We need to model the Steelers 3-4 personell who has 3 good pass rushers who can come at you at anytime, it is much harder for the OL to account for multi talented guys who can rush the passer when called upon. I have done my Dolphins Mock draft around this concept.
Gilbert does have good quickness but Jackson also displays it from time to time. And Jackson is also strong. Yes they are two different things; although both are important. However, Jackson isn't a very good pass rusher. He's more an energy guy and is very stout against the run so it comes as no surprise that he's not a sack artist. As a 3-4 defensive end, I'll take Jackson over Gilbert. The motor wins me over. Gilbert is talented but I've seen him have his hands on his hips quite a bit.
A sound concept, right now we have 1 proven pass rusher and we just released our #3 guy in sacks... So maybe Wake plays more down linemen then we all thought, or we take some rookies who we hope can pass rush.
Not a WR in sight. Very possible but very regrettable. I actually think you can get Domonique in the 4th and below as it stands
When Leonard Marshall played DE next to LT in Parcells defense, he was a fine passing DE. One could say he fed off LT, but the reverse could just as well be correct. He made it harder to double team LT. They lined up side by side and Marshall was by far their 2nd best pass rusher. Later on, Eric Howard was a pretty good pass rusher for a NT and Pepper Johnson was a solid inside blitzer. If we could get a 3-4 RDE that could rush the passer lined up next to Porter, and still play the run in the base D, that would be mighty sweet. Maybe the Padre's suggestion of Ziggy Hood to play RDE would fill that kind of role. Ziggy isn't tall, but is quick with good arm length, same as Marshall was. I think in my next mock draft, I'm going to be a copy cat, and plug Ziggy in to the #44 pick. Maybe Michael Johnson at #25, and then get corners at 2b and the 3rd rounds.
Spot on! That was my thought process in mock 1.0. The only thing is, De's who can do that tend to be high draft picks, so what Ireland may do is simply draft a OLB/DE and bulk them up to play as a downlinenman...that is why there are 3 in my mock. It would be sweet if Merling could turn into a Leonard Marshal for us, but just watching how Tuna and Ireland operate, they hedge their bets on a key position and do not rely on a key player, they don't pin the future on one guy panning out. The only thing that makes me hesitate a bit is there could be some truth to the thought we could go draft early for the offense, it could be just a Tuna smokescreen, but it is hard to say for certain.
I agree, Merling has some pass rush skills and should be stronger this year too and to hedge their bets, which has been a Tuna mantra since he began, a guy like Hood or Gilbert makes sense at #44. Fili Moala could be a 3rd option. IMO he could play 3-4 DE very well too. One of those 3 should be available at #44.
And a solution to the lack of pressure from the Linebacking Corps is to find a replacement for Akin A who can blitz, maybe a guy like Beckwith? Or move an outside lb we draft to the inside? So our OLB corps would consiste of JP-Rookie-Channing-Roth/Wake/Rookie. If we stay true to form and find some 260 pd 6'3 OLB/DE, they could also rotate in on passing downs and maybe take Vonnie's spot on the dline. A player like Johnson or Conner Barwin or even English, though most people that I've read feel English is better suited to playing standing up. I do think we will go Cb this draft though, so the order is not as important as the positions we fill as it looks like there are maybe 3 starting spots up for grabs (CB/OLB/NT) or if they don't start, they will see the field an awful lot.
