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 petegz28:
I'm not seeing a whole lot to bitch about. Dude definitely seems to know how to get in the backfield and wreck shit.
People are just way too reactionary on draft day
We were all wanting a DB, but we took a sleeper with the skill set to be a huge steal like Jones. It’s a surprise and a bit of a disappointment, but of course it wasn’t a bad pick. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Chris Jones was really good on the edge last year. He slimmed down to 285. Now we pick another guy similar to what he is currently at physically.
Tanoh, Jones and Speaks can all play edge or inside. Lotta versatility there.
Seems that they want a front full of strong dudes who also have some explosion. No pure fatties, but not many frail dudes either. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Simplicity:
So a project Pick while our cornerback room sucks... aight veach you had me with the Watkins and Hitchens pick ups but this blows my mind
I love it. A GM who takes risks. Use the high picks on positional value. Gladly take a few projects even if a few busts. Hopefully he hits on the "safe" picks in the late rounds better than Dorsey did. [Reply]
Pros - Speaks played all over the D line at Ol Miss, and he has the blend of size and movement skills to be used in a similar way in the NFL. Good mover for a 300 pounder who locates the ball quickly, and shows outstanding range when when chasing plays in pursuit. Seemingly has upside as a pass rusher, as he typically had no game plan and poor technique, but was still able to disrupt the backfield
Cons - Speaks is very raw. It often looks like he is stepping onto a football field for the first time from a technique standpoint. Shows little as far as hand use goes, gets too upright and often seems to be chasing plays as if he is a linebacker in space. While his football character isnt problematic, he has had multiple ejections, and an off field DUI in 2016
Summary - If he can grasp the technical aspects of the job, he has the upside to be a quality 3 down player as a 5 technique in an odd front, or on the interior, or as an edge setting end in a 4-3
Not too overwhelmed with this at the moment
While I have no problem with building from front to back, his profile isnt really screaming out to me... lotta mehs in there, but he does sound somewhat like a Jones clone with his potential versatility [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
People are just way too reactionary on draft day
We were all wanting a DB, but we took a sleeper with the skill set to be a huge steal like Jones. It’s a surprise and a bit of a disappointment, but of course it wasn’t a bad pick.
I've been saying it all night. Yes, we need a DB but if you don't have a pass rush then no DB in the world is going to win you anything on defense. [Reply]
what I like is that it appears that they're setting up the three DL spots and two OLB spots as...anybody can literally line up anywhere at any time. You don't know who's where, who's coming, and who's not. I like the idea. Other than I doubt you'd see Houston inside, You could literally see anything else. [Reply]
Originally Posted by thabear04:
He the guy who recovered the fumble and was waving at the camera. Seem like he just love to play football and have fun like chris jones.