TPS Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Moats is listed as the backup to Morrison, and I'm thinking he might have the tools to be a very good SLB. His 40 time was 4.64, which is faster than Morrison. This cbssports analysis from the 2010 draft makes it sound like he can do everything necessary, just needs more experience. He is a good play maker and would be great to see him on the field in a permanent position sooner than later. Read & React: Smart, instinctual player, but is still learning the linebacker position. Does not bite hard on play-action or misdirection, but takes a second too long to read run so linemen can reach him. Accelerates to the ball quickly once he recognizes the play. Run defense: Inexperienced playing the run from the stack, but flows through trash fairly well to attack the ball. Will overrun the play when scraping and take aggressive angles. Lacks size and length to get off pro linemen blocks when reached at the second level. Can avoid those blocks with violent hands, however, and can shed tight end blocks on the edge to stop the run. Plays low, using his low center of gravity to maintain leverage. Good effort to makes plays to the sideline and downfield. Pass defense: Flips open his hips fluidly when dropping into a zone, able to get good depth. Good awareness of players in his zone but needs to improve his route recognition, but that could come with time. Gives up height to tight ends when man-up but is strong enough to knock them off their route from the nine-technique. Stays low in pedal, able to change directions quickly to chase the play. Tackling: Explosive tackler who brings his hips and plants ballcarriers into the ground. Stays low into the man and rarely gets eluded once in the play, even if getting only an arm on the ballcarrier. Will chase plays downfield and be the second or third man into the pile, keeping his legs moving until the whistle is blown. Takes the correct angle when trying to prevent big plays. Has a chance to be a good inside special teams player because of his speed, hands and aggressive tackling. Pass Rush/Blitz: Explosive rusher on the edge with spin, outside-in, bull rush and swim moves. Spends a lot of time in the opponent's backfield with quickness off the snap. Gets under taller tackles' pads to push lesser tackles back and can go under their armpit to turn the corner quickly. Strong tackler who does not let go of quarterbacks once they are in his grasp and typically plants him in the ground. Intangibles: Team captain. Put in extra time in the weight room before his senior year to become stronger, as well as more time in the film room to be a smarter player. Coaches love his work ethic and leadership.
Dat Dude Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Moats is listed as the backup to Morrison, and I'm thinking he might have the tools to be a very good SLB. His 40 time was 4.64, which is faster than Morrison. This cbssports analysis from the 2010 draft makes it sound like he can do everything necessary, just needs more experience. He is a good play maker and would be great to see him on the field in a permanent position sooner than later. nice article !
Doc Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Anyone know what position Eddins played? He's another one who could make some noise.
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Anyone know what position Eddins played? He's another one who could make some noise. He played DE in college at Ball State. He's listed as 6-2, 248.
Doc Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 He played DE in college at Ball State. He's listed as 6-2, 248. I meant when the Bills played him last year at OLB. Was he SLB or WLB?
BuffaloRebound Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Don't remember him dropping back much last year, but he struggled greatly when he was asked to do that as a rookie when they had him at ILB. I think he is pretty much an undersized DE in a 4-3.
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 (edited) I meant when the Bills played him last year at OLB. Was he SLB or WLB? That I don't know, sorry - but he's (edit: Eddins) listed as a DE on the current Bills roster if that can be taken as a clue to how Wannstache thinks of him. Where, blissfully, Johnson, Kelsay, and Batten are also listed as DE, may it continue so Edited March 24, 2012 by Hopeful
CBD Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 An advantage Moats could have was the Bills repeated camp experiments with him at 34 ILB
3rdand12 Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 TPS, the more i read up again on our young players it really seems we should have one hell of a football team if coached and placed well on the field. I have been one to say repeatedly that last year might have been a wash for our young guys and let's see what they can bring this year with camp, OTA's and a solid program now in place. Many folks are ready to dump players already based on how lost we looked last year on Dee. I dont think anyone will be lost this year. DW knows what he is laying down and so will the players. i can't wait for training camp and see who is lining up where.
TPS Posted March 24, 2012 Author Posted March 24, 2012 I meant when the Bills played him last year at OLB. Was he SLB or WLB? Doc, He was a rushing WLB behind Merriman. He was the reason they let Maybin go. Don't remember him dropping back much last year, but he struggled greatly when he was asked to do that as a rookie when they had him at ILB. I think he is pretty much an undersized DE in a 4-3. Yes, I remember seeing him in preseason look lost at ILB also, but I think SLB in Wanny's D puts him in a position to play mostly zone in coverage, so he could excel there. He's a very good athlete and playmaker, and I hope they finally find him a home in this D.
Doc Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Doc, He was a rushing WLB behind Merriman. He was the reason they let Maybin go. Yes, I remember seeing him in preseason look lost at ILB also, but I think SLB in Wanny's D puts him in a position to play mostly zone in coverage, so he could excel there. He's a very good athlete and playmaker, and I hope they finally find him a home in this D. Thanks.
stony Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Don't remember him dropping back much last year, but he struggled greatly when he was asked to do that as a rookie when they had him at ILB. I think he is pretty much an undersized DE in a 4-3. Ding Ding Ding! He was lost as a LB last year. I don't blame him or don't think he can't turn into a serviceable one, but he's exactly what you said he was--an undersized DE. He rushes the QB plain and simple. Hopefully Wanny recognizes this and plays to his strengths, unlike last year where we made him play multiple positions he never played in college.
Hapless Bills Fan Posted March 24, 2012 Posted March 24, 2012 Don't remember him dropping back much last year, but he struggled greatly when he was asked to do that as a rookie when they had him at ILB. I think he is pretty much an undersized DE in a 4-3. Rebound, if you're talking about Eddins, wasn't last year his rookie year? Bills roster currently agrees with you BTW - has Eddins listed as DE If you're talking about Moats Bills currently have Moats as an OLB which I agree, is more suited to his potential than ILB Doc, He was a rushing WLB behind Merriman. He was the reason they let Maybin go. Yes, I remember seeing him in preseason look lost at ILB also, but I think SLB in Wanny's D puts him in a position to play mostly zone in coverage, so he could excel there. He's a very good athlete and playmaker, and I hope they finally find him a home in this D. You're talking about Moats here, correct?
TPS Posted March 24, 2012 Author Posted March 24, 2012 (edited) Rebound, if you're talking about Eddins, wasn't last year his rookie year? Bills roster currently agrees with you BTW - has Eddins listed as DE If you're talking about Moats Bills currently have Moats as an OLB which I agree, is more suited to his potential than ILB You're talking about Moats here, correct? I was talking about Eddins in the first response and Moats in the second. Btw, maybe he deserves his own thread, but Scott McKillop, Wanny's former MLB at Pitt (who was picked up post season), looks like he could challenge Shep if he comes back healthy...compares to one "Zach Thomas"...hmmm. Here's his read from cbsports: Positives: Productive, instinctual player who sorts through the trash to get to the ballcarrier, seems to have an innate sense of how and when to slide through oncoming blockers. … Very good backfield awareness, always seems to know where the ball is. … Recognizes tight ends going out on delayed routes. … Breaks down well in space and makes secure tackles in the open field. … Can get to the outside to meet the back at the edge. … Drops quickly and hustles to meet receivers in intermediate routes. … Gets a good hit on slot receivers to knock them off their route. … Knows where the sticks are and tries his best to keep underneath receivers from getting there. … Negatives: Only adequately developed in the upper and lower body. … Does not have great speed to chase plays from behind, but generally makes up for it by taking good angles. … Lacks physicality and runs around blocks instead of taking them on. … Unable to get off blocks when engaged and is more of a catcher than a hard-hitter or fierce tackler. … Is not explosive off the snap when blitzing. Compares To: ZACH THOMAS, Kansas City -- McKillop is slightly bigger than Thomas, but both rely on their field vision, intelligence and quickness to gain advantage on the blocker in order to compensate for a lack of ideal size. The Pitt linebacker is a classic knee bender who plays in good football position, as he always seems to be on his feet working through trash. He a smart playmaker who reacts decisively and can step up, stay square and take on/shed the bigger blockers with good force. He has that quick reactionary ability to fill holes and make plays in-line and even at his size, blockers struggle in attempts to contain him at the point of attack. Edited March 24, 2012 by TPS
Recommended Posts