Lion End Taylor Hart ~ Oregon Ducks
6060/280
6060/280
Regarding Lions & Dragons
One of my most distinctive ~ and most annoying ~ Traits is of course my propensity for adapting or simply inventing NomenClature to suit my perception of the LandScape, if I believe the prevalent vocabulary to be inadequate.
Such is the case with Defensive Ends. NFL Defenses have become more'r less evenly divided between "43" Teams and "34" Teams. Far more importantly, though, the line between "43" and "34" is rapidly becoming a very fuzzy one.
Teams are increasingly going with Hybrid Theory Concepts, and the result is that many "Positions" are becoming Hybrids.
Defensive Ends are at the very crux of this changing LandScape. Traditional "34" Ends are just as likely to be employed as 3 Tech Tackles, traditional "43" Ends are just as likely to be deployed as "34" Flank Defenders ~ "OutSide LineBacker", to you Earthlings ~ and both are increasingly being asked to morph between Roles.
As such, I consider the old notion of pretending that these guys all go into one "Defensive End" Category to be silly.
And I also find the idea of sub-categorizing them as "34" Ends and "43" Ends, while a step in the right direction, to be ridiculously inadequate: It ignores the fact that half these guys won't even be deployed that way, and it ignores the fact that a rapidly increasing number of Defenses are going to ask them to morph between Roles.
Lion is going to be my term for the 280 Pound Plus Defensive Ends who could project to Tackle.
Dragon is going to be my term for the 270 Pounders or less.
Within the 270's or in any unusual cases, it'll be a Judgement Call.
Lions will get drafted either to play "34" End, "43" Tackle...or both.
Dragons will get drafted either to play "34" Flanker, "43" End...or both!!
I should also add that some Prospects generally considered to be Defensive Tackles will fall under my definition of a Lion. Indeed, the way the Strategic & Tactical LandScape is evolving these days, it is of course not uncommon for an erstwhile Tackle to get kicked out to Defensive End. But of course what each Coach does with his Personnel is his Business.
My Purpose here is to try to categorize Prospects by Type, and I believe that there is substantial difference between Prospects who could play both End and Tackle and Prospects whose Skills Sets suggest that they do.
These latter are genuine Hybrids ~ Lions ~ and it is my Hope that those of you who honor my Site with your Visits will find my efforts to distinguish the one type from the other ~ wrought with Peril though it be!! ~ to be useful to your Purposes.
***
When evaluating Lions, these are the Attributes to which I pay most particular attention:
Power. Above all: Core Power. Upper body Strength 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 Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game. And those Players who invest the time and effort to develop superior Core Power are far likelier to enjoy sustained good Health and stay on the Field.
Agility. Lateral 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. Mechanics. Launch Velocity, Paw Power, and Technique.
Intangibles. Diagnostic Capacity, Processing Speed, and Motor. How effectively he masters Spatial Diagnostics & Angles, how rapidly he recognizes and implements Blocking Schemes based on changing Defensive Tactics, and of course: Drive. How badly he wants it. These are of course difficult things to assess, but it's crucial to at least try to.
Such is the case with Defensive Ends. NFL Defenses have become more'r less evenly divided between "43" Teams and "34" Teams. Far more importantly, though, the line between "43" and "34" is rapidly becoming a very fuzzy one.
Teams are increasingly going with Hybrid Theory Concepts, and the result is that many "Positions" are becoming Hybrids.
Defensive Ends are at the very crux of this changing LandScape. Traditional "34" Ends are just as likely to be employed as 3 Tech Tackles, traditional "43" Ends are just as likely to be deployed as "34" Flank Defenders ~ "OutSide LineBacker", to you Earthlings ~ and both are increasingly being asked to morph between Roles.
As such, I consider the old notion of pretending that these guys all go into one "Defensive End" Category to be silly.
And I also find the idea of sub-categorizing them as "34" Ends and "43" Ends, while a step in the right direction, to be ridiculously inadequate: It ignores the fact that half these guys won't even be deployed that way, and it ignores the fact that a rapidly increasing number of Defenses are going to ask them to morph between Roles.
Lion is going to be my term for the 280 Pound Plus Defensive Ends who could project to Tackle.
Dragon is going to be my term for the 270 Pounders or less.
Within the 270's or in any unusual cases, it'll be a Judgement Call.
Lions will get drafted either to play "34" End, "43" Tackle...or both.
Dragons will get drafted either to play "34" Flanker, "43" End...or both!!
I should also add that some Prospects generally considered to be Defensive Tackles will fall under my definition of a Lion. Indeed, the way the Strategic & Tactical LandScape is evolving these days, it is of course not uncommon for an erstwhile Tackle to get kicked out to Defensive End. But of course what each Coach does with his Personnel is his Business.
My Purpose here is to try to categorize Prospects by Type, and I believe that there is substantial difference between Prospects who could play both End and Tackle and Prospects whose Skills Sets suggest that they do.
These latter are genuine Hybrids ~ Lions ~ and it is my Hope that those of you who honor my Site with your Visits will find my efforts to distinguish the one type from the other ~ wrought with Peril though it be!! ~ to be useful to your Purposes.
***
When evaluating Lions, these are the Attributes to which I pay most particular attention:
Power. Above all: Core Power. Upper body Strength 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 Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game. And those Players who invest the time and effort to develop superior Core Power are far likelier to enjoy sustained good Health and stay on the Field.
Agility. Lateral 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. Mechanics. Launch Velocity, Paw Power, and Technique.
Intangibles. Diagnostic Capacity, Processing Speed, and Motor. How effectively he masters Spatial Diagnostics & Angles, how rapidly he recognizes and implements Blocking Schemes based on changing Defensive Tactics, and of course: Drive. How badly he wants it. These are of course difficult things to assess, but it's crucial to at least try to.
Taylor Hart Scouting Report
Power. Adequate. His Core Power is remarkably decent for such a lanky fellow. Could use some Beefing Up, mind you.
Agility. Moderate. Adequate Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Range, but not remarkable in any category.
Combat Skills. Impressive. Effective Paw Power. Outstanding Mechanics and excellent Frequency. Repertoire needs Work.
Intangibles. Phenomenal. An insatiable Motor and extraordinary Field Vision and Processing Speed.
Agility. Moderate. Adequate Launch Velocity, Fluidity, Acceleration, and Range, but not remarkable in any category.
Combat Skills. Impressive. Effective Paw Power. Outstanding Mechanics and excellent Frequency. Repertoire needs Work.
Intangibles. Phenomenal. An insatiable Motor and extraordinary Field Vision and Processing Speed.
Taylor Hart Prospectus
To some lesser extent, Taylor Hart is to me the Kyle Fuller of Lions ~ a Prospect with very little to recommend him in terms of Athletic Ability, but whose Field Vision, Processing Speed, Combat Skills, Attention to Detail, and above all his Motor render him a far more intriguing Prospect ~ to me, anyway ~ than many with 10 times his natural Athletic Ability.
To descend shamelessly in colloquial indulgences of cliched rhetoric: Taylor Hart will almost certainly never dominate, because he simply doesn't have the natural Talent to do so...But Taylor Hart is one of the very best Bets in this entire Draft Class ~ and it is an exceptionally Deep & Talented Draft Class ~ to rapidly process all the hundreds of little things he needs to learn to play at The Next Level and to master all those hundreds of little things.
Taylor Hart, in a word, will Get The Job Done.
I believe that ~ given even half a Chance, which is of course far from a Given ~ he will be one of the very first Prospects from this Draft Class to earn significant Snaps...and one of the very first to perform competently and consistently.
I'd be shocked if he ever ascended to Stardom, mind you.
But I'd be just as shocked if, Health granted, he didn't quickly contribute, play far beyond expectations for a long, long time, become a quick and lasting favorite of his Coaches and a Team Leader...and forge an impressive Career.
Thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Work by the men of Draft BreakDown!!
To descend shamelessly in colloquial indulgences of cliched rhetoric: Taylor Hart will almost certainly never dominate, because he simply doesn't have the natural Talent to do so...But Taylor Hart is one of the very best Bets in this entire Draft Class ~ and it is an exceptionally Deep & Talented Draft Class ~ to rapidly process all the hundreds of little things he needs to learn to play at The Next Level and to master all those hundreds of little things.
Taylor Hart, in a word, will Get The Job Done.
I believe that ~ given even half a Chance, which is of course far from a Given ~ he will be one of the very first Prospects from this Draft Class to earn significant Snaps...and one of the very first to perform competently and consistently.
I'd be shocked if he ever ascended to Stardom, mind you.
But I'd be just as shocked if, Health granted, he didn't quickly contribute, play far beyond expectations for a long, long time, become a quick and lasting favorite of his Coaches and a Team Leader...and forge an impressive Career.
Thanks, as always, to the extraordinary Work by the men of Draft BreakDown!!
Yank Rank: StudHorse ~ Sleeper!!
| Consensus Market Value 4th/5th Round | Yankee Grade 2nd/3rd Round |
Please 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 of Good Will!!
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