2023 Class: Build An Offense (Skill Positions)
In this article:
There is much talent in the 2023 class with many unique skillsets. With those talents, we ponder where some of these players fit in an NFL offense? So in this piece were going to fit players into an NFL offense…
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Continue ReadingThere is much talent in the 2023 class with many unique skillsets. With those talents, we ponder where some of these players fit in an NFL offense? So in this piece were going to fit players into an NFL offense to illustrate better the myriad of skillsets that lies in the skill positions, of the 2023 class.
For this article, we’re using coach Sean McVay’s offense of the Los Angles Rams. Traditionally, McVay and the Rams have a run system with a lot of outside zone runs, with play-action off it to set up their staple deep over routes. Using the highest amount of two-tight end sets in the league his first couple of seasons. Now, bringing in QB Matthew Stafford coach McVay had to adjust his system running more 11 personnel (1 tightend, 1 runningback) with more shotgun snaps rather than traditional under the center snaps. We will put together an offense with just skill position players for this specific article:
QB1- Austen Frattura Austen Frattura 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Sparta | 2023 State NJ , Sparta
QB2- Kevin Burr Jr Kevin Burr Jr 6'3" | 210 lbs | ATH Rancocas Valley | 2023 State NJ , Rancocas Valley
Austen doesn’t have many similarities to Stafford standing at 6’1 195 and Stafford standing 6’3 220. Where they do, however, compare is in arm talent and the propensity to make throws at tough angles, and the ability to fit the ball into the tightest windows, while under pressure. Austen is hands down the best quarterback in this class in terms of throwing under pressure. He has meticulous study habits and would be able to execute what Coach McVay asks from his quarterbacks when it comes to the staple plays and routes in his system:
Here we see Austen practicing the deep over route from under center off play-action of a gap run concept:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 10, 2022
Here Stafford is trying to hit the deep over on the run of an outside zone concept, although an incompletion, McVay loves to call these routes under center off play-action:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 10, 2022
Now here’s Austen throwing the deep over, out of a 3×1 look in a game, with great accuracy. McVay had to add more 3×1 looks of shotgun to adjust to the skillset of Stafford:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 10, 2022
Austen Frattura Austen Frattura 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Sparta | 2023 State NJ would be perfect for this system due to his ability to throw on the move and to be accurate in the deep portions of the field when the opportunities present themselves. Also shows the ability to execute concepts off of play-action.
At quarterback two, we slid in Kevin Burr Jr Kevin Burr Jr 6'3" | 210 lbs | ATH Rancocas Valley | 2023 State NJ due to the body type that coach McVay has had during his tenure as the Rams head coach. He had 6’4 Jared Goff and 6’3 Matthew Stafford. Kevin Burr Jr Kevin Burr Jr 6'3" | 210 lbs | ATH Rancocas Valley | 2023 State NJ is legit 6’4 and based on his testing numbers from the PSR combine one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the state of New Jersey. Offering coach McVay another element that he could employ with his offense, in terms of read-option plays, RPOs, and designed quarterback runs. That he couldn’t run with Goff or Stafford.
The National list from @ScoutNickP just came out and 3rd out of ALL qbs is not bad. @CoachLucas74 @PrepRedzoneNJ @edaniels77 @fatherofballers @RVRHS_Athletics pic.twitter.com/YCDVOJ8Nww
— Kevin Burr Jr Kevin Burr Jr 6'3" | 210 lbs | ATH Rancocas Valley | 2023 State NJ (@KevinBurrJr1) May 26, 2022
X: WR Zion Fowler Zion Fowler 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR St. Peter's Prep | 2023 State NJ , St. Peter’s Prep
Coach McVay, especially this season, was given a receiver who could consistently win on the outside and run the full depth of the tree in WR Odell Beckham. It presented challenges for opposing defenses when trying to double Cooper Kupp. Whether to double Kupp or let Odell have his way one on one with any defensive back.
Fowler would present the same type of issue at this position that Odell brings to the table. Fowler’s body type is more similar to Vikings WR Justin Jefferson’s (Fowler 6’1 185, Jefferson 6’1 195). Fowler offers the inside-outside versatility as Jefferson brings, with every route at every alignment as an option. With the way coach Mcvay loves to constantly moves his receivers around. Fowler would slide in nicely with what the Rams like to do with their X receivers:
Here, the 49ers reacting to the Kupp jet motion leaving Odell one on one with man coverage:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Fowler has the same look winning on an almost identical route, and does a great job of giving the defensive back zero opportunity to get hands-on:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Fowler has a similar skillset to the current crop of elite WRs in the NFL today. If he keeps developing like we’re currently seeing he could very well be a draft pick of the Rams in the not-too-distant future.
Z: WR Najih Rahman Najih Rahman 5'11" | 195 lbs | WR Red Bank Catholic | 2023 State NJ , Red Bank Catholic
McVay asks all his receivers to block at a high level. Specifically, his “Z” receivers are players who have to do the dirty work and make tough chain-moving catches. For years, this role was manned by current Tennesee Titans WR Robert Woods. A do-it-all receiver who could make a highlight block and make tough catches at every level of the field.
Rahman has those same types of qualities in his game. He has the ability to make tough catches, get open at every level, and block and do the dirty work. Rahman and Woods’s body types have some similarities. When Woods came out of USC he was 6’0 with a 79in wingspan weighing 200lbs, Rahman is 5’11 with a 74in wingspan and weighs about 190lbs. Woods also ran a 4.61 forty and if we had to prognosticate Rahman should be running in the 4.6-4.5 range.
Robert Woods does a great job getting open against Cover 3:
Nice Route! pic.twitter.com/qJJSOYV04F
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Rahman does an excellent job of getting open versus zone for a touchdown, similar to Woods he’s good at recognizing how to get open versus zone:
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
The blocking by WRs is essential for Mcvay’s Offense Woods throws a great block here for a good gain:
one of the best blocking WRs ever pic.twitter.com/ZynHi9sA9T
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Rahman takes great pride in his blocking which makes him an ideal fit in the Rams’ offense:
blocking matters at the WR position pic.twitter.com/iYiJngNfUp
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Slot: WR Omaree Walker Omaree Walker 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH St. Thomas More | 2024 State NewE , Don Bosco
This year more than ever McVay featured Cooper Kupp as a huge part of the offense. With Kupp’s ability to get open in the short to intermediate levels, and connection with QB Matthew Stafford he displayed how important it is to be able to have a dependable receiver you can go to when times are tough.
Omaree Walker Omaree Walker 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH St. Thomas More | 2024 State NewE runs routes and gets open similarly to Cooper Kupp. We are by no means comparing him to Kupp, but simply stating that he would fit nicely in this role.
This is an example of Kupp getting open underneath with nice moves for a touchdown, against off-coverage:
Oops lol pic.twitter.com/IAulF8OtqI
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Omaree is practicing the same thing here, he possesses that same type of shiftiness and suddenness when running routes:
The DB was like ” Nahhhh im good” 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/rAONcWPaWo
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
HB: HB Brandon Boria Brandon Boria 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB Cherokee | 2023 State NJ , Cherokee
When the Rams first drafted Cam Akers they knew he was the most dynamic back on the roster. Due to his inability to pass block effectively, coach, McVay had him third on the depth chart behind two vets despite his talents, back in 2020 he echoed the same sentiments here: “I just want to continue to see him mature, ascend, and really continue to learn how to compete without the ball – understanding where he fits in protections,” McVay said.
As far as Brandon Boria Brandon Boria 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB Cherokee | 2023 State NJ goes he’s the only back that we watched in this class that added pass blocking to his highlight tape and takes it seriously. In addition, Boria favors well to newly drafted running back Kyren Williams out of Notre Dame. He measured at the combine at 5’9 194 and ran a 4.5, while Boria is 5’8 190 and runs a 4.4. Similarly, to Kyren Williams and Cam Akers, Boria is solid in the passing game being a legit dual-threat for an offense.
McVay traditionally runs outside zone on the majority of his run plays but since his system has evolved he has added more gap schemes:
Outside Zone is the staple run play in a Sean McVay offense:
OZ STAPLE pic.twitter.com/cvGJwvHM52
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
In recent years McVay has added more gap scheme runs, specifically here using WRs as pullers to lead block :
Rams Gap Scheme runs are beautiful 😍 pic.twitter.com/cgfVHXfVGG
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Boria executes a more traditional power look similar to the previous clip:
great run pic.twitter.com/hRwrigi7rJ
— EJ Daniels (@edaniels77) June 13, 2022
Coach McVay and the Rams would love to have Boria as a running back on their roster.