Connor Barwin Sacks Prediction

[barrett]

Just out of curiosity, what reminds you of Babin?

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by barrett

Just out of curiosity, what reminds you of Babin?

You didn't ask me, but here's my 2 cents worth anyway.
I never worry about the PC BS, so I'll just come right out and say it - like
Babin he's a white-boy who comes from a not-so-big-time football program, though granted the U of Cinncinati is a bit more prominent than Western Michigan. And also like Babin he's a "high-motor", over-achiever type who's Draft position was surely elevated as a result of his combine/pro-day performances.
And he's still in the midst of a positional transition - he was a TE for most of his college career and he's fighting a steep learning curve as he continues to
learn about playing DE. Babin on the other hand of course went from a DE to 3-4 OLB in the pros. So there's all that uncertainty about a successful position conversion.
So yea, they got atleast a couple things in common.

[Arky]

I see this years as a learning year for Barwin so I've got him in the 3-4 sack range. But with many QB pressures. It's not the sacks so much as the pressure - don't let the opposing QB have all day and make him throw before he's ready...

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

You didn't ask me, but here's my 2 cents worth anyway.
I never worry about the PC BS, so I'll just come right out and say it - like
Babin he's a white-boy who comes from a not-so-big-time football program, though granted the U of Cinncinati is a bit more prominent than Western Michigan. And also like Babin he's a "high-motor", over-achiever type who's Draft position was surely elevated as a result of his combine/pro-day performances.
And he's still in the midst of a positional transition - he was a TE for most of his college career and he's fighting a steep learning curve as he continues to
learn about playing DE. Babin on the other hand of course went from a DE to 3-4 OLB in the pros. So there's all that uncertainty about a successful position conversion.
So yea, they got atleast a couple things in common.

That's pretty good. IMO, Peek was all about speed. There was no finesse at all. It was simply "I'm faster than you are and I will run past you". And if that meant he overran the play or got blown up at the point of attack, hey, that's not his fault. He was just there to be fast.

You've hit on most of the comparisons to Babin - small-program guy who has to learn a new position, expected to outquick his blocker but is a little undersized for a DE. Needs to learn some technique at the next level if he's going to have any success.

I wouldn't say that Babin and Barwin are a one-to-one correlation but I do see some similarities.

[papabear]

I think I accidentally hit the 7-8 button, but I meant 5-6....and that's being optimistic. There are some similarities with Babin, but I think there are superficial at best.

Cincinnati faces much stiffer competition than Western Michigan. They might not face an SEC schedule, but I don't think you could put those two schools on the same level. Barwin looks more physically impressive to me. Maybe the bad taste in my mouth from Babin is influencing that a little bit, but Barwin looks quicker and stronger to me.

They both did a position change, but Barwin at least got a year for a test drive at the College level as opposed to Babin who had never played LB before. There's still a learning curve their, but they are just two different situations IMO. Plus I liked the smarts I saw out of Barwin. It was just one play, but he sniffed out a screen to his side and jumped in the air to bat the ball down. Just one play, but that's a heady play for a kid with only year experience at the position. Besides this is the time of year to get overly optimistic about little things at practice.

The other big difference between the two is that Babin was expected to come out right away and start...Barwin is going to be asked to mainly do one thing this year. Rush the passer, and that happens to be his strong suit. He won't need to be able to handle 50-snaps a game and worry about the run and the pass. He's just going to come in and do his thing while learning the other nuances of the position slowly. His sack numbers will likely be vary low because he won't be on the filed as much as a full time starter might be. With Mario on the opposite side, and a hopefully improved pass rush he should get some chances though when he is on the filed.

[barrett]

I don't see many similarities. Babin was a small school over-achiever. He had a stumpy frame and was not ever known as quick.

Barwin is from a Big school (cincinatti plays in a major conference, played OU in the non-conference, and went to a BCS game last year), he is a project who needs to grow (as opposed to a more finished over-achiever), he is long and rangy, and is know for his athleticism and quickness.

I just don't see much in common. I would say the rawness and athleticism are far more like Peek than Babin.

[NBT]

I made the 5-6 sack choice. He will play behind Mario at the beginning, so he won't get much chance from that perspective. But if he shows aptitude, I think the coaches will find some way to get him some plays.

[nunusguy]

I'm gonna take the liberty of digressing a bit more here because this thread drifted off to a comparison of Babin & Barwin, which brought to my recollection the difficulty Dom Capers had here in Houston finding a steller edge-rushing OLB type for the 3-4 for which he's so identified. And of course one Jason Babin was at the top of that search.
After David Carr himself, I dunno but wonder if any player or subject here in Houston has been as controversial or as widely discussed as Capers trying to make Babin our annointed sack-rushing specilialist ?
Wonder how Capers is doing with his new assignment in GB to convert their 4-3 to a 3-4 ? And is Jason Babin even still in the NFL ?