Week 4 NFL Follow Squad Energy Rankings 2021: Freaks within the NFL, and the extraordinary James Wiggins

We use the time period “freak” usually when describing probably the most athletic NFL gamers. However, actually, within the grand scheme of issues, each participant to put on an NFL uniform is a bodily freak. 

And as a draft analyst, I’ve a detailed connection to this truth as a result of yearly I watch a plethora of faculty gamers with standout power, pace, leaping skill, and physique management finally look common as soon as they attain the professional ranks. It is an insane phenomenon I really feel our football-watching society does not absolutely grasp. 

I liken it to when, just lately, a bunch of dudebros challenged retired NBA journeyman Brian Scalabrine to a sport of 1-on-1, and the 6-foot-9 ahead who by no means averaged even 6.5 factors per sport in his professional profession mopped the ground with each challenger. We do not notice how wonderful NBA gamers are both.

Nevertheless it’s all relative proper? “Freak” within the skilled athlete sense is supposed to explain somebody significantly extra athletic than his contemporaries. Even when we do perceive that, we’re principally conscious of the freaks who additionally occur to be stars. Nonetheless, there are a litany of reputable NFL freaks on each roster, even if you happen to’ve by no means heard of them. 

And that is the place I are available to current to you James Wiggins, security, Arizona Cardinals. This man spent like 5 many years on the draft radar — he redshirted at Cincinnati all the best way again in 2016! You already know, two Olympics in the past. And, talking of freaks, I’ll ceaselessly marvel on the truth Wiggins was featured on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” Checklist thrice. Sure, in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Holy. Genetics. By the best way, Wiggins tore his ACL in August of 2019, missed the whole season, and nonetheless discovered his method onto Feldman’s rundown of probably the most athletic specimens on the faculty stage earlier than his tremendous senior yr. 

In 2018, earlier than the ACL tear, Wiggins had 4 interceptions — two of which have been “walk-off” winners — to go together with 54 tackles and 5 move breakups. In 2020, he had a decide, six move breakups, and 32 tackles in 9 video games. Together with his most efficient season coming earlier than a severe damage, it could’ve been utterly regular for Wiggins to go undrafted. 

However it is a licensed freak we’re speaking about right here — the Cardinals chosen him within the seventh spherical, No. 243 general. One other wonderful accomplishment for the previous Bearcats star. He deserves a shot on the sector, in a regular-season sport.  

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As for the Name Up Tally — The CUT — it’s now, triumphantly sitting at one. It feels wonderful. Derrek Tuszka, previously of the Broncos and now in Pittsburgh, was well elevated to the Steelers‘ 53-man roster forward of the membership’s Week 4 outing towards Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. 

For those who hear of a PSPR member getting The Name, alert me @ChrisTrapasso on Twitter, and be at liberty to make use of the hashtag #PSPR. Thanks upfront. Your subsequent drink’s on me. In Week 1, I shouted out PSPR alum Juwan Johnson for his two-touchdown masterpiece in Week 1. Week 2’s shout went to Payments defensive deal with and longtime PSPR member Justin Zimmer for his sack of Jacoby Brissett within the Payments’ shutout win in Miami.  

As a refresher, groups can have as much as 16 gamers on the observe squad with as much as six “veterans” on it, gamers with no limitations as to their variety of accrued seasons within the NFL. 

In a way, I am working the Follow Squad Energy Rankings parallel to the NFL. Meaning, as was the case final yr, I am not going to characteristic “veterans.” Telling you Le’Veon Bell would possibly ultimately be a helpful call-up for the Ravens‘ run sport was definitely not the basic intention of the PSPR.

To proceed to take care of the PSPR’s sterling integrity, I am going to solely be together with practice-squaders who’re rookies, second-year gamers, or third-year gamers. That is it. 

And as you will see beneath, I could not resist rating extra gamers, given the rise in observe squad sizes this season. To remain in keeping with the league’s determine, I hope to put in writing about 16 people each Friday: 10 formally within the rankings and 6 honorable mentions. 

Within the preseason, he amassed 97 yards on 20 carries with a rating, and three of these 20 carries went over 10 yards. And it is not as if he is solely a low-volume, scat again with unbelievable pace. Hawkins toted the rock 264 occasions at a 5.8 yards-per-carry clip in 2019 at Louisville. He performs larger than his measurement. 

I had a fourth-round grade on Inexperienced only a few months in the past. He checked many of the containers I’ve for a midround blocker who can are available and begin straight away. And he examined like a high-caliber athlete. For causes unbeknownst to me, Inexperienced went undrafted. However he protected like a — you guessed it — early Day 3 decide within the preseason with one allowed strain on 43 pass-blocking snaps. Naturally, the Texans launched him on cutdown day, as a result of Houston is totally set on its offensive line and does not want any younger and gifted blockers. Yeah proper. 

Haynes was Seattle’s fourth-round decide in 2019, and after starting his rookie season on PUP as a consequence of a sports activities hernia surgical procedure, he was thrust onto the sector within the Seahawks’ wild card spherical win over the Eagles in Philadelphia. And he appeared strong! He spent most of final season on IR with one other damage, however he is wholesome now and was dominant — principally towards backups — within the preseason. Plus, he examined like a extremely explosive guard prospect on the mix. 

Inserting Fulgham on the observe squad isn’t any solution to deal with your reigning workforce chief in receiving yards. However right here we’re. The kinda-sorta rebuilding Eagles waived Fulgham on the finish of August, which was bizarre to say the least. Certain, they’ve invested closely in younger wideouts of late however, umm, Fulgham is a younger wideout who made probably the most of his alternative in 2020 with 539 yards and 4 touchdowns at greater than 14 yards per seize. Do I feel Fulgham is the subsequent DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin in Philly? No. He is in all probability not. However he is deserving of the highest spot within the PSPR. 

5. James Wiggins, S, Cardinals

Nothing towards Deionte Thompson or Jalen Thompson, the Cardinals safeties clearly within the background of star Budda Baker, however let’s get Wiggins some run, Kliff. Wiggins is a rocked-up 6-foot, 205-pounder who WAS ON THE FREAKS LIST THREE TIMES, REMEMBER?!

Carter has the girth, leverage, burst, and simply sufficient pass-rush strikes to be a productive contributor if he will get The Name in Arizona. I am very excessive on him. 

He is at No. 6 this week merely because of the veteran edge-rushing expertise in entrance of him on the Cardinals’ 53-man roster proper now. 

It will take greater than a first-year minimize for me to drop my #TrustTheTape draft crush from the 2021 class. Newsome appeared electrical on movie however flopped on the North Carolina Professional Day. Then, within the offseason, he broke his collarbone. So issues have gone sideways for Newsome after he stepped off the sector in Chapel Hill. Nonetheless, on the sector, he is a slippery slot wideout with severe YAC juice who could be helpful in as we speak’s separation/YAC primarily based NFL. 

The Payments grabbed Lewis from close by College at Buffalo through the undrafted free company frenzy instantly following the 2019 draft. And he is quietly gone about his enterprise in two preseasons by permitting simply 91 yards on 10 receptions, and he is clung to a practice-squad spot in Buffalo as a result of he is a super-steady tackler in house. Head coach Sean McDermott loves that from his corners. 

The Seahawks are the Patriots of the NFC in that they adore late-round and undrafted free agent receivers. Johnson would be the subsequent against-all-odds story in Seattle, a small, crisp route-runner who’s feisty after the catch and hauls in all the pieces thrown in his path. Sound like all just lately productive Seahawks receiver?

Bradley-King had 4 pressures on 40 pass-rush snaps within the preseason. That is not superior. It is also not brutal, and the sixth-round decide made an influence towards the run this summer time. He additionally indicated his arrow is pointing up on the sector in faculty. Bradley-King was a productive rusher at Arkansas State however transferred to Baylor, and the brilliant lights of the Large 12 weren’t too large for him. He is a fast, comparatively flexible and stocky rusher with lengthy arms and a pleasant array of pass-rushing strikes. 

Honorable Point out

David Moore, OG, Browns

Moore is a mauler with a pure heart of gravity offensive line coaches dream about throughout REM sleep. He was just below 6-2 and 330 kilos at his professional day earlier than the draft. After a blinding profession at Grambling State, Moore acquired a Senior Bowl invite and thrived in Cell. He is not going to be probably the most athletic blocker if you happen to’re working a zone scheme, however he is fast sufficient off the ball to be efficient on hole runs, and he is very near being NFL sturdy already. Plus, no defensive deal with goes to stand up and beneath him to drive him into the quarterback. 

Kenny Robinson, S, Panthers

Robinson is one other security — like Wiggins — with a moderately uncommon journey story. After starring at West Virginia with seven interception in his first two seasons taking part in for the Mountaineers, he was expelled from the college as a consequence of an educational fraud subject, however as an alternative of transferring, he opted to play within the XFL. Robinson to take that street so he may receives a commission to assist pay for his mom’s most cancers therapies. And he had two picks in 5 video games for the St. Louis BattleHawks. Robinson was then picked by the Panthers within the fifth spherical of the 2020 draft. 

Hjalte Froholdt, OG, Texans

Inform me this is not a reputation that feels like a devastating guard. Froholdt was a fourth-round decide by the Patriots — you know the way Invoice Belichick adores these midround blockers — however spent his rookie season on IR after a shoulder damage in that pesky remaining preseason sport. At Arkansas, the Denmark native was astounding. Stellar run blocking and a squeaky clear pass-protection resume. He examined like an above-average athlete on the 2019 mix, too. Froholdt can play. Simply wait. 

Cortez Broughton, DT, Chiefs 

Broughton was a late-round decide by the Chargers in 2019, and he possesses the first-step quickness and suppleness to provide as a rotational pass-rushing specialist when known as upon. He had 7.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss — whereas taking part in a good quantity of his snaps out of place at defensive finish — throughout his remaining yr at Cincinnati. The Chiefs well scooped him up after their most formidable division rival let him go this August. 

Stephen Sullivan, TE, Panthers

Sullivan was buried on the receiving pecking order at LSU, and the Seahawks tried to morph him right into a defensive finish after choosing him within the seventh spherical two years in the past. Again to his pure place in Carolina, Sullivan has an opportunity to make a splash with out a bunch of stars in entrance of him. He is 6-5 and 248 kilos with 4.66 pace and a catch radius the dimensions of a Chevy Tahoe.

Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Titans

Most likely the NFL’s most egregious subsequent choices from the draft to cutdown day, the Titans traded up in Spherical 4 to choose Fitzpatrick in April, and he did not even make the workforce out of camp. Now, I am unable to let you know precisely why that occurred. Nevertheless it did. Fitzpatrick has good measurement, 4 years of strong manufacturing in faculty, sub 4.50 pace, eager route-running skill, and he caught three passes for 58 with a landing within the preseason. 

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