[Nasternak]

Previously: Hello post

I know I’m fortunate to have David willing and able to go all over the Midwest to film games for FBO, but the way things have been going I’m going to have to have one of those quarterback-takes-his-linemen-to-dinner dinners at the end of the season. Not only did he make three consecutive trips to Ohio, but he had to sit through three separate lightning delays. Thanks a lot, Ohio. At least you produce good football players.

Which brings us to Joey Velazquez. The three-star “safety” isn’t really a safety but is very much a Viper, and any player Don Brown wants to play Viper is probably going to have some entertaining film. Velazquez is a blitzy heat-seeking missile with the instincts and speed to blow up a play in the backfield and the motor to chase down anything that might have gotten away. Come for the nine minutes of film, stay for the times no one blocks Velazquez on a well-timed blitz.

[Hit THE JUMP for video and scouting]

Every-Snap Film

LB #9, black socks and shoes

Scouting

Velazquez moves with the speed and hits with the violence expected of a Don Brown Viper when given Khaleke-Hudson-vs-Minnesota opportunities, timing his blitzes perfectly from the edge at 00:56 and 8:27, and lining up in the middle and teeing off on a very unfortunate running back at 00:18 in this highlight package (our camera malfunctioned for one play and of course it was a FF TD). At 00:17, 3:12 and 3:20 you can see he understands angles, as he doesn’t sell out speed-wise to get across horizontally at a bad angle, instead anticipating where the runner should be and taking a more diagonal path. Another example of heady play is at 6:25, where he diagnoses quickly (ignore the fake, get to the back on the edge) and with the distraction of a hard-charging lineman. When he misdiagnoses a play he works to the ball, as he does at 6:35. Spins off contact and runs down the play from behind at 7:51, showing very good closing speed. There are examples of good short-area plays all over his film; his closing on running backs when unblocked is really impressive, as seen at 4:50 and 7:18. Start at 8:27 and watch through 8:42 and you’ll see why he’s going to play Viper.

Velazquez didn’t take a block head on very much in this game, instead playing the role of blitzy linebacker who took a hard step forward and rerouted for the ball no matter where it went. He didn’t get stuck on a block at 1:41 or 7:42 and still went for the QB, which is indicative of the effort he showed throughout the game. The first play on the reel shows that he has the athleticism to slip around blocks, and though he may pick the wrong lane at least he has the good sense to try and duck around the blocker to get to the back. He set the edge consistently, and though there were times runs went up the middle I don’t think that’s on him as I figure that he was doing his job on the edge in funneling the back to a teammate who wasn’t there.

Velazquez seems comfortable in coverage, as you can see at 4:15 when he takes a zone drop and flips his hips at the right time to adjust to the movement of the receiver. He disrupts a receiver’s route at 2:10 with a jam that sends the receiver veering off course and leads to an incompletion. His speed picking up receivers in the flat is impressive, as seen in the play at 2:47, which isn’t a huge surprise give his ability to close quickly on running backs. 

Summary

Velazquez is athletic and physical, checking the two most important boxes on the Viper checklist. He is at his best when lined up on the edge, particularly when asked to blitz; he can get caught in the wash at times when playing inside. He times blitzes extremely well and drives through ballcarriers.

Velazquez changes direction fluidly in zone coverage and displays very good awareness of where receivers are behind him. He was not asked to carry a back or receiver in man coverage in this game but he was at his best when his assignment was clearly designated presnap, and I don’t think he would have any difficulty with man coverage given that plus his speed.

Showed a solid ability to diagnose running plays, a quick burst to close on them, and the tenacity to run them down when he guessed incorrectly. Running backs did at times pick up big gains through the middle when he was setting a hard edge, but it appeared that he was playing his assignment and funneling the back inside. When he knows where the play is going, has a burst/second gear that erases time and space and makes him ideally suited to playing Viper over either of the interior spots.