Yet the defense still sucks.
Yet the defense still sucks.
Keith Butler.
The most we can ask out of the Defense right now is that it isn't too horrible week after week. The Lebeau/Capers 3-4 no longer works in the modern NFL. Offenses are much too fast and far too spread out now to run against it.
1. Graham Barton, C, Duke 2. Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida 3. Maason Smith, DT, LSU 3. Max Melton, CB, Rutgers 4. Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame 6. Tommy Eichenberg, ILB, Ohio State 6. MJ Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh
It's still too early to tell for Devin Bush and Terrell Edmunds as well (...although my initial reaction about Edmunds is that he will not live up to a first round pedigree....I hope I am wrong on that). TJ Watt and Ryan Shazier are the only two that jump out as living up to first round status. Actually, I think those two picks turned out exceptional and the team hit home runs with them, but unfortunately Shazier went down with that bad injury.
The defensive picks in other rounds from the last 7 years don't look very good overall either, although I have no idea how other teams defensive draft picks over that last 7 years look in comparison. Here are all the guys drafted on defense outside of the first round, with very little good production to show outside of Stephon Tuitt, Javon Hargrave, and Vince Williams:
2013: Shamarko Thomas (4th), Terry Hawthorne (5th), Vince Williams (6th), Nick Williams (7th)
2014: Stephon Tuitt (2nd), Shaquille Richardson (5th), Jordan Zumwalt (6th), Dan McCullers (6th)
2015: Senquez Golson (2nd), Doran Grant (4th), Leterrius Walton (6th), Anthony Chickillo (6th), Gerod Holliman (7th)
2016: Sean Davis (2nd), Javon Hargrave (3rd), Travis Feeney (6th), Tyler Matakevich (7th)
2017: Cameron Sutton (3rd), Brian Allen (5th), Keion Adams (7th)
2018: Marcus Allen (5th), Josh Frazier (7th)
2019: Justin Layne (3rd), Sutton Smith (6th), Isiah Buggs (6th), Ulysses Gilbert (6th)
Fire Butler
Also we ain't drafted anyone good in the secondary since Ike Taylor
The draft picks and attention the defense has gotten over these 7 years is absolutely useless without proper coaching.
Dupree is an octagonal peg. For years, they’ve shoved him in a round hole. But, in the pre-season, the coaches changed how they used him; the result: several sacks and quite a bit of pressure (against starters). Fast-forward to the regular season, where the coaches reverted back to shoving Dupree in a round hole.
And, say what you want about Dupree, all of the long runs by Seattle we’re away from him.
(NOTE: Those long runs came when Watt was off of the field/Chickillo was playing.)
Similarly, in the pre-season, the DBs were flying to the correct spots. Now... they seem confused. Edmunds was VaTech’s best defender; now, he seems hesitant.