Jerry Hughes

Watched the Poinsettia Bowl this morning; a game chock full of decent 2nd level prospects, but also starred TCU's NCAA sack leader Jerry Hughes, who if he comes out, would be absolutely perfect in Miami's 3-4 defense. Of all the conversion end to linebacker types that I've seen this season, Hughes is the best of the bunch. This guy has legitimate first round pick stamped all over him and has the pass rush ability, the discipline and the footwork to excel outside. When I watch a guy like Hughes and then Everette Brown, there's absolutely no contest between the two in terms of conversion potential. First time I saw him was actually against BYU when I was intending to look at Austin Collie and the two decent mid level Brigham Young guards, Travis Bright and Ray Feinga. Hughes had 4 sacks and if I'm honest, I'd never heard of him to that point

He jumps out at you from the very first snap to the very last; his motor is absolutely non stop for 60 minutes. He didn't take a down off in either game, not one and was still going hell for leather on the last drive. He possesses temendous hands, fighters hands, which he uses to great effect on the tackle; his hands are always up first and he knocks the tackles away and turns upfield in no time at all. He's big - around 6'3 and 255 - and through the game he does what few conversion ends have done this season; he sets the tackle up; he's always thinking 10 snaps ahead. He'll rush outside 5 or 6 times and get the tackle wary so that he kicks just that bit harder outside, then he'll duck inside and beat him through the gate. Brian Orakpo has a tremendous bullrush and whilst Hughes isn't in that class, he's certainly very good at it, displaying consistently good technique; hands inside and on the breast plate, power through the thighs, hips low. Sometimes TCU line him up at DT so that he can rush through the A gap and I'll get back to that later when I work through my game notes from the Boise State game.

Hughes was a running back in high school and we should probably thank Gary Patterson who often converts skill position players and gets them close to the LOS to take advantage of their athleticism. Patterson's adage is that you can make people stronger but you can't make them quicker. And Jerry is very quick.

The big knock on Hughes is that he's a junior who's only started his junior year and one game as a sophomore at defensive end. But he's played in a lot of games, it's just that starting assignments are few and far between. That may see him return to college for his senior year, but the way he plays, you'd think he'd been starting since day one. Teams are always fearful of one season wonders as Hughes is, but oh nelly what a wonder.

When watching Everette Brown or Larry English or George Selvie, what sets Hughes apart is his flat out insistence to mix up his pass rush. Brown for example has three rushes; the outside speed rush; the bullrush and the outside rush with spin. Nothing else to his game than that. No swim move, no outside in. Hughes immediately works outside, then sets his tackle up outside before ducking in under him between the guard to get to Kellen Moore. He can set the edge and is very aware of the game around him; he's instinctive enough to come off his rush if the back flares out behind him. On Ian Johnson's first touchdown, he sets the edge, only to have the fullback dive at his feet and roll him out of the play. Because TCU play a 4-2-5 defensive alignment, neither Jason Phillips or Steven Hodge were in that gap behind Hughes to make the play; they'd rolled Moore to the weakside of the formation. In the NFL you'd have linebackers filling the hole in behind to take Johnson down. So what on first look looks like Hughes is at fault, is actually not the case at all. It was simply good game planning by the Boise State offense.

We're always looking at these guys to see whether they really can fulfil all the responsibilities of a premier 3-4 OLB and the bar has been set high by a guy that Ireland and Parcells drafted in Troy's DeMarcus Ware. Ware can set the edge, can be aggressive in the run game, can rush the passer with devastating success as his 20 sacks this season will attest to and drop back in coverage. That's what we're all looking for, for Miami. Is there another Ware clone out there? Larry English can drop in coverage and has decent ability down the field on tight ends and backs; he can man up in single coverage or drop into a zone. Brown I've never seen drop in coverage. Antonio Coleman of Auburn can drop much like English. Greg Hardy I've seen do it in a zone as can Jammie Kirlew of Indiana. Selvie I haven't seen do it. Brian Cushing is very good in coverage; I've never seen Orakpo do anything other than 3/4 step drops back off the line. Never seen Michael Johnson in a zone; Matt Shaughnessy can do both. Hughes didn't single up against BYU or against Boise State, but he gets good depth on his zone drops and has neat, smooth footwork and can drive off his backpedal and transition quickly. He's on his toes and his head is on a swivel in the zone as he takes on board what's around him. He's impossible to grade in single coverage, but the initial signs look good.

In terms of specific game notes, some I've thrown into the mix above in terms of how he plays. I kept writing in my pad that he has "tremendous hands". One play after the failed reverse in the 2nd quarter, he starts out at LDE, takes one hard step up the field, then cuts under BOTH defensive tackles to pop up between left tackle and left guard, taking a strong angle at pace, losing nothing in his upfield movement and displaying tremendous feet. The play called is a middle screen to Jeremy Childs and he gets close to Moore, diagnoses the play and turns quickly and gets down the field in pursuit.

With 1.30 to go in the half, he starts a hard rush off the edge, then, as I mentioned before, sees Johnson go past him as Boise set the screen. He recognises it immediately, comes off the rush and sits on the gap between Moore and Johnson, making Kellen go to his 2nd and 3rd read. It's a good play for an NFL veteran defensive end, but for a kid making his 14th career start in college, it's tremendous awareness.

With 6.30 to go in the 3rd quarter, they line Steven Hodge, the safety/hybrid OLB up at left end with Hughes inside at LDT. His speed off the snap is breathtaking; splitting the double team before either the center or guard are out of their stances. Luckily for Boise it was a quick timing throw to the opposite side of the field or Moore would have been sacked. As it was he was hammered by Hughes and came off - as it was 3rd down - shaking his head like he was trying to remember the license plate of the truck that just hit him.

On the first play of the 4th quarter he takes a very wide angle at the snap, then cuts straight upfield having beaten the tackle in 3 steps. He's then faced by Jeremy Child's who's stayed into block and he bangs through him and just misses Moore. The guy is utterly relentless down after down. I'm picking out selected plays, but on every single snap he's beating his man. I haven't seen consistency and variation in outside rush play from an end or 3-4 OLB in this years draft class like this.

He continued to set the tackle up, going hard outside, then ripping under and getting inside. He was finally rewarded for his great game with his 15th sack of the season with 5.30 left in the game. Again, his get off is tremendous and he's past the tackle in a stride and a half. The tackle then neckties him with a great hold, but Hughes fights through and still gets the take down. He destroyed him with pace, great understanding of hand use and leverage to get under the shoulder pads and then body lean at pace to turn the corner.

Honestly, he got credited with one tackle and one sack and yet it was probably a better game than against BYU when he had 4 sacks. I would have serious buyer beware doubts about Orakpo and Everette Brown as conversions, but Hughes leaves me in no doubt that he's the finest possible conversion out there. He has everything that you look for and if he DOES come out, the hope would be that teams are scared off by his inexperience. I can't see him falling as far as the 24 area, but if he did, I'd be up at the podium with my ticket in seconds. Just an outstanding football player and with brains, instincts, ability to play the run, rush the passer and cover would make him a tremendously live possibility for Jeff, Bill, Brian and Tony.

As an aside, Jason Phillips, the MLB might get a look because he's a fine 3 down linebacker who can tackle and is a beast on ST's. He might be a little small at 240, but he's a fine player in a year of mediocre middle men.

 

Jim, in all honesty I don't think ANY of them will be there at 44, in fact I'd be stunned if they were. Personally, I think they'd take Hughes.

 

Not to my knowledge.

 

Apparently he's staying.

 

Not yet.

 

He is.

 

No way, no how.