End of regular season 2 round mock: Upshaw, Cox, Barron, Judie

[Ochmed Jones]

Of course injuries, the bowl games, all star games and combine/pro days will alter this but as of today, I am thinking a defense heavy draft with an Alabama flare.

I also think we are a 3-4 base team next year, but will still flex to a 4-3 as needed:

1stA - OLB Upshaw Alabama. Playmaker! A little short but very good against the run and as a pass rusher. If he runs well at the combine, he will skyrocket up draft boards.

1stB = DE Fletcher Cox Miss State. Very solid agaisnt the run and can push the pocket as a pass rusher. Discplined, strong but needs much work on technique. pepper is going to turn this kid into a force.

2ndA - SS Barron Alabama. Smart, hard hitter who is excellent in run support and decent in coverage. Makes plays on the ball.

2ndB - CB Judie Texas A&M - Pure zone guy who drops because of his hammy injury. Should work very well opposite McCourty.

 

[everlong]

I like Barron but I think we need a cover safety more and I'd prefer Lester for that reason.

I like Upshaw but based on history they'll pass because he doesn't meet the height requirement. He'll end up with a one gap 3-4 team, I PRAY it's not the Jets or Ravens.

 

[cstjohn17]

2ndB - CB Judie Texas A&M - Pure zone guy who drops because of his hammy injury. Should work very well opposite McCourty.

I think you mean opposite Arrington.

 

[manxman2601]

I really like 1B and 2A (Cox, Barron). Barron is moving towards he top of my wishlist - smart player and I want to see some of those hits on our defense.

I'd like to trade both firsts back into the second where I hope we can still get Cox and Barron. With the other later picks I'd be looking for a combination of Hightower (if still available), Stephon Gilmore, Andre Branch, Cam Johnson for our defensive picks.

But I like where you are going with the Alabama emphasis. I was watching their game against Arkansas and the Crimson Tide players are really football smart. They have obviously been coached really well.

And my last thought - if Dre Kirkpatrick falls to us we should not hesitate to draft him. Love that guy!!

 

[MP-Logick]

I think you mean opposite Arrington.

No, I don't think he does.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I think you mean opposite Arrington.

I think Dowling starts opposite McCourty. Arrington is our slot corner. And, that they will be much improved next year. Would like to add a 3rd or 4th rounder for depth.

Love Upshaw, Fletcher and Barron. Sounds like it's back to the 3-4. I'd like to add another olb at 2b and wait until the 3rd for a corner. Candidates would be Vinny Curry, Nick Perry, Cam Johnson, Andre Branch and Bruce Irvin.

 

[patfanken]

I think you mean opposite Arrington.

If the Pats do the right thing and get a tall CB with one of their first 4 picks, then a CB corps of McCourty, Arrington, Dowling, rookie, Moldin and Jones will be an excellent group to start the year with. People forget that before he was hurt, Dowling was excelling at the one thing this defense lacks the most....playing man to man coverage.

I think that with a full off season of man technique work, McCourty can bounce back. Arrington has proven to be a solid CB with good ball skills and Dowling and the rookie can give us the skill sets and depth to be able to fully utilize all the permutations of BB's myriad of defenses. Something that all these injuries has no allowed him to do the past 2 years.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Love Upshaw, Fletcher and Barron. Sounds like it's back to the 3-4. I'd like to add another olb at 2b and wait until the 3rd for a corner. Candidates would be Vinny Curry, Nick Perry, Cam Johnson, Andre Branch and Bruce Irvin.

I have watched three Marshall games over the past two years and I must say Curry is growing on me more and more. When he knows the offense is passing, he can be very sudden at the snap of the ball and he has three pass rush moves, that I see. The bull, the spin and the run around the tackle with lean. If he has a swim move, I did not see it.

Against the run he is not great, but not bad either. I saw him cover on a couple of plays and he needs a lot of help with that, but the raw material is there.

If Upshaw is off the board by the time we pick, I doubt BB takes any of the other options available at DE/OLB so maybe he waits and picks up a Curry in round 2 or 3.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think you mean opposite Arrington.

No I mean McCourty.

I know a lot of guys are down on McCourty, but I see a player that got too pumped up in the offseason and lost a lot of flexibility because of it.

I think McCourty is our comeback player of the year next year.

Until Dowling proves to me that he can stay healthy for a full season, I can't see us depending on him as a starter.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I have watched three Marshall games over the past two years and I must say Curry is growing on me more and more. When he knows the offense is passing, he can be very sudden at the snap of the ball and he has three pass rush moves, that I see. The bull, the spin and the run around the tackle with lean. If he has a swim move, I did not see it.

Against the run he is not great, but not bad either. I saw him cover on a couple of plays and he needs a lot of help with that, but the raw material is there.

If Upshaw is off the board by the time we pick, I doubt BB takes any of the other options available at DE/OLB so maybe he waits and picks up a Curry in round 2 or 3.

I see the same thing with Curry. Speed or bull rush. That bull rush isn't going to work in the NFL. He needs to work on his swim move. Which can be taught. You can't teach his motor though. Goes all out. All the time. I can see a trade down too. Someone might want Tanneyhill late in the first and be willing to move up to get him. Philly is another team to keep an eye on. They will have two early seconds. Theirs and the one from Arizona. They will make a move for someone they like. We have a good trading history with them.

 

[patfanken]

Of course injuries, the bowl games, all star games and combine/pro days will alter this but as of today, I am thinking a defense heavy draft with an Alabama flare.

I also think we are a 3-4 base team next year, but will still flex to a 4-3 as needed:

1stA - OLB Upshaw Alabama. Playmaker! A little short but very good against the run and as a pass rusher. If he runs well at the combine, he will skyrocket up draft boards.

1stB = DE Fletcher Cox Miss State. Very solid agaisnt the run and can push the pocket as a pass rusher. Discplined, strong but needs much work on technique. pepper is going to turn this kid into a force.

2ndA - SS Barron Alabama. Smart, hard hitter who is excellent in run support and decent in coverage. Makes plays on the ball.

2ndB - CB Judie Texas A&M - Pure zone guy who drops because of his hammy injury. Should work very well opposite McCourty.

I don't know the players that well, but will make some comments anyway based on some of my positional biases.

1. I don't want to pick a SS that high. James Iheadabu is an example of a decent SS you can get as an UDFA, Rodney Harrison was a 4th rounder IIRC. Now if you are talking about getting a FS type, then I'm on board 100%. I'd love to wind up with either McDonald or Lester with one of our first 4 picks.

2 I don't know anything about this kid Judie. But I love the idea of getting another big physical CB. However, even though we are primarily a zone team, I'd like that CB to be one who excels at man to man coverage. The reason being is that the way NFL passing offenses have evolved its becoming apparent that quality NFL QBs can pick zones apart regardless of who is out there on D. Thus I think in the future, CBs who excel at man coverage will have more value (ie Minnefield, Jenkins)

3 So I think you were pretty much right on the money with the areas of the team you covered, my ideal draft (at the moment) would be similar but different.

Upshaw,
Cox
Minnefield
Lester

Aside; In a lot of drafts, I would have picked a WR with one of the first 4 picks, but I think this one is deep enough that we can pick one up in the 3rd round.

 

[everlong]

I'd love to wind up with either McDonald or Lester with one of our first 4 picks.

I'm warming to McDonald I just wish he took better angles and didn't bite on play action as much. Both lead to big plays.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

I'm warming to McDonald I just wish he took better angles and didn't bite on play action as much. Both lead to big plays.

He's a Meriweather clone.
H2h hits, bad angles, whiffs on tackles. Pass.

 

[everlong]

He's a Meriweather clone.
H2h hits, bad angles, whiffs on tackles. Pass.

I didn't get that impression watching him. Markelle Martin I thought was more like Meriweather. I felt McDonald could play in a scheme and be coached up but that he definately bit too much. When he took the right angle McDonald was a sure tackler.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

I didn't get that impression watching him. Markelle Martin I thought was more like Meriweather. I felt McDonald could play in a scheme and be coached up but that he definately bit too much. When he took the right angle McDonald was a sure tackler.

No. 7 FS-SS TJ McDonald, USC vs Stanford - YouTube

 

[State]

If Upshaw is off the board by the time we pick, I doubt BB takes any of the other options available at DE/OLB so maybe he waits and picks up a Curry in round 2 or 3.

I'm inclined to disagree if the leading sacker in the nation comes out as a junior, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus.

He lacks the elite athleticism but is a productive player and has the big wingspan on a 6'5" body to knock down passes. I view him as a poor man's Willie McGinest, whose athleticism was freakish in college.

What do you think of this guy for a 2b pick?

 

[patsfaninpa]

I'm inclined to disagree if the leading sacker in the nation comes out as a junior, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus.

He lacks the elite athleticism but is a productive player and has the big wingspan on a 6'5" body to knock down passes. I view him as a poor man's Willie McGinest, whose athleticism was freakish in college.

What do you think of this guy for a 2b pick?

I saw him a few times this year. I think we'd have to take him in the first if we want him. Looks like a 4-3 de to me. I'm ok if we stick with that and draft him and re-up Carter and Anderson. Gives us multiple pass rushers. Which is what you need. Depth in order to get that all-important pressure in the 4th quarter.

 

[State]

Hey, thanks for the info.

He's certainly got the prototypical size of an end in the 4-3. He may be the McGinest replacement we've never found.

And it's all about production. And the Big Ten offensive lines are not as bad as people might think. I don't think the SEC olines are that much better, its the defensive big men who are.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I'm inclined to disagree if the leading sacker in the nation comes out as a junior, Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus.

He lacks the elite athleticism but is a productive player and has the big wingspan on a 6'5" body to knock down passes. I view him as a poor man's Willie McGinest, whose athleticism was freakish in college.

What do you think of this guy for a 2b pick?

I see him as a late first or very early second prospect. As an elephant backer, he is a perfect fit.

He will need a year to learn technique and improve as a run stopper/edge setter.

But as far as getting after the QB, he could work very well in our defense as a third and long rusher.

 

[State]

Ochmed, did you mean to sound musical? I like what you have to say about the Illinois DE/OLB elephant.

He sounds like a perfect fall back guy if BB's favored choices aren't available and we're not able to trade up.

I'd take him in a heartbeat with one of our firsts.