Jonathan Marshall will have to ‘burst’ his way onto NY Jets roster | Film

Rookie defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall will have to use his burst and athleticism this August if he has any designs on making the NY Jets roster. Barring a trade, the New York Jets were up for the last time in the 2021 NFL draft in the sixth round at pick No. 207. Fans joked prior to the draft (and even during the draft) that the Jets had so many holes they could actually select any position because of the number of holes on the roster---minus defensive tackle, of course, the one spot Rex Ryan and Mike Maccagnan always made sure to keep loaded at all times. Well, what do you know? The Jets selected Arkansas defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall with that last pick. Fans initially groaned at the selection until they saw some of the numbers that Marshall posted at his pro day. Marshall posted a 9.99 RAS (relative athletic score) out of a possible 10, which is the second-highest score of 1,309 defensive tackles since 1987. The bulk of that RAS score came from his 1.67-second 10yard split, 2.70-second 20-yard split, 4.88-second 40-yard dash, 32-inch vertical jump, 114-inch broad jump and 36 bench reps. All of these are absurdly impressive numbers, all in the 80th+ percentile, with most being closer to the 90th percentile. Impressive, to say the least. As I’ve stated before, I’m a firm believer in choosing elite athletic talent in the later rounds of the NFL draft with the hopes the coaching staff can mold/fix the technique that led to the drop into the later rounds. Marshall offers those elite athletic traits in bundles. Let’s take a look at some plays showcasing Marshall’s major strengths and weaknesses. Below, you will also find a full list of strengths and weaknesses, plus a member-only episode of Blewett’s Blitz that digs into everything Jonathan Marshall (over 45 minutes long). Blewett's Blitz Podcast Episode Highlighted strength: Explosion Marshall (lined up at 3-tech on the left side) picks/penetrates as a part of the TT stunt between himself and the NT. The center blocks "back" to Marshall as they run a counter OF away from him. The center gets lateral, expecting to find Marshall working upfield. Marshall loads up on the left leg to explode inside while ducking into the center's inside shoulder and exploding through it. He finds the running back and completely cuts of his track for the tackle for loss. Highlighted weakness: Effort Marshall (1-tech) playing at nose tackle is responsible to slant hard into the A-gap to the right of the center (Marshall's left). The offense runs a tight/inside one out of this gun set. Marshall comes off of the ball with little effort, barely fights to hold ground against the block--- let alone actually attempt to find the running back to make a play outside of his assignment. He will see his playing time cut short very quickly in the NFL if this shows up on tape, especially under Robert Saleh and especially with the Jets depth chart at defensive line. Strengths Burst Quick Team Captain Gets hands up for pass deflections Awareness of "ice pick" Flashes of tight leverage and elbows show up See spin moves show up as a counter Power Takes open chest Can create pushback when he drives his legs Loose hips Explosive Good bull rushes and rip moves show up Lateral agility Can get skinny through tight gaps Weaknesses Hand usage Awareness of blocking schemes Anchor Inconsistent snap timing Balance Let o-lineman control chest Widens his rush too often Washed by combo blocks Overall technique Shouldn't two-gap Trouble stacking Lacks counters Effort Plays high too often Knocked off-path easily Ducks head often Full Blewett's Blitz Film Breakdown https://vimeo.com/568204606