Chris Long interview

[rookBoston]

Found this interesting. Says all the right things.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/int...chrislong.html

He's a bit of a tweener in our system, but I wonder if BB could turn him into a run stuffer...? I wonder if BB would be willing to invest a year or two in a top-5 pick, to teach him a new position...? More likely would be to draft him as a DE.

[dryheat44]

Originally Posted by rookBoston

Found this interesting. Says all the right things.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/int...chrislong.html

He's a bit of a tweener in our system, but I wonder if BB could turn him into a run stuffer...? I wonder if BB would be willing to invest a year or two in a top-5 pick, to teach him a new position...? More likely would be to draft him as a DE.

If he can legitimately run a 4.7, and times well with short-area quickness, I can absolutely see him blowing up guards at ILB. He's much more athletically gifted than Ted Johnson ever was, or Tedy Bruschi is at this stage of his career. It's not his game, but it would be cool if he could learn and give us shades of Levon Kirkland.

[PonyExpress]

Originally Posted by dryheat44

If he can legitimately run a 4.7, and times well with short-area quickness, I can absolutely see him blowing up guards at ILB. He's much more athletically gifted than Ted Johnson ever was, or Tedy Bruschi is at this stage of his career. It's not his game, but it would be cool if he could learn and give us shades of Levon Kirkland.

OLB would suit him much more if he measures up at the combine in the VJ and agility drills. He could still play with his hand down occasionally, and use his strength vs. the run to set the edge. I'm sure he could drop to 270 and improve his speed and quickness.

[VJCPatriot]

6'4 280. Is he a Klecko tweener, or can he be converted to OLB in the Pats system? That's the real question.

[Ochmed Jones]

I can't see Long as an OLB. I can see him beefed up to 290 or so and playing the Jarvis Green role.

[rookBoston]

Jarvis isn't 290, either, so that's not an obstacle in itself.

But, do you spend a top-5 pick on a guy who you project exclusively as a 3rd down pass rusher in your system? He'll need to prove he can beat an OT against the run-- and for that it helps to be 300#s.

Adalius and Bruschi and Vrabel and Colvin had college careers not dissimilar to CLong. Does he have the gray matter to make the change work?

Klecko had all the intangibles but still struggled to make the switch. Granted, Klecko is 5'10 and Long is 6'4-- which changes things.