Silva from BC

[zarakotas5]

The safety. Watching BC games, you couldn't help but root for him. All the superlatives. Gritty, hard-nosed, smart, etc. Certainly, he isn't regarded as a top safety. Yet, watching the combine, a commentator said (Deion?) he seems like a guy some team will draft late, on a flyer. He'll make the team, based on above qualities. The starter will get hurt, etc., and he'll step and and not be displaced because he will just kill it.

I have to say I agree with that. He looked great in drills. He looked great playing. Classic woulda, coulda, shoulda player 5 years from now.

What do y'all think?

I'm guessing he'll go 4-5 if other teams agree. Maybe slip to UDFA. Either way, maybe he'll only carve out an Izzo-like niche or maybe he'll be an AD-like late round fine. He's going to be something.

 

[PonyExpress]

The most important athletic indicators of a safety prospect making it in the NFL are pure speed and vertical leap. Silva lacks those qualities. He may be one of those who beats the odds based on savvy, heart and character. Not sure I'd risk using Day 1 money on that long shot. Sign him as a UFA, or a late rdr, and let him prove himself in camp. Otherwise you'r betting against heavy odds.

 

[BradyToMoss]

The safety. Watching BC games, you couldn't help but root for him. All the superlatives. Gritty, hard-nosed, smart, etc. Certainly, he isn't regarded as a top safety. Yet, watching the combine, a commentator said (Deion?) he seems like a guy some team will draft late, on a flyer. He'll make the team, based on above qualities. The starter will get hurt, etc., and he'll step and and not be displaced because he will just kill it.

I have to say I agree with that. He looked great in drills. He looked great playing. Classic woulda, coulda, shoulda player 5 years from now.

What do y'all think?

I'm guessing he'll go 4-5 if other teams agree. Maybe slip to UDFA. Either way, maybe he'll only carve out an Izzo-like niche or maybe he'll be an AD-like late round fine. He's going to be something.

I agree, I want the Pats to use their 4th round pick on him, or move up in Round 5 if they feel they can get him at the top of that round. I love Jamie Silva. I posted it before, I think he's going to end up being the next John Lynch, his heart and desire alone won't let him be anything less.

 

[jeffbiologist]

Well I dont like him because local guys never play well for us. Also my binkie is Wesley Woodyard,someone with SPEED--linebacker conversion. Dont worry about TRADING up in the 5th round. As we have showed the past few years after the 4th round everyone goes home and mails it in. They take the pics as cannon fodder and see if a guy wants to kill himself to make STs. There isnt much room on this team for projects, and both my guy and your guy might fit that role....but they will both play well on STs, all they have to do is make plays to stick....

 

[primetime]

Silva is slooooow. I like him as a player and a character guy, but he runs as fast as molasses on a very cold day in winter. Who knows though, he might catch on somewhere.

 

[scout]

Silva is slooooow. I like him as a player and a character guy, but he runs as fast as molasses on a very cold day in winter. Who knows though, he might catch on somewhere.

I keep hearing how slow he is, does anyone know what he ran at the combine? Didn't BC have anyone else faster to return punts? Not to mention, he had quite a few picks for a slow guy.

 

[dryheat44]

I keep hearing how slow he is, does anyone know what he ran at the combine? Didn't BC have anyone else faster to return punts? Not to mention, he had quite a few picks for a slow guy.

You don't need to be fast to return punts. You need to have quick burst, good decision making ability, and fearlessness. BC was ranked #100 out of the #119 D-1 teams in punt returns, and Silva wasn't their full-time returner. He ran a 4.8 at 204 lbs.

 

[primetime]

I keep hearing how slow he is, does anyone know what he ran at the combine? Didn't BC have anyone else faster to return punts? Not to mention, he had quite a few picks for a slow guy.

He has very good hands, instincts, ball skills, and is a smart player. But he might just be too slow and lack the athletic ability necessary to play in the NFL. He ran a 4.75 at the combine.

 

[dryheat44]

Well I dont like him because local guys never play well for us. ..

That's a fairly silly reason not to like somebody. How many local guys have played with New England? Jermaine Wiggins was pretty good. Sean Morey good enough to make the team out of Brown. The Flutie brothers were here at different points. Mark van Eeghan was at the end of his career when he played here. And those are the only ones that come to mind in the last 20 years or so. Going way back, Nick Buoniconte was a pretty good player.

Certainly there's no reason to believe guys like Lofa Tatupu, Matt Hasselbeck, Howie Long, Steve Cooper, Marc Columbo, Pete Kendall, Tom Nalen, Rob Konrad, Eric Johnson, Ron Stone, or Jerry Azumah would have had lesser careers if they had played for the Patriots.

 

[BradyToMoss]

He has very good hands, instincts, ball skills, and is a smart player. But he might just be too slow and lack the athletic ability necessary to play in the NFL. He ran a 4.75 at the combine.

John Lynch who I liken Silva too, ran a 4.64 - 40. There's not a heck of a big difference between a 4.64 and a 4.75 and John Lynch has had a great, great career in this league based on his heart and toughness alone, no one ever said John Lynch was a great athlete. There's test speed at a combine and there's game speed, both are different. There are instincts to be around the football that don't show up on any combine tests, and ofcourse there's always the proof in the pudding, which is actual game tape. Just watch Silva on tape and you can see he was always around the football making plays whether it was covering a WR or in run support.

Spending a low 4th or low 5th round pick on this kid would be great, he would fill two needs, he would be a great ST guy, I have no doubts about this and he could get the tutelage of Rodney for atleast a year and we could throw him into some Big Nickel situations to get his feet wet. He has the type of heart that would make him a regular starter in this league in 2-3 years.

 

[BradyToMoss]

That's a fairly silly reason not to like somebody. How many local guys have played with New England? Jermaine Wiggins was pretty good. Sean Morey good enough to make the team out of Brown. The Flutie brothers were here at different points. Mark van Eeghan was at the end of his career when he played here. And those are the only ones that come to mind in the last 20 years or so. Going way back, Nick Buoniconte was a pretty good player.

Certainly there's no reason to believe guys like Lofa Tatupu, Matt Hasselbeck, Howie Long, Steve Cooper, Marc Columbo, Pete Kendall, Tom Nalen, Rob Konrad, Eric Johnson, Ron Stone, or Jerry Azumah would have had lesser careers if they had played for the Patriots.

You forgot Mark Bavaro

 

[Tommysgirl]

I think he's made of glass.



Sorry, we haven't had a good glass thread lately. Thought it was needed.

Actually, I love Silva.

 

[DaBruinz]

You don't need to be fast to return punts. You need to have quick burst, good decision making ability, and fearlessness. BC was ranked #100 out of the #119 D-1 teams in punt returns, and Silva wasn't their full-time returner. He ran a 4.8 at 204 lbs.

That's about what Rondey Harrison ran at the combine

 

[dryheat44]

That's about what Rondey Harrison ran at the combine

And? Everybody who runs a 4.8 should be drafted because there's been an odd success story amidst many more failures?

I'm not saying Silva's too slow to play in the NFL. He's definitely slow, though. I think his lack of agility will hurt him for than a lack of straight-line speed. I was just answering the question, and pointing out that while he did return some punts for the Eagles, he wasn't good at it.

He should go train with Archuleta and see if he can bulk up to become a smallish linebacker.

 

[primetime]

John Lynch who I liken Silva too, ran a 4.64 - 40. There's not a heck of a big difference between a 4.64 and a 4.75 and John Lynch has had a great, great career in this league based on his heart and toughness alone, no one ever said John Lynch was a great athlete. There's test speed at a combine and there's game speed, both are different. There are instincts to be around the football that don't show up on any combine tests, and ofcourse there's always the proof in the pudding, which is actual game tape. Just watch Silva on tape and you can see he was always around the football making plays whether it was covering a WR or in run support.

I don't need to watch tape of Silva. I'm a BC student, I've been watching him for years. Fact is, Silva plays slow, too. The entire BC defense played very slow. That was the difference between them and the elite NCAA teams this year. Other teams had guys swarming all over to the ball, BC was very plodding and didn't have the team speed necessary to keep up.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This isn't meant facetiously--but what would Silva bring to the table, right now, that would surpass even Ventrone, who I believe is bigger and faster?

 

[Seneschal2]

One of my favorite 'college' players. With all draft prospects however, it's necessary to evaluate them on their transition from the college level to the NFL. Silva's lack of speed will be difficult to overcome, allowing him only a slim chance of succeeding in a league where the speed of the game can be very challenging. So yes, I can see him sticking to someone's roster based on the qualities the OP alluded to -- but it won't be easy.

I remember Saban talking about the qualities Belichick looks for in a player. He said in addition to solid intangibles like character and work ethic, the player must have enough size and athleticism to play the position. These words have remained with me for a long time now, and used as a guideline when evaluating potential Pats prospects.

 

[DaBruinz]

And? Everybody who runs a 4.8 should be drafted because there's been an odd success story amidst many more failures?

Please show me anywhere that I implied that at all. I just offered up a piece of information. Nothing like blowing it out of proportion there, dryheat.

I'm not saying Silva's too slow to play in the NFL. He's definitely slow, though. I think his lack of agility will hurt him for than a lack of straight-line speed. I was just answering the question, and pointing out that while he did return some punts for the Eagles, he wasn't good at it.

He should go train with Archuleta and see if he can bulk up to become a smallish linebacker.

What were Silva's agility numbers?

 

[PonyExpress]

What were Silva's agility numbers?

I think he skipped all that, focusing all his energy and preparation on that 4.8 40.

 

[DW Toys]

I think he skipped all that, focusing all his energy and preparation on that 4.8 40.

What about every bodies sweetheart tight now James Sanders? He is very slow, can't cover but at least he can't tackle either. And we have these experts I enjoy listening to that rave about him.......?What! Experts chime in here, Every time we have gotten beat this last season was up the middle. Yes Rodney played in the box a lot and Merriweather just started playing toward the end...The Winner!!!!! James Sanders. We need a play making safety and it's not Sanders. What did he run...A 4.68? That's fast? I would take the slow footed Silva over the slow footed Sanders anytime. Sanders is purely a backup only. Passing up the middle killed the Pats in 2007

There was a comment that made sense. LB Wesley Woodard from Kentucky. Has speed ,can cover and would make a great SS I believe.
DW Toys