As far as finding players for our 3-4 goes, I think that we've really hit the perfect year to grab a pass rushing OLB. In the past few years there have been one or two guys that have really had that kind of talent/potential (last yera Wimbley and Lawson come to mind immediately), but this year, there's a literal boatload of guys that are hovering in value right about where we need them. Besides Gaines Adams, I could honestly see just about any of them be available with our pick. Sure, it's still several months off, so we'll no doubt see some rise out of our range, but it certainly won't be all of them. Below are my rankings of these 3-4 rushers that could make it to the first round, or at least the order I'd hope to get them. 1. Gaines Adams, Clemson. Started slow, then really stepped up. Terrific athlete, should be in the top 6. 2. Jarvis Moss, Florida- His showing in the NC game should tell you all you need to know about the kind of impact he can have. If he enters, he should be the 2nd best DE in the class, but questions about his "off year" could drop him back. I'm not too worried about it personally, in my mind, he just needed a support system. 3. Quentin Moses, Georgia- This is a guy that a lot of people are sleeping on right now. He started out the year rated as the best DE in the country, then a sub par year has peopke dropping him straight out of the first round. I agree that he didn't have the type of year expected, and Charles Johnson may have even overtaken him in this draft, but he's got All Pro skills, and should excel in a 3-4. 4. Lamar Woodley, Michigan- I'm not really a huge fan of Woodley, but I'll give him his due. He's a good passrusher, and knows how to get into the backfield, I don't think he's near as explosive as any of the top three are though. I'm not sure he'd be the impact, Ware/Wimbley type guy a lot of the fans are looking for. 5. Lawrence Timmons, Florida St.- This is a bit of a strange pick, but I think there's a ton of potential in him to be a dominant 34 rusher. He's only about 230 lbs, but he's a very well built 230, and is a natural at rushing the passer. Being the only true LB on this list he'd obviously give us the best versatility, as he has proven an ability to drop back consistently. 6. Victor Abiamiri, Notre Dame- A bit of an enigma for me. I know he has a lot of potential, and his skills are naturally suited to play at 3-4 OLB, but to be honest, I'm never a very big fan of ND defenders. Not to mention he never really became that dominant force many expected him to, though I imagine a good staff could make that happen. 7. Anthony Spencer, Purdue- His name has been thrown around a lot recently as well, and I started buying into his hype a bit myself during the year, before I saw him play vs Wisconsin. I know Joe Thomas is far and away the best OT in the country, but he dominated Spencer pretty easily. Spencer still has good potential as a rusher though.
You are right, but some mocks have some of the players you've mentioned as DE's: that's why I mentioned them. With all this emphasis on being able to play a variety of positions it is hard to know where a college player will play in the pros. I can't comment on the summation of several of the players you've mentioned because I haven't seen them play, but the top couple at least you've got pinned down pretty well. It is indeed a good year for OLB's. The draft is thin at several positions, but not at linebacker.
Oh, no question all but Timmons on that list are DE's on the conventional, 43 scale; it's just my best guys based on a few different factors that makes me think they could play OLB in a 34. It's really not at all set in stone, of that list (n/i Timmons), at least 4 will probably never play a snap at LB.
GH, while what you say is true, we should have a legitimate shot at a bunch of pass rushers even into the second round, the talent level, in my opinion, dropped off by a large margin from last year. Basically Wimbley and Lawson are far and away better than anyone in this draft. I'd put Adams as potentially better than Carpenter but the rest would be around the same level as Carpenter if not worse.
I'd love to snag Moses- people forget just how dominant he was last year. I think he'd be a fantastic 3-4 LB. For me, my first choice with our 1st rounder is to grab Marshawn. If he's not available, I snag the best available 3/4 OLB. My preferences would be Moses, Woodley, and Spencer in that order. I'd love to hear your opinions on the 3/4 DE and/or the weak NT class GH. Always a good read bro
I have to disagree there. I think Adams' play later in the year solidified him as one of the elite prospects available, something Wimbley and Lawson were not a year ago (and wouldn't be this year). I think Wimbley proved he was deserving of his spot, but at this stage last year he wasn't really seen as near that level, so to me there's reason to believe that one or a few of these guys for 07 could make that same jump back up.
The only one on that list I really don't like is Abiamiri. Whenever I watch Notre Dame I have keyed in on him, and the only time he really gets sacks, is when the coverage is excellent, and he takes his time around the edge. Timmons is list at 230, but he looks and plays a lot bigger. He runs downhill, extremely fast and could put up Lawson type numbers at the combine. The only thing that will hurt him is his size, as his height/weight ratio isn't very proportional.
How much talent dropoff would there be from pick # 25 to pick # 36? The depth of players available at this position sems to reward patience but Woodley might be worth it. Of course, that would depend on who we gave up at # 25 and who we would get at # 36. Also, are there any sleepers that would fall to us in our second 2nd rounder that would let us use our first two picks on other needs? In any event I agree that a pass rushing LB should be one of our first three picks.
Mkristo Bruce and Dan Bazuin are two guys from smaller programs, that could end up being very good picks in the late second-third. Brian Robinson from Texas might be able to play a pass rushing OLB position, however I haven't seen that much of him to judge.
Robinson's a good athlete, but doesn't seem like a big impact guy in a 3-4, Tim Crowder might be a better option, though I doubt his ability to ever be much of a drop back guy. Bruce is kind of in that same boat for me. I really like Bazuin, just a smart, skilled football player, he'd fit well on the team in that regard. At the same time though, I expect a guy like Spencer to be there at our 2nd rounder, Abiamiri as well most likely. As for the dropoff from 25 to 36, it really depends on how fast these guys are going. If it gets to us with Adams, Moses, and Moss all gone at 25, then Woodley should be the pick, because he won't be there at 36, and probably neither will Timmons. Then again, if Moss or Moses is there at 25, they shouldn't even mess around and just grab him.
I hope a few fall so that maybe we'll pick some offensive fire power for Chad to work with in Ginn Jr or Sidney Rice. GH, is this even possible? What do you think? Your boy right here is dreaming of Ginn or Rice.
Rice will be there when we pick at 25, I have no doubt about that. I'd give it a decent enough shot that he'd be at 36 too. Ginn will be gone though, I'd figure by pick 20 (depending on workouts).
See.. Ginn is extremely raw which is why I don't see Mangini picking him anyway. Rice and Meacham are two big WR's that I'd love to get, though. So, depending on the amount of OLB's that fall to us and if a good 3-4 DE like Carrikker is available or not, we just might add a WR to our corp. I just don't think J-Mac will be back next season and Brad Smith is just too raw and still nothing more than a decoy.
