Blogging The Boys
Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com)
First Round
Booker walks into an Arizona front that wins with group effort rather than with one wrecking ball. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis loves to bring A-gap heat with twists designed to pry open the B-gap. That’s the real stressor for a right guard, it’s not the first punch, but the second and third. Expecting Josh Sweat and Calais Campbell to creep inside on passing downs and a steady dose of slants meant to turn the shoulders of guards.
The Cardinals have been feisty on third down where they allow the seventh-best third-down conversion rate allowed. But Booker can flip that script. Duo and inside zone don’t need to be home runs, but they need four yards or so.
In Booker
In Booker’s last two starts since returning, Dallas has allowed just three sacks on 65 dropbacks while rushing for 260 yards and four touchdowns, with the interior playing a big part here so the pocket could hold up. Against Washington, the offense punched in 3-of-4 red-zone trips and ran for 152 yards. Last week in Denver it was a grind, but the team did score two rushing touchdowns, with one coming directly behind Booker. That’s the kind of short-yardage blows you need from a guard’s pad level and power.
Grade: 67.2
Second Round
Ezeiruaku’s rookie tape this season has slowly been a steady climb. He’s moved from backup player to a real rotation piece, and the production finally matched the process with his first NFL sack against Washington. The traits are now showing up every week with his varied get-off, a stubborn long arm, and rush-lane discipline that keeps the quarterback boxed in when he’s on the field. Add a handful of drive-shaping hurries, a forced fumble earlier in the month, and solid screen retraces, and Dallas has got a young edge who is slowly finding his feet.
The rough edges are the fixable kind. He’ll occasionally push too deep on the pass rush and let the QB climb like he did in Denver, or hit plays a tick too hot and open the cutback he’s supposed to close. When tackles sit on the long arm, the counter has arrived a little late, and when tight ends chip, his first step can drift high and steal his leverage. All he needs now is to start to bring the counter earlier on long downs, and keep the outside hand free so he can set the edge and still transition into the rush.
Against Arizona, the job is all about patience. The Cardinals lean on play-action, boots, and plenty of movement in the pocket to blur the picture, so his best work will come from smart rush plans early in the game.
Grade: 73.7
