Su'a Cravens

We just can't possibly take a safety type player that high in the draft. I hate to draft based on need, but our secondary looks pretty good for the next three years or so. Gilchrist turns 28 in December with three years remaining, we'll pickup Pryor's fifth year option keeping him through 2018, and Skrine (who currently plays that nickel role) is signed through 2018. Unless Cravens can bulk up and play that other ILB role ala Deone Buccannon, we can't take that type of player that high in the draft.

 

I really really really like Su'a Cravens. Grab him in the second, especially if we can get a few extra pics for big mo or trading back in the first

 

Skrine is that player. He's the corner that replaces the 4th linebacker as he is not an outside corner. Safety is one of the few positions that we don't need to touch for a couple years.

 

JV I think he's a 4-3 Outside Linebacker in the NFL not a safety. On this Jets team he would play outside backer and could facilitate a full time switch to the 4-3 Defense. Might take him a year but he should be playing at 220-230lb range like many of the newer small OLBs (Thomas Davis, Lavonte David, Telvin Smith). That's the future of this league- linebackers that can run and cover anyone.

Cravens is a great all around football player. Born to play this game. He is a wrecking ball and if the Jets get him somewhere I will be happy. Having a linebacker that can cover people is immensely valuable...

 

That'd be great. I mean we could still realistically play a 5 man front with this sort of player, but that's if we keep Wilkerson and figure out how to work someone into an OLB role because Sheldon is really too slow for it IMO.

Now if we move Wilk and play some variation of Richardson-McLendon-Williams on the line, with Mauldin on the line at OLB and this cat with David Harris it could work out like Buccannon in Arizona, but that's an incredibly unique player.

I'm always in favor of getting football players though especially at the linebacker spot. Get the player who looks the best on tape at that spot minus all the standard measurables and combine times.

 

move Wilk. Mauldin puts his hand in the dirt. Richardson gets his hand back in the dirt where it belongs. Draft Cravens in 2nd round.

Richardson-Williams-McClendon-Mauldin
Cravens-Harris-Spot open (Henderson? Reilly? What we get for Mo? another draft pick?)
Secondary.

Idk. just spitballing. Either way even if he isn't a good fit here I think Cravens is an NFL LB not an NFL safety.

 

It's tough to marry us to a scheme really because we have so many pieces that don't necessarily fit with each other.

- Wilk/Richardson/Williams are all ideal 3-4 ends or 3 techniques. That's obviously one too many.

- McLendon is a true 3-4 nose tackle.

- Mauldin looks to be a weak side 4-3 end who could struggle against the run (remains to be seen).

- Harris is a true strong side 3-4 linebacker and that's about it. Henderson fits best in a 4-3 ILB sideline to sideline role. Bruce Carter is a 4-3 weak side OLB.

I love the multiple personnel we can run but on a snap by snap basis one of Richardson/Wilkerson/Williams is getting wasted if we're not lining up in a true 4-3 Defense with one of those guys playing the 3T.

 

Last year Richardson was the one who was wasted more often than not. (on the field I mean )

I agree there are some mismatched parts but that's what they pay Bowles the big bucks for. To make it work. Most teams mix up their fronts anyway.

 

I tend to agree. It truly sucks, because the one piece that is truly lacking to run a full time 4-3 is the lack of a legitimate 4-3 ILB. Harris would struggle immensely in this role to off tackle runs. I think Henderson/Carter could actually man the 4-3 OLB spots pretty well, but I think we'd get killed much like we did against Philly if we tried to employ it full time. Amazing how one piece changes the entire defense.

We could play a variation of a 5-2 if we wanted to though (Mauldin-Richardson-McLendon-Wilkerson-Williams across), but again we'd be relying a lot on Harris to get to the edge to make the play. He's great at what he does, but struggles when he's moving outside the B gap. Might be worth a try, considering Pryor is an animal in run support. The 5-2 is similar in although it flanks both ends/outside linebackers much wider and keeps them to contain the D gap while the ILB are solely responsible for off-tackle runs in terms of gap responsibility.

I just hope Bowles proves to be a coach that is not stubborn in his ways. If the personnel in camp proves that we can formidably run a 4-3, then we better be running a 4-3. I just don't like standing any of Richardson/Wilkerson/Williams up. Regardless of where they are along the line, let them put their hands down. They're too big and not explosive enough to be trying to get out of a two point stance and keep contain. They're also all such big guys that I think they'd struggle with their pad level and leverage.

I'd have to go back and watch but I'd imagine they'd fall into the same habit that killed Coples ability to play the position in that at the snap of the ball they find themselves rocking back or taking false steps. Incredible how important each step is.

Sorry for the essay, lol.

 

Is he strong enough and big enough to play that role full time? I'm just saying, if he's a situational nickel player that is going to struggle in run support when playing in the box, he becomes a luxury if he's only on the field in nickel situations. If he can play a similar role to Buccannon and basically become a full time LB then he'd be a great selection. Realistically, if a player like this is going to succeed, he'd be in the perfect situation here with our massive front.

 

I wouldn't draft a player based on the TEs on our schedule, Denver had a crazy good defense and they barely contained Gronk, the Jets have to draft BPA, if he is that player in the 2nd round so be it, but if their board has some one else then I hope they stick with their board.

I don't see him being that player in the second round though, I think it will be LB or OL.

 

This is what scares me also, he used Richardson way too much as a stand up rusher and he became ineffective. This also throws off how they draft, if Mac is drafting BPA but TB needs an OLB and the BPA is a defensive lineman based on their board, what do they do?

 

We certainly do not draft another 3-4 end. Unless we plan on playing all 4 of them at once in a fat boy Nascar formation.

 

I think he'll be a linebacker in the pro's. Bowles will use him like he used Bucannon in Arizona

 

It's just incredibly tough to fit a guy into that role as a rookie without him getting destroyed in the run game early on. Like I said though, with the massive front 4-5 we put out, this would be the best situation for an undersized linebacker to succeed in.

 

Bowels in Arizona used a dime (3 safety 3 CB ) alignment on 60% of defense snaps. He's known for loving versatility in his players and Cravens delivers that. Add in his ball skills and he's a perfect inside LB compliment to Harris behind a very good Dline.
As one commentator put it, if he's there for you in round 2 or 3 you take him and worry about how he fits later.