My initial goal when starting this draft series was to highlight prospects at the positions of biggest need on the current Ravens roster. As a linebacker listed at 6’1” and 230 lbs, Myles Jack may not be the type of player that fits that mold, but the more I have gone back and studied him I think he has a good chance to be the best defensive player in this class. Jack is an incredibly gifted athlete with elite speed and short area burst. He came out of High School as a two-way player at RB and even toted the rock at UCLA 68 times, scoring 11 offensive TDs. His skillset also perfectly fills a gaping hole in the Ravens defense: elite pass coverage in the middle of the field, compiling 19 pass deflections and 4 interceptions over 2 and half seasons in college. All this said, I am not necessarily advocating taking a non-rush linebacker in the top 5 of the NFL draft, but Jack’s unique talent makes him a player any team will covet.
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I’ve already mentioned that Jack is an elite coverage linebacker, but before I dive further into that aspect of his game I want to highlight how he fares against the run. When watching Jack play, the first thing that jumps off the screen is his speed. He is truly the epitome of a sideline to sideline player. In UCLA’s 3-4 defense, you will see Jack lined up in several different positions including OLB, ILB, and slot CB. In the play below, he is playing SAM OLB and it’s a great example of how his speed translates on the football field. When the ball is snapped, he first gets a quick chip on the TE before positioning himself on the outside shoulder of the H-back to maintain outside contain. As soon as the ball is pitched to the RB, Jack takes an aggressive angle to chase down the ball-carrier and blow up the play before it ever had a chance.
This next play is not a traditional run play, but I believe it demonstrates the kind of skills necessary for an ILB in run defense. Kansas State runs an inside shovel pass designed to take advantage of LBs in coverage while also avoiding the stout UCLA defensive line. By all accounts this play should have resulted in a TD, but Jack is able to easily shed the TE trying to block him and stand up the RB with a full head of steam to keep him out of the endzone until his teammates can rally to the ball.
Evaluating Jack as a run defender can be somewhat challenging because he is often used at CB or OLB, but I can say with confidence that he has great instincts and uses his quickness and agility well to leverage and shed blockers. Here, you see him diagnose the run quickly, attack the pulling Center, shed the block, and wrap up the ball-carrier. In this next play, he once again attacks an offensive lineman violently, rocking the blocker backwards. In no way would he be a liability in run defense, and his speed, instincts, and strong tackling suggest he will be an asset in this area as well.
As a pass-rusher, Jack is mostly used off the edge as an OLB although he demonstrates the ability to blitz from an ILB position as well. He has some quickness off the edge and is able to “get skinny” to hit a hole, but this was not an area in which he was utilized very frequently in college. Considering his ability to cover pretty much any offensive player on the field this should come as no surprise.
If I were to look at 3 dozen plays of Jack playing as a slot CB and was asked to evaluate him strictly as DB, I think he would still come away with a first round grade. It’s almost hard to believe you are watching a 230 lb linebacker running step by step with WRs in man coverage, but he does it with regularity. Below, you see Jack carrying the slot WR down the seam and intercepting the underthrown pass with ease. His experience on offense comes through here as well as he demonstrates explosive speed in the return. In the next play, Jack sticks to his assignment like glue, completely taking away this option.
These are just two examples of any number of plays where Jack completely blankets a slot receiver, TE, or RB. Considering the deficiencies the current Ravens linebackers and CBs have demonstrated in this area, Jack’s playmaking and coverage ability would be a welcome addition.
Some may question whether Jack is big enough to play ILB in a 3-4 defense, but I do not have this concern. It may be true that he is best suited to play OLB in a 4-3 defense, but I firmly believe that talented players like Jack will work in any scheme. It is also important to note that Jack’s Junior season was cut short by a torn meniscus, and teams will have to do their due diligence to make sure there are no long term ramifications because of the injury.
While his abilities and overall talent make Myles Jack an intriguing option for the Ravens, I am still hesitant about drafting another LB with an early 1st round pick. I do think he will be taken somewhere in the top half of the first round and will jockey with fellow standout Jaylon Smith to be the first linebacker taken. He could be another player the Ravens target if they trade back in the first round.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.