#1 draft priority OLB - New England Patriots Forums

Ochmed Jones · 11-08-2010, 01:36 PM

The Browns just ran the football down out throats and we could not do anything to stop them. Cunningham, TBC and Ninkovich all need a reality check when it comes to setting the edge.

Cunningham gets a bit of a pass because he is a rookie and learning a new position.

OLB Ryan Kerrigan of Purdue needs to be our first first round choice.

captain stone · 11-08-2010, 08:04 PM

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

***cstjohn17*** · 11-08-2010, 08:12 PM

TBC is utterly useless, I can't stand his game (or lack there of).

Sorry random rant.

When I watch the Giants I see a blue print for building a team, get dominant on the offensive and defensive lines and then fill in the pieces.

Taxed in Maine · 11-08-2010, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captain stone

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

Because neither of them are DEs, nor Wilfork. But SOMEONE has to play there. And Wilfork is more athletic than GWarren.

They need to draft the best 34 DE they can get, it needs to be the number 1 priority.
With some of the the DE/OLB types that look to be available, I think they can wait until the 2nd round.

MaineMan · 11-08-2010, 10:29 PM

Here's something moderately amusing that I discovered on the way to looking up something else. Spikes now leads all rookie LBs in tackles. Cunningham is 9th. And Dane Fletcher is 14th. So, we have three rookie LBs in the top 15.

Also, FWIW, Deaderick is now 13th in tackles among rookie D-linemen and ahead of JPP, Brandon Graham and Derrick Morgan. He's also tied for 3rd with 2 sacks. That's not a lot, but it's two more than Vernon Gholston has had in his career. Just sayin'.

Off The Grid · 11-08-2010, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaineMan

Here's something moderately amusing that I discovered on the way to looking up something else. Spikes now leads all rookie LBs in tackles. Cunningham is 9th. And Dane Fletcher is 14th. So, we have three rookie LBs in the top 15.

Also, FWIW, Deaderick is now 13th in tackles among rookie D-linemen and ahead of JPP, Brandon Graham and Derrick Morgan. He's also tied for 3rd with 2 sacks. That's not a lot, but it's two more than Vernon Gholston has had in his career. Just sayin'.

Excellent stuff.

One of the great privileges of rooting for the ONLY Coach Belichick-Coached team in the GALAXY...is that he understands that how a team is playing in December is VASTLY more important than how it plays in September.

Deaderick was one of my very best calls, this year ~ no need to discuss my expectations for Oakland!!

~ as I predicted he'd be making money for us about a WEEK before he rocketed from Inactive to Starting LineUp!!

I expect continued improvement in effectiveness and Synergy from him and Brace in particular, as the season develops, which of course will make Cunningham, Ninkovich, and even Crable and Hyphen Boy look like they've got something going on...which should continue the ripple effect to the Secondary, of course.

Off The Grid · 11-08-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captain stone

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

Absolutely.

1 ~ Nick Fairley ~ Auburn ~ Rocketing to Top 5 contention, but doing so early enough that enough GM's will finally remember that his resume is WAFER thin...resulting in his meteoric rise collapsing, over the 4 long months after the season ends, and him sinking ~ I expect and I PRAY ~ to the mid teens, or even later...which is actually possible, in a VERY deep Defensive End Draft Class. But he...is...DISRUPTIVE. And it would be nothing short of a dream come true to acquire his services. He's the very best DE Prospect in the Draft, but I bet he drops WELL below his value, simply because of those factors.

2 ~ Cam Jordan ~ Cali ~ He's got all the tools we're looking for. A perfect fit, if we don't get Fairley...Even better, if we DO.

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

***ctpatsfan77*** · 11-08-2010, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Off The Grid

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

Connor Barwin suggests that he won't take someone with a wafer-thin resume in the second round (although, admittedly, we're talking about an OLB conversion). Get down to their pick in the third round, though, and I think we can talk.

Off The Grid · 11-09-2010, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctpatsfan77

Connor Barwin suggests that he won't take someone with a wafer-thin resume in the second round (although, admittedly, we're talking about an OLB conversion). Get down to their pick in the third round, though, and I think we can talk.

Hah! Excellent Connor Barwin reference!! He DOES come immediately to mind when I'm thinking about Tight End Converts...

MaineMan · 11-09-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Off The Grid

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

Ran a quick check of draft sites WRT JJ Watt:

Drafttek has him ranked as 8th best 3-4 DE and #54 overall (up from #107 just recently).

NFLDraftScout has him unofficially as their #3 DE.

Misc other sites that are relatively up-to-date project him going anywhere from late-1st round to mid-3rd.

Interestingly enough, he doesn't even appear to be on Matt MCGuire's radar over at WalterFootball.