University of Iowa Tackle Tristen Wirfs

[Solar7]

I'm really appreciating everyone's OL insights. It's not my strength. We have a long way to go, but Wirfs really excites me from what I see, and seems like a possible choice in our range. Of course, by the time we get to the draft, it'll be wildly different, but I like the idea.

 

[Harry]

I get it you like him but your really overacting here. Isiah Simmons is the best pound for pound athlete in this draft if’s Wirfs was that kind of athlete and freak guess what position he wouldn’t be playing...RT.

he’s pretty much regarded as the 3rd best offensive lineman in the draft.

The RT would normally be a red flag but not so much in this case. Wirfs played some LT and looked fine. Alaric Jackson is the LT and like Humphries he struggles at RT. Jackson has kind of played in Wirfs shadow but at 6’7”, 320 he’s also been very effective. If he were there in round 3 he’d be well worth the pick. Some scouts have a round 2 grade on him.

That said Simmons is a fine player and could neutralize TEs better. The question is are equally talented prospects available where the need is greater? I’m not sure what the Cards’ thinking is.

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

Eric Fisher has been good. Land Johnson has been good.

How appropriate that the Chiefs and Eagles (historically better franchises) got their picks right while the Jaguars, Cardinals and Titans got their picks wrong. Being flat wrong on Cooper has still made me gun shy regarding Gs in round 1. That being said, seeing Quenton Nelson has helped me understand the difference.

Yes but look who we traded him for CJ is hands over fist better than Cooper ever could have been so it worked out damned good in my mind

 

[Dr. Jones]

In my opinion: Wirfs is one of two..... TRUE top level tackle prospects in this draft. Everyone else is either better at Guard or a project. I have been calling Wirfs a Lane Johnson clone for a few weeks now.

1 & 2 - Thomas & Wirfs

Wills & Leatherwood are both better at Guard IMO but I will wait for the combine drills to decide it for sure.
Austin Jackson could be so damn good at Tackle but I think he's still a project. Again..... The combine.

I truly think our pick needs to be either Simmons, Wirfs, or Thomas because of the positional upgrade it would represent. RT or Stud ILB makes the biggest impact and it just so happens there will probably be a stud at both positions when we pick.

And between Simmons or Wirfs, I would choose Simmons 100 out of 100. Can you imagine dropping a faster Luke Kuechly into the center of our defense?

 

[Rohinaz]

I would rather spend some of our cap on a proven RT and resign hump. I want a complete and veteran line protecting Murray.



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Chopper0080]

Please stop overthinking when it comes to Wirfs.

Yeah...some people seem to get fixated on an opinion and stick with it vs finding evidence to support it. Thanks for posting these and hopefully putting this argument to bed. Also it should be noted that Wirfs played a couple games at LT this year when Jackson got injured. He was great...as usual.

 

[Chopper0080]

Thomas
Wirfs
Leatherwood
Wills
Becton

Becton
Jones
Jackson are the early round 2 likely toppers

I find it interesting that you like Leatherwood over Wills. Who you be willing to share why?

 

[Chopper0080]

I respect your opinion Dvontel.

Wills is the complete package (pass and run blocking). Compare that to Wills RT #74 (skip first video on Burrows):

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If you want to see Wills vs NFL players...watch Alabama vs Auburn, watch Alabama vs LSU. The bowl game is vs Michigan which he will dominate in as well.

 

[Chopper0080]

The RT would normally be a red flag but not so much in this case. Wirfs played some LT and looked fine. Alaric Jackson is the LT and like Humphries he struggles at RT. Jackson has kind of played in Wirfs shadow but at 6’7”, 320 he’s also been very effective. If he were there in round 3 he’d be well worth the pick. Some scouts have a round 2 grade on him.

That said Simmons is a fine player and could neutralize TEs better. The question is are equally talented prospects available where the need is greater? I’m not sure what the Cards’ thinking is.

I wouldn't be shocked to see Alaric Jackson kick into OG at the NFL level. He seems to have the quickness and physicality of it.

 

[Chopper0080]

I get it you like him but your really overacting here. Isiah Simmons is the best pound for pound athlete in this draft if’s Wirfs was that kind of athlete and freak guess what position he wouldn’t be playing...RT.

he’s pretty much regarded as the 3rd best offensive lineman in the draft.

I find it funny that you want to discount a 6'5 320lb athlete at a position that has to matchup with the freakiest athletes in the entire NFL. It has been said that his vertical is the same as Chandler Jones combine vert. 2.5 inches less than Clowney's with Wirfs being 60lbs heavier. If you skipped Harry's post on Wirfs playing RT...go read that because he sums it up well.

If you don't want a tackle...say you don't want the Cardinals to take a tackle. That is fine. But don't try to talk down the freakiest OL athlete in recent history.

 

[TheCardFan]

If you want to see Wills vs NFL players...watch Alabama vs Auburn, watch Alabama vs LSU. The bowl game is vs Michigan which he will dominate in as well.

Here you go...

Alabama OT Jedrick Wills (@JWills73) performance vs. Auburn is the best game of any non-QB prospect that I’ve studied for the 2020 #NFLDraft so far this year. Completely dominant.

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[Finito]

I find it funny that you want to discount a 6'5 320lb athlete at a position that has to matchup with the freakiest athletes in the entire NFL. It has been said that his vertical is the same as Chandler Jones combine vert. 2.5 inches less than Clowney's with Wirfs being 60lbs heavier. If you skipped Harry's post on Wirfs playing RT...go read that because he sums it up well.

If you don't want a tackle...say you don't want the Cardinals to take a tackle. That is fine. But don't try to talk down the freakiest OL athlete in recent history.

Id be happy with Thomas or Wills. I flat out don’t see it in Wirfs at all.

 

[Chopper0080]

Here you go...

Alabama OT Jedrick Wills (@JWills73) performance vs. Auburn is the best game of any non-QB prospect that I’ve studied for the 2020 #NFLDraft so far this year. Completely dominant.

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Thank you.

Those combo blocks are no joke.

 

[Chopper0080]

Id be happy with Thomas or Wills. I flat out don’t see it in Wirfs at all.

Wirfs is on tonight vs USC...I will be watching and so should you. We can discuss tomorrow.

 

[Buckybird]

If anyone has doubts about Wirfs, just watch the USC tape after tonight’s game! He’s absolutely dominating & destroying people in this game. The kids gonna be a star barring injury. I’d take him over any other Olineman in this draft & imo it’s not close.

 

[Finito]

If anyone has doubts about Wirfs, just watch the USC tape after tonight’s game! He’s absolutely dominating & destroying people in this game. The kids gonna be a star barring injury. I’d take him over any other Olineman in this draft & imo it’s not close.

USC doesn’t exactly have NFL prospects up front. But yeah he looks good

 

[Russ Smith]

If anyone has doubts about Wirfs, just watch the USC tape after tonight’s game! He’s absolutely dominating & destroying people in this game. The kids gonna be a star barring injury. I’d take him over any other Olineman in this draft & imo it’s not close.

I guess I watched the wrong 3 plays then. I'm watching the Warriors game but I switched over and saw one Iowa series in the 4th. First down he totally whiffed on a run block his man dropped the guy for a 1 yard gain. 2nd down they tried to run a screen he and the guy next to him did such a bad job selling it that the USC defense picked up the RB and they couldn't throw the screen. The ref threw a flag for defensive holding but then picked it up after another ref talked him out of it, if it were the NFL both Wirfs and the guy next to him would have been flagged for being downfield early. on 3rd down Wirfs was blocking #91 Brandon Pili who Walter Football has as a 7th rounder to undrafted player. Pili beat him and the only reason he didn't get a sack was his teammate got there first and sacked the QB.

I admit I haven't watched Iowa all year, the kid is huge, they were talking about what a great athlete he is, so I just watched the wrong 3 plays.

 

[Finito]

I guess I watched the wrong 3 plays then. I'm watching the Warriors game but I switched over and saw one Iowa series in the 4th. First down he totally whiffed on a run block his man dropped the guy for a 1 yard gain. 2nd down they tried to run a screen he and the guy next to him did such a bad job selling it that the USC defense picked up the RB and they couldn't throw the screen. The ref threw a flag for defensive holding but then picked it up after another ref talked him out of it, if it were the NFL both Wirfs and the guy next to him would have been flagged for being downfield early. on 3rd down Wirfs was blocking #91 Brandon Pili who Walter Football has as a 7th rounder to undrafted player. Pili beat him and the only reason he didn't get a sack was his teammate got there first and sacked the QB.

I admit I haven't watched Iowa all year, the kid is huge, they were talking about what a great athlete he is, so I just watched the wrong 3 plays.

he didn’t have a good 4th. One thing I hate to see is an offensive lineman on the ground and I counted 3 times late he ended up on the ground

 

[TheCardFan]

Watched the game last night and again this morning (condensed version below).

Wirfs is big and athletic. He has tons of potential but I don't see a dominant player. I think he will get exposed in the NFL with stronger/faster opponents.

If he played LT and we needed a LT, I could see moving his value up but I don't like him for us in the top 15.

He will be an NFL starter and has nice upside.

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[cardpa]

After watching the videos here and my opinion is based strictly on these videos, I like Wills better. He seems to do a great job of keeping his hands within the framework of the defender's body and moving him in the direction he wants the defender to go. You will never see a Olineman get called for holding when his hands are inside the defender's frame.

 

[Harry]

Wirfs would be an upgrade right away. Probably helps going against Epenesa every day.

Epenesa may play on the left in practice some and does get moved around. Still he’s on the other side more than 80% of the time.

 

[Harry]

If anyone has doubts about Wirfs, just watch the USC tape after tonight’s game! He’s absolutely dominating & destroying people in this game. The kids gonna be a star barring injury. I’d take him over any other Olineman in this draft & imo it’s not close.

Did you notice 90% of the time they ran to the left? That’s a reflection of Wirfs’ deficiency. He’s not terrible but I’d rate him below average among the better tackles.

 

[Lagerfilled]

No more athletic freaks! Give me mean/a$$ football players. Someone called him a grizzly bear with shoulder pads in another thread. Sign me up for that!

 

[Harry]

I find it interesting that you like Leatherwood over Wills. Who you be willing to share why?

There is certainly not much to define the choice. When faced with this situation I look at skills that are hard to teach. IMO Leatherwood has the quicker feet and slight better agility when redirecting his push. It’s not a huge gap by any means. Both are strong, effective in pass & run blocking. Both are coachable with no red flags I’m aware of. They would both be solid mid round targets.

 

[Lagerfilled]

No more athletic freaks! Give me mean a$$ football players ala Quentin Nelson. Someone called Willis a grizzly bear with shoulder pads in another thread. Sign me up for that!