Quentin Groves - Top 10 talent coming into this season. Played in the SEC, disgusting pass rusher, sick combine, excellent technique, excellent physical skills, very intelligent, a leader, and a very fluid athlete on the field. He's a solid tackler, and is better against the run than given credit for by fans. Injuries ruined his senior year, and coming back from 3 dislocated toes while changing positions seems to have hurt his stock publically. He was very good early in the year when he was healthy, and he was downright dominant in that nationally televised loss to South Florida. Derrick Harvey - Excellent 3-4 OLB body, built very similarly to DeMarcus Ware. Played in the tough SEC, good all around player, and an explosive pass rusher. There were reports that he looked better in linebacker drills than most LBers at his pro day. My main issue with him is that I don't even have an idea of what kind of person he is. Obviously, if we draft him then he must have cleared Tangini's makeup evaluations, but as this post is pre-draft speculation I'll leave his makeup up for discussion. Kentwan Balmer - He's got a Richard Seymour-esque feel to him. Balmer really broke out last year, and that seems to be alot of peoples' issue with him. Still, he REALLY improved last year, and personally he's come off as intelligent and aware of that issue. He's got excellent size, is an above average athlete, worked real hard to get where he is, and really could surprise alot of people by going in the top 15. He is probably the best 2 gap 3-4 DE in this draft, and I'm a big Dre Moore fan. Philip Merling - Was expected to rise bigtime this offseason, but injuries caused him to miss the combine AND his Pro Day. I know very little about him honestly, but alot of what I've heard is good. High motor, decent athlete, frame to get bigger, can line up in alot of spots, and did alot of different things in Clemson's D. Heard him compared to Justin Tuck athletically and physically, and the bulked up Tuck we see today would be a very good 3-4 DE IMO. Rashard Mendenhall - I was a big Stewart fan, but after the toe injury Mendenhall jumped over him for who I'd love at 6 if we went RB. Speed (4.48), size (225), compact build, quick feet, power...he's the total package. Was absolutely sick last year, and sounded really intelligent at his combine conference. Those are the guys off the top of my head...theres probably more but these IMO are the big ones.
Groves or Mendenhall, more so Mendenhall, I agree with. For any of the others it would be way to much of a stretch unless we traded down. Mendenhall is a rare talent and can be a great franchise back.
True...it's not like unexpected things have happened on draft day before and these guys like the physical talent to be top 10 picks... Like I said...you guys locked into 5-6 guys might be surprised how draft day goes...or maybe I will but I like to think I'm right all the time. I don't get why so many people have already decided that if we don't get one of McFadden, Long, Long, Gholston, or Ryan we're fucked. I think I'll add Rivers to that list, but I still think his best fit is as a 4-3 OLB.
If Gholston and both Longs are gone, and DMC is either gone, or our FO doesn?t think he?s THE guy, who is worth that pick? McKelvin or DRC aren?t better prospects than these guys, CBs always climb draftboards before the draft, because usually 2/3 of the teams could use another CB. And our system doesn?t really require 2 studs at CB, Revis showed, that he gets the Job done, against any competition and when we find a coverage S in the later rounds, that can help the CBs over the top, and frees up Rhodes to be the Ballhawk, he is, the #2 CB-Job will get much easier. I?m very high on Groves, too. I wouldn?t be mad to pick him at #6 in that scenario. I think that he?s much higher on Teams-Draftboards, than he is on the Experts-Draftboards, i?m sure he?s on the Pats radar, too. I think gholston is just a slightly better prospect. Not quite as explosive, but more pollished. I think Groves is a better 34 OLB prospect, than Harvey, so i would rule him out. I already said in some other threads, that i think Balmer would be a good 34 DE. But i think he?s more sumular to Olschansky, than he is to Seymor, but definitly someone to think about, he just lacks the explosion, you would like to have in a 34 DE. Merling is a guy, i would hate to draft at #6, first, his injury bothers me. And the 2nd reason is, i don?t think he really fits in the 34. Not athletic enough to play OLB, and not really big enough to be a DE. I would compare him to Ellis or Jarvis Green, would definitly work at 34 DE, but not the best soloution. Mendenhall is a good RB-Prospect, that does anything well, but he doesn?t really have anything that seperates him from many other RBs in the league. I still like Steward and McFadden more. I would hate to take him at #6. I?d also add Albert to that list, i?m not for going OL that early after we drafted 2 guys in the first 2 years ago, and spend big $ in FA for two other guys, but he?s another option. He would solve the last 2 problems our OL has: 1. Get Moore out of the lineup. Albert RT, Woody RG, would definitly be a big upgrade over Moore at RG and Woody at RT. And 2. he would also provide depth at any OL position exept C. If anyone goes down, put Albert in that spot (i think he can play 4 positions very well), swich Woody to RT and get Moore back in to play RG. Right now, we?re basicly screwed, if any of our OL goes down, can you imagine, what happens when DBrick or Faneca get injured? We would be back to where we were the last 2 years.
Groves might be there for our #2 pick, and I'm not that high on Balmer because I don't think he is an impact player at that position. I reaaly like Harvey though and think he is underrated. I loved Merling, but he has fired a few red flags since coming out. I think Mendenhal will be good in the right offense.
I'm just saying you are going to have to give the #6 pick a contract worth about 45 million with more than 20 million in guarantees. Do you really want to give any of those guys that? I still say and will forever say that the Jets will move into position to guarantee they get one of the guys they want and one they are willing to spend that much money on or they will move down out of the pick before the draft even begins.
The only guy in that group I would seriously consider at 6 is Harvey. He on most boards is still a bit of a reach. The lowest I have seen him on boards is at 7 the highest 17. He is an excellent player, I have seen him a lot. I just have a feeling the Jets have him targeted, no matter what happens. I would have no problem with that selection. JMHO
Harvey has the height to play DE in a 3-4 but he probably needs to add 15-20 pounds. He only weighed in at 271 at the combine.
I wouldn?t want to give any Guy who never played a down in this league that kind of money, but that?s the way it goes. If we are really trapped in that scenaro i described in my first post, those guys are options. He?s a 34 OLB
DWare, good noggin work! If the NYJs don't get their favorites at No. 6, and they can't trade down, then they must get some value because they are going to spend No. 6 money inevitably. Have to be ready for whatever shows up.
At PICK SIX!!!! ???? Just kidding - Great job.. I've been trying to look at these guys as well including the CB's... I wonder how many of the naysayers saw Revis coming last year.. Anything can happen... I hope it's a trade down and we get 2 of these guys and/ or an OL and CB.
i think harvey and balmer are reaches at 6. harvey also has a very odd looking build. he looks about 30 lbs lighter than his listed weight. balmer to me seems to be a pure 4-3 dt. although i heard in interviews Balmer said they had packages last year where he played the 4 technique. and like you he also said hed want to be compared to richard seymour. who wouldnt though. hes a good player for sure, but I dont know about taking him at 6. the guy could last as far as 24. one thing I will never forget though about derrick harvey, it was during the gators championship year. and I believe it was the game against South Carolina and Derrick Harvey blocked the game winning FG. I believe he also blocked an extra point in the same game. either way I remember thinking fuck the gators and this guy imposed his will and won the game single handedly. i would probably be more comfortable with harvey than balmer. philip merling is quite the mystery passing on workouts due to recovering from surgery for a sports hernia. the guys relentless but i think he lacks the complete athleticismto be a OLB in a 3-4. he also lacks the power to be a 3-4 DE and at 274 its not really an option. he really lacks technique and is not good at using his hands once engaged. as a 4-3 DE i think in time he could be a good run stopper and is one of those players who doesnt stop till the whistles blown. has good awareness of where the ball is. but hes someone we could trade down prolly into the late teens and still nab if we wanted him. IMO keith rivers, limas sweed seem like non Gholston/DMC options id like. but anytime you mention a reciever people bring up the trade down talk. thing is with Gholston/DMC gone i dont think we could trade with anyone. either way we have alot more options than people think and im glad you brought this topic up DWare.
Groves is a good player, but I'm not sure about spending round 1 money on a player who could end up out of the league within the year.
@ gus, any word on what that means? Is it a problem, was the out of the league, your guess, or did anyone else bring it up?
