Breaking Down DC Eli Apple, LB Darron Lee and WR K.J. Maye

Eli Apple – DC – Ohio State Size – 6004 – 200 – 4.47 (all Estimated) Strong Points – Two year starter. Very athletic with loose hips a quick turn and a burst out of his turn. Can transition very quickly. Has a strong jam and can mirror opponent all over field. Best at press man coverage. Reacts well to ball in air. Hands. Willing run support player who can shed and tackle. Very young, won’t turn 21 until after camp opens. Weak Points – Still had two years of eligibility. Don't see him play much in zone. Not consistently wrap up when he tackles. Can get a bit careless in coverage at times. Summation – Eli is a third year sophomore and a two year starter. He is a physical corner who has all the athletic tools needed to excel at the next level. He is tall and long and shows a strong jam at the line of scrimmage. Has the ability to mirror opponent very well in press man. Has excellent body control and transitions very quickly. Reacts very well to the ball and has good hands. He is a willing urn support guy who can tackle but does not consistently wrap up. Because of his age he may start off as a third corner but he will be a starter in short order. Has the physical tools to be an eventual number 1 corner.   Darron Lee – OLB – Ohio State Size – 6020 – 238 – 4.50 (All Estimates) Strong Points – He is athletic as any linebacker in the draft. Excellent change of direction and body control to go along with very good speed. Very good in pass coverage, can cover tight ends backs and receivers man to man. Effective as a pass rusher when used to blitz. Good not great instincts. Excellent pursuit player. Weak Points – Not a stack, point of attack player. More of a run and hit “go around type”. Can be slow to shed and give ground to blockers. Not play an aggressive game, more of a finesse player. Will miss some tackles. Summation – He is a third year sophomore and two year starter. Lee is not your old fashioned stack linebacker. He is an excellent athlete that is very good when playing in space. He is often walked off and used in coverage where they utilize his speed and athleticism. He played at about 235 this year but he has the frame to carry 245 to 250. Will need to learn how to play inside and stack and shed at the line of scrimmage. Is still a raw technician. His best fit is in a 4-3 as a Will but he can play in a 3-4 if he learns to play at the point. Will come in and be a coverage linebacker as a rookie while he learns. Has great upside, just young and raw.   K.J. Maye – WR – Minnesota Size – 5092 – 195 – 4.52 Strong Points – Very productive and competitive. Good initial quickness. Very good ability to adjust to the ball and make the difficult catch. Good route runner who can uncover versus both and zone coverage. Will compete for the ball in traffic. Run after catch. Willing blocker Weak Points – Size, more quick than fast, lacks real good top end speed. Can have some trouble with jam versus big corners. Summation – There is a lot to like about this player. Had a breakout year with 73 catches. He is tough and competitive and knows how to get open. His lack of size (height) and speed will limit him but he is quick.  Is best suited to play the slot where his quickness and burst will benefit him. Fearless guy who makes plays…just small. Follow Greg on Twitter @greggabe

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