The 6'5 300 lb Florida OL could be the most unsexiest pick at 29, but he would give the jets great depth and he can play all 3 interior line positions. Mike Mayock talked about him in the last Path to the Draft. I remember asking about him in a thread a couple of weeks back. He could replace Faneca, and god forbid something happens to Mangold or Moore, he can fill in with ease. Thoughts?...
Is there a point to picking a guard so high when Faneca is starting next year? I know the lines are important, but I don't want all of our first rounders to be tied up in the OL.
I like Mo Pouncey a lot too. Like you said, it wouldn't be the sexiest pick on draft day, but it would be a good one. I think he'll be a nasty pull guard in the NFL. It doesn't matter if Alan Faneca is starting next year. We don't have a viable replacement for him or Damien Woody. This team's running game will take a step back if these players aren't replaced. A lot of posters don't seem to realize that we have to build this team around Mark Sanchez. There's absolutely nothing wrong with drafting multiple offensive linemen in the first round.
I'm not saying let's not draft an offensive lineman, I just think we should pick a player in the first who will contribute this year. I'd be fine with picking an offensive lineman in the second or forth that's raw so we can develop him into a starter for 2011. Plus I don't think it's necessary keep sinking first round picks into the OL. We have a VERY solid line right now, arguably the best in the NFL. Do we really need to keep throwing first rounders into our line to keep it great? What team does that? Are we not going to develop any players?
I know this is a win now league, but our offense is incredibly young with the exception of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody. Drafting a player that can immediately fill in when needed would be an excellent move for the future. This team is set up to be very good for a long time and I'm so fucking glad about that. We've only spend two first round picks on our offense line. Ferguson and Mangold are two of the best linemen in the league. I know we have one of the best lines in the league, but it's about time for Faneca and Woody to hang 'em up. We need to find replacements...may as well bring in a top caliber player to learn the system so he can contribute in 2011. The Baltimore Ravens spend a lot of high picks on their offensive line. This game is won in the trenches. Just because a player is drafted in the first round doesn't mean he won't develop. The higher the player is drafted, the higher their ceiling.
^ Oher and Grubbs were both 1st rounders. Chester was a 2nd rounder. And 2nd rounders can't be raw OL prospects. they better be ready to start after learning for less than 12 games in the NFL, or that FO made a mistake. The Jets have too many raw OL as it is. None of them could do what Pouncey does and thats what worries me. I'd rather have the OL stay the same and go unnoticed by many, than it not look as good and have everyone going apeshit over it. That LG pulling aspect of the run game is the most important. If the jets can't find someone who can't do it like faneca, this run game doesn't stay the best. The LG pulling around Mangold is the top running play Callahan has come up with. It has to stay status quo. Pouncey is that guy.
I've been preaching for a while we need depth and future starters on the O-line. Everyone thinks we have the best O-line in the NFL, maybe it's true. I've heard this said time after time ..."No need to draft O-line, were the best"...that's a bunch of garbage. Our depth and age at LG, RG & RT are scary, a couple of injuries and Sanchez is a "dead-man walking". I'm all for drafting Iupati if he falls to us at #1. The excitement for Iupati has been turned down a notch....maybe he falls to the Jets.
Forgive my ignorance...but didn't Pouncey play Center at Florida as well? So in addition to all the reasons stated why he'd be a good pick for us (eg a great pull guard, added depth).....he'd would also be a much needed backup for Mangold.....or he could eventually replace Mangold if the Jets decide not to resign him. God help us if the Jets ever let Mangold go (I'm sure Tanny wouldn't pull off such a stupid move).....but landing Pouncey would indeed give the Jets the flexibility to do that...if we can't resign Mangold due to a resurgence of the "salary cap". hmy:
I think it would be a very, very, smart move. You get your best player now, and fortify the OL for the next 5-7 years. Sexy does not win you games....opening holes for the running game and protecting the QB does. You grab the best talent available to strengthen your team irrespective of position unless you have a glaring hole and you are in a serious rebuildingg mode. That's how winning teams do it. For sexy picks.....see Rhodes play for the Cardinals.
I'd say a good group of backs protects a QB more than than the O-line. At least, in our offense. Edited...
If you can consistently run the ball 30+ times a game, how many times are you passing? And when you are passing, what can play action provide for you? Less hits + keeping defenses honest helps keep your QB from getting killed. But in any case, RB is a greater need than O-line for us, IMO.
But you need the line to be able to run. You can only give the ball to one RB at a time, but you need five offensive linemen on the field every snap. I'd be more than happy with an o-lineman in the 1st or 2nd.
Easy answer......if you were a QB, which one would you rather have protecting you? Five huge-ass guys or a couple of smaller RBs that happen to be a little closer to you?
