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’s rookie year is still tracking as a big win for Dallas and looking like they struck gold yet again with a first-round offensive lineman. Across 948 snaps and 694 pass-blocking reps, he’s been charged with only 23 pressures, six QB hits and one sack, that’s very clean for a first-year right guard. His overall PFF grade sits at 72.0 with a 62.4 pass-block grade and strong run-block numbers at 77.4, which ranks seventh among all guards this year. He’s already a plus people-mover in the run game and a solid, low-mistake protector and ESPN’s tracking loves him as a run blocker too, he’s at a 75% individual run block win rate, 10th among all interior linemen. The Cowboys’ line as a whole sits at 64% pass block win rate and 72% run block win rate (12th in the league in both categories). Even with a rougher Christmas outing versus Washington where he was tagged with a sack, his season has been solid with a very low pressure rate and consistently good movement at the point of attack.
This week the challenge is about the quality of rushers from the Giants. New York’s front is loaded with Brian Burns (who leads the team with 16.5 sacks) and rookie Abdul Carter off the edge, with Dexter Lawrence inside, plus a string of linemen in rotation that includes Chauncey Golston. ESPN’s pass-rush win-rate board has Carter at an 18% PRWR (8th among edges) and Burns at 16% (11th), so if the Giants slide or twist those guys inside on games, Booker is going to have to sort some real juice on stunts. Lawrence is still the star in the middle. As a unit, the Giants are dangerous when they rush, they’ve piled up 39 sacks (11th most) and sit ninth in team pass-rush win rate at 40%, even on a 3-13 team. The flip side is the run game and they’re 29th in run-stop win rate (28%) and have allowed 2,327 rushing yards (third most).
So for Booker, this is a prove-it matchup in pass pro against top-end rushers but also a chance to bully a soft run defense. His elite run-blocking stacks up really well against a front that’s been leaky on the ground, and Dallas should be able to lean on their run game again. In protection, the big key is handling exotic looks, passing off stunts, and anchoring against Lawrence without grabbing.
Grade: 72.0
Second Round
Ezeiruaku’s rookie year has been more about steady disruption than crazy sack numbers. Through Week 17 he has 39 total tackles with two sacks and nine tackles for loss. PFF grades him as a clear starter already with a 76.4 overall grade, which ranks 23rd among all...
