NFL Draft Profile: J.J. Watt

Despite impending labor doom, the NFL regardless will conduct the draft at the end of April.  However, no players may be signed or traded while the players are locked out.  Therefore, players drafted this year may or not actually end up playing.  Nevertheless, the usual pre-draft activities have taken place.  We have had the combine (where apparently Cam Newton was unimpressive).  The different prospects will have their pro days and compensatory picks will be assigned.  On the surface, this will be another ordinary draft.

We know better.

In any event, we will continue to take a look at draft prospects who may or may not have impacts on the Redskins (who hold the 9th pick).  Last time we looked at a promising offensive lineman who played a big role in one of the most productive offenses in recent NCAA Divison 1 history.  Today we again look at Wisconsin, but on the other side of the ball:  defensive end JJ Watt. 



From thesportsbank.net

Now, the consensus (and potential number one overall) defensive end is Da'Quan Bowers out of Clemson.  However, since the focus of these draft profiles will be on players who could potentially fall to the Redskins, we take a look at Watt, who right now is #10 on Scouts Inc's top 32 prospects in this year's draft. 




Now that we are past the combine, we have some raw data to take a look at, and what we have on JJ Watt is quite impressive.  He benched 34 reps at 225 pounds (not bad until you consider the record was set at 38 reps this year...yikes!).  He also posted a 4.84 in the 40, very good for what Mike Mayock calls the best 5-technique defensive end he's ever seen.  Many teams are looking at him as either a speed rusher in a 4-3 set or more of an inside threat in the 3-4 set.  His versatility in being able to play in either front is making him quite an interesting prospect as he continues to shoot up the first round board.  The Redskins attempted to run a 3-4 set last year with Jim Haslett...and it didn't work too well.  However, we did not have the elite pass rusher on the end of the line who could disrupt the offensive line and allow the linebackers (the backbone of the 3-4) to make plays.  It also didn't help that we had guys like Andre Carter (who is no longer on the team)playing out of position.  I am a personal fan of the 3-4 set.  I feel like defenses can be more creative and sneaky in the set...but you have to have personel to make it work.  We did not have 3-4 personel, especially when you consider our "nose guard" isn't exactly a model citizen.  Oh darn, I forget his name..........

Anyway, back to Watt, his statistics at Wisconsin led to numerous accolades, including Academic All-Big Ten.  We could use some smart people to run a defense that seemed to be beyond our players (and coaches).  Oh yea, he was a pretty good football players on the field too.  He was a finalist for most of the postseason awards (losing the Nagurski to Bowers and losing the Bednarik to Patrick Peterson of LSU).  He led the team during his junior season in tackles, tackles for loss (21...6th most in school history), sacks, and force fumbles.  He was a key cog in a disruptive defense that for several weeks scored almost as much as the offense.  Nowadays, you don't get to 83 and 70 points without a few contributions from the defense.  Heck, you don't get to 83 and 70 period without some defensive scores.  The Redskins should salivate at that kind of production from a 3-4 defensive lineman.  If we are getting good pressure from (potentially) Watt and Adam Carriker on the other side (eh...), that will allow guys like Orakpo and Fletcher to be the real playmakers on that defense.  Only then will we get the takeaways that would set the offense up with good field postion to score (regardless of who the quarterback is). 

They say that the key to a good 3-4 is the nose guard.  However, the defensive ends are just as important in my opinion.  They are not a sexy position in the 3-4 because like the nose guard, their job is simply to occupy offensive linemen.  If they can get sacks, that's gravy, but their job is to free up space for the linebackers.  If JJ Watt ends up playing an NFL style 3-4, he better get ready to accept the fact that his production numbers (in terms of tackles, sacks, etc) will drop.  Nevertheless, he has the strength to be more than disruptive up front, that will make life all the more easier for the linebackers, and will take pressure off the secondary as quarterbacks will not have all day in the pocket. 

Now, as nice of a pick Watt would be, I'm fairly realistic that we will NOT be drafting anybody on defense, let alone a quality defensive lineman.  We are most likely going to be drafting a quarterback, and for a while I was convinced that it would be Cam Newton.  However, with his underperformance at the Combine, it might not be him anymore.  In our next draft profile, we'll take a look at another quarterback who could be a wild card in the first round.