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The story on 'Cap' - our new DE - #75


Punt75

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Nordly ‘Cap’ Capi, Akron DE | NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report

 

Who the hell is that guy?” That was my first reaction to ever seeing Nordly ‘Cap’ Capi play in the NFL…and it was meant as a compliment.

 

Normally, watching preseason games can be a little dull/same ole’ same ole’ observing all the non-starting NFL players at work. Rare is it when something makes me sit up and my seat and take notice—and then alters the rest of my day, forcing me to drop everything to go back to do research. Capi’s performance against Pittsburgh in Week-1 of the 2015 preseason made me do just that.

 

In limited playing time, playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars on and off from the late 2nd-quarter on in a Week-1 preseason affair vs. the Steelers, Capi had two sacks and another near sack/a QB hit as a pass was released. It wasn’t so much that he registered some nice pass rush numbers in a preseason game. It’s how he did it. He was a Tasmanian Devil coming off the edge as a 4-3 scheme DE. Basically, the opposing O-Tackle was almost helpless trying to contain Capi…in his first ever NFL moments.

 

I didn’t even know the guy existed until I saw this game.

 

Capi had two pretty dull seasons, for a future NFL prospect, at Akron in his junior (2013: 31 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks) and senior seasons (2014: 39 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 5.0 sacks). He didn’t even hit our computer scouting model screen as any type of ‘player of interest’. Two marginal years (for an NFL prospect hopeful) to end his college career, decent measurables, and a checkered past (more on that in a bit). What’s there to even waste time looking at?

…and then there was the Jacksonville Week-1 preseason game…and then there was me pulling his college career apart and scouring for video…and once I saw the full story and watched him at work in college; I knew he definitely needed more study.

 

In 2011, as a red-shirt freshman in Colorado State’s (where he began his college career) season opener against New Mexico, Capi registered 3.5 sacks…and an NCAA record FOUR forced fumbles. The amazing thing is…Capi nearly missed 2-3 more sacks with his relentless pressure in that contest.

Five games into his freshman year, Capi had registered at least one sack in every game he played and was leading the NCAA in sacks (7.5) and forced fumbles (5) at the time.

 

After the 2011 season, in the 2012 off season, Capi was arrested with three other players for allegedly beating another student. Some accounts say ‘he got in a fight’ while other accounts alleged it was a 3-on-1, savage beat down (and Capi was one of the three). It was enough to get booted from Colorado State, quickly.

Capi transferred to Akron, sat out in 2012, and had two mild/decent seasons for the Zips in 2013-2014.

 

Don’t take this next statement too far, but watching at his best, Capi struck my mind as junior/very poor man’s version of Reggie White. A relentless pass rusher at times…one blockers can hardly contain one-on-one. Capi has a very quick first step, a high motor, and is upper body strong (31 bench reps at his Pro Day) to throw blockers off balance. At times, Capi drops your jaw.

 

However, there are also plenty of times where Capi puts you to sleep. I called him a Tasmanian Devil earlier, and it fits…too many times he will churn a ton of frenetic activity, and not all of it mattering much in a given play. Sometimes he rushes the edge so quickly the O-Tackle nudges him wide–and the next thing you know Capi’s 5-8 yards behind the QB, and the RB is running through a massive hole Capi just abandoned. He plays at such a frenetic pace, that I think he burns himself out and takes plays off to recover…or just tries, but lacks the energy. So, at times, he’s all over…then he looks asleep.

 

Some will see Capi as ‘inconsistent’ and a scout’s favorite ‘takes plays off’ (as if a DE is supposed to sack the QB every play…it would be nice), and there is truth to this, but what needs to be acknowledged is that at times Capi is a superior pass rusher with ‘a gift’…and few have that gift…and someone needs to help him develop it or he’ll be lost in NFL oblivion forever.

 

There are red-flags, but there is also ‘something here’ for the next-level…I’m just not sure what? Or how? Or where? Or why?

 

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5 hours ago, Buffalo30 said:

Great analysis, I look forward to seeing how he plays.  One thing though...never compare a player to Reggie White.  That's just unfair

Agreed, you should never call someone a racist homophobe without proof.

5 hours ago, simool said:

This is from his sophomore year at Colorado state.  Definitely see some flashes, but Reggie White?

 

 

He's certainly no Shaq or Manny Lawson.  Couldn't set or find the edge with a roadmap and a compass.

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1 hour ago, Freddie's Dead said:

Agreed, you should never call someone a racist homophobe without proof.

He's certainly no Shaq or Manny Lawson.  Couldn't set or find the edge with a roadmap and a compass.

He's no Eric Lee. This is his "highlight" reel? He's playing against a Gawd awful QB.

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4 hours ago, cale said:

He's no Eric Lee. This is his "highlight" reel? He's playing against a Gawd awful QB.

 

I'll go so far as to call this an "un-highlight reel"  - I wouldn't start him for a HS team based on this. 

 

He's doing bad things (or not hustling and doing no things) on 80% of the plays I watched before needing to wash my eyes out with bleach.

Edited by BobChalmers
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On 12/6/2017 at 3:16 PM, simool said:

This is from his sophomore year at Colorado state.  Definitely see some flashes, but Reggie White?

 

 

 

Go Rams!

(I went there.)

Edited by Bad Things
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On 12/5/2017 at 11:20 PM, KD in CA said:

 

Unless we're playing New England.

cheers to that.  Maybe him and Hughes can Malachi crunch Marsha.  Play D like the Knicks in the 90's- multiple players hammer the shooter- they can only call one foul.  Not sure if that translates to NFL.  But !@#$ it, I will take the 30 yards in personal fouls Alex

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