Mel and Todd on Canes D Ends

ben

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McShay: I've had an edge rusher at No. 1 or No. 2 on my board in every class since 2014. But this year, my top guy is way down at No. 12 in my rankings at the moment. That's Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau, who isn't even playing this season, having opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has a lot of power as a pass-rusher but is an inconsistent finisher. Still, he was second in the FBS last season with 15.5 sacks -- right behind Young -- and posted 19.5 tackles for loss. That's high-level production. He can overwhelm blockers but needs to work on his body control a bit.

Kiper: Rousseau is my top-ranked defensive end, too, but he's only 15th on my Big Board. Are teams really going to gamble a top-five pick on a pass-rusher who played 15 college games? Even with that production, I didn't see an elite prospect on his 2019 film. He had some coverage sacks and didn't show high-end explosiveness off the snap. I really wanted to see him come back and play this season. Still, you can see how teams could fall in love with his potential. And this is why next year's NFL combine will be so important.

Kiper: Basham, to me, is more of an all-around guy than a true pass-rusher. He doesn't have the quick-twitch abilities of these other guys. Ossai, on the other hand, does have some explosion in his game, but almost all of his production this season came in that Oklahoma State game. And at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, he's a tweener -- will he play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense, or could he put on some weight and play end in a 4-3? They have Day 2 grades from me.

How much have you seen this season from the other two Miami pass-rushers, Todd?

McShay: You're referring to the two transfers, Jaelan Phillips (UCLA) and Quincy Roche (Temple). I actually just dug into the Hurricanes' tape this week -- it has been a busy year -- and wow, Phillips is a handful. The way he turns the corner and closes on the QB is impressive. And Roche is intriguing as a 3-4 outside linebacker at the next level. He has some quickness off the edge, posted 13 sacks at Temple last season and already has 11 tackles for loss in eight games this year.

Kiper: Phillips, who had 2.5 sacks on Saturday, has looked dominant the past few weeks. He could be a riser, and I expect both to be off the board by Day 2 of the draft.

 
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I could definitely see us having a DE selected in each of the first 3 rounds with GR, JP and QR. Would be a good look for Manny and the program. Even though I wish 1 would return, it’s highly unlikely. Thankfully we’ve recruited DE as well as any position on the team.
 
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wheres the dudes that wanted to get rid of stroud last week? now 2 straight years, two DEs have shown progress in season (remember Greg played a game or two tops the year before) and are breaking out

That group decides game to game or even play to play who needs to stay or go.

Think of the hot takes we've seen this season alone about Zion, King (a midget who can't complete a pass past the line of scrimmage according to two resident geniuses), Phillips, Roche, Harley, Pope, Cam and Flagg just to name a few.
 
Phillips will go mid 2nd at the earliest. Definitely not 1st. Rousseau definitely 1st round and Roche late 3rd to early 4th. Either way Phillips is likely gone after this year. Let’s enjoy him the last 4 games.

Players like Phillips tend to rise fast. He will put up huge numbers at the combine, our coaches will give glowing reviews, he’ll be smart in interviews, teams will fall in love with the motor and sell themselves on the strong finish.
 
Phillips has really turned it up the last few games. He looks like a guy who has learned how to play at 270 pounds. Instead of just trying to run around a blocker, he gets his hands into them first and throws them completely off. I don't know if I've seen a Miami DE play as hard as he does on every single play. Even if he's getting beat, he still works until the whistle. His technique is lightyears ahead of where he was at the beginning of the season where he was all hustle but was often just running himself out of the play. He's a guy who could creep into the early 2nd or possible first if he kills the combine. I'd love to have him another year but he's an example of a guy who isn't hurting himself if he leaves early.
 
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