Pass Rushing 101 via 2022 NFL Draft Pros
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During Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Combine media interviews, the goal was to speak to as many of the NFL Drafts top pa s rushers and figure out the method behind the madne s.I asked over a dozen players their pa s rush plans by alignment, specific go-to moves, where they picked up the move and some of their favorite counters. These conversations help you understand what goes through the minds of some of the best pa s rushers in the game. EDGE David Ojabo (Michigan)Bell: What are your go-to moves when rushing off the edge?Ojabo: Probably like a ghost, a dip/rip or probably the spin.Bell: Did you get the ghost move from Von Miller?Ojabo: Uh, yeah a little bit of everything, man. I watch <a href="https://www.wildjerseymall.com/matt-dumba-jersey">Matt Dumba Jersey</a> Von Miller, Frank Clark, too. All of them. They do a good job of taking it away, ya know. Bell: What's the next pa s rushing move that you're trying to add to your game?Ojabo: Probably to get solid with my long arm. That would be good, I got a long wing span. DL DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M)Bell: Having played all over the defensive line, can you walk me through the difference in rushing on the interior versus off the edge?Leal: Rushing in the interior, it's a lot quicker. You know usually you get one or ones or double teams. As a defensive end, you're on an island. It's more likely than you'll get a running back to try and chip you but usually, you're on an island. Bell: What's your favorite pa s rushing move and who do you model those after?Leal: So on the inside, it's a two piece, cro s chop. Basically, I got that from Aaron Donald. On the outside, it's a long arm so J.J. Watt. EDGE Boye Mafe (Minnesota)Bell: What are some of your go-to moves off the edge?Mafe: I would say the inside stab or double swipe on the outside, something to just defeat that outside hand. So I like to hit that, bend around the corner and then throw that top hand. Bell: With your explosivene s, did you notice that tackles were starting to play you differently over the last two years to counter that?Mafe: Yeah, I mean teams started to gameplan that. Playing teams, after the game, sometimes I would walk acro s and ask them, what was your gameplan? So you hear that. Teams sending a chipper, sending a tackle high and then having a guard there to cheat the inside move. So there's always multiple ways to cheat or defeat the speed type of pa s rusher.Bell: When tackles start to overset, what's your favorite counter to that?Mafe: <a href="https://www.wildjerseymall.com/erik-haula-jersey">Erik Haula Jersey</a> Whatever comes natural at that point. With it being a counter, you can't really pick that or predetermine it, that's just something that comes natural to you. Every situation is different. DL Zach Carter (Florida)Bell: Having played off the edge and inside, can you walk me through the difference in your pa s rush plan depending on where you're lined up?Carter: When I'm on the edge everything starts with speed and getting off the ball, making the tackle kick. So usually my plan is, I'm going to try to the spot. That <a href="https://www.wildjerseymall.com/jonas-brodin-jersey">Jonas Brodin Jersey</a> 's what were taught, five yards behind the offensive lineman. If he turns his shoulders, I might run through him, I might go inside. If he keeps kicking, I might try to just get around him. It just depends. Inside, it depends on what the guard gives me. You're not working with as much space. I like to use more of my quickne s inside, get off the ball and counter a lot because guards will try to jump set me because I'm quick.Bell: Do you have a go-to move on the inside and outside?Carter: Outside, I like to work off the stab. With the stab, you can do a long arm, stab/ghost. stab/club, stab/chop/club. Inside, I like to use swipes and swims.Bell: With already having so many different moves, is there a specific player that you watched? Who's your favorite player to watch?Carter: I feel everyones favorite player should be Aaron Donald. He's different. I like to watch J.J. Watt, he's kind of my body type, bigger end type of guy that can win inside and outside. I see what he does, I would like to add some of that to my game. DL Logan Hall (Houston)Bell: Can you walk me through your pa s rush plan whenever you're working inside?Hall: So typically I like to start off with a power rush to make them respect my power. Then I'll throw a curveball, throw an outside/inside swipe. Then I'll just work off of there, whatever they give me, i'll take. Bell: Do you have a favorite move and is there pa s rusher that you model your game after?Hall: My favorite move is the swim move. I would say Arik Armstead, Deforest Buckner. DL Joshua Paschal (Kentucky)Bell: Can you walk me through the difference in your pa s rush plan when working inside versus outside?Paschal: Yeah, say I'm working a 5 technique and I'm rushing off the edge, in the NFL, you're going to get your punch on the third kick You want to beat that tackle before he gets to the third kick. You want to make these tackles uncomfortable. Then when you move inside against guards or centers, of course you have to know if the slide is coming to you or not. That's more of a feel thing when the ball is hiked. If you can pick up some tendencies before that through different <a href="https://www.wildjerseymall.com/devan-dubnyk-jersey">Devan Dubnyk Jersey</a> motions or pre-snap alignment. As far as rushing inside, it happens quicker and it's right now. The guard may only have a second before you make contact. With rushing inside, you really want to create space, too. Especially with a body like mine, a bigger body for an EDGE but you're quicker for an interior guy, as well. Bell: Do you have a favorite pa s rush move and someone that you model your game after?Paschal: Of course everybody loves Aaron Donald but that's something that I love watches because he rushes from the 5 all the way down and that's what I do as well. I try to watch how he takes on those slide protections. If I'm in a 3 or 2i, I know the slide is going to fall to me so that's something that I study. My favorite pa s rush moves interior wise and outside, I love power rushes. More speed to power and then working off of that. Whether it's long arm, the jab with the swipe. Different things like that and I've been working on some stuff during this time period, as well. EDGE Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati)Bell: Can explain some of your go-to moves?Sanders: My go-to move is always going to be the side-sci sors. 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