chazz' ability to time a snap or get small in a hole on pressure. Honestly, he wasn't very good at it in this game. But he does fly out in coverage. Doesn't always mean to the right spot, but he has some wheels. On pressures, UNC routinely lined him up to the boundary and would roll a safety over the vacated receiver. I don't recall a single sack, maybe a pressure? That was it. But to counter, UNC would also let him pick up the #2 to the boundary in coverage to sort of balance the looks between pressure and not. A guessing game, basically. Not an overly complex one if a decent coaching staff gets to look at it for a full half of game.
- There is a play @ 42 seconds I like. UNC tries to bracket the #2 receiver to the boundary, Chazz uses his eyes and trusts them. Because the 'Cuse QB leads him right to the ball. In true fashion of a player who hasn't spent much time making the position 2nd nature, his ability to minimize his contact area while maximizing hitting force was.... bad. He fucked himself up. Need to turn that shoulder juuuuuuust a hair.
- Where Chazz shined was downhill. @ 2:48 gets underneath and past guard peeling to the 2nd level, gets square and delivers a great hit. At which point, 'Cuse lineman started looking specifically for CS when they would get off combo blocks. You'll see an even better example @ 6:04. Getting through a power lead look, fights under the pull with a lineman on him, and makes the play on the RB. The might be the most impressive play of this game for him. That's a hell of an ask for an undersized LB. And the difference between making that play and not making that play is the "want to". You have to give him credit, switching from QB and showing physical play as a weakside backer is not something I take lightly. You need a mental makeup for that which most players simple don't have. I'm not one to impress easily, but this was (in a vacuum) just a badass snap. Things like this, when you can't interview or speak to a prospect, really stand out in terms of that football character.
Summarize a short video. He's a quick, but undersized weakside linebacker that UNC has setup to be the man who fly's around to the ball carrier and makes the plays. There are times in coverage he looks a little lost and can get caught just starring at QB action in the backfield, other times when him locking onto a QB's eyes take him right to the ball on underneath responsibility. I have to ask, does that make him more susceptible to QB's manipulating him with his eyes? Or perhaps less with the addition of spending time in a college QB room with professional coaches? I don't have an answer for that one without more film. The 3x2 open from 'Cuse is a good example. He can bracket a receiver to the boundary, but if he gets looked off and the DB is outside leverage, then that backside post will be a paycheck for someone.
The few times he did carry a receiver downfield he didn't look awful, but he clearly needs more work/time understanding how to leverage his body position against certain routes, trusting his athletic ability and working his eyes separate from his body.
Despite him being undersized, there is zero hesitation or lack of physical presence from his play. The two I noted above are the best examples of this and probably won't find better ones in the entire season. When he feels he has the read, he goes - the wheels turn immediately. And he has a great first step. Again, helps being a bit on the smaller side. But he'll run a 4.6 something at the combine, I'm sure. Maybe even faster.
A day 2 pick? Sure. First viewing, depending on other prospects, need v want, and how the rest of the film works out... I can see enough initial interest to understand why people might grow to be high on him. I can also understand concerns of a position switch late and the mental game, along with his physical development, needed a respectable amount of time. How that fits with the Browns? I'm not sure at the moment. But when you have a defense such as ours that needs an immediate injection of talent, the last thing you can afford is taking a player who needs time in both areas of development and not catch hell for it. But pairing a mike backer like Goodson with someone who can run, cover and hit? Yeah, that's what we need.
I will be looking for and reporting back more from Chazz when I watch it.
That was great- Thanks!!! Ive been impressed with the athleticism and after starting out as QB in college maybe he possesses the mind for the game and has a higher ceiling than most.
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