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 Hoover:
I just like the kid. Attitude like Chris Jones.
No question. He's a damn easy kid to root for. Dee Ford is as well; he's gotten so comfortable in his own skin over the last few years and hes a genuinely smart, thoughtful dude. He'll be a success in something outside the game when his career is over and the chiefs would be wise to make him a little more prominent publicly.
This is a damn likeable team. I still haven't convinced myself that Hill deserves this and I worry that he's back with the girl, but he has been a damn nice kid since he's gotten better. Hunt is such a good dude and has such a great 'football attitude' that I'll at least listen to arguments in favor of re-signing him. Watkins acts like a puppy that has been adopted the day he was to be put down. Kelce and Mahomes are obvious. Jones has been mentioned. Williams has been a Chiefs fan his whole life.
And Andy Reid is the cherry on top.
There is just damn little to complain about with this squad. [Reply]
Between Jones and Speaks...KC is going to have some goofy ****ers on the D-line.
I hope this teaches fans why they should never get too down on a rookie...the early Ford hate was pretty ruff...now he's being mentioned in the DPOY talk. [Reply]
Its been said for decades that dlinemen can be some of the slowest to develop. You would think people wouldn't give up after a few games. I liked Speaks and really think he can develop into a nice player. Patience, he's already showing promise. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefs=Good:
Its been said for decades that dlinemen can be some of the slowest to develop. You would think people wouldn't give up after a few games. I liked Speaks and really think he can develop into a nice player. Patience, he's already showing promise.
He's either going to bulk up or slim down....whichever, I would suspect next year should be an improvement.
The gift of having Mahomes...players already want to stick around a play for Reid. KC is about to experience the "Manning effect". Chiefs are about to enter the golden period where aging 5-star FAs come to play here on a discount.
Thomas would already be in KC if he hadn't broken his leg... [Reply]
Breeland Speaks injured knee in preseason and was put on IR without being put on the 2019 original 53 man roster so Chiefs can't bring him back this season. He is still signed through 2021. [Reply]
