MatchQuarters ICYMI - Week of 4/22/24
Here's what you missed (or didn't) from MatchQuarters... Plus, there is a clinic on the Chicago Bears Heavy Technique and the NFL Draft’s 1st Round review.
1st Round Review
There were no surprises in the first seven picks. You could argue that the Titans desperately needed a Tackle and reached a bit for JC Latham (Alabama). He was the second-best Tackle on the board, and with Joe Alt (Notre Dame) gone to the Chargers, they decided to draft for need over value.
Atlanta surprised everyone by taking Michael Penix (Washington) with the eighth pick. After leaving the Senior Bowl, most assumed Penix would be a late first-rounder or early second, but eighth? Kirk Cousins is only 35 years old, with several more quality years to play, and he just signed a new (of course, massive) contract. Raheem Morris brought Zac Robinson with him from LA. The McVay system is not a vertical shot scheme similar to the one Penix played in college. The hope here is he sits and develops behind Cousins during his rookie contract. Truly an ‘only time will tell’ pick.
Penix’s teammate Rome Odunze was off the board at nine and will join Caleb Williams in Chicago. The Vikings traded up to 10 to ensure they got their QB of the future in JJ McCarthy (Michigan). With Penix surprisingly off to Atlanta, I’m sure there was a fear that there might be a run on QBs. We know how panic plays out in the draft.
The Jets used their pick swap to take a much-needed insurance plan for Aaron Rodgers in Tackle Olu Fashanu (Penn State). The Broncos would follow with a slight surprise in selecting Bo Nix. Though I would have liked to see Quinyon Mitchell paired with Pat Surtain, you can’t win without a QB in the modern game. At this point in the draft (#12), Nix was the only one with a high round grade left. Similar to Penix, this is a wait-and-see situation.
I liked the Raiders' addition of Brock Bowers (Georgia), and will be paired with last year’s second-round pick, Michael Mayer (Notre Dame). 12 personnel is becoming a more significant part of the game as we cycle back to ‘bigger’ packages in the NFL. The addition gives Las Vegas a true hybrid/Power Slot weapon with a traditional on-ball TE.
Related Content: Hybrids - The Making of a Modern Defense
The Saints get a Tackle at 14 in Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, a much-needed boost. At 15, the Colts took one of my favorite defensive players in UCLA Edge Liatu Latu. When you watch the tape, you cannot help but see how polished Latu is. His rush plan is phenomenal, and he consistently wins every down. For the Colts, who play a very static scheme, having an elite Edge to pair with iDL Deforrest Buckner inside is a coup.
The Seahawks also went defense at 15 by selecting Texas’ iDL Byron Murphy. Seattle has needed beef inside for several years, and this is the right pick. The run on defenders didn’t end when the Vikings took Alabama Edge, Dallas Turner. Many thought he would come off at eight to Atlanta. The Vikings were desperate for a rush last year and had to manufacture it by sending five or more on almost 60% of their snaps. Turner should instantly be an upgrade.
The Bengals went Tackle with physical freak Amarius Mims from Georgia, who will play opposite Orlando Brown Jr. I love the Rams' pick at 19. Similar to the Vikings, their pass rush had little teeth. Florida State’s Edge, Jared Verse, gives the Rams a perfect fit for their hybrid defense. The Steelers bookended Verse by selecting another Tackle in Washington’s Troy Fautanu.
The Dolphins selected Penn State Edge Chop Anderson, keeping with the pattern. He is a much-needed upgrade, with Bradley Chubb and Jaelon Phillips coming off season-ending injuries. He should bring the juice and give Chubb and Phillips time to return to form. The Eagles followed the Dolphins and selected my other favorite defensive player in this year’s draft, Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell played in a Quarters-based system for the Rockets and played multiple techniques within their zone scheme; he’s a perfect fit for Philly and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio.
Jacksonville drafted LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd pick. The Lions followed by selecting Alabama’s Terrion Arnold, who will join former teammate Ni Brian Branch, who was an instant success. With Detroit playing with more diversity in their coverages, it was a no-brainer to work next to Branch once Mitchell was off the board.
The Packers took OL Jordan Morgan (Arizona) to protect QB Aaron Love. Tampa Bay followed with another OL in Duke’s Graham Barton. The Cardinals, who need a complete overhaul on defense, selected Mizzou’s Darius Robinson. Though you could have argued they needed a CB, getting a pass rusher is a premium in the modern game (pass rush > coverage). Arizona plays a hybrid defense, and the 6-5 285 lbs. Robinson gives them a tool that can play a 5 technique to a Rush-3.
The Chiefs traded up for Buffalo’s pick; everyone knew who was coming off the board. Though many pundits had pegged Adanai Mitchell for KC, Worthy was the clear selection. Though slight in frame, he is an absolute speed demon, something they have missed since the departure of Tryeek Hill. Worthy will join another speedster in Hollywood Brown.
Dallas begins their OL rebuild by taking Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. He will work opposite last year's first-round pick, Tyler Smith. The Ravens take speedy Clemson CB Nate Wiggins. He should bring a much-needed boost at outside CB and, though slight (<180 lbs), should be the cornerstone along with Kyle Hamilton for the foreseeable future.
The 49ers selected Florida WR Ricky Pearsall, which is probably a reach, but storm clouds are brewing at the WR position as Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are looking for new contracts. With the last pick of the night, the Panthers select South Carolina's Xavier Legette. The pick is interesting because Adonai Mitchell was still on the board, but also because Head Coach Dave Canales ‘told 50 other guys’ he would select them at #33. Legette, who told everyone he could, felt he would be a Panther. Talk about smoke and mirrors!
Weekly Free Clinic
**This clinic will be available tomorrow in the Clinics Archive and MatchQuaters’ YouTube
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Quick Thought
There may not be a more unique defense at the high levels of football. The talent differential, even in the Power 5 (now four), is larger than you may think. Only eight teams have gone more than twice (there have only been 15), and only one G5 has been able to crack the code: Cincinnati (now in the Big 12). We are used to seeing ‘weird’ or exotic defense at the high school level, where every coach is trying to scratch out a victory (unless you are at one of the four or five chosen programs that can actually win it).
Illinois and Purdue may not seem like bastions of defensive prowess, and you’d be correct. Neither defense cracked the top half of the FBS in DFEI (think NFL’s DVOA). Illinois was a top-20 defense last year.
The 2023 NFL Draft saw three Illini DBs go in subsequent rounds, with Devon Witherspoon going fifth overall to the Seahawks. Quan Martin was drafted in the second round to the Commanders and quickly established himself as the starting Ni. Finally, Sydney Brown, drafted in the third round by the Eagles, played quality reps for Philly.
This year, iDL Jer'Zhan Newton (who should come off the board early today) and iDL Keith Randolph Jr. look to be drafted. That is a lot of talent coming from Champaign, and that is the reason the scheme thrived. This year, the Illini almost hit a 60% Cover 1 rate, similar to last year. As the clip above illustrates, the ability to play man on every down and gap out the box up front challenged the run-heavy conference they reside in.
Ryan Walters parlayed the success into the Head Coach role at Purdue. He quickly installed the unique defense in West Lafayette. The scheme's long-term success is still up for judgment, but if you have ever watched the scheme, you understand how it can suffocate for lesser opponents. The 3-4 Cover 1-heavy defense is balanced with Penny (link below) and Trap 2 coverage in the backend. Honestly, this is a defense to at least, if anything, look at.
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