Brandon Graham

[KevinFaulk-33]

What do you think about this player? I think is one of the most complete projected OLB of this draft.

He's a little shorter than the other, but he's not only a rusher, he can stop the run and cover a little. The Patriots talked to him at the Senior Bowl, I think that it is a good sign.

 

[mayoclinic]

I wonder whether he would be best suited for us at SILB, where I think he would be an animal in time.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I wonder whether he would be best suited for us at SILB, where I think he would be an animal in time.

I understand the need to upgrade at OLB, but im kind of hoping BB gets another MLB........My binky is McClain, and yes i know, no chance in hell he'll be there when we pick

 

[mgteich]

McClain may not be available to trade up using our top two picks plus our fourth.

I understand the need to upgrade at OLB, but im kind of hoping BB gets another MLB........My binky is McClain, and yes i know, no chance in hell he'll be there when we pick

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

McClain may not be available to trade up using our top two picks plus our fourth.

2011 1st rnd, perhaps?

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

I look at Graham and see Woodley.

Both:
Were ranked in the 7-10 range in DEs.
Are a tad too short for the DE "lack ideal height".
Are very strong.
Don't have the speed you're looking for.
Lack coverage skills.

Both:
Good technique,
Use hands well.
Super productive in college (BG led the nation in tackles for loss in 2009 on weak Michigan team, 2 time team MVP).
Both in the 4.7- 4.75 range (40 yd dash).
Both are hard workers.

Graham was a captain - leadership skills.
Played on the punt unit every game.

And besides, don't we want a 3rd Michigan LB on our team?
(Crable, Woods)
Third time's a charm!

I think that many here would agree that passing up on Woodley was a blunder. If he's there in the 2nd I would take him.

When was the last time one of our OLBs man handled an OT?
(I can vividly recall Woodley doing this at least once a game for Pitt)

This is his UM bio: University of Michigan Official Athletic Site - Football

 

[mayoclinic]

I think that many here would agree that passing up on Woodley was a blunder. If [Graham]'s there in the 2nd I would take him.

Passing up Woodley was a blunder at what point?

- Was not taking Woodley at 24 a blunder? He wasn't rated that highly, and Meriweather was considered a more talented prospect at a position of equal need. Taking Woodley at 24 would have been considered a major reach in 2007.

- Should we have reached for Woodley at 28 instead of trading and getting Mayo in 2008? I'll stick with Mayo.

- Should we have not traded for Wes Welker with our 62 pick, and instead tried to trade up for Woodley? I'll stick with Welker.

I don't think we blundered. We just didn't have the ammo to make a move for Woodley. Where we blundered was not trading up for Stewart Bradley in the 3rd round, who went at 87 when we had 91.

As for Graham, if he's available in the 42-47 range he would be great value, no doubt about it. But at 22? Not so sure. And after his Senior Bowl performance it's not clear he'll last very long. If we take a solid value at 22 and Graham goes 28-35, did we "blunder" again?

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

The current value I assign him is early 2nd.

So if BG is there in the early second say with the 40th pick I would try to move up for him. Mayo, you make a good point about his senior bowl performance and certainly the woodley comparison could push him into the 1st.

I wouldn't take him in the first 1st - but of course that depends on my/your/Pats draftboard.

Mayo, I didn't deep dive into our feasability of drafting him at the spot at or near where he was taken. I only to say that not to have made a move for him -(trade player(s), current pick(s), future pick(s)) or play the draft game in a such a way as to draft him- was a mistake and he would have been very good on this team.

 

[mayoclinic]

The current value I assign him is early 2nd.

So if BG is there in the early second say with the 40th pick I would try to move up for him. Mayo, you make a good point about his senior bowl performance and certainly the woodley comparison could push him into the 1st.

I wouldn't take him in the first 1st - but of course that depends on my/your/Pats draftboard.

Mayo, I didn't deep dive into our feasability of drafting him at the spot at or near where he was taken. I only to say that not to have made a move for him -(trade player(s), current pick(s), future pick(s)) or play the draft game in a such a way as to draft him- was a mistake and he would have been very good on this team.

I personally wouldn't take him until mid 2nd as an OLB. But if BB thinks he can move to SILB then I think he could be a late 1st/early 2nd option. I always thought Woodley would have made a great SILB for us, and I think Graham could, too.

There are several guys I can see trading up to the early 2nd round for if they slip a bit. Dan Williams/Terrance Cody would be an option. Jason Pierre-Paul or Everson Griffen might be options as well. And, as you mention, Graham.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Misi, Carrington, Graham, Norwood, Lane...the second round is suddenly looking very good for OLB/DE prospects.

 

[mayoclinic]

Misi, Carrington, Graham, Norwood, Lane...the second round is suddenly looking very good for OLB/DE prospects.

And the 3rd round even better. Graham is a certain 1st or 2nd rounder, but the other guys you mentioned are problem as likely to go 3rd round as late 2nd right now.

Do you see Carrington as a DE/OLB prospect or a 3-4 DE?

 

[Badluck]

karlos dansby in FA
brandon graham in the draft
solves our LB issue with just one pick

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'd rather have Woodley than Meriweather, knowing how they turned out. Woodley has shown that he can play proficiently at the 3-4 OLB position and bring the pressure on the QB. Better pass pressure this year would have benefited the team more than the safety play of Meriweather, considering they had Chung, McGowan, and Sanders this year.

The problem with both Graham and Woodley is that they just don't fit BB's physical requirements at OLB.

Brandon Graham Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

6'2 263 lbs. The question is whether Graham is mroe suited to play 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB. Can he make the adjustment that Woodley did? Will BB rule him out because of lack of height? That's already 1 strike against him unfortunately.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

And the 3rd round even better. Graham is a certain 1st or 2nd rounder, but the other guys you mentioned are problem as likely to go 3rd round as late 2nd right now.

Do you see Carrington as a DE/OLB prospect or a 3-4 DE?

I see Carrington as more likely in the first than Graham - it's the size thing.

I don't think it matters if you use Carrington as LOLB in the McGinest role or RDE in the Seymour role, I think he can do either once his weight is adjusted to fit the role. Based on this week's workouts Odrick and Carrington both look like good prospects for 5-tech.

Add Selvie and Worilds to my list if you're including the third round.

At the moment I'd grade Misi as my #1 3-4 OLB prospect for "current" ability to play all three phases (run, rush, coverage). Carrington and Graham are more two-dimensional rush/run types. Norwood needs to put some of the weight he's lost back on, but he'll probably never be more than a rush/run player. Lane is raw. Selvie reminds me of Colvin, not the strongest against the run, but once he's worked at it he'll get better, he'll pressure the OL/QB and help set up other rushers, and he can learn to make plays in space.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'd rather have Woodley than Meriweather, knowing how they turned out. Woodley has shown that he can play proficiently at the 3-4 OLB position and bring the pressure on the QB. Better pass pressure this year would have benefited the team more than the safety play of Meriweather, considering they had Chung, McGowan, and Sanders this year.

The problem with both Graham and Woodley is that they just don't fit BB's physical requirements at OLB.

Brandon Graham Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

6'2 263 lbs. The question is whether Graham is mroe suited to play 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB. Can he make the adjustment that Woodley did? Will BB rule him out because of lack of height? That's already 1 strike against him unfortunately.

But you don't know how they're going to turn out. That's the point. Meriweather was rated more highly as a prospect than Woodley by a good bit in 2007 - many considered him a top 10 talent who slipped because of character issues. Woodley was at best a borderline late 1st/early 2nd talent. Just because Woodley has done well for Pittsburgh doesn't mean that we "blew it" by not taking him over Meriweather. And we had a huge hole at safety in 2007.

 

[bucky]

Passing up Woodley was a blunder at what point?

- Was not taking Woodley at 24 a blunder? He wasn't rated that highly, and Meriweather was considered a more talented prospect at a position of equal need. Taking Woodley at 24 would have been considered a major reach in 2007.

- Should we have reached for Woodley at 28 instead of trading and getting Mayo in 2008? I'll stick with Mayo.

I would rather have Woodley than Merriweather. I would also rather have Woodley than Mayo at this point. Mayo is overrated by Patriots fans. You can get tackling machines in the 2nd-4th rounds, but guys who make game-changing plays - sacks, INTs, force fumbles - are hard to get. Mayo does not make game-changing plays. Besides, putting Woodley on the field to rush Eli on that last drive of 2007 could have made a difference to winning or losing the Superbowl.

Having said all that, it's become chic to compare prospects to Woodley. Last year it was Larry English. This year it's Graham.

 

[MaineMan]

I think it would be a serious mistake not to take Graham at the #22, if he's even still available at that point - and I'm beginning to have my doubts that he will be (no way he falls into the second round now). I'm not sure it matters that much if you put him at OLB or use him as a DE/OLB "tweener" like TBC (though it does seem to me that his biggest strengths might be hindered a bit at ILB). The guy is a smart and relentless playmaker without many holes in his game.

I'd take someone like Carrington or Lane or Worthington, etc. in a later round as well - but not "instead of Graham" by any means.

 

[cstjohn17]

Passing up Woodley was a blunder at what point?

- Was not taking Woodley at 24 a blunder? He wasn't rated that highly, and Meriweather was considered a more talented prospect at a position of equal need. Taking Woodley at 24 would have been considered a major reach in 2007.

- Should we have reached for Woodley at 28 instead of trading and getting Mayo in 2008? I'll stick with Mayo.

- Should we have not traded for Wes Welker with our 62 pick, and instead tried to trade up for Woodley? I'll stick with Welker.

I don't think we blundered. We just didn't have the ammo to make a move for Woodley. Where we blundered was not trading up for Stewart Bradley in the 3rd round, who went at 87 when we had 91.

As for Graham, if he's available in the 42-47 range he would be great value, no doubt about it. But at 22? Not so sure. And after his Senior Bowl performance it's not clear he'll last very long. If we take a solid value at 22 and Graham goes 28-35, did we "blunder" again?

I disagree. Passing on Woodley was a blunder. It takes a couple of years to develop an OLB, OLB has been a weakness since McGinest and Colvin were a tandem. Safeties are a dime a dozen and frankly so are ILBs, I would rather have a OLB with probowl potential than an ILB or Safety.

Anayway, I like Graham but fear he is being over valued because of Woodley's success. I would rather take BPA in round one and then find an strong side OLB in round 2 (Hardy), the weak side OLB can be a free agent (TBC or Jason Taylor).

 

[State]

karlos dansby in FA
brandon graham in the draft
solves our LB issue with just one pick

I like it. Graham is like a bigger, stronger, more explosive Tully Banta-Cain. He's every bit as good as Woodley was (in college). I'd have trouble taking him at #22, however. But if we traded down, he might be one of the guys we're looking at.

He makes big plays and is very explosive off the line.

 

[bucky]

Based on the Sr Bowl measurements, Graham only has 30.5 inch arms. That's pretty short. Arm length is a major factor for OLBs, so this has to be a red flag.