First-Time film breakdown: 5 Maryland seniors

Get the scoop on senior standouts Moss, Frayer, Moran, and Mbayo, from edge pressure to lockdown coverage and downhill tackling.    Moss is a December graduate edge who plays both as a stand-up outside linebacker and with his hand in the dirt. In the several plays I watched, he sacks the quarterback at least four times and forces a fumble. Moss has a high motor and is a productive disruptor. What stands out so far is his hand usage and edge integrity. Whether he's shedding the tackle after the contact, setting the edge on an RPO and a run, or using a fake into an outside swim to get around a blocker, he's very active. I'd like to see him sequence the highlights a little bit with more variety (different teams in the first two minutes). Versatile defender who can produce both with his hands in the dirt or as a standup outside linebacker.     I had the opportunity to watch Frayer a couple of weeks ago against Concordia Prep. This evaluation is based on his 3-game highlights, but it's close to what I saw in person. Frayer plays at the line of scrimmage, and that's where he makes the most impact, right in the box. He fits the mold of a hybrid OLB/SS.   Frayer is solid at setting the edge and containing the play. In one play, he initially gets blocked by the offensive tackle, fights to stay outside, then peels when the quarterback breaks contain and finishes the sack. Frayer can hold the edge when he stays square.   He lines up as a standing outside linebacker, so most of the time Frayer is going against bigger players. There are a few snaps where he takes the first contact from the tackle, then disengages and finds the ball. Despite being undersized, he has active hands and does not stay blocked.        Physically, it's hard not to be intrigued by a 6-foot-3, 200-pound cornerback. His length really shows up on two plays where he successfully contests the fade ball. Plays a mix of zone and press coverage in his highlights. I like that he denies the inside release from press and stays attached. Hands aren't violent, but they're present, and it's enough to disrupt timing.   A couple of plays show his ball skills. In particular, two pass breakups. One where he undercuts an out and another where he makes a play on a jump ball in the end zone.   His length and in-phase man coverage look good on this tape. Looking forward to seeing the completed product once the season is done and there are games to choose plays from.     Moran is a productive inside linebacker whose highlights show him diagnosing delayed action and RPOs, filling alleys with good angles, and finishing tackles in space and in the backfield. It's also clear that if he blitzes the A/B gaps and no one accounts for him, Moran is making a play in the backfield. Definitely a thumper who can run and chase plays down. I like his reaction time; he's not late to the action in any of the tackles I saw him participate in. There's another play where he avoids the middle clutter, strikes the running back, and assists on the tackle. One example of him scraping and making a play without getting washed. No pass-coverage reps of note, but there's plenty of time for that.      Mbayo has some explosive plays at running back mixed in with his defensive plays at cornerback. I'll focus on cornerback for this article, but the offensive plays do give you a great look at his long speed.   In the first few plays, he turns a kickoff into a touchdown from his 8-yard line, strips the receiver on both a route and a swing pass, covers a slant route well from press, and helps on two blitz tackles near the line of scrimmage. Lines up primarily in the slot on the clips that I watched. A lot of splash plays so far.   What is on tape is his ability to stay locked at the hip with receivers downfield in trail coverage and a willingness to tackle in the run game.

Get the scoop on senior standouts Moss, Frayer, Moran, and Mbayo, from edge pressure to lockdown coverage and downhill tackling.