#1 draft priority OLB

[Ochmed Jones]

The Browns just ran the football down out throats and we could not do anything to stop them. Cunningham, TBC and Ninkovich all need a reality check when it comes to setting the edge.

Cunningham gets a bit of a pass because he is a rookie and learning a new position.

OLB Ryan Kerrigan of Purdue needs to be our first first round choice.

 

[captain stone]

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

 

[cstjohn17]

TBC is utterly useless, I can't stand his game (or lack there of).

Sorry random rant.

When I watch the Giants I see a blue print for building a team, get dominant on the offensive and defensive lines and then fill in the pieces.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

Because neither of them are DEs, nor Wilfork. But SOMEONE has to play there. And Wilfork is more athletic than GWarren.

They need to draft the best 34 DE they can get, it needs to be the number 1 priority.
With some of the the DE/OLB types that look to be available, I think they can wait until the 2nd round.

 

[MaineMan]

Here's something moderately amusing that I discovered on the way to looking up something else. Spikes now leads all rookie LBs in tackles. Cunningham is 9th. And Dane Fletcher is 14th. So, we have three rookie LBs in the top 15.

Also, FWIW, Deaderick is now 13th in tackles among rookie D-linemen and ahead of JPP, Brandon Graham and Derrick Morgan. He's also tied for 3rd with 2 sacks. That's not a lot, but it's two more than Vernon Gholston has had in his career. Just sayin'.

 

[Off The Grid]

Here's something moderately amusing that I discovered on the way to looking up something else. Spikes now leads all rookie LBs in tackles. Cunningham is 9th. And Dane Fletcher is 14th. So, we have three rookie LBs in the top 15.

Also, FWIW, Deaderick is now 13th in tackles among rookie D-linemen and ahead of JPP, Brandon Graham and Derrick Morgan. He's also tied for 3rd with 2 sacks. That's not a lot, but it's two more than Vernon Gholston has had in his career. Just sayin'.

Excellent stuff.

One of the great privileges of rooting for the ONLY Coach Belichick-Coached team in the GALAXY...is that he understands that how a team is playing in December is VASTLY more important than how it plays in September.

Deaderick was one of my very best calls, this year ~ no need to discuss my expectations for Oakland!! ~ as I predicted he'd be making money for us about a WEEK before he rocketed from Inactive to Starting LineUp!!

I expect continued improvement in effectiveness and Synergy from him and Brace in particular, as the season develops, which of course will make Cunningham, Ninkovich, and even Crable and Hyphen Boy look like they've got something going on...which should continue the ripple effect to the Secondary, of course.

 

[Off The Grid]

Another athletic, strong, active 3-4 DE (or 2) would also help, a lot.
Fat stiffs like Brace & GWarren are incapable of stringing-out plays.
Deaderick is better, but may also be athletically limited.
And Wright is just too weak.

Any suggestions at this position, too?

Absolutely.

1 ~ Nick Fairley ~ Auburn ~ Rocketing to Top 5 contention, but doing so early enough that enough GM's will finally remember that his resume is WAFER thin...resulting in his meteoric rise collapsing, over the 4 long months after the season ends, and him sinking ~ I expect and I PRAY ~ to the mid teens, or even later...which is actually possible, in a VERY deep Defensive End Draft Class. But he...is...DISRUPTIVE. And it would be nothing short of a dream come true to acquire his services. He's the very best DE Prospect in the Draft, but I bet he drops WELL below his value, simply because of those factors.

2 ~ Cam Jordan ~ Cali ~ He's got all the tools we're looking for. A perfect fit, if we don't get Fairley...Even better, if we DO.

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

Connor Barwin suggests that he won't take someone with a wafer-thin resume in the second round (although, admittedly, we're talking about an OLB conversion). Get down to their pick in the third round, though, and I think we can talk.

 

[Off The Grid]

Connor Barwin suggests that he won't take someone with a wafer-thin resume in the second round (although, admittedly, we're talking about an OLB conversion). Get down to their pick in the third round, though, and I think we can talk.

Hah! Excellent Connor Barwin reference!! He DOES come immediately to mind when I'm thinking about Tight End Converts...

 

[MaineMan]

3 ~ JJ Watt~ Wisconsin ~ RAW talent, but, in my mind, potentially the 2nd best 5 Tech in the entire draft. Yet his resume is JUST as thin, and this year's performance not quite so dominant, though unmistakably STELLAR. FRIGHTENING natural Pass Rush abilities, but a Scrapper that will Stick the Gap and Stuff the Run. Yet again, a WAFER thin resume ~ Tight End conversion ~ will likely give cause for pause to the other 31 GM's, allowing Coach Bill ~ if he chooses ~ to scoop him up at a much later point than his potential impact warrants: perhaps as late as the late 2nd Round.

Ran a quick check of draft sites WRT JJ Watt:

Drafttek has him ranked as 8th best 3-4 DE and #54 overall (up from #107 just recently).

NFLDraftScout has him unofficially as their #3 DE.

Misc other sites that are relatively up-to-date project him going anywhere from late-1st round to mid-3rd.

Interestingly enough, he doesn't even appear to be on Matt MCGuire's radar over at WalterFootball.

 

[Off The Grid]

Ran a quick check of draft sites WRT JJ Watt:

Drafttek has him ranked as 8th best 3-4 DE and #54 overall (up from #107 just recently).

NFLDraftScout has him unofficially as their #3 DE.

Misc other sites that are relatively up-to-date project him going anywhere from late-1st round to mid-3rd.

Interestingly enough, he doesn't even appear to be on Matt MCGuire's radar over at WalterFootball.

Yes, I consistently find Walter strangely disturbing: a very useful and engaging Site, but with repeatedly stunning Black Holes of information that leave me shaking my head.

I love guys like Watt. Raw, explosive talent. GREAT character ~ He was a walk on at Wisconsin who initially put himself through school by delivering pizzas, IIRC. THIN resume that'll frighten off men of lesser Testicular Fortitude than Brother Bill. NOSE BLEED Upside.

In a word: We could end up getting a guy who ~ in retrospect ~ might be considered a Top 5 Talent...at anywhere from about #32 to about #80 or so.

 

[captain stone]

Thanks for the tips, folks. As much as I would love another Pass-Rushing OLB to replace the over-paid,
under-productive TBC, I also strongly feel that we also need another Richard $eymour to replace GWarren,
so that Wright & Deaderick can be used as their talent suggests that they should be used - as backups;
VG ones, but backups regardless.
Pryor, Love, Weston, Richard & Washington should compete for just one spot as 7th DE.
Ty Warren might need replacing sooner than we think, so finding 2 studs at DE might no longer be a luxury.
And Brace might just as well eat a few more burgers, play a few more video games,
and resign himself to being a backup NT.

 

[jmt57]

Based strictly on need and not considering what players are available in the draft - or free agency - I think DE is more of a priority than OLB. Hopefully Ty Warren can return healthy but even if he was playing this year I would still rank DE as a bigger need than OLB, in my opinion.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Ty Warren might need replacing sooner than we think, so finding 2 studs at DE might no longer be a luxury.
And Brace might just as well eat a few more burgers, play a few more video games,
and resign himself to being a backup NT.

Hopefully TWarren will be fine, but if they do need to groom a replacement, I think they could wait until the next draft for that. Depending who declares there could be a good crop of DEs in '12 also. One this year and one next year would be nice.

Brace was drafted to be the back-up plan at NT anyway. Don't undestand why people think he would be anything different. 6'3 330 is not a 3-4DE.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Walter Football happens to be a hot bed of Dolfans.

 

[reflexblue]

Based strictly on need and not considering what players are available in the draft - or free agency - I think DE is more of a priority than OLB. Hopefully Ty Warren can return healthy but even if he was playing this year I would still rank DE as a bigger need than OLB, in my opinion.

I think Warren will bounce back and have a very good season next year. I think his hip had been bothering him for a few years, so hopefully this surgery will get him back to the player he used to be.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think Warren will bounce back and have a very good season next year. I think his hip had been bothering him for a few years, so hopefully this surgery will get him back to the player he used to be.

I agre, I think Ty Warren returns and does his usual above average job of stopping the run. Combine that with Wilfork on the Nose and Deaderick/Wright at the opposite DE spot and I think the D Line is stable.

However I simply can not watch another week of horrible OLB play. TBC needs to be reintroduced to disciplined run stopping and Nikovich and Cunningham need strength and technique work badly.

The best 3-4 DE in this draft is Dareus of Alabama and let's face it, he will be long gone by the time we get around to picking. Does BB package the two first rounders and go up and get Dareus? I am all for it, but history tells us no. I would love to have Dareus on the team the next time we face the Browns, he would put the fear of Jesus back into Colt "pop gun arm" McCoy like he did in last year's championship game.

The next best 3-4 DE is Crick of Nebraska, (Nebraska plays a two gap defense) but he is only a junior and may not come out. He nees to get much stronger, odd but that could be the first time I have ever said that of a Nebraska player.

After that there are only a bunch of projection candidates and all have a wart or two. Bailey of Maimi and Ballard of Iowa are two really good 4-3 DT's, but honestly neither is half the player Odrick was last year and BB passed on Odrick; twice I think.

 

[mgteich]

If Wilfork is our best option at DE this year, then we definitely need help at DE, even with the return of Ty Warren. That being said, the best improvement for 2011 will likely come with the addition of Ty Warren or the improvement in Deaderick year over year.

Warren, Wilfork, Deaderick, Wright, rookie, G. Warren (or Brace) works for me.

 

[Seneschal2]

Warren, Wilfork, Deaderick, Wright, rookie, G. Warren (or Brace) works for me.

Evaluate Deaderick, Brace, and Ty at season's end -- then see where we stand. Draft the DE w/ the 1a pick if the need is determined, as BB likes to get the large body early as he did with Warren at #13 and Wilfork at #21.

Draft the OP's concern by selecting OLB Ryan Kerrigan at 1b or OLB Jeremy Beal with the next pick.

There now, two positions addressed within the first three picks -- so no more sobbing. :cry2:

 

[TriplecHamp]

Id be happy with Kerrigan in the first round but not with the Oakland pick. IMO DE or WR with that depending on what happens in FA. OG or C with the Carolina pick.
Edit: Does anybody think he might be too slow/stiff to play for us?