Originally Posted by : Overview
Speaks finished strong in his final year in Oxford, sacking the quarterback six times in the team's final six games from the defensive end position. He started all 12 games for the Rebels in 2017, posting 67 tackles, eight for loss which included seven sacks to garner second-team All-SEC by league media. The Jackson, Mississippi native and four-star recruit was a defensive tackle initially, redshirting in 2014 and then starting two of 13 games played the following year (32 tackles, 5.5 for loss, one sack, two pass breakups). Speaks played in every game again as a sophomore, starting seven, making 28 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and a sack.
Originally Posted by : Strengths
Big man with good speed and plus athletic ability
Has experience at a variety of spots along defensive line
Has size and length to play in odd or even front
Punches with good hand placement, arm extension and rolled hips when allowed to two-gap
Has attitude and edge
Flashes potential to become more proficient with hands as a weapon
Able to play ahead of move blocks and disrupt into backside gaps
Plays with plus awareness
Responds well to flow of the play
Offers a little more pass rush than expected as power end
Pairs hands and feet to help free him as interior rusher along the edge
Arm-over move has some potential
Weaknesses
Had just one season of big production
Inconsistent at leveraging gap
Plays top-heavy with high pad level
Allows blockers under his pads when attacking gaps
Hip-tightness leads to narrowing of his base
Struggles to hold ground against down blocks and can be rolled out of the gap
Has straight line speed, but lateral agility and foot quickness are average in tight quarters
Goes over the edge with emotions
Chippy hitter willing to lead with helmet when play is ending
Ejected for targeting against Kentucky and ejected against Mississippi State for two unsportsmanlike penalties
Reid says Brett Veach "wore him out" watching tape on Speaks. Watched all of his snaps from last season, says he never saw him on the ground. Compares him to Tamba Hali with size and metrics.
Originally Posted by patteeu:
FWIW, Payton didn’t say they would have taken Mahomes at 11. He said he’d have taken Mahomes at 11, but only if the guy they picked was gone.
There was absolutely no other way to state his intentions without bruising Lattimore's ego...
The Chiefs moved up and took the choice they wanted instead of waiting for leftovers. They were proactive, not reactive and I hope this trait continues to permeate through the entire organization. [Reply]
Originally Posted by : 5. BREELAND SPEAKS, Mississippi (6-3, 285, 4.90, 2): Fourth-year junior started 19 of 37 games. “Got a lot of talent,” said one scout. “Has big-time flashes. Burst, power, plays hard, disrupts a lot. He’s a versatile guy who can fit different fronts.” Played mostly as a DE in 2016 before moving inside last year. “On run downs he’s a base left end,” said another scout. “That’s the tone-setting, stout guy that you want. On third down put him over the guard and let him go. He’s a good power-leverage rusher. He doesn’t have the body twitch for backward movement … Had a rough sophomore year (2016). A lot of off-field stuff happened (DUI, suspension). He lost a lot of weight. He can be a really good player in the right setting under the right coach. Given that, he’s probably a Pro Bowler. If he gets (Cowboys defensive coordinator) Rod Marinelli, somebody like that. Under a coach who’s not going to (challenge) him every day.” … Finished with 127 tackles (15 for loss) and nine sacks. “He got kicked out of the Mississippi State game (Nov. 23),” a third scout said. “He’s a disruptive force but there are games he doesn’t do anything. If everything went right I thought he could be a first-rounder. I don’t know that it has.” From Jackson, Miss.
Originally Posted by staylor26:
It won’t be just because of that. Hitchens, and possibly O’Daniel, will play a huge role in that as well.
Tackling will be vastly improved on D as well. Won't be watching Sorensen miss open field tackles and now will be watching DOD thump in sub packages. He tackles really well. [Reply]
I just watched the Ole Miss vs Miss St. He had one sack but other than that he was handled by the RT and LT all game. Then he had to go and get 2 unsportsmanlike penalties and was kicked out of the game. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Roundup:
I just watched the Ole Miss vs Miss St. He had one sack but other than that he was handled by the RT and LT all game. Then he had to go and get 2 unsportsmanlike penalties and was kicked out of the game.
The Miss State LT was drafted this year. He's good
It's rare for EDGE players to get sacks. 12 sacks in 16 games is a great number. EDGE players affect in a game isn't normally felt play to play, but they can have a BIG impact in the game as long as they hold up against the run and get some pressure
I bet we see Speaks as a stand-up rusher in the middle on third downs sometimes.