12-23-2021, 02:02 AM
(12-22-2021, 10:14 PM)basballguy Wrote: I was gonna post this in the ZT vs ML thread but didn't seem to fit there.
These were some of the scouting bullets recorded in 2016 on him....they are all still true...
• Apple has an almost pathological aversion to the football. He often doesn’t even attempt to look for the ball and make a play on it, instead choosing to stay focused on his man and play with his back to the quarterback. Last season, had just one pick and four pass breakups; there could have been many more INTs but for this flaw.
• Apple will whiff completely at times in the run game. He earned a solid grade in that area this season, so overall it's a strength, but when he misses, he tends to miss badly for big plays.
• He's out of his comfort zone (pun intended) playing in zone-coverage at the moment for Ohio State; prefers being able to lock onto a receiver.
• Apple can get too grabby in coverage; he likes to get hands on receivers and ride them through the route. He doesn’t need the contact to cover, so that should be fixable, but it will cost him flags early in the NFL.
You have to wonder what the Giants were thinking when drafting this guy in the 1st round...
Wait, I know
His name is Eli Apple. He plays in the big Apple. His qb is also named Eli
