Taco Charlton Domination Highlights

Submitted by maizedandconfused on

Enough said,

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7764665

Showed off an impressive first step speed rush, and had some nice hands to fight inside when they set up outside... Was also impressed by a bull-rush.

Taco is approaching my level of excitement of Tacos in general.

Edit: Followup video has some highlights of Joe Mathis... he's an animal.

 

artds

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^

On a side note, it seems a bit unfair to the O-lineman that the DE essentially wins that exercise just by getting a finger on the pylon. In a game situation, getting a finger on the QB doesn't always lead to a sack. The lineman still does his job if he prevents the DE from interfering with the QB's throwing motion or keeps him from getting hurried.

That said, Taco looks incredibly quick.

Space Coyote

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^

Which is what really matters.  But as you said, this drill is incredibly unfair to the O-line.  

First, the target is completely stationary.  Second, the D-line knows there isn't any help or protection slides, or chips.  Third, it is essentially a pass play everytime.  Forth, no pads, and therefore nothing for the O-line to establish position with (the chest plate being what most offensive linemen are taught to grab).  Lastly, at this stage D-linemen are just way more fundamentally sound in their technique than O-linemen.  These drills heavily favor the D-line.

Still nice to see a good showing by Taco and Mathis looks really good as well.

Space Coyote

April 2nd, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^

All that really matters is how he performed relative to the other D-linemen at the camp, in which by almost all accounts he finished in the top 2.  So I am taking nothing away from his performance relative to others at the camp, I do believe he was most likely one of the best along with Mathis.  Mathis looked more to me like a SDE.  Both have things to work on (they are juniors in high school, so obviously), but having both of them on both sides of the lines would be very good.

Again, I wasn't trying to take away from his performance, just saying why you so frequently see DEs dominate the 1 v 1 drills.  Some just dominate more (Mathis and Taco).

Ron Utah

April 2nd, 2012 at 2:49 PM ^

Uh, yeah, it does favor the DL.  But it's also a basic drill that everyone does to help with technique and learning to win one-on-one battles, and it does show a players strengths and weaknesses (on both sides).

For example, Taco demonstrated amazing fast-twitch quickness (best of the group) and showed a couple of decent moves (rip and arm-over) with an ability to change direction mid-rush.  We also saw that he has decent strength once he gets locked-up, but is not strong enough to bull rush.  He definitely needs more strenght and needs to get better with his hands, and he appears to be a WDE only.  You can see all that from this drill.

Does this mean we should expect him to get a sack 5 out of 6 times he rushes the passer?  Of course not.  But it does show what a player is capable of, and I can't believe Taco isn't a 4-star on every service...his size/speed combination gives him a ceiling that I believe is higher than Mathis.

Speaking of Mathis, he looks very strong and reasonably quick.  I see him as an eventual SDE or 3-tech DT.  What a beast.  He's not as quick as Taco, but still has great burst, amazing strength, and better technique.

sundaybluedysunday

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^

I kind of looked at Charlton as more of a project type player where he had the physique to excel but would need a few years of coaching before he became any good, but he certainly seems way ahead of that and coule be very, very good. Playing basketball is probably very good for his quickness.

umfan323

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^

He will need to gain alot of weight, hopefully he keeps his speeed when he does gain ...

WolvinLA2

April 2nd, 2012 at 12:41 PM ^

Keep in mind that he's a year away from showing up to campus, so almost every prospect his age needs to gain weight, and most active 17 years olds are able to do that pretty easily.  He's listed at 240 though, so it's not like he needs to add 40 pounds or something. 

That said, he'll be behind Beyer and Clark at the WDE spot when he shows up, and likely Ojemudia too.  As good as he is, it will take a lot for him to get into the rotation, so he might be a redshirt candidate and he could just bring it full speed as a RS frosh a la Jake Ryan.

CLord

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^

"Taco is approaching my level of excitement of Tacos in general."

This may be the greatest sentence ever written on the internet.  Well played sir.

Skiptoomylou22

April 2nd, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^

Simply judging off those videos, he seems like more of a bulldozer than a Frank Clark. Tacos got weakside/3-4 LB written all over him. Id love to see Mathis taking double teams on the opposite side.

readyourguard

April 2nd, 2012 at 1:13 PM ^

I really hate these combines.  It's gotten to the point that kids are getting scholarship based on these summer performances.  I prefer to watch a kid IN PADS.  There are a lot of "Monday All-Americans" but for my money, give me the kid that performs on Friday night.

MrVociferous

April 2nd, 2012 at 1:25 PM ^

Dude, there's a big difference between an actual coach evaluating players and idiots sitting in front of a computer evaluating internet videos of kids at combines.  No coach worth his salt is offering a kid a scholarship based off of how well he did at a combine.  What the combines are good for, however, is raising a kid's profile and maybe getting some coaches to check out his game film when he otherwise might not have done so.  They also get a lot of instruction at these camps, which in turn helps the players develop into better players.

Magnus

April 2nd, 2012 at 5:45 PM ^

The instruction they get at these camps/combines is minimal.  These camps/combines are about competing with other top prospects and showing off for coaches to see.  Don't get me wrong - there's a little bit of technique work that goes on.  But by and large, if you're trying to improve your technique, you're better off working with a private coach or attending a camp at a small school.

WolvinLA2

April 2nd, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^

Here's the thing.  When it comes to evaluating high school football players, you really have two options - evaluating them at camps against other top talent from across the country, but usually not in pads (at least not full pads) or evaluating them in full pads in their HS games playing against a bunch of future accountants. 

There is value in both methods, and obivous faults in both as well.  So many of these guys are the top talent on their team, so the opposing team simply scheme against them, which doesn't give you a lot to go one sometimes.  Additionally, if Taco doesn't play against a top D1 OT prospect all season (likely, since there are only a few in his whole state), then you won't be able to tell much.  If you evaluated Shane Morris in his HS games only, he wouldn't be near the prospect he is.   

Lastly, the level of competition in high school varies so much.  Look at the competition Kalis played against, compared to who Jeremy Clark played against.  It's night and day.

htownwolverine

April 2nd, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^

The quickness he has it. The excitement I has it.

WOW! If we can have Taco, Ondre and possibly Mathis on the same line in a few years I will sound like this:

 

 

Lac55

April 2nd, 2012 at 5:20 PM ^

We have some great well spoken kids coming in representing the block M. Love the way he points to his hat at the end of the interview.