< Back Malik Benson Oregon HT: 5110 WT: 185 YR: SR POS: WR OVR RK 82 POS RK CEILING POTENTIAL Mid-Level Starter Potential PLAYSTYLE & SCHEME FIT Malik Benson is an explosive, vertical field-stretcher with track-caliber speed and legitimate big-play ability, but his projection hinges on whether he can expand beyond a pure deep-threat role. Benson’s acceleration and top-end speed force defensive backs to open early, creating natural separation on go routes, deep overs, and posts. He tracks the ball well over his shoulder and shows impressive body control when adjusting downfield. While his speed creates easy access throws underneath, his route tree remains underdeveloped, and he can struggle to win physically at the top of routes. Benson flashes toughness working into traffic and finishing through contact, but his slender frame and inconsistent release package limit him against press-heavy defenses. He projects as a vertical X/Z receiver who can generate explosives immediately, with upside tied to refinement in tempo, leverage, and short-area detail. CEILING GRADE ANALYSIS Mid-Level Starter Potential (60-64) A solid, dependable starter with the potential to exceed expectations. They have good athleticism and tools but may lack elite traits. While they show flashes of high-level play, they also have some notable weaknesses that must be developed. These players often need 2-3 years to establish themselves. Primary scout: Brandon Lundberg KEY STRENGTHS Elite top-end speed Strong hands catcher Three level threat KEY WEAKNESSES Size & physicality Grow route tree Run blocking PLAYER COMPARISONS

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NFL MVP Watch: Love The Mobility Of Today's Top QB's, But an Old Statue Stands In Their Way Analysis Explained What makes an NFL MVP? There are a lot of variables, some measurable, some immeasurable when you examine an NFL MVP caliber player. QB's are the easiest and are almost always going to win the award. Our current top 5 consists of five QB's. The variables used to decide who is the NFL's leading MVP candidates are pretty simple. We first take a look at the raw numbers, passing yards, attempts, completion rate, TD's and INT's, and then we examine some of the advanced stats (throws under pressure, throws when clean); we then look at the QB's schedule strength, who have they beat and what is their current record against their current strength of schedule. Measurables Summary Raw stats (raw numbers, passing yards, attempts and completion rate, TD's and INT's) Advanced Stats (Ex. passer rating when under pressure, vs not under pressure) Strength of Schedule (who have they beat and their current record against their current strength of schedule). Some unmeasurable items we consider (Ex. age of player and level they are playing, coaching staff, what their team would be without them) #1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady: The #'s: 149-225 (66%), 15 Pass TD's, 2 INT's, 1767 passing yards Notable Games: Home win wk1 vs. Cowboys, lost at Rams wk3, won at Patriots wk4 The Analysis I drafted Tom Brady in a fantasy football Superflex Dynasty this year, and for a good reason, Tom appears to be getting better with age. At 44 years old, he plans to play for at least another season, and Tom recently floated the idea he could play until 50 . Not the best dynasty draft strategy if Tom is only playing another year or two, but the upside is there for at least two seasons, and if Tampa Tom plays until 50, well, that would be awesome. Regardless of what you think about Brady, he is playing at an NFL MVP level through five weeks, posting 1767 passing yards, he is on pace to throw for 6000 yards, his 15 pass TD's on the season rank second to Patrick Mahomes. Brady is also 5th in the NFL through five games in passer rate. He is the MVP frontrunner through the first five weeks of the NFL season. Strength of Schedule With wins vs. the Cowboys at Home and Patriots on the road, Tampa Bay has proven to be in command of their title repeating destiny. #2 Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott The #'s: 122-165 (74%), 10 Pass TD's, 4 INT's, 1368 passing yards Notable Games: Road loss wk1 vs. Bucs, win at Chargers wk2, won at home vs the Panthers wk4 The Analysis A year ago this week, Dak endured a gruesome season-ending ankle injury. He has put that injury in the rearview mirror, and it was apparent in a hurry just how important Dak is to the Dallas Cowboys as they collapsed without him in a year where the defense was a sieve. So far in 2021, Dak is back to being Dak. He is completing 74% of his throws through five weeks, and he has propelled a Cowboys offense to an NFL leading 439 yards per game. His leadership is high level, his teammates feed off of him, which are the unmeasurable characteristics. Strength Of Schedule As noted, we look at the strength of schedule; the Cowboys held their own week one vs. the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even in a loss, it felt like a Cowboys victory. Since that season-opening loss, they have won games at the Los Angeles Chargers and a home game vs. the Carolina Panthers. #3 Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson The #'s: 112-167 (67%), 8 Pass TD's, 3 INT's, 1519 passing yards Notable Games: Loss on the road vs. Raiders, win at home vs. Chiefs, win at Denver The Analysis When evaluating how much a player means a team's bottom line, it's easy to recognize that the 2021 Ravens in its current state would not be very good without Lamar Jackson. The Ravens without Lamar would have lost at least two more games to the lions and against the Chiefs. A few weeks ago I broke down some interesting data on Lamar Jackson and where he is ranked according to the SIS W.A.R. model, excerpt below. According to the SIS W.A.R. model, which is broken down nicely by fellow SIS contributor Alex Vigderman , W.A.R. measures points above replacement using a points-per-win conversion based on the scoring environment. According to the SIS W.A.R. metric, Lamar Jackson ranks 13th (1.53) as a passer since 2019. As a rusher, Jackson ranks atop the NFL since 2019, posting an average W.A.R. of 0.63. If you combine the two metrics (running and passing), Lamar ranks 5th among all QB’s in the NFL using the SIS W.A.R. metric. Lamar Jackson in 2021 is on pace to throw for 5000 yards; he currently has 1519 yards through the air through 5 weeks, ranking 3rd just behind Justin Herbert and Derek Carr. Lamar Jackson has 341 yards rushing, he is on pace for 1159 yards rushing. That would be over 6000 yards of total offense by one guy. Strength of Schedule The Ravens barely escaped a disastrous loss to the Lions in a game where Hollywood Brown dropped multiple TD's passes. The Ravens escaped with a record-breaking Justin Tucker FG. They opened the season with a loss to the Raiders, who appear to be falling quickly after a fast start. Their signature win occurred at home vs. the Chiefs in week two, and that game took all they had to win, and keep in mind Lamar brought the Ravens back down 11. Their next big win came on the road vs. the Broncos. #4 Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray The #'s: 124-165 (75%), 10 Pass TD's, 4 INT's, 1370 passing yards Notable Games: Win on the road vs. Rams, win at home vs. the 49ers The Analysis I have been a critic of Kliff Kingsbury the last two seasons, but the 2021 edition of the Arizona Cardinals has a different feel to it. Playing in arguably the most challenging division, at least until the 49ers were ravaged again by injuries and the Russell Wilson injury, the Cardinals and the Rams are the front runners. The Cardinals dispatched the Rams easily a few weeks ago in a game where Kyler Murray was impressive, completing 20 of 32 throws for 268 yards and two passing TD's. Murray also rushed for 39 yards on 6 attempts. Murray's ability to extend a drive with his legs is on the level of a Lamar Jackson; his ability to extend passing plays while moving around is also on par with or better than Josh Allens, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson's of the world. Murray is arguably the most accurate passer in the NFL; he carries the league's top completion rate through five weeks. Strength of Schedule One week after the Rams defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in dominating fashion, the Cardinals decisively beat the Rams. The win against the Rams is a signature victory, and the Cardinals followed up by defeating the 49ers this past Sunday. Keep an eye on how the NFC West continues to take shape; with Russell Wilson out for several weeks and the 49ers consistently being plagued by injury, it appears the division will be a race between the Cardinals and the Rams. #5 Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen The #'s: 114-183 (62%), 12 Pass TD's, 2 INT's, 1370 passing yards Notable Games: Home loss vs. the Steelers wk1, home win vs. the Football Team wk3, win at the Chiefs wk5 The Analysis Josh Allen entered the 2021 NFL season as my top candidate to win the NFL MVP. He started slowly in a loss vs. the steelers to open the season. Allen is a dynamic player in the mold of what NFL scouts, GM's and coaches are looking to find at the QB position. At 6-5 237 lbs, Allen can beat you with his big arm, and he is an athlete who can run over a defender or around a defender. So far in 2021, Allen has completed 63% of his throws, down from 69% in 2020. But don't let the completion percentage sway your opinion of Allen, who is 8th in the NFL in total pass yards (1370) and tied for 5th with 12 TD passes through five weeks. Where Allen makes up for a drop in completion percentage is as a runner. Allen has compiled 188 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, and two more scores on the ground. His ability to keep plays alive with his legs will play a role in his ability to bring home the NFL MVP. Strength of Schedule The season-opening loss vs. the Steelers is a bit of a head-scratcher after five weeks, but the Bills have since defeated the Washington Football and Kansas City Chiefs pretty handily and are now 4-1. #6 Los Angeles Charger QB Justin Herbert The #'s: 139-207 (67%), 10 Pass TD's, 4 INT's, 1576 passing yards Notable Games: Won at Football Team wk1, lost at home to Cowboys wk2, won at Chiefs wk3, won at home vs. Raiders week 4, won at home vs. Browns wk5 The Analysis Justin Herbert keeps proving that he is on the same level or approaching the NFL's top QB's and he is doing it in an unprecedented fashion in today's NFL. Herbert is following up his record-breaking rookie year by playing at an MVP level leading the Chargers to a 4-1 start against arguably the most challenging schedule through five weeks. Herbert has completed 67% of his throws, with 13 TD's to 3 INT's. He was phenomenal against the Browns this past Sunday, completing 26 of 43 passes (61%) with 398 passing yards, 4 TD's, and 0 INT's. Herbert is another big-bodied QB who uses his mobility to keep plays alive. He possesses one of the league's strongest arms while playing with great poise and confidence. The AFC West is wide open now, and the Chargers are now the team to beat. If Herbert keeps playing at a high level, this team will be tough to defeat, and Herbert will continue to creep up the list of NFL MVP candidates in 2021. Strength of Schedule As I already mentioned, the Chargers have played arguably the most challenging schedule through the first five weeks of 2021. They beat a Washington Football Team (albeit a bad secondary), they lost a competitive game to the Cowboys, but have reeled off wins against the Chiefs, Raiders, and this past Sunday against the Browns.

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5 Tool Sports Podcast: Wk7 Preview and Picks For Thursday Night NFL Browns vs. The Broncos 5 Tools Sports Podcast Host Woody Massie, 5 Tool Sports Podcast Analyst CJ McLaughlin and Football Scout 365 Analyst Brandon Lundberg kick off the new NFL week with a quick analysis of this week's Thursday Night NFL action between the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns. Follow: 5 Tool Sports Podcast on Instagram Follow: Football Scout 365 on Instagram

Defensive Line Terminology Understanding The Terminology and Technique Whether we are scouting an individual player or an entire offensive or defensive scheme, it is essential to understand the terminology. There are a lot of variables that come into play when you are scouting a player or a team from player personnel groupings to formations and situations. Still, it is the language, understanding, and the delivery of that information that will make the most significant difference when creating a scouting report. Below, we define individual player scouting terminology that defines what technical aspects of the position you should try to identify when scouting. As we move forward in this series, we plan to include more in-depth information in regards to how we scout a team or an individual player. Positional Breakdown Strongside Defensive End- (SDE) The strongside defensive end will generally line up on the strong side of the offensive opponent's formation. Defensive Tackle- (DT) The defensive tackle is an interior defender that will line up directly across from or outside shade of either the left guard (LG) or the right guard (RG). Nose Tackle- (NT) The nose tackle will line up directly over the center, or outside shade to the right or left of the center. Weakside Defensive End- (WDE) The weakside defensive end will line up on the opposite side of the strongside defensive end on the weak side opposite of where the offenses TE is lined up. Defensive Line Terminology and Technique Definitions Instincts- Reacts on the move and when under pressure. Can diagnose play pre and post-snap, quick reactions. Key and Diagnose- Football smart, reads ad reacts to keys. You can always find him near the football on film. Explosive Leverage- Low and sudden movement, can unlock hips with force. Lateral movement/Athletic ability- Can bend and turn the corner, fast downhill and quick when administering a stunt or slant move. Tackling- Squares up, wraps and strikes an opponent with integrity keeping eyes up, head, up and applying a good tackling technique. Shed and separation ability- Uses hands effectively to ward off blockers, has quick hands, pull and jerk. Relentless/High Motor- Displays the same high-level effort consistently without sacrificing proper technique. Has a nose for getting to the football before teammates. Acceleration, or Burst- Amount of time it takes to get to top speed. Initial Quickness- Movement off of the football, with or without hesitation, explodes into his blocker. Holds the point/Strength- Power to hold point and stack. Pursuit- Plays with good angles and timing. Displays long and short quickness to close in on ball carrier. Good closing speed. Pass Rush Ability- Stance, takeoff, quickness, use of hands, types of moves: one or two move player? Gets good vertical push, gains leverage on blocker, accelerates off of blocks, stays disciplined in the rush lane. Power Rush- Bull Rush, can press the pocket, leverage player. Double Team- Reaction, strength, and technique to hold ground, two-gap ability, or is he a one gap movement guy? Trap- Quick recognition to close down the hole, spill technique, takes on with outside shoulder to flatten. Speed Rush- Can turn speed to power, good hand usage, and good footwork. Scheme - 4-3 End, 3-4 End, 4-3 Tackle, Nose Tackle For daily analysis, please follow us on Instagram. We are also on Twitter, Linkedin, and YouTube. Football Scout 365 on Instagram Football Scout 365 on Twitter Football Scout 365 on LinkedIn Football Scout 365 on YouTube

2020 NFC West Projections and Preview San Francisco 49ers Featured For daily analysis, please follow us on Instagram. We are also on Twitter, Linkedin, and YouTube. Football Scout 365 on Instagram Football Scout 365 on Twitter Football Scout 365 on LinkedIn Football Scout 365 on YouTube

5 Tool Sports Podcast: WK 7 NFL Review, We Review The Weeks Top NFL Games 5 Tools Sports Podcast Host Woody Massie, 5 Tool Sports Podcast Analyst CJ McLaughlin and Football Scout 365 Analyst Brandon Lundberg review this week's top NFL matchups. Check Out The Football Scout 365 Best Bets Dashboard SPREAD O/U AND FINAL SCORE REPORT 5 TOOL SPORTS POD WEEKLY PICKS ATS WEEKLY IMPLIED GAME TOTALS NFL WEEKLY INJURY REPORT

5 Tool Sports Podcast: Wk13 Preview and Picks For Thursday Night NFL Saints vs. Cowboys 5 Tool Sports Podcast Host Woody Massie, 5 Tool Sports Podcast Analyst CJ McLaughlin and Football Scout 365 Analyst Brandon Lundberg kick off the new NFL week with a quick analysis of this week's Thursday Night NFL action. Check Out The Football Scout 365 Best Bets Dashboard SPREAD O/U AND FINAL SCORE REPORT 5 TOOL SPORTS POD WEEKLY PICKS ATS WEEKLY IMPLIED GAME TOTALS NFL WEEKLY INJURY REPORT Follow: 5 Tool Sports Podcast on Instagram Follow: Football Scout 365 on Instagram Follow: 5 Tool Sports Podcast on Instagram Follow: Football Scout 365 on Instagram

Our Football Scout 365 College Football Coach of The Year: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh The changes made to the Michigan Football coaching staff this past offseason following a 2-4 season marred by the pandemic felt like desperation. For Jim Harbaugh to remain the Head Coach of the Michigan Football team beyond 2021, he faced a mountain of circumstances that, quite frankly, no coach to my recollection in football has overcome at the level Jim Harbaugh has in 2021. He took a 50% pay cut, a lower buy-out, and then made several staff changes that, in most cases, would take a year or two to develop. A disastrous 2020 Season In 2020, Harbaughs 6th year as the Michigan head coach, the defense ranked at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference in total defense while giving up 34 points per game. They complemented a bad defense with a middling mediocre offense. The team felt flat in 5 of its six games and often not on the same page. The Wolverines would finish the 2020 season 2-4 with zero wins at home. One positive in an otherwise negative year, they would avoid Ohio State because of the pandemic, a game scheduled on the road in Columbus against an Ohio State offense poised to smack Michigan around the field once again. Harbaugh Considered a Lame Duck In 2021? Heading into the 2021 calendar year, Jim Harbaugh had to agree to accept a lame-duck contract extension that cut his pay in half while lowering his buy-out significantly, which labeled him among fans and media to be a lame duck. It also meant that Michigan AD Warde Manuel and the Michigan Board of Regents had prepared to move on if 2021 were to go downhill in a similar way to that of 2020. Swallowed By Expectations The expectations for Jim Harbaugh when he arrived in Ann Arbor in 2015 were high. Michigan fans, the media, and everyone expected him to compete immediately, beat Ohio State, win Big Ten championships, and get Michigan to the College Football Playoff. Instead, Harbaugh started 0-5 vs. Ohio State and has since lost his last two games to in-state rival Michigan State, where Jim is now just 3-4 vs. the Spartans. Michigan had not been to the Big Ten title game in Harbaughs first six seasons, and the reality for Michigan Football is that unless they beat Ohio State, they may never realize the goal of winning a Big Ten title. Cultural Changes Combined With Staff Changes Infuse Confidence Before the 2021 season, Jim Harbaugh knew changes were needed. Not just staff changes, but cultural changes. He started by firing his offensive line coach Ed Warriner (who had done an okay job) and Defensive Coordinator Don Brown. He hired Sherone Moore, a coach who had never coached offensive line before, to be the new OL coach. Many pundits would criticize the Sherone Moore move, but Moore is arguably the second-best coaching decision of Harbaugh's tenure at Michigan. The best decision would be his hiring of 34-year-old Mike Macdonald, a linebacker coach for Jim's Brother John in Baltimore. John Harbaugh highly recommended Macdonald to replace Don Brown. The hire would prove to be the best hire of the Harbaugh era. Michigan made several other staff moves; they hired a new defensive backs coach (Steve Clinkscale), another brilliant move, they finally snagged Mike Hart away from the Indiana Hoosiers to coach the running backs. Jim moved his son Jay from running back coach to coach the special teams, which his unit in 2021 is arguably the best in college football, or at a minimum top two or three. Staff and Culture Changes At The Administrative Level One of the most notable staff changes made by Jim Harbaugh happened at the administrative level. Jim decided to move on from his Recruiting Coordinator Matt Dudek, who had been in the role since 2017. Jim Replaced Dudek with Courtney Morgan. Morgan, a Los Angeles native who lettered at Michigan 2000-2003, was director of player development at UCLA early in his career. More recently, he was coordinator of player personnel at San Jose State and then director of player personnel at Fresno State in 2020. It was apparent that Jim Harbaugh's determination to change the culture at Michigan would go deeper than just his coaching staff. All of the changes to his staff spoke volumes about his intentions to right the ship at Michigan. Hope Springs Eternal at Big Ten Media Days In 2021, the Michigan Football team had a different aura; in the spring at Big Ten Media Days, Jim spoke optimistically about his staff, his team, and their expectations heading into the 2021 season. He made a statement at Media Days about beating Ohio State or die trying. He was saying all of the right things, but one thing was noticeably different, Jim was smiling, he looked loose, he had lost some weight. And now, in hindsight, we can look back to the spring and say that Jim's optimism was warranted. Jim Harbaugh Never Waivered, Kept the Same Message From Spring Through Fall Camp, and The Rest Is History The 2021 Michigan Football team beat Ohio State (handily) and followed that with a dominant Big Ten Championship win against Iowa. Michigan is ranked number two in the College Football Playoff rankings, and they will make their first appearance in the playoff against the number three Georgia Bulldogs. All of this is a culmination of so many factors, the bold move to bet on oneself to overcome the odds of a lower buy-out and a 50% pay cut, the looming cloud of 0-5 vs. Ohio State, and your fan base and media actively rooting against you. In one season, Harbaugh has changed the narrative about who he is as a coach. He had achieved all of the expectations everyone had for Michigan Football when he arrived in 2015, maybe not as fast as many wanted, but he finally did it. From the outside looking in, it appears that Jim took a long look in the mirror, made some changes to his physical health, changed his staff by hiring a highly energetic and youthful staff, and then had faith that his plan would work. His comment about beating Ohio State or they would die trying back in the spring of 2021 is a testament to the new cultural focus in Schembechler Hall, and that's the same formula used by Ohio State in their Woody Hayes center. Everything is about beating Michigan 247/365. Michigan has now embodied that same mindset, and now they are back to being Michigan once again. Jim Harbaugh is the 2021 Football Scout 365 College Coach Of The Year Michigan is 12-1; they beat Ohio State, won the Big Ten Championship, finished #2 in the college Football regular-season poll, and now face #3 Georgia on New Year's Eve in College Football Playoff Semi-Finals in Miami. Michigan's defense went from the bottom of the Big Ten to 12th nationally in total defense and 4th in scoring defense. The offense has been the ultimate example of complementary football. This season, offensive Coordinator Josh Gattis has come into his own as a coach by embracing a run-first mindset. Michigan's offensive line has been dominant this season, leading the nation with the lowest tackles for loss allowed a testament to new offensive line coach Sherone Moore. The Michigan rush offense is 4th nationally in total yards and 10th in average yards per attempt. The turnaround from 2020 to 2021 feels almost impossible, but Michigan is a complete football team; one can argue they are the most complete.

5 Tool Sports Podcast: WK 9 NFL Review, We Review The Prior Weeks Top NFL Games 5 Tool Sports Podcast Host Woody Massie, 5 Tool Sports Podcast Analyst CJ McLaughlin and Football Scout 365 Analyst Brandon Lundberg review the prior week's top NFL matchups. Check Out The Football Scout 365 Best Bets Dashboard SPREAD O/U AND FINAL SCORE REPORT 5 TOOL SPORTS POD WEEKLY PICKS ATS WEEKLY IMPLIED GAME TOTALS NFL WEEKLY INJURY REPORT

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