Why Leighton Vander Esch is the next T.J. Watt
One of the top linebackers in the NFL should look very familiar to Steelers fans
T.J. Watt was one of the best defensive rookies in Pittsburgh Steelers history last season. He is one of only three players in team history with seven sacks in his first season. For most outside linebackers, that would be more than enough production for a veteran, much less a rookie, but Watt did far more than rush the passer. He was solid in coverage and against the run, he forced a fumble, and he was the only linebacker in the NFL of any age to finish with 50 tackles, five sacks, five passes defensed and an interception. Watt now appears destined for future stardom in ways far greater than the team initially envisioned for him. He is just as good a pass-rusher as the team expected. The added value comes in how well he does everything else.
That is the model that teams look for at linebacker nowadays. The era of two-down players is coming to a close. Teams are comfortable passing on any down, and a linebacker therefore needs to be able to drop into coverage and rush even if the offense is expected to run. The less a player can do, the more teams can take advantage of those weaknesses by identifying one-dimensional players and attacking them. Watt is an outside linebacker by name only. He is really just a playmaker. And that is what the Steelers need with
Ryan Shazier, someone who can line up in the middle of the defense and make plays no matter what the situation.
That is a very nice description of
Leighton Vander Esch, one of the NFL Draft's hottest risers after an incredible combine. He dipped his hand into every cookie jar last season as Boise State's best defensive player: 141 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five passes defensed, four sacks and four forced fumbles. He doesn't have Watt's gaudy sack total, but the two played in very different defenses. They do share one important statistical trait though, which is their status as one-hit wonders in college.
Watt only had one season of significant production at Wisconsin. He didn't switch to playing defense until 2015, but just like his older brother J.J. Watt, he thrived on the other side of the ball. His first season on defense saw him make only seven tackles. His second included 11.5 sacks. Watt was a late bloomer, but once he caught on, he looked like a superstar.
Vander Esch's transformation wasn't as dramatic. Unlike the Watt brothers, he didn't change positions in college. He just needed time to gel, as he couldn't crack the starting lineup as a freshman and injuries robbed him of half of his sophomore season. But once he was healthy and assured a starting job, he dominated for a full season. That season is the only reasonable sample of what NFL teams can expect him to be, and it is also the reason teams are afraid to draft him high in the first round. Just like Watt, they are worried about a player only thriving for one college season. And just like Watt, they are going to let him fall too far because of it.
Vander Esch is doing everything in his power to prevent that, though. His combine numbers were fantastic. In the case of most players, that is vague. Players are judged mostly against expectations and other players that happen to be in their class, flawed methodology on several levels, but Vander Esch does have a very meaningful point of comparison. His combine numbers are nearly identical to Watt's. Just look at this chart.
Event Watt Vander Esch
40-Yard Dash 4.69 seconds 4.65 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle 4.15 seconds 4.13 seconds
Bench Press 21 reps 20 reps
Three-Cone Drill 6.79 seconds 6.88 seconds
Their physical proportions are just as close. Watt was 6'4'', 252 pounds at the combine, Vander Esch was measured at 6'4'', 256 pounds. He can be forgiven for those four extra pounds. As a projected inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense he would likely spend more time fighting through interior linemen. Athletically speaking, though, the two are practically twins by many of these drills.
The Steelers are ambitious about what they ask of their linebackers. The one word answer to that question is "everything." That is why James Harrison never saw the field. He couldn't hang with younger players in coverage even if he could still rush the passer and contribute on running downs. In college, Vander Esch did everything. He did so in a manner that was statistically similar to Watt, and he did so with nearly identical physical characteristics. The only major differences, aside from personality factors we aren't privy to, are stylistic. Watt was used more as a pass-rusher in college, so he became a nominal outside linebacker at the NFL level. Vander Esch played as more of a traditional linebacker, so that is where he has been projected at the NFL level.
But remember, it wasn't an outside linebacker who finished second on the Steelers in sacks behind Cam Heyward. It was
Vince Williams with eight, an inside linebacker. Watt had as many passes defensed as
Joe Haden. The Steelers aren't looking for players to fill defined roles. They are looking for players who can contribute. They'll figure out the fine print later. IT worked out with Watt. It can work just as well with Vander Esch.
https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburg...ton-Vander-Esch-is-the-next-TJ-Watt-116763077