Sione Takitaki Round 3 Linebacker

[Amherstcavsfan]

I just spent most of my free time during the workday today watching film of Takitaki, Wilson and Blake Cashman.

Takitaki is definitely the best athlete of the three on the football field. He jumps off the tape more than the others. Within 30 seconds of watching him I was thinking it's not unreasonable to have this guy ranked as your third LB in this class.

But the more you watch him, the more you see that he's not a good football player yet. He over runs plays, he takes bad angles. He has potential, but this kid's going to need a lot of work.

You better have a designed role for him every play. Either blitzing, filling a gap, covering someone. Like @Amherstcavsfan said, this guy is not a read and react type player. He's not going to be replace Schobert in the middle of your defense.

As far as Mack Wilson goes... I think he's our starting MLB once Schobert's out the door. Man does he look good. The Oklahoma game looked awful--but I think he had to spy Murray a ton in that one. The other games looked great. He can definitely read and react, and plays really nicely in coverage.

I'm going to dig into Mack tonight. I really don't want to put much hype on him, because he is a 5th rounder. I just hope someone is capable of playing MLB.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Do you or @Amherstcavsfan see a significant role (rotational linebacker, etc.) for either player this year?

I have no problem saying that either of them could be a better linebacker than Avery at this point. Avery's best trait is rushing the passer, so let him do that.

If you're in the nickel, and your two LB's are Schobert and Kirksey, I think you stick with them. I see a hard time seeing either guy usurp them... even if Mack Wilson starts to outplay one of those two, I have a hard time benching either of those leaders.

I think we'll see at least one of them play a lot this year. If either Schobert or Kirksey gets hurt, obviously you have to turn to them. Or if they need a breather during the game, you go to one of them.

I think we'll either see Kirksey stay outside, and Mack spells Schobert while Takitaki and Avery spell Kirksey, or we'll see Kirksey move to MLB when Schobert needs a rest, with Wilson not seeing the field and Takitaki/Avery moving to outside.

Part of me wants to say that on third down, you bring Avery down to DE, with Vernon/Myles/Ogunjobi as the other 3 linemen. This lets you put Takitaki at the third LB spot... but if it's third down and you want to rush the passer, you probably aren't putting three linebackers on the field.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

I'm going to dig into Mack tonight. I really don't want to put much hype on him, because he is a 5th rounder. I just hope someone is capable of playing MLB.

After his Oklahoma tape, I thought he's garbage--slow footed, doesn't make plays. I was sad we didn't take Cashman instead.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncA6G-auTDU&


Then I watched his LSU tape, and came away asking if it's outside the realm of possibility for this guy to be a better pro than Devin Bush.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db9gLXPJW68

 

[CBBI]

I feel bad for Wilson.

His tape isn't spectacularly good, but it was good enough and better than Takitaki's IMO.

I just don't see how anyone could watch Wilson and think he wasn't a top 100 prospect at worst. Probably more like top 75. I personally thought he was a late 2nd, early 3rd round guy even with his warts.

Unfortunately, it sure as shit sounds like the Alabama coaching staff absolutely trashed him to NFL scouts and front office personnel because they were pissed he left early when they strongly recommended him to stick around another year.

Saban's seal of approval or lack-thereof carries a lot of weight in the evaluation process.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

Do you or @Amherstcavsfan see a significant role (rotational linebacker, etc.) for either player this year?

I think on plays where they use 3 linebackers, Takitaki definitely will have a role. I don't think Wilson provides anything that we don't really have in Schobert or Kirksey.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

I feel bad for Wilson.

His tape isn't spectacularly good, but it was good enough and better than Takitaki's IMO.

I just don't see how anyone could watch Wilson and think he wasn't a top 100 prospect at worst. Probably more like top 75. I personally thought he was a late 2nd, early 3rd round guy even with his warts.

Unfortunately, it sure as shit sounds like the Alabama coaching staff absolutely trashed him to NFL scouts and front office personnel because they were pissed he left early when they strongly recommended him to stick around another year.

Saban's seal of approval or lack-thereof carries a lot of weight in the evaluation process.

That's certainly what it seems. Saban apparently told him to return next year and then all of that happens during the draft process? That, to me, is extremely shady on Saban to blackball a prospect like that.

Wilson, to me, is basically Schobert 2.0. Their athletic profiles are extremely similar and their college builds are nearly identical. Some key things:

-Wilson is a guy who struggles if guys get to him. I won't say that he cannot shed blocks, but he can definitely get ate up by blockers. That's something that Takitaki can do in his sleep, shrugging off blockers is really easy for him.

-When he sees a lane to get into the backfield, he explodes through it. The biggest difference, and one where I could see how he becomes a better MLB than Schobert, is that he's clearly been extremely well taught how to play the position. He has fantastic instincts.

-He's an incredible cover linebacker. We've never seen anyone in Cleveland that can cover like him. Alabama played him a lot in the deep dropping roles, and he had no problems covering guys 20 to 30 yards downfield with easy. His coverage of backs out on the flat was also extremely good.

-I was a big critic of his production. Watching the tape, I can see why. That Alabama defense had a lot of athletes and guys swarming to the ball. It's not like he's breaking the wrong way, just that he's not getting credited for many solo tackles.

-Unlike Takitaki, he's a very good open field tackler. He really knows how to set his base and tackle through a guy rather than diving or arm tackling.

-He's not a sideline to sideline guy. He's a pretty natural straight ahead middle linebacker. When running backs get to the boundary on running plays, he cannot really catch up to them. I don't think that is a major problem, but that's going to be the separator between him and pro bowl linebackers.

I think where they drafted Mack, he's good value. He can be a pretty decent, long term option as a linebacker. He's not Luke Kuechly or LVE, but he can have a really nice, long career, especially with a giant chip on his shoulder. My comparison for him would be D'Q Jackson or Paul Posluszny.

(PS, Q Williams is a goddamn animal. What a friggin beast that guy is, I cannot believe he fell to 3. I think SF will end up regretting that decision.)

 

[Lee]

That's certainly what it seems. Saban apparently told him to return next year and then all of that happens during the draft process? That, to me, is extremely shady on Saban to blackball a prospect like that.

Wilson, to me, is basically Schobert 2.0. Their athletic profiles are extremely similar and their college builds are nearly identical. Some key things:

-Wilson is a guy who struggles if guys get to him. I won't say that he cannot shed blocks, but he can definitely get ate up by blockers. That's something that Takitaki can do in his sleep, shrugging off blockers is really easy for him.

-When he sees a lane to get into the backfield, he explodes through it. The biggest difference, and one where I could see how he becomes a better MLB than Schobert, is that he's clearly been extremely well taught how to play the position. He has fantastic instincts.

-He's an incredible cover linebacker. We've never seen anyone in Cleveland that can cover like him. Alabama played him a lot in the deep dropping roles, and he had no problems covering guys 20 to 30 yards downfield with easy. His coverage of backs out on the flat was also extremely good.

-I was a big critic of his production. Watching the tape, I can see why. That Alabama defense had a lot of athletes and guys swarming to the ball. It's not like he's breaking the wrong way, just that he's not getting credited for many solo tackles.

-Unlike Takitaki, he's a very good open field tackler. He really knows how to set his base and tackle through a guy rather than diving or arm tackling.

-He's not a sideline to sideline guy. He's a pretty natural straight ahead middle linebacker. When running backs get to the boundary on running plays, he cannot really catch up to them. I don't think that is a major problem, but that's going to be the separator between him and pro bowl linebackers.

I think where they drafted Mack, he's good value. He can be a pretty decent, long term option as a linebacker. He's not Luke Kuechly or LVE, but he can have a really nice, long career, especially with a giant chip on his shoulder. My comparison for him would be D'Q Jackson or Paul Posluszny.

(PS, Q Williams is a goddamn animal. What a friggin beast that guy is, I cannot believe he fell to 3. I think SF will end up regretting that decision.)

Q Williams is my favorite prospect, he could every bit as good as Donald, maybe better against run and just as disruptive. I think he is special.

 

[dark2332]

I feel bad for Wilson.

His tape isn't spectacularly good, but it was good enough and better than Takitaki's IMO.

I just don't see how anyone could watch Wilson and think he wasn't a top 100 prospect at worst. Probably more like top 75. I personally thought he was a late 2nd, early 3rd round guy even with his warts.

Unfortunately, it sure as shit sounds like the Alabama coaching staff absolutely trashed him to NFL scouts and front office personnel because they were pissed he left early when they strongly recommended him to stick around another year.

Saban's seal of approval or lack-thereof carries a lot of weight in the evaluation process.

With Freddie’s connection to Saban, I’d imagine he wouldn’t be on our draft board if Saban trashed him.

 

[CBBI]

With Freddie’s connection to Saban, I’d imagine he wouldn’t be on our draft board if Saban trashed him.

Couple things...

1. I love Freddie, but the buck doesn't stop with him when it comes to personnel moves. We're not in the room so we'll never know for sure, but I'm guessing Dorsey has overruled his coaches a time or two when it comes to draft picks over the years.

2. At some point, even if Saban trashed Wilson right to Freddie and Dorsey's face, value is value and getting a guy 100 picks later than he probably should have gone is just something you can't pass up.

 

[dark2332]

Couple things...

1. I love Freddie, but the buck doesn't stop with him when it comes to personnel moves. We're not in the room so we'll never know for sure, but I'm guessing Dorsey has overruled his coaches a time or two when it comes to draft picks over the years.

2. At some point, even if Saban trashed Wilson right to Freddie and Dorsey's face, value is value and getting a guy 100 picks later than he probably should have gone is just something you can't pass up.

I agree that both of those scenarios could be true.

However, we did get a little sneak peak (and it could entirely be a performance) on ClevelandBrowns.com where Steve Malin, Dorsey, Freddie, and the war room discuss Mack Wilson before turning in the card.

 

[AZ_]

They’re really grooming Malin for a GM role.

 

[Lee]

If nothing else, Takitaki is the most fun name to say on the team.

 

[Vee-Rex]

If nothing else, Takitaki is the most fun name to say on the team.

Do we have an official nickname for him yet?

2Tak? 2Taki? Stak?

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Do we have an official nickname for him yet?

2Tak? 2Taki? Stak?

Takitaki isn't good enough for you?

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

After his Oklahoma tape, I thought he's garbage--slow footed, doesn't make plays. I was sad we didn't take Cashman instead.

Then I watched his LSU tape, and came away asking if it's outside the realm of possibility for this guy to be a better pro than Devin Bush.

Yikes. I don't think he was all that impressive in the LSU tape either. Seems slow to diagnose, and his motor seems to stop consistently a couple seconds before the play ends. On the rare occasions where he picked the right seam, he made great-looking plays. Playing behind that D-line should be a dream job for an MLB, and I just didn't see much. I'm not a professional talent guy, and didn't watch other college MLB's for comparison. But based on what I saw, I can definitely see why he slipped as far as he did. Did seem quick in coverage, so maybe he's a 3rd down or two-minute drill substitute.