Offseason All22 Film Study

3-tech in nickel.


Notice the wide step DD takes to his left.


The Guard goes for the punch and hits nothing but air as DD uses his hands to swat them away.


Speed to get around the Guard who is now off balance.

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There are many plays to show his hustle, but I thought this was a good example because it also showed a good pursuit angle.

Screen pass right.


The pass is completed and DD takes a good angle to the ball carrier, understanding that the RB is faster than he is.


I suppose DLman should always give chase from behind on a screen pass, so this isn't anything amazing, but he does this all the time. And he does it running, never jogging.

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ARI loves to blitz as we know from the 49ers playing them twice a year. Often times, Dockett is asked to take on multiple blockers in order to create space for delayed blitzers or looping LBs. He is asked to sacrifice himself in order to provide rush lanes or to provide 1v1 matchup for his team mates. I am unsure how this plays into the PFF ratings because he doesn't generate any pass rush pressure when doing this, but allows his team mates to generate the pressure - and get the glory.

Here are a few examples of what happens very often when ARI dials up a blitz.

Call it 2-tech with outside shade as ARI comes with their many, various defensive fronts. This time, 2 DL, 3 LB.


Dockett crashes into the very middle of the Oline to tie up blockers. There is very little chance he is going to get any penetration doing this. But, it's for the good of the team for this play.


The other DT loops around as he and Dockett stunt. Dockett is double teamed, but the chaos caused by the DTs allow 1v1 matchups on the right and left offensive Tackles.


The left and right offensive Tackles are isolated 1v1 in space and the edge rushers generate the pressure. Notice the RTackle and how he knows he's in a lot of space - is adjacent Guard is nowhere near to help with any inside move by the Left OLB. A head fake by the Left OLB allows him to get around the RTackle.

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Dockett (yellow) will attempt to take on the RG and the RT to allow #55 to loop inside.


Dockett engages with both Olineman.


Dockett gets nowhere on the play, but it's for the betterment of the blitz that is dialed up. #55 takes on the Center, but the looping OLB from the other side is a free rusher.


The point is, on many of these blitzes, there are certain players that are being schemed to generate the pressure - like on many stunts by all teams - Dockett is rarely ever the player that is being schemed to generate the pressure. It is almost always an OLB/Safety (faster players). I am unsure how this plays into PFF ratings.

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Dockett (yellow) playing 0-tech in nickel in a very funky defensive front. #56 will loop around on the stunt.


Once Dockett engages with the Center, he deliberately swings his body around to also occupy the RG.


Notice Dockett reaching out and grabbing the Center to prevent the Center from picking up the looping OLB.


Dockett's right arm shown holding onto the Center's pads. Justin does this a lot for Aldon.


Dockett is very often tasked to take on multiple blockers to free up team mates.

As a 1v1 pass rusher, Dockett doesn't have a power rush to compliment his moves that rely on quickness. He preys on being quicker than the interior Olineman he is across from. Rarely does he generate pressure against Tackles, who are equipped with quick feet and long arms (compared to Guards) to handle agile pass rushers such as Dockett. As a 3-4 DE, Dockett did not show an ability to generate much QB pressure - in his defense, not many 3-4 DEs do.

He does much better as a DT in nickel packages where he is able to go up against Guards. When a Guard stays balanced and patient, Dockett will struggle to get past the Guard. It's when the Guard tries to lean forward/left/right in an effort to cheat and anticipate Dockett's move that Dockett finds success 1v1. There were many plays where once Dockett fails at getting the Guard to lean, that Dockett was halted in his tracks and did not generate any pressure. He may be a bigger name than talent.

Assuming Dockett is about to receive the best Dline positional coaching he has ever had, I hope he can still learn some new tricks, even as an old dog.

Originally posted by thl408:
Continuing on Darnell Dockett...

- Like his run defense, his pass rushing shows he is quicker than he is strong. Especially with his lower body - much quicker than strong.
- He has to win with the club/rip move, or club/swim move. If he can't win with either of these moves, he's not going to get much done on that play. I don't think I saw one good bull rush from him. He did show a bull/jerk move, but without a good bull rush, he rarely won with it.
- Strong use of hands to get Olinemen off balance.
- He does not push the pocket very well. More of a penetrating type of pass rusher. Due to what seems like subpar leg strength, he doesn't move guards/centers back into the QB's face. Instead, he generates pressure by getting around interior Olineman with quickness. His lack of leg strength also shows up in run defense, covered earlier in this thread.
- Very high motor. This shows up on run and pass plays as he is always chasing down plays from behind and never lets up on any play. Even when it's apparent he has no chance on the play because team mates are already around the ball, he gives chase to the ball carrier.
- Often is asked to sacrifice for the team. On stunts, he is almost always the first guy to take on two blockers to free up a looping team mate. Very rarely is he the Dlineman that is looping to take advantage of the open space.

As a 1v1 pass rusher, Dockett doesn't have a power rush to compliment his moves that rely on quickness. He preys on being quicker than the interior Olineman he is across from. Rarely does he generate pressure against Tackles, who are equipped with quick feet and long arms (compared to Guards) to handle agile pass rushers such as Dockett. As a 3-4 DE, Dockett did not show an ability to generate much QB pressure - in his defense, not many 3-4 DEs do.

He does much better as a DT in nickel packages where he is able to go up against Guards. When a Guard stays balanced and patient, Dockett will struggle to get past the Guard. It's when the Guard tries to lean forward/left/right in an effort to cheat and anticipate Dockett's move that Dockett finds success 1v1. There were many plays where once Dockett fails at getting the Guard to lean, that Dockett was halted in his tracks and did not generate any pressure. He may be a bigger name than talent.

Assuming Dockett is about to receive the best Dline positional coaching he has ever had, I hope he can still learn some new tricks, even as an old dog.

Wilbricht: Dockett benefited greatly from playing alongside DT Dan Williams (6'2" 327) in recent years and a run-stopping nose tackle would really help his case. In that scenario, Dockett would have freedom to focus on his pass-rushing skills and do what he does best.

ND: What about Versatility? Did Dockett move around the line much or was he planted on one side of the defensive front? What were some of his best attributes when healthy?

Wilbricht: Dockett has played extensively in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes so he's certainly versatile. He moved around the defensive line more earlier in his career, playing multiple positions which led to mismatches in the trenches. I would guess that San Francisco utilizes Dockett in a similar fashion with hopes of isolating him against suspect offensive linemen.


http://sfo.scout.com/story/1531245-getting-to-know-darnell-dockettRead more at http://www.49erswebzone.com/forum/niners/181581-dockett-to-the-niners/page47/#Y6To4OxjJ04c3rOq.99

thl408, great work! You highlighted his strengths and weaknesses very well. It aligns a lot with what this scout said about him as well.

A few things stood out to me in watching this film breakdown:

• His quickness is electric and his closing speed and ability to get the QB down is just as good
• He occupies a lot of double teams initially (lots of attention)
• He seems much more dominant when he has space to work with. So even if he lines up out wide, if he loops inside, he's going to win.
• One of his best asset is the amount of pressure he can bring inside the tackles and right in the QB's face (very disruptive)
• His play recognition (screen plays) and hustle is terrific

All that said, how would you use him best assuming our defense remains similar?

I would hope that Dial can man the DE position in a base 3-4, while Dockett is a rotational player in nickel packages. Of course, with so many teams going 3 wide nowadays, the nickel is on the field a lot. A nickel front 4 of Lynch-(someone)-Dockett-Aldon can do well. That someone will hopefully be Tank, who flashes good pass rushing skills.

By placing Dockett next to Aldon, it allows one of them to be single teamed. If there is a matchup advantage, I hope Mangini considers placing Dockett over whichever Guard is slower to see if Dockett can win a 1v1. If Justin retires, I can see Aldon and Dockett executing stunts together similar to how Justin and Aldon did where Justin would work to earn Aldon a 1v1 isolation matchup versus an Olineman.

Originally posted by thl408:
I would hope that Dial can man the DE position in a base 3-4, while Dockett is a rotational player in nickel packages. Of course, with so many teams going 3 wide nowadays, the nickel is on the field a lot. A nickel front 4 of Lynch-(someone)-Dockett-Aldon can do well. That someone will hopefully be Tank, who flashes good pass rushing skills.

By placing Dockett next to Aldon, it allows one of them to be single teamed. If there is a matchup advantage, I hope Mangini considers placing Dockett over whichever Guard is slower to see if Dockett can win a 1v1. If Justin retires, I can see Aldon and Dockett executing stunts together similar to how Justin and Aldon did where Justin would work to earn Aldon a 1v1 isolation matchup versus an Olineman.

Agreed about Dial. I think he's going to be terrific on base downs in run defense. We'll have to watch him closely...Tomsula himself said that he sees him as a natural DE but was very pleased with his help inside at NT last year. I think that experience we actually help him even more to be an effective LDE.

I like that lineup... Lynch - (Dorsey-Williams-Tank) - Dockett - Aldon. Tomsula may want Dorsey in in case of a draw, Williams is also a good slashing NT and Tank could just be a huge force inside esp. with the other 3 around him. That would be my ideal as well!

And like the scout says, with Dockett, we have the option to move him around and attack 1on1 mismatches.

You bring up a great point about stunts with Aldon. Those will look drastically different with Dockett. Where Justin would use leverage/power to occupy two OL, Dockett will have to draw 2 OL by using his quickness off the LOS and in pass rush mode on the edge (or slip the two) while Aldon comes on a delay underneath.

Originally posted by thl408:
Without watching Kilgore in depth, I agree very much with what's said about Kilgore. He will not overpower anyone, but always has good positioning so that leverage is working for him. He seems to beat the defender to the spot, and uses leverage to hold the spot, that's sufficient to open holes in the run game. I trust WRATHman's assessment that it's his feet that allows him to do this.

I want to follow up on this train of thought. Thl408 and jonnydel (and anyone else who'd like to comment), do you guys think we're going to switch to a ZBS? I see a few things that hint that we will, including the hiring of Chris Foerster and his history making Albert Morris so good in that system, letting Iupati and Gore go (classic power run guys), building around Hyde (who is very natural running out of shotgun sets and Zone-Read sets) and the athleticism of the young talent that seems primed to step up on the OL.

Do you guys see many hints of ZBS concepts being called on 2014 film? I think Kap and Hyde would greatly benefit from a system like this because of what we can do with read option, play-action, and bootlegs in addition to traditional dropback sets. However, I also worry we might leave behind some of the strengths we've developed in the power run game too.

Originally posted by Adusoron:
I want to follow up on this train of thought. Thl408 and jonnydel (and anyone else who'd like to comment), do you guys think we're going to switch to a ZBS? I see a few things that hint that we will, including the hiring of Chris Foerster and his history making Albert Morris so good in that system, letting Iupati and Gore go (classic power run guys), building around Hyde (who is very natural running out of shotgun sets and Zone-Read sets) and the athleticism of the young talent that seems primed to step up on the OL.

Do you guys see many hints of ZBS concepts being called on 2014 film? I think Kap and Hyde would greatly benefit from a system like this because of what we can do with read option, play-action, and bootlegs in addition to traditional dropback sets. However, I also worry we might leave behind some of the strengths we've developed in the power run game too.

I think all of the hirings and signings hint toward a move to focus on zone running. We had plenty of inside zone plays called over the last several years, but only as a change of pace. Obviously, we have also run some read option, which is also a zone play.