Quote:
Originally Posted by kccrow
Very much disagree with you on Herbig against the run. He's solid against the run. He doesn't shove blockers back into the lap of the RB and make plays like that but he maintains excellent gap assignments, he funnels the action, he crashes down the line if left uncovered, and he makes the plays in space. He makes plays behind the line. Yeah he's a little light and yes he just puts his shoulder into the tackle far more than you like but if he's keeping contain and funneling it inside then that's probably good enough. He makes the big plays when he gets the opportunity. Smith doesn't make so many of those, win rates be damned.
Herbig has far better statistics than Smith in every category in 7 fewer career games and that didn't happen by accident. Herbig had a PRWR of 27.3% in 2021 and 23.9% in 2022. Making a case there for Smith is like arguing with a brick wall. Herbig was AP 3rd Team All-American in 2022. Smith has no such accolade. I feel like there's a lot of SEC bias going on with Nolan Smith and I'm not accusing you, more the media yappers.
It's a shame Herbig isn't 240 because he'd be a high 1st round pick. He's still 6'2" so if he can gain 10 pounds by the combine and show up at 237, that's what Haason Reddick was coming into the league. Reddick went 13th overall. I would absolutely not sleep on Herbig just yet. The kid was phenomenal. He has the best get-off at the snap in this class and he absolutely threatens the arc every time he rushes the passer.
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It'll be interesting to see if he's treated as a tweener and drops as a result, or if a team just says screw it, we can bulk him and if not we'll find a role. I don't think he's anywhere near as good against the run as Smith so maybe we just agree to disagree on that, but I'd concede he does have possible versatility and if those PRWR stats are right, and I'm sure they are, fair enough, I stand corrected.
I like him in any case, no ides where he goes