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2014 NFL Draft Scouting Notes: 11/2/2013 Michigan at Michigan State

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Denicos Allen and the Michigan State defense starred in a win over Michigan earlier this month (Photo: freep.com)

DraftBrowns.com Staff Writer: Justin Higdon

On a rainy Saturday in early November, the Michigan Wolverines visited East Lansing to take on the in-state rival Michigan State Spartans.  The Spartans’ defense created constant pressure and forced Michigan players and coaches into a number of poor decisions.  Here’s a look at how some of the draft-eligible players performed on that day.

MICHIGAN

#98 QB Devin Gardner

  • Play action down the right seam complete – WR takes a big hit but pretty good placement
  • Flushed and throws it away – close to grounding
  • Getting pressured regularly early in the game
  • Sacked four times in the first quarter – either not getting the ball out quickly enough, or has nowhere to go with it
  • Holds the ball too long and gets disrupted by pressure on a throw deep middle
  • Keeps on a run around the left side and breaks a tackle at the line of scrimmage to run for a first down
  • Completes a deep ball down the middle when the safety doesn’t get his head turned around
  • Throws late to his left with a safety flashing through his throwing lane – pass is deflected away
  • Tries to thread one between three defenders and it’s incomplete
  • Rolls right into his own end zone and gets a pass off just in time – iffy awareness to drop that far back – pass is to the inside and the WR can’t come up with it
  • Inaccurate throw deep down the middle of the field
  • Slows up short of a first down and takes a hit – got in between a slide and sitting down
  • Completes one low and to the outside for a first down – nice pass where only his WR could get to it
  • Drops a ball on the play fake and takes a big loss
  • Throws to the front shoulder in the red zone and gets intercepted

Overview: A combination of poor interior protection, baffling blocking schemes and Gardner’s own indecision led to a forgettable game.  Michigan’s quarterback faced constant pressure, displayed erratic accuracy, and was a complete non-factor running the ball.  Gardner needs to learn how to handle a pass rush and make a defense pay for blitzing him.  Right now he looks lost more often than not.

#21 WR Jeremy Gallon

  • Waits on a ball down the right seam and takes a shot as he makes the catch – holds on
  • Makes the catch on a hitch on third down and gets YAC to get past the marker
  • Makes the catch on a hitch for a first down but slips before he can get YAC
  • Fumbles after a short catch – recovered by the RT

Overview: Gallon has had a terrific senior season, but the diminutive receiver was quiet against the Spartans’ defensive backfield.  Michigan State gave him a cushion underneath but was determined not to let him run free on the deep third of the field.  Still, Gallon is a legitimate mid-round draft selection and has received an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game this coming January.

#77 OT Taylor Lewan

  • Picks up the LB at the second level but allows his man to shed and make an arm tackle
  • Pulls right and gets taken out low by the safety and gets knocked into the QB for a tackle
  • Draws a personal foul for taunting after a sack – grabs the facemask of a man on the ground
  • Beaten for pressure late in the game by an inside move

Overview: While Gardner was taking near constant punishment, Lewan was often helping on a double team or heading right to the second level.  On a few plays, his man was left to be picked up by the running back in pass protection.  It’s hard to imagine Lewan making these decisions on his own, and for most of the day he was solid in pass protection.  But Lewan has had a lackluster senior season, and has become known for having a short fuse.  Once thought to be a sure-fire top ten draft pick, Lewan appears to have damaged his stock by returning for his senior year.

#28 RB Fitzgerald Toussaint

  • Run over on a blitz pickup – pressure leads to a sack
  • Tries to cut the left DE and doesn’t get enough – leads to a sack
  • Flattened trying to pick up a LB on a blitz up the middle
  • Taken down by one arm on a run off left tackle for a nine yard gain
  • Discarded on another blitz and gives up a sack
  • Cut down in the backfield for a loss – nowhere to go
  • Knocked aside in pass protection again and gives up a QB hit
  • Completely overmatched on nearly every attempt at pass protection – not useable in this role – difficult to know why he was continually in this position

Overview: Toussaint was set up to fail by his coaches who continued to put him in situations where he wound up one-on-one in pass protection.  Toussaint wasn’t just picking up blitzes or helping, he was occasionally directly assigned to Michigan State’s best front seven defenders.  The senior running back was cast aside all day and barely served as a speed bump on a number of sacks and tackles for loss.  Toussaint was shut down in the run game, and has never looked the same since breaking out as a sophomore two years ago.  Not versatile enough to be a third down back, not big or dynamic enough to be a primary ball carrier – Toussaint does not look like a draftable running back at this stage.

#4 LB Cam Gordon

  • Gets drawn too far inside on a run play wide around right tackle
  • Gets some pressure on the QB with an inside spin move
  • Comes on a blitz and over-pursues the RB
  • Goes wide around the left side of the OL and is able to knife back in to make a tackle on a draw – running at him when he lines up wide
  • Flows down the line of scrimmage and makes a run stop after a short gain

Overview: Gordon has had a solid year, and made a couple of noteworthy plays in this game.  The senior linebacker is an aggressive player, and that bit him when he over-committed to rushing the quarterback.  When he went wide, Michigan State seemed ready with a draw or delay to the open running lane.  Gordon doesn’t have the discipline or consistency to be an every down linebacker, but he can be effective as a situational pass rusher.  He should get a look in free agency after the draft.

 

MICHIGAN STATE

#9 S Isaiah Lewis

  • Comes over and delivers a hit on the WR on a completion down the seam – looks like he may have been able to play the ball
  • Misses a tackle on the QB at the line of scrimmage
  • Takes a bad angle coming over in help – late getting to the ball and never turns around – pass is complete for a big play
  • Good coverage down the seam and breaks on the ball to break up a pass near the end zone
  • Tracks down the QB in the backfield after he gets forced back outside on a designed run
  • Comes up and makes a tackle in run support on a QB keep

Overview: Lewis’ play was a mixed bag.  He needs to be more aware of the ball in the air, and to take better angles in pursuit.  Lewis is solid in run support and is a heavy hitter, but he is also capable of playing the ball if he just looks for it.

#31 CB Darqueze Dennard

  • Reads a scramble by the QB and fires in to make a strong form tackle at the line of scrimmage
  • Flies in and misses a tackle on a swing pass but slows the runner
  • Reads the QB keep and gets a hit on the QB at the line of scrimmage – doesn’t wrap up
  • Turns and runs with the WR down the field – has his head back to the ball and stride for stride
  • Gets a shot on the QB in run support – stops him just shy of the first down
  • Gets tight coverage and inside position to intercept an attempted back shoulder throw in the red zone

Overview: Dennard and his defensive backfield mates blanketed Michigan receivers for most of the day, forcing Gardner to hold the ball or heave it into the stands.  Dennard displayed his aggressiveness in defending the run, and demonstrated that he can run stride for stride with a receiver while tracking the ball.  His red zone interception late in the game was icing on the cake.  Dennard may be the best senior cornerback in the draft, and is likely to be selected within the first 35-40 picks this May.

#89 DE Shilique Calhoun

  • Gets off a block and gets an arm in on a run play – enough to slow up the runner on a short gain
  • From left end he loops inside to get pressure up the middle and force a sack
  • Fights his way through a double team and closes in quickly for a sack – big loss on the play
  • Lines up wide and steps through a low block from the RB to get another sack
  • Gets around the right edge and slides down the line to make a tackle on a run right near the line of scrimmage
  • Let go by the LT and beats the RB for a hit just as the QB gets rid of the ball

Overview: The redshirt sophomore defensive end had his coming out party against Michigan, living in the backfield and having a hand in three sacks.  Calhoun found success looping inside, and taking advantage of favorable matchups with guards, tight ends and running backs.  While he has been quiet since dominating the Wolverines, Calhoun will have a few more opportunities to impress, though, to be clear, he has not yet indicated whether or not he intends to leave school early.

#40 LB Max Bullough

  • Reads run immediately and shoots into the backfield – taken down by the guard but disrupts the runner
  • Flattens the RB on a blitz and gets pressure up the middle
  • Gets into the backfield on a QB keeper and forces the QB back to the right side
  • Comes up the middle on a blitz and forces the QB back up into the pocket for a sack

Overview: Bullough didn’t officially log a sack, but his pressure directly led to a couple.  The senior ‘backer was also instrumental in shutting down Michigan’s running game, keying on the back early and filling running lanes.

#28 LB Denicos Allen

  • Comes on a pass rush around the left edge and cleans up a sack for a big loss
  • Cleans up a tackle at the line of scrimmage on a swing pass to the RB
  • Gets off a block at the second level by the LT and makes an arm tackle
  • Excellent reaction to the run and shoots into the backfield for a tackle for loss
  • Reads a QB keep all the way and gets into the backfield and slows the QB for a tackle for loss
  • Cleans up a sack after the QB is forced back up into the pocket
  • Comes on a rush from the left edge and runs through the RB to get another sack

Overview: Allen’s size makes him difficult to project, but he was a disruptive force against the Wolverines.  He took advantage of matchups with the running back in pass rush situations, and showed excellent instincts against the run.  Allen wasn’t always the first man on the scenee, but he was there to clean things up all day long.

#51 OT Fou Fonoti

  • Blocks down the line on a run and then pancakes a linebacker at the second level
  • Gets a little too deep in his drop and gets back into the QB’s lap – does a nice job fighting with his hands
  • Does well to stay with his man on an inside spin move – still getting pushed too deep into the pocket
  • Showing good leg drive on a run block

Overview: Fonoti is an undersized tackle who has battled with injuries during his career.  He did an admirable job in pass protection, but he tended to get too deep into the pocket and limited the quarterback’s room to operate.  Fonoti’s strength appears to be in run blocking, so he could be moved inside eventually.

#13 WR Bennie Fowler

  • Juggles the ball before hauling it in on a crossing route – gets tackled immediately
  • Makes the catch on a short cross and keeps his balance to get a first down
  • Gets behind the D in the end zone but then drops the ball when his backside hits the turf – ugly, wobbly pass
  • Makes the catch on a back shoulder throw but lets the ball into his body
  • Again lets the ball into his body – makes the catch on a short out
  • Double move into a corner route to the back of the end zone – makes a catch over his inside shoulder in the back of the end zone and gets both feet down
  • A couple of miscommunications on routes
  • Makes a big gain down the middle – lets the ball get into his gut but is able to pick up YAC and drag defenders

Overview: Fowler had a big game against the Wolverines, but he routinely lets the ball get into his body before securing the catch.  He had a big drop in the end zone, and will likely continue to struggle with ball security until he can get his hands out in front.  He displayed terrific footwork in making a catch in the back of the end zone, and he is a big, strong guy capable of creating yards after the catch.  If he only had more consistent hands, he’d be more highly regarded as a prospect.


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