Meet a classic sleeper LB...

[Seneschal2]

...Marc Magro, ILB/OLB, West Virginia. Reportedly, the Pats have shown interest in the late day two, or perhaps undrafted LB. Here's the short blurb:

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl

Patriots | Team interested in Magro
Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:42:49 -0700 J.J. Pesavento, of Next Level Scouting, reports the New England Patriots are interested in West Virginia LB Marc Magro.

This article best describes why the Pats would show interest (quite a throwback):

Excerpts...

Perhaps it’s the limp in his walk stemming from his four knee surgeries. Or maybe it’s the gash in his nose from the daily beating from his helmet.

Regardless of what tipped you off, it’s clear Magro fits the bill of a nasty linebacker. And the fifth-year senior wouldn’t have it any other way.

“That is why you play the game - to be physical,” said Magro, who doesn’t mind being called a modern day gladiator. “That is the time you are allowed to hit people in the mouth and be aggressive. That is what it’s all about for me.”

“He’s as tough as they come,” said Casteel, who also oversees the linebackers. “We are talking about a guy who played on a torn ACL last year and never even missed a practice. I know NFL scouts will come in and ask me about him and I tell them that, and their jaws drop to the floor.”

Few can match the intensity Magro brings to work on a daily basis. That quality is one his teammates have yearned for themselves.

“He has dedicated himself to being the very best,” said fellow linebacker Bobby Hathaway. “He puts the extra time in the weight room, he watches a lot of film; he’s a leader to the younger guys. I don’t know how he brings that intensity and focus to work every day. The guy refuses to be out-worked.”

“He is a perfectionist,” said Casteel. “And perhaps even more important is he always wants to do his best whether anyone’s watching or not. He takes pride in everything he does.”

---

Noteworthy:

- Not invited to the Combine, but faired well at his Pro Day. Listed at 6-2 244, had a 37" vertical, 7.07 3-cone, 28 reps.

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]- Gridiron Gladiator Award from WVU coaches for on-field tenacity … received the 2006 Iron Mountaineer Award as the top performer in the winter workout program.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]- Has been called an [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]outstanding team leader, old-school player...plays with reckless abandon … loves to make plays in the backfield [/SIZE][/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]
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[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

perfect description of that LB from the movie The Replacements, you know the ex-marine that keeps hitting Keanu in practise

 

[sebman2112]

perfect description of that LB from the movie The Replacements, you know the ex-marine that keeps hitting Keanu in practise

Portrayed by Jon Favreau.

 

[The Great Fork]

Played on a torn ACL...THAT is the definition of a beast. Most guys sit out games for having a bruised toe.

Good find, Sen, this guy has Pats written all over him.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Played on a torn ACL...THAT is the definition of a beast. Most guys sit out games for having a bruised toe.

Good find, Sen, this guy has Pats written all over him.

That's true, but four knee surgeries, to me, says he has Pats UDFA written all over him. /

 

[Clonamery]

That's true, but four knee surgeries, to me, says he has Pats UDFA written all over him. /

ran a 4.82 40yd....Why not have him on speed dial for after the draft?

 

[363839]

perfect description of that LB from the movie The Replacements, you know the ex-marine that keeps hitting Keanu in practise

That guy reminds me of Tedy Bruschi.

This Magro guy sure has a lot of injuries so early in his career.
I don't know.

 

[cstjohn17]

That guy reminds me of Tedy Bruschi.

This Magro guy sure has a lot of injuries so early in his career.
I don't know.

Except that Bruschi was one of the best college DEs in history, other than that they are about the same.

Magro seems like a good guy to have a beer with but I am still waiting for a Patrtiots LB success story through the draft, late round or any other round.

 

[dryheat44]

Except that Bruschi was one of the best college DEs in history, other than that they are about the same.

Defensive Tackle

 

[cstjohn17]

Defensive Tackle

What do you mean? Bruschi was a DE in college.

 

[dryheat44]

What do you mean? Bruschi was a DE in college.

Not as I remember it. He played defensive tackle at Arizona when he set the college sack record, which was why he was available in the third round of the draft....he was way undersized to be a NFL defensive tackle.

Edit: Maybe I remember wrong. I just found an old SI article about that Arizona football team that refers to him as an end.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Sounds like a UDFA prospect to me. And that's not as bad as it sounds. Statistics show that the largest percentage of linebackers in the NFL comes from UDFA FIRST and from the 3rd round SECOND. The thing that concerns me is the injuries. If he's still walking with a limp, how effective can he be on the field against pro speed and talent?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Not as I remember it. He played defensive tackle at Arizona when he set the college sack record, which was why he was available in the third round of the draft....he was way undersized to be a NFL defensive tackle.

Edit: Maybe I remember wrong. I just found an old SI article about that Arizona football team that refers to him as an end.

Dryheat you were correct, The article writer is confused. Bruschi was part of the desert storm defense in Arizona as a DT. He did not play outside in college, he was in with the nasty big boys and he beat them like dogs.

 

[cstjohn17]

Dryheat you were correct, The article writer is confused. Bruschi was part of the desert storm defense in Arizona as a DT. He did not play outside in college, he was in with the nasty big boys and he beat them like dogs.

Sorry Ochmen, I have to call BS. He had 52 sacks in college, I find it almost impossible that anyone could get 52 sacks playing DT. Maybe he was used in a rotation, similar to how the Giants used Tuck.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedy_Bruschi
"College years
He played college football at the University of Arizona as a defensive end, where he tied the NCAA Division I-A sack record with 52 quarterback sacks. He was a member of the debate team, and the aptly named "Desert Swan" defense with their hard-nosed tactics coached by Defensive Line Coach Rich Ellerson and Defensive Coordinator Larry MacDuff prior to MacDuff's departure to be the special teams coach for the NFL's New York Giants."

 

[sebman2112]

Sorry Ochmen, I have to call BS. He had 52 sacks in college, I find it almost impossible that anyone could get 52 sacks playing DT. Maybe he was used in a rotation, similar to how the Giants used Tuck.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tedy_Bruschi
"College years
He played college football at the University of Arizona as a defensive end, where he tied the NCAA Division I-A sack record with 52 quarterback sacks. He was a member of the debate team, and the aptly named "Desert Swan" defense with their hard-nosed tactics coached by Defensive Line Coach Rich Ellerson and Defensive Coordinator Larry MacDuff prior to MacDuff's departure to be the special teams coach for the NFL's New York Giants."

He lined up at both spots, and it's the "Desert Swarm" defense...

Edit: Has anyone on here played in a double flex with three deep coverage?

 

[dryheat44]

He lined up at both spots, and it's the "Desert Swarm" defense...

As someone (maybe one of the few) who's old enough to have watched him at U of A, I seem to remember most of his sacks in his record-breaking year coming from the DT spot, just beating his blocker up the middle with unreal quickness. That's what was so impressive, to me, about his sack record. As opposed to Freeney, then Suggs, who beat it from the edges.


Man, have we gotten off-topic...