Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Ezra Butler Height:6'2" Weight:248 lbs. College:Nevada Conference:WAC Hometown:Calabasas, CA High School:Calabasas Butler is a wide body athlete with rare timed speed for his position. He hasn't really been used as a classic outside linebacker, as the "Bandit" position he played is more like a 5-tech rush end. He is a solid blitzer coming off the edge with his hand on the ground and can be used on the front wall, having begun his collegiate career as a 285-pound defensive tackle before trimming his frame to compete playing outside the box. I read about Butler in Jets Confidential. Do any of you have more information about him? I know he was out of football last year. he has had a reputation for marijuana use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Nevada All-America candidate and candidate for pre- and post-season WAC Defensive Player of the Year...One of 43 players and one of just three from the WAC, named to the initial watch list for the 2007 Lombardi Award...A 2007 preseason first-team All-WAC selection by Blue Ribbon Yearbook... Named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and to the preseason All-WAC first-team by CollegeFootball News.com... Has started 25 games over the past two seasons. 2006: First-time All-WAC selection was a catalyst on the WAC's second-best defense...Led the Wolf Pack with 71 tackles...Led the WAC, and was 18th nationally, with 17.5 tackles for loss, which totaled 85 yards of losses...Averaged 1.35 tackles for loss per game...Ranked fourth in the conference and 66th nationally in sacks per game with 0.54 as he had 7.0 sacks for losses of 55 yards...Recorded first career interception against Arizona State and returned it 23 yards for his first career touchdown...Had eight tackles, including 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble against UNLV...Recovered fumbles against Fresno State and Louisiana Tech...Recorded season-high of eight tackles in three different games...Won WAC Player of the Week honors after New Mexico State game with five tackles, including 2.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks...Led Nevada with seven tackles against Miami in the MPC Computers Bowl...Recorded 3.5 tackles for loss including 1.5 sacks against the Hurricanes in that game. 2005: Moved from defensive line to outside linebacker and started all 12 games as Nevada converted to a 3-4 defensive scheme...Finished second on the team in tackles with 75...Topped the club and ranked fourth in the WAC in tackles for loss with 15.5 for 64 yards...Also shared the team lead with 5.5 sacks for a loss of 37 yards...Had three pass breakups and two forced fumbles on the year...Made a career-high 11 tackles (seven solo) with 2.5 tackles for loss vs. Louisiana Tech...Also had 10 tackles in Nevada's upset of then-No. 16 Fresno State. 2004: Played in eight games as a redshirt freshman...Had five tackles at UNLV and at Hawai`i for his season bests...Made two tackles for loss of seven yards at San Diego State. 2003: Redshirted his first season at Nevada. High School Graduated from Calabasas High School, where he was first-team All-Frontier League in 2001 and 2002...Earned first-team All-Miramonte League honors in 2002...Selected as the team's defensive MVP in 2001 and 2002...Named to the L.A. Daily News' first team...Was the team's big hitter award winner in 2002. Personal Born Nov. 20, 1984...Parents are Jonathan and Barenese Butler...Father is a two-time Grammy nominated guitarist, songwriter and music producer...Majoring in speech communications with a minor in health ecology...Born in South Africa and also lived in London before moving to United States as a teenager.. Year GP/S Tackles Solos TFL-Yds 2004 8/0 19 7 4-14 2005 12/12 75 44 15.5-64 Totals 20/12 94 51 19.5-78 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustInFudge Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 I thought he was a group of players we signed mid season? Anywho - I loved this kid as a late round sleeper coming out of Nevada. Big guy, quick to the ball, and lays wood. Seems like he'd be a great fit in this system. He went undrafted to San Fran, couldnt stick, played for Fassell in the UFL, and now he's a Jet. Interesting side note, he's from South Africa originally and his father is a pretty well known musician, Jonathan Butler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fozp-sJoHTw this is an excellent video of Butler. ( I hope it works here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Can't see a downside to giving these low risk high reward type of players a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodWearsAGrayHoodie Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Dude has an awesome website..... http://www.ezrabutler.com/ LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT STALKER Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Well, it's about time we signed this guy...on to the SB we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jets Babe Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Found his scouting report from the combine (it's long): Positives: Has a well-developed frame with long arms, large hands, good overall muscle tone, wide hips and thick lower body that can carry another 10 pounds of bulk...Has rare timed speed for his position and runs well to plays in front of him, showing good quickness, agility and balance...Has better instincts vs. plays in front of him or inside the box than when on the move or in zone coverage...Highly emotional type who can fire up his teammates, but sometimes gets reckless and out of control (must play at a more even keel, as he can be taken out of his game)...Hard worker in practices and in the training room...Shows better discipline working through trash and plugging rush lanes rather than giving chase on the perimeter...Will usually play on that perimeter, but shows the ability to engage, shed and make tackles in the hole better...Flashes the ability to redirect and has a strong closing burst on the blitz...Willing tackler with strong, explosive hits and when he keeps the action in front of him, he generates good pop on contact...Sees the plays develop better when closer to the line of scrimmage and might be a better fit as an inside guy in a 3-4 alignment, as he is a tough inside force who might not shed well but can occupy multiple blockers...Not a smash-mouth type of hitter, but does show good force behind his hits...Could be more explosive shooting his hands at the point of attack, but his size and strength let him win most of his battles vs. smaller blockers (full-backs, slot receivers, tight ends)...Must be quicker bouncing back up when knocked down, but has natural pop on contact when he uses his hands forcefully...Although he doesn't play well in deep coverage, he has the speed to run with any back or tight end as well as many wide receivers (needs to learn how to stay on the hip of the route runner and not eye the quarterback as much as he does)...Shows athleticism while dropping into zone coverage and can get depth in his drops, but needs to do this quicker and show better awareness to handle switch-off activity in zone coverage...Gives a nice effort in pursuit, when he avoids blocks on the move...Has improved his ability to bring his arms and feet to fit and secure when tackling in the box...Comes off the edge well and fights through traffic to get to the quarterback...When he sinks his weight and keeps his hands inside the frame, he can keep better leverage on the ball...More active on the move while blitzing, with a strong, explosive arm swipes that lets him get to the passer when unimpeded...Is just an average pass rusher from the classic linebacker stance, but is a more effective rusher with his hand on the ground (good 5-tech rush end)...When he uses his hands to prevent from getting hung up in traffic, he can generate the short-area burst to close and pressure the pocket...Although he hasn't played on special teams lately, he possesses good coverage skills and collision-tackling ability. Negatives: Has a well-built frame, but played at 285 pounds in 2004, and while he can add another 10 pounds of bulk to his frame it could affect one of his better assets - his foot speed...Needs to mature off the field, as his violation of team policies resulted in a one-game suspension in 2007...Gets frustrated when his initial move fails and when he doesn't keep his emotions in check, it usually leads to costly mistakes...Has good hand strength, but needs to be more active with them, as he can be reached and is slow to shed blocks...Tries to over-power blockers rather than slip past or avoid, causing him to be tied up in the battle longer than he should (late to come off blocks, redirect and make the play)...Has rare speed for a player his size, but fails to keep his feet on the move at times and lacks that sudden burst needed to get to the perimeter to take on outside run plays...Must take better angles shooting the gaps and be more conscious of cut blocks and double teams (can be washed out when he fails to recognize blocking schemes)...For a player with his decent change of direction agility, he looks too awkward moving in space and gets out of control at times, taking arm swipes rather than getting into position to wrap and secure (lots of missed tackles)...Used mostly as a wide 5-tech defensive end, but will struggle vs. the bigger blockers playing that role at the next level...Gets reckless in his pursuit, out-running the play and then struggles to get back into the action...Adequate covering the pass in the short area, but has a choppy backpedal and fails to generate the hip snap needed to come out of his breaks cleanly to mirror the receiver throughout the route...Liability playing in the deep zone, as he does not have a good feel for the ball in flight (struggles to look the ball in over his shoulder)...Needs to get a quicker read on the quarterback in pass coverage, as he will eye the backfield too long and lacks ideal recognition skills (will bite on pump fakes/play-action)...Good blitzer, but needs to show more explosion coming off the edge and execute better angles when he has a clear lane (takes a wide loop)...Will disappear for long stretches and needs to be more aggressive initiating contact at the X's. Compares To: DAVID BOWENS-New York Jets...While field fast, Butler is a bit of a liability in the passing game. He is really not a classic linebacker, as he lined up as a 5-tech rush end most of his career and lacks great ball anticipation skills in pass coverage. He has the speed to be an efficient blitzer, but needs to keep his emotions in check and play with better consistency, as he tends to disappear for long stretches. Like Bowens, he has the burst to slip past lethargic blockers on the line, but his outside pursuit skills are lacking for someone who might be used as a weak-side linebacker. He might be more suited to play a hybrid OLB/DE role, for despite his timed speed he will struggle to mirror receivers on long routes and is not the most instinctive getting a read on the quarterback. If some team decides to shift him inside in a 3-4 alignment, they will get a quicker version of Jeremiah Trotter. ------------ I like the signing a lot. This guy costs pennies and can possible contribute to the defense. Why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetscode1 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Hopefully he's turned his life around...has some baggage but most of it dated. Noted undrafted free agent signee Ezra Butler was waived today after being arrested on Saturday in Reno for DUI and marijuana possession. While Butler was not drafted, his signing was hailed by fans as he was quite productive in college and many thought he could make an impact at the next level. Obviously he could still make an impact; it just won't be in San Francisco. The tolerance policy of the 49ers brass can be spelled out pretty easily based on this and other events since McNolan took charge. I'd say it's safe to say that the team believes in second chances. However, that first chance better have happened somewhere else. Butler was suspended for a game last season at Nevada using marijuana, so I'm guessing that was the first chance. Guys like Tarell Brown and Josh Morgan also had run-ins with the law in college, so I'd imagine if they got in trouble, precedent would mean they were gone. Of course Brown was a 5th round pick projected much higher, so I'd be curious to see if any kind of slack would be given to him. Hopefully the issue never comes up. http://www.ninersnation.com/2008/5/27/540566/ezra-butler-here-s-your-49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Can't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Can't hurt. we have nothing to lose and all to gain. But more importantly it shows that the FO does its homework and looks under every rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenseed4 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Last article makes me think he's more of an ILB type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Ezra Butler Scouting Report Position: OLB School & Year/Status: Nevada - Senior Jersey Number: #56 Height & Weight: 6'2 - 248 lbs. 2008 NFL Draft Prospect Scouting Report: person Ezra Butler, OLB, Nevada Butler started his career at Nevada as a defensive end during his redshirt freshman season. In 2005 he was moved to outside linebacker where he started every game for the Wolf pack, sharing the team lead with 5.5 sacks. In 2006 he led Nevada in tackles during the regular season (as well as during its Bowl against the University of Miami). He started every game during his senior season, making 71 tackles with 7.5 sacks and also made the All WAC Second Team. Butler is big, well built and very fast for a linebacker (4.49-40). He is agile and moves well and has quick change of direction, moving well in traffic. He closes quickly on ball carriers, getting good deep drops on zone coverage. He can run with any tight end (and most receivers) and possesses good hands for interceptions. Butler plays sideline to sideline, as a good pass rusher and is very competitive and a team player. Although big and strong, Butler seems to wear down when run at. He must avoid biting on play action fakes, because sometimes he tends to gamble. I think he just needs on the field maturation, because he did not fully dominate at his level. Ezra Butler had the type of talent that could change a game plan. In fact, he has as much athletic ability as most of the OLB in this draft class. Butler really hurt his draft status by not participating at the NFL Combine, despite the fact that he received an invitation. Once projected as high as a late second rounder, the athletic Butler has slipped to the late middle rounds. Nevertheless, the team that takes a chance on him will have a really motivated player that will try to put this and a somewhat lackluster 2007 season behind him. Last Updated Mar-16-2008 by Raul Colon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Interesting side note, he's from South Africa originally and his father is a pretty well known musician, Jonathan Butler. His dad flat wails jazz on a hollow body guitar. I've had his stuff since the early 90's. I like the way we're scouring the countryside for ballplayers - hope this kid works out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kleckineau Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 He is already a better linebacker than VG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Can't see a downside to giving these low risk high reward type of players a shot. Nope, no down side that I can see either. Sign em all, hopefully a few of them stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fozp-sJoHTw this is an excellent video of Butler. ( I hope it works here.) Thanks KJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Thanks KJ. you are welcome Thai Jet. I enjoy bringing articles like this to this board. In these slow times, they help fill the void caused by no NFL football on TV. I also hate when there are so few news articles to post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vudu Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Revis Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 this is a good pickup, get as many bodies in camp and were bound to find one who will pan out and contribute to this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistalava Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 He's from Calabasas, CA so after the November vote on legalizing pot he won't be subject to arrest if he chooses to mellow out with a bowl at home. I like this signing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick34125 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 fozp-sJoHTw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECURB Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Superbowl Bitches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetophile Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Ezra is a great football name. That's what matters here. Now if his name was say, Mike or John, but he could leap tall buildings in a single bound? Eh, pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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