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**The Franchise** · 04-17-2022, 08:03 PM

1. Aidan Hutchinson | 6065/268 | Michigan

DOB: 08.09.00

RAS: 9.88

PFF grade: 1

PFF pass rush: 2

PFF run D: 1

PFF tackling: 2

Hutchinson returned from a broken leg that limited him to three games in 2020 to produce one of the great edge-rushing seasons in modern history. He posted 14 sacks, 16.5 TFL and two forced fumbles in 14 games en route to first-team All-American honors and a No. 2 finish in the Heisman. He was named Big Ten MVP and the winner of the Lott, Lombardi and Hendricks awards.

In contrast to Kayvon Thibodeaux, who opted out of most NFL Combine testing, Hutchinson was resolute that he would test and did. The weight room maniac put on a show, posting a size-adjusted 98th-percentile RAS athletic composite. Hutchinson ran a 70th-percentile 4.74 forty, posted an 80th-percentile 36” vertical, and dazzled during agility testing, posting a 94th-percentile shuttle and 99th-percentile 3-cone (No. 4 among drafted edge rushers since 1998).

Per the website MockDraftable, Hutchinson’s second-closest athletic comparison is Joey Bosa (the closest is Sam Hubbard). Hutchinson resembles Bosa on the gridiron as well. Deadly combination of size, strength, explosion and agility. Shoots off the ball like he’s late for a flight, gets on top of tackles in an instant, and throws the kitchen sink at them.

Deepest grab-bag of pass-rushing moves in the class. Combination hand-thrower like a boxer. Dealing with his speed and get-off is one thing. But stopping Hutchinson’s initial plan – or feigned initial plan – is only the beginning. Hutchinson’s counter moves should be illegal – his close-quarters agility and body control free him from the deepest of hooks. Hutchinson is a single-minded, Terminator-like pursuer. He arrives at the ball like a sock full of quarters and never misses.

Hutchinson is a fabulous pass-rusher, but he doesn’t sacrifice run defense for it. Last year, amongst this edge-rushing class, he finished No. 1 in PFF-graded run defense and No. 2 in PFF tackling grade. There aren’t many weaknesses to speak of in Hutchinson’s profile, only nitpicks – his arms are of average length, and he might be close to maxed-out.

But what he is right this second is special in and of itself. I spoke with a Big 10 coach who told me: “I’ve coached [players] that have played against both Bosa’s, Chase Young, Rashan Gary, Kwity Paye, and others… Hutchinson as a senior was in my opinion far better than all of them.”

Hutchinson is the complete package, and the safest prospect in this class. He has made it extremely difficult to pass on him at the top of the board. What question can you possibly have? Historical season, historical athletic profile, immortal motor, and a mythical work ethic.

Comp: Joey Bosa

2. Kayvon Thibodeaux | 6040 /256 | Oregon

DOB: 12.15.00

RAS: 9.62

PFF grade: 13

PFF pass rush: 5

PFF run D: 16

PFF tackling: 58

Once the presumed No. 1 overall pick, Thibodeaux’s pre-draft process has been mired with questions about his commitment, personality, and decision to sit out NFL Combine testing after running the 40-yard dash. I’ve yet to speak to anyone who can independently corroborate the criticisms in the media. So let’s focus on his on-field profile.

Thibodeaux posted a 96th-percentile size-adjusted RAS athletic composite after finishing out his testing at Oregon’s pro day. The former No. 1 overall recruit added a 79th-percentile shuttle and an 81st-percentile broad jump to his 98th-percentile 4.58 forty.

Thibodeaux is eerily-reminiscent of Jadeveon Clowney coming out of South Carolina. Interestingly, when asked at the NFL Combine which player he most resembled, Thibodeaux said “I’m Jadeveon Clowney 2.0.” Thibodeaux and Clowney share out-of-this-world speed off the blocks, first steps that offensive tackles see in their nightmares.

At the top of his rush, Thibodeaux could work on his consistency. There are stretches where he buttresses that killer first-step with a combination of moves to set up his opponent, and other stretches where he appears to be leaning too heavily on speed-to-power mayhem. Thibodeaux efficiently cuts the outside corner and closes quickly, with a ransacking ethos on the prowl.

He’s a strong run defender who holds his ground, sheds, and disrupts. Thibodeaux brings nuclear-fusion power to collisions when he arrives, but he could stand to be more disciplined on approach, as he too often flies in high and hot, missing golden opportunities.

Thibodeaux was highly-productive on campus (35.5 TFL over 21 starts and 32 appearances) and his game translates smoothly to the next level. He’s a top-3 overall talent in the class.

Comp: Jadeveon Clowney

3. Travon Walker | 6050/272 | Georgia

DOB: 12.18.00

RAS: 9.99

PFF grade: 54

PFF pass rush: 73

PFF run D: 29

PFF tackling: 47

Walker came into the draft process under-the-radar because of the way he was used at Georgia. The Bulldogs had an embarrassment of defensive line riches while he was on campus – one of the reasons Jermaine Johnson II transferred to FSU – and used Walker as part of a rotation, limiting his snaps and moving him around the formation.

While Aidan Hutchinson played 794 snaps last season and 746 in 2019 (his other fully-healthy season as a starter), Walker took a mere 990 snaps total over the last three years combined (596 during Georgia’s title run in 2021). As you know, this effected Walker’s counting numbers (9.5 career sacks, 13.0 career TFL).

But Walker also wasn’t dominant on a per-snap basis. Among 104 draft-eligible edge rushers in my database that had PFF grades last season, he ranked No. 73 in pass-rushing grade, and No. 54 in overall grade. He had the fewest pressures and hurries of any of my top-8 edge rushing prospects in this class.

Of course, he was playing less snaps than many of his contemporaries, and wasn’t allowed to consistently pin his ears back when he was on the field, sometimes asked to occupy offensive linemen to free blitzing linebackers. Heck, Georgia would sometimes drop him into coverage.

Walker has the athleticism for all of it. His NFL Combine showing put him in rarified historical air. He posted a 4.51 forty and 6.89 3-cone drill that were both in the 97th-percentile. His 9.99 RAS composite drew insane athletic comps. The closest to Walker in the RAS system: Myles Garrett, Jevon Kearse, Ezekiel Ansah and Shawne Merriman. Oofta!

In college, what Walker did consistently well was play the run – he’s a long, jacked-up athlete who lifts offensive linemen off the ground with his initial punch. A coordinated athlete with good body control, Walker keeps himself in every play and is very difficult for opponents to erase from a rep. He’s a greyhound in pursuit, with elite closing speed.

Walker locked himself into the top-10 with his athletic testing. I’m concerned about Walker’s stiffness around the edge, and I think it’s going to take time to teach him a full arsenal of pass-rushing moves to compliment his speed-to-power special sauce. But athleticism plays at this position and Walker has it in spades.

Comp: Arik Armstead

4. Jermaine Johnson II | 6045/260 | Florida State

DOB: 01.07.99

RAS: 9.23

PFF grade: 20

PFF pass rush: 39

PFF run D: 10

PFF tackling: 15

Relentless, clever, and stout. Ideal frame. One of the quickest get-offs in the class. Tough guy in run defense who stands up tackles, holds his ground, and mucks things up and funnels to teammates if he can’t make the play. Low-man-wins leverage practicioner who cuts a clean corner around the edge.

Warrior ethos on field. Pursues like a souped-up Zombie. Arrives with a thud and wraps up, rarely missing targets. Straight-line athlete who proved concept with 4.58 forty in pre-draft process. Business decision to duck the agility drills. When he doesn’t win with initial plan, Johnson can be neutralized. He added to his pass-rushing arsenal last year at FSU but has more room to grow.

His fastball piled up 12 sacks and 18 TFL at FSU last year, but Johnson will need to diversify his pass-rushing plan so NFL tackles can’t comfortably sit dead-red on the heat. Johnson profiles as an immediate starter. He’s going to be a really good run defender, and no worse than an average pass-rusher.

Comp: Whitney Mercilus

5. George Karlaftis | 6036/263 | Purdue

DOB: 04.03.01

RAS: 9.2

PFF grade: 9

PFF pass rush: 8

PFF run D: 21

PFF tackling: 90

Power end with a rocked-up frame. Provides a relentless brand of pass-rushing. He's an underrated stud of an athlete, a Bruce Feldman Freak Lister who was vaunted in the Purdue weight room. Karlaftis chose not to run the forty or do the 3-cone but posted a 9.2 RAS composite thanks to great jumps and a strong shuttle. Lauded for his work ethic. Gym rat.

Pass-rushing repertoire flowers off the power – offensive tackles respect that power so much that it opens counter possibilities. All-out effort every play. More quick than fast. Quarterbacks feel him rumbling downhill and unload in a way they aren’t able to with Hutchinson or Thibodeaux. Misses way too many tackles, this will be an area of developmental emphasis. Needs to play with more discipline against the run.

Aggressive mentality off the snap is great, but Karlaftis can have his momentum used against him, pushed upfield and out of the play with a pontoon-sized hole in his wake. Karlaftis’ power and relentlessness will play at the NFL, and he should get everything out of his physical ability. But he may never be an elite pass-rusher, and he needs to play with more discipline against the run.

Comp: Ryan Kerrigan

04-17-2022, 08:03 PM	#54
The Franchise Most Valuable Villain The Franchise's Avatar Join Date: Dec 2006	1. Aidan Hutchinson \| 6065/268 \| Michigan DOB: 08.09.00 RAS: 9.88 PFF grade: 1 PFF pass rush: 2 PFF run D: 1 PFF tackling: 2 Hutchinson returned from a broken leg that limited him to three games in 2020 to produce one of the great edge-rushing seasons in modern history. He posted 14 sacks, 16.5 TFL and two forced fumbles in 14 games en route to first-team All-American honors and a No. 2 finish in the Heisman. He was named Big Ten MVP and the winner of the Lott, Lombardi and Hendricks awards. In contrast to Kayvon Thibodeaux, who opted out of most NFL Combine testing, Hutchinson was resolute that he would test and did. The weight room maniac put on a show, posting a size-adjusted 98th-percentile RAS athletic composite. Hutchinson ran a 70th-percentile 4.74 forty, posted an 80th-percentile 36” vertical, and dazzled during agility testing, posting a 94th-percentile shuttle and 99th-percentile 3-cone (No. 4 among drafted edge rushers since 1998). Per the website MockDraftable, Hutchinson’s second-closest athletic comparison is Joey Bosa (the closest is Sam Hubbard). Hutchinson resembles Bosa on the gridiron as well. Deadly combination of size, strength, explosion and agility. Shoots off the ball like he’s late for a flight, gets on top of tackles in an instant, and throws the kitchen sink at them. Deepest grab-bag of pass-rushing moves in the class. Combination hand-thrower like a boxer. Dealing with his speed and get-off is one thing. But stopping Hutchinson’s initial plan – or feigned initial plan – is only the beginning. Hutchinson’s counter moves should be illegal – his close-quarters agility and body control free him from the deepest of hooks. Hutchinson is a single-minded, Terminator-like pursuer. He arrives at the ball like a sock full of quarters and never misses. Hutchinson is a fabulous pass-rusher, but he doesn’t sacrifice run defense for it. Last year, amongst this edge-rushing class, he finished No. 1 in PFF-graded run defense and No. 2 in PFF tackling grade. There aren’t many weaknesses to speak of in Hutchinson’s profile, only nitpicks – his arms are of average length, and he might be close to maxed-out. But what he is right this second is special in and of itself. I spoke with a Big 10 coach who told me: “I’ve coached [players] that have played against both Bosa’s, Chase Young, Rashan Gary, Kwity Paye, and others… Hutchinson as a senior was in my opinion far better than all of them.” Hutchinson is the complete package, and the safest prospect in this class. He has made it extremely difficult to pass on him at the top of the board. What question can you possibly have? Historical season, historical athletic profile, immortal motor, and a mythical work ethic. Comp: Joey Bosa 2. Kayvon Thibodeaux \| 6040 /256 \| Oregon DOB: 12.15.00 RAS: 9.62 PFF grade: 13 PFF pass rush: 5 PFF run D: 16 PFF tackling: 58 Once the presumed No. 1 overall pick, Thibodeaux’s pre-draft process has been mired with questions about his commitment, personality, and decision to sit out NFL Combine testing after running the 40-yard dash. I’ve yet to speak to anyone who can independently corroborate the criticisms in the media. So let’s focus on his on-field profile. Thibodeaux posted a 96th-percentile size-adjusted RAS athletic composite after finishing out his testing at Oregon’s pro day. The former No. 1 overall recruit added a 79th-percentile shuttle and an 81st-percentile broad jump to his 98th-percentile 4.58 forty. Thibodeaux is eerily-reminiscent of Jadeveon Clowney coming out of South Carolina. Interestingly, when asked at the NFL Combine which player he most resembled, Thibodeaux said “I’m Jadeveon Clowney 2.0.” Thibodeaux and Clowney share out-of-this-world speed off the blocks, first steps that offensive tackles see in their nightmares. At the top of his rush, Thibodeaux could work on his consistency. There are stretches where he buttresses that killer first-step with a combination of moves to set up his opponent, and other stretches where he appears to be leaning too heavily on speed-to-power mayhem. Thibodeaux efficiently cuts the outside corner and closes quickly, with a ransacking ethos on the prowl. He’s a strong run defender who holds his ground, sheds, and disrupts. Thibodeaux brings nuclear-fusion power to collisions when he arrives, but he could stand to be more disciplined on approach, as he too often flies in high and hot, missing golden opportunities. Thibodeaux was highly-productive on campus (35.5 TFL over 21 starts and 32 appearances) and his game translates smoothly to the next level. He’s a top-3 overall talent in the class. Comp: Jadeveon Clowney 3. Travon Walker \| 6050/272 \| Georgia DOB: 12.18.00 RAS: 9.99 PFF grade: 54 PFF pass rush: 73 PFF run D: 29 PFF tackling: 47 Walker came into the draft process under-the-radar because of the way he was used at Georgia. The Bulldogs had an embarrassment of defensive line riches while he was on campus – one of the reasons Jermaine Johnson II transferred to FSU – and used Walker as part of a rotation, limiting his snaps and moving him around the formation. While Aidan Hutchinson played 794 snaps last season and 746 in 2019 (his other fully-healthy season as a starter), Walker took a mere 990 snaps total over the last three years combined (596 during Georgia’s title run in 2021). As you know, this effected Walker’s counting numbers (9.5 career sacks, 13.0 career TFL). But Walker also wasn’t dominant on a per-snap basis. Among 104 draft-eligible edge rushers in my database that had PFF grades last season, he ranked No. 73 in pass-rushing grade, and No. 54 in overall grade. He had the fewest pressures and hurries of any of my top-8 edge rushing prospects in this class. Of course, he was playing less snaps than many of his contemporaries, and wasn’t allowed to consistently pin his ears back when he was on the field, sometimes asked to occupy offensive linemen to free blitzing linebackers. Heck, Georgia would sometimes drop him into coverage. Walker has the athleticism for all of it. His NFL Combine showing put him in rarified historical air. He posted a 4.51 forty and 6.89 3-cone drill that were both in the 97th-percentile. His 9.99 RAS composite drew insane athletic comps. The closest to Walker in the RAS system: Myles Garrett, Jevon Kearse, Ezekiel Ansah and Shawne Merriman. Oofta! In college, what Walker did consistently well was play the run – he’s a long, jacked-up athlete who lifts offensive linemen off the ground with his initial punch. A coordinated athlete with good body control, Walker keeps himself in every play and is very difficult for opponents to erase from a rep. He’s a greyhound in pursuit, with elite closing speed. Walker locked himself into the top-10 with his athletic testing. I’m concerned about Walker’s stiffness around the edge, and I think it’s going to take time to teach him a full arsenal of pass-rushing moves to compliment his speed-to-power special sauce. But athleticism plays at this position and Walker has it in spades. Comp: Arik Armstead 4. Jermaine Johnson II \| 6045/260 \| Florida State DOB: 01.07.99 RAS: 9.23 PFF grade: 20 PFF pass rush: 39 PFF run D: 10 PFF tackling: 15 Relentless, clever, and stout. Ideal frame. One of the quickest get-offs in the class. Tough guy in run defense who stands up tackles, holds his ground, and mucks things up and funnels to teammates if he can’t make the play. Low-man-wins leverage practicioner who cuts a clean corner around the edge. Warrior ethos on field. Pursues like a souped-up Zombie. Arrives with a thud and wraps up, rarely missing targets. Straight-line athlete who proved concept with 4.58 forty in pre-draft process. Business decision to duck the agility drills. When he doesn’t win with initial plan, Johnson can be neutralized. He added to his pass-rushing arsenal last year at FSU but has more room to grow. His fastball piled up 12 sacks and 18 TFL at FSU last year, but Johnson will need to diversify his pass-rushing plan so NFL tackles can’t comfortably sit dead-red on the heat. Johnson profiles as an immediate starter. He’s going to be a really good run defender, and no worse than an average pass-rusher. Comp: Whitney Mercilus 5. George Karlaftis \| 6036/263 \| Purdue DOB: 04.03.01 RAS: 9.2 PFF grade: 9 PFF pass rush: 8 PFF run D: 21 PFF tackling: 90 Power end with a rocked-up frame. Provides a relentless brand of pass-rushing. He's an underrated stud of an athlete, a Bruce Feldman Freak Lister who was vaunted in the Purdue weight room. Karlaftis chose not to run the forty or do the 3-cone but posted a 9.2 RAS composite thanks to great jumps and a strong shuttle. Lauded for his work ethic. Gym rat. Pass-rushing repertoire flowers off the power – offensive tackles respect that power so much that it opens counter possibilities. All-out effort every play. More quick than fast. Quarterbacks feel him rumbling downhill and unload in a way they aren’t able to with Hutchinson or Thibodeaux. Misses way too many tackles, this will be an area of developmental emphasis. Needs to play with more discipline against the run. Aggressive mentality off the snap is great, but Karlaftis can have his momentum used against him, pushed upfield and out of the play with a pontoon-sized hole in his wake. Karlaftis’ power and relentlessness will play at the NFL, and he should get everything out of his physical ability. But he may never be an elite pass-rusher, and he needs to play with more discipline against the run. Comp: Ryan Kerrigan
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