2010 Draft Spotlight: Jerry Hughes - OLB - TCU

my favorite WOLB prospect. About time guys! Right now my top propects at LB are

WOLB Jerry Hughes
SOLB Greg Hardy
ILB Rolondo McClain

"Boomer wrote:

I had a long chat with Coach Jeff Reinebold, the SMU receivers coach last night about all sorts of subjects and over a really fascinating and insightful hour where we talked work ethic, receivers, Bess and Ginn, the Miami front office, June Jones, recruiting and draft eligible players he likes amongst many other things, he said Hughes was the best player SMU faced in the past 2 years. He said when they watched him on tape and tried to scheme him, the coaches were marvelling at his 'tremendous rush ability' and the 'uncanny ability to be narrow around the corner'. But I said to him whether he thought he could play the strongside and he said he absolutely believed he could. He also said that he'd spent a lot of time with DeMarcus Ware in mini camps and said that Hughes has Ware like ability and physically they're 'very, very similar, especially up close'.

thats a fascinating commentary Boomer. I really like Hughes but I put him just under the Ware category. His pass rush is phenomenal but I question the rest of his game. Not in a Cameron Wake sort of way, I think he's ahead of Wake but I dont see him being able to dominate the run. He's similar to Wake in that what you gain in the pass rush is somewhat lost in the defense against the run although I think the gap is narrower with Hughes.

I really like this analysis in that it gets into what could be improved both technique wise and physically. If Hughes does improve both technique and physically he could be special but I think there is alot of work that needs to be done so I think the odds are somewhat long. He'll always be a great pass rusher but can he elevate the rest of his game past the average category and at least into the good category since him being a great run defender is probably past the point of possibility.

BTW Boomer did he have anything to say about Sanders? I like him as a late round prospect for us

if we can get Dez Bryant or R. McClain i would love to see hughes in a fins uniform

"adamprez2003 wrote:

thats a fascinating commentary Boomer. I really like Hughes but I put him just under the Ware category. His pass rush is phenomenal but I question the rest of his game. Not in a Cameron Wake sort of way, I think he's ahead of Wake but I dont see him being able to dominate the run. He's similar to Wake in that what you gain in the pass rush is somewhat lost in the defense against the run although I think the gap is narrower with Hughes.

I really like this analysis in that it gets into what could be improved both technique wise and physically. If Hughes does improve both technique and physically he could be special but I think there is alot of work that needs to be done so I think the odds are somewhat long. He'll always be a great pass rusher but can he elevate the rest of his game past the average category and at least into the good category since him being a great run defender is probably past the point of possibility.

BTW Boomer did he have anything to say about Sanders? I like him as a late round prospect for us

Here's the thing, he's only been a DE for 4 years since High School. He never played defense in High School, and given the constraints on college coaches and the propensity to not tinker with a player all that much if he's good could mean he has a lot untapped potential. If a team is smart they take him knowing that he won't get on the field much as a rookie outside of certain situations. However, if he does have so much room fro growth a team will take him early. I think he can do it, because he puts in the film time to "know" an opponent very well, he'll likely be committed to learning other aspects of his game.

His upper body is under developed, but that can be changed and likely will be. I know what you're saying, but frankly I love this guy's projected ceiling, and that projection will likely see him rise come draft day. He'll look good at the combine as he runs around and then he'll be the next big thing.

Just picked this guy up for the Fins in a GM mock draft on a fantasy football forum. I was specifically looking for a guy who's big enough to play Jack and also talented enough to get to the passer, because I think Wake is our future Will.