[h=1]Best NFL player at every trait[/h][h=3]Most accurate QB, quickest RB, most athletic DB and much more[/h]
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Mark Dominik[/FONT] | ESPN Insider
So much of what ultimately makes an NFL player a success or a failure has to do with things you can't see on tape or on the field: passion, maturity, work ethic. That's why the evaluation of NFL prospects and players is such an inexact science.
But of the things that you can study on tape, there are certain traits that take on more importance than others.
Below, I have gone position-by-position to identify the most important physical traits needed to excel at each, along with my pick for the current NFL player who is the best at each trait.
NFL quarterbacks need to be able to throw a catchable ball, including allowing receivers to make midair adjustments, and "throw receivers open." With Luck it isn't necessarily about classic pinpoint accuracy; it's about his ability to make accurate throws in all three areas essential to NFL success: under pressure, when standing back in the pocket, or when on the move. I think that throwing accuracy is an area that can be further dissected from an analytics standpoint, which would give NFL decision-makers another tool in the evaluation process.
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Decision-making: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
One of the defining images fans have of Manning is his work at the line of scrimmage before the play. QBs need to be able to read coverages both before and after the snap, and then perform under pressure and show good judgment in difficult situations.
Delivery/touch: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Brees can get the ball out quickly, adjust the angle of his throwing arm and still be accurate and throw with touch. That's what you need to see out of a QB when evaluating him, including looking for any hitches in his mechanics.
Vision: Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Running backs have been devalued in the NFL in part because of the success of guys like Foster, who went from being an undrafted free agent to one of the best backs in the game, but whether you find a guy in the first round or the seventh, you need a good one to succeed in this league. Vision is one of the tougher traits to scout in a back, but watch Foster play and you'll see he has it. Foster can see the crease, feel a hole about to open up, trust his blockers and identify the cutback lanes -- often before they're even there.
The best backs in the league are the ones you can watch and see that they are looking to the next level while running through initial traffic at the line of scrimmage. What you see in college backs more often than not is tunnel vision. Not with Foster.
Feet/balance: LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
The biggest thing for me in scouting running backs wasn't their 40-yard dash times, it was whether they possessed the foot quickness and change-of-direction skills to make the first defender miss. McCoy has the best agility of any back in the league.
Play without the football: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
The ability to pass protect and be a threat when running routes out of the backfield -- either as a decoy or the intended receiver -- is essential in a running back, and often a differentiator between the good ones and the great ones. Forte is a true three-down back, which is one of the reasons he'll have a chance for a very long and successful NFL career.
If you don't possess this trait, there's no moving to the top of the wide receiver depth chart on an NFL team. Plain and simple. But you need to dig deeper on this trait during the scouting process, beyond just whether a receiver can catch the ball or not. Take Smith as an example: He has quick hands to snatch the ball, especially when adjusting to high or low throws, and he shows great concentration in traffic. This trait is essential for tight ends as well, and Rob Gronkowski is the standard-bearer for hands at that position.
Route-running/separation skills: T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Hilton uses his excellent quickness and speed to create separation from defenders, but his ability to change speeds during his routes is just as important. He also shows the ability to read coverages and release well into his routes.
Athletic ability/body control: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson is efficient in his movements, and he is a fluid athlete with the ability to keep his feet in bounds when running routes near the sidelines and control the ball quickly after the catch.
Everyone wants the all-around tight end (i.e., Gronkowski), but the rules in the NFL are so passing-friendly right now that athletic tight ends like Thomas have increased value. He is so quick at getting off the line of scrimmage, whether he's in a two- or three-point stance, flexed out in the slot or split out wide. His strength, agility and use of hands all lead to his getting off the LOS quickly.
Blocking: Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams
It is still important to keep defensive coordinators honest, and unless you have a matchup nightmare TE like Thomas, you want your tight ends to be able to block not just in the running game but help in pass protection when needed. Cook has the strength and footwork to be an asset in the passing game even when he isn't running a route.
Kalil shows the lateral agility, the ability to pull and overall balance to recover in pass protection and get to the second level as a run blocker. To me, feet have everything to do with an offensive lineman's success in the NFL; can they get to the cutoff point, can they adjust on the move, can they get their body in position on every snap?
Strength: Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
I have seen many offensive linemen become busts because they don't have functional football strength. Forget bench-press numbers: Can the player anchor, create movement off the ball and show heavy hands against his opponent across the line? Smith checks all of those boxes, with uncommon strength for the position.
Use of hands: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
Leverage means everything along the line of scrimmage in an NFL game. Thomas shows good inside hand placement, timing with his punch and the ability to lock onto defenders without drawing a penalty.
The evaluation of defensive linemen changes depending on the defensive scheme or system in which you play, particularly at the nose tackle or defensive tackle position. But Watt is a guy who would be a star in any scheme. He has strength at all three levels -- his upper, middle and lower body -- and he does a great job of anchoring, holding the line and then using his hands to shed blocks.
Initial quickness: Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Some call it quick-twitch, some call it first-step explosiveness, but the ability to quickly get off the ball at the snap -- something McCoy excels at -- is a trait possessed by the league's best defensive linemen. Evaluators watch D-linemen in slow motion to see not only how quickly they get off the snap, but what they do with the early advantage they've gained by doing so.
Flexibility: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
This is the trait that shows up on tape when a player tries to turn the corner as an edge-rusher or win a game of leverage inside. Watch Miller's knees the next time you see him play, and how well he can bend when he goes to drop his weight and get past his blocker.
[h=3]Linebackers[/h]
Awareness/instincts: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
It's a disservice to the position to only name three traits for linebackers, because it is such a critical position to the success of a defense, and scheme again plays a big role in which traits matter most. But no matter what, you want linebackers who can quickly diagnose a play, feel his way through traffic and take correct angles to the football. Watch Kuechly's tape: His instincts show up as he makes plays all over the field.
Tackling: Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
Matthews has the long arms to wrap up and make tackles in the open field, but also the strength to limit a ball carrier's yardage after contact, often delivering hits with great force. You want to see a guy be able to knock ball carriers back and shoot the outside leg.
Coverage: Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I loved what I saw on David's college tape, and he's been an outstanding player since I selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft. He is an every-down football player because he has the lateral quickness, good feet and ball awareness to hold up well in coverage. I would always watch a player's foot quickness and speed when evaluating them for this trait.
The best athletes in the NFL can be found in the defensive backfield, and this athleticism is essential because they are always being put in difficult positions and then asked to recover and make a play. Thomas has the foot quickness, loose hips, knee bend, speed range and flexibility you want in cornerbacks and safeties alike.
Ball awareness: Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots
Revis shows the ability to play with his back to the ball, can find the ball when he does turn, takes good angles in coverage and shows the timing to be able to break up a play. These are all things you look for when scouting DBs, and perhaps most important is that a defensive back doesn't panic when the ball is in the air.
Field smarts: Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers
Vision is an important quality for DBs to possess, and Weddle is able to run the secondary and make needed adjustments before the snap, then see plays develop and use his instincts to make plays.
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Mark Dominik[/FONT] | ESPN Insider
So much of what ultimately makes an NFL player a success or a failure has to do with things you can't see on tape or on the field: passion, maturity, work ethic. That's why the evaluation of NFL prospects and players is such an inexact science.
But of the things that you can study on tape, there are certain traits that take on more importance than others.
Below, I have gone position-by-position to identify the most important physical traits needed to excel at each, along with my pick for the current NFL player who is the best at each trait.
[h=3]Quarterbacks[/h]Accuracy: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis ColtsNFL quarterbacks need to be able to throw a catchable ball, including allowing receivers to make midair adjustments, and "throw receivers open." With Luck it isn't necessarily about classic pinpoint accuracy; it's about his ability to make accurate throws in all three areas essential to NFL success: under pressure, when standing back in the pocket, or when on the move. I think that throwing accuracy is an area that can be further dissected from an analytics standpoint, which would give NFL decision-makers another tool in the evaluation process.
<offer></offer>
Decision-making: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
One of the defining images fans have of Manning is his work at the line of scrimmage before the play. QBs need to be able to read coverages both before and after the snap, and then perform under pressure and show good judgment in difficult situations.
Delivery/touch: Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Brees can get the ball out quickly, adjust the angle of his throwing arm and still be accurate and throw with touch. That's what you need to see out of a QB when evaluating him, including looking for any hitches in his mechanics.
[h=3]Running backs[/h]Vision: Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Running backs have been devalued in the NFL in part because of the success of guys like Foster, who went from being an undrafted free agent to one of the best backs in the game, but whether you find a guy in the first round or the seventh, you need a good one to succeed in this league. Vision is one of the tougher traits to scout in a back, but watch Foster play and you'll see he has it. Foster can see the crease, feel a hole about to open up, trust his blockers and identify the cutback lanes -- often before they're even there.
The best backs in the league are the ones you can watch and see that they are looking to the next level while running through initial traffic at the line of scrimmage. What you see in college backs more often than not is tunnel vision. Not with Foster.
Feet/balance: LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles
The biggest thing for me in scouting running backs wasn't their 40-yard dash times, it was whether they possessed the foot quickness and change-of-direction skills to make the first defender miss. McCoy has the best agility of any back in the league.
Play without the football: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
The ability to pass protect and be a threat when running routes out of the backfield -- either as a decoy or the intended receiver -- is essential in a running back, and often a differentiator between the good ones and the great ones. Forte is a true three-down back, which is one of the reasons he'll have a chance for a very long and successful NFL career.
[h=3]Wide receivers[/h]Hands: Steve Smith Sr., Carolina PanthersIf you don't possess this trait, there's no moving to the top of the wide receiver depth chart on an NFL team. Plain and simple. But you need to dig deeper on this trait during the scouting process, beyond just whether a receiver can catch the ball or not. Take Smith as an example: He has quick hands to snatch the ball, especially when adjusting to high or low throws, and he shows great concentration in traffic. This trait is essential for tight ends as well, and Rob Gronkowski is the standard-bearer for hands at that position.
Route-running/separation skills: T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
Hilton uses his excellent quickness and speed to create separation from defenders, but his ability to change speeds during his routes is just as important. He also shows the ability to read coverages and release well into his routes.
Athletic ability/body control: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers
Nelson is efficient in his movements, and he is a fluid athlete with the ability to keep his feet in bounds when running routes near the sidelines and control the ball quickly after the catch.
[h=3]Tight ends[/h]Release: Julius Thomas, Denver BroncosEveryone wants the all-around tight end (i.e., Gronkowski), but the rules in the NFL are so passing-friendly right now that athletic tight ends like Thomas have increased value. He is so quick at getting off the line of scrimmage, whether he's in a two- or three-point stance, flexed out in the slot or split out wide. His strength, agility and use of hands all lead to his getting off the LOS quickly.
Blocking: Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams
It is still important to keep defensive coordinators honest, and unless you have a matchup nightmare TE like Thomas, you want your tight ends to be able to block not just in the running game but help in pass protection when needed. Cook has the strength and footwork to be an asset in the passing game even when he isn't running a route.
[h=3]Offensive line[/h]Feet: Ryan Kalil, Carolina PanthersKalil shows the lateral agility, the ability to pull and overall balance to recover in pass protection and get to the second level as a run blocker. To me, feet have everything to do with an offensive lineman's success in the NFL; can they get to the cutoff point, can they adjust on the move, can they get their body in position on every snap?
Strength: Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys
I have seen many offensive linemen become busts because they don't have functional football strength. Forget bench-press numbers: Can the player anchor, create movement off the ball and show heavy hands against his opponent across the line? Smith checks all of those boxes, with uncommon strength for the position.
Use of hands: Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
Leverage means everything along the line of scrimmage in an NFL game. Thomas shows good inside hand placement, timing with his punch and the ability to lock onto defenders without drawing a penalty.
[h=3]Defensive line[/h]Strength: J.J. Watt, Houston TexansThe evaluation of defensive linemen changes depending on the defensive scheme or system in which you play, particularly at the nose tackle or defensive tackle position. But Watt is a guy who would be a star in any scheme. He has strength at all three levels -- his upper, middle and lower body -- and he does a great job of anchoring, holding the line and then using his hands to shed blocks.
Initial quickness: Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Some call it quick-twitch, some call it first-step explosiveness, but the ability to quickly get off the ball at the snap -- something McCoy excels at -- is a trait possessed by the league's best defensive linemen. Evaluators watch D-linemen in slow motion to see not only how quickly they get off the snap, but what they do with the early advantage they've gained by doing so.
Flexibility: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
This is the trait that shows up on tape when a player tries to turn the corner as an edge-rusher or win a game of leverage inside. Watch Miller's knees the next time you see him play, and how well he can bend when he goes to drop his weight and get past his blocker.
[h=3]Linebackers[/h]
Awareness/instincts: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
It's a disservice to the position to only name three traits for linebackers, because it is such a critical position to the success of a defense, and scheme again plays a big role in which traits matter most. But no matter what, you want linebackers who can quickly diagnose a play, feel his way through traffic and take correct angles to the football. Watch Kuechly's tape: His instincts show up as he makes plays all over the field.
Tackling: Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
Matthews has the long arms to wrap up and make tackles in the open field, but also the strength to limit a ball carrier's yardage after contact, often delivering hits with great force. You want to see a guy be able to knock ball carriers back and shoot the outside leg.
Coverage: Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I loved what I saw on David's college tape, and he's been an outstanding player since I selected him in the second round of the 2012 draft. He is an every-down football player because he has the lateral quickness, good feet and ball awareness to hold up well in coverage. I would always watch a player's foot quickness and speed when evaluating them for this trait.
[h=3]Defensive backs[/h]Athletic ability: Earl Thomas, Seattle SeahawksThe best athletes in the NFL can be found in the defensive backfield, and this athleticism is essential because they are always being put in difficult positions and then asked to recover and make a play. Thomas has the foot quickness, loose hips, knee bend, speed range and flexibility you want in cornerbacks and safeties alike.
Ball awareness: Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots
Revis shows the ability to play with his back to the ball, can find the ball when he does turn, takes good angles in coverage and shows the timing to be able to break up a play. These are all things you look for when scouting DBs, and perhaps most important is that a defensive back doesn't panic when the ball is in the air.
Field smarts: Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers
Vision is an important quality for DBs to possess, and Weddle is able to run the secondary and make needed adjustments before the snap, then see plays develop and use his instincts to make plays.
