Washington Redskins Draft Countdown: Making the Case for Dante Fowler Jr.
Pure pass-rush ability and production, or hybrid versatility and defensive mixture? The Washington Redskins must decide which of those things they value most ahead of the 2015 NFL draft.
The answer will help new general manager Scot McCloughan choose the right edge-rusher from a quartet of top-tier prospects. He may find the strongest case can be made for former Florida Gators star Dante Fowler Jr.
He visited the Redskins on Wednesday, per NFL.com Media Insider Ian Rapoport (h/t College Football 24/7's Bryan Fischer), and McCloughan and head coach Jay Gruden probably noted Fowler ticks the boxes, from both a physical and scheme standpoint, to be Washington's bookend pass-rusher across from Ryan Kerrigan.
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At 6'3" and 261 pounds, Fowler has the length and bulky frame to set the edge and dominate every phase of an offense. The size to be a factor against both the run and the pass is not something fellow premier pass-rushing prospects Randy Gregory, Vic Beasley and even Shane Ray offer.
The ability to disrupt both facets of an offense is probably why B/R's Chris Simms believes Fowler is the top edge player in this draft:
But it's how Fowler would open up the playbook for new Redskins defensive coordinator Joe Barry that really recommends him to Washington. Barry, a former linebackers coach with the San Diego Chargers, will reportedly operate a more attacking 3-4 featuring plenty of 4-3 elements.
U-T San Diego's Michael Gehlken told B/R's Adam Lefkoe just how close Barry's D will be to a four-man front scheme:
Real Redskins blogger Rich Tandler echoed Gehlken's sentiments when he suggested Barry's unit will line up as a 4-3 a "significant percentage of the time." Fowler is perfect for such a scheme, and not just because he was ostensibly a 4-3 end at Florida.
That was really just a name-only label for what Fowler did. In reality, he played everywhere, as he recently explained to MMQB's Jenny Vrentas: "I played everywhere, from defensive end to 3-technique to head up over the center; even middle linebacker, Sam linebacker and Will. I played every position in the front seven, and that’s a big reason why I think I’m the most complete package."
It's that roving brief that no doubt encouraged B/R draft analyst Matt Miller to favorably compare Fowler to Chandler Jones, a versatile agent of destruction for the New England Patriots:
This is a comparison the Redskins should take special note of. Jones' flexibility allows Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to call possibly the most imaginative defense in football.
In a scheme designed on the premise of switching fronts almost snap-per-snap, Jones' alignment usually determines what New England's D will look like. He's the key to a defensive Rubik's Cube that Patriots opponents rarely figure out.
Sometimes that means lining up as a traditional 3-4 rush linebacker on the weak side, the way Jones did on this play from Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills:
Jones set the edge and forced running back C.J. Spiller to the sideline, where he was dropped for a one-yard loss.
Other times, Jones may align as a classic defensive end to allow the Patriots to show teams a traditional 4-3 look. That's what he did on this play from the Super Bowl:
Jones was again on the weak side, away from the tight end, as the Pats showed Seattle a 4-3 "Over" front with the strength of the defense shifted toward the tight end. Jones chased down dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson behind the line for a sack, costing the Seahawks three yards.
Those are just two examples of what Jones lets the Patriots do on base downs. It's carte blanche for the creative mind when it comes to the sub-package schemes.
On one play in Week 15's win over the Miami Dolphins, Jones operated as a 3-technique defensive tackle, shaded into the B-gap between the right tackle and guard:
He was part of a three-man front in a 3-3-5 package. Jones and his 6'5", 265-pound frame took on the guard and won before decking running back Daniel Thomas for no gain.
Later in the same game, Jones returned to the weak side, but this time aligned in a two-point stance as a standing edge-rusher:
Belichick and Patricia actually aligned fellow rush end Rob Ninkovich next to him. At the snap, Jones rushed, while Ninkovich bailed into short-range coverage. Jones sacked Miami passer Ryan Tannehill and forced a fumble in the process.
Imagine this same pressure front in Washington with Fowler lining up next to Kerrigan. Quarterbacks beware.
These images show four plays and four different alignments from Jones. Each play produced a negative result for the offense.
Significantly, no heavy blitzing was involved, thus not putting the secondary at risk. It was all just movement and disguise along the front.
But this type of scheming is only possible when a defense has the right malevolent chess piece on the field. Fowler showcases all the qualities that have made Jones invaluable in New England.
Highlights of his 2014 outing against Kentucky help prove the point:
It won't take long to notice how often Fowler moved around the formation for the Gators. At the 1:45 mark, he was a middle linebacker who attacked the weak A-gap on a delayed rush.
At 2:04, Fowler was standing as a stacked "Will" 'backer behind the weak-side end. Again, he delayed his rush before attacking the weak B-gap. Two delayed pressures forced a pair of rushed throws from the pocket.
On the next play, Fowler returned to putting his hand down, this time on the strong side of the formation. He set up the tackle superbly, first via outside steps, then smart hand usage to disengage and swat the tackle away, freeing him to crash the inside and deck the quarterback as he threw.
The results from this pass-rushing clinic were a huge hit and an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-9.
This was an important play to highlight because it shows that the natural instincts of a first-rate pass-rusher are evident in Fowler's game. He's not the quickest around the corner or the most explosive off the snap, but Fowler has the power, smarts and technical acumen to consistently win one-on-one matchups.
Because he isn't as dynamic as, say, Beasley and Gregory, some dub Fowler the proverbial "jack of all trades, master of none." The term is used by NFL Media analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks, who discuss the issue in the Scout's Take video featured in Fischer's NFL.com article.
The latter doesn't believe Fowler is a "top-five talent." By contrast, Jeremiah compares him to Oakland Raiders' 2014 top-five draftee Khalil Mack. It's a view shared by NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, as well as B/R's Chris Simms, who believes Fowler would complete a suddenly formidable front seven in Washington:
Mack is an interesting comparison for the same reasons as Jones. He's a player capable of making an impact at multiple spots against both the run and the pass.
That means playing the "Sam" position on the edge of a 3-4 and stuffing the run, the way Mack did on a 2nd-and-8 during Week 16's win over the Bills:
Other times, it may mean moving around formations to create pressure, the way Mack did for two sacks against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 14. The first play saw him put his hand down as a classic D-end:
Later, Mack started as a standing blitzer behind the line, similar to the plays where Fowler found himself at the linebacker level against Kentucky:
Brooks expanded on Jeremiah's Mack comparison by offering 49ers veteran Ahmad Brooks as a greater resemblance of Fowler's style and ceiling. The idea of Fowler as a "complementary piece" is an interesting one.
First, it's a common misconception to assume every 3-4 defense's best pass-rusher is the weak-side linebacker. NFL history features plenty of 3-4 fronts that tilted pass-rush strength to the other side.
Patriots legend Andre Tippett and well-traveled pressure specialist Kevin Greene are classic and enduring examples of rush linebackers who brought the heat from the strong side.
In today's game, Justin Houston of the Kansas City Chiefs is the prime example. Then, of course, there's Kerrigan, who led the Burgundy and Gold with 13.5 sacks in 2014.
The comparison to Brooks is also intriguing because it could hint at the type of defense the Redskins will favor under Barry, one Fowler is perfect for. Newly arrived D-tackle Ricky Jean Francois believe his coordinator wants a system underpinned by a four-man rush, per CSN Washington's Tarik El-Bashir:
"But at the same time, his one biggest thing is he wants his front four to get pressure. That was the biggest thing he emphasized. If he’s got DBs in the backend covering, he wants to be able to send that front four and drop seven. That’s every defensive coordinator’s dream to do. I want that dream to come true for him.
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With Francois and fellow new recruit Stephen Paea joining veteran Jason Hatcher to provide more pressure from the line and support Kerrigan, there'll be less onus on the other outside linebacker to be prolific.
It will be more important for that player to be flexible enough to vary his alignments and assignments. That means playing in space the way Brooks has often done while fellow rush end Aldon Smith has chased down quarterbacks for the 49ers.
When it comes to finding a replacement for Brian Orakpo and boosting a defense that registered just 36 sacks last season, McCloughan is spoiled for choice by this year's draft class.
Gregory is the most natural rusher, while Beasley is the fastest. Meanwhile, neither can match Ray's explosive first step, nor his thickness and leverage to get underneath and rock tackles.
But none of that trio will expand Washington's defensive schemes the way Fowler would.
If McCloughan's goes O-line, Iowa's Brandon Scherff is the pick. If he goes edge-rusher for the front seven, Fowler represents the best value.
All screen shots via CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NBC Sports and NFL.com Game Pass.
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