Derrick Barnes, LB, Detroit Lions
Barnes is a welcome addition to a young (not you Jamie Collins Sr.), hungry Detroit LB corps. OurLads currently has him projected to be the main reserve outside LB (OLB) behind Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
He played as a defensive end for Purdue in 2019 and transitioned to LB in 2020. His coverage skills are raw and undeveloped.
What he does well is rush the passer. He had an 85-percent win rate among all LBs during the pass-rushing drills at the Senior Bowl one-on-ones.
He has some upside based on opportunity. Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Alex Anzalone are only signed through 2021, so the starting OLB position is up for grabs after this season.
Barnes will probably never be a 100 tackle type LB, but he is a very good pass rusher which will lead to some “blow-up” games for him. His rookie season output will be a roller coaster; however, he is an upside play in 2022 if he is the starter.
Jabril Cox, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas’s situation at LB is the epitome of “iron sharpens iron”. That is a crowded room of talented football players.
Upon further investigation, the situation isn’t as bad as it seems.
The team did not exercise the fifth-year option on Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith has not played up to his 5 year, $63.75 million extension.
New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has made it known he doesn’t want a cookie-cutter repeat of his defenses in Atlanta. He is looking for a healthy mix of 3-4 and 4-3 concepts.
More LBs on the field means more opportunity for players to prove their talent to Quinn.
Love our content? Check out the GoingFor2 Live Podcast Network!
Cox is built like a modern-day coverage LB. His length and athleticism lend themselves to an OLB role where he would be in a position to make a lot of plays on the ball in the air.
Imagine Darius Leonard-lite. He is not as good of a run stopper as Leonard, but he could routinely intercept five to six passes a season as a starter.
The LB corps looks crowded right now, but Cox has the talent to be a starting LB in this defense in 2022 after the departure of Keanu Neal and Leighton Vander Esch.
Cameron Sample, DL, Cincinnati Bengals
Versatility is his calling card along this defensive line. He is a 6’3″, 267 lb throwback edge defender.
He showcased his skills as a do-it-all defensive lineman (DL) in the one-on-one drills at the Senior Bowl. PFF tracked him as the highest graded DL in the one-on-one pass-rushing drills with a 78-percent success rate.
He was voted the practice week MVP by his peers and named the defensive MVP during the game itself.
All that is great, but will it translate to eventual fantasy success as an IDP?
I truly believe he can step in and push Sam Hubbard for the starting role at defensive end.
At the very least he should see somewhere around 350 snaps. He could even see snaps at OLB as Cincinnati incorporates more 3-4 into their defensive game plan.
Sample has the talent, versatility, and opportunity to be a sneaky DL play in IDP leagues in 2021. He is more intriguing moving forward as Sam Hubbard is only signed through 2021.
Expect solid production from Sample this season with an opportunity for him to be a legitimate contributor to your fantasy team should Hubbard or Trey Hendrickson miss time due to injury.
ATTN Dynasty Commissioners: Do you want to do something cool for your league? How about a 1-hour live show dedicated to YOUR league? Team-by-team breakdowns, rankings, and more. For details and to book a show, visit: GoingFor2.com/plp.
