Wanted to take the time to highlight somethings to watch for when watching our rookie picks and select UDFA's this preseason.
Spencer Fano- Pass Protection- At Utah Spencer and Caleb Lomu was heavily sheltered in pass protection (lots of chips, rollouts, play action). I am very interested in seeing how he looks in 1v1 situations vs NFL caliber rushers in a more traditional drop back game. He is going to have some growing pains but this is the first look we will get at how far he has to go.
KC Concepcion- Forced Missed Tackles- A big part of KC's game in college and projected to the NFL is being a dangerous weapon in space. I know he might not get a ton of looks in preseason but when he does I am hoping he can flash that ability. It is something we have desperately needed for a long time.
Denzel Boston- Separation- I think we have all seen the camp highlights of Boston making big contested catches, what we have seen less of is him getting open. It is tough to live in the NFL as a pure contested catch guy, hopefully he can showcase a more rounded game in the live game reps.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren- Discipline in Coverage- EMW is a very instinctive aggressive playmaker but at times at UT his eyes and aggression would lead him to be out of position. Excited to see how NFL coaching and playing with two smart veteran safeties smooths out this element of his game.
Austin Barber- Pass Protection- Very impressive run blocker at UF but I found Barber's Pass pro to be lacking. As of now I few him as a guard in the future but if he can improve his feet in pass pro he has a great chance to be our RT of the future.
Justin Jefferson- Physicality in the run game- Jefferson is a tremendous talent as a coverage LB in both zone and man concepts. A bigger question is can Jefferson hold up at his size versus the run. Want to see him aggressive filling gaps and taking on blocks this preseason.
Parker Brailsford- Play Strength- Obvious one here Brailsford is an elite mover for the center position but is very undersized. Small centers do make it in the NFL but they need to be very strong to hold up.
Taylen Green- Be a Playmaker- Green's overall game is very raw and will need work. I don't think we are going to learn much about him as a QB this preseason. Instead I would like to see him showcase his athleticism and be willing to use it.
Carsen Ryan- Versatility- A former running back a real staple of Ryan's game at BYU, Utah and UCLA was lining up all over the formation (Inline ,slot, backfield, out wide). I think this is also key to his NFL future Ryan lacks a traditional inline TE build. His athleticism screams movable utility piece for the offense. I would like to see him moved around in an effort to find good match ups for him.
UDFA's
Logan Fano- Pass Rush Plan- Logan is a high effort edge rusher and his motor truly stands out. However, alot of that energy is wasted as he does not have a great plan rushing the qb. His pass rush plan often looked like a button mashing video game player, he would constantly try to throw different moves at the tackle. A more calm refined approach with his motor could lead to him being a nice rotational piece.
Tyreak Sapp- Flexibility- One of the more impressive physiques on the team, Sapp lacked flexibility and bend as an edge rusher at UF. This needs to improve in order for him to have any success rushing NFL QBS.
Davon Booth- Home Run Hitting- During his first 2 college seasons Booth was one of the most explosive runners in college football. If he finds that form again he could be a sneaky candidate to not only make the roster but to get significant carries this season.