DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum What player will step forward

Peppers. This year he will at least have a chance to make a play the ball instead of being 25 yards deep every play. With Randall he will be giving more of a chance play near the line of scrimmage which is where he excels.

Agreed. I have big hopes for Peppers and Njoku this year. Njoku was really young last year, but the ability was clearly there. I think he'll show significant improvement this year.

And Jabril was out of position last year. I'm excited to see how much better he is, starting the season at SS, closer to the LOS, like he should have been in the first place

I have to go with Chubb on this one for a couple of basic reasons.

#1 RB's seem to have an easy transition to the NFL in regards to productivity which I feel gives Chubb the advantage from the start.

#2 As his 2017 season progressed, you could see him improve from the injury back to his true form.

Based on those two main reasons, I give him the leg up on making the biggest impact of our young players. I see Hyde as being brought in to spell Chubb, not the other way around.

I'm excited about Nick Chubb, but we have Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde. Carlos Hyde can catch the ball and he's a good blocker. He's the perfect compliment to Duke Johnson.


I think Chubb will get some carries, but I'm hoping this running game is effective and we get our use out of Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde.

There's only so much carries available. Obviously, the better our offense, the more plays (and possible touches for our RBs).

Njoku - I think he may be suited to make the biggest leap. If he can put it all together upstairs and with his routes, his ability to make crazy catches and go up and get it - I really think he could be the best TE in the league.

As others stated - Peppers as well.

I think that Denzel Ward will have a huge impact on our defense. We added a lot of talent to the secondary this season, and I think that Ward, being able to cover man to man, will allow us to use the other guys to their best advantage, and will improve our secondary greatly.

I also think that, if we can make the QB have to hold the ball for an extra half second or so, we'll get a lot more sacks.

I also like Chubb. I think that he's going to make his mark this year.

Njoku would be my guess. The rookies need to break in this year.

I think Ward is the guy who will be our best young, new player. Ohio State has had a ton of good corners who are asked to play on an island a high percentage of the time. Lattimore was last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year and I think Ward covers better, even if he isn't quite as dynamic.

The other guy who is going to really "stand out" is Landry. His skill set fits Taylor's attributes perfectly.

I think Peppers stinks and him playing so deep is just an excuse. He'll make some flash plays, but he can't cover and he takes horrific angles to the ball in the open field.

Njoku is a great athlete, but he is so unpolished. He will also flash, but also make a ton of blunders.

Josh Gordon. I'm seriously considering drafting him in the first round in fantasy football. Him playing and practicing sober while having a QB who can get him the ball? I'm expecting an all-pro year from him.

I agree. I understand why folk wanted to get rid of him but he is arguably the most talented football player we have had since '99. If he wants it, he can be top tier. If.

He's probably the most talented we've had since '89.

I'll go with David Njoku going into his second year.

Emmanuel Ogbah.
every year he's gotten better at his trade
one of the few players on defense that can get to the qb and is able
create turnovers.
he's not that far from becoming a force
one of the few draft picks by Sissy Brown that comes to play every week and delievers,

The secondary gives him just a LITTLE more time, he'll be a wrecking ball up front.

I don't know who will, but I'll tell you who I really want to improve because I think it would help us BIG TIME:

1. David Njoku - we need that big, versatile mismatch over the middle
2. Damarious Randall - we need a FS in the worst way. It will make our CBs and Peppers better too.
3. Whoever lines up at LT

Can't pick one but I think our stable of RBs are going to pound some Dlines into exhaustion. No tripping over their feet and dancing around this year. Brute Force.

Playing against RTs will help him a lot. He started playing a lot better once Garrett was playing.

Wonder if Njoku will ever be able to block ?? His up-side as a receiver is off the charts .

Todd Haley helped Larry Fitzgerald become an excellent blocker for a WR. Hopefully he can do the same with Njoku. Njoku is certainly athletic enough to do it, and he seems willing

Also what a full year of Ogbah and Garrett will look like ; oh yea , throw in Big Larry's second year in the league !

I'm mildly surprised no one mentioned Garrett. He was the #1 pick and now with a year under his belt, it is his time...

Chubb is going to leave many with one. He is going to stud.


We have a top 3-4 back in the league.

BOOM.

I think that is because we kind of assume he will excel. I think the question is more, who do we suspect will surprise. I keep reading articles that claim we lack impact players at DT. I think they are underestimating Ogunjobi and Brantley.

I love a starting DL of Garrett, Ogunjobi, Brantley, and Ogbah, with Coley, Smith, Thomas, and probably Thompson, (who is my UDFA pick to make the team this year) to go along with maybe 1 out of Orchard, Meder, or Nassib. (though maybe another rookie might push them all off the roster)

The top 8 will be likely rather easy to pick, and with Williams liking to rotate pass rushers, we'll probably keep 9 ....... but there are going to be guys who played significant minutes for us last year looking for new jobs elsewhere.

Agree with Njoku, Peppers and Ogbah (praying their health holds up).

The last pieces of optimism in me point to Tyrod.

health is a big thing with our defense. Ogbah/Collins/Kirksey/Garrett all have some history of injury now

j/c:

There are many to choose from.

D. Johnson or Ogunjobi if they get more playing time.

Njoku, Gordon, Coleman (if he can stay healthy, although the touches/looks will decrease with Gordon and Landry on the field), Ogbah & Garret (again, if healthy), Peppers if he actually plays the position he is supposed to.

Even with this draft, Ward will have the chance as I'm assuming he starts week 1 so the opportunity will be there.

I think Garrett. May be more disruptive. If stepping up means game changing impact, he could be there. A second might be Ogbah. With improved CB play, they should ratchet up higher.

Zane Gonzalez

Peppers... I think he has the skills and I think this year, he'll be used as they had envisioned him to be used when drafted.

Of the 2018 Draft Class, I think the most likely to step up would be Ward.

good call here

Oh man, totally forgot about Garrett.. Could be Garrett or Peppers....

I get why people are saying Peppers, but I don't think he's really going to get much of an opportunity. Kindred is still here and played well last year. Peppers needs to earn a starting spot before he can worry about studding out.

I think Garrett is the big one that's going to show up this year. You could see the talent last year, but those nagging injuries and time off the field really did a number on him. A full offseason to heal up and get stronger is going to do that guy wonders (it does for everyone, but him especially).

My heart is telling me Ward because the defense needs that so much, but my head says that corners have a steep learning curve. I trust that he's going to be good, but his rookie year could be a tough one. I mean, he's gonna face Antonio Brown his first NFL game... poor bastard...

Ogbah should also show up. Not only because he's been improving and growing into a force in his own right, but teams worrying more and more about Garrett on the other side can only help Ogbah.

I think Gordon will be huge if clean, but I refuse to count on him. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. That said, Calloway could put up numbers as long as teams are worrying about Gordon.

Njoku is a beast and all, but he's still raw. I think he'll keep improving, but there's still too much to improve on to put him "on the list".

If Peppers plays league average this season it would be enormous. Dude was straight garbage last season.

I think Jurrasic Myles is about to make the Pro Bowl. Talk about a kid with a great head on his shoulders and the body to back it up. He is amazing.

I chose Ward and Landry, but should have included Myles. My bad.

I didn't because I feel like that's a no-brainer almost. If healthy, he should wreck it. There's zero reason, again with health not a concern, to think otherwise. If someone rolls up on him again in practice, I demand Hue Jackson let the fans throw stuff at whoever that person is lol.

Agreed. I thought we were going with 2nd or 3rd year players with the team ready for a breakout season.

Myles Garrett seemed too easy. I was thinking players more along the lines of Peppers, Kindred, Nassib, Ogbah, Devalve, Njoku, Coleman, and so on.