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The 2014 New York Giants pass rush was inconsistent. It dominated inferior competition, but when it came time to play with the big boys, they just weren't up to the task. Jason Pierre-Paul is a free agent, Robert Ayers is in his contract year, who knows what they have in Damontre Moore, and Mathias Kiwanuka is almost assuredly a cap cut. Let's take a look at a possible first-rounder in Bud Dupree to see if he can help us:
Pros
- Big play producer
- Length is fantastic
- Elite bend and closing speed; among best in the class
- Height/Weight/Speed freak specimen at 6-foot-4, 265 pounds
- Can drop back into coverage smoothly for a man his size
- Understands leverage
- Lateral agility is elite and can slip through and change directions with the best of them.
Cons
- Struggles anchoring on the edge in run support
- Struggles disengaging from blocks at times
- Sometimes stays too high firing out of a two-point stance/technique flaw
Does He Fit With The Giants?
Did you see the negatives? There's only really three of them and two have to do with run support. He's not good at it, but he's got literally everything else the Giants like in their defensive prospects. He's got length, he's got speed to power, he's got great bend, and he's got active hands.
He's shown that he can be scheme versatile, but I like him with his hand on the ground due to his natural burst off the snap. He could probably compete for a starting job at RDE and has got the natural upside to be a very strong player.
Prospect Video
Big Board Rankings
Big Blue View - 22
Mocking The Draft - 20
CBS Sports - 17
Draft Tek - 21
Final Thoughts
Dupree is your classic bend edge rusher, but he's got those skills while also having a good, long frame. An NFL comparison to his skillset is Robert Quinn. Now this is, of course, as his pass rushing traits, not as a linebacker. Dupree has gone into coverage and moved all around the line, which is unlike Quinn. The speed, the bend, the flexibility, motor and footwork, however, all mirror Quinn coming out of college.
Now, of course, I can't say that the absurd production that Quinn has produced in the NFL is going to be replicated by Dupree, I'm just saying that the way they win is similar. He's easily a top 15 prospect for me (going to move up on the big board), and I don't think there should be much fussing if he's selected ninth overall for the Giants.