What We've Learned: LB Jermaine Cunningham

[BradyFTW!]

Thanks for the writeup Ian, great stuff! If he can come in and make any situational impact at all, even as a 4-3 pass-rusher on 3rd down, I'll be pumped. Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic, though, but I'm at least optimistically hoping (and maybe irrationally so) for even more than that.

Going back to that interview with Pepper Johnson, I figure they'll stick him in a few formations where his assignments will, relatively speaking, not be hugely complicated. Hopefully he'll own the hell out of the work that they give him, and will make a real impression in areas of need.

 

[lillestroom]

Burgess signing has nothing to do with Cunningham's progress. Just insurance and another veteran in camp to show the young guys what's expected. I'm not even 100% convinced that Burgess makes final roster.

Me neither.

Its an insurance policy.

Bet Ninkovitch sticks tho.

 

[PatsBoy12]

If anyone wants to better acquaint themselves with Cunningham, then do yourself a favor and check this out: Video Player The SEC Digital Network is the SEC's official online resource for news and full games, so it's totally legal and legitimate. Every single Florida game from last year is available in its entirety if you scroll down the list. You can watch all three of the Gators we drafted. Also, if you click on any of the other team's video channels, you can watch their entire games as well. Very handy tool.

So far, I've rewatched a handful of games, focusing exclusively on Cunningham, and I'm getting more and more excited about his potential in our system. I really believe he gets significant playing time this year, and will most likely start by the end of the season. By year's end, the youth movement will be in full effect.

Your post is great! Thanks for the link.

 

[AzPatsFan]

In Belichick Defense there are almost no college players of the right size, who play the OLB position that he wants. They all have to be developed.

That is one reason that Belichick doesn't draft many; he would prefer to let someone else train them before he gets them. Phifer, Vrabel, Colvin and Thomas fit that category. The people he evaluates as Draftees from other positions get higher, more certain grades, from him and his scouts than projections. The other positions are safer picks, when the object as far as Belichcik is concerned, is to not pick "busts", with prime picks.

The only other position that is as heavily "projection oriented", and as uncertain, is the only one he has drafted at an even lower priority... Quarterback. BB has only used a high of a single 3 on QB; and even much lower ones all the way.

Having essentially rebuilt the entire Defense from top to bottom elsewhere, from projected starters to last projected reserve, he had to draft LBs, finally. BB still spent on ILBs first, which are more predictable, and less a projection there, too.

Despite all that I still maintain that pass rusher was last year's concern. Like Generals, y'all are planning on fighting the "last war", not the "next". Look at the real situation.

Objectively, BB now has two not-old veterans with resumes of double digit annual sacks; with two high draft picks, a 2 and a 3, pushing them. Behind that he has two depth reserves, who are superb ST players. And a few other long shots. By my count that is likely 4 or 5 genuine players for that OLB corps.

 

[Ring 6]

In Belichick Defense there are almost no college players of the right size, who play the OLB position that he wants. They all have to be developed.

That is one reason that Belichick doesn't draft many; he would prefer to let someone else train them before he gets them. Phifer, Vrabel, Colvin and Thomas fit that category. The people he evaluates as Draftees from other positions get higher, more certain grades, from him and his scouts than projections. The other positions are safer picks, when the object as far as Belichcik is concerned, is to not pick "busts", with prime picks.

The only other position that is as heavily "projection oriented", and as uncertain, is the only one he has drafted at an even lower priority... Quarterback. BB has only used a high of a single 3 on QB; and even much lower ones all the way.

Having essentially rebuilt the entire Defense from top to bottom elsewhere, from projected starters to last projected reserve, he had to draft LBs, finally. BB still spent on ILBs first, which are more predictable, and less a projection there, too.

Despite all that I still maintain that pass rusher was last year's concern. Like Generals, y'all are planning on fighting the "last war", not the "next". Look at the real situation.

Objectively, BB now has two not-old veterans with resumes of double digit annual sacks; with two high draft picks, a 2 and a 3, pushing them. Behind that he has two depth reserves, who are superb ST players. And a few other long shots. By my count that is likely 4 or 5 genuine players for that OLB corps.

Great points.
To expand pass rusher/43 DE./34 OLB is one position where overpowering and outquicking the opponent are both parts of the job. If you think about it the combination of power and speed/quickness is probably more important there than any other spot.
If you run a 1 gap 43, you can throw that guy at DE and even if he turns out a little phycially weak, you can get plays out of his quickness.
The problem with evaluating the future 34 OLBs is that there are MANY players strong enough to overpower college OL who cant do it in the NFL, and many that can outquick a lot of college OL but can't in the NFL. Gives you twice the chance to miss in your evaluation.
What I have seen the most of is the guy who is strong enough at the college level to dominate, but when he gets to the NFL he is dealing with the best of the guys who outweigh him by 50 lbs, and he loses that edge, and his game disappears. This is what happened to Gholston.

It is a very difficult position to play, and it takes a unique skillset. The coverage is not that big a deal really, its the combination of beating an OT consistently in the pass rush and also being able to hold up on the edge in 2 gap run D. You have to be both quicker and stronger than the typical guy of your size and build.

 

[sbpatfan]

Jermaine Cunningham 6'3 266#
Shawn Crable 6'5 243#

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Jermaine Cunningham 6'3 266#
Shawn Crable 6'5 243#

. . . and . . . ?

Not sure I know what you're trying to say.

 

[Marqui]

If anyone wants to better acquaint themselves with Cunningham, then do yourself a favor and check this out: Video Player The SEC Digital Network is the SEC's official online resource for news and full games, so it's totally legal and legitimate. Every single Florida game from last year is available in its entirety if you scroll down the list. You can watch all three of the Gators we drafted. Also, if you click on any of the other team's video channels, you can watch their entire games as well. Very handy tool.

Wow, thats nice. Thanks for linking that.

 

[Kasmir]

Thanks to Reamer's video posting, I've now been able to closely watch Cunningham (as well as the other Patriots draftees) through six of Florida's games from the 2009 season (Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt).

My impressions, for what they're worth, is that Cunningham is a quietly impressive player, the best defensive player on the Florida team in those games save possibly Joe Haden (who is hard to evaluate from the limited perspective of TV coverage).

Cunningham is quite a versatile player, lining up almost interchangeably at both LDE and RDE Florida's scheme, almost always in a 3-point stance, but drops into both zone and man coverage surprisingly often. He's by far the most consistent pass rusher on the team (Dunlap takes lots of plays off) and has a great first step, good closing speed, and excellent situational awareness. In addition to his sacks, he generates a ton of hurries, certainly far more than anyone else on the team.

What was more surprising to me was how well he plays against the run. He consistently is able to 2-gap OT's and shows excellent strength and awareness. He gets blown out by double teams sometimes, but that's not surprising given his size. I actually came away believing this guy could well play blindside DE in an NFL 4-3 and acquit himself well. It's certainly easy to see why the Pats think his conversion to 3-4 OLB could be successful . I didn't notice him playing from a 2-point stance much at all, but as I said, he actually often dropped into coverage, even man coverage, from a 3-point stance, and his ability to play either side of the line is quite encouraging as to his versatility. I'm looking forward to seeing him in camp.

On a negative note, Spikes was mediocre in the games I watched. Announcers were even pointing this out and attributing it across the season to a variety of injuries they said he had; I believe an achilles injury early on and a hamstring injury later. Spikes was misdiagnosing plays and missing tackles surprisingly often. Certainly Rolando McClain was the vastly more impressive player in the head-to-head game. Spikes certainly brought quite a reputation into the 2009 season, but at least in the games I watched he didn't live up to it for whatever reasons. Hopefully we'll get the Spikes of 2007 and 2008.

I won't comment much on Hernandez's play, as again it's hard to evaluate from TV coverage, other than to say his blocking is mediocre as advertised. He's quite lanky and lacks explosion and motivation in his blocking. Looks more like a big WR than a TE. Of course he did make a couple of nice receptions downfield.

Tebow is quite impressive, and I wish the Pats had been able to pick him up. I don't know how long he'll last as a running QB in the NFL, but he's an extraordinary weapon as the man can also really throw the ball and he reads coverages exceptionally well for a college QB.

Based only on the Florida/Alabama game, I'd say that Deaderick in the NFL will be a JAG. I don't think he can beat out Pryor or Brace, let alone Lewis, Wright, or either of the Warrens.

 

[Calciumee]

Jermaine Cunningham 6'3 266#
Shawn Crable 6'5 243#

Thanks...