Jets need a Hokie?
QBs are on the menu, who is ready to eat? This is the question the New York Jets are asking the prospects, they are interviewing prior to the upcoming NFL draft. New York may have had 39-sacks on the season, but they need to bring in a cheap plug in play option now, via the draft that is going to produce results. With Calvin Pace just getting old to be honest (35), and the Jets needing to refresh the line with youth, the best option to grab in the late rounds is Virginia Tech’s Dadi Nicolas.
Quite the dancer…
Nicolas caught my eye because of his pure athleticism. When watching the tape on this young man, you can see him advancing on linemen, with a fierce amount of speed. Using his hips and quick feet, he is able to maneuver past his adversaries. Opponents may lay hands on him, but I see constant movement of the feet and hips after contact, which allows this Virginia Tech product to continue converging in on QBs.
No one trick pony here…
Not only does this 6-3.5, 228lb grown man have ability with his feet and hips, I could see him using more than one technique after the snap. I’ll admit, on some of the plays, where he used power on the guards, it was just poor technique used against him. However this Hokie had no problem with his use of hands to either power through or dip the shoulder and go low to get around Tackles. While 2015 may not have been a great year, this man had nine-sacks in 2014, which speaks to his abilities.
Knock Knock…
Ok, so you’re probably wondering what is keeping him out of the first round then, since I’ve blown so much smoke? I’ll tell you. The first round is for players who have displayed the full scope of play, deserving of a high pick. I hate to blame it on the coaches, but Dadi was not given the opportunity to display his pass coverage skills much, during his college tenure. This is show clearly by his eight total pass defenses in college. I am not saying he is terrible but even Pro Football Focus had this to say in his review.
“…Will need to work on pass drop and coverage…”
That isn’t the only knock on Nicolas. The other problem is the guy is underweight. Sure Nicolas is fast and has good technique, but he could stand to bulk up a bit. He will be facing LTs that average 315lbs, and being 85lbs smaller than his opponent is going to get him pushed around like a new kid on the playground. He had better start eating sandwiches before bed, if he plans to last at the next level.
VT & NY Similar D?
VT’s style of D is a very aggressive one, which relies on complex blitzes and stunts. Because of this, Dadi did not see as many one-on-one matchups, but he will at the next level. This is the exact reason I like him in “gang-green”. I believe with 39-sacks and the sack leader being the ILB (David Harris w/5) says it all for New York. This is the “Oprah Winfrey” or “Bernie Sanders” type team, where everyone gets a “car” or in their case, a sack. It’s not a bad thing, because it means there are blitzes coming from every direction, thanks to the creative minds of D-Coordinator Kacy Rodgers and Head Coach Todd Bowles.
Marriage made…
Look for the Jets to bring in this young, hungry, lightweight in the fifth or sixth-round. He may not be early round material in most eyes, but once he gets the weight up and finds the solid linebacker coach in Mark Collins to teach him pass coverage, NY just might have a late round steal.
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Jermaine Lockett is a Writer and CEO for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Facebook or twitter.