“Classic Bull Rusher”
April 27th, 2019
New Bucs DE.
New Bucs defensive end Anthony Nelson, Tampa Bay’s fourth-round pick, appears to be a guy who has a ceiling.
Per Dane Brugler’s “Beast” of an NFL draft guide, he ranked Nelson the 12th-best edge rusher in the draft but a guy who improved each season at Iowa.
A two-year starter at Iowa, Nelson lined up in a three-point stance at left defensive end in Phil Parker’s 4-3 base scheme. His production increased each season, including 9.5 sacks in 2018, which ranked third-best in the Big Ten. Power is the name of the game for Nelson, who is a classic bull rusher, extending his long arms into blocks and grinding with his leg drive. However, he doesn’t show an efficient move-to-move transition and tends to lose steam at the top of his rush, lacking the natural bend to win with edge speed. Overall, Nelson is a tightly wound, predictable pass rusher, but he has the length, competitive make-up and raw power to soften the edge, projecting as a base end in a four-man front who can reduce inside on passing downs.
In other words, Nelson is a project, which is what most third-day draft picks are.
The sad fact is in this century, the Bucs have had much better luck in signing undrafted free agents than drafting guys on the third day of the draft.
April 27th, 2019 at 12:47 pm
This guy can do what will Gholston does right now. It’s a win bc it’s cheaper and it has a chance to develop into more.
April 27th, 2019 at 12:48 pm
Joe, you called him a defensive tackle…he’s a defensive end.
April 27th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
@SteveK
Maybe he will stay healthy too.
April 27th, 2019 at 12:51 pm
I like it….Omenihu was still there tho…
April 27th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Now GO GET DAYLON MACK!
April 27th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Fits perfect for a 3-4 defense. Similar to Carl Nassib build.
April 27th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
I like this pick. Floor of being good depth. Maybe he can develop into more
April 27th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
BucsBandit Says:
April 26th, 2019 at 10:54 pm
COMING RIGHT UP FOR THE BUCS:
WILL GRIER, QB, UNIVERSITY OF WEST VIRGINIA!
Where you at Bandit???????
WRONG AGAIN LITTLE BUDDY!!!!!!!!!!
April 27th, 2019 at 1:01 pm
Good pickup, happy with this
April 27th, 2019 at 1:03 pm
Slow pass rushers and over paid under talented o-line is what will get Light fired. I will give him a little credit on the corners though. Last few years injuries have killed our secondary to the point I had no idea who was playing. Adding depth and speed isn’t bad.
Bucs fans have to remember we only have so many pics and there is a long way to go before August. Cuts will be made and new free agents will be added.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
I know its only 1:00 but some of you need to get into a 4:20 state of mind lol.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:05 pm
I know the local media is crying and saying our draft is horrible but pretty much universally every other outlet is loving our draft.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Yah.
He is already gholston
But more upside.
We have seen gholston. Gholston more of a mudslide and we gave him money.
True 3-4 defensive end
Like it.
What was gholston cap hit this year ?
April 27th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
@Joe
Other part of Dane Brugler’s report on Nelson includes:
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (#70 overall)
I think the spin of Nelson being a project is yours only and to be clear there is nothing in Dane’s report that says he is a project.
Iowa pays their strength coach 750K per year to make these guys stronger and stronger. This guy was a thin basketball player when he started there and is now known for his power.
Draft Insider had him as their 9th rated edge guy after Jaylon Ferguson who many bucs fans wanted us to take in the 3rd round.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Ndog
Agree
Walter football liked draft
We honestly have no dbs other then Carlton Davis
(Grimes gone / MJ slow and playing safety / Ryan Davis blah and Hargreaves can’t stay healthy )
I think Bowes watched the tape and screamed help in secondary
April 27th, 2019 at 1:09 pm
Trying to figure out outside of nah and shaq who our outside backers are. Either Jpp actually will play some backer, we are still adding depth, or anyone els thinking we will run a lot of 3-3-5 Big nickel type of packages?
April 27th, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Can’t even imagine if either shaw or no ah go down and can’t play every snap either
April 27th, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Coburn
Yah. I think they may line up the true defensive end on our weak side to stop run
But yes Tampa hasn’t run a 3-4 since ever ? So most fans don’t understand 3-4 linebacker / rusher and true end
I am a little confused myself
April 27th, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Feeling like more big nickel with 3 safeties may be in order considering how many safeties we have now. Maybe makes sense now with so much value put on d line and edge riders might be better value found in picking up safeties. Kind of like in cover 2 in the day we could get speedy linebackers when there was less people runni ng it
April 27th, 2019 at 1:25 pm
Coburn survey say: Yes for 6,000. BA mentioned exotic sets that sometimes deploy 4 safeties.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:26 pm
Ima say it again this team wil resemble nothing we’ve ever seen here in Tampa before.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Came back and see the negativity narrative is still going strong. Why not include the fact the Nelson was Brugler’s 70th ranked prospect and a 2nd or 3rd round guy? The pick was getting high praise from other outlets as well but Im sure there will be no mention of that. And if you are going to be citing Brugler why no mention of his opinion on Bunting who he had ranked as the 29th best prospect?
April 27th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Replaced Kwon. Replaced MJ. Replaced Ryan Smith. Replaced Will G. Salary cap hell and missing on picks so here we are.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:34 pm
NOSBOS agreed…..And it will be a welcome sight. We have been clinging to this Tampa 2 outdated defense for about a decade too long.
I will be at game 1 this year and I’m bringing the Tampa2 playbook with me. I will let fan rip spit and stomp on it and give it a proper funeral…..I will leave the left over rementants on the deck of the ship.
Years ago having a defense named after our city was something to be proud of. The orginazation somehow let it become an embarassment.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:37 pm
Agree
Everyone itching about defense
Well. We are going all defense
April 27th, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Anthony Nelson, DE/DT, Iowa A Grade
No, I’m not just in a good mood. These picks are awesome! The teams here are taking better prospects than those chosen in Round 3. Anthony Nelson could have snuck into Round 2 without much criticism. He was announced as a linebacker, but he looks to be a 3-4 defensive end in Tampa’s new scheme.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:44 pm
I didn’t think that this article was negative for a change. This guy is a high motor guy. Reminds me of Brett Kiesel. Will probably play 3-4 DE but has some rush ability.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:48 pm
O think it’s simple and BA mentioned it last night, people think we will still be playing 4-3 and they just don’t understand our new 3-4 defense. This especially means L ee as most of the time he is completely wrong with his takes and lost when it comes to anything other than repeating himself over and over and over and over and over again.
April 27th, 2019 at 1:53 pm
He reminds me of calais Campbell, just a little lighter. He has long arms, that will come in handy against dudes like Brees, Russell Wilson, Murray, and the other smaller qbs. He looks quicker than Campbell as well. Great pick!
April 27th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
^^^
Nailed it
April 27th, 2019 at 2:06 pm
NDOG
I’m not one to generally pile on local media types but I’m over Martin Fennelly. One of your local guys who doesn’t think that highly of our draft.
Like Joe he wanted Allen desperately and while liking Devin he said it was a mistake because we needed somebody…”that would be inside pass rushing namely dervish Josh Allen who went two picks later.” INSIDE PASS rushing? I don’t know that I’ve seen a single highlight with Allen rushing inside. I don’t remember seeing him use a bull rushing move at all.
Mostly what I’ve seen from Allen is him doing one of two things…either using his length and raw speed to simply run around the tackle to the QB…or putting a great shake and bake move faking out the tackle and running straight to the QB.
I haven’t seen all of Allen’s highlights so perhap I missed something. Every rush I saw was from the edge…not ONE between the tackles!!! WTF is Fennelly talking about?
I’d place a small wager on who gets more sacks inside…White or Allen.
April 27th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Tampa 2 isn’t a defense. .it’s a cover scheme ..you jackazzz
April 27th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
SteveK nailed it right on the head. You can pretty much say goodbye to will gholsten unless he shows us something we haven’t already seen.
April 27th, 2019 at 2:25 pm
This draft may work out, but not from a value perspective… need to add a RB