Pro Football Weekly Draft Audibles

[BelichickFan]

NFL Draft - NFL draft preview and analysis from Pro Football Weekly

Not too much on many guys we're interested in but an interesting read anyway. You Brinkley fans won't like this, though :

"(South Carolina LB) Jasper Brinkley will be overdrafted on measurables. Go back to the tape."

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You Brinkley fans won't like this, though :

"(South Carolina LB) Jasper Brinkley will be overdrafted on measurables. Go back to the tape."

:ugh::amusic:

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Yeah, I was excited about Brinkley until I watched one game where the other team ran on him consistently--he always ran himself right out of the play with his overly aggressive attempts to fill in the run game. He's very athletic, but until he can learn to be more disciplined, he's going to give up more big plays than he makes. It's a shame, really, because he's phenomenally gifted and he's worked hard to come back from injury.

Hope he does well a few years down the road after some good coaching.

 

[BTTA]

Good stuff, thanks for that post.

 

[klinefan]

Sounds like something tghat's easily correctable.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Sounds like something tghat's easily correctable.

Possibly, but the concern is that he lacks the natural instincts for the position, and often hesitates on plays, which negates his superior athleticism. I'd rather take a guy who's a little smaller and slower, but super instinctive, because that puts him in a position to make plays.

What good is a Ferrari if you can't even find the race track?

 

[c_nice_37]

What good is a Ferrari if you can't even find the race track?

Depends on how many babes you picked up on the way.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

NFL Draft - NFL draft preview and analysis from Pro Football Weekly

Not too much on many guys we're interested in but an interesting read anyway. You Brinkley fans won't like this, though :

"(South Carolina LB) Jasper Brinkley will be overdrafted on measurables. Go back to the tape."

If you go back to the tape of his junior year, then you see an entirely different player then the one on tape last year. The question is which player are you drafting? Will he return to his pre-injury self?

 

[TriplecHamp]

If you go back to the tape of his junior year, then you see an entirely different player then the one on tape last year. The question is which player are you drafting? Will he return to his pre-injury self?

I agree, I put him in the same boat as William Moore. Both had bad senior seasons after coming back from or suffering injuries. Yes somebody will probably overdraft them because of that junior tape and workout numbers but if they return to that junior season form that team will be very happy.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

If you go back to the tape of his junior year, then you see an entirely different player then the one on tape last year. The question is which player are you drafting? Will he return to his pre-injury self?

I thought you were very disappointed in his instincts when you were watching him in '06? I seem to recall you got to watch both Brinkley and Goff and came away really disillusioned with both, I know I checked out this Brinkley kid peopel were raving about in '06 and wound up telling people I'd prefer Casper to Jasper...and couldn't wait until Eric Norwood was draft eligible.

 

[PATSNUTme]

The safest linebacker of that group is Clay Matthews.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The safest linebacker of that group is Clay Matthews.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like what they have to say about Brian Orapko: “(Cowboys OLB) DeMarcus Ware is a fluid athlete who can bend to leverage the corner. Brian Orakpo is tight and not as natural of a pass-rush guy. Neither are great zone-dropping, but you don’t need to be as a 3-4 rush ’backer. The primary job is playing with your hand in the ground, and that’s what Orakpo does best. He’s got that explosive first step. And he is much stronger than Ware, not that Ware cannot play strong — he knows how to use his hands.” I can't imagine why anyone would compare Orapko to Ware - they're totally different beasts. Orapko is if anything closer to Shawn Merriman, who's more of a bull and less fluid than Ware.

They are very high on Eric Wood: “If you want a physical center, (Louisville’s) Eric Wood is your guy. Flip a coin between Wood or (California's Alex) Mack, but we like Wood better. He could be the first center drafted. (Oregon’s) Max Unger is more versatile, but he won’t match up as well against power.” Mel Kiper notes that Wood is rising fast and could go #32 to the Steelers over Mack.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Clay Matthews has done Zilch. He didn't even start until the last half of his senior year. And then he was surrounded with other first round type players. Dra him in the fourth as a developmental athlete.

Mike Mamula where are you? I've got someone with your bloodlines.

 

[DocE]

I like Brinkley, don't love him and wouldn't take him before the 3rd round comp at the very earliest. I like him for what he did two years ago and what he did at the combine. He looked like a guy who was fully confident in being 100% healthy at the combine, he ran well and moved well. It's tought to find 250lb LB's that run well and project as inside players in a 3-4. I'd like a bigger guy, but a guy that can still run, next to Mayo. Brinkley is one of the few guys in this draft that could potentially qualify.

I find it funny that the scout quoted in this article rips other teams for their drafting. EVERYBODY makes horrible picks. Last year everything you read was about how DeSean Jackson was so weak that he'd never make an impact in the NFL. In his first season, he had a significant impact.

 

[mayoclinic]

On a side note, CNNSI rumors has the Eagles desperate to move up to get an OT who can start in September. That would probably have to be one of the two Smiths, Monroe, or Oher, and might require trading up both of their 1st round picks. KC and St. Louis are rumored to be desperate to trade down, but 21 and 28 doesn't get them close to KC at #3 or St. Louis at #2 in terms of the old value charts, so unless the Chiefs/Rams are willing to accept any alternative or the Eagles are willing to give away a fortune I don't see them being in the Jason Smith/Monroe territory. But they could trade up to the 10-12 range with their 2 firsts to target one of the other guys if they last.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I thought you were very disappointed in his instincts when you were watching him in '06? I seem to recall you got to watch both Brinkley and Goff and came away really disillusioned with both, I know I checked out this Brinkley kid peopel were raving about in '06 and wound up telling people I'd prefer Casper to Jasper...and couldn't wait until Eric Norwood was draft eligible.

There is no doubt both are not the most instinctive. And two years ago Brinkley's playing wieght was about 20 pounds more which made him look even less instinctive.

But all that being said, whoever takes Brinkley is gambling that they are getting the player of two years ago.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

There is no doubt both are not the most instinctive. And two years ago Brinkley's playing wieght was about 20 pounds more which made him look even less instinctive.

But all that being said, whoever takes Brinkley is gambling that they are getting the player of two years ago.

A gamble, that's how I see him.

 

[dryheat44]

A gamble, that's how I see him.

More or less than any other linebacker in the draft not named Curry?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

More or less than any other linebacker in the draft not named Curry?

More? Yes.

I checked out a couple USC games in 2006 because there were folks here raving about Brinkley the same way they have been raving about Maualuga and Laurinaitis... Jasper didn't impress (I liked his brother much better): he was slow to find the ball, for a guy his size he struggled getting off blocks, as for coverage, well :confused2:. Freshman DE/OLB Eric Norwood was the kid who caught my eye, Brinkley didn't measure up to the hype.

Enter 2007 and the year of the busted knee...exit Brinkley.

2008, people were grumbling about how slow he was playing on his bum knee, I actually thought he looked better than he had in 2006, like he'd spent more time in the film room and was doing a better job of diagnosing plays - Norwood still made him seem like he was standing in molasses when it came to reading and reacting. The NFL advisory committee reportedly gave Norwood a 3rd round grade in this draft, if that's the case, Brinkley's a 5th round grade at best.

The athleticism he displayed at the Combine didn't show in the field when I watched him, he's got good size and experience, I give him points for being better at diagnosing plays coming off his knee rehab, but he's a two down LB who just seems to work too hard finding the ball and getting off blocks. If anything, I'd say he's a more athletic Oscar Lua.

When I watch Linebackers, I'm first off looking to see if they can find the ball. The more they look like a pigskin seeking missle the more interested I get. Then I look to see how they deal with blockers, if you can't negotiate the obstacles between you and the ball, you can't make the tackle in the hole - you wind up with Patrick Willis numbers, 5 yds downfield. Brinkley might prosper with a smaller area of the field to guard, but you're betting on a two down LB who doesn't find the ball very well.