I think most of us have kept in mind Bill Belichick's stated desire for OLB's who are 6'4 or 6'5 and run a 4.6 forty yard dash when discussing smaller OLB prospects like Brandon Graham and Jerry Hughes. Here are the players who have played OLB for the Pats in recent seasons.
Mike Vrabel-6'4 261 lbs, nowhere near a 4.6 forty
Pierre Woods- 6'4 249lbs, 4.75 forty
Shawn Crable- 6'4 1/2 245 lbs 4.60 forty
Adalius Thomas- 6'2 270 lbs, at one point probably ran in the 4.6's
Rosevelt Colvin- 6'3 250 lbs, not a 4.6 forty guy when with Pats
Tully Banta-Cain- 6'2 264lbs, I found a 4.79 time for Banta-Cain
Rob Ninkovich- 6'3 260lbs 4.9 at combine, 4.8 at Pro Day
Derrick Burgess- 6'3 264lbs ran a 4.9 at the combine in 2001 (dealing with a foot injury at the time, but still unlikely to meet the ideal measurables).
Players of interest
DeMarcus Ware- 6'4 251lbs 4.56 forty
Shawne Merriman-6'4 272 lbs 4.64 forty
There are very few guys in the NFL who meet Belichick's desired measurables at OLB. The only guy on the roster who meets the standard is Shawn Crable and the only other guy who is even in the ballpark is Pierre Woods. League wide, Ware and Merriman make the grade and Vernon Gholston would if he was an inch taller (he's 6'3). Lemarr Woodley is too short and too slow, Shaun Phillips was 6'3 and 4.7 plus in the forty. I am sure there are other guys in the league who fit the measurables desired, but not many. What is most interesting to me is that Coach Belichick has really never had an OLB that fit his desired measurables during his time in New England unless Willie McGinest ran close to 4.6 and I can't find a 40 time on him.
In looking at this years draft, here's the guys who fit the requirements
Everson Griffen
Carlos Dunlap
Ricky Sapp
Tim Knicky OLB Stephen F Austin
That's the 4 guys I could find although some other small school guys might fit the desired measurables who's pro day results I couldn't find.
Sergio Kindle just missed the list as he's 6'3
Jason Pierre Paul and Daniel Te'oNesheim just missed the list with recorded 40 times of 4.71 and 4.73 respectively.
Obviously, Coach Belichick is willing to bend on his desired measurables, but this is probably the biggest class of guys who fit those numbers and it is still only 4 guys deep. Griffen and Dunlap have character/motor concerns, Sapp has the knee concern, and Tim Knicky played at a lower level of competition.
It should be interesting to see how the Pats approach this position in the draft. I am not convinced that they will take a smaller guy like Hughes or Graham even though both seem to have the production/character. I also wonder if the rumored chemistry issues (on defense) would cause the Pats to avoid guys like Griffen and Dunlap.
Mike Vrabel-6'4 261 lbs, nowhere near a 4.6 forty
Pierre Woods- 6'4 249lbs, 4.75 forty
Shawn Crable- 6'4 1/2 245 lbs 4.60 forty
Adalius Thomas- 6'2 270 lbs, at one point probably ran in the 4.6's
Rosevelt Colvin- 6'3 250 lbs, not a 4.6 forty guy when with Pats
Tully Banta-Cain- 6'2 264lbs, I found a 4.79 time for Banta-Cain
Rob Ninkovich- 6'3 260lbs 4.9 at combine, 4.8 at Pro Day
Derrick Burgess- 6'3 264lbs ran a 4.9 at the combine in 2001 (dealing with a foot injury at the time, but still unlikely to meet the ideal measurables).
Players of interest
DeMarcus Ware- 6'4 251lbs 4.56 forty
Shawne Merriman-6'4 272 lbs 4.64 forty
There are very few guys in the NFL who meet Belichick's desired measurables at OLB. The only guy on the roster who meets the standard is Shawn Crable and the only other guy who is even in the ballpark is Pierre Woods. League wide, Ware and Merriman make the grade and Vernon Gholston would if he was an inch taller (he's 6'3). Lemarr Woodley is too short and too slow, Shaun Phillips was 6'3 and 4.7 plus in the forty. I am sure there are other guys in the league who fit the measurables desired, but not many. What is most interesting to me is that Coach Belichick has really never had an OLB that fit his desired measurables during his time in New England unless Willie McGinest ran close to 4.6 and I can't find a 40 time on him.
In looking at this years draft, here's the guys who fit the requirements
Everson Griffen
Carlos Dunlap
Ricky Sapp
Tim Knicky OLB Stephen F Austin
That's the 4 guys I could find although some other small school guys might fit the desired measurables who's pro day results I couldn't find.
Sergio Kindle just missed the list as he's 6'3
Jason Pierre Paul and Daniel Te'oNesheim just missed the list with recorded 40 times of 4.71 and 4.73 respectively.
Obviously, Coach Belichick is willing to bend on his desired measurables, but this is probably the biggest class of guys who fit those numbers and it is still only 4 guys deep. Griffen and Dunlap have character/motor concerns, Sapp has the knee concern, and Tim Knicky played at a lower level of competition.
It should be interesting to see how the Pats approach this position in the draft. I am not convinced that they will take a smaller guy like Hughes or Graham even though both seem to have the production/character. I also wonder if the rumored chemistry issues (on defense) would cause the Pats to avoid guys like Griffen and Dunlap.