In just under a week’s time, the 2018 draft will finally begin in Dallas. After the ten best true talent prospects of the Offense have already been presented, it is now time for Defense. So which players are potentially the strongest in the drafts, regardless of their best fit? All three draft days are available live and in the original commentary on DAZN.
The draft enjoys a deep and talented cornerback class in which Mike Hughes made another leap forward just before the end of the goal. After the team interviews, the UCF product should be very popular with several franchises. Hughes is a natural cover cornerback with a lot of speed and a short step sequence, which allows him to reach his top speed quickly. He manages to follow his opponents on both in- and out-routes, gets to his opponent quickly in off-coverage and is a good tackler. In 2017 he recorded 4 interceptions, 11 pass break-ups, a forced fumble and 49 tackles. Hughes has also made a name for himself as a good returner.
Marcus Davenport dominated in college due to not to be overlooked advantages of size and strength. He overpowered his opponents with successive snaps and brought enemy quarterbacks to the ground through simple contact. His first steps are very quick. For Davenport’s size, it also creates very good movements around the Edge. Its range guarantees many advantages during the run stop. From time to time, Davenport tends to lose track and use too much force when not needed. In 2017 he collected 55 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks as well as 3 forced fumbles. Davenport is still a very raw prospect with great facilities and very big upsides.
Another cornerback that made excellent use of the days around the Combine. Jaire Alexander impressed the scouts at the 40-yard dash and the exercises on the field. He showed excellent footwork and good movements from the hip. At Louisville Alexander In-Routes followed very well and rarely allowed separation. Alexander anticipates plays and passes excellently and likes to go with strong physis in tackles. His vulnerability to injury and problems with off-coverage are worrying. Alexander missed six games in the past season and came up with 19 tackles, 4 pass break-ups and an interception in the final account. If the risk of injury is not too great a concern for a team, Alexander will probably leave the board on day one.
The combination of size, range, power and speed that Vita Vea brings to a nose tackle is rare. Vea is an incredibly reliable run-stopper and always manages to beat his opponent to create pressure in the pocket. He manages to use his mass energetically and is difficult to control. But Vea always has little problems finding the right balance and shifts the body’s centre of gravity too high. In 2017 he collected 44 tackles, 3.5 bags and 4 pass deflections. He is the best defensive tackle prospect, but has to work on his technique to be able to retrieve more consistently.
Despite his relatively small height, Roquan Smith is the best prospect on the inside linebacker position. He is incredibly fast and can therefore follow opponents all over the field. His pass protection is as strong as an ox. Against the run, the defense benefits most from his speed. Smith is often the first man at running back. Accordingly, Smith is also a very good speed camera. In 2017 he collected 137 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss as well as a forced fumble and two pass break-ups. Smith may fit best in a 4-3 look, but he needs to improve his ability to get out of blocks faster. In the NFL he can make a good career against both the run and the pass.
Page 1: Marcus Davenport, Vita Vea, Roquan Smith and Co.
Page 2: Secondary-Gold and the Super-Pass Rusher