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 RunKC:
Guess I can’t complain. The Chiefs desperately needed help with their interior pass rush. He wasn’t who I wanted, but Veach deserves a shot.
I’m not a fan. Please prove me wrong
That sums up my feelings pretty well
But if he can be slimmed down and turned into a monster sized OLB with attitude and crazy range... hey why not? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
He could also kick Sorenson out of that Nickel LB role and give you a faster guy with better blitzing skills and actual run defense.
No doubt. I was thinking that too. He can line up next to Hitchens in subs and play on the edge when you slide those guys inside. [Reply]
Regardless of how sexy the skill positions are....this game is still won at the line. Our pass rush was fucking non-existent last season. If we did get a sack it was because the other team fucked up, not because we were good.
The best CB's in the league aren't covering guys for 7 or 8 seconds in this league on a consistent basis. [Reply]
