| April 18, 2005 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 11:08 PM |
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| Defensive End | Bills depth Chart | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Starters- LDE Chris Kelsay RDE Aaron Schobel Backups- Aaron Schobel, the team's leader in sacks the past 3 seasons signed an extension at the beginning of the 2004 season. Chris Kelsay enters his 3rd season starting ahead of Ryan Denny. While not a dominating pair, Schobel and Kelsey have produced solid play. Toward the second half of the 2004 season, the Bills did become more aggressive in their defensive approach resulting in pressure and turnovers. The Bills are still somewhat thin in the depth department here and may try to build via the draft and pick up a veteran. Top Free AgentsReggie Hayward - Broncos
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| Defensive Tackle | Bills depth Chart | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Starters- Sam Adams Ron Edwards Backups- Pat Williams took a 4 year $14 million deal with the Vikings. Bills GM Tom Donahoe has chosen not to pay the steep price to keep one of the Bills longest tenured players. A stalwart on the defensive line, the Bills will be hard pressed to replace Big Pat. Overall, it's a weak DT market. Ron Edwards is the man to step in. Edwards is a bit undersized for run support so it will be interesting on what direction the Bills will go. Sam Adams returns and is a dominant force inside stopping the run. 2004 draft pick Tim Anderson saw limited action his rookie season. |
With the game of football featuring quicker, smaller down linemen, many pro teams are looking for quality edge rushers in the Dwight Freeney, Jason Taylor and Terrell Suggs mold to get to the opposing passer. Quarterbacks who performed in the Atlantic Coast Conference over the past few years have had to contend with this type of hybrid defender — a cross between a defensive end and an outside linebacker — in their dealings with Merriman. In 38 games at Maryland, Merriman started 17 times. He recorded 189 tackles (125 solos) with 22 sacks for minus-127 yards, 33½ stops for losses of 170 yards, 27 quarterback pressures, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His 22 career sacks rank second on the school's career-record list. A rare talent with the ability to play away from the line as a strong-side linebacker, off the edge as a rush end or in a three-point stance as a down lineman. He has excellent quickness and explosion off the ball. Merriman is more productive when allowed to roam the field. He has the flexibility, knee bend, agility and speed to make plays down the line, string out the run and shoot the gaps with suddenness. He might be better suited to play outside linebacker at the next level; he has the short-area speed and burst to mirror and reroute tight ends and backs on pass routes. In a 3-4 defense, he would be an ideal strong-side linebacker. He is developing good hand usage, but can be washed out of the play if an offensive tackle locks on to him due to his limited size as a down lineman. If a team decides to bulk him up, Jason Taylor and Jevon Kearse will have someone to compete with for the sack title before long.
Regarded as one of the premier pass rushers in college football, Erasmus James made a successful recovery from a career-threatening hip injury suffered prior to the 2003 season. He took over the right defensive end spot as a junior in 2002, registering 17 quarterback pressures, four sacks, seven stops for loss and 52 tackles (32 solo), despite playing later in the year by a knee sprain. A hip injury during 2003 preseason drills kept him on the sidelines for the entire season. He returned to action in 2004, shifting to left end, and was having a solid season until suffering an ankle sprain against Purdue that would force him to sit out the Northwestern game and limit his action against Minnesota. James finished the season with 36 tackles (27 solo), a career-high eight sacks, 11½ stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven pressures. In 36 games as a Badger, Erasmus totaled 124 tackles (79 solo) with 18 sacks for minus-120 yards, 25½ stops for losses of 145 yards, 28 quarterback pressures, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and six pass deflections. Tall, lanky athlete who needs to add bulk and muscle tone to his frame. Has very good quickness off the edge, showing effective pass-rush moves to escape the offensive tackle and pursue the play in the backfield. His burst off the edge makes him a player that offensive tackles must always account for. Will always give good effort and will not hesitate to make arm tackles if he can't get good position. While he is picking up the technological aspects of the game, he is still learning, as he is not quite as instinctive to blocking schemes as he should be. His hip injury in 2003 and other assorted ankle and knee problems will always be an issue. This could scare off a few teams. Needs to dedicate the bulk of his spare time to increasing his strength, but he proved in 2004 that he can be a difference maker, if he can stay healthy.
Marcus Spears is a multi-talented and versatile defensive lineman. He is a player with tremendous power and an enormous wingspan who often draws a great deal of attention from the offensive line. He is very athletic for a player of his size and was so highly regarded for his skills that coaches used him on both sides of the ball (defensive end and tight end) as a freshman in 2001. He closed out his senior campaign with 49 tackles (32 solo), nine sacks, 17 stops for losses, six pressures, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and two pass deflections. Through 48 games as a Tiger, he started 38 times. Spears closed out his career with 152 tackles (101 solo), 19 sacks for minus-131 yards, 34½ stops for losses of 180 yards, 47 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, four interceptions, 10 pass deflections and a blocked kick. Spears has good size, but appears soft and fleshy in the midsection. He has broad shoulders, a huge bubble, thick thighs and muscular calves. He is athletic enough to line up as a linebacker in blitzing situations and has the short-area speed to handle a halfback in pass coverage. Spears displays excellent upper-body strength and does a good job of keeping position at the point of attack. His power allows him to control and anchor with authority, but he needs to develop better hand usage in order to consistently shed and stack. If the second half of 2004 is any indication, Spears is finally starting to come into his own. It's not convincing that he can have great success as a classic 4-3 defensive end. But, with a lot of NFL teams using the 3-4 alignment, he could be productive like New England standouts Richard Seymour and Ty Warren. Maintaining that 2004 second half consistency at the Senior Bowl gives Spears an opportunity to sneak into the end of the first round. This is strictly a boom-or-bust type of athlete, but he looks like he is about to emerge as a productive and disruptive force.
The two-time recipient of the prestigious Ted Hendricks Award, given to the nation's premier defensive end, David Pollack closed out his career as one of the most-decorated down linemen in school history. The winner of the coveted Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) in 2004, Pollack garnered consensus All-America honors and was named Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his final season. In 50 games as a Bulldog, Pollack started 44 times and recorded 283 tackles (158 solo), the 16th-highest total in school annals. His 36 sacks for minus-256 yards topped the previous school record of 28 career sacks by Jimmy Payne (1978-82) and his 58½ stops behind the line of scrimmage set another Georgia all-time record. Excellent rush end whose only deficiency is a lack of ideal height (6-2). Pollack is very productive and disruptive coming off the edge, using his explosive quickness to penetrate the backfield. Pollack is a bit of an overachiever, but he is a smart player with natural instincts who always seems to be around the ball. Pollack is a solid run defender with the quickness and lateral agility to make plays on the move. When he gets too high in his stance, he can be tied up working in-line, but he is able to compensate, as he uses his hands effectively to get across the blocker's face quickly. He has a high motor and makes plays from sideline to sideline.
Technically sound player with superb hand usage. Fierce desire and a motor that simply will not quit. Has a well-built frame, but looks lean and he has the room to add more growth. Shows the quickness to gain the edge and a good burst to close. Can also hold the point against the run and does a very good job of playing with leverage. Has strong hands and can shed and make plays working down the line. The thing you notice on film is Cody's instant burst, the toughness to defeat pass schemes and the closing burst to get to the quarterback. Fluid short-area runner who is very strong against the rush, staying at a low pad level and bringing his arms up quickly to stun and jolt. Has the strength to control the line of scrimmage and the power to split double teams. Possesses very good field vision and plays with excellent awareness. Moves well through traffic, but does look a little top heavy and off balance in long pursuit.
Roth is regarded as one of the premier pass rushers in the collegiate ranks and one of the toughest players in the country. He is a blue-chip prospect with a blue-collar work ethic. Roth is a colorful character who plays the game as if he is on a "search and destroy" mission. He is the source of a campus urban legend, as many Hawkeyes talk of the time Roth challenged and cleared out an entire bar in a fight. In 49 games, he started 25 times, recording 167 tackles (100 solo) with 23 quarterback pressures, 30 sacks for minus-192 yards, 43 stops for losses of 224 yards, eight forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection. Roth plays with superb field awareness and has very good agility for his position, making plays in pursuit. He demonstrates an explosive initial burst and can flash upfield, displaying fine foot agility when dropping off in pass coverage. Roth comes off his stance ready to deliver forceful inside counter moves on his upfield rush and has excellent recovery speed in pursuit. While he might be a little stiff in his hips and can sometimes come off the snap a little high in his stance, he uses his power to gain leverage and is very combative with his arms (rip and swim moves) to prevent blockers from containing him.
Cody shows a good feel for blocking schemes, fighting pressure and using his hands to disengage and transfer on the block. He flattens very quickly and shows a good burst working through trash. He plays at a low pad level, and despite his size, generally holds his ground at the point of attack. On the pass rush, he is better served coming off the edge where he can build speed and "zero in" on the quarterback. He looks a little stiff at times in redirection and when trying to combat the offensive tackles in traffic, as he spends more much time playing games with the blocker than locating the ball. He has an assortment of rush moves and is very effective with his hands while generating rip, club and spin moves to break into the backfield.
Castillo has an ideal frame and exceptional quickness for a nose guard prospect. Despite his impressive frame, he is more of a finesse-type of player who has the functional strength, but needs to get more physical on the field. He has a frame that can carry at least another 20 pounds of bulk. Because of his bull-rush skills and ability to plug the rush lanes, he could also perform capably in a two-gap system, thanks to his lower body strength. He does a good job of pursuing the play, as he is quick to read and react. He plays at a good pad level, most of the time and relies on his quickness to gain penetration. As a run defender, Castillo is quick to gain position on the blocker, using his arm-under action to get an edge on the outside of an offensive lineman. Stock may drop on draft day due to testing positive for banned substances at the combine. 
Justin Tuck is an extremely quick and agile player who possesses very good strength for a player of his size. He was a relatively unknown prospect coming out of high school and spent his freshman season as a redshirt. But he established himself as the premier pass rusher in the history of Notre Dame football over the last two years. Tuck has a developing frame with good muscle development, but still needs to increase his strength to combat the larger defenders at the pro level. He shows good quickness off the ball, along with above-average hand usage and lateral agility to slip blocks. He has very good agility and balance to play on his feet. Tuck uses his hands well to protect himself from cut blocks, but needs to separate and shed quicker when locked on. On running plays, he needs to square his base better, as he will turn his shoulders and get sealed off some at the point of attack. Still, he comes off the line with good pad level and body lean. He can burst around the corner with speed, loop through the gaps with quickness or bull rush straight up with power. Tuck holds the Notre Dame career-record with 24½ sacks. 
One of the premier nose guards in the collegiate ranks, Mike Patterson was nicknamed "Baby Sapp," as his style of play is very similar to that of Oakland's Warren Sapp. Both rely on their suddenness off the snap, instincts and aggression to make plays in the backfield, despite yielding considerable bulk and size to the offensive linemen. Patterson teamed with Shaun Cody to give the Trojans the premier tackle tandem in college football: both garnered first-team All-American honors as seniors. Patterson has excellent quickness and plays with recklessness and an aggressive style. He shows good pursuit speed to cover ground from sideline to sideline. Might be a little too short to play the two-gap system, but his explosion, long arms and strength make him ideal to handle the trash and double teams at nose guard. He keeps a low center of gravity vs. the run and can anchor and neutralize with his lower-body strength and very long arms. Extremely difficult to block one-on-one because of his power and low pad level. Physical hitter, wraps up strongly and is a good pass rusher with above-average foot speed to fight through traffic en route to the quarterback. A little slow recognizing the run and pass, but has the foot speed to get there once he spots the play. 
He is a wide-body type who might be better suited for defensive tackle in a conventional 4-3 defensive alignment, or operating as an end in a 3-4 formation (played mostly this position in college). He has long arms and good lower-body strength, but fails to get good arm extension to keep blockers off his body. He has excellent size and athletic ability, but lacks the sudden explosion needed to string plays out. While he has adequate power, he can be stonewalled at the line due to marginal hand usage in attempts to shed and disengage. His huge wing span allows him to reach and engulf runners, but he is prone to making too many arm tackles, causing the backs to slip off him due to marginal power. He needs to improve his hand usage and placement, as a player with his reach should be dragging down ballcarriers from behind rather than trying to chase them down. Canty loses leverage at times due to his height. He has adequate lateral agility and change-of-direction skills, making him suspect in attempts to work outside the box. He just does not make many plays from across the field or from the backside. His knee injury early in the 2004 season will sideline him until training camp opens next summer and his recent eye injury will need further medical evaluation before his draft stock can be determined. Along with a fractured left ulna and right tibia in 2002 and shoulder problems as a freshman, durability issues are sure to arise. 
Calvin Michael Mosley, Jr., is a player who is blessed with excellent size, speed and athleticism, all the tools you look for in a top-line player. Mosley has a developing frame with excellent quickness, functional strength and above average change of direction agility and flexibility. He could add at least another twenty pounds of bulk with no drop-off in speed. He shows a good burst in his movements, but would not consider it explosive. C.J. struggles some with double teams and is prone to get a little out of control. His momentum sometimes will see him get taking out of the play, as he does not have good stop-and-go action. He seems to be more effective at the nose, playing over the center one on one, as he shows the ability to get an edge on the shoulder of the blocker. On the pass rush, C.J. can push the pocket and shows good swim, club, rip and counter moves to combine with his quickness to flush out and pressure the quarterback. His lateral agility is evident in his pursuit and he is a solid wrap-up tackler who does a good job of sliding laterally. He relies a lot on his quickness to get an edge, using his body control to lean and his spin moves to avoid the blocker when shooting the inside gaps. 
A massive athlete with incredible strength, holding the school records with a 505-pound bench press and 775-pound squat. He was the veteran leader of the Crimson Tide defensive line the last two years and has experience in the one- and two-gap systems. Bryant is an imposing space-eater with a massive frame that makes his arms appear very short (29-inch length). He does not get pushed around much due to his size and imposing strength, but is better served as a bull rusher than trying to get to the quarterback. He is a two-gap tackle whose size makes him stout vs. the run. He has the strength to hold his ground at the point of attack, but when he has to work outside the box, his marginal change-of-direction agility becomes evident. He has been only an adequate performer throughout his career and with his size and strength, might be better suited for nose guard or switch to the offensive line. Bryant needs to be walked through a play several times before he can comprehend it. While he has good overall strength, he fails to be active with his hands and this causes him to have huge difficulties discarding blockers, as he gets tied up too easily. When he does break free, he has enough of a short-area burst to run down the ball carrier, but is not known for making plays behind the line of scrimmage (only seven in 1,456 plays). Stamina is another problem, as he tires easily and has never been in good shape. 
Alexander has been a mainstay on the California defensive interior line since his freshman year. He was consistently double-teamed. Alexander has a wide-body frame and the tools to develop into an effective run stuffer thanks to his combination of size, strength and instinct. Alexander has a short, wide frame that could conceivably carry additional bulk. His commitment to the game is evident in the way he trains, the way he practices and the extra hours he spends in the film room. He can dominate against double teams when he stays low and uses his hands to split-and-stack. He shows adequate balance when on the move and can chase and make plays down the line, but is best working in the box, as he does not have the foot speed for long pursuit. Alexander's instincts are evident as he quickly diagnoses and reacts to traps and pulls. 
His lack of bulk hurts him against the run; he constantly struggles in attempts to get off blocks. His best ability is playmaking in pursuit. He is better on the chase than meeting the play head-on. Moore's lack of power causes him to get knocked around at the point of attack. Even though he struggles at the line of scrimmage, he has the quickness, change-of-direction agility and speed to flatten and make plays on the move. He is better used in pass-rushing situations, as he generates good explosion coming off the edge and makes every effort to get to the quarterback in pursuit. As a pass rusher, he is effective when looping the corner, but needs to add to his pass-rush moves; he struggles vs. the counter. At times, he will go under, but is better on upfield plays due to his low pad level and quickness off the ball. 
Jim Davis is a guy who has experience at DE and DT. He has good pass rushing moves and is a guy who plays very hard. He took over games at Virginia Tech and was disruptive from both spots on the line. If you have watched a Tech game, you undoubtedly heard his name called all night on defense. Being that I went to Tech, I haven’t missed a game since he has been there. He is one of the guys that doesn’t show that well on the track but can play. He is considered a tweener because he is too small to play tackle and “too slow” to play end. Last time I check, it is not 40 yards to the quarterback. They say that he would be a better fit for a 3-4, but I think he could be a player no matter what system he is in. He is strong with good moves and makes plays. 
Positives: Has long, lean muscles and looks every bit the part of a linebacker rather than a defensive end … Smooth athlete with good quickness off the snap … Turns the corner with impressive speed and always works hard in pursuit … More of a one-speed type, but shows explosion coming off the edge …projects to be an outside LB in the NFL. Negatives: Too lean and frail looking to be a competitive defensive end … Sometimes gets upright before taking on blocks … Gets turned around quite a bit by the larger blockers, as he does not have the strength to take on blocks at the line … Takes false steps dropping back in pass coverage … Must rely on his pass rush burst in order to get to the quarterback due to lack of overall bulk …