Originally Posted by Mojouw
a bit light BUT he has the frame to add the weight with ease and the kid is just 20 years old ???
he is gonna grow
a bit light BUT he has the frame to add the weight with ease and the kid is just 20 years old ???
he is gonna grow
Kenny Pickett is who I though he was .. Eagles problem now
one of the dozen or so post draft podcasts I listened to was discussing how A&M, Georgia, and Alabama are just trading the title of top recruiting defense class back and forth. So it might be smart to pick players out of those programs.
Leal specific comments were that A&M asked him to play at a certain size and style that may not have maximized his best traits but that 3-4 DE in Steelers scheme just might.
All college line prospects (both sides of the ball) have to work on their bodies for a year or two. Add weight, functional strength, etc. No doubt for me that Leal can do that.
I am going to give the Steelers more than a bit of lee-way here. In 2021 they trade into the 5th round to take Loudermilk. Not a popular action or a player that many places had highly projected. BUT...he fits the physical traits the team likes right now in their DEs.
Looked at Mockdraftable to compare physical measurements for Tuitt, Heyward, Loudermilk, Wormley, and Leal. They are all eerily similar. Leal needs to gain about 10-15 pounds. He is shorter than the others and has a bit shorter arms, but we are talking about an inch here or there. I haven't checked the rest of the 2022 eligible draft class....but I'm gonna go ahead and guess that Leal might be the closest in body type measurables.
Pretty clear that they have a specific body type they want in their DEs right now. Never paid attention to how repeatable it was.
https://steelersdepot.com/2022/04/st...ive-ends-2022/
I guess this was all out there for me already but I missed it. No one really fit their preference in the class but others were close.
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Anybody check his hand size?
Brett Keisel was only around 270 when he was drafted. He gained 30 pounds over the next two seasons. Of course, 25 of that was beard weight.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCJsBD9VIeE
Yes it's a highlight reel. This shows just how fast Leal is at the snap. I think it's the 3rd clip where you see him use the spin. Several times you see him get 'small' and just get by people. His job will not be to anchor and redirect, it will be to get after the ball.
https://youtu.be/CNshUbUNbDo
Another set of clips and discussion
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https://footballsapient.com/2021/09/...ne-principles/
It took me a while to find this article again. I thought it had good info on matching players/schemes/potential. Having a strong rotation on the DL is a fairly new strategy I think the Steelers are embracing.
Eagles have been rotating the DL for quite sometime and it’s one of the reasons their Defense has been pretty solid for years.
Honestly, I dont see that much impressive quickness off the snap. Sure the spin is nice, but I dont see impressive strength or power in his rush, but rather he gets stalemated at the point of contact with the O lineman, then just keeps working until the pocket breaks down and gets a sack. Its more coverage sacks and pressure on that highlight reel than him using a great move or overpowering his blocker.
Here is his combine and pro day results and athletic comparisons come out to Ellis Wyms, Cashaud Lyons, Justin Strylczek, etc. https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=30967
The spin move shows agility, while the 5.00 40-yd dash time is good for D lineman, but I dont see a lot of twitch or explosiveness in his tape and the 27.5" vertical. He basically has similar testing numbers as Loudermilk, who I dont consider to be a real superior athletic lineman.
https://nflcombineresults.com/player...ermilk&i=30618
Leal
- 40 yard dash...5.00
-10 yard split.....1.72
-20 yard split.....2.90
-vertical ...........27.5"
-20yd shuttle ...4.49
Loudermilk
- 40 yard dash.......5.08
10 yard split..........1.71
-20 yard split.........2.88
-vertical ................28.5"
-20 yard shuttle.......4.55
In the video I posted, I thought they were far too effusive in their praise. But I figured it was just me.
I think he is a guy that is gonna need some work and coaching with Carl Dunbar plus some work in the weight room to be stronger against the run. When 285lb guys like to spin move a lot, its generally because they arent strong enough to beat a less athletic O Lineman, or they arent that much more athletic than the guy across from them. I hope he works out, but he isnt as athletic as some of the hype would suggest.
That seems like a reasonable projection for Year 1. Hopefully, the DL stays healthy as a unit and he can hangout at the end of the bench learning his craft as a pro.
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