2010 My Guys

[barrett]

Originally Posted by painekiller

OK if we take Weatherspoon that would be 3 guys that can all stay on the field. The team can rotate the coverages, and blitzes. All three guys can play all three positions, not a bad thing, what if Ryans went down? With Weatherspoon and Cushing, you are OK in coverage.

I want to have a super group, either at LB or on the DL. I don't care where.

So you want to draft another LB and keep all 3 on the field at once on 3rd downs?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by barrett

So you want to draft another LB and keep all 3 on the field at once on 3rd downs?

Old School baby. Thank old Steelers Russel, Lambert and Hamm.

Any one of the LBs can cover a TE or a RB.

Three WRs? You pull one of the LBs, but which one?

[barrett]

That's my point. 3rd down is a 3 WR down in the NFL. Actually, for some teams 1st and 2nd down are 3 WR downs. It's a passing league.

That is why I didn't like taking Cushing at first. Because in the NFL only two of your LBs play more than half the snaps and I wrongly assumed that as a SLB, Cushing would be the type to come out in those situations. Obviously he is not.

So, with what we have at LB already, drafting Witherspoon would mean that either our first round pick, or one of our two pro bowl LBs would be playing less than half the snaps. Its' just not going to happen.

If we go LB at all I would suspect it is a late rounder to back up Demeco. Do you guys have eyes on anyone who fits that billing (6th or 7th round plugger who is long on instincts but likely appears short on athleticism).

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by barrett

Actually, for some teams 1st and 2nd down are 3 WR downs. It's a passing league.

So, with what we have at LB already, drafting Witherspoon would mean that either our first round pick, or one of our two pro bowl LBs would be playing less than half the snaps. Its' just not going to happen.

If we go LB at all I would suspect it is a late rounder to back up Demeco. Do you guys have eyes on anyone who fits that billing (6th or 7th round plugger who is long on instincts but likely appears short on athleticism).

First, we don't have to take a LB off the field in Nickle packages. In fact, most of the time when we saw a passing situation, one of the D-Lineman would come off the field and we'd rush only 3. So, a 3-3-5 look isn't out of the question.

Secondly, just because you draft a player in the first round doesn't mean you will get a 1st round talent. If we had this team and were going into the 2004 draft, I'd rather select D.J. Williams than to select Ahmad Carroll. I'm also considering the possibility of getting a player like Nathan Vasher later in the draft to meet my need at the CB position.

Lastly, if you are merely looking for a player to be DeMeco's backup in the 6th round, might I suggest

Josh Hull, Penn State
Height: 6-3. Weight: 240.
Projected 40 Time: 4.77.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/565760

Boris Lee, Troy
Height: 6-0. Weight: 245.
Projected 40 Time: 4.76.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1128971

Ryan D'Imperio, Rutgers
Height: 6-3. Weight: 245.
Projected 40 Time: 4.80.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1115023

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by barrett

So you want to draft another LB and keep all 3 on the field at once on 3rd downs?

Yes. I'll also have the offense guess which one is coming on the blitz too.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by Roy P

Yes. I'll also have the offense guess which one is coming on the blitz too.

Roy and I agree on this one. Cushing was the best coverage LB in the NFL, stats bear that out, and Weatherspoon is considered a top cover guy. Funny thing is both of these guys can also rush the passer. Now, let the QB guess which guy is hot and which guy is laying back.

[barrett]

It doesn't matter if they are top cover LBs. They still can't cover like a slot receiver, which is what one of them would have to do to make it plausible to have all 3 on the field in passing downs.

Look around the NFL and you'll see that no 4-3 team is playing 3 LBs on 3rd down. Most aren't even playing two. And it's not because nobody has come up with the inovation yet, it's because the forward pass was invented and it stopped being useful to have 3 LBs on the field at once on passing downs. Especially since a 3-3-5 is going to slide Mario in and make it tougher for him to rush the passer. A 3-3-5 on 3rd down also makes Connor Barwin useless. And I doubt the GM is looking to draft players that make his 2nd round pick from last year irrelevant.

Honestly there are too many logical reasons to list for why we won't go LB in round 1 in a million years.

But I don't need to argue this one. You guys can draft as many LBs as you want for your offseason defense. I don't have to agree with your X's and O's to appreciate the great work you do researching draft prospects.

So I'll just focus on your guys at OL, DT, FS, CB, RB, WR.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by barrett

I don't have to agree with your X's and O's to appreciate the great work you do researching draft prospects.

So I'll just focus on your guys at OL, DT, FS, CB, RB, WR.

Focusing on DT position, I'd consider not only "upgrading" Shaun Cody at the NT position, but I'm also wanting to replace Jeff Zgonina. Deljuan Robinson and Frank Okam could use some competition, in my opinion. Therefore, I would not be hesitant to draft 2 DTs in this draft. Preferrably, a NT and a 3-Tech (one of each). I'm not in a hurry to spend a TOP pick on this "need" as we have seen, just b/c we used a first round pick on a DT (T.J. & A.O.), there's not guarantee that the produce immediately. So, the guys I'm targeting....

NT:
Jay Ross, East Carolina
Height: 6-3. Weight: 314.
Projected 40 Time: 5.14.
Projected Round (2009): 3-4.
11/28/09: Has 35 tackles, three TFL, 1.5 sacks and a 49-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Jay Ross didn't look too bad running that one back on national TV.
2/14/09: Once again an All-Conference USA honorable mention, Jay Ross accumulated 48 tackles, 9.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks.

Ekom Udofia, Stanford
Height: 6-2. Weight: 315.
Projected 40 Time: 5.12.
Projected Round (2009): 4-5.
11/28/09: Hobbled by an ankle injury this year, Ekom Udofia has 34 tackles and 1.5 TFL in 11 games. Should be a solid reserve nose tackle in the NFL.

Cam Thomas, North Carolina
Height: 6-3. Weight: 328.
Projected 40 Time: 5.18
Projected Round (2009): 5-6
12/31/08: Finished season with 34 tackles, 3.5 TFL, and one sack in 13 games.

Torrell Troup, Central Florida
Height: 6-3. Weight: 314.
Projected 40 Time: 5.34.
Projected Round (2010): 6-7.
11/28/09: Has 27 tackles, five TFL and two sacks in 11 games. Some 3-4 team needing nose tackle depth will take him late.

Kade Weston, Georgia
Height: 6-5. Weight: 322.
Projected 40 Time: 5.05.
Projected Round (2010): 6-7.
11/28/09: Solid numbers for a nose tackle: 25 tackles, six TFL and two sacks in 11 games.

3-Tech:
Lamarr Houston, Texas
Height: 6-2. Weight: 300.
Projected 40 Time: 5.02.
Projected Round (2010): 3-4.
11/28/09: Having a monster year for the Longhorns with 37 tackles, 13.5 TFL and five sacks in 11 games.

Corey Peters, Kentucky
Height: 6-3. Weight: 295.
Projected 40 Time: 4.97.
Projected Round (2010): 4-5.
11/28/09: Having a monstrous senior campaign for the Wildcats with 49 tackles, 11 TFL and four sacks.

Nate Collins, Virginia
Height: 6-2. Weight: 290.
Projected 40 Time: 5.10.
Projected Round (2010): 5-6.
11/28/09: Has a whopping 70 tackles, 9.5 TFL and five sacks in 11 games as a senior.

Mick Williams, Pittsburgh
Height: 6-1. Weight: 280.
Projected 40 Time: 4.89.
Projected Round (2010): 5-6.
11/28/09: A 4-3 under tackle who can really get after the quarterback, Mick Williams has 13 TFL and four sacks in nine games this season.