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.
He's been good in the UFL before and still hasn't latched on with an NFL team. The guy's a year younger than Chris Jones - he is what he is at this point.
It's nice to see that he's still making a living playing football, even if he's not covering his living costs doing so.
I wonder what the deal was with him. Veach is a perfect draft picker, so there was some secret that Speaks had that was never discovered pre-draft. [Reply]
He's been good in the UFL before and still hasn't latched on with an NFL team. The guy's a year younger than Chris Jones - he is what he is at this point.
Which is to say he still sucks.
It's funny cuz you watch him in the NFL after hearing how he's this defensive star in their league and it's like..."yeah he still sucks". [Reply]
Originally Posted by ToxSocks:
It's funny cuz you watch him in the NFL after hearing how he's this defensive star in their league and it's like..."yeah he still sucks".
I guess it still shows how much of a talent gap exists between the UFL and the NFL. [Reply]
When I was drag racing I always said I’d rather be the slowest fast guy than the fastest slow guy. Last years practice squads Truman Jones > UFL super star Breeland Speaks. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
It's nice to see that he's still making a living playing football, even if he's not covering his living costs doing so.
I wonder what the deal was with him. Veach is a perfect draft picker, so there was some secret that Speaks had that was never discovered pre-draft.
I think it was desperation after seeing the good edge guys go earlier than they expected. Iirc BV mentioned something to that effect after the draft. Like Speaks was the last of a pocket. [Reply]
I remember trying to focus on Speaks when he was in the game, it seemed like he had a killer first move and would beat the guy and then just come to a complete stop and freeze for a full second before he could start moving again, probably because of the fat. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bump:
I remember trying to focus on Speaks when he was in the game, it seemed like he had a killer first move and would beat the guy and then just come to a complete stop and freeze for a full second before he could start moving again, probably because of the fat.
No he didn't.
Guy stuck to blockers like glue. He sucked from day 1 at EVERYTHING.
You mostly just remember seeing what you wanted to see. Breeland Speaks was never anything but a worthless piece of shit. [Reply]