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Sione Takitaki Round 3 Linebacker

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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....

-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 know I omitted the good parts of your review, but I saw the same thing and that's the combination that concerns me. I agree about him not being "sideline to sideline", and at times he almost looked lazy in pursuit. Just terrible at sifting through traffic even if he doesn't have a blocker in his face.

He's going to make his money as a "straight ahead middle linebacker". But I really worry about a straight ahead MLB who isn't good at shedding blocks. I mean, I saw the same (good) thing you did in terms of him knifing into the backfield if there is a seam. But most of the time, the offense isn't going to cooperate by offering that seam.

Again, I don't pretend to any expertise, and those are the only two clips I saw. But based on that, I see him as a situational LB on passing downs only, and special teams.
 
You aren’t a rap guy?!? SHOCKING.

Yeah, the shit I listen to is much less popular than rap. Or Country, or pop.... But I have at least heard of Tupac, even if I couldn't name a single one of his songs. And I'm a sucker for a good pun, so....2Tac sounds pretty good.
 
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.

Lots of ifs here, but if:
-he is excellent in coverage for a linebacker.
-he continues to mature and grow physically (maybe went a year too early)
-has a dedication and love for the profession and the sport.

Then, this will work out well. I can’t say it’ll happen, but I can see the logic here w the pick and I like it.

The question is if he went back, after a year of weight training and getting all of that experience on and off of the field, making great plays for next year’s reloaded squad, where does he go in the draft next year.

Not a finished product and fortunately for us, he doesn’t have to be. Excited to see if he can show us something, particularly an upward trajectory this year, hopefully flashing by week 10.
 
Yeah, the shit I listen to is much less popular than rap. Or Country, or pop.... But I have at least heard of Tupac, even if I couldn't name a single one of his songs. And I'm a sucker for a good pun, so....2Tac sounds pretty good.

Unfortunately 2Tac is a bit more sticky than ProgTak.
 
Do we have an official nickname for him yet?

2Tak? 2Taki? Stak?

Taki Squared or T Squared I guess, but really Takitaki is nickname enough to me.
 
Lots of ifs here, but if:
-he is excellent in coverage for a linebacker.
-he continues to mature and grow physically (maybe went a year too early)
-has a dedication and love for the profession and the sport.

Then, this will work out well. I can’t say it’ll happen, but I can see the logic here w the pick and I like it.

Maybe he has that kind of dedication and love for the sport, but I didn't see the level of aggression I'd like to see from an MLB. If he was getting overpowered...sure. I just didn't see the sense of urgency when trying to fight through traffic. Almost looked passive to me at times. TakiTaki clearly lacks experience playing linebacker, but he's always moving hard and with a purpose.

That being said...Wilson was a 5th round pick, which does seem about right to me. In a sense, I was commenting more on those who thought he should have gone in the third or even second round. I just don't see that.
 
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.

So this is the wrong thread since we are talking about Wilson, but his coverage skills are great from the tape I saw, everything else is way below average. His inability to get off blocks as a MLB scares me allot to be honest.
 
I know I omitted the good parts of your review, but I saw the same thing and that's the combination that concerns me. I agree about him not being "sideline to sideline", and at times he almost looked lazy in pursuit. Just terrible at sifting through traffic even if he doesn't have a blocker in his face.

He's going to make his money as a "straight ahead middle linebacker". But I really worry about a straight ahead MLB who isn't good at shedding blocks. I mean, I saw the same (good) thing you did in terms of him knifing into the backfield if there is a seam. But most of the time, the offense isn't going to cooperate by offering that seam.

Again, I don't pretend to any expertise, and those are the only two clips I saw. But based on that, I see him as a situational LB on passing downs only, and special teams.

I kind of agree with your assessment of Wilson against the run and his limits as a MIKE. His best trait is coverage, which makes me believe he would thrive as a nickel linebacker and backup weak side linebacker. Saban didn't play Wilson regularly in the base defense until the very end of the 2017 season because of his limitations against the run.

Takitaki was selected two rounds earlier because he displays a more well-rounded tool kit. He is the better athlete, better at shedding blocks and better defending the run... while showing great traits in pass defense and used to be an edge player.

Both players lack consistency and experience as starting linebackers. So really I expect both players to work their way into the defensive rotation slowly as the season progresses as they learn the finer points of their craft. There's no doubt they have a more intriguing ceiling than Tanner Vallejo.
 
Given his somewhat limited experience at LB - he was a DE/EDGE his first three years at BYU before losing weight and transitioning to full time LB - I'm optimistic his best days are ahead of him as an off-ball linebacker.

To me, that's the key variable with him. He looks to have all the natural athleticism and aggressiveness you'd want, and he's relatively new to the position. If he played the way he does and had 3-4 experience at that position, I'd be more skeptical. But if it turns out to be a matter of more experience/better coaching, we could really have something because he really jumps off the tape otherwise.
 
Takitaki was selected two rounds earlier because he displays a more well-rounded. He is the better athlete, better at shedding blocks and better defending the run... while showing great traits in pass defense.

It's interesting how the immediate reaction during/after the draft was that we'd overdrafted Takitaki, and that Wilson was such a bargain, seems to have shifted significantly once people actually watched tape on both of them.
 
It's interesting how the immediate reaction during/after the draft was that we'd overdrafted Takitaki, and that Wilson was such a bargain, seems to have shifted significantly once people actually watched tape on both of them.

Also you have to factor in Wilson is from Alabama as well and has more experience playing LB. TakiTaki has more upside, but way less experience, so getting them both should be a good thing. One has a better floor, the other a better ceiling, but I still feel having both with who we have now will make a nice mix of talent.
 

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