In two weeks time, Jordan Hicks has gone from being a little-known rookie linebacker who was buried on the depth chart to an impact player the Eagles might not be able to take off the field.
Since Hicks was thrust into the lineup in Week 2, he’s done nothing but make plays and fill up the stat sheet. The numbers speak for themselves –- 17 tackles, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Needless to say, the third-round draft pick has been very impressive, and in every phase of the game -– defending the run, rushing the passer, dropping into coverage and diagnosing offenses.
As we’re about to see, it’s Hicks’ combination of athleticism and preparation that’s quickly made the 22-year-old a force to be reckoned with. Even plays that don’t end at the hands of No. 58 are often affected in some way by his presence.
Defending the run
One thing you notice immediately is Hicks constantly has his eyes in the backfield. It’s 1st-and-10, and the offense is attempting a simple inside-zone handoff.
The defensive front does a good job of building a wall, keeping the linebacker clean at the second level. Hicks is able to peer into the backfield and read the play at its mesh point, which tells him where the run is going.
Hicks doesn’t have to go far, but he reaches the hole before the back. This is perfect position. The linebacker is square to the ball-carrier, so there’s almost no escape.
NFL
The back attempts to bounce the run outside, but Hicks is right there to finish him off for a one-yard gain. The degree of difficulty on this play is not high, yet the execution by the defender is flawless and demonstrates his familiarity with the opponent’s tendencies.
Hicks isn’t afraid to mix it up with blockers, either. A lot of rookies will try to run around obstacles in their path to the football, but he’ll bring the noise right to the offense.
Once again, it’s 1st-and-10. This time the whole offensive line is moving left, but the handoff is designed to go off the right edge.
The wall is up, and Hicks is free to look into the backfield and identify the play. He’ll soon be making for the ball-carrier, but this time the tight end is coming to cut off the pursuit.
Hicks lowers his shoulder and runs right through the block rather than around it. The linebacker bounces off of the tight end and continues on to get in on the play.
The run went for a gain of three, and technically Hicks wasn’t credited with a tackle on the play. However, it’s an example of his willingness to do the dirty work that the job requires.
Obviously, taking on a tight end and an offensive lineman are two different animals. Hicks still has some work to do as far as fighting off blocks from players in the 300-pound range, but the fact that he even engages is a start. That along with his instinct, aggressiveness and ability to run sideline to sideline will continue to serve him well in this capacity.
Rushing the passer
Hicks didn’t get many opportunities to get after the quarterback this past Sunday, but we already knew he can do that. The rookie was responsible for knocking Tony Romo out of the game for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Here we’re going to see the linebacker on a rare blitz against the New York Jets on 1st-and-10.
Hicks’ quick first step allows him to get inside the left guard, who doesn’t have the leverage to stop him. However, the lineman does the smart thing and sort of uses the center’s backside to help seal off the pass-rush. To the back, this looks like a double team, which is going to cause all kinds of problems in a second.
Worried about his own assignment, the center separates and the blitzer is finally able to squirm through. Meanwhile, the back thought he was free to release into a pass route. I can only imagine how big Hicks’ eyes got with a free path to the quarterback.
The quarterback ends up pulling the ball down, otherwise Hicks is going to swat it right back in his face. Somehow, the ball gets flipped to the back in the madness, but the play is stopped for no gain.
Hicks wasn’t exactly known for his ability to rush the passer, but did have 3.5 sacks his senior season at Texas. So far with the Eagles, it’s an area where he’s really thrived in limited opportunities. This is nothing on the stat sheet, but it was a big stop for the defense.
Dropping into coverage
Let’s get back to Hicks’ vision, which is just outstanding. Once again, he always seems to have his eyes on the backfield, and when dropping into coverage, the quarterback’s eyes tell him where the football is going.
Hicks is dropping into zone on 2nd-and-10, and the offense is about to test his assignment integrity. Two receivers are going to run routes across the middle of the field. The combination is designed to make the linebacker over-commit to one and essentially forget the other.
Hicks has perfect coverage on the underneath route. He could lose himself in the action and continue trailing, even though he has help on the outside. However, the linebacker is watching the quarterback the entire time, alerting him there is something else in the middle of the field.
He continues dropping, and the quarterback is about to throw the ball into what is essentially double coverage.
The coverage behind Hicks was excellent as well. Yet even if it wasn’t, this pass is a disaster waiting to happen. The only reason it isn’t here is because the quarterback sails it way over everybody’s head, forcing third-and-long.
Even that is dangerous. Hicks’ 38-inch vertical was tied for fifth among all linebackers at this year’s scouting combine, so he can go up and get a ball. Take a look at this shot of this pass attempt over 20 yards barely clearing Hicks’ finger tips, who was seven yards away from the quarterback at the time of its release.
Putting the ball anywhere in his vicinity is asking for trouble.
Hicks can play man coverage as well, and the technique isn’t necessarily all that different. Here, he’s matched up one-on-one with a wide receiver on 1st-and-10 – and obvious mismatch for the offense, one would think.
The linebacker has safety help over the top, so he’s not concerned with the wideout running by him. Instead, Hicks is sitting on shorter and intermediate routes, and rather than play the man, he’s staring down the quarterback. As soon as the rookie sees him set up for the pass, he breaks on the route.
The wide receiver gets no separation. In fact, the only thing that may have prevented this from going for an interception is the ball is overthrown, likely as a result of the coverage.
Hicks isn't awarded a pass defensed in the box score, even though he made another fine play.
Diagnosing offenses
Perhaps the most impressive aspect about Hicks is he’s always under control, and that makes him very difficult to fool. Here, he’s rushing the passer on 2nd-and-10, and given the limited chances here, one would imagine he might be tempted to sell out.
All of a sudden, he stops in his tracks and looks across the field. Hicks is correct -– this is a screen pass. It’s hard to say what exactly the tell was. The quarterback doesn’t give it away. The linemen on the right aren’t bailing. Perhaps it was the fact that both he and DeMeco Ryans were running into the backfield unblocked.
Whatever it was, Hicks runs all the way across the formation, and after the back shakes a Brandon Graham tackle, the linebacker finishes the play for a three-yard gain. Just wait until you see how much worse this could have been.
With Hicks out of the picture, there is nothing but open field in front of the back. This was a potential touchdown, at the very least a huge gain, until Hicks recognized it.
Another play that might be taken for granted was a 3rd-and-17 stop in the first quarter. Obviously, you never expect the offense to convert in those situations, but in this case, it might’ve been closer than it looked.
The offense is going to run a quick-hitting wide receiver screen. The center’s job is release and block Hicks on the play.
As usual, Hicks is reading the quarterback and realizes what’s happening before the ball comes out. His release to the ball is going to make it difficult for the center to reach his mark.
Sure enough, Hicks gets to the ball-carrier before the block arrives. The center gets just enough of the linebacker to force a missed tackle, but Connor Barwin comes in from behind to clean up the play from behind and force a punt.
Once again, here’s what the field looked like if Hicks is out of the equation. This is blocked up well everywhere else. It’s very feasible the offense would’ve picked up a demoralizing first down with this play.
Give Hicks a ton of credit for disrupting this just enough, even if he didn’t get recognition on the stat sheet. A lot of people were miffed when the Eagles took this kid in the third round, but it’s quickly becoming clear what they saw in the kid.