Ok, let's look at some 2011 film, pre shoulder injury when he could use his arms without issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNh0SgWe3rc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiEgdcwIu9I
As the saying goes, stats lie.
Well, youtube can lie as well, especially highlight reels.
And that doesn't mean that I don't like Jordan, just that I see some issues that are more apparent in regular game film.
First off, in both clips Jordan's speed and overall movement skills- and effort- are very apparent.
Jordan is right there with Keke Mingo and Alec Ogletree in terms of a fantastic ability to get from point A to point B is a hurry- this guy is fast.
He uses his hands well, good leverage, and in terms of playing in space- to clarify an earlier comment of mine, when an issue comes up as to a DE, as in "Can he play in space?"- what I'm thinking of, for better or worse, is "Can he play OLB?"
And I really don't care for projections in that regard- you never know if it will work out or not until they do it.
That being said, Jordan is certainly fluid, fast and quick in space, and I think that he'll be excellent in coverage picking up TEs or RBs out of the backfield.
Check out the Arizona clip at :42- he's covering a receiver out wide has the speed and movement skills (not to mention intelligence and instincts) to peel off coverage quickly and put some heat on the QB- this is a fantastic pursuit player- again, right up there with Ogletree and Mingo.
Jordan is a bullet of the edge, but...
Take your pick of the above youtube clips, again from 2011 pre shoulder injury- what you'll see in the 2011 highlights video (go figure) is tantalizing- Jordan's best plays showcasing his speed and the best of the rest of his game.
Then go to the Arizona game or any other that I've come across- and what I see far too often is a weak inside power rush from a thin, undersized DE and an outside rush that far too often has this light DE get pushed out wide, neutralized.
All that I'm saying is that I see some concerns in a tall, lanky DE who is nonetheless a freaking phenomenal athlete with immense potential.
Excellent prospect, but a lot of "if's" attached- if his shoulder heals right, if he can play in space (ie play OLB), if he can put on solid weight, if he can become a much better inside pass rusher and not get stonewalled when he does rush inside, if he can stop from being pushed out wide and neutralized on his outside pass rush.
"If ifs and buts were candy and nuts"...
Good player, excellent potential, many questions, bottom line.
Another way of putting it- he reminds me a bit too much of Mingo in that his best work is done unobstructed, on a straight line, getting from point A to B in a hurry to blow up a play.
That's an excellent quality to have, but things certainly change when he has to dance with an OT to make things happen.
That being said, I certainly like Jordan better than Mingo or Ansah as a top 10 pick- I'm curious as to who will have a better career, Jordan or Ogletree, who is in his own right just phenomenal imo.
As a side note, I'll enjoy taking a look at more film of Anthony Barr later this year and comparing/contrasting him to Jordan as a similar sized DE/OLB with tremendous movement skills- can he set the edge, can he effectively cover TE's and RBs, can he provide an effective inside pass rush, does he get ridden out wide by OT's, can he hold his own on the LOS against much bigger/thicker players? I'm guessing beforehand that Barr is a better prospect than Jordan.
I'm happy to have Jordan aboard, but to me personally it was tough to see our 2nd rd pick sent to the Raiders being used on one of my favorite players in the draft- OT Menelik Watson, at a need position for us no less.
Take that 3rd spent on another OL, Dallas Thomas, and we could have had any number of quality WRs imo, or DE Alex Okafor.
We missed a shot at Alex Okafor by one pick to the Cardinals in the 4th.
Devin Taylor and Cornelious Washington were there for the taking later in the draft as per our need for outside pass rush opposite Cameron Wake, Mallicah Goodman as well.
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