Sonny Styles, Omar Cooper Jr. among 11 draft prospects best-suited for NFL's schematic trends

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Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images Share articleThe last two Super Bowl winners (Eagles and Seahawks) won on the strength of their defenses. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was the originator of using two-deep safety as a base and living in light boxes. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald took that blueprint to create one of the most dominating defenses we’ve seen in the modern era. The defensive meta has already been shifting, but there will be even more teams using these principles, and as a result, they’ll be going after the same types of players to fit the scheme. Let’s look at some archetypes and players who will benefit from schematic trends: Both Ohio State linebackers (Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese) will be selected in the top 10. Though the lack of blue-chip talent in this draft pushes them up in the draft, their versatility is why they are coveted. Defensive coordinators are as creative as ever and there are more coaches who know how to weaponize chess-piece linebackers like Reese and Styles. One way to stop the run from light boxes is to shift the front to confuse blocking schemes. To do that, you must have linebackers who can credibly play on the line of scrimmage and hold up against blocks. The Eagles’ Zack Baun, who moved from edge to inside linebacker, is the prototype for linebackers who can do this. Reese’s potential as a pass rusher is why he’ll be a top-five pick, but even just as an off-ball linebacker, he’s a phenomenal prospect. At 240 pounds, Reese may not be a full-time edge player. It’ll take some imagination to maximize his skill set and rush him from different positions. However, he’s going to be a stout run defender early and he’ll be able to play in different positions around the front. A versatile defender who has the physical traits to become a dominant pass rusher. Styles is a converted safety to linebacker, but he’ll be one of the best overall athletes at the position as soon as he lines up. At 6-foot-5 with a nearly 81-inch wingspan (92nd percentile), Styles certainly has the length and physicality to play on the line of scrimmage when needed. His ability to cover and drop back with speed will make him unpredictable. Styles isn’t seen as a pass rusher, but with his size and athleticism, I wonder how good he can be at it if he goes to a defensive coordinator who will want him to develop this skill. Either way, his versatility makes him an ideal modern inside linebacker. Freaky athlete on track to be an impact linebacker. McDonald’s speciality is stopping the run and he doesn’t do so by shooting gaps and flying by blocks; he does it by playing a gap-and-half. Even though the scheme asks him to play under control and at the line of scrimmage rather than fly off the ball, he still had nine tackles for loss because he was so effective at driving blockers into the backfield. With the league trending toward playing more light boxes, McDonald’s skill set is essential for making the scheme work. Tackles like the Chargers’ Teair Tart and the Rams’ Poona Ford may not get the headlines, but what they provide are prerequisites to making their respective schemes work. A dominant run defender who will be immediately useful on early downs — if not more. With the prominence of odd fronts returning, teams need nose tackles. Hunter needs to continue to hone his technique — he’s inconsistent with his snap timing and can play high — but he has the power to be a true nose, and can chase down the run with speed you wouldn’t expect from someone who weighs nearly 320 pounds. Hunter has the power and speed to anchor a run defense and keep linebackers clean. Strong and instinctive as a run defender, but limited on passing downs. The dream for many teams is to find the next Nick Emmanwori, a nickel who can play the run like a linebacker, which allowed the Seahawks to stay in sub personnel at the highest rate in the league. The Seahawks’ front deserves a lot more credit for their run defense than Emmanwori, but his ability to knock back blockers and cover tight ends is rare and vital to making the system work. There isn’t an Emmanwori in this draft, but the hope is to find a player with a similar skill set. Louis is the inverse. He’s a lighter linebacker with the movement skills and cover ability to play nickel. In college, he played a hybrid role, so he has experience playing in space, but it’ll be a huge transition against NFL tight ends and passing games. Louis’ movement skills are elite for a linebacker, and if he proves he can play nickel in the NFL, he’ll be a valuable chess piece. Not a traditional linebacker, but has a chance to shine given the right vision. Stukes is flying up draft boards and some of the hype around him is going overboard. Adam Schefter wrote that a general manager told him that he’d take Stukes over consensus No. 1 safety Caleb Downs. Stukes ran a 4.3, and his speed shows up on film. For a coverage safety, Stukes comes up against the run aggressively and is a reliable tackler. He played nickel and free safety in college. He has the processing ability and physicality to play full-time in the nickel if he’s asked to. An instinctive athlete with confidence and versatility; will fit best in a nickel defense. Haulcy played mostly deep safety at LSU, but at 215 pounds, he has the size to play in the box. Haulcy is one of the most aggressive defensive backs in the draft and can often be caught gambling when playing deep. I believe he’s better suited to play close to the line of scrimmage, where his aggressiveness will be more of a plus. Has some wild tendencies, but is coachable and skilled enough for an NFL bet. As defenses get smaller, offenses are getting bigger. The best offenses in the league are moving away from heavy 11 personnel usage (one back, one tight end, three receivers) and mixing in more heavy personnel usage with more tight ends. Bills’ tight end Jackson Hawes was drafted in the fifth round last season and made a huge impact on their offense. Tight ends who can come in immediately and serve as legitimate blockers will be coveted. At 267 pounds, Roush is a powerful man who can create consistent movement in the run game and has the potential to be one of the better blocking tight ends in the league. He doesn’t offer much as a downfield threat, but he’s tough to bring down after the catch. The hope is that defenses will have to respect him as a blocker, match up with him with heavier bodies, and play action can help him get open downfield, although his receiving ability isn’t why he’ll be drafted. A traditional Y tight end; will do a blocker’s dirty work with underneath receiving upside. Kacmarek was a force downblocking on Ohio State’s gap-scheme runs and he buried smaller defenders when he got to the second level. He plays with an attitude and tries to finish with his assignment on the ground on every run play. He’s more of a vertical threat than Roush, but he won’t separate consistently against NFL defenders. His mean streak is going to be a welcome addition for an NFL offense. A big athlete with strong hands; one of the better blockers in the draft class. Being able to create yards after the catch is as important as ever with defenses playing more zone and softer coverages. Being able to beat man coverage and catch the ball downfield will always be the most important skill, but receivers who specialize in breaking tackles are coveted. In the last few years, receivers who have been projected to play the “Deebo Samuel role” have disappointed. It’s hard to find a receiver who can break tackles like Samuel was able to do in his prime. Cooper might be the prospect who actually lives up to that expectation. Last season, Cooper averaged 7.2 yards after the catch and forced 27 missed tackles on 69 receptions. Cooper also has great hands and can develop into a reliable intermediate and deep threat. An inside-outside weapon with run-after-catch ability. De’Zhaun Stribling, Mississippi Stribling isn’t in the mold of your classic YAC receiver. He’s much bigger at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, and profiles as an X receiver, but he’s physical after the catch. He averaged 7.3 yards after the catch, and that’s without many manufactured touches in space. Stribling is also one of the best blocking receivers in the class, which is a very valuable skill against light box defense. Not the most well-rounded route runner, but big-bodied with great hands and a pro mindset. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms