Daily Short #77, October 10th, 2017: Deep Dig - Updated Defensive Rankings (Week 5)
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TIER 1
1. S Deshon Elliott - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 2)
SEASON: 15.66% market share of defensive productivity; 5.58 snaps per production caused* (2nd) *among 17 players with at least 60 defensive snaps on the season
2. LB Malik Jefferson - 60 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 3)
SEASON: 15.06% market share of defensive productivity; 5.75 snaps per production caused (3rd)
3. CB Holton Hill - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 1)
SEASON: 14.31% market share of defensive productivity; 6.01 snaps per production caused (5th)
The top tier of the rankings remains the same as last week with some shifting around within the group. Deshon Elliott just keeps finding himself at the right place at the right time to make big plays and he now has 5 interceptions in the last 4 weeks. He also had a half a sack and a big TFL versus Kansas State while not allowing a reception the one time he was targeted in what appeared to be his coverage responsibility. The only blemish on Elliott's game was one missed tackle.
Malik Jefferson is moving up in the tier as well, as Holton Hill's scores continue to normalize from the massive lead he got off to via touchdown scoring early in the season. Jefferson had exactly the type of game versus Kansas State that I was expecting. Around 75% of the time, when he was freed up to run from sideline to sideline without hinderance, his downhill angles were elite and they led to lots of disruption around the line of scrimmage where he racked up 2.5 TFLs and a separate run-stuff. The other 25% of the time, you could notice Jefferson struggling to get off of blockers at the second level -- something that was predictable versus a K-State defense that utilizes big, bruising fullback and H-back types on lead concepts and designed QB run-plays.
His trouble in this sort of situation is really the only worry NFL scouts will have about Jefferson and it should be thought of as positive that he played really well in a situation where, in the worst case, it could have been a lot worse of a regression spot all things considered. The scheme is helping Jefferson to be the best he can be, but he's also just plain getting better and more confident. It's a virtual guarantee that he'll be leaving for the NFL after the 2017 season should he remain healthy. How his tape shows him continuing to improve with getting off of blockers and not getting taken out of plays will play a key role in his round-projection. I still believe it is presumptuous to consider him a first-round lock as some have insinuated, but do believe that sort of upside is attainable for him.
TIER 2
4. NT Poona Ford - 48 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 4)
SEASON: 8.7% market share of defensive productivity; 7.63 snaps per production caused (6th)
Poona Ford is still alone in the second tier at 8.7% of the market share and it seems like this level is about what he could stick at through the season. While he's not going to pop off on any traditional stat sheets or box scores, he's Texas consistent enforcer in the middle of the defensive line and the only chess piece up front that's virtually unmovable. He's generating run-stuffs at an elite level, screwing up rush lanes for opposing runners and holding up one and sometimes two linemen at the line of scrimmage which aids in keeping them off the linebackers, allowing those guys to come clean.
The most impressive thing about Ford is his ability to press off offensive linemen and diagnose from gap-to-gap with his arms fully extended, because his arms are so long. Generally, it's easier for guys with short arms to gain that full extension when pressing blockers off their bodies. Ford has the wingspan of a 6'3" or 6'4" human at only 5'11" or maybe six-feet even.
TIER 3
5. S Brandon Jones - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 11)
SEASON: 5.08% market share of defensive productivity; 17.03 snaps per production caused (T11th)
6. DE Malcolm Roach - 58 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 5)
SEASON: 4.9% market share of defensive productivity; 10.15 snaps per production caused (8th)
7. Anthony Wheeler - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 6)
SEASON: 4.83% market share of defensive productivity; 17.03 snaps per production caused (T11th)
8. CB Kris Boyd - 36 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 7)
SEASON: 4.64% market share of defensive productivity; 15.63 snaps per production caused (10th)
9. LB Gary Johnson - 12 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: T8)
SEASON: 4.24% market share of defensive productivity; 4.21 snaps per production caused (1st)
10. DE Charles Omenihu - 53 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: T8)
SEASON: 4.09% market share of defensive productivity; 19.36 snaps per production caused (13th)
Brandon Jones made a big jump up the rankings this week thanks to an excellent volume-tackling performance including a big TFL. While miscommunications in the secondary are still an issue for the Texas defense to some degree, no one can argue that the tandem of Brandon Jones and Deshon Elliott has shored up the safety position in a way fans haven't seen since ... I honestly don't know. Certainly since before I started working here.
Gary Johnson, while a backup that has barely played 60 snaps on the season, still remains in this tier of players generating a starter's share of productivity. The staff is being wise to use him as much as possible. While it's tough to get him in over Malik Jefferson, we've seen an uptick in true 3-LB personnel which bumps Jefferson out to the F-backer while inserting Johnson at Jefferson's usual will spot.
Malcolm Roach and Charles Omenihu both had their busiest days of the season versus KSU snap-percentage-wise thanks to Chris Nelson missing the game with an ankle injury that completely slipped under the radar as far as media reporting last week. Both flashed a bit -- Roach had a sack that brought a tear to the eyes of those who remember what a menace he was off the edge last season and Omenihu had a critical TFL in crunch time toward the end of regulation -- but outside of those plays, the DE tandem was mostly silent.
Generating a ton of production from either of these spots is going to take a Herculean effort in most spots. It was nice to see the alignments shift in ways versus KSU to allow Roach to come off the edge from a standing position opposite Naashon Hughes who -- despite pitching in for a half a sack in this one and finding himself around the football more than usual -- still trails his backup Jeffrey McCulloch in the snaps-per-production caused metric by a fairly wide gap.
Dropping out of Tier 3 was Hughes' fellow team captain, P.J. Locke, thanks to what was inarguably his worst game as a Texas Longhorn. He racked up two coverage burns versus No.83 Jordy Nels... err ... Dalton Schoen. Locke also had two blown contains, one of them coming in the red-zone. It should be noted that Anthony Wheeler (who's been a non-impact player himself given the position he plays in this defense and the volume of snaps he's received) put Locke in an impossible position on the first Schoen TD by not dropping to the proper depth and getting his eyes caught up in the backfield.
Backup-Level Production
11. DB John Bonney - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 12)
SEASON: 3% market share of defensive productivity; 5.86 snaps per production caused (4th)
12. NCB PJ Locke - 49 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 10)
SEASON: 2.89% market share of defensive productivity; 27.47 snaps per production caused (16th)
13. LB Naashon Hughes - 50 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 14)
SEASON: 2.78% market share of defensive productivity; 26.11 snaps per production caused (15th)
14. DE Chris Nelson - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 13)
SEASON: 2.49% market share of defensive productivity; 18.24 snaps per production caused (13th)
15. LB Jeffrey McCulloch - 9 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 16)
SEASON: 1.9% market share of defensive productivity; 9.54 snaps per production caused (7th)
16. DE/LB Breckyn Hager - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 15)
SEASON: 1.75% market share of defensive productivity; 10.17 snaps per production caused (9th)
17. NT Gerald Wilbon - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 17)
SEASON: .88% market share of defensive productivity
18. S Jason Hall - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 18)
SEASON: .73% market share of defensive productivity
19. LB Edwin Freeman - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 19)
SEASON: .58% market share of defensive productivity
20. CB Josh Thompson - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 20)
SEASON: .47% market share of defensive productivity
21. CB Davante Davis - 25 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: Negative Production)
SEASON: .44% market share of defensive productivity; 46.6 snaps per production caused (17th)
22. DE Taquon Graham - 3 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 21)
SEASON: .29% market share of defensive productivity
23. DE Jamari Chisolm - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 22)
SEASON: .15% market share of defensive productivity
No production (on the season)
T24. DB Antwuan Davis - 0 snaps vs. KSU
T24. DB Chris Brown - 2 snaps vs. KSU
T24. D'Andre Christmas - 0 snaps vs. KSU
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
TIER 1
1. S Deshon Elliott - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 2)
SEASON: 15.66% market share of defensive productivity; 5.58 snaps per production caused* (2nd) *among 17 players with at least 60 defensive snaps on the season
2. LB Malik Jefferson - 60 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 3)
SEASON: 15.06% market share of defensive productivity; 5.75 snaps per production caused (3rd)
3. CB Holton Hill - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 1)
SEASON: 14.31% market share of defensive productivity; 6.01 snaps per production caused (5th)
The top tier of the rankings remains the same as last week with some shifting around within the group. Deshon Elliott just keeps finding himself at the right place at the right time to make big plays and he now has 5 interceptions in the last 4 weeks. He also had a half a sack and a big TFL versus Kansas State while not allowing a reception the one time he was targeted in what appeared to be his coverage responsibility. The only blemish on Elliott's game was one missed tackle.
Malik Jefferson is moving up in the tier as well, as Holton Hill's scores continue to normalize from the massive lead he got off to via touchdown scoring early in the season. Jefferson had exactly the type of game versus Kansas State that I was expecting. Around 75% of the time, when he was freed up to run from sideline to sideline without hinderance, his downhill angles were elite and they led to lots of disruption around the line of scrimmage where he racked up 2.5 TFLs and a separate run-stuff. The other 25% of the time, you could notice Jefferson struggling to get off of blockers at the second level -- something that was predictable versus a K-State defense that utilizes big, bruising fullback and H-back types on lead concepts and designed QB run-plays.
His trouble in this sort of situation is really the only worry NFL scouts will have about Jefferson and it should be thought of as positive that he played really well in a situation where, in the worst case, it could have been a lot worse of a regression spot all things considered. The scheme is helping Jefferson to be the best he can be, but he's also just plain getting better and more confident. It's a virtual guarantee that he'll be leaving for the NFL after the 2017 season should he remain healthy. How his tape shows him continuing to improve with getting off of blockers and not getting taken out of plays will play a key role in his round-projection. I still believe it is presumptuous to consider him a first-round lock as some have insinuated, but do believe that sort of upside is attainable for him.
TIER 2
4. NT Poona Ford - 48 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 4)
SEASON: 8.7% market share of defensive productivity; 7.63 snaps per production caused (6th)
Poona Ford is still alone in the second tier at 8.7% of the market share and it seems like this level is about what he could stick at through the season. While he's not going to pop off on any traditional stat sheets or box scores, he's Texas consistent enforcer in the middle of the defensive line and the only chess piece up front that's virtually unmovable. He's generating run-stuffs at an elite level, screwing up rush lanes for opposing runners and holding up one and sometimes two linemen at the line of scrimmage which aids in keeping them off the linebackers, allowing those guys to come clean.
The most impressive thing about Ford is his ability to press off offensive linemen and diagnose from gap-to-gap with his arms fully extended, because his arms are so long. Generally, it's easier for guys with short arms to gain that full extension when pressing blockers off their bodies. Ford has the wingspan of a 6'3" or 6'4" human at only 5'11" or maybe six-feet even.
TIER 3
5. S Brandon Jones - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 11)
SEASON: 5.08% market share of defensive productivity; 17.03 snaps per production caused (T11th)
6. DE Malcolm Roach - 58 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 5)
SEASON: 4.9% market share of defensive productivity; 10.15 snaps per production caused (8th)
7. Anthony Wheeler - 61 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 6)
SEASON: 4.83% market share of defensive productivity; 17.03 snaps per production caused (T11th)
8. CB Kris Boyd - 36 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 7)
SEASON: 4.64% market share of defensive productivity; 15.63 snaps per production caused (10th)
9. LB Gary Johnson - 12 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: T8)
SEASON: 4.24% market share of defensive productivity; 4.21 snaps per production caused (1st)
10. DE Charles Omenihu - 53 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: T8)
SEASON: 4.09% market share of defensive productivity; 19.36 snaps per production caused (13th)
Brandon Jones made a big jump up the rankings this week thanks to an excellent volume-tackling performance including a big TFL. While miscommunications in the secondary are still an issue for the Texas defense to some degree, no one can argue that the tandem of Brandon Jones and Deshon Elliott has shored up the safety position in a way fans haven't seen since ... I honestly don't know. Certainly since before I started working here.
Gary Johnson, while a backup that has barely played 60 snaps on the season, still remains in this tier of players generating a starter's share of productivity. The staff is being wise to use him as much as possible. While it's tough to get him in over Malik Jefferson, we've seen an uptick in true 3-LB personnel which bumps Jefferson out to the F-backer while inserting Johnson at Jefferson's usual will spot.
Malcolm Roach and Charles Omenihu both had their busiest days of the season versus KSU snap-percentage-wise thanks to Chris Nelson missing the game with an ankle injury that completely slipped under the radar as far as media reporting last week. Both flashed a bit -- Roach had a sack that brought a tear to the eyes of those who remember what a menace he was off the edge last season and Omenihu had a critical TFL in crunch time toward the end of regulation -- but outside of those plays, the DE tandem was mostly silent.
Generating a ton of production from either of these spots is going to take a Herculean effort in most spots. It was nice to see the alignments shift in ways versus KSU to allow Roach to come off the edge from a standing position opposite Naashon Hughes who -- despite pitching in for a half a sack in this one and finding himself around the football more than usual -- still trails his backup Jeffrey McCulloch in the snaps-per-production caused metric by a fairly wide gap.
Dropping out of Tier 3 was Hughes' fellow team captain, P.J. Locke, thanks to what was inarguably his worst game as a Texas Longhorn. He racked up two coverage burns versus No.83 Jordy Nels... err ... Dalton Schoen. Locke also had two blown contains, one of them coming in the red-zone. It should be noted that Anthony Wheeler (who's been a non-impact player himself given the position he plays in this defense and the volume of snaps he's received) put Locke in an impossible position on the first Schoen TD by not dropping to the proper depth and getting his eyes caught up in the backfield.
Backup-Level Production
11. DB John Bonney - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 12)
SEASON: 3% market share of defensive productivity; 5.86 snaps per production caused (4th)
12. NCB PJ Locke - 49 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 10)
SEASON: 2.89% market share of defensive productivity; 27.47 snaps per production caused (16th)
13. LB Naashon Hughes - 50 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 14)
SEASON: 2.78% market share of defensive productivity; 26.11 snaps per production caused (15th)
14. DE Chris Nelson - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 13)
SEASON: 2.49% market share of defensive productivity; 18.24 snaps per production caused (13th)
15. LB Jeffrey McCulloch - 9 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 16)
SEASON: 1.9% market share of defensive productivity; 9.54 snaps per production caused (7th)
16. DE/LB Breckyn Hager - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 15)
SEASON: 1.75% market share of defensive productivity; 10.17 snaps per production caused (9th)
17. NT Gerald Wilbon - 7 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 17)
SEASON: .88% market share of defensive productivity
18. S Jason Hall - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 18)
SEASON: .73% market share of defensive productivity
19. LB Edwin Freeman - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 19)
SEASON: .58% market share of defensive productivity
20. CB Josh Thompson - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 20)
SEASON: .47% market share of defensive productivity
21. CB Davante Davis - 25 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: Negative Production)
SEASON: .44% market share of defensive productivity; 46.6 snaps per production caused (17th)
22. DE Taquon Graham - 3 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 21)
SEASON: .29% market share of defensive productivity
23. DE Jamari Chisolm - 0 snaps vs. KSU (Previous Rank: 22)
SEASON: .15% market share of defensive productivity
No production (on the season)
T24. DB Antwuan Davis - 0 snaps vs. KSU
T24. DB Chris Brown - 2 snaps vs. KSU
T24. D'Andre Christmas - 0 snaps vs. KSU
