Dragon ~ Danielle Hunter ~ Louisiana State Fighting Tigers ~ 6050/252
Regarding Dragons
Throughout the FootBall World, Defenses are in the process of undergoing spectacular Disruption and Revolution. 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 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:
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
* Paw Power ~ The Power & Speed of the initial Punch.
* Paw Velocity ~ How active the Hands are.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Frame ~ Above all: WingSpan.
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:
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
* Paw Power ~ The Power & Speed of the initial Punch.
* Paw Velocity ~ How active the Hands are.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Frame ~ Above all: WingSpan.
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
Danielle Hunter Scouting Report
Power: Tremendous. At 252 Pounds, Hunter falls into the shadowy, ethereal Mist between Dragon and Bandit ~ and closer to Bandit, frankly. But I created the Category of Bandit for erstwhile Linemen who were too big to play MidFielder, yet not Strong enough to man the Trenches, and that sure as Hell doesn't describe Daniel Hunter, whose Anchoring Strength in Run Defense and whose Drive Power in the Pass Rush are equally formidable, even at 252 Pounds.
Agility: Outstanding. Impressive Launch Velocity, tremendous Fluidity, and exceptional Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Mixed. Impressive Paw Speed and competitive Mechanics, but his Pass Rush Repertoire is imaginary.
Intangibles: Mixed. Outstanding Motor, but despite being by all Accounts intelligent, his Processing Speed appears awful.
Run Defense: Superb. Impressive Anchoring Strength, outstanding Motor, and exceptional Acceleration in Pursuit.
Pass Coverage: Mediocre. Tremendous Fluidity and exceptional Acceleration, but he lacks Diagnostic Velocity.
Pass Rush: Mediocre. Tremendous Potential, but how likely he is to attain it is a very big Question, I believe, and perhaps bigger than most think. Hunter brings exceptional Drive Power, tremendous Fluidity, and exceptional Acceleration to the BattleField, and a great Motor, as well. But his Repertoire has stagnated, despite several Years on the job.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Agility: Outstanding. Impressive Launch Velocity, tremendous Fluidity, and exceptional Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Mixed. Impressive Paw Speed and competitive Mechanics, but his Pass Rush Repertoire is imaginary.
Intangibles: Mixed. Outstanding Motor, but despite being by all Accounts intelligent, his Processing Speed appears awful.
Run Defense: Superb. Impressive Anchoring Strength, outstanding Motor, and exceptional Acceleration in Pursuit.
Pass Coverage: Mediocre. Tremendous Fluidity and exceptional Acceleration, but he lacks Diagnostic Velocity.
Pass Rush: Mediocre. Tremendous Potential, but how likely he is to attain it is a very big Question, I believe, and perhaps bigger than most think. Hunter brings exceptional Drive Power, tremendous Fluidity, and exceptional Acceleration to the BattleField, and a great Motor, as well. But his Repertoire has stagnated, despite several Years on the job.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Danielle Hunter Prospectus
What terrifies me about Danielle Hunter is his lack of Pass Rushing Refinement & Repertoire at this advanced Stage.
I am perhaps the world's leading Advocate of Trajectory ~ of extrapolating Potential beyond current Production, based on a perceived combination of Talent, Intelligence, and Drive...But when I watch Danielle Hunter on Tape and then read his Resume, I'm shocked to see that he hasn't recently converted from Tight End, or perhaps Power Forward.
He's been doing this since High School.
And yet his Pass Rush has very little Development.
That...that ain't good.
Danielle Hunter clearly possesses immense physical Talent, tremendous Drive, and, by all Accounts, plenty of Intelligence. That is the Magical Trinity that I seek, when scouring Colleges for extraordinary Trajectory.
...But I also look for a Manifestation of these things...and therein lies the Problem.
I do not foresee Danielle Hunter washing out, mind you: He is a tremendous Run Defender, and if he never develops into the Pass Rusher that his considerable athletic Talents suggest he ought to, I'm quite confident that a man with his voracious Motor will at the very least produce enough Disruption to be an asset to'is Team.
What it comes down to, in my view, is assessing what the Chances are that he and his future Coaches manage to unlock his athletic Gifts and transform'm into the Pass Rushing Force that his current Market Value suggests.
And given his Track Record, I'd have to say the Odds aren't particularly good.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
I am perhaps the world's leading Advocate of Trajectory ~ of extrapolating Potential beyond current Production, based on a perceived combination of Talent, Intelligence, and Drive...But when I watch Danielle Hunter on Tape and then read his Resume, I'm shocked to see that he hasn't recently converted from Tight End, or perhaps Power Forward.
He's been doing this since High School.
And yet his Pass Rush has very little Development.
That...that ain't good.
Danielle Hunter clearly possesses immense physical Talent, tremendous Drive, and, by all Accounts, plenty of Intelligence. That is the Magical Trinity that I seek, when scouring Colleges for extraordinary Trajectory.
...But I also look for a Manifestation of these things...and therein lies the Problem.
I do not foresee Danielle Hunter washing out, mind you: He is a tremendous Run Defender, and if he never develops into the Pass Rusher that his considerable athletic Talents suggest he ought to, I'm quite confident that a man with his voracious Motor will at the very least produce enough Disruption to be an asset to'is Team.
What it comes down to, in my view, is assessing what the Chances are that he and his future Coaches manage to unlock his athletic Gifts and transform'm into the Pass Rushing Force that his current Market Value suggests.
And given his Track Record, I'd have to say the Odds aren't particularly good.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: Warrior ~ Par Value!!
| Market Value 2nd Round | Yankee Grade 2nd/3rd 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!! This is not is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning: Caveat Emptor!!
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!! This is not is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning: Caveat Emptor!!
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