Ngata didn't slim now and get into great shape as a pro? Everyone in the football world knows Cody is a ridiculous talent for such a big guy.
Haloti Ngata is the most athletic 330+ pound player to ever put on a uniform. I'm sure he's benefited from NFL training, but he's always been an amazing prospect. Ngata can and does play multiple positions...HN plays end in Baltimore's 34, and moves to DT when they play 46 and 43. Cody's only real value is at nose, but he should be extremely valuable at NT. You don't see too many 340 pound players at defensive end. He was 338 at the combine, and he's 340 now. Not much of a difference...(37 bench reps at the combine) There's a reason why he went in the top 12, and Cody could fall out of the first. I don't know if Cody will slip that far, but Ngata never, ever had any question marks.
It's not a photo-shoot, though. This is fucking football. For this last time, it's his job to be huge and to take up as much space as he can on the field.
When you think about it, isn't amazing how big these guys are today? Back in the day you would never see a 300 pounder. People were scared that the 300 pounder would keel over with a heart attack. Now were seeing guys go for 400. Are we gonna see 500 in 20 years?
Ngata could have fallen out of the first too at one point, and more than a few people said what we're saying about Cody about him back in '06. That first line is a slight bit of hyperbole. I've thought Ngata was the best DT in the game (given age and health) besides Haynesworth since '07, but Wilfork, Williams, Jenkins, Stroud, Henderson, Haynesworth...there's been some freaks this decade. Like any extraordinarily large athlete, Cody will either eat himself out of the league or not. I don't think he will, and I don't think the franchise that drafts him will either.
I agree that there are tons of athletic defensive tackles in this league, but NTs like Vince Wilfork, Kris Jenkins, and Jamal Williams cannot do what Ngata does. He's not a nose tackle...he's not just a space-eater that dominates against the run. Ngata can play, and be extremely successful at every position on the defensive line. The three NTs you listed are one-dimensional players...but they are the best in the game at what they do. Stroud, Henderson, and Haynesworth are outstanding in the 4-3. I hate to post this video, but none of those DTs you listed can do this: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51HHEFtmcUE[/youtube]
I'm sorry...we actually have Kris Jenkins on this team...Kris Jenkins is a one dimensional DT to you? Ngata does what those guys do in their Ds, but isn't the official NT because they had Gregg. He's still basically the guy that collapses and dominates the LOS because of his sheer size and power. He even moved into the NT position last year when they lost Gregg. The NT position in the 3-4 revolves around more than just being a space clogging fat guy....isn't that the knock on Cody? BTW: All those guys can theoretically do what was done in that video. Just because they didn't do it in their careers doesn't mean they weren't capable...We're not really discussing how much of a freak athlete Ngata is...I know how good and how freakish he is...I'm saying Cody's got the similar profile of a versatile, very large, dominant college DT getting knocked for being "too big" when he's going out for a job that loves size and can work with it (while he gets in shape).
Yes, he's a nose tackle and that's it. Jenkins is a dominating force in the middle. Saying that he's one dimensional isn't an insult. He's just not versatile at all at this point in his career. Mount Cody is not versatile. Believe me, at the beginning of the season, I thought the same thing...but I was mistaken. He's one of the best pure nose tackle prospects in a long, long time...but he's not versatile.
What does that mean? He plays the run and the pass as a massive DT...how is that not versatile? Saying he's one dimensional is insulting, because he's not. Huh? Even if that's true, someone who can even theoretically be that against the run will be extremely enticing....
You don't get what I'm saying. Kris Jenkins is limited to the role of NT...and that's it. Haloti Ngata can play everywhere on the line. It is true. He's a space-eater that comes out of games in passing situations because he's lacking in versatility. Like the aging Jenkins, he's limited to the role of nose tackle.
No, he's not. Rex and Mangini both used him at DE at times in the 3 man line. Also, the fact that you can title Ngata as a 3-4 DE doesn't mean he and Jenkins have drastically different games and abilities. Both are the big men the 3 man DL revolves around, both command double and triple teams, both can beat those, both are exceptional athletes, both play the run extremely well, and both collapse the pocket up the middle. 1. He doesn't come out all the time in passing situation. 2. Mostly he comes out due to conditioning issues, which he'll have. I'd use him at DE if the Jets drafted him this year. A Cody-Jenkins-Ellis DL would be nasty. There's a reason the Ravens have their 3-4 DE's listed as RDT and LDT on their website depth chart...they want big, run stoppers who open up holes...the difference between that and a Ngata/Jenkins/Wilfork/Williams/Castillo/Seymour/Warren is that those guys also create an above average pass rush more often...all 3-4 DLs have a guy like that to build off of...Cody can be that guy, especially if the franchise that drafts him understands that he's probably not where he will be in 3...5...certainly 10 years....there's work to do for everybody after they get drafted.
Oh...and fun fact...if the Redskins start using a 3-4 expect Haynesworth to take on the same role Ngata plays in the Ravens 3-4...DE/NT/DT...that's really all it is...and it's really just about where he's lined up since he's doing the same thing at all those positions anyway.
Or in real life...you're overblowing the position. Cody does 2 of the 3 things Rex asks of his DL already: Stop the run Eat up blockers After that, to become a truly big time DL for Rex he'll have to get in better shape and play the pass at a high level too. Given his youth and what I perceive him to be (a dude who'll put in the work) I think he can do that...it might take a couple years but such is life.
Rotational DL...same thing. The 3-4 DL is very fluid if you allow it to be, and from what I've seen of Rex's scheme he allows it to be. In the end, you're asking them to take on blockers first and foremst anyway...That's something Rex, BB, Phillips, LeBeau, and other 3-4 coaches understand...If they can do that then they're already halfway home...if they can be coached up to do more then good for them and us...that's pretty much how I'd see Cody. At least we'd be getting a Ryan Pickett type.
Tanny is a smart GM. He would NEVER do that trade. At the least, Jets would get a 5th AND a 4th. In a perfect world, they would also swap 7th rounders. My first glance was, moving 9 spots from 29th overall is way more than a 5th rounder. See for yourself: http://walterfootball.com/draftchart.php
If I'm Pouha, I'm pissed. I went from the starting nose tackle on the #1 ranked defense to 3rd string in the course of an off-season. That's gotta suck. Also is it possible Thomas Jones may have been hurt in the playoffs? I just find it hard to believe that a RB can go from 1,400 yards to "His impact on the offense is non-existent at this point on the field" so fast. I've seen it happen as fast as one season to another, but never regular season to post season. That's got to be new record.
No, it would've been on the injury report. Tannenbaum won't screw that shit up again. Thomas Jones was just completely worn down at the end of this season. I'm sick and tired of people saying he's a lot younger than his age shows...just because he wasn't a feature back early in his career doesn't mean his body doesn't have a lot of wear and tear on it. Drafting Shonn Greene was an excellent move, but I still think we should bring in another powerful runner.
