Ryan Shazier at FS ? Hmmmm

[Dee Dub]

I have been watching Shazier for his entire college career. He is a freak. I wouldn't be surprised if he runs in the low 4.4's. He is cat quick, has a nose for the ball, makes plays, plays with heart...is tough. I really like the guy. With that said, he is too small and not physical enough to play ILB in the NFL. Now, I know some will disagree with me quoting sizes of different ILBs over the years. But, Shazier will get swallowed up by the 300 pound OLmen. He reminds me of a young Troy P. Talented yes...but physical enough for pro ILB? Not so sure. Maybe if you packed 10-15 pounds of muscle on him...but then would he lose his quickness? Probably.

So, FS? Ehh...that isn't his thing. He isn't a centerfielder. He could play SS, and I think he would be above average. Elite at SS? Not so sure...as he doesn't have elite coverage skills.

It's the reason why I believe Shazier to be a tweener who will need the right system to thrive. I do not believe he will thrive as an inside linebacker in the 3-4.

I agree with you on all points Shawn. I see SS as the best bet for him. He can still be a force at or near the LOS and inside the box ala Troy. I dont think he has the necessary cover skills to play a deep half as a free safety versus wide receivers.

A similar situation is USC's Dion Bailey. Who played LB then moved to SS.

[Shawn]

Yepper ... Truly new here ... and I apologize for questioning your treatment/motive when it comes to Ryan. I've watched him his entire college career also. The Ginn/Holmes comparison is actually kind of valid when it comes to the speed Ryan has and his need to become a little more "assignment sound". That said, I'd take a mid 2nd to early 3rd round flier on him with the idea that he's not a day one starter and he'd have to put on some muscle weight ... only problem is that ILB is not our area of greatest need and I don't see the Steelers addressing the issue that early.
*Edit: that's not to suggest I think he's a mid 2nd round talent. I think Ryan is a mid to late first round pick in this year's draft.

It's all good. I'll agree with you there. I'll go as far as to say if he is sitting there in the second, we should grab him due to his crazy upside. I just don't think he is worth a first. But, mark my word...when he is at the combine he will shoot up into the top 20, and he isn't a top 20 kind of linebacker as of yet. But, when he runs a 4.42 and exhibits his cat light quickness...teams will be lining up. I see no way he falls out of the first.

[Shawn]

I agree with you on all points Shawn. I see SS as the best bet for him. He can still be a force at or near the LOS and inside the box ala Troy. I dont think he has the necessary cover skills to play a deep half as a free safety versus wide receivers.

A similar situation is USC's Dion Bailey. Who played LB then moved to SS.

As of right now, Shazier is a man without a position in the NFL.

[SteelBucks]

As of right now, Shazier is a man without a position in the NFL.

I've seen several mocks that have him going in the top half of the first round. Sounds like many believe he has a position, and I agree with SteelCrazy, it's at ILB. He's quick, great instincts and a solid tackler.....IMO, he'll be a good one.

[Rod Polamalu]

I agree with you on all points Shawn. I see SS as the best bet for him. He can still be a force at or near the LOS and inside the box ala Troy. I dont think he has the necessary cover skills to play a deep half as a free safety versus wide receivers.

A similar situation is USC's Dion Bailey. Who played LB then moved to SS.

Gotta disagree with you here Dub. Dion has very good awareness and the ball skills to play free,..it's his lack of size to match up with receivers and range (ie: acceleration in terms of covering ground quickly enough to make the play that he sees that he is capable of making) that dictate playing there would not be his strength.

Shazier has that range, he has that size.

[Shawn]

I've seen several mocks that have him going in the top half of the first round. Sounds like many believe he has a position, and I agree with SteelCrazy, it's at ILB. He's quick, great instincts and a solid tackler.....IMO, he'll be a good one.

IMO, he will go in the top 20 especially after he blows up the combine. There will be plenty of people thinking he has a position. I don't claim to speak for NFL teams. IMO, he could be a good one. But, he isn't a sure thing by any stretch. He isn't polished enough to select in the top 30 picks in my opinion.

[Shawn]

Per edraft.com

Positives
Speed/Atheleticism: Speed. Speed. Speed. There is no way around it, speed is the name of the game for Shazier. An athletic freak that claims to run a 4.35 40 time Shazier is the quickest player within five yards of the line of scrimmage at any given time and might not be just the fastest linebacker, but faster player in all of college football. He uses his quick burst and instincts to get behind the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball (22 tackles for loss). His range from sideline to sideline is special to say the least and his explosivness through running lanes like lightning is a trademark attribute. Combine his fast first step with his closing speed and it's lights out for opposing running backs and quarterbacks of all kinds.

Pass Rushing: Shazier's athletic ability and speed translates perfectly into elite pass rushing ability. His burst and quickness off the snap of the ball is second to none and allows him to reach the quarterback in a blink of an eye blowing past book end offensive tackles and tight ends. One of the best pass rushing linebackers in the country Shazier is at his best when he is turned loose of the edge to rush the passer.

Negatives
Block Shedding: Shazier's biggest strength can at times turn into his biggest weakness. Too fast for his own good, Shazier will overrun the play at times and take himself out of the play altogether. When attacking blockers its isn't always pretty as he relies on his speed far too much and will try to bend or dip around them instead of taking them head on with strength. These types of plays often end up with him being picked up from the ground by a fellow teammate long after the play is over. Overall he has been inconsistent when teams key in on him by double teaming him and showing the ability to free up from his blockers.

Coverage: Another question mark to Shazier's game is coverage. Not necessarily a weakness but just too incocnsistent to rely on at this point on an every down basis. Showing flashes of brilliance at times in large part of his athletic ability and quickness bailing him out and disguising his poor technique. Route recognition is something that he has shown to lack while dropping back in zone coverage while often being asked to cover short routes by tight ends, drag routed by wide receivers, and flat routes by the running backs. Its important to keep in mind that Shazier was a defensive end in high school and transitioned to the linebacker position for the Buckeyes, which in turn asked him to drop back in coverage much more than he was asked to before.

Technique: A common theme with Shazier is his willingness to rely on his speed and quickness to overshadow the right fundamentals and technique. Although he led the Big Ten in tackles Shazier needs to improve his tackling form if he wants to be a consistent three-down linebacker in the NFL. Failing to execute the proper fundamentals when tackling Shazier has been known to slide off his opponent at times and attempting arm tackles instead of squaring his hips up and wrapping up. This lack of ideal technique often gets overlooked due to his quickness into the backfield and his knack for splash plays, but Shazier far too often will miss tackles in the open field because of his poor form.

NFL Player Comparisons
Considering the majority of his game is built off relying on his speed, athelticism, and quickness, Shazier will go into the NFL in a Lavonte David type mold (Tampa Bay weak-side linebacker). Another highly athletic pass rushing linebacker off the edge that lacks the power and block shedding ability. At his best when he can use his speed to run down ball carriers and opposing quarterbacks.

Draft Outlook
Shazier has plenty of inconsistencies in his game that coaches and scouts will factor into their evaluation of him. Things like inability to shed blocks, inconsistency in coverage, and his overall raw technique at the position. However, his first step quickness and athletic ability are second to none at his position and from a physical stand point his possess all the ideal traits from a weak-side linebacker. Being mocked in the early portion of the second round as of now, Shazier will shine in Indy where his freakish numbers will come out and shine. Scouts will be drooling over the different ways to use his tools and the weapon he could ultimately turn into. In a league that covets speed and pass rushers, Shazier will see his draft stock rise like no one else's at the combine and will hear his name called on day one.
Best Fits
With his athletic ability and speed almost any team could have their eye on him to add another pass rushing linebacker and weapon as you can never have enough in todays pass happy league. Ideally, Shazier will hope to be drafted by a 4-3 team in need of a weak side linebacker to maximize his strengths and instincts at the position and make a smooth transition to the next level. The NFC North is hungry for linebackers where the Bears, Lions, and Vikings all run a 4-3 scheme and have aging or lack talent at the position. Other possible scenarios are the Giants, Rams, Bengals, and Broncos.

[Dee Dub]

Gotta disagree with you here Dub. Dion has very good awareness and the ball skills to play free,..it's his lack of size to match up with receivers and range (ie: acceleration in terms of covering ground quickly enough to make the play that he sees that he is capable of making) that dictate playing there would not be his strength.

Shazier has that range, he has that size.

But you are disagreeing on something that I haven't even said. My point is that Dion Bailey because of his lack of size, had to move to safety from ILB. Who said anything about his skill set as a safety?

[feltdizz]

When it comes to tOSU players... I agree with Shawn until he gets a few wrong. He's been spot on with the last few projections.

[Shawn]

When it comes to tOSU players... I agree with Shawn until he gets a few wrong. He's been spot on with the last few projections.

I appreciate you saying that. Shazier has a little bit of Troy P ability in the box ability...able to create havoc. But, we see how Troy stacked up having to take on those 300 pound linemen when asked to play ILB. Shazier isn't much more physical than Troy. Couple that with some raw technique, and probably having to spend a top 20 pick on him and this one is a no brainer for me.

[Dee Dub]

I appreciate you saying that. Shazier has a little bit of Troy P ability in the box ability...able to create havoc. But, we see how Troy stacked up having to take on those 300 pound linemen when asked to play ILB. Shazier isn't much more physical than Troy. Couple that with some raw technique, and probably having to spend a top 20 pick on him and this one is a no brainer for me.

But the very fact that he roots for them (OSU), makes him wrong. When do they ever play anyone who is good?

[Shawn]

But the very fact that he roots for them (OSU), makes him wrong. When do they ever play anyone who is good?

Tru Dat...you know about them homers.