A closer look at Philadelphia’s second-round pick.
With the 2022 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on this year’s rookie class. I will try and get to all the players and some UDFAs over the next few weeks. There are obviously a million scouting profiles out there so this is just my opinion but I’ve tried to backup basically everything I have said with film clips. I watched a lot of all22 on a number of rookies but I can’t share those clips on my own Twitter accounts (or I risk getting blocked), so I will sometimes use a few other accounts in here. After starting with Jordan Davis, we’re moving on to second-round pick Cam Jurgens. Let’s go!
Strengths
+ Lightning quick off the snap. Can get to first and second level defenders in a hurry.
The quickness stands out more than anything. Look how he glides to the second level to seal the LB here after doubling the DT. The first step quickness is as good as it gets. pic.twitter.com/dV7zBs6Xz2
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
He has the speed to get to linebackers about as quick as you can get. He can be outmuscled at the POA but you won't see him lose due to a lack of speed or quickness. Everything he does is front footed and fast. pic.twitter.com/UYEjuPH4WA
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Again, look at the quickness in his moment. You can tell he's a former TE because he moves like he could still play there. pic.twitter.com/4Ls0Bxtzxe
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
This speed also means when he gets going he can really move DL in the run game too. When he gets good pad level he can move DL and create some very big gaps quickly. This is particularly effective when double teaming someone and it's another advantage of being so quick pic.twitter.com/6FMtXqbu8N
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ He’s extremely fast and athletic for a lineman, excellent in space in the screen game and can get very low with his pads to move linebackers at the second level. Former tight end and it shows.
Cam Jurgens film thread... Let's go! I feel like I have to start with this play just to show you how athletic he is for an offensive lineman. Yes, that is him chasing down the cornerback and tackling him. pic.twitter.com/3S17ZEOqhG
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Again, look at him at the top of the screen here. He is going to be outstanding in space and on screen passes. Not an exaggeration to say he is one of the quickest OL I've watched. The upside is obviously very, very high. pic.twitter.com/uYmNchtzKa
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ Extremely good lateral movement and athleticism to pull and can also execute reach blocks, fits the zone game perfectly.
Let's end the positives with another outstanding block that highlights the ability to pull and win in space. If you want a Kelce replacement then you won't get much better in terms of speed and style. pic.twitter.com/Oa4YhgEBTq
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Once again, the quickness and athleticism is so obvious after just a couple of plays. He's going to be able to do a lot of the things that Kelce does at a high level out in space. The ability to pull is clear to see. pic.twitter.com/q9aZfpqARe
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ Plays aggressive and will hit DTs firmly even when in pass protection. Strong hands and grip to maintain his blocks at times too.
He's also a very proactive lineman. He doesn't want for DL to come into him. He wants to strike fast (which can cause issues) and when it works he can totally dominate DL at the LOS and stop them before they even get a chance to get going. pic.twitter.com/qgkxE0acuX
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ Can take on bigger DTs and handle them when he anchors well, but doesn’t do this consistently.
Here's another example of him sustaining a block in pass pro. He's not the strongest but he does have enough strength to stop DTs and handle them when he gets good pad level. pic.twitter.com/0LV3EZZtfE
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ Quick mentally too, not just physically quick
He's quick mentally too. He does everything fast (sometimes too fast...) and he is alert to stunts and blitzing linebackers. He only needs a second to get into position too due to his elite level of quickness. pic.twitter.com/SLC5nBs5KT
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
+ Has a tough edge to him, finishes hard, competitive.
My favorite thing about him except the quickness is the physicality. Jurgens is a bit of a hot head and plays nasty which I don't mind! He has a few penalties for roughness but, who wants a weak offensive lineman? He is extremely competitive and is not afraid to finish plays pic.twitter.com/lBm0X1YTjr
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Again, a proper finish and nastiness with his block. He plays hard every snap and is not afraid to punish smaller defenders. pic.twitter.com/DpmpvrwAeK
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Weaknesses
- Struggles to maintain his blocks at times, especially when he loses at the snap, and will resort to holding, caused quite a few penalties.
- The Eagles know way more than me, but you just can’t see versatility on tape. He looks and plays like a center. Former tight end, you would assume if frame is maxed out.
- Does everything so fast, when he misses, he misses bad. Looks hurried in his movement rather than controlled.
He is also... Too fast! I'm not kidding, he will sometimes run around and overrun the play and not block anyone. He can be almost too quick and frantic and sometimes needs to slow things down. pic.twitter.com/0wdMHrml7W
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Another example of him being 'too' quick and literally just missing his block. I think he's quite raw as a prospect and has to learn quite a bit still but the upside is obviously sky high. He'll be a fun one to watch develop and play in the preseason. pic.twitter.com/hhkTdn76EC
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
- Can lean into his blocks at the snap and miss badly. Struggles at the point of attack too frequently. Can he sustain vs big nose tackles?
So what are the negatives? They are pretty clear on film - lack of strength at the POA. I'd be stunned if he ever takes a snap at guard, I don't see it. He can get overpowered by big DTs and ends up on the floor too much. Big ? is can he get bigger and stronger? pic.twitter.com/mkNIuFrhhw
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Funnily enough, this was a big issue during Kelce's first few years too. You aren't going to want him one in one in pass pro with bigger DTs very often as he can get overmatched. pic.twitter.com/xyGU5dRhSZ
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
- Has the athleticism to get to defenders but doesn’t always sustain the blocks.
I complimented him a lot on his speed to get to the linebackers but he doesn't sustain anywhere near enough blocks at the second level. It's impressive how quick he can get to the second level but he has to learn to sustain these blocks and be better at the POA without holding pic.twitter.com/rv3Xc0dm0F
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
He also just ends up on the floor too much and the lack of strength is certainly a concern. You don't wanna see your OL thrown to the ground by a LB. As a former TE the worry is how much strength and mass can he gain? pic.twitter.com/aLR8XoLiQ1
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 14, 2022
Overall
I will be honest, like many of you, watching an offensive lineman is not always at the top of my list when it comes to player breakdowns. But Cam Jurgens tape is simply fascinating to watch. Seriously, he is such a fun player to watch. Every play feels like a rollercoaster. The upside is clearly very high due to his athleticism and quickness, but he needs to develop some strength and be stronger at the point of attack.
I am very glad he is sitting for a year behind Kelce as I think he needs work on his strength and technique. But I am excited to see what he can do in the preseason and in the future. I think he is a perfect fit for a zone based running game and will excel out in space, on screen passes and on pin/pull concepts. There are not many more athletic offensive lineman that I have seen.
The lack of strength at the point of attack is a legitimate concern. Considering he is a former tight end, I imagine there are questions about how much more size and strength he can realistically gain. I wonder if he is maxed out already and this is a concern. Just like we did with Jason Kelce for a number of years, we might just have to accept this will always be a weakness of his. When he plays with good leverage he has proven that he can hold his own in pass projection.
Projecting forward, I see him as a little bit of a boom/bust type of player. If he doesn’t improve his strength then he might be a liability in pass protection against bigger defensive tackles. But, I can see why the Eagles took him the second round. Jeff Stoutland must be very excited at the thought of developing him over the next few years. Jason Kelce is an athletic freak and there is pretty much no one else I have seen like him at center in a long time. Stylistically, Cam Jurgens might just be the closest match that I have seen. I had some questions about the pick at the time (and I still do) but we have all seen first-hand the impact that an athletic center like Kelce can have on an offense. Who doesn’t want to see that continue after his retirement?
This post first appeared on Bleeding Green Nation, A Philadelphia Eagles Commu, please read the originial post: here
