LT Vollmer RT Kaczur

[mgteich]

We need someone to start at center in 2012. The 2010 draft was an anomoly. The draft is usually not about finding players for the cuirrent year. The draft is about building for the future.

We will need an OG or two for 2011 and 2012. Re-signing Mankins would solve the immediate problem, but we still need help.

We need an OT for the future. If Light re-signs and Kaczur is back as a backup, this may not be seen as much fo an issue.

I don't think there is a Center to be drafted that is a sure fire fit at Center in this draft. The more and more I think about it, the more and more I think Koppen will be suitable for another year. Honestly, the wr's just couldn't get free and Brady held onto the ball longer than normal due to the defensive looks he got. If we score on our first possesions our Center isn't as much as an immediate question mark. Yes we need to start looking though.

As Off The Grid mentioned. Last year was the time to move up and grab a center. The other Pouncey.There just isn't one in this draft. And really,does anyone really stop Ngata in his tracks? Even Mangold got man handled by Wilfork in game 2. Sometimes when someone is that big you need to call the right offenses.

Moffit Wisconsin, the guy from TCU? Possible draftees. There are a couple of more in this draft which are candidates but by no means are they gonna come in and take Koppens job who has 100's of plays memorized without opening a play book.

 

[Snake Eyes]

He played with a nasty disposition at Clemson. I like nasty!

The absolute nastiest center in this draft is Pugh of Auburn. But he is only6'1".

Being shorter means he'll have a lower center of gravity relative to the other player, that's a good thing.

 

[Peachhead]

The absolute nastiest center in this draft is Pugh of Auburn. But he is only6'1".

You don't want you OCs and Gs to be too tall. Low guy wins the leverage battle (to a point, you don't want midgets either). It's also a little easier for the QB to see passing lanes over the middle too.

Koppen is listed at 6'2" at the official Pats site. And Pugh is listed as 6'4" at Auburn's site. But of course we know school rosters are usually off a bit.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

You don't want you OCs and Gs to be too tall. Low guy wins the leverage battle (to a point, you don't want midgets either). It's also a little easier for the QB to see passing lanes over the middle too.

Koppen is listed at 6'2" at the official Pats site. And Pugh is listed as 6'4" at Auburn's site. But of course we know school rosters are usually off a bit.

Short guys usually have short arms and that allows the defensive tackle to get his arms on the center first. Which is a very bad thing against quick DT's.

I am not against drafting Pugh, outside of being a lot nastier than Koppen, I just don't see any area where Pugh is an upgrade over Koppen.

If anything I could see BB drafting Pugh because he is really a much meaner Koppen clone.

The only two centers in this draft that project as upgrades over Koppen are O'Dowd and Kirkpatrick.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We need someone to start at center in 2012. The 2010 draft was an anomoly. The draft is usually not about finding players for the cuirrent year. The draft is about building for the future.

I think this is an absolutely spot on statement. BB had run the talent bank so low, that he was forced to rely on rookies who by the playoffs had simply run out of gas.

This year's players should be minor contributors in 2011 and major contributors in 2012. There are 22 or so UDFA's on this roster and theoretically BB could upgrade half those spots with players from this draft.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

We need an OT for the future. If Light re-signs and Kaczur is back as a backup, this may not be seen as much fo an issue.

What happens with Mankins and Light will drive where this draft goes.

There is a decent probability we could lose both, which leaves Wendell, Koppen and Connelly as the interior of our O Line. And while that scares me, I have to think the Jets and Miami and Indy and Pittsburgh's D Lines are loving the thought of that.

Drafting Boling of Georgia solves a few problems in that he can play OG and OT. Most of his warts are technique related and Dante can solve them.

Meanwhile drafting Watkins solves our lack of nasty on the O Line. And we get a flat back run mauler that has some pulling ability.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Short guys usually have short arms and that allows the defensive tackle to get his arms on the center first. Which is a very bad thing against quick DT's

The player's reaction time and explosiveness out of their stance is going to matter MUCH more than arm length.

Jeff Saturday doesnt have long arms, Nick Mangold has 32 inch arms, and Pouncy has 32.5 inch arms. Plenty of great players don't have these long arms that people seem to think they need which tells me that there are other, more important factors not getting the appropriate attention.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

The player's reaction time and explosiveness out of their stance is going to matter MUCH more than arm length.

Jeff Saturday doesnt have long arms, Nick Mangold has 32 inch arms, and Pouncy has 32.5 inch arms. Plenty of great players don't have these long arms that people seem to think they need which tells me that there are other, more important factors not getting the appropriate attention.

That is true, if the center can match quickness for quickness, then it is a wash, but neither Koppen nor Pugh are that quick.

 

[mgteich]

If we lose both Light and Mankins, the entire focus of the first 6 picks of the draft will be on the OL (along with our one front seven addition).

I'm not looking for players who can play more than one position. I'm OK with Connolly, Wendell and Ojinnaka as Game Day backups. What we need is a set of quality starters.

Over the next two years, we may need starters at every position on the OL. For the 2012 season, we could have Vollmer in his contract year and no one else from this current team. We MUST prepare for 2012.

What happens with Mankins and Light will drive where this draft goes.

There is a decent probability we could lose both, which leaves Wendell, Koppen and Connelly as the interior of our O Line. And while that scares me, I have to think the Jets and Miami and Indy and Pittsburgh's D Lines are loving the thought of that.

Drafting Boling of Georgia solves a few problems in that he can play OG and OT. Most of his warts are technique related and Dante can solve them.

Meanwhile drafting Watkins solves our lack of nasty on the O Line. And we get a flat back run mauler that has some pulling ability.

 

[MaineMan]

The player's reaction time and explosiveness out of their stance is going to matter MUCH more than arm length.

Jeff Saturday doesnt have long arms, Nick Mangold has 32 inch arms, and Pouncy has 32.5 inch arms. Plenty of great players don't have these long arms that people seem to think they need which tells me that there are other, more important factors not getting the appropriate attention.

Actually, I think maybe shorter arms (within reason) may be desirable in a center - as well as a very healthy/flexible back and knees.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

If we lose both Light and Mankins, the entire focus of the first 6 picks of the draft will be on the OL (along with our one front seven addition).

I'm not looking for players who can play more than one position. I'm OK with Connolly, Wendell and Ojinnaka as Game Day backups. What we need is a set of quality starters.

Over the next two years, we may need starters at every position on the OL. For the 2012 season, we could have Vollmer in his contract year and no one else from this current team. We MUST prepare for 2012.

BB is huge on versatility and I could not agree with him more.

 

[mgteich]

Let's see.

LIGHT can ONLY play LT. Many would have wanted him to move to RT in 2010 and move Vollmer LT. For me this is NEGATIVE flexibility.

VOLLMER is a tackle. He is not a guard or a center.

KOPPEN can be called upon to be a mediocre guard.

NEAL is a guard.

CONNOLLY is a guard, and an emergency center.

KACZUR MIGHT play guard, but he is a tackle. We've never seen it, no matter how much folks here want it. The only reason we considered it last year was because we had two top OT's and our alternative at LG was a 3rd stringer, who still was likely better at LG.

MANKINS might be able to play anywhere. He's the best we've had in a long time. However, his versatility has not been worth much to us.
===========================================

So, yes being able to play another position on the line in an EMERGENCY is a good thing.
Sure, we might draft a LT to play LG, but that isn't because of flexibility.

So, my bottom line is to find players with probowl potential at a given position.

BTW, I DO AGREE that backups should be able to play more positions. For example, Wendell and Ojinnaka are better backups because of this flexibility. HOWEVER, we are NOT looking for backups to develop. We are looking for players like Vollmer who can start in a year and be potential probowlers.
====================

BB is huge on versatility and I could not agree with him more.