Dragon End ~ Charles Tapper ~ Oklahoma
Sooners ~ 6025/270
Regarding Dragons
Throughout the FootBall World, Defenses are undergoing Transformational, Revolutionary Change. Old Roles are getting dramatically transformed, and virtually every Front 7 ~ or Front 6!! ~ Defensive Job Description is transitioning into an Hybrid Role where the Defender is asked to excel in multiple Roles and in multiple Fronts.
For that reason, and in order to offer NomenClature that speaks not to archaic, obsolete "Positions", but rather to Skill Sets that accurately reflect the dynamic Changes of the 21st Century Game and the Roles they have spawned, I have undertaken to craft Terminology that is designed to break Skill Sets down as they really are.
Defensive Coordinators have, since Time Immemorial, employed highly creative terminology in devising Defenses and in designating Assignments. In that Spirit, I have admittedly indulged myself considerably in devising the following NomenClature. It is undeniably colorful, but I like to think that there's an underlying Logic, as well:
Dragons ~ This is my terminology for Players who may've played either Defensive End or what you Earthlings call "OutSide LineBacker" in College, and who in any case possess the Size to player either at the next level. They would generally be deployed as Ends in a 43 or as "OutSide LineBackers" in a 34, and have even been known to get deployed as Interior Rushers in the Nascar Package. The Prototype would generally be somewhere around 6050/265 or so.
Of course, where and how any given Coach chooses to deploy his Players is his Business. Players that I characterize as Dragons may often or even routinely line up anywhere, on any given Down. My only purpose is simply to identify what I perceive as Skill Sets, to distinguish types, if you will, and perhaps create a universal Point of Reference.
Dragons in a 43 are Defensive Linemen, but Dragons in a 34, for instance, are off the Line and may be asked to drop into Pass Coverage from time to time, so that capacity ~ observed or inferred is going to be part of my Evaluations.
When evaluating Dragons, this is how I break down the Attributes to which I pay most particular attention:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Torso Power is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body strength in the world still fails if you can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables a Defensive Lineman to project Power in the Passing Game and to reject Power in the Running Game.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.
Combat Skills: Paw Power, Mechanics ~ Hand Speed & Positioning ~ and of course: Frame.
Intangibles: Processing Speed and Motor. Processing Speed or Diagnostic Velocity is about how quickly and effectively one Reads & Reacts to how the Rapidly Roiling Tactical LandScape effects Blocking Schemes, and Motor is about Endurance and Drive: How much Work has been put into Conditioning, and how it manifests itself.
Run Defense: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Navigating Traffic, Processing Speed, Motor, and Tackling.
Pass Coverage: Agility, Processing Speed, and Catch Point Capacity.
Pass Rush: Power, Agility, and Combat Skills.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power ~ lower body Power. Core Power trumps Torso Power. Tyrannosaurus Rex had exceptional Core Power.
* Torso Power ~ upper Body Power. Important, but not crucial. T Rex had lousy Torso Power...yet was King.
* Anchoring Strength against the Run.
* Drive Power in the Pass Rush.
Agility
* Fluidity, above all things: Core Agility & Flexibility makes everything possible.
* Launch Velocity ~ Speed into Contact off the Snap.
* Acceleration ~ Short Speed or Quickness.
Combat Skills
* Frame ~ Arms, Hands, and above all: WingSpan.
* Field Vision ~ Reacting to the Tactical LandScape: It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Persistence ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
* FootWork ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
Intangibles
* Processing Speed ~ Field Vision. Rapidly Reading & Reacting to the Offense.
* Motor ~ Intensity and Duration.
Run Defense
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Navigating Traffic
* Processing Speed
* Motor
* Tackling
Pass Coverage
* Agility
* Processing Speed
* Catch Point Capacity
Pass Rush
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
For that reason, and in order to offer NomenClature that speaks not to archaic, obsolete "Positions", but rather to Skill Sets that accurately reflect the dynamic Changes of the 21st Century Game and the Roles they have spawned, I have undertaken to craft Terminology that is designed to break Skill Sets down as they really are.
Defensive Coordinators have, since Time Immemorial, employed highly creative terminology in devising Defenses and in designating Assignments. In that Spirit, I have admittedly indulged myself considerably in devising the following NomenClature. It is undeniably colorful, but I like to think that there's an underlying Logic, as well:
Dragons ~ This is my terminology for Players who may've played either Defensive End or what you Earthlings call "OutSide LineBacker" in College, and who in any case possess the Size to player either at the next level. They would generally be deployed as Ends in a 43 or as "OutSide LineBackers" in a 34, and have even been known to get deployed as Interior Rushers in the Nascar Package. The Prototype would generally be somewhere around 6050/265 or so.
Of course, where and how any given Coach chooses to deploy his Players is his Business. Players that I characterize as Dragons may often or even routinely line up anywhere, on any given Down. My only purpose is simply to identify what I perceive as Skill Sets, to distinguish types, if you will, and perhaps create a universal Point of Reference.
Dragons in a 43 are Defensive Linemen, but Dragons in a 34, for instance, are off the Line and may be asked to drop into Pass Coverage from time to time, so that capacity ~ observed or inferred is going to be part of my Evaluations.
When evaluating Dragons, this is how I break down the Attributes to which I pay most particular attention:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Torso Power is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body strength in the world still fails if you can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables a Defensive Lineman to project Power in the Passing Game and to reject Power in the Running Game.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.
Combat Skills: Paw Power, Mechanics ~ Hand Speed & Positioning ~ and of course: Frame.
Intangibles: Processing Speed and Motor. Processing Speed or Diagnostic Velocity is about how quickly and effectively one Reads & Reacts to how the Rapidly Roiling Tactical LandScape effects Blocking Schemes, and Motor is about Endurance and Drive: How much Work has been put into Conditioning, and how it manifests itself.
Run Defense: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Navigating Traffic, Processing Speed, Motor, and Tackling.
Pass Coverage: Agility, Processing Speed, and Catch Point Capacity.
Pass Rush: Power, Agility, and Combat Skills.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power ~ lower body Power. Core Power trumps Torso Power. Tyrannosaurus Rex had exceptional Core Power.
* Torso Power ~ upper Body Power. Important, but not crucial. T Rex had lousy Torso Power...yet was King.
* Anchoring Strength against the Run.
* Drive Power in the Pass Rush.
Agility
* Fluidity, above all things: Core Agility & Flexibility makes everything possible.
* Launch Velocity ~ Speed into Contact off the Snap.
* Acceleration ~ Short Speed or Quickness.
Combat Skills
* Frame ~ Arms, Hands, and above all: WingSpan.
* Field Vision ~ Reacting to the Tactical LandScape: It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Persistence ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
* FootWork ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
Intangibles
* Processing Speed ~ Field Vision. Rapidly Reading & Reacting to the Offense.
* Motor ~ Intensity and Duration.
Run Defense
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
* Navigating Traffic
* Processing Speed
* Motor
* Tackling
Pass Coverage
* Agility
* Processing Speed
* Catch Point Capacity
Pass Rush
* Power
* Agility
* Combat Skills
Charles Tapper Scouting Report
Power: Exceptional and trending towards extraordinary. Tapper converted his Focus from Hoops to FootBall only during his Junior Year in High School, and is still mentally acclimating, but his Functional Power is advanced.
Agility: Excellent. Exceptional Launch Velocity. Impressive Fluidity. Tremendous Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Marginal because of raw Mechanics, but improving and with an extraordinary WingSpan that speaks to tremendous Potential. It took Years to kick in, but Tapper finished 2015 with a Flourish.
Intangibles: Impressive and trending sharply upward. Marginal Field Vision overall, but improving rapidly towards the end of the 2015 Campaign, as things seemed to finally start to click for'm. And excellent Motor and Conditioning.
Run Defense: Tremendous Potential as a Point of Attack Edge Setter, either as a MidFielder in an Odd Front or as an End in an even Front or even in an attacking, Wade Phillips kind of Odd Front. His Range has been mediocre because of marginal Field Vision, but he's improving and has the Fluidity, Motor, and Acceleration to make an huge Impact.
Pass Coverage: Virtually no Reps, there, so I wouldn't chance it.
Pass Rush: Raw as Hell, but he's got the WingSpan, the raw Power, Speed, and enough Fluidity to terrorize.
Agility: Excellent. Exceptional Launch Velocity. Impressive Fluidity. Tremendous Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Marginal because of raw Mechanics, but improving and with an extraordinary WingSpan that speaks to tremendous Potential. It took Years to kick in, but Tapper finished 2015 with a Flourish.
Intangibles: Impressive and trending sharply upward. Marginal Field Vision overall, but improving rapidly towards the end of the 2015 Campaign, as things seemed to finally start to click for'm. And excellent Motor and Conditioning.
Run Defense: Tremendous Potential as a Point of Attack Edge Setter, either as a MidFielder in an Odd Front or as an End in an even Front or even in an attacking, Wade Phillips kind of Odd Front. His Range has been mediocre because of marginal Field Vision, but he's improving and has the Fluidity, Motor, and Acceleration to make an huge Impact.
Pass Coverage: Virtually no Reps, there, so I wouldn't chance it.
Pass Rush: Raw as Hell, but he's got the WingSpan, the raw Power, Speed, and enough Fluidity to terrorize.
Charles Tapper Prosepctus
Charles Tapper is very raw, yes, but the way he came on Down The Stretch last Year has me giddy with Excitement.
Even now, he's got a ways to go to develop his Talent, but things clearly started to click for'm Down The Stretch last Year, and all that Intrinsic Power and Speed started to translate into Functional Power and Speed.
After Years of Hard Work ~ and Tapper is by all accounts a passionate Worker ~ it all started to click.
I presume Nothing of The Future, but if Charles Tapper does indeed succeed in developing the extraordinary combination of Power, Speed, and sprawling WingSpan that The Gods blessed him with to their full capacity, it seems to me that he could become a beautifully destructive Force both against The Run and against The Pass.
And my impression both of his Drive ~ universally acclaimed and evident on Tape ~ and his Intelligence ~ manifest in the way he finished 2015 ~ are highly optimistic. I presume Nothing, yes...But I love this kid's Chances!!
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Even now, he's got a ways to go to develop his Talent, but things clearly started to click for'm Down The Stretch last Year, and all that Intrinsic Power and Speed started to translate into Functional Power and Speed.
After Years of Hard Work ~ and Tapper is by all accounts a passionate Worker ~ it all started to click.
I presume Nothing of The Future, but if Charles Tapper does indeed succeed in developing the extraordinary combination of Power, Speed, and sprawling WingSpan that The Gods blessed him with to their full capacity, it seems to me that he could become a beautifully destructive Force both against The Run and against The Pass.
And my impression both of his Drive ~ universally acclaimed and evident on Tape ~ and his Intelligence ~ manifest in the way he finished 2015 ~ are highly optimistic. I presume Nothing, yes...But I love this kid's Chances!!
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Beast ~ Sleeper!!
| Market Value #101 | Yankee Grade 1st/2nd Round |
Please do Note: This and all Evaluations issued by this Site are produced by a ludicrously unqualified Amateur, privy to not even the tiniest fraction of Coach's Tape, Scouting Expertise, Face to Face Interviewing, Experience, or Inside Information enjoyed by the Professionals. As such, anything put forth is certainly misinformed, euphonious, derivative Tripe, and should be rejected out'f hand and indeed shunned by all men and women of Good Will!! I'm trying to discern Power, Agility, Combat Skills, and far more abstract, esoteric Concepts such as Processing Speed and Motor, and I'm trying to do so based almost entirely on a fascinating fusion of Tape, Combine Numbers, and Pro Days, while trying to attenuate my findings based on Allowances for Competition Level, Scheme, Concept, Context, and, above all: Trajectory!!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!
None of this is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning!! Caveat Emptor!
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