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.
D linemen take time. Ford ran away from a running play once. Imagine how he'll look when he gets some conditioning, he's carrying that interior rush weight atm. [Reply]
He's just not that used to playing in space yet. He's learning to turn the corner and hasnt yet worked out how to control his balance and use the OTs body as leverage for balance. He was able to overpower guys in college and cant consistently do that now. Houston being out will allow him plenty of reps to get in the groove, also will help his conditioning. Lets see how he looks against the Pats. [Reply]
Glad that he got reps and had some success. That can't hurt at all. He isn't ready for a huge role but I think he's got a chance to be good one day if he works hard as hell for it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Molitoth:
With the NFL rules in place on the QB, what was he really to do? He thought Brady threw the ball and he didn't want to get a roughing the passer call.
I blame the NFL and it's pussy rules.
Roughing the passer would of been half the distance to the goal and an auto first down. When you get the change to hit the QB you do it. Make Brady feel it in his old man bones. [Reply]
Originally Posted by GloucesterChief:
Roughing the passer would of been half the distance to the goal and an auto first down. When you get the change to hit the QB you do it. Make Brady feel it in his old man bones.
The QB must go down & he must go down hard. [Reply]
