CFF on Paul Dawson

[The Peytonator]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2015/04/12/cff-player-profile-paul-dawson-lb/

 

 

Man I hope we can draft him in the second round. Prior to reading this, I was under the impression that he would only really be a coverage LB in the big league. Based on this, he dominated against the run AND pass, as well as being an effective pass rusher on his blitzes. He may be a bit of a freelancer, and his combine numbers are poor, but the guy is going to make a lot of plays as a pro.

 

 

[12isthenew18]

lavonte david and him are clones

[SDakColts]

I agree getting him in the second round would be a nice pickup. If you watch his tape the guy is a gamewrecker he is constantly in on the play whether it is pass coverage, run support, or blitzing. IMO he is probably one of the best blitzing linebackers in this draft with Anthony being the other. His one downfall is that he could get a little better at shedding blocks in the run game. Off the field his only red flag was his "character" concerns that scouts have found which are questionable. If he didn't have such a bad combine and a questionable character I believe he would easily be a late 1st rounder so getting him in the 2nd would be a steal.

[esmort]

I would rather have, and think we really need an ILB who can cover TEs and slot WRs .... I think he is going to be a liability there.  

[bananabucket]

I'm a Dawson fan but I would think the Irving signing makes it less likely that we would draft him.

[bananabucket]

here's his game against Minnesota that the article referred to:

 

 

 

 

" Against Minnesota Dawson played as flawlessly as a linebacker played all season, racking up 11 stops and three pressures en route to the highest graded game we saw from a college linebacker."

[The Peytonator]

I'm a Dawson fan but I would think the Irving signing makes it less likely that we would draft him.

 

 

I'd almost be willing to bet that Jackson and Freeman will not be on the roster in 2016. Dawson may not be a starter this year, but by next year he and Irving could be a very respectable linebacking duo.

[Dustin]

He's not really a fit for the defense. He was protected soooo much by TCU's scheme. Look at the stances of his defensive-lineman n his tapes. Those stances aren't meant for shooting gaps, but taking on blocks to allows the LBs to make plays. 

 

Dawson can't take on offensive lineman or lead blockers and stack or shed like would be required in the Colts defense. He also can't be split out wide and be made to cover slot receivers.  

 

He's a 4-3 LB only, unfortunately, because I like him a lot.

[bestQBever]

I would rather have, and think we really need an ILB who can cover TEs and slot WRs .... I think he is going to be a liability there.  

I don't think there's a single LB in this league that can cover a slot receiver.

[SDakColts]

I would rather have, and think we really need an ILB who can cover TEs and slot WRs .... I think he is going to be a liability there.  

I personally disagree, I believe he will be a great coverage linebacker on TEs and RBs. His downfall is his ability to shed blocks in the run game. I agree with Dustin that the TCU scheme padded his stats, but he is a playmaker and it shows on tape. I also don't think there is one LB in the league that has the speed or coverage ability to go man on man with a slot receiver.

[esmort]

I don't think there's a single LB in this league that can cover a slot receiver.

 

I think it depends on how long you ask them to do it.  I agree they are likely not going be able to cover the slot WR for the entire route(especially crossing), but I think that a good LB should be able to cover a crossing WR while the receiver is in "his area", and should be able to to flip and cover TEs and receivers up the seam for a reasonable distance.

[esmort]

I personally disagree, I believe he will be a great coverage linebacker on TEs and RBs. His downfall is his ability to shed blocks in the run game. I agree with Dustin that the TCU scheme padded his stats, but he is a playmaker and it shows on tape. I also don't think there is one LB in the league that has the speed or coverage ability to go man on man with a slot receiver.

 

He can probably handle RBs for the most part. I think TE's are going to eat him alive up the seam.  As I said previously I think most LBs are going to be limited in their ability to cover slot WRs, I know they aren't going to play them like a DB, but I don't think Dawson will even be able to minimally cover slot receivers and will be a liability there as well.

 

I just don't see him as enough if an upgrade over Freeman and a healthy Irving to use an early pick on.

[SDakColts]

He can probably handle RBs for the most part. I think TE's are going to eat him alive up the seam.  As I said previously I think most LBs are going to be limited in their ability to cover slot WRs, I know they aren't going to play them like a DB, but I don't think Dawson will even be able to minimally cover slot receivers and will be a liability there as well.

 

I just don't see him as enough if an upgrade over Freeman and a healthy Irving to use an early pick on.

I agree somewhat, I agree that he will be a liability against slot receivers like mostly every other linebacker in the league. However, I do think he will be able to match up just as well as Freeman in his TE coverage and would be a better run defender given time. I definitely understand your point though, and you could definitely be right. This is just my opinion.

[The Peytonator]

He's not really a fit for the defense. He was protected soooo much by TCU's scheme. Look at the stances of his defensive-lineman n his tapes. Those stances aren't meant for shooting gaps, but taking on blocks to allows the LBs to make plays. 

 

Dawson can't take on offensive lineman or lead blockers and stack or shed like would be required in the Colts defense. He also can't be split out wide and be made to cover slot receivers.  

 

He's a 4-3 LB only, unfortunately, because I like him a lot.

 

 

I think too much is made about 3-4 versus 4-3. It would be better to have a LB who can shed blocks, but those players are few and far between. It's not like Freeman or Jackson are very good at shedding blocks either. If our fatties up front can do a better job of commanding double teams, the off ball LBs wouldn't even have to worry about taking on blocks. I would really like to see Montori get more playing time this year, and I'd like to see it be as our 5 tech end. He would be perfect there as a two gapper. In fact, although it wouldn't be my preferred style of defensive play, I feel our Dlinemen are more fit to play a traditional 3-4 two gapping scheme, rather than the 3-4 over/multiple front that we've been doing.

[Dustin]

I think too much is made about 3-4 versus 4-3. It would be better to have a LB who can shed blocks, but those players are few and far between. It's not like Freeman or Jackson are very good at shedding blocks either. If our fatties up front can do a better job of commanding double teams, the off ball LBs wouldn't even have to worry about taking on blocks. I would really like to see Montori get more playing time this year, and I'd like to see it be as our 5 tech end. He would be perfect there as a two gapper. In fact, although it wouldn't be my preferred style of defensive play, I feel our Dlinemen are more fit to play a traditional 3-4 two gapping scheme, rather than the 3-4 over/multiple front that we've been doing.

 

I think there is too much made between the differences as well (mostly pertaining to edge rushers), but a 3-4 ILB not being able to shed blocks is a big problem.

 

It'd be like taking Josh Chapman and moving him over to 3-tech. He's still playing on the d-line, but all you've done is take what he does badly (move) and put him in a position where that flaw basically makes him useless at where he plays now. 

 

It's the same thing with Dawson. He's at his best when he can play back and read and react to the play. Taking him and putting him on the interior of a defense where he can't do what makes him so special is just a recipe for disaster. 

 

Now, I'd be all for taking him in the 2nd round and making him a nickel-lb on passing downs, but then comes into question how his athleticism (or lack thereof) translates to the NFL.

 

Also, fwiw, I think he's faster than a 4.9, i think he was just out of shape at the combine, which then just brings up a whole other mirade of problems.