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2019 IDL Prospects

Discussion in 'NFL Draft Forum' started by Galant, Jan 24, 2019.

  1. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Last edited: Jan 25, 2019
  2. Nappy Roots

    Nappy Roots Well-Known Member

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    This is a great draft to get a DL piece for the shift into more of the bear look. Then again, I think there are going to be some edge rushers there at 13 that can stand up and get really good two. But the one guy in this list, that may drop, and it might be unwarranted, is Ed Oliver. I am hoping he is there.
     
  3. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Quinnen Williams

    SCHOOL: Alabama

    CONFERENCE: SEC

    HT: 6’3

    WT: 285 lbs

    D.O.B.: 12/21/1997

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/quinnen-williams-1.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2019/01/20/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-quinnen-williams/

    "Hand Technique/Length – Superb skills with his hands. Understands value of separation and is quick to lock out his hands and establish control of the block. Shows good shedding techniques and has a vast array of moves to drop hands off his frame. Very fluid in transitions and implementation.


    Competitive Toughness –Motor is unbelievable and plays with relentless intensity. Can have his momentum used against him in zone concepts but balance and redirection ability typically provide ample resistance to peel back into the play. Anchors effectively and possesses well built lower half.

    Two Gap Ability –Extension skills and anchor allow for firm ability to dictate the point of attack and ability to hold his ground. Extension and hand usage do allow for two-way disengages to challenge the ball carrier based on his cut and shows good patience to wait out the block at the LOS.

    Gap Penetration Skills –First step quickness allows for wedging down into gaps when aligned in gaps. Shows good lateral mobility on L-steps and slants to crash across the face of a blocker and then gain his forward push into the LOS to ensure he’s getting reset into the backfield.

    Tackling –Explosive closing burst and finishing range. Has the ability to get himself tangled into the feet of QBs climbing the pocket and shows finishing skills when pulling off of blockers late. Range and explosion as an athlete shine in this capacity as he hunts the football at the LOS.

    Flexibility –Shows wonderful mobility throughout his entire frame. Can create disassociation between the hips and shoulders to play with pace but reduced surface area. Tilts through his corners with strong lean. Anchors with strong hip drop and low pad level.

    Pass Rush Counters –Have seen him pop double swim moves against double teams. Who does that?! Hands never relent and shows excellent pop, sudden hands and emphatic finishes to strip hands off his frame or create separation at the first strike window.

    First Step Quickness –Tremendous. Explosive burst out of his stance and seems to build even more momentum and pace through steps two and three. Will play under control, though, isn’t leaping out of his stance or jumping the snap to be manipulated by hard count. High end physical ability.

    Feet/Change Of Direction –Nimble footed and natural ability to collect himself from all angles. Will stop suddenly and redirect to mirror cuts or carry his pace to get back into the back pocket of a RB in pursuit. Shows admirable balance to hump back across an OL riding him out of the pocket without losing footing.

    Versatility –Has the quickness, mobility and separation skills to be moved around a defensive line at the leisure of his coaches. Wouldn’t recommend slotting him as a 1T or putting alignment in the A-gaps with any consistency and will shine best in penetration role. Three down defender.

    BEST TRAIT – Gap Penetration

    WORST TRAIT – Two Gap Ability

    BEST FILM – LSU (2018)

    WORST FILM – Oklahoma (2018)


    PROS: Exceptional power and violence in his hands. Displaces blockers with power and is almost never pushed around. Controls exchanges at the line of scrimmage with terrific hand placement and torque. Terrific job processing his keys and attacking, difficult to reach in the run game. Drops anchor vs. doubles and rarely gets displaced despite his size.

    Despite playing from a square stance, still shows a quick first step off the snap. Reaction timing to the snap is excellent, quickly finds his opponent’s edge and shows the power and flexibility to turn tight corners to the pocket. Quick-footed, will lull blockers to sleep and then burst by them.

    Wide array of rush moves. Rips, clubs, snatches, swims are all used frequently. Can challenge interior offensive linemen on their edge or with power on a bull rush. If left 1v1, victories are frequent. Reads pass sets and does a great job of showing hands to force linemen to overextend to get into his frame, then swipes and flashes by them. Works hard and physicality is a strength.

    CONS: Not the biggest or longest defensive lineman. Can’t always maintain preferable distance from blockers with full arm extension, which can make stacking and shedding a bit messy at times. Stance will need work, often plays from a square stance in college and will benefit from playing more staggered in the NFL.

    As a pass rusher, would like to see him eventually incorporate more counters into his arsenal. Can sometimes get hung up on his first move and could benefit from some quicker transitions to counters.


    RED FLAGS – None

    Quinnen Williams is an easy projection to a 3T role in the NFL. Williams has superb quickness, extension skills, pass rush counters and football intelligence. There’s little in the way of limitations for Williams between the sidelines. Williams has All-Pro potential and can be a perennial Pro Bowler if he plays to his potential. Williams should start immediately in the NFL and be the face of a young team’s defensive unit for years to come."

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  4. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Ed Oliver

    SCHOOL: Houston

    CONFERENCE: AAC

    HT: 6’2/6'3

    WT: 280/292 lbs

    D.O.B.: 12/12/1997

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/ed-oliver-2.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/18/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-ed-oliver/
    Run Defense – Elite penetration ability. Does well to win with first contact and control reps. Can anchor stoutly against drive blocks and shoot gaps. Holds his own against double teams. Plays through blocks exceptionally well and finds the football. Exceptional at shooting gaps and still playing under control once he clears. Despite his lack of ideal size, he still holds his own on the interior.

    Pass Rush – Explosiveness off the ball, active hands and rare flexibility leads to consistent interior pressure in the face of the quarterback. Knows how to attack half a man while bending rush angles. Does well to get hands up into throwing lanes if his rush stalls. Converts speed to power well.

    Effort – Fires off the ball with intent and urgency. Aggressively battles throughout every snap to defeat blocks, find the football and finish. Routinely chases down outside runs and screens from distance. Motor always runs hot and he relentlessly pursues the football.

    Hand Technique – Explosive and powerful hand usage. Strikes quickly to get his hands on his blocker and control reps. Knows how to soften rush angles, control blockers and disengage with a variety of techniques. Developing more consistency with counters is needed. Clear that he understands the importance of winning with his hands given his lack of size and modest length. Clearing his pads is challenge and there are times that he is outreached.

    Flexibility – Smooth and sudden change of direction skills. Able to carry speed through tight angles exceptionally well. Unbelievably loose in the lower half with the ability to bend rush angles. Rare ability to contort his frame and reduce his surface area. Ability to twist and torque is elite.

    Play Strength – Lacks the desired mass for his position but overcomes that by playing with great leverage, aggression and illustrates tremendous strength throughout his frame. Lower body power is outstanding. Holds his own anchoring against drive blocks and can penetrate the pocket with his ability to covert speed to power.

    Play Speed – Quickness and ability to get off the ball puts considerable stress on interior blockers to move their feet and stay square. Has good twitch and juice in his mobility when attacking gaps and in pursuit. Dominates with quickness.

    Lateral Movement – Flows with ease down the line of scrimmage attacking wide zone runs. Smooth ability to change directions and pursue screens and off-tackle runs. Has incredible range for a defensive lineman.

    Versatility – If 50 front defenses ever return, Oliver is the guy you target to play the nose tackle position. In today’s NFL, he’s a true three-technique with immense playmaking potential against the run and pass.

    BEST TRAIT – Penetration Skills

    WORST TRAIT – Size

    RED FLAGS – Size, Missed 4 games in 2018 with knee injury

    Ed Oliver’s ability to penetrate with quickness off the snap and utilize his hands to play through contact makes him an ideal fit as a three-technique in a 4-3 alignment. While he lacks size, Oliver plays with tremendous leverage and offers the play strength needed to exchange power on the interior. By year three, Oliver has the upside to become one of the NFL’s premier defensive playmakers against the run and pass.

    Hand Technique/Length – Has a very compact punch, able to throw hands quickly and establish a clean fit on the chest of blockers. Hands are assertive and violent in shedding techniques to sweep, rip or pull an opposing hand fit off of chest. Can have some sporadic disengage issues due to own lack of length.


    Competitive Toughness –Plays with one of the most relentless motors I’ve seen. Is effortless in his acceleration and often times chases down ball quicker than teammates in closer proximity. Can get eaten up against bigger bodied blockers at times, however. Won’t win butting heads with powerful IOL.

    Two Gap Ability –Has conceded runs off of his hip while locked up with blockers in head up instances. Will struggle due to lack of length to press and extend bodies off of his chest. Has effective short area quickness to rip through across the face of a blocker and uncover on the other side to challenge the ball.

    Gap Penetration Skills –Should be let off the leash as much as possible, has a great gauge of getting depth and then sitting down to redirect and not over-pursue the play. Can get into the face of ball carriers in the backfield and be a thorn in the side of inside rushing concepts, even in short yardage situations.

    Tackling –Powerful hitter in instances that allow for a head up challenge. Has had some tackles for loss slip away due to a lack of length, doesn’t have the ability to throw an arm out and catch ball carriers while still being harassed by an opposing blocker.

    Flexibility –Wonderful range of motion in just about every measure imaginable. Illustrates terrific pad level, coil and leverage in exploding out of stance. Will showcase strong disassociation between hips and shoulders to carry quickness through contact. Corners well and can flip hips around a blocker.

    Pass Rush Counters –Speed is the name of the game. Dynamic torso mobility on the move allows for a pop of the hands as a measure of dislodging a punch. Rip/club is his most potent combination other than speed rushing. Effective stunt player as well to pinball off a body and towards the passer.

    First Step Quickness –ELITE. Has superb burst and quickness, often times totally ruining an opposing blocking scheme courtesy of beating back blocks or pulling OL to the spot and proceeding to the mesh point. Short area redirection and subsequent re-acceleration is just as impressive.

    Feet/Change Of Direction –Light, nimble footed defender. Will pivot effortlessly in efforts to turn and chase the football. Has little issue planting and driving for width, can often be found outside the numbers chasing down perimeter runs. Can double back against the grain of his initial pass rush angle smoothly.

    Versatility –Has enough juice to move all around the defensive front in passing situations. That said, this is not a scheme diverse football player. Needs to be given every opportunity to press forward. Run defending would be optimal with a dominant nose tackle to command attention on the interior.

    BEST TRAIT –
    Gap Penetration

    WORST TRAIT – Length/Extension

    BEST FILM – Rice (2018)

    WORST FILM – Arizona (2018)

    RED FLAGS – Size
    Ed Oliver projects cleanly as a 3T starting interior DL in the NFL. Oliver has superb penetration ability and can be a true asset on passing downs to collapse the pocket and disrupt passer visuals. Oliver will require an aggressive system, however. Tasking him with playing along the line of scrimmage will negate his burst and hinder his ability to get off of blocks.


    PROS: Ed Oliver is one of the most athletic interior defensive linemen I’ve ever scouted. Has movement skills and agility that are just off the charts. Makes plays away from his initial gap that are jaw-dropping. Range of a linebacker. First step to beat anyone. Explosive and sudden in all his movements, easily able to redirect and keep blockers off balance. Always plays low and leveraged, with elite pad level and hand placement to drive through opponents. Creates an insane push off the snap and typically re-sets the line of scrimmage. Power to bull rush and the quickness to win the edge. Excellent bend to turn tight corners to the quarterback. Can backdoor gaps and still make plays. Incredible motor and will chase down plays from everywhere. Never takes a play off. Gets in on stops other defensive tackles couldn’t dream of being a part of.

    CONS: Cheats his assignment at times. Gets upfield in a hurry and can sometimes widen his gap as a result. Doesn’t have great length and will get chest-to-chest with opponents at times. Repertoire of moves could be deeper. Wins more with athletic ability and raw power than refined hand usage. Will spin to get off blocks at times, turning his back to the line of scrimmage. Rumors are he plays at sub-280, which could concern teams projecting him out against better/bigger competition."

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    NFL Draft Geek

    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/ed-oliver-scouting-report-video-summer/

    "Ed Oliver Scouting Report Video | Summer

    May 29, 2018 Brian Johannes Film Breakdown, Updated 0

    On this episode of the NFL Draft Geek Film Room Brian Johannes provides a video Ed Oliver Scouting Report. Watch as Brian shows what makes Oliver one of the best 2019 NFL Draft prospects, where Oliver thrives and how Oliver compares to other NFL Draft prospects.

    Ed Oliver Scouting Report Video



    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/ed-oliver-nfl-draft-profile/

    The following is a 2019 Ed Oliver NFL Draft Profile highlighting everything that you need to know about the Houston Cougar defensive linemen. Listed below is his scouting report highlighting strengths and weaknesses while looking at his NFL comparison and his projection. Here at NFL Draft Geek we also like to provide all of our play cut ups, video breakdowns and any other important articles that will give our full view of who we think he is as a prospect.

    Ed Oliver NFL Draft Profile

    Positives
    • Truly explosive first step. Consistently wins the initial battle.
    • Has elite pass rush upside. Speed and athleticism are off the charts for a defensive linemen.
    • Delivers jarring blows at the initial point of contact.
    • Converts speed to strength easily. Excels at converting speed to power. Gets OL on their heels and finishes them.
    • Plays with excellent technique. Maintains proper pad level and wins the leverage battle consistently.
    • Slippery; rarely gives offensive linemen a square target for their hands.
    • Possesses superb strength, especially given his size. Has no issues holding up against the run and can withstand and beat double teams.
    • Excellent in space. Closes in a hurry. Ran down Joe Mixon on the perimeter.
    • Has a relentless motor. Makes plays downfield not often made by interior defensive linemen.
    Concerns
    • Lacks ideal size and length. At times can struggle against long armed offensive lineman.
    • At times penetrates too much and can run himself out of plays.
    • Plays with his head down at times and can lose track of ball carrier.
    Summary
    Ed Oliver has been turning heads and terrorizing opposing offensive linemen for Houston since the first day he stepped foot on campus at Houston. Is an elite athlete for the position. First step and burst is at an elite level. Strong technician, understands the ins and outs of playing his position. Plays with big time strength and is violent at the point of attack. Has all the trappings of a top end playmaker against both the run and pass.

    Projection
    Entering the 2018 college football season Oliver was seen as a lock to be a top three pick. Little has changed and Oliver projects as a disruptive interior player who looks like a future perennial pro-bowler.

    Player Comparison: Aaron Donald"

    ....See website for additional breakdowns and rankings.


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  5. Miamiforlife

    Miamiforlife Active Member

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    Just my opinion. But you can get good defense after our first pick. But not a qb? I’m all for drafting a qb with our first pick.
     
  6. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Jeffery Simmons

    NEWS:


    SCHOOL: Mississippi State

    CONFERENCE: SEC

    HT: 6’3

    WT:
    301 lbs

    D.O.B.: 7/28/1997

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jeffery-simmons-1.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/18/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-jeffery-simmons/
    "Hand Technique/Length – Has very good length and is effective in hand usage when pressing forward and looking to play into his gap. Is more a shed defender than a stun defender, can give up his pads against double teams due to lack of powerful stun counter. Love his ability to wall off a blocker with lateral hand hook.

    Competitive Toughness –Hot motor. Will string plays along out to the boundary and turn and hustle up the field in pursuit of the football. Makes a lot of second effort plays to pinball off a body and redirect. Anchor and ability to hold the LOS is erratic, however, play strength is compromised by power sets.

    Two Gap Ability –Lack of consistent anchor and lack of stun punch to negate forward push will result in letting his pads rise up. Is not going to be a player tasked with stacking up blocks and engaging in late disengagement to make a play, is often late on these reps and lets back pass through the gap.

    Gap Penetration Skills –Momentum helps him to play through lateral contact and play forcibly into the backfield. Leverage is most effective in linear situations, so his pads are down and his balance is difficult to derail. Next step is adding an earlier focus on coming to balance to allow him to redirect effectively.

    Tackling –Violent finisher when bearing down on ball carriers and illustrates a powerful grasp to rip down opponents. Can get frozen by a quick footed ball carrier and be late to shift his weight to mirror and finish, putting the tackle into his wingspan and challenge his own tackle radius.

    Flexibility –Does well to play low through his gap when firing through in short yardage or in pass rush situations. Would like to see some more focus on leveraging in head up situations. Lateral mobility and lean are only modest and can be restrictive when looking to finish.

    Pass Rush Counters –Potent pass rusher with several rush counters at his disposal. High caliber lift technique, as well as rip/club to shoot across the face of blockers in the pocket. Provides good interior push and is capable of collapsing the pocket with power. Active hands never stop moving.

    First Step Quickness –Very sudden and can create a high amount of momentum in little to no time at all. Will explode out of stance and can beat back blocks and even favorable angles for OL when looking to drive out of his stance and into the mesh point. Helps him in short yardage as well as passing downs.

    Feet/Change Of Direction –Momentum can be his best friend or his worst enemy at times, will overrun penetration plays and let the ball carrier slip away late. Is light footed and nimble but loses his explosiveness when trying to play side to side. Can improve coming to balance in an effort to increase finishes.

    Versatility –Three down defender, but won’t be a fit for everyone without improvement in some areas. Currently projects best as a 3T penetration player tasked with getting into the gap and causing chaos. Length and thick frame suggest room for growth but development there will have unknown time table.

    BEST TRAIT – Gap Penetration Skills

    WORST TRAIT – Two Gap Ability

    BEST FILM – Kentucky (2018)

    WORST FILM – Florida (2018)

    RED FLAGS – 2016 assault incident (hit a woman)

    Jeffery Simmons is a disruptive interior defender who will make a muck of the pocket on passing situations and be an effective penetration tackle in the NFL. Simmons’ ceiling will be defined by how much better he can be at finishing plays and/or by how effective his teammates are and playing the same style of football. Simmons has high end explosiveness/length, which will come in handy in efforts to disrupt play between the tackles."

    "Get-off/Burst – Excellent reaction timing to the snap without jumping the count. Fires off the ball low and shows good consistency in his first step, even from a square stance. Has flashes of eye-popping snap anticipation where opposing lines cannot stop his penetration. Quick-twitch and overall speed for an interior defensive lineman is impressive.

    Leverage – Pad level will swell at times, but typically maintains a low center of gravity and isn’t movable off the line of scrimmage. Clearly able to play with adequate knee bend and create knock-back at the point of attack, just has to make it consistent. Improved his technique this year to avoid getting knocked off the ball a few times a game. Even had decent success against doubles, splitting them with low pads and active hands, although that will probably never be his ideal role.

    Hand Usage – As a pass rusher, consistently finds leverage points in 1v1 situations and at least creates a push. Powerful hands can create movement as a bull rusher or push-pull a defender off his frame. When his pad level swells, loses some of that effectiveness in his hands. As a run defender, worked off of contact better this year, but still doesn’t get full arm-extension/lockout on a snap-to-snap basis like some of his peers Raekwon Davis and Charles Omenihu. Ends up closer to body-to-body with blockers, although he still controlled space pretty well considering this flaw. Stacks blocks well, but shedding them cleanly is hit-or-miss.

    Rush Plan/Counters – Almost always has a plan of attack off the snap as a rusher. Works his hands relentlessly, combining chops, clubs, push-pulls, bull rushes and swims to consistently make an impact as a rusher. Devastating hump move to toss blockers off balance. Saw tons of double teams playing heavy snaps as a 1-technique, but won most 1v1 exchanges to create pressure. 1 sack on the season is a deceiving number. Counters need work, currently too slow to work to a secondary move and needs to do a better job of stringing moves together to get in cleaner on the pocket.

    Mental Processing/Block Recognition – Zone schemes couldn’t reach him most of the year. Did a better job of ID-ing blocks this year, but some doubles and down blocks still caught him by surprise at times. Would like to see the gears turn a little quicker as a pass rusher working move to move. Terrific job of IDing screens and finding the ball.

    Range – Tackle-for-loss numbers are no joke. Combines penetration ability with the range to finish plays behind the line of scrimmage, even some away from his gap. Movement skills are impressive for an interior defensive lineman, but can take better, less aggressive angles to the ball at times.

    Bend/Flexibility – Capable of running the arc to finish around an interior offensive lineman. Which he utilized the trait more as a pass rusher, but flashes in 2017 showed his ability to dip under punches around the corner and finish. I’ll have my eyes on his 3-cone for sure.

    Tackling – His worst area by far. Simmons has to finish better in the NFL, both as a pass rusher and as a run defender. Frequently in great position to make plays, yet doesn’t close the deal. Production could have been even better if he’d tackled a little better. Fully capable, just let too many wriggle away this year.

    Competitive Toughness – Physicality and motor are never in question. Will chase plays 20 yards down the field or pursue hard from the backside. Heralded as a leader on and off the field for Mississippi State who works relentlessly to better his craft.

    Athleticism/Size – Terrific size and movement skills for the position. Arm length may be a little shorter than you’d like, but has all the physical and athletic tools to thrive in the NFL. Carries essentially zero bad weight on his frame, so weigh-ins will be intriguing.

    BEST TRAIT – Burst

    WORST TRAIT – Tackling/Finishing

    RED FLAGS – 2016 assault incident before arriving at Mississippi State (hit a woman repeatedly while she was engaged in a brawl with his sister). Full story of that incident and Simmons’ making the most of his second chance here.

    Few defensive linemen in college football were more impressive than Simmons this season, as he racked up tackles-for-loss and consistently pressured the pocket despite finishing with just one sack in 2018. His tools are clear, as Simmons possesses the power, explosiveness and hand work to win 1v1 exchanges up front, despite the inconsistency that still plagues him at times.

    While Simmons may never be the point-of-attack monster that others in the class are, he’s still more than capable in that area while providing outstanding penetration ability. Mississippi State often had him playing from a square stance as an undersized nose tackle, which increased the amount of double teams he saw and didn’t give him many opportunities to fire gaps. In the NFL, Simmons will undoubtedly play more in the B-gap to get upfield and wreak havoc, while seeing far more 1v1 opportunities as a rusher. College football was good to him, but I think his best football is still ahead of him."


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    NFL Draft Geek

    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/jeffery-simmons-scouting-notes-kstate-dominance/

    "Jeffery Simmons Scouting Notes | KState Dominance


    September 11, 2018 Brian Johannes Scouting Report, Updated 0

    Now that Jeffery Simmons is draft eligible you’ve seen his name everywhere when it comes to the 2019 NFL Draft including a lot of hype around how high he could go in the 2019 NFL Draft (if he declares) and is at the top of a lot of prominent analysts rankings. You may also know that Simmons was the player that was involved in the ugly video that saw him punch a women who was already on the ground, a topic we covered in our #100Days of #NFLDraft Prospects series when Simmons was our topic. But with the 2018 season underway and Simmons playing against a quality Kansas State offensive line it was the perfect time to do a Jeffery Simmons Scouting Notes feature to see how he dominated the Wildcats.

    Jeffery Simmons Scouting Notes

    Throughout the game Simmons strength and power were on full display as he routinely tossed around the Kansas State guards and centers working his way into the backfield to get quarterback hits, sacks and tackles for losses. What really stood out was the fact that Simmons played at a good pad level and was able to get his hands underneath the blockers and then lifting them up just enough to take away their base. By doing this he was able to walk back or even shuck them to the side to make a play.



    Early in the game Simmons was relying on solely his power to drive back opponents, but as the game wore on and the lineman were adjusting to him he started to mix in a rip move and a swim move that helped him get off blocks and make plays. This was the big concern for me when I watched Simmons this summer was that he relied too much on his strength to win. While that works in college football, the NFL is a different animal and he’d have to show more pass rushing moves. Simmons still has some work to do, but against Kansas State he proved that has a plan when attacking and can even adjust throughout the game.



    Lining up as the nose tackle in the Bulldogs 4-3 defense Simmons is a good run defender whose able to hold the point of attack and yet have the quickness and burst to come off blocks to make the tackles. Routinely he saw double teams in the game but was rarely ever moved and could still clog up the running lanes. At times it looked as if Simmons got sealed off but that easily could have been him playing his gap or runs that he wasn’t realistically going to make. At one point Kansas State ran a power run away from Simmons with the quarterback and he was left unblocked on the backside. Simmons was able to show the burst to shoot into the backfield and then the body control to turn the corner and make the tackle for loss.



    Overall Simmons was the clear best player on the field against Kansas State and it’s clear that he has physical skill set to have success in the NFL. Where he goes will be interesting as his role in that fight in high school is going to scare some teams away from taking him early or in the first round at all. Joe Mixon went in the 2nd round when he had first round talent. But he was a running back. Not a wrecking ball in the middle of the defensive line."

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    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
  7. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
    Raekwon Davis

    SCHOOL: Alabama

    CONFERENCE: SEC

    HT: 6’6

    WT: 303 lbs

    D.O.B.: N/A

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/raekwon-davis-1.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/08/01/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-raekwon-davis/

    "PROS: Exceptional pad level for a 6-7 interior defensive lineman. Places hands extraordinarily well and can anchor his territory despite a lankier frame. Discards opponents due to hands usage, length and power. Keeps full arm extension to maintain clean frame. Range in pursuit is impressive. Overall movement skills and flexibility seem to be a plus. Anchors well vs doubles. Plays hard and physical. Rarely moved by anyone inside. Vision to find the ball while engaged is excellent. Flashes pass rush ability due to hand usage and power that could take off as a junior. Took it to Braden Smith and held his own against Frank Ragnow.

    CONS: First step is underdeveloped. Often late off the ball and must anticipate and explode better. Plan of attack as a pass rusher can be lacking. Is he an elite athlete? How disruptive can he be in a one-gap, attacking role? Must work his hands more exactly to win 1v1 as a rusher. Can still improve at recognizing blocks. At times was scooped or held up by zone schemes due to late processing.

    -Jon Ledyard"

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    NFL Draft Geek

    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/raekwon-davis-alabamas-monster-defensive-tackle/

    "Raekwon Davis | Alabama’s Monster Defensive Tackle

    August 2, 2018 Brian Johannes Updated 0

    Since Nick Saban took over at Alabama the Crimson Tide have regularly produced big highly skilled defensive lineman that have gone on to be drafted high in the NFL Draft. With players like Marcel Dareus, A’Shawn Robinson, Jarren Reed, Da’Ron Payne and Jonathan Allen have all come in and made instant impacts. We now turn our attention to the next guy up in the massive Raekwon Davis looking at his traits to see what he has to offer in the NFL whenever he enters the draft.

    Who is Raekwon Davis


    The first thing that stands out about Davis is his size. At 6’7 316lbs he towers over most offensive lineman providing an intimidating presence along the defensive line. Because of Alabama’s depth and talent up front Davis barely played as a true freshman before being a rotational player as a sophomore. Despite the reserve role he was still able to reel off 8.5 sacks and 69 total tackles. Now entering his junior year Davis is expected to step into the starting lineup as the Crimson Tide’s best lineman.



    What Raekwon Davis Does Well


    Raekwon Davis is at his best using his length arms and strength to take on defenders and hold the point of attack. From there Davis is able to play two gaps working to shed the block to make a play on the ball carrier. Davis has enough burst and acceleration to chase down the running back and make plays in the backfield. As a pass rusher Davis is a little bit raw but uses his size and power to overwhelm offensive lineman putting them on skates to get into the backfield. Because of his size and strength it is very common to see Davis get double teamed which helps free up teammates to make plays.

    Concerns about Raekwon Davis
    While Davis can be an elite run defender he still runs into issues at time playing too high (natural at 6’7) which allows interior offensive lineman to get underneath of him getting leverage and moving him off his spot at times. However the big concern is how he’ll be as a pass rusher in the NFL. Sure 8.5 sacks as a rotational player is nothing to ignore, but Davis relies way too much on his size and power to win. NFL offensive lineman know how to win against size and Davis he wants to be considered an elite defensive line prospects that goes early in the draft will need to develop some pass rushing moves.

    Outlook
    With an increased role it’s only nature to expect Davis to have a breakout season. But what I’ll be watching is how he continues to develop as a pass rusher. If Davis can play with more consistent pad level and be a more skilled pass rusher he has all the potential in the world, likely drawing some Calais Campbell comparisons. That being said he runs the risk of following the route of a lot of former Alabama defensive tackles who fall into the second round because they are more run stuffers. Davis best fit could be with a defense that plays a two gap system that has him taking on blocks and reading and reacting."

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    Last edited: Jan 25, 2019
  8. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Christian Wilkins

    SCHOOL: Clemson

    CONFERENCE: ACC

    HT: 6’4

    WT: 300 lbs

    D.O.B.: 12/20/1995

    upload_2019-1-25_10-12-38.png
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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/christian-wilkins-1.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/18/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-christian-wilkins/

    "Hand Technique/Length – What he lacks in natural length and extension skills, he makes up for with a compact stun punch and good hand utilization in shedding techniques. Arm over, push/pull and other shedding techniques provide an effective shed at the line of scrimmage when looking to redirect to the football.

    Competitive Toughness –Flies around like a bat out of hell. Relentless in his efforts: will chase from the backside, string out lateral runs into the boundary, bear crawl in the pocket after losing his footing in an effort to get a piece of the passer. Occasional lapses vs. double teams to give ground and lose leverage.

    Two Gap Ability –Squatty build provides natural leverage and will help aid against longer armed blockers who win extension after contact. Feel for the play and ability to mirror backs at the LOS and disengage late is very strong, as is hand placement to out-leverage a blocker in tight spaces to shed.

    Gap Penetration Skills –Plays with good balance through the gap to push through down blocks and attempts at washing him out of the play. Shows good acceleration after identifying the gap to gain ground and work into a space after stacking a blocker and reading the play.

    Tackling –Hasn’t got the length and tackle radius to ensure he finishes plays when he’s stuck up on blockers at the point of attack but his disengagement skills often prevent need to do so. Rapid closing speed and does well to ensure he gets a firm wrap on a limb when working at the fringe of his tackling capability.

    Flexibility –Has a good deal of lean and lateral mobility in his lower half. Isn’t a tight athlete and offers the ability to turn the corner in a phone booth to quickly close on his target. Capable of working his hips over top of blockers with good hip hinge and displace himself into adjacent gap.

    Pass Rush Counters –Slippery after establishing his fit with his hands. Understands how to manipulate his body and sustain control of his blocker with hands while working lower half into space. Wins with first step quickness, speed to power conversion, rip move from wider angles and second effort.

    First Step Quickness –Does not have an elite first step but is quick on the draw nonetheless and fully capable of timing up a snap and exploding into the gap. Wins with quickness on the inside and plays with good acceleration as he gains depth in the pocket to keep momentum and defeat lateral contact.

    Feet/Change Of Direction –More nimble than first look would suggest. Momentum can be used against him in some instances but redirection skills and short area agility to cross the face of a blocker are both very strong. Has light feet when working laterally and engaged with blockers.

    Versatility –
    Has been used off the edge in passing situations. Love his ability to anchor against power concepts in the middle and subsequently shuck the block. Penetration player with high production in the backfield as well. Mobile, quick and stout enough to provide effective play in a number of game situations.

    BEST TRAIT – Versatility

    WORST TRAIT – Length

    BEST FILM – Boston College (2018)

    WORST FILM – Alabama (2017)

    RED FLAGS – None

    Christian Wilkins projects favorably into an even front as a true 3T defensive tackle. Wilkins’ versatility would allow him to play at a high level in odd fronts as well, provided he’s tasked with B-gap assignments and allowed to penetrate the pocket. Wilkins has a great nose for the football and is technically advanced, he should be capable of making a positive impact for a defense very early on in his NFL career. Starter with Pro Bowl ceiling."

    "While Wilkins (6-4, 300 pounds) doesn’t have the same mass as fellow defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, what he lacks in size he makes up for in movement skills. A two-time All-ACC and All-American, Wilkins enters his senior season as the most experienced of Clemson’s defensive lineman.

    While he isn’t overly dynamic, Wilkins brings penetrating ability to the table with his blend of quickness and a hot-running motor. He excels at attacking a single gap and working into the backfield. He showcases good change of direction skills and flexibility to extend his range.

    As a run defender, Wilkins has modest power at the point of attack but does well to use his hands to keep his pads clean and stay on the attack. In terms of stacking blockers at the line of scrimmage and disengaging, that simply isn’t how Wilkins finds success. He excels attacking gaps and moving around to create opportunities to penetrate.

    When rushing the passer, Wilkins burst, active hands, urgency and flexibility leads to fairly consistent pressure. Showcasing a decent amount of variety to is repertoire, Wilkins also features the ability to push the pocket with an adequate bull rush.

    Does Wilkins have first round potential? Absolutely but there is still another step he needs to take as both a pass rusher and run defender to cement his status as an upper-echelon prospect. The stage is set for him to put it all together as a senior in a season with lofty expectations."

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    NFL Draft Geek

    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/christian-wilkins-scouting-report-video-summer/

    Christian Wilkins Scouting Report Video | Summer

    June 20, 2018 Brian Johannes Film Breakdown, Updated 0

    "On this episode of the NFL Draft Geek Film Room takes a look at Clemson Defensive Tackle Christian Wilkins giving a video Christian Wilkins Scouting Report. Watch as Brian Johannes highlights what Wilkins does well and why Wilkins is one of the best interior pass rushers in the 2019 NFL Draft.

    Christian Wilkins Scouting Report Video



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  9. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
    Rashan Gary

    SCHOOL: Michigan

    CONFERENCE: Big Ten

    HT: 6’4

    WT: 281 lbs

    D.O.B.: 12/3/1997

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/rashan-gary-1.html
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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/08/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-rashan-gary/

    "Hand Technique/Length Has powerful hands, effective in efforts to shoot and stonewall blockers at the line of scrimmage. Will stand up linemen in one on one situations and effectively resets the line of scrimmage before a violent pull to disengage and continue in pursuit.

    Competitive Toughness – Would love to see some added consistency in the motor, had peaks and valleys in pursuit and hustle plays. When motor runs hot, is very difficult to negate and can wreck plays when left unblocked off the backside of the play by design.

    Two Gap Ability – Successful stacking of blockers at the line of scrimmage. Understands how to leverage and subsequently discard of blockers at the line of scrimmage. On multiple occasions has pulled blockers off of their base and tossed them as ball is pressed into the line of scrimmage in general vicinity.

    Gap Penetration Skills – Featured more on the edge in 2018 before shoulder injury, where first step still shined when left uncontested. Contact balance and ability to push through lateral contact is present, allowing him to press through a late down block or challenge in pass protection.

    Tackling – Big hitter courtesy of some impressive closing burst in space to generate momentum. Has generated some awesome finishes at the quarterback. That said, can get caught with feet in the sand if ball carriers have the ability to see a hit coming and put on a move.

    Flexibility – Struggles with lateral mobility, specifically when trying to turn the corner as a pass rusher. Does not possess the needed tilt to carry speed through corners if contacted and having to play with leverage simultaneously. Plays with low hips and pads in head up stacks of blocks to play with leverage.

    Pass Rush Counters – Still needs to work on adding secondary counters for when initial charge and hand strike is countered or negated by opposition. Too often gets derailed by a first punch and abandons pursuit. Rip/dip combination has brought success when paired with a sudden first step.

    First Step Quickness – Impressive burst, particularly for a player of this stature. Has great quickness, a trait that would be best highlighted playing on the interior where penetration is directly in the face of passers. Redirection acceleration and ability to get width is much more modest.

    Feet/Change Of Direction – COD in a phone booth is effective, showing power to play through contact after redirecting momentum. Labors in space, however, to peel back against initial charge into the LOS and keep the edge against ball carriers when tested.

    Versatility – Should be moved around to highlight his strengths. Can stack up well enough on the edge and has needed athleticism to have success there on early downs. Will need to kick inside to maximize pass rush. Can win with quickness in a penetration system or in more of a gap control scheme.

    BEST TRAIT – Hand Technique

    WORST TRAIT – Feet/COD

    BEST FILM – Ohio State (2017)

    WORST FILM – Notre Dame (2018)

    RED FLAGS – 2018 Shoulder Injury

    Rashan Gary is a versatile defender with the needed abilities to be a disruptive force working from 3T. Gary has the ability to set the edge vs. the run and can be worked on the outside sparingly, although his pass rush skills are best utilized in scenarios that allow him to play with linear angles and with his hips aligned behind his pads to optimize his power and quickness."

    "Run Defense – Natural strength allows him to set a firm edge and squeeze gaps. Doesn’t consistently find the football and shed blocks to regularly finish. Effective slashing through gaps but lacks the lateral mobility to consistently work towards the sideline.

    Pass Rush – Likable quickness off the ball but doesn’t always have a plan when rushing the passer. Does not consistently establish a half man relationship with his blocker and has too many body-to-body rushes. Lacks enough counters to regularly clear his pads. Tight in the lower half and lacks the bend to regularly work around the outside hip of the offensive tackle. Skill set translates best to linear rush angles from the interior.

    Burst – Quick mover out of his stance but doesn’t always gain the depth needed to beat blockers to their set points. Short area burst is sound but change of direction is elongated. Not a consistent snap anticipator.

    Effort – Cranks up the motor in certain situations but the snap-to-snap variance is noticeable. Will occasionally chase down a play and win with hustle and other times pull up. Needs to develop more in the way of hand combating skills to take advantage of his motor when it’s running hot.

    Hand Technique – Hands are heavy and violent but more development in terms of timing and placement is needed to more consistently disengage and clear his pads. Needs to be able to grease rush angles with his hands and it often doesn’t happen.

    Flexibility – Tightness in the lower half is evident when attempting to corner the outside edge track and he is guilty of working too far up the field. Tightness is also exposed when redirecting and working laterally. Offers too much surface area to blockers.

    Processing – Does not consistently read his blockers set and he ends up in too many face up situations when rushing the passer. Will run himself out of run fits/rush angles. Can be late and slow to find the football.

    Play Strength – Good power in the lower half to anchor against the run, set the edge and squeeze gaps. Finishing power is outstanding. Will get in trouble on account of his pad level increasing which robs him of power when bull rushing and working through contact.

    Versatility – Capable of making an impact against the run and pass but alignment matters. Can he hold up against the run on the interior? Does he have enough technique and flexibility to win as an outside pass rusher? Needs to be moved around and used to his strengths.

    BEST TRAIT – Versatility

    WORST TRAIT – Flexibility

    RED FLAGS – 2018 Shoulder Injury

    Rashan Gary offers an intriguing tool box and his ceiling is high should he develop. His power, short area quickness and heavy hands lay a solid foundation to work with. That said, his hand technique, processing skills and inconsistent motor must improve. His lack of flexibility limits his upside as an every down EDGE so moving him up and down the defensive front is wise to maximize his ability to make an impact. By year three, Gary has the upside to be a productive starter in a multi-front defense. His pass rushing upside is considerably high from interior."

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  10. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
    Jerry Tillery

    SCHOOL: Notre Dame

    CONFERENCE: Independent

    HT: 6-5

    WT: 306 lbs

    DOB: 10/08/96

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    Via Sports-Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jerry-tillery-2.html

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    The Draft Network

    https://thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/18/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-jerry-tillery/

    "Hand Technique/Length – Possesses ample length to stun punch and negate a block, although results continue to be inconsistent due to irregular punch timing and placement. Has too many reps trying to scrape while chest to chest with the opposition. Conversely is a terror when able to land the first blow.


    Competitive Toughness – Secondary effort is fantastic. May not be the most fleet of foot but will beat teammates to the ball in pure hustle. Has plenty of functional play strength but consistency is a needed key going forward. when playing forward provides ample physical power and toughness.

    Two Gap Ability – Has more promise than results, even after a breakout season in 2018. Needs to find more separation stacking blocks to cross the face of blocks and challenge ball carriers. Possesses requisite strength and length to fulfill role but will require notable development.

    Gap Penetration Skills – Can get challenged with lateral contact but offers plenty of splash plays if able to work hip to hip out of his stance before being collisioned. Thick, powerful frame creates a lot of forward push, although ability to sit down after bursting through a gap to finish a TFL is modest.

    Tackling – Head up challenges are hit or miss but power in tight spaces is terrific. Capable of one arming a ball carrier while in the pile and wrangling down the ball carrier with powerful upper body. Wingspan is a large weapon in influence of the ball carrier pressing into the LOS.

    Flexibility – Tightness through the hips and trunk show up in efforts to redirect with quickness or when trying to flatten and mirror the ball carrier. Has leverage issues at the line of scrimmage as well, will allow defenders under his chest and get rocked back against double teams and drive blocks.

    Pass Rush Counters – Power rusher who puts blockers on their heels with urgent forward push in rush situations. Will throw and extend hands to collapse a set and transition into a hand pull or a club to produce space to step through space and generate pressure.

    First Step Quickness – Gears up effectively to charge hard out of his stance, often times being the first defender to react to the ball in his rushes. Natural acceleration skills appear effective in slant and gap penetration opportunities. Is able to generate an effective burst after uncovering in second effort as well.

    Feet/Change Of Direction – Does not slide effectively when looking to scrape off of contact, instead will concede ground. Is not a fluid athlete in open space. Steps run the inside arc effectively and doesn’t bow his rushes with unnecessary width to create steeper angles for himself.

    Versatility – Does not showcase a great deal of outside skills but has the upside to develop into a more effective every down defender at the NFL level. Immediate upside stands as an interior power rusher. Could feasibly play in an odd front for a more patient coaching staff.

    BEST TRAIT – Length

    WORST TRAIT – Flexibility

    BEST FILM – Stanford (2018)

    WORST FILM – Georgia (2017)

    RED FLAGS – Underachiever

    Jerry Tillery enjoyed a breakout season in 2018, showing much better conditioning and mobility along the line of scrimmage. If able to sustain that development, Tillery projects as an eventual starter. In the immediate time frame, Tillery projects as a power pass rusher who wins most when allowed to charge hard out of his stance and push up the field in an effort to reset the line of scrimmage."

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    NFL Draft Geek

    https://www.nfldraftgeek.com/jerry-tillery-what-is-his-best-fit-in-the-nfl/

    "Jerry Tillery | What is His Best Fit in the NFL

    August 24, 2018 Brian Johannes Updated 0

    Since his arrival as a true freshman, Tillery has seen the field and been one of the main cogs of their defense. In 2017 as a junior Tillery had his best season as his 56 total tackles was sixth best on the team while he lead the team in sacks (4.5) and was third in tackles for loss (9.0). At 6’7 305lbs it’s not hard to miss Jerry Tillery on the football field as he mans the middle of the Fighting Irish’s defense but at his size and with his movement skills you have to wonder if playing defensive tackle is the best fit for his skill set.

    Where Does Jeffery Tillery Best Fit


    With Tillery’s size and length he does look a bit out of place playing against guards and centers who are traditionally shorter lineman who are able to get underneath his pad level and cause him trouble in the run game. Moving more towards the B gap and taking on tackles on a more frequent basis would allow him to use his length better and also keep his body free. Tillery isn’t going to be an edge rusher coming off the outside shoulder of the tackle, but putting him shading the outside of the guard or the inside of the tackle should allow him to use his strength against tackles and his quickness against guards. This is all why I feel that Tillery would be best served in a defense that runs an odd front base defense. We’ve seen too often with the taller defensive tackles that they can struggle working inside on a regular basis, but when you move them a bit further out, they can have success.

    Outlook



    Based on his traits I’m not sure that Tillery is poised to be a good starter in the NFL, but if he goes to the right team and plays in a system that has him lineup more in that B gap then he looks like he could be a good role player or even low end starter. This upcoming season I’ll be watching to see how Tillery does with his pad level and if he can improve working against smaller lineman. But at this point it looks as if Tillery is going to be best served as a 3-4 defensive end who plays on early downs as a run defender."

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  11. Striking

    Striking Junior Member

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    Aurora, Colorado
    Curious if Oliver reminds anyone of John Randall.
     
  12. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
     
  13. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
     
  14. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Apr 22, 2014
     
  15. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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