August is upon us. NFL as well as college teams have begun their fall camps, the first NFL preseason game is in the books, and the start of football season is around the corner. But with the NFL Draft always on our mind, it is time to expand our look at the next quarterback class.…
The Utah Utes have been one of the most consistent college football programs across the country in the last few years, and are consistently underrated by national outlets, as they have begun each of the last three season unranked and finished all three seasons in the Top 25. The Utah Utes offense is heavily based…
The Arizona Cardinals’ top two selections in the 2017 NFL Draft are perfectly suited to the defensive scheme run in Phoenix. Budda Baker and Haason Reddick give defensive coordinator James Bettcher even more options in the hybrid scheme. For another piece breaking down Baker and Reddick’s fit in Arizona, check out this piece by Ollie…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. About the class: Marshon Lattimore: #2 In the context of rankings, “#2” is usually associated with being the runner-up, the second best, or the first loser. For Marshon Lattimore, #2 means his overall ranking in this class from me. In…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. Mask On, Mask Off: Malik Hooker and Jamal Adams Ohio State’s Malik Hooker has the chance to eventually be the best free safety in the NFL. A bold statement, I know, but when you see Hooker on tape, you know…
You can count on one hand now the days remaining until day 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft. Over these next few days, teams will be finalizing their strategies and big boards if they haven’t already. Who do these teams want on day 1? Are they looking to draft the best player available (BPA)? Or are…
Click here for a full explanation of methodology and categories used in the chart above. About the class: “Malik McDowell: Enigmatic and Supremely Talented” I have a prediction about Malik McDowell: In three years, he will either be blossoming as one of the premier young defensive linemen in the NFL or he will be “just…
As you all know, we are well and truly entrenched into draft season. The Shrine Game and Senior Bowl are done, the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and pro days are now finished. One wide receiver in this draft class who figures to be a first-round draft pick is John Ross III out…
Sometimes one player can take over a game when they find an advantageous matchup. That’s exactly what happened for Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross against Texas A&M, as Mark Schofield explains. When the initial college football playoff standings were announced this week, the biggest surprise was the inclusion of Texas A&M at the number four…
In his preview of the 2017 NFL Draft EDGE defender class, Jon Ledyard examines the true seniors available to NFL teams. The first in a five part series, Jon looks at EDGE players who can set the edge, rush the passer, and defend the run. Check out his preview of redshirt seniors here. Over the next several weeks,…
Many will focus on Washington’s impressive offense in their big win against Stanford. But it was the Washington Huskies pass rush that helped shut down McCaffrey and the Cardinal offense. Ryan Dukarm looks at how they did it. The Washington Huskies asserted themselves as a 2016 playoff contender with a crushing 44-6 victory over the…
Football is littered with specialized terminology. From punt gunner to climbing the pocket, commentators rarely get to explain everything you need to know before the next play. Inside The Pylon’s glossary was developed to give fans a deeper understanding of the game through clear explanations, as well as image and video examples. Please contact us with…
Like any good researcher, Mark Schofield despises a small sample size. Unfortunately, prospect evaluation is almost always too early, or without all the information necessary. Thus, we have the latest installment in our series: Cody Kessler On Two, in which Inside The Pylon examines two plays from a quarterback that address traits that scouts are talking about. Following three years as the starting quarterback for the University of Southern…
The Washington Huskies efficiently drove to victory against USC, benefitting from excellent blocking. Mark Schofield breaks down how Myles Gaskin and Siosifa Tufunga took over with the game on the line. In an upset, the Huskies beat the Trojans using a four-play scoring drive to take a commanding 17-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, introducing the…
Every person reading this now has been told they weren’t good enough to be a professional ballplayer. While life goes on, a special few have decided to switch sports and then succeed in their second career ‒ Shaq Thompson is one of those special athletes. Despite failing completely in baseball, Thompson went back to school and…