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Forum Scouting Project #2 -- Budda Baker


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10 minutes ago, Superman said:

@OffensivelyPC

@twfish

Any objections? There's lot of 2016 video of him on DB. http://draftbreakdown.com/players/budda-baker/#player-vids

 

 

 

I love the Bob Sanders types. Even though they end up being banged up all the time. I love the fight in them. 

 

I don't think Ballard is going to ring the bell on players who do not check the measurements boxes. 

 

He made a few comments; and one stuck out at me. He said if there is a deficiency in one area then there needs to be special traits in other areas. Baker has those special traits, but at that position, he would likely be hurt more than healthy. 

 

I could be wrong, but I think measurements will be important to Ballard. Can't wait to see though. 

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9 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

 

I love the Bob Sanders types. Even though they end up being banged up all the time. I love the fight in them. 

 

I don't think Ballard is going to ring the bell on players who do not check the measurements boxes. 

 

He made a few comments; and one stuck out at me. He said if there is a deficiency in one area then there needs to be special traits in other areas. Baker has those special traits, but at that position, he would likely be hurt more than healthy. 

 

I could be wrong, but I think measurements will be important to Ballard. Can't wait to see though. 

Not that I disagree, but One safety that comes to mind who I believe is undersized is Eric Weddle. What's his size? And Weddle is a very gifted ball hawk.

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8 hours ago, Rackeen305 said:

Not that I disagree, but One safety that comes to mind who I believe is undersized is Eric Weddle. What's his size? And Weddle is a very gifted ball hawk.

Earl Thomas is an even better example IMO. 

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1 hour ago, OffensivelyPC said:

We can use a different form or if you have an updated one, just send along.  I'm not doing any writing as of yet, just watching and note-taking.  

 

That's the format, just with more info. I skimped on that one for Cash (and was so wrong; he went undrafted). Same format as I've used for corners. 

 

http://forums.colts.com/topic/43871-scouting-notes-florida-state-cb-jalen-ramsey/

 

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As always, sending a quick notification to the Regional Scouts who've already submitted previous reports - @twfish - and the Senior Scout - @Superman on the Budda Baker write-up.

___________________________________________________________

 

Games watched: USC (2016), CFB National Championship (2016), Arizona State (2016); Arizona (2015)

 

Overview:  Started out as an off the ball safety that played more down in the box and as a slot corner as the season progressed.  He thrived more in the latter role and I think that’s probably his best fit in the NFL – a hybrid safety/slot corner.  He was productive most his career out of Washington and he plays with a passion that is visible on tape.  He plays bigger than his size would indicate – that may give some teams reason to pause, but he’s a football player, and a good one, who’s missed only one game in 3 years.  I'll take the track record over speculative concerns.  Stick him in a 6’0” 205 body and he’s a first round prospect if you ask me.  Another high motor guy and I confess I tend to grade them a little higher because I get excited watching guys who play all down, every down.  Nothing to speak of as far as off the field red flags go.

 

Size: 5”10, 195, since he's mostly a box safety, he's a little on the light side.  I’m not sure how much more weight he can add, but I’m not terribly concerned about his lack of size, it will just be an obvious limitation like any other tweener.  Health is an obvious concern, but I’m less concerned when we’re talking about a guy who’s missed only one game because of an ankle sprain in 3 full years as a starter. 3/5

 

Athleticism: An explosive athlete, to be sure, but not a ton of power.  He’ll function in man or zone, but I think his best fit is in man coverage where he can be made useful as a slot corner.  Closing speed on blitzes is obvious, though he’s easily knocked off his path if he tries to beat the blocker around his him instead of through him.  His combine times match with his play speed, so you don’t have to worry about getting a combine warrior who disappears when he puts pads on.  His combine jumps were below average, but he's got a second gear and enough hops to make plays. 7/10

 

Fluidity/agility: Fluid hips to stay in the receiver’s pocket but prone to losing his balance in man coverage the longer the play drags on, typically after the receiver has made his breaks and the play has gone from organized football to backyard ball.  Noticeable improvement in footwork and hip rotation in coverage from 2015 to 2016.  Can stop and redirect and get to top speed in a hurry and not lose any ground in the process.   8/10

 

Physicality: He doesn’t shy away from contact, but he’s not much of a big hitter either (i.e. might get a good lick on a QB or RB who’s momentum has been slowed, but he won’t stop an RB dead in his tracks most the time).  Even so, he’s physical enough and does a pretty good job fighting for the ball at the attack point, but disciplined enough to know when to forego the interception and, instead, ensure the tackle.  His size will limit his ability on jump balls, but he has several passes defensed over his tenure in WAS (some of which were dropped interceptions). 7/10

 

Technical ability/Play recognition: I’m going to leave this line here from Superman’s Jeremy Cash evaluation because I think it applies equally to Baker “Questionable here, he relies more on his athleticism than any refined technique, and the coaches seem to just cut him loose.”  That became all the clearer when they moved him to play up in the box with regularity instead of deep off the ball (see Consistencies, which apply here as well).  On the plus side, he’s often able to remain on the receiver’s hip while able to peek back at the QBs eyes.  Does a good job of squaring up to take on blockers, but inconsistent with his hands.  Needs to break down before open field tackles with more control.    I’m going to account for play recognition and awareness here because it seems to fit most (so apologies in advance for tweaking the original format a bit).  I think his play recognition and spatial awareness is top notch.  Could use a bit more work recognizing where blockers are coming from on screens, but that’ll come with more experience up in the box/slot duties.  He’ll bite on play fakes on rare occasion, but instances are few and far in between.  He always seems to be around the play.  His eyes are constantly on a swivel and he reacts instantaneously and then he laser beams toward the player (see pursuit angles below).  Tremendous improvement in recognition and reactionary skills from 2015 to 2016.        Technique 2/5; Play Recognition 5/5 – Total 7/10

 

Run game/tackling: Just adequate.  I like his effort tackling and he shows a willingness to take on blockers and shed, but he won’t have the length to do it with any consistency at the next level, nor the size to make many solo tackles unless they are practically defenseless or unaware of his presense.  If he’s not racing downhill, he will generally square up to the ball carrier, but he gets his head down too often and seldom will stop a ball carrier on his own (i.e. will drag tackle).  If the play is within the vicinity, he will be in on the play but he will by in most cases, be a guy who creates enough of a disruption until the cavalry comes in (which I think he’s self-aware of that fact and will at times opt to push his blocker to close a gap instead of trying to beat the block – wins sometimes and loses others).  When he plays under control, he doesn’t miss a ton of tackles and will keep his feet driving through the carrier, so I have to give him credit for that.  I just question what that will be like at the NFL level.    2/5

 

Ball skills: As stated before, he knows when to play the ball and when to play the receiver.  His ability to win contested catches will only be limited by his lack of size.  But what he lacks in size, he makes up for with tight coverage and instinctual play.  4/5

 

Consistency: Inconsistent hand usage, pursuit angles and tackling (i.e. shoulder tackling with little purpose).  Despite all of that, he’s always around the play.  He’s rarely beat in man coverage except on the occasional play action, but he’s got good recovery.  I’d like to see him shed blocks with more consistency and get more disruption off the LOS when in press man, but he shows some promise in the latter.  In general, most of his inconsistencies can be cured with good coaching because, above all, Baker is known to be a hard worker and doesn’t appear to really take plays off.  3/5

 

Grade: 41/60, Early 2nd Round Prospect (High: Late 1st, Low: Late 2nd).

 

NFL Comparison: Tyrann Matthieu, CB, Cardinals.  I tried hard to find a different NFL comp because it seems like this is a favorite comp for Baker.  But it’s still a really good comp and I couldn’t really think of a better one myself.  Both undersized guys, each with good coverage skills.  Excelled in similar roles.  Baker isn’t as aggressive tackling as Matthieu was, but they are both tenacious.

 

Fit with Colts: I think this is the type of role that we are trying to make Darius Butler fill.  Butler has never played a full season but once in 2013 if my math is correct.  Adding Baker would be insurance should Butler go down and we’d lose little with Baker filling in if he picks up the game quickly like I think he will (and has shown from 2015 to 2016).  Could usurp Butler’s role at any point in 2016.   5/5

 

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*watched every game on draft breakdown*

 

Budda baker a Junior coming from Washington a smaller guy who plays like hes bigger. A box safety who isn't afraid to go into coverage. Flies around the field and is definitely a sideline to sideline player.

 

Size: At 5'10 and 190 pounds hes smaller than what id like too see. Hes got a very solid build but id like too see him put on some more muscle and weight at the pro level. His size raises some concerns for injury even though he doesn't have an injury ridden past. 5/10

 

Athleticism: Hes a sideline to sideline player with tons of burst. He knows how too use his speed and when too. At 4.45 forty its enough to where he will be able to run down most running backs and a lot or WR. He has a high motor and seems to have good stamina. Him being smaller makes it easier for a WR to shove him off and make his jams useless when he plays Nickle cornerback. He tries to tackle likes he bigger than he is a flies around but he doesnt have the body to deliver crucial blows that it appears hes attempting too do.7/10

 

Fluidity/Agility: Hes very fluid and can flip his hips with ease and his change of direction is very good. Light on his feet and rarely see him stumbling around. He can shadow another wide receiver well with his body if he relied on it/ 9/10

 

Physicality: It appears he really wants to be a physical player and play smash mouth football however i dont think thats where he will excel in this league. He really tries to lay a lick on people when he tries to tackle with little progress made. Hes not afraid of contact that is for sure i just dont think he connects with his contact well.He does not shed blocks well if at all and gets locked up by receivers very easily.  4/10

 

Technical ability: He has a very sound game and was taught well. His play recognition is very good and can sniff out a screen play like nobody's business. Very alert and recognizes whether its a run or a pass very quickly. He understands his assignments playing zone, in the box, blitzing or man coverage and he understands how to do them all. There are times he relies too much on his speed after he gets burnt or he can wait just a second too long to see how a play develops and can lose track of the receiver but thats more of a rarity. His technique for covering a receiver is way to handsy and im unaware how he was not called for more PI in college. Most of the time he didnt have to be as grabby as he was with the receiver since he was running stride for stride with them but hopefully its something that can be coached out. Technique 2.5/5 Play recognition 5/5 7.5/10

 

Tackling/Run Game: Ill admit i was looking forward to seeing him be a big hitter type but i was definitely wrong in what i was thinking was going to be his strength. Hes willing too tackle but is an awful tackler. He absolutely fails to wrap up on tackles and flies around like a dud missile. He tries to use the force of his body to tackle but rarely ever works and guys Christian Mcaffery can expose that with either a simple spin move (should definitely watch the Stanford VS Washington game and watch Cmac spin out of one of his "tackles") or a juke. A shifty RB or WR can expose him easily. He tries to be very involved in the running game if he isnt eaten up by a blocker but hes more than willing to help clean up a tackle. His willingness is why he will get a point but his tacking is so bad and thats not a good thing seeing as thats supposed too be a SS strong point. 1/10

 

Ball Skills: He has a knack for finding the ball and when put into man coverage hes around it and fights to get too it. I would have liked to have seen him worked a bit more from a coverage stand point but generally on film you cant see whats going on down the field and teams didn't really try too pass on Washington. However he looked good in coverage and while i dont believe he will be a ball hawk it wont be easy to pick on him. 6/10

 

Consistency: Hes very consistent. Hes consistently bad at tackling but usually pretty good in coverage. Hes always around the ball. There is not a huge drop off in any of his games and comes into every game ready too compete and win. A high motor and seems very competitive. 5/5

 

Total: 44.5 59% A late second to third round pick

 

 

As stated i came in with a different opinion after watching highlights, which is why you watching game film kids, and completely changed what i perceived his strengths were. A little bit of me questions how he will do because he was more than likely able to play the position more comfortably because he had some very good corners too work with. They often forced other teams to run instead of pass so being on and pretty good defense as a whole could possibly mask his inefficiencies.

 

As for a colts fit Im not sure sure if i would want him as a safety. However i think he could excel in the NFL as a nickle corner given the right coaching.I dont like him as a strong safety and i think there are better options out there out at free safety.

 

Also sorry this is a little later and one of my worse reviews been very busy lately.

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6 hours ago, twfish said:

*watched every game on draft breakdown*

 

Budda baker a Junior coming from Washington a smaller guy who plays like hes bigger. A box safety who isn't afraid to go into coverage. Flies around the field and is definitely a sideline to sideline player.

 

Size: At 5'10 and 190 pounds hes smaller than what id like too see. Hes got a very solid build but id like too see him put on some more muscle and weight at the pro level. His size raises some concerns for injury even though he doesn't have an injury ridden past. 5/10

 

Athleticism: Hes a sideline to sideline player with tons of burst. He knows how too use his speed and when too. At 4.45 forty its enough to where he will be able to run down most running backs and a lot or WR. He has a high motor and seems to have good stamina. Him being smaller makes it easier for a WR to shove him off and make his jams useless when he plays Nickle cornerback. He tries to tackle likes he bigger than he is a flies around but he doesnt have the body to deliver crucial blows that it appears hes attempting too do.7/10

 

Fluidity/Agility: Hes very fluid and can flip his hips with ease and his change of direction is very good. Light on his feet and rarely see him stumbling around. He can shadow another wide receiver well with his body if he relied on it/ 9/10

 

Physicality: It appears he really wants to be a physical player and play smash mouth football however i dont think thats where he will excel in this league. He really tries to lay a lick on people when he tries to tackle with little progress made. Hes not afraid of contact that is for sure i just dont think he connects with his contact well.He does not shed blocks well if at all and gets locked up by receivers very easily.  4/10

 

Technical ability: He has a very sound game and was taught well. His play recognition is very good and can sniff out a screen play like nobody's business. Very alert and recognizes whether its a run or a pass very quickly. He understands his assignments playing zone, in the box, blitzing or man coverage and he understands how to do them all. There are times he relies too much on his speed after he gets burnt or he can wait just a second too long to see how a play develops and can lose track of the receiver but thats more of a rarity. His technique for covering a receiver is way to handsy and im unaware how he was not called for more PI in college. Most of the time he didnt have to be as grabby as he was with the receiver since he was running stride for stride with them but hopefully its something that can be coached out. Technique 2.5/5 Play recognition 5/5 7.5/10

 

Tackling/Run Game: Ill admit i was looking forward to seeing him be a big hitter type but i was definitely wrong in what i was thinking was going to be his strength. Hes willing too tackle but is an awful tackler. He absolutely fails to wrap up on tackles and flies around like a dud missile. He tries to use the force of his body to tackle but rarely ever works and guys Christian Mcaffery can expose that with either a simple spin move (should definitely watch the Stanford VS Washington game and watch Cmac spin out of one of his "tackles") or a juke. A shifty RB or WR can expose him easily. He tries to be very involved in the running game if he isnt eaten up by a blocker but hes more than willing to help clean up a tackle. His willingness is why he will get a point but his tacking is so bad and thats not a good thing seeing as thats supposed too be a SS strong point. 1/10

 

Ball Skills: He has a knack for finding the ball and when put into man coverage hes around it and fights to get too it. I would have liked to have seen him worked a bit more from a coverage stand point but generally on film you cant see whats going on down the field and teams didn't really try too pass on Washington. However he looked good in coverage and while i dont believe he will be a ball hawk it wont be easy to pick on him. 6/10

 

Consistency: Hes very consistent. Hes consistently bad at tackling but usually pretty good in coverage. Hes always around the ball. There is not a huge drop off in any of his games and comes into every game ready too compete and win. A high motor and seems very competitive. 5/5

 

Total: 44.5 59% A late second to third round pick

 

 

As stated i came in with a different opinion after watching highlights, which is why you watching game film kids, and completely changed what i perceived his strengths were. A little bit of me questions how he will do because he was more than likely able to play the position more comfortably because he had some very good corners too work with. They often forced other teams to run instead of pass so being on and pretty good defense as a whole could possibly mask his inefficiencies.

 

As for a colts fit Im not sure sure if i would want him as a safety. However i think he could excel in the NFL as a nickle corner given the right coaching.I dont like him as a strong safety and i think there are better options out there out at free safety.

 

Also sorry this is a little later and one of my worse reviews been very busy lately.

I disagree with your assessment of his tackling. He's not gonna blow guys up like Vontae but he gets the guy to the ground consistently. I was surprised to see how well he mixes it up in the run game. He's able to slip blocks and get by guys using his quickness and instincts. 

 

All just my opinion but he's the kind of player I want at FS. Range, instincts, and aggressiveness. Of course this would end our interchangeable safety thing we've failed at. 

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24 minutes ago, SP_21 said:

I disagree with your assessment of his tackling. He's not gonna blow guys up like Vontae but he gets the guy to the ground consistently. I was surprised to see how well he mixes it up in the run game. He's able to slip blocks and get by guys using his quickness and instincts. 

 

All just my opinion but he's the kind of player I want at FS. Range, instincts, and aggressiveness. Of course this would end our interchangeable safety thing we've failed at. 

I may have been a little harsh on his scoring on tackling but he fails to wrap up. In the open field if the ball carrier has any shift to them or has power then I'll put my money that he will either miss the tackle or will bounce off. However we all have different opinions lol. I'm surprised your not in on this by the way?

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Would anyone be interested in doing scouting reports on prospects you dislike? 

 

For example I could take Dalvin Cook. Any number of people could take Derek Barnett haha 

 

I think it would be quite funny and maybe some of us would change our opinion. 

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1 hour ago, twfish said:

I may have been a little harsh on his scoring on tackling but he fails to wrap up. In the open field if the ball carrier has any shift to them or has power then I'll put my money that he will either miss the tackle or will bounce off. However we all have different opinions lol. I'm surprised your not in on this by the way?

Don't really have any time. I might do one on Duke Riley, Raekwon McMillian, or Alex Anzalone since those guys intrigue me. 

 

Are there any FS prospects you like? What about Eddie Jackson? 

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2 hours ago, SP_21 said:

Don't really have any time. I might do one on Duke Riley, Raekwon McMillian, or Alex Anzalone since those guys intrigue me. 

 

Are there any FS prospects you like? What about Eddie Jackson? 

Jackson may be tough due to probably limited film because of his injury. John Johnson and Marcus Williams are two FS I'm really interested in and plan to watch a bit of film on in a day or two.

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44 minutes ago, twfish said:

Hey @OffensivelyPC while we wait on @Superman to polish up his write up want to try and decide on a prospect to do next? I've got my eye on Wayne Gallman RB from Clemson but I'd be very open to doing an edge rusher CB or middle line backer if you've got someone in mind?

Lets do an edge or corner guy. I have already watch film on like 20 running backs and another 20 wide receivers for my Dynasty Fantasy League. 

 

We can come up with a list of guys and pair it  down from there.   Im kind of interested in doing a day two or early day three Prospect.

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3 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

Lets do an edge or corner guy. I have already watch film on like 20 running backs and another 20 wide receivers for my Dynasty Fantasy League. 

 

We can come up with a list of guys and pair it  down from there.   Im kind of interested in doing a day two or early day three Prospect.

Here's some guys i wouldn't mind looking at for OLB that have a decent amount of film on

Devontae fields

Jordan Wills

Dawuane Smoot

And for CB I'm pretty open on them since there's so many in this class. 

 

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@OffensivelyPC @twfish

 

Got busy, sorry it took a little longer. I watched everything I could find on him. He's gotten better from 2015, I think. I like Budda Baker. He can play FS and SS, he’ll be adequate man coverage for limited snaps, great awareness, great intensity, only real drawbacks are his size and a potential to get beat in off man coverage.

 

Size: 5’10”, 195 pounds (Combine), <31” arms, undersized, not long, and it shows in matchups against bigger players; well built, proportionally; his size deficiency is offset by his heart and intensity, 2/5

 

Athleticism: Good speed and range, explosive change of direction, good closing speed, accelerates with ease, jumps well and quickly off of one or two feet, can run with receivers, plays well in space; has impressive playmaking range considering his lack of size/length, he flies around the field all game long; good timed speed at the Combine, matches his play speed, 8.5/10

 

Fluidity/agility: Good hips, quick feet, bend and burst in all directions, makes quick direction changes at full speed, can drop his hips and pivot to come out of his backpedal and break on the ball/carrier, his low center of gravity makes it easier for him to turn and go; great cone/shuttle times, looks smooth and fluid in all drills, reports from pro day were that he looked as fluid as a nickel corner,  9/10

 

Physicality: Arrives at the ball with authority and strikes with force, can dislodge the ball from defenders (but doesn’t fly around out of control or launch late for dirty/unsafe hits), can be overwhelmed by bigger players against the run and in coverage, drops and drives through hips with power, tenacious, plays with urgency and suddenness; his size is an obvious drawback, but he doesn’t play like it, and has a field presence that outweighs his physical size, 7/10

 

Technical ability: Good footwork, good hands usage, form tackler, good awareness and body positioning, doesn’t open up too fast or overpursue; can be flatfooted in off man coverage, too handsy and grabby at break/top of route, can lose positioning when contesting balls in the air (size more than technique), peeks in the backfield in off man which makes him susceptible to fakes, can be turned around by good routes/double moves, unrefined in man/mirror coverage; good spatial awareness in high coverage and when the ball is in front of him; had a good game in coverage against Stanford where he was in the slot very often; my biggest concern about his entire game is his struggle to stick with receivers at the top of the route in off man coverage, 6.5/10

 

Run game/tackling: He’ll miss a tackle or two when he comes in too hot, got beat in space by Christian McCaffrey (who hasn’t?), typically a sound tackler, breaks down to square up in space, not a launcher, keeps his head up, hits well, doesn’t consistently stop the advance; does go low to ankle grab when the play is at the limit of his range, and usually makes the play, not without giving up a couple extra yards; gets locked down by blockers on the edge, almost useless in containment unless he can get around the blocker, short arms make it difficult for him to disengage once he absorbs contact with a blocker, but won’t stop fighting, does better against receivers on screen plays, can usually slip a lead block on the outside; prone to get flattened by a TE, FB or OL; will chase the ball to the end of the play, dive to get in on a tackle, always around the ball; like a cruise missile to the ball carrier when he has a path, closes with discipline to keep the play in front of him; disciplined and dangerous blitzer, leading to lots of plays at or behind the LOS; sound, effective, consistent, 3.5/5

 

Ball skills: Sees the ball well, good awareness of where the play is going, anticipates and breaks with purpose, trusts his eyes and ability to make the play; has missed some interceptions due to lack of hands; effective leaping ability when the ball is in the air, despite average test numbers at the Combine; gets his hands on a good number of passes (I’ve seen several numbers “reported,” not sure which are accurate); he’s decent with the ball in his hands; 3.5/5

 

Consistency: Attitude and work ethic make him a tireless player, from beginning to end, every game, always at his best; can be out of position and make mistakes at time, but the zeal for the game helps him to bounce back right away, won’t take plays off, won’t quit on plays, has “short man syndrome” and won’t back down from a challenge, an on field leader; missed three games with injury in 2015, concern due to size that injuries will limit him in the NFL, 4/5

 

Grade: 44/60, 73%, late first/second round pick

 

NFL Comparison: Earl Thomas, Seattle (Reminder: I'm bad at comparisons). Will be a feisty, tenacious safety who can line up anywhere on the field -- high, low, slot, outside -- and make plays in both phases.

 

Fit with Colts: Excellent fit as an interchangeable safety, comfortable in the box, covering in the slot, or on the back end. Will struggle against bigger receivers and to beat blocks in run support. He is a high effort player who will work his butt off to help his team. 4.5/5

 

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1 hour ago, twfish said:

Here's some guys i wouldn't mind looking at for OLB that have a decent amount of film on

Devontae fields

Jordan Wills

Dawuane Smoot

And for CB I'm pretty open on them since there's so many in this class. 

 

Other Edge prospects for consideration

Derek Rivers

Tyus Bowser

Tarrell Basham

 

Cornerbacks:

Jourdan Lewis

Ahkello Witherspoon

Corn Elder

Fabian Moreau

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9 minutes ago, Superman said:

@OffensivelyPC @twfish

 

Got busy, sorry it took a little longer. I watched everything I could find on him. He's gotten better from 2015, I think. I like Budda Baker. He can play FS and SS, he’ll be adequate man coverage for limited snaps, great awareness, great intensity, only real drawbacks are his size and a potential to get beat in off man coverage.

 

Size: 5’10”, 195 pounds (Combine), <31” arms, undersized, not long, and it shows in matchups against bigger players; well built, proportionally; his size deficiency is offset by his heart and intensity, 2/5

 

Athleticism: Good speed and range, explosive change of direction, good closing speed, accelerates with ease, jumps well and quickly off of one or two feet, can run with receivers, plays well in space; has impressive playmaking range considering his lack of size/length, he flies around the field all game long; good timed speed at the Combine, matches his play speed, 8.5/10

 

Fluidity/agility: Good hips, quick feet, bend and burst in all directions, makes quick direction changes at full speed, can drop his hips and pivot to come out of his backpedal and break on the ball/carrier, his low center of gravity makes it easier for him to turn and go; great cone/shuttle times, looks smooth and fluid in all drills, reports from pro day were that he looked as fluid as a nickel corner,  9/10

 

Physicality: Arrives at the ball with authority and strikes with force, can dislodge the ball from defenders (but doesn’t fly around out of control or launch late for dirty/unsafe hits), can be overwhelmed by bigger players against the run and in coverage, drops and drives through hips with power, tenacious, plays with urgency and suddenness; his size is an obvious drawback, but he doesn’t play like it, and has a field presence that outweighs his physical size, 7/10

 

Technical ability: Good footwork, good hands usage, form tackler, good awareness and body positioning, doesn’t open up too fast or overpursue; can be flatfooted in off man coverage, too handsy and grabby at break/top of route, can lose positioning when contesting balls in the air (size more than technique), peeks in the backfield in off man which makes him susceptible to fakes, can be turned around by good routes/double moves, unrefined in man/mirror coverage; good spatial awareness in high coverage and when the ball is in front of him; had a good game in coverage against Stanford where he was in the slot very often; my biggest concern about his entire game is his struggle to stick with receivers at the top of the route in off man coverage, 6.5/10

 

Run game/tackling: He’ll miss a tackle or two when he comes in too hot, got beat in space by Christian McCaffrey (who hasn’t?), typically a sound tackler, breaks down to square up in space, not a launcher, keeps his head up, hits well, doesn’t consistently stop the advance; does go low to ankle grab when the play is at the limit of his range, and usually makes the play, not without giving up a couple extra yards; gets locked down by blockers on the edge, almost useless in containment unless he can get around the blocker, short arms make it difficult for him to disengage once he absorbs contact with a blocker, but won’t stop fighting, does better against receivers on screen plays, can usually slip a lead block on the outside; prone to get flattened by a TE, FB or OL; will chase the ball to the end of the play, dive to get in on a tackle, always around the ball; like a cruise missile to the ball carrier when he has a path, closes with discipline to keep the play in front of him; disciplined and dangerous blitzer, leading to lots of plays at or behind the LOS; sound, effective, consistent, 3.5/5

 

Ball skills: Sees the ball well, good awareness of where the play is going, anticipates and breaks with purpose, trusts his eyes and ability to make the play; has missed some interceptions due to lack of hands; effective leaping ability when the ball is in the air, despite average test numbers at the Combine; gets his hands on a good number of passes (I’ve seen several numbers “reported,” not sure which are accurate); he’s decent with the ball in his hands; 3.5/5

 

Consistency: Attitude and work ethic make him a tireless player, from beginning to end, every game, always at his best; can be out of position and make mistakes at time, but the zeal for the game helps him to bounce back right away, won’t take plays off, won’t quit on plays, has “short man syndrome” and won’t back down from a challenge, an on field leader; missed three games with injury in 2015, concern due to size that injuries will limit him in the NFL, 4/5

 

Grade: 44/60, 73%, late first/second round pick

 

NFL Comparison: Earl Thomas, Seattle (Reminder: I'm bad at comparisons). Will be a feisty, tenacious safety who can line up anywhere on the field -- high, low, slot, outside -- and make plays in both phases.

 

Fit with Colts: Excellent fit as an interchangeable safety, comfortable in the box, covering in the slot, or on the back end. Will struggle against bigger receivers and to beat blocks in run support. He is a high effort player who will work his butt off to help his team. 4.5/5

 

He's alive!

 

Interesting you thought he keeps his head up well when breaking down to tackle.  I thought he got it down a little to much at times.  Perhaps it was the angle and/or film quality though.  I often found myself re-watching a lot of just his tackles to see what was happening.  So it's possible I could be wrong.  

 

I'm with you though, really good football player.  Other than the phsyical attributes he can't control - length, height, etc. - I think he's the kind of football player that has the work and attitude to ensure that he does correct what's within his power, particularly with his man-coverage (which I think is already enough that he'll see time after a full summer camp/pre-season).  I'd be thrilled to see him drop to us in the 2nd.

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7 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

He's alive!

 

Interesting you thought he keeps his head up well when breaking down to tackle.  I thought he got it down a little to much at times.  Perhaps it was the angle and/or film quality though.  I often found myself re-watching a lot of just his tackles to see what was happening.  So it's possible I could be wrong.  

 

I'm with you though, really good football player.  Other than the phsyical attributes he can't control - length, height, etc. - I think he's the kind of football player that has the work and attitude to ensure that he does correct what's within his power, particularly with his man-coverage (which I think is already enough that he'll see time after a full summer camp/pre-season).  I'd be thrilled to see him drop to us in the 2nd.

 

I might be so impressed with the good plays in space that I'm downplaying the misses. There are definitely some misses.

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4 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I might be so impressed with the good plays in space that I'm downplaying the misses. There are definitely some misses.

Yeah, I was pretty infatuated too.  He was like Houdini on the field, just everywhere.

 

@twfish recommended Edge or CB as the next prospect.  I wouldn't mind throwing ILB as a consideration as well, since we need one.  We've each listed a handful of guys, and you could add some as well.  I'm really indifferent as to who's next other than I think I'm tapped out on RB and WR since I've watched the top 20-ish at each position for my dynasty league.  I still have TE to go, so if you guys want offense, I'm cool with TEs or even QBs.

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@twfish

 

Let's make the next prospect edge rusher.  Of the guys we've listed (below), I've marked the ones with an asterisk that I know the Colts have shown interest in.  Unless Fields or Smoot was your first pick (if it was, I don't mind doing one of them), I vote we do Jordan Willis, Tyus Bowser, or Tarrell Basham.

 

Derek Rivers

Tyus Bowser*

Tarrell Basham*

Devontae fields

Jordan Wills

Dawuane Smoot

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Been some time passed, will now put this up here... potential comparison at a later date.

 

6.9 – 6.5 = Immediate Starter (4)

6.9 = Early 1st Round

6.5 = Mid to Late 1st Round Value

 

3. (JR) BUDDA BAKER–WASHINGTON–FS
5095|195 lbs|3JR Bellevue, Wash. (Bellevue) 1/10/1996 (age 21) #32
YEAR (GP/GS) TKLS TFL SACK FF PD INT GRADE 1st-2nd Round
2014: (13/13) 80 2.0 1.0 2 7 1 MEASUREABLES Arm: 30 3/4 | Hand: 09 | Wingspan: 71 3/4
2015: (12/12) 49 1.5 0.0 0 9 2 COMBINE 40-YD: 4.45 | 10-YD: 1.56 | 20-YD: 2.59 | BP: 15 | VJ: 32 1/2 | BJ: 09’07” | SS: 4.08 | 3C: 6.76
2016: (14/14) 71 10.0 3.0 1 8 2 PRO DAY N/A (positional drills only)
Total: (39/39) 200 13.5 4.0 3 24 5
He looks and plays a lot like Tyrann Mathieu, doing his best work as a block-beating slot corner who dabbles at safety in base personnel. Baker can fill a similar role in the NFL.
Some parts of his game compare to Earl Thomas. 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Baker is a dynamic athlete with great football character – he loves mixing it up vs the run while playing effectively in the centerfield role. I see him as someone that you could roll down over the slot.
He’s too small to cover tight ends, but he’s got great instincts in coverage which is why he should shine as a single-high. Just a great playmaking safety in the mold of Mathieu, Thomas or even back to Bob Sanders coming out of Iowa. An ideal slot corner who’s capable of shadowing receivers, thumping running backs and blitzing off the edge. Although he still needs to refine his footwork and transitions, he is such an explosive athlete that he is able to shadow slot receivers all over the field. Baker is coming off his best statistical season to date, one which included 70 tackles (9.5 for loss), two interceptions and five passes defended in 14 games. Even though Baker is not very big there’s no doubting his tackling ability and physicality. He will come into the play hard and wrap up whenever possible. He’s very athletic, instinctive and physical, which are the three biggest things that make a DB great. He’s relentless running to the ball. He tries to get every ball every play, and he has a feel for where the ball is going.
A stud recruit, Baker was immediately inserted into the starting lineup as a true freshman. He didn’t disappoint, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors while rolling up 80 tackles, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one interception.
BACKGROUND: A four-star safety recruit out of high school, Bishard “Budda” Baker originally committed to Oregon, but re-opened his commitment and signed with Washington on signing day – led Bellevue to the state title in the 100-meters, 200-meters and 4×100 relay as a senior. Baker earned a starting safety role as a true freshman and posted 80 tackles, seven passes defended and his first career interception, earning Freshman All-American and Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors. He started 12 games as a sophomore in 2015 and recorded 49 tackles, nine passes defended and two interceptions, earning First Team All-Pac 12 honors. Baker led the Huskies in tackles as a senior (71) with 10.0 tackles for loss, eight passes defended and two interceptions to earn consensus All-American and First Team All-Pac 12 honors. He decided to skip his senior season and enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
STRENGTHS: Rangy athlete with the instant accelerator to cover a lot of green – state champion sprinter in high school…twitchy reflexes to stay in phase in man coverage, showing suddenness when flipping his hips and changing directions…instinctive and quick to click-and-close on plays in front of him…secondary burst to recover in coverage or chase down ballcarriers…plays with a “my ball” mentality, always looking for the turnover…good timing and burst as a blitzer to create violent collisions…physical tackler, staying low and driving his feet as a tackler…understands pursuit angles and field leverage to find the quickest path to the ball, avoiding blocks…plays with a little bit of crazy to him and teammates feed off his energy – “OKG” (our kind of guy), according to Huskies head coach Chris Petersen…earned All-Conference Academic honors twice and stays focused on and off the field – matured quickly after his older brother was incarcerated when Baker was young…undersized, but boasts trademark toughness (“He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever been around.” – Huskies defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake)…productive three-year starter with 200 tackles and 24 passes defended.
WEAKNESSES: Undersized and lacks the body type to comfortably carry 200 pounds…lack of ideal height/length shows in coverage and as a tackler, gaining body position, but missing valuable inches…wild break down skills dent his batting average as a tackler…overaggressive angles and needs to be more consistent with his high-to-low finishing skills…struggles to shed once engulfed by blockers…needs to better anticipate in coverage to stay off his heels and eliminate spacing at the top of routes…doesn’t have a large catch radius with several dropped interceptions on his film – rock hard hands…lack of size leads to durability concerns, missing one game as a sophomore due to a sprained left ankle (Sept. 2015) – also left the Utah game due to a concussion (Nov. 2015).
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Washington, Baker played primarily as a single-high safety and in the slot as a nickel cover man for the Huskies – only the second Consensus All-American at Washington since 1997. He is a proven winner from high school (42-0 record at Bellevue and won three state championships) to college and was an emotional trigger to the Huskies’ resurgence. Baker is undersized and will make his share of mistakes due to overaggressive tendencies, but he competes with excellent reaction quickness and range to make plays all over the field. Although he isn’t quite on the same level as Tyrann Mathieu, Baker is cut from a similar cloth with the honey badger mentality to make plays – hybrid cornerback/safety whose best NFL position is as a nickel defender.

 

{I want to point out I read scouting reports from pay for content site, which this is one.  I only briefly look at tape these days because of it}

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On 4/7/2017 at 4:28 PM, twfish said:

How about Bowser then?

For the love he's gotten on this forum, I just didn't see it when I watched him. I'm interested to see what you guys think. I really liked what I saw from Rivers and Basham so far though.

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1 hour ago, Shive said:

For the love he's gotten on this forum, I just didn't see it when I watched him. I'm interested to see what you guys think. I really liked what I saw from Rivers and Basham so far though.

I've watched about half his games and haven't found anything to get excited about. Maybe the fact he has good measurables and he dropped back in coverage but for no more sacks that he has playing at that level of competition is cause for hesitation for me. I'm not sure when I'll actually be able to get time to do a write up since work has really picked up and to do a review it takes me about an hour and a half of time to sit and rewatch and type

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3 hours ago, loudnproudcolt said:

Guys, my apologies for my absence but I just have not been around. For the remainder of this draft, can someone pick up Cincy's last draft picks. Sorry, but just don't have the time this week due to school.

Wrong thread.

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