Each year at Lions Wire we examine the athletic testing scores of the upcoming NFL draft class, looking for prospects who qualify for our Quinn Influenced Benchmarks (QIB) system. In a nutshell, QIB is designed to identify common athletic characteristics Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn has previously targeted at each position, with the focus on finding similarly athletic prospects that could be offseason targets for the Lions.
There are two styles of EDGE rushers that the Lions deploy, a “down defensive end” (Trey Flowers, 6-2, 266) and a JACK linebacker (Devon Kennard, 6-3, 249).
The down defensive end primarily lines up with his hand in the dirt (3-point stance) but will occasionally rush from a standing position (2-point stance), and push inside and rush from the 3-technique.
The JACK linebacker primarily rushes from the 2-point stance but will also drop into coverage (Kennard did this roughly 10-percent of the time in 2018) and is capable of rushing from a 3-point stance.
QIB Benchmarks
The QIB for down defensive end focuses on the same categories as the other interior defensive lineman, short area explosion (broad jump and 10-yard-split) and lateral agility (short shuttle) but also factors in the 3-cone as these players also need to be able to bend the corner.
QIB for the JACK linebacker factors in the same categories as the down defensive end, but also adds in the vertical jump for consideration, as that is also a trait of linebacker QIB.
As a player gets further away from the ball the QIB scores require a higher level of athleticism. For example, the nose tackle is the closest defender to the ball and requires a modest 4.99 short shuttle. Defensive tackle is next and targets a 4.74, big defensive end looks for a 4.62, down defensive end a 4.53, and finally, the JACK goal is 4.38 or better.
Players in the EDGE group can qualify for QIB in three ways:
- Full/Partial QIB: Down defensive end
- Full/Partial QIB: JACK
- Full/Partial QIB: EDGE, which focuses on players who are athletic enough that the Lions could try using them at both EDGE positions.
Full QIB: JACK
With Trey Flowers and Romeo Okwara in the fold at down defensive end — as well as Eric Lee as depth — the Lions may be leaning towards adding a pass rusher who can operate out of the JACK linebacker position.
Josh Allen (6-5, 262, Kentucky) is a prototype for what Coach Matt Patricia looks for in a two-point stance defender and why it’s likely he is the No. 1 target on their board in this draft. Allen can pass rush from a JACK and down defensive end positions, cover from the WILL and would give the Lions large amounts of freedom to disguise their intentions. Allen will likely be one of the top players selected in this draft but Lions Wire’s Scott Warheit recently gave fans some hope when he explored a scenario on how Allen could fall to the Lions.
Emeke Egbule (6-2, 245, Houston) is my favorite fall back option if the Lions fail to land Allen at the top of the draft. Highly intelligent, Egbule can cover in man and zone from an off-the-ball position, rush the passer from the JACK, and can stack-and-shed blockers when defending the run.
With Kennard and Christian Jones holding down a starting role at JACK and WILL respectively, Egbule can take his time developing at both positions. He could be the small school sleeper general manager Bob Quinn loves to target in the third round, gain experience as a rookie, and plug him into a starting role in 2020.
Ben Banogu (6-3.5, 250, TCU) is a pure stand-up pass rusher, but in Detroit, this is a missing depth piece on defense. Banogu’s foot quickness is very appealing, his first step is difficult to handle, but he can get a bit too predictable at times and will need to add some variances to his game before he is able to nail down a role larger than just as a situational pass rusher. Don’t be surprised if he sneaks into the third round.
Andrew VanGinkel (6-3.5, 241, Wisconsin) is an athletic potential late-round prospect who challenge another former Badger pass-rushing linebacker, Garrett Dooley who recently signed a futures deal with the team, for a spot on the Lions practice squad.
Partial QIB: JACK
All the players in this section are expected to be selected late on Day 3 of the draft or be priority free agents.
If the Lions don’t land Egbule, Sutton Smith (6-0, 233, Northern Illinois), Malik Carney (6-2, 251, North Carolina) and Jamal Davis (6-3, 241, Akron) are all players who can float between the JACK and off-the-ball linebacker roles.
If the Lions prefer but miss on Banogu, Justin Hollins (6-5, 248, Oregon), Jordan Brailford (6-3, 252, Oklahoma State) and Malik Reed (6-1, 234, Nevada) are also traditional JACK linebackers who would be pass rush specialists early in their career.
Full QIB: EDGE
The players in this section were primarily defensive ends in college, but the Lions could test them out in a JACK linebacker role due to their athleticism.
Montez Sweat (6-6, 260, Mississippi State) is currently being mocked to the Lions at a dizzying pace and it shouldn’t be surprising considering how many boxes he crosses off the Lions’ preference checklist. Tall, long (35.75″ arms), fast (4.4, 40-yard-dash), explosive, experienced, productive, and while he is still developing his technique as a pass rusher and run stuffer, he is consistently disruptive.
Sweat’s athletic measurements say he’s capable of playing the JACK linebacker position, but his on-field play has illustrated he is better with his hand in the dirt — my guess is the Lions think they can help him make the transition.
There are some off-the-field character red flags in Sweat’s past — from his time at Michigan State — but the Lions have done plenty of homework on Sweat this offseason, scouting him at least three times in person as well as meeting with him at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.
Brian Burns (6-5, 249, Florida State) is notably the fan favorite over Sweat — though not likely the team’s preference — and he has the flexibility to play at both the JACK and down defensive end positions. He has an incredible first step and is a fluid athlete both pass rushing and against the run. Burns recently visited Allen Park to meet with the team, but is he in play in the first round, or is it a smokescreen?
Chase Winovich (6-3, 256, Michigan) found his groove with the Wolverines when they moved him to weak-side defensive end in 2017, where he quickly grabbed a starting role with his maximum-effort demeanor and first step quickness. Winovich developed a defensive end skill set very quickly at Michigan and projects there in the NFL, but he has a linebacker background and for a team like the Lions, he could be a hybrid player who floats between defensive and JACK linebacker. He should go off the board sometime in the early second round.
Maxx Crosby (6-5, 255, Eastern Michigan) is still developing his core strength and may need some time in an NFL weight room before being a regular rotational player, but the upside is there to warrant a fifth or sixth-round pick. His potential to rush the passer and stop the run should make him appealing to the Lions but his longterm position will depend on where his weight settles in after gaining strength.
Porter Gustin (6-5, 255, USC) looks like a pass-rushing linebacker but his strength is actually as an edge-setting run defender. Like Winovich, his motor doesn’t have an off button, but sometimes that will get him into trouble and lead to injuries. He doesn’t have Crosby’s upside but he is more ready to play now.
Partial QIB: EDGE
Oshane Ximines (6-3.5, 253, Old Dominion) played at the 5-technique for the Monarchs but he could be a player that teams want to try out standing up on the edge. Pass rushing is his strength, but his struggles against the run could turn teams like the Lions away. Ximines looks like a Day 3 prospect at this time but where he goes on Day 3 will depend largely on how fast teams believe his run defense will improve.
Wyatt Ray (6-3, 257, Boston College) took over for Harold Landry as a standup EDGE rusher last year for BC and is someone Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni is very familiar with. Ray is still developing his game but has the Eli Harold-like range to both backup at JACK and down defensive end.
Full QIB: Down defensive end
Nick Bosa (6-4, 266, Ohio State) should be selected in the first three picks and unless something crazy happens, won’t be an option for the Lions. Bosa is one of the most complete players in this class.
Rashan Gary (6-5, 277, Michigan) is a polarizing player with most fans taking a hard-line of either loving or hating him. Some teams will view him as a player who could excel by shifting him inside to the 3-technique, but the Lions would use him in an almost identical way to how they will use Flowers — as a primarily down defensive end, who can shift inside at times.
Gary is getting a lot of hype at the top of the draft, mostly due to that fact that finding a player with his size and athleticism is rare and he appears to have a high developmental ceiling. His ability to set the edge is at the top of this class, but he still leans on power instead of bend on the edge which will turn away teams looking for a bendy edge rusher. In Detroit, he would give the Lions another dominant run stuffer and could develop into the “big defensive end” role (currently occupied by Da’Shawn Hand) if Hand moves inside to replace A’Shawn Robinson in 2020.
Anthony Nelson (6-7, 271, Iowa) is a better pass rusher than you would expect at his height/weight, as he is quicker than others his size. He is still adding to his pass rushing tool belt, but his strength and athleticism could get him drafted in the late third, early fourth round.
Partial QIB: Down defensive end
Zach Allen (6-4, 281, Boston College) started at BC in 2017 and under Pasqualoni’s coaching racked up 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Allen’s 2018 wasn’t as productive on the stat sheet but he illustrated his high intelligence by developing his range and skill set. Like Gary and Nelson, Allen is solid against the run and strong enough to push inside in pass rushing situations. He should come off the board on Day 2.
Side Note: Clelin Ferrell (6-4.5, 264, Clemson) didn’t run the 40 yard-dash or compete in the jumps so he had an incomplete QIB grade, although he did pass both agility measurements. Ferrell was a popular mock to the Lions pre-combine, but the Combine drills exposed some athletic concerns and he looks more like a mid-first round prospect rather than a top-10 guy as originally thought. If the Lions trade back in the first round, Ferrell’s ability to set the edge, stop the run, productivity as a pass rusher and technique efficiency could be appealing.
