Archives for March 2021

Aaron Banks (OG #69)

6’5  330 lbs

21 y/o Senior University of Notre Dame

(Credits:onefootdown.com)

Games watched: vs. Clemson ‘20, vs. Alabama ‘20, vs. Georgia ‘19

 

Summary:

Aaron Banks played as a two-way player for four years at El Cerrito High School in Northern California, where he spent three years playing OT and one year playing OG. Banks was a four-star member of the PrepStar Top 300 Dream Team, ranked as the 127th player in the class of 2017 and the 19th OT.

In 2017 he enrolled at Notre Dame and began taking classes in January.

Banks spent his freshman season on the scout team. In the following season, Banks got playing time in the first seven games. He started his first game at LG vs. Navy and remained in that role for the remaining six games.

Banks’ junior season in 2019 saw him start all 13 games, which resulted in him only giving up two sacks on 844 snaps played.

At the end of his final collegiate season, Banks received 1st team All ACC and 1st team Associated Press All American honors. His efforts on the field also made him a Joe Moore finalist for best offensive line unit and a spot on the Outland Trophy watch list for “best interior lineman.”

Banks received an invitation to the 2021 Senior bowl, where he was a National team player.

 

Strengths:

• Has ideal NFL size to play left guard and right guard
• Plays with exceptional raw natural power
• Comes off the snap with low pads
• Has very violent hands that consistently delivers disruptive blows
• Quickly gets vertical to block LBs on 2nd level
• Plays with a wide base which allows sunken hips to maintain leverage.
• Good athleticism for his size but not elite.
• Has a very nasty mauler mentality which left several defenders down
• Always look for extra defenders to block on every play.

 Weaknesses:

• Struggles to block moving targets in open space.
• Lateral footwork is below average
• Plays with heavy feet too often
• Can be knocked off balance if defenders beat him to the punch.
• Slow recovery time if his blocking angles are not on point
• Needs to be more consistent with good knee bend

 

Conclusion:

Aaron Bank’s natural abilities are evident when he plays either in a power-run or gap blocking scheme. If he could drop his weight down to around the 315 – 320 pound range, it would help elevate his athleticism from average to above average. His physical style and power will allow him to contend for a starting job if he goes to the right team. The correct position coach can elevate him to becoming one of the top guards in the NFL in a few years.

 

 

 Overall Grade: 5.5 (Day 1 starter in power run scheme or starter in 1-2 years with zone blocking scheme )

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson Carman (OT #79)

6’6 317 lbs

21 y/o Junior Clemson University

(Credits: www.tigernet.com)

Games watched: MIA ‘20, ND ‘20 (both games)

 

Summary:

Jackson Carman is a 5-star recruit out of Fairfield, Ohio. He elected to
attend Clemson University in January of 2018 after turning down offers
from Alabama, Ohio State, and several other D-1 programs.
Carman saw action in 13 games as a true freshman, including some
snaps in the national championship against Alabama.
In 2019, Carman was named preseason third-team All-ACC. Carman
started in 15 games, including a critical matchup against the eventual 2nd
overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, where he neutralized Chase Young.
This performance saw Carman named to the AP 2019 All-Bowl team.
For the 2020 season, Carman took over starting duties at left tackle,
where he played in 12 games for the Tigers. He was named Second-team

All-American by CBS Sports, Second-team All-Conference by the
Associated Press, and Second-team All-ACC.
Carman announced that he would forego his senior year at Clemson and
declared for the 2021 NFL Draft on January 7th. He finished his collegiate
career at Clemson with 1,934 total snaps and 27 consecutive starts since
2019.

Strengths:

● Elite athleticism for his size
● Outstanding technique when executing a single-arm strike in pass sets
● Routinely finishes in the run game. Nastiness shows up every rep.
● Immaculate ability to execute blocks in space; extremely effective in the
screen game and outside runs.
● Power is not an issue. Strength and ability to anchor pops on tape.
● Plays with adequate leverage and shows the ability to get under people.

Weaknesses:

● Relies too heavily on his striking power.
● Edges with above-average counter moves give him problems.
● Feet get stuck in the dirt; he gets caught lunging more than you would like
to see.
● Needs to improve his feet. Has the ability to do so.
● Needs to improve his motor. Has a few reps where he does not play hard
until the whistle.

Conclusion:

Jackson Carman is talented enough to be a consistent starter at either
tackle or guard in the NFL.
If there is one word to describe Jackson, it is “NASTY.” There is simply not
another offensive lineman in the country who plays with the physicality
and violence that you see in Jackson’s game.
Nastiness, consistency, desire to get better, and a massive frame are
traits that every NFL team needs.

Jackson spent most of his career protecting the blindside of whom many
believe to be a generational talent in Trevor Lawrence. Not only did he
hold his own in that role, but he also anchored a rushing attack that
featured Travis Etienne, one of the nation’s top backs.
When you cut on the tape, #79 flashes right away.
His need for refinement in his technique may cause him to be a day two
pick. However, he has all the tools to dominate at the pro level. Versatility
is paramount these days, and Jackson Carman can play on either side of
the line.

Overall Grade: 6.0 (Day-1 Solid Starter)

 

 

 

By: Jadarius McCoy

Kyle Trask (Quarterback #11)

6’5  240 lbs

22 y/o Redshirt Senior University of Florida

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Games watched: UVA ‘19, ARK ‘20, LSU ‘20, OU ‘20, USC ‘20, UGA ‘20

Summary:

Kyle Trask is originally from Manvel, Texas. He did not start a game after his freshman year at Manvel High School. Even though he was not the sole starter for most of his high school career, Trask received four offers to play college football. He accepted the only offer he received from an FBS program, and enrolled at the University of Florida in 2016.

Trask had a rough start to his college career, as he was redshirted in 2016, and subsequently suffered a season ending injury before the 2017 season-opener.

In 2018, Trask appeared in four games as a backup quarterback, and suffered another injury to his foot, which prematurely ended his season.

During the 2019 season, Trask started 10 games, and finished with 2,941 passing yards, 29 total touchdowns, and 7 interceptions.

In 2020 Trask took a huge leap in production. He started all 12 of the Gators contests. He finished with 4,283 passing yards, 46 total touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Trask ranked 1st in the nation in passing touchdowns, and 2nd in the nation in passing yards.

To cap off a breakout season, Trask was a Heisman Trophy finalist; finishing in the top 4 in voting. Trask would also go on to be a finalist for the Davey O’Brien, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm, Maxwell and Manning awards.

Strengths:

• Great size
• Nice touch on 50-50 balls
• Good placement on endzone throws
• Arm stronger than most; Good velocity
• Decent movement skills; though not necessarily a rushing threat
• Flashes some outside the numbers anticipatory throws

Weaknesses:

• Targets are sometimes predetermined; doesn’t look elsewhere
• Eyes can get him into trouble
• Rushes easy throws at times
• Can hold the ball too long when first option is not there
• Absorbs a lot of sacks

 

Conclusion:

Trask grinded his way to the top of the depth charts after being lightly recruited, and following consecutive injuries severe enough to keep him off the field. That dedication and determination will serve him well in the NFL.

Trask has the size and arm talent to compete at the next level. He showed the ability to make varying kinds of throws to different styles of receivers. Although he is not overly creative with his legs, he can do enough to get out of trouble in a pinch. He did flash some ability to move from high to low in progressions.

The issues with Kyle Trask are ones that can really hinder a young QB at the next level. He tends to stare down receivers. Sometimes, he misses opportunities to step up in the pocket. Plays sometimes dissolve when the first read is not there, which normally consists of reading one half of the field.

Scouts will likely make note of the injury history. Just one full season of starting might also cause some concern.

Although Trask may end up being the 6th or 7th QB off the board, he still has some work to become more polished. The arm talent is there, though, for him to possibly start for a team in the future.

Average performance grade: 74.9 / 100

Overall Grade: 4.9 (Upside pick with boom or bust potential)

 

By: Jadarius McCoy

Mac Jones (Quarterback #10)

6’3  215 lbs

22 y/o Redshirt Junior University of Alabama

Games watched: ARK (‘19), AUB (‘19), MICH (‘19), FLA(‘20), AUB (‘20), GEO (‘20)

Summary:

Mac Jones is from Jacksonville, Florida, and attended The Bolles High School. He was a three-star recruit in 2017 and was ranked the 399th recruit nationally by 247Sports. He received offers from Boston College, the University of Kentucky, Baylor University, and Arizona State University. He committed to the University of Alabama in June of 2016.

Jones spent his freshman season as a redshirt designation and received his first taste of action in 2018, where he appeared in 14 games, eight at QB, and others on special teams.

After a season-ending injury to starting QB Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones began to four games in 2019 and finished with 1,503 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Jones became the starter in 2020, where the Redshirt-Junior led the country in passing yards with 4,500. Jones also amassed 42 total touchdowns and four interceptions. Jones finished 2020 as a Heisman and Maxwell award finalist and won the Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

He declared himself eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft on January 14th, 2021.

Strengths:

• Good placement on throws
• Solid deep-ball
• Excellent pocket awareness
• Moves efficiently in pocket
• Good at touch and passes with velocity
• Does not usually put the ball in danger; just seven career INTs
• Throws usually on schedule; rare late throws

Weaknesses:

• Throws suffer on the run and off-platform
• Not a great athlete as a runner
• Wind-up elongated with velocity throws

Conclusion:

There is no doubt that Mac Jones benefited from the wealth of talent on Alabama’s roster. However, no matter how talented his cast may be, the QB still needs to take care of business on his end, which Jones did.

His pocket awareness and movement are right up there with the best QBs in the class, and when he has the opportunity to set his feet and throw, Jones is at his very best. He played within Steve Sarkisian’s offense exceptionally well and did not make many mistakes.

Teams may be concerned with how well he moves in general, though. He is a pocket-based QB. Throws on the run are not a strength of his. His inability to go off-script makes him less appealing than the other top-5 QBs in the class.

Jones has started a full season in his collegiate career, which may cause some concern amongst scouts and front offices. He will not have the natural athletic ability that other QBs fall back on as a second option.

To hit the ground running, Jones needs to go to a team that has a solid foundation already, especially on the offensive line, with a solid core of receivers who can get separation quickly.

Teams that best suit him will likely be picking outside of the top 15. If he goes to the correct situation, he could see a much faster start to his NFL career than all of the QBs that will go before him.

 

Average performance grade: 91.9 / 100

Overall Grade: 5.0 (starter in 1-2 years)