They will not see the field as an OLB? Why not? Do you mean whose going to be an end in pass rushing situations?
Because going into this draft, we have opened one spot on Defense, Vonnie Holiday's old position is up for grabs, all things staying the same, we need a prospect who can play that role, or move outside and standing up. I forgot to add Larry English though.
I don't understand. We've gotten rid of Holliday and replaced him with McDaniels on the roster. As the pass rushing end, I think Kruger could be considered there and Sintim should be. Both can stand up or play with their hand in the dirt.
A oft injured near FA who we gave up a 7th round pick for is not what one would call a keystone to our defense Alen. Supposedly, we dumped Vonnie to make more playing time for Merling. Now consider Michael Johnson, he's 6'4+, can add weigh or add strength and play up or down. Or what if we take Hood to play NT (ala Jay Ratliff) and then take a Phil Hunt a bit later in the draft? So Hood...Cb...OLB...CB...Te We would have added insurance to the Dline, upgraded our secondary talent wise, and added a conversion OLB/DE type, it could be Kruger at #56 maybe even English.
I know, I said we replaced Holliday's roster spot with McDaniels. I didn't say anything about his duties. Its possible. I don't see Phillip Hunt being here. He's very small. I could see him going to a team like Indianapolis. That's what I've been suggesting all along.
That is scenario #3 Alen, #1 is very possible, we could go Offense and have an equally as valid view. Casey to challenge DMart, a Wr, and a Cb NT like Pryor from UK in the 5ht or 6th round, maybe even Sammie Stillwill, heaven knows Ireland adores small school players and "projecting"...Ireland is such a geek, it amazes even me. So our strategy would be: Roth battles Wake, loser becomes depth, Wilford is cut and Harvin or Bey or Nicks goes at #25 and Smith at #44 and Casey at #56. That does make some sense as well. BTW Alen, "Phil Hunt" is a metaphor for a lower tiered LB/DE prospect, it could be anyone from Shaughnessy to j Williams, the strategy is we pass on a upper level prospect in favor of a less hyped one in order to fill other needs, it is a sort of "stand pat' strategy with a rookie providing competition and depth, but is unlikely to start.
I have a hard time seeing Sean Smith there and I have a very hard time seeing a receiver like Derrius Heyward-Bey here. Yeah, I didn't catch the 'a' in front of Phillip Hunt. Shaughnessey is a decent option at linebacker, even though I think he's better fit standing up and going downhill, he's likely to be an end in the NFL.
I would rank our needs in this order ILB, OLB, DT, CB, WR. 1st round: If we can work a trade with Cleveland for Shaun Rodgers and their #50 for our #25 pick pick I say we do it. If not we go for best ILB available Maualuga, Matthews or Cushing. We need someone to pair up with Crowder. If none are available and Nicks is there then we pick him up. 2nd Round: 2a grab the best OLB available Stintim, Johnson, Barwin, Kruger. 2b DT Ron Brace. 3rd round: OG Louis Vasquez if available if not go WR. 4th round: CB Domonique Johnson 5th Round: CB Brandon Hughes 6th round: ILB again for depth. I like Antony Felder from Cal 7th round: go for depth at RB, FS and lineman
Who are these other? I think they're crazy!! LOL. I hope they're not reading this. Would you go RB if you were SD, when much of your defensive strength revolves around you DLine? I think we're probably different than the consensus. LOL. I'd rather take Tyson and grab Cedric Peerman in 3. I hope they take RB 1st though just to give us more options at 25.
Good point... but I loved his coverage skills in the Senior Bowl! he seems like a slightly shorter McKelvin, but I might be off base with that. They even have a similar elongated stride. Reminds me of Walter Payton. LOL.
I like Murphy, too... but IMO if Mike Wallace played 4 years at UF, we'd be looking at him as a 1-2 rounder now.... so he's a steal in the 5th or 6th IMO. Padre, you just the nail on the head!!!!!!!!!!!! AMEN. This needs to be our focus to allow the OLB's to apply maximum pressure... which will in turn allow us to blitz more effectively from ALL OVER the field. This should be priority numero uno. Merling will be a force over the next 2 years at LE. Don't worry about him. I promise!! Langford needs to be replaced on passing downs, and Merling needs to be replaced on running down. The key is finding THAT player who can satisfy both of these roles. Alen made a great point about hoping Tyson Jackson falls. He's a top candidate for this role... as well as Peria Jerry and Padre's favorite, Ziggy Hood. I'd have a very difficult time choosing between the 3. They'd have to be relentless with a great motor. To add to this further, one more guy would be needed to platoon on running downs who is big and quick enough to play NT on passing downs. Enter 6'3 315 Dorell Scott who is very quick for his size. IMO it will take Wake a year to learn the position to the extent that he is a better every down player that Roth. I could see Matt being a consistent 2 down player while Wake rotates in with Joey on 1st and 2nd downs to get reps in. Then in passing downs, Wake moves over to strong side and Joey comes in at Weak side to keep him fresh for rushing the QB. ?????? Michael Johnson is an injury waiting to happen and too inconsistent IMO. His body is too thin for his weight, and his frame is already past being maxed out for his bones, joints, ligaments to not be stressed out. Johnson is probably 50 pounds heavier than his frame was built to hold. LOL. Look at your Chris Long thread Padre for the reasons why we shouldnt draft Johnson. If I didn't know better about him, I'd be all for him. Merling might have had an average/weak bench coming out of Clemson, but he does a great job of using his core strength... probably nearly as well as Chris Long. Don't forget, if it weren't for his hernia, he was top 12 talent.... and still is.
I think it would not be wise if San Diego ignored a RB in the 1st. They obviously want to find a replacement for L.T. and I don't think they will be drafting so early next year. Now is the time they grab Donald Brown, Beanie Wells or Knowshon Moreno. I just hope they dont take Rey Maualuga.
Ive been thinking about that lately {sintim or barwin}, for the simple fact that they could play inside linebacker next to crowder from day one, which is really the only position some rookie has a real shot at starting at, which gives us real value at #25..having a rookie in the starting lineup is important to me..we need the athleticism and explosiveness desperately. If there high on Derek wake, sintim and barwin even makes more sense over guys like english..which hurts a little to say..
Agree, too. I think that's the only reason we take an OLB in the 1st.... if he can play inside, too. In this regard, I might rather have Sintim than Rey Rey. I wonder how Clint would be viewed right now if he were coming out of USC with all that attention and talent around him?
It's tough to assume a trade FFest84, we more then likely will have to use the #25. We just re-upped Channing C, that sort of took ILB off the table, unless it is Akin Ayodele, and that is early for Vasquez...now Herman Johnson...
Why spend that early of a pick on a player who max would have 90 tackles? Maybe 100? i'm wondering if James L slides to #56 if we take a shot at him. That were something that Ireland said in his predraft presser that planted the idea that we might snag him, maybe something about "they are football players and love the game of football over anything else."
TP, can you expand on your thoughts of merling, i know you view clemson players with a third eye. What did you see in college that was top 12 talent wise? I think he's gonna be a star as well, why did you say he has to come out on running plays?
For the same reason we take an OLB in the 1st... b/c of his ability to bring the heat and allow us to blitz from more places on the field which will hopefully keep an offense off balance while creating more turnovers. yay? nay?
Merling is a football player through and through. He was of the biggest contributors to what I belive was a top 5 D. He's relentless and plays with passion. His motor was awesome and he had a knack for making big time plays when we needed it. He was always in the backfield and always disrupting plays, and he seems like a great teammate who elevates the level of play of everyone around him. He was a top 12 talent b/c he was a force in every aspect of a DE's game....a complete DE. He's a more consistent and effective version of Robert Ayers this year. The only reason I'd take him out on running plays is if I could go an even bigger version of him who can occupy more blockers and help clog the trenches to the highest level possible....like Dorell Scott. I only said this about taking out Merling in passing downs in my pursuit of the most dominant DLine on running downs in the NFL. Otherwise, he'll still do a good job vs the run as 3-4 DE. Did I cover it all? If not, let me know.
One of my favorite things about this board is when i have a set of eyes that i trust, that has seen one of our players up close and personal, for an extended period of time.
DJ, who's your team? So I too have an extra set of eyes to trust. I'd add to this year's draft that whoever gets Michael Hamlin and Chris Clemons are getting one he'll of a football player! Same with Aaron Kelly and James Davis. Most people don't know that Clemson had to replace 4 OLine starters before last year, and the remaining starter went out early on...followed by probably 3 of the newcoming starters. We probably ran a dozen different combinations. Ugh! That's why Clemson flopped and Cullen Harper, Kelly, Spiller, Davis, and Jacoby Ford didn't produce. Harper was running for his life all season and it caused some bad habits that followed him through post season. He could be a steal in the 7th if he can regain his composure/mental make-up. Kelly is a gamer! He's the tall redzone threat we're missing and the kid has Chris Carter soft hands and the ability to extend the sideline better than anyone I've ever seen. I can tell everyone now that the must draft player for us next year to replace Ricky- is CJ Spiller! If you guys haven't really seen him play, he's more explosive than Reggie Bush was at USC with a much better attitude/desire. Watch his UTube highlights...and when you do, remember this is only half of what he offers us!! CJ's a complete team player and does everything a coach asks and gives 110% of himself on every player. Kid has more heart than I think anyone I've ever seen play. If you want to know who the next great back is- it's Spiller. Keep an eye on Jacoby Ford, too. He'll be the fastest player in college football next year. On defense, the top HS recruit, Daquan Bowers was a monster as a Freshman! Future #1 overall pick if anyone wants to keep track. LOL. Well...that's enough OT for now. Posted via Mobile Device
I've seen CJ Spiller play TP, he reminds a bit of the Philly's Rb, he's explosive. And James Davis could make a fine NFL back, like Andre Brown he was better then his team allowed him to be. Which also brings up a interesting twist, we took Parmalee last draft, and inexplicably Hillard, do we try to pick off a later round Rb this year? I'd love to snag Davis in rd 5 or something.
Now that I think of it, Hamlin has the instincts and understanding/intelligence of the game to potentially be a great S in the Quarters Coverage scheme to learn under Bell. Posted via Mobile Device
I think James Davis is a helluva back. Going probably in round three I'd assume. He's not fast, he doesn't have the open field explosiveness nor is he really a threat out of the backfield but he can hit a hole and make something out of it. Very impressive player. Always been a fan of his. The next big time player out of Clemson is DeQuan Bowers. Top ten pick when he comes out. A menace out there.
Good point, Padre. Davis was a borderline 1-2 round talent entering last season, and nothing changed about his quality of play...the only change was he had no blocking what so ever and he's a north-south runner. Not a good combo. LOL. Davis epitomizes all you look for when drafting any position. He's a Ronnie type player in that regard. He'd be a great pick up in the 5th, especially running behind our healthy line where he can do what he does best. Padre, did you see Spillers highlight reel? It doesn't show how well he catches the ball out of the backfield or on deep flys. I've seen him make a diving over the shoulder fly in the corner of the endzone....and he can pass as well as Ronnie Brown Wildcat cough cough. LOL Who's your team Padre? Posted via Mobile Device
He sounds like he would fit our system, Draftscout has him as a 5-6, which is about right, he's not really middle tier back, not hsi fault particularly Clemson was loaded but just did not have decent line play. IMO, we've hashed 1-3 out pretty well, perhaps the later rounds should be looked at now? This is where IMO Ireland struggled last year. If one points to Don Thomas, if they "knew it all along" then why did they wait until Rd 6 to take him? Dillard was not that compelling a Rb prospect, in fact, he has been invisible...as in not a word is said about him.
I have a hard time seeing James Davis go that late. Maybe four as the latest but I don't see him in the five-six round area. He's a productive back.
Yup. That's pretty much Davis. What you see is what you get. He explodes into a hole and gets the tough yards vs LBs. It was a priveledge watching Bowers this year! Future Super Mario in the making, only shorter. LOL Who's your team Alen...while I'm asking around. Posted via Mobile Device
Can you see the Phins using our #4 on him? Not to be snide, more to be ontopic, Davis if he doesn't slide to 5-7 won't be a Phin, if we go Rb it is not likely to be early.
Correct but there's plenty of running backs that Davis should go ahead of. There's nice late round talent but I think the fact that Davis has been productive at a high level of competition will bump him up.
I think Tight End is probably near Running Backs went it comes to needs really. Both positions are going to have players contracts running up. Ronnie Brown's deal ends up after this season I think and who knows if Ricky Williams will be a cap casualty. We saw the rumors earlier this off-season about Ricky possibly being it. I don't see it but they may. Who knows what Ronnie will ask for. They may slap the franchise tag on him but they may not, its something that will be up in the air IMO.
Here's how I would look at it. We drafted 2 RBs last year hoping that one of them would hit. Neither did. Ricky's getting old, and will need to be replaced...so by my count we're still 1 back short. In our new "smash mouth offense" I feel we need someone who can hit the hole with authority. Parmale was a 5th rounder, and Davis is a better back...so by that premise I could see us taking a back like Davis in the 4th who has a lot of life in his legs. In a 2back league, he will probably be one of the top 2nd backs with the potential of being a quality #1. He's also runs much tougher than his size leads on and Ronnie would thoroughly enjoy sharing the load with him bc of their similarity in Character. Posted via Mobile Device
Alen, I used to be a Cane fan till I went to Clemson to play baseball. Becoming a Tiger fan from a Cane was such a hard transition! LOL Posted via Mobile Device
Padre, in regard to James...he's the kind of player who gets doubted by everyone predraft and then ends up doing nothing but producing in the NFL. I like those guys. IMO there are much bigger risks. I'd be happy with him at 57 as long as we can still get The other James....Casey. LOL Posted via Mobile Device
Parmalee was a 5th rd pick, but keep in mind the situation, Ronnie was coming off of a ACL, Ricky had not played a full season in 4 years before, they both proved they can stay healthy and thrive in the offense. That would remove the priority from taking one early this year, while next season if we look at Rb's, they normally can play from Day 1, a "A" gap is a "A" gap after all.
