I’ve tried to pick the guys getting some buzz. I may be slightly prejudiced toward Umanmielen as I’ve seen him play often. UF struggled early, but once they got rolling it was guys like him who changed the direction of their season. The easiest criteria for picking impact sack guys is look for guys with high college sack totals, especially against high level opponents. They tend to carry that ability into the NFL. I like to see 6.0+ sacks assuming they played at least 8 games. There are exceptions, but that’s true of every indicator or drafting would be easy. Some on this list don’t meet that skill, but most do. When they get to the combine, watch the cone drill. Successful pass rushers usually time under 7 seconds. I know some readers will disagree or be disappointed I’m not big on Shemar Stewart or Mike Green. Both have upsides and may eventually be stars, but are of limited immediate value. They wouldn’t be tragic mistakes, but long term development prospects often have things that go badly astray in the process. No need to chance it. At 16 the Cards may have to take a prospect that initially just plays passing down. If they trade back these guys are in lay. Still the guys at that point will have an immediate role if the Cards go Edge. I still like taking a DT first. If I’ve missed one of your guys, just ask. My favs *. Trade down prospects **
*Princely Umanmielen DE 265 6’4” 4.70 10.5. Good speed off the edge. Several moves including great spin move. Has that critical closing burst. Good hand strength to manipulate defenders. Excellent motor. One of the best at diagnosing plays. Not a quick snap reflex. Needs to gain strength to set the edge better. Needs to improve understanding of leverage. May fit better as an OLB, though very experienced with hand in the dirt. Needs work on shedding blockers when setting edge.
*Mykel Williams DE 260 6’5” 4.65 5. Outstanding run defender. Displays finishing burst. Very agile. Unusually good bend and ankle flexibility. Excellent wingspan. Can play standing up or hand in dirt. Sheds blockers effectively. Loops inside well to collapse pocket. Needs to add muscle. Can get too upright at times. Very raw technique. Can get frustrated when stalled. Needs to improve play diagnostics. Every scout I’ve talked to thinks this guy has the greatest upside amongst the Edges.
Nic Scourton DE 265 6’5” 4.70 5. Excellent agility & strength. Good spin move and attack angle adjustment. Really aggressive. Can move inside despite size. Tends to gain unneeded weight. Falls for trap blocks. Needs better understanding of leverage. Hesitates when setting edge. Not overly quick or fast.
James Pearce DE 245 6’5” 4.50 7.5. Explosive first step. Great bend & ankle flexion. Times snap well. Exceptional agility & use of leverage. Needs to add muscle & learn to use hands better. Slim build allows him to get overwhelmed by large blockers. Susceptible to power punch. Difficulty finishing sacks due to poor tackling technique. Trouble setting edge against power blockers. Likely play mostly on passing downs initially. Arrested for speeding while having suspended license.
Landon Johnson DE 280 6’7” 4.70 6.5. Good size and still growing. Good recognition of offensive blocking strategy. Displays agility when executing stunts. Top notch motor. Highly disciplined. Decent at setting edge & shedding blockers to locate ball carrier. Lacks a quick first step. Mechanical, not highly flexible rushing to change angles. Lacks aggressiveness when bull rushing. Not a great athlete. Previous ACL tear.
Jack Sawyer DE 260 6’5” 4.50 8. Best as straight line rusher with limited agility. Solid first step with power and hand use to bull rush. Good football IQ resulting in rapidly identifying play. Doesn’t usually bite on play action. Quality run defender who’s patient and locates ball carrier quickly. Keeps his feet moving indicating solid motor. Still needs improvement when anchoring. Very few rushing moves. Weak bend and poor ankle flexion. Not to be used on likely passing downs.
**Mike Green DE 250 6’4” 4.60 17. Exceptional first step with agility to change angles. Solid bend with good ankle flexibility. Top move is an excellent spin, but has a wide arsenal of moves. Relentless motor. Needs more strength to set edge in NFL. Can get lured out of position. Mediocre pursuit speed. Dives too often to make tackles, so gets shaken aside. Struggles when rushing from right. Can get engulfed by big blockers. Played mostly against mediocre teams. Got 1 sack against OSU, but Oline handled him well. Reminds me of some former Cards’ rushers who were fixated on sacks. It’s not clear how quickly he will develop as an impact pass rusher or every down player. Willing to play special teams. He only became a full-time starter last year.
Josiah Stewart DE 245 6’1” 4.75 8.5. Elite first step and motor. Mediocre against run as he lacks bulk. Ultra competitive and tenacious. Better as a penetrator than an anchor. Pursues sideline to sideline. Has decent burst to target. Looks decent when playing zone. He identifies screens quickly. Has only a few routine rush moves. Poor tackling and pursuit form can cause him to lose site of ball carrier. Not agile enough to contain scramblers. Difficulty in shedding blocks. Leaves it all on the field.
**Shemar Stewart DE 290 6’6” 4.70 1.5. This is a big, powerful guy who is unusually athletic for his size. Has the speed and agility when combined with his strength to be a handful for most linemen. Not only can he bull rush but his ability to quickly change directions makes it very difficult for blockers to firmly contact him. This gives him a huge leverage advantage. His sheer speed allows him to catch ball carriers from behind before they can burst through the line, though his tackling needs improvement. His peak conditioning has allowed him to avoid serious injury; never missed a game. Sadly his production doesn’t rise to his skillset. His lower body is not as fluid as his upper body. He uses his hands poorly which allows blockers to get inside on him making them difficult to shed. Gets carried away at times and opens an escape route. Lacks an assortment of rush moves. Right now better at defending the run than rushing the passer. If he can learn upside is significant. Strange he hasn’t developed further.
*JT Tuimoloau DE 270 6’5” 4.65 10. Late developer who blossomed last season. A big guy with good strength and strong hands. Can literally knock a blocker aside. He’s great at setting the edge. Good spin move with other techniques growing. Plays very aware, so tough to fool with screens and with play action. Loves to bat down passes. Not an extremely developed athlete. He needs to work on hand placement, which while strong could be more impactful. Lacks top end bend and flexibility. Allows himself to get too upright. Somewhat limited upside.
Aston Gillotte DE 275 6’3” 4.75 4.5. Explosive speed that’s unusual for size. Partly made the Freeks List as a result. Quality motor. Good use of hands to shed. Solid run defender. Pursues sideline to sideline. Poor use of leverage. Not enough bend and ankle flexion. Has decent swim move but needs to add more variety of moves. Leaves gaps when pass rushing. At this stage will likely be sidelined on passing plays.
**David Walker LB 260 6’2” 4.65 10.5. Very quick first step. Shows good strength and balance. Effective with hands to shed blockers. Has that special closing burst. Solid agility to redirect and will pursue sideline to sideline. Can set the edge adequately. Limited wingspan. Could use a wider set of moves. Lacks quality opponent experience. This guy is a real sleeper. If he lasts to the third round he’d be a great pick; risky to take earlier, but huge upside. Great coaching could deliver an impact player.
*Princely Umanmielen DE 265 6’4” 4.70 10.5. Good speed off the edge. Several moves including great spin move. Has that critical closing burst. Good hand strength to manipulate defenders. Excellent motor. One of the best at diagnosing plays. Not a quick snap reflex. Needs to gain strength to set the edge better. Needs to improve understanding of leverage. May fit better as an OLB, though very experienced with hand in the dirt. Needs work on shedding blockers when setting edge.
*Mykel Williams DE 260 6’5” 4.65 5. Outstanding run defender. Displays finishing burst. Very agile. Unusually good bend and ankle flexibility. Excellent wingspan. Can play standing up or hand in dirt. Sheds blockers effectively. Loops inside well to collapse pocket. Needs to add muscle. Can get too upright at times. Very raw technique. Can get frustrated when stalled. Needs to improve play diagnostics. Every scout I’ve talked to thinks this guy has the greatest upside amongst the Edges.
Nic Scourton DE 265 6’5” 4.70 5. Excellent agility & strength. Good spin move and attack angle adjustment. Really aggressive. Can move inside despite size. Tends to gain unneeded weight. Falls for trap blocks. Needs better understanding of leverage. Hesitates when setting edge. Not overly quick or fast.
James Pearce DE 245 6’5” 4.50 7.5. Explosive first step. Great bend & ankle flexion. Times snap well. Exceptional agility & use of leverage. Needs to add muscle & learn to use hands better. Slim build allows him to get overwhelmed by large blockers. Susceptible to power punch. Difficulty finishing sacks due to poor tackling technique. Trouble setting edge against power blockers. Likely play mostly on passing downs initially. Arrested for speeding while having suspended license.
Landon Johnson DE 280 6’7” 4.70 6.5. Good size and still growing. Good recognition of offensive blocking strategy. Displays agility when executing stunts. Top notch motor. Highly disciplined. Decent at setting edge & shedding blockers to locate ball carrier. Lacks a quick first step. Mechanical, not highly flexible rushing to change angles. Lacks aggressiveness when bull rushing. Not a great athlete. Previous ACL tear.
Jack Sawyer DE 260 6’5” 4.50 8. Best as straight line rusher with limited agility. Solid first step with power and hand use to bull rush. Good football IQ resulting in rapidly identifying play. Doesn’t usually bite on play action. Quality run defender who’s patient and locates ball carrier quickly. Keeps his feet moving indicating solid motor. Still needs improvement when anchoring. Very few rushing moves. Weak bend and poor ankle flexion. Not to be used on likely passing downs.
**Mike Green DE 250 6’4” 4.60 17. Exceptional first step with agility to change angles. Solid bend with good ankle flexibility. Top move is an excellent spin, but has a wide arsenal of moves. Relentless motor. Needs more strength to set edge in NFL. Can get lured out of position. Mediocre pursuit speed. Dives too often to make tackles, so gets shaken aside. Struggles when rushing from right. Can get engulfed by big blockers. Played mostly against mediocre teams. Got 1 sack against OSU, but Oline handled him well. Reminds me of some former Cards’ rushers who were fixated on sacks. It’s not clear how quickly he will develop as an impact pass rusher or every down player. Willing to play special teams. He only became a full-time starter last year.
Josiah Stewart DE 245 6’1” 4.75 8.5. Elite first step and motor. Mediocre against run as he lacks bulk. Ultra competitive and tenacious. Better as a penetrator than an anchor. Pursues sideline to sideline. Has decent burst to target. Looks decent when playing zone. He identifies screens quickly. Has only a few routine rush moves. Poor tackling and pursuit form can cause him to lose site of ball carrier. Not agile enough to contain scramblers. Difficulty in shedding blocks. Leaves it all on the field.
**Shemar Stewart DE 290 6’6” 4.70 1.5. This is a big, powerful guy who is unusually athletic for his size. Has the speed and agility when combined with his strength to be a handful for most linemen. Not only can he bull rush but his ability to quickly change directions makes it very difficult for blockers to firmly contact him. This gives him a huge leverage advantage. His sheer speed allows him to catch ball carriers from behind before they can burst through the line, though his tackling needs improvement. His peak conditioning has allowed him to avoid serious injury; never missed a game. Sadly his production doesn’t rise to his skillset. His lower body is not as fluid as his upper body. He uses his hands poorly which allows blockers to get inside on him making them difficult to shed. Gets carried away at times and opens an escape route. Lacks an assortment of rush moves. Right now better at defending the run than rushing the passer. If he can learn upside is significant. Strange he hasn’t developed further.
*JT Tuimoloau DE 270 6’5” 4.65 10. Late developer who blossomed last season. A big guy with good strength and strong hands. Can literally knock a blocker aside. He’s great at setting the edge. Good spin move with other techniques growing. Plays very aware, so tough to fool with screens and with play action. Loves to bat down passes. Not an extremely developed athlete. He needs to work on hand placement, which while strong could be more impactful. Lacks top end bend and flexibility. Allows himself to get too upright. Somewhat limited upside.
Aston Gillotte DE 275 6’3” 4.75 4.5. Explosive speed that’s unusual for size. Partly made the Freeks List as a result. Quality motor. Good use of hands to shed. Solid run defender. Pursues sideline to sideline. Poor use of leverage. Not enough bend and ankle flexion. Has decent swim move but needs to add more variety of moves. Leaves gaps when pass rushing. At this stage will likely be sidelined on passing plays.
**David Walker LB 260 6’2” 4.65 10.5. Very quick first step. Shows good strength and balance. Effective with hands to shed blockers. Has that special closing burst. Solid agility to redirect and will pursue sideline to sideline. Can set the edge adequately. Limited wingspan. Could use a wider set of moves. Lacks quality opponent experience. This guy is a real sleeper. If he lasts to the third round he’d be a great pick; risky to take earlier, but huge upside. Great coaching could deliver an impact player.
