Sorry but I'm not getting the Barwin thing as a top 50 pick for the Pats. What does everyone else see (outside of the combine numbers) that I'm missing?
Dude has one year of production on defense. 7 of his 10 sacks came against Eastern Kentucky, Miami (the Ohio one), Marshall, Rutgers (1-4 at the time, only win against Morgan State) and a poor Hawaii team that chucks the ball over 40 times a game. The other 3 came against Pitt. Nada against the other (generally "better") teams on the schedule. Against Oklahoma, Connecticut, West Virginia and Louisville he had 4 solo tackles COMBINED. Yet no mention of stats against inferior competition and coming up small against better teams.
What game film are people using to make him a must-have for the Pats? He is fast and a pest in the backfield, but he has clearly not demonstrated much on run defense. 26 solos in 12 games? And he was consistently moved off the POA in the UConn game (the only Cincy game I watched). Haven't mentioned pass coverage because I'm not sure he ever dropped back except on screens. Someone needs to help me here because I am clearly not on the same page as the rest of the board.
Okay, you watched him in one game and are using statistics to fill in the gaps for the rest. I watched 7 Cincinnati games.
I didn't see the Connecticut game, so filling in from the stat line I get this information: 1 solo tackle (a TFL), 1 assist. 1 QBH, 1 blocked kick, 1 PR. So, working against an experienced OT who is expected to crack the first round, Barwin a first year DE was held in check, but had a good game on Special Teams. Of course, filling in with some more stats, the other Cincy starting DE had 7 TT, each of the LB had 5+ TT each, the two starting CBs had 6 TT each, the two Ss had 7+ TT each. I guess we could assume Barwin was just pancaked or otherwise blocked out of the play more often then the others...of course another alternative is UConn didn't run at him as much - it would be nice to find a play chart for that game.
Yes, he's raw, but you can say that about everybody but Sintim and Cushing, and if you want a pass rusher Cushing isn't in the discussion. You complain he had his best games against weaker teams, yet 7 of the of the 13 teams Cincinnati played went to bowl games and Eastern Kentucky was a playoff team in the FCS, add in their Orange Bowl opponent and that's 9 of 14 games were against post-season teams - the talent was there even if they may not have gotten it all in one sock at game time.
As to why I consider him my #1 OLB - his ball awareness. Whether it's finding the RB or checking his rush to get his hands up in the throwing lane, he...finds...the...ball. I noticed that before I noticed he was a good pass rusher, I looked him up because I kept seeing this player check his rush and get his hands up before the QB could release the ball.
OK, so time to make your own stand...nowhere in this thread (or the OLB thread) have you said who you'd take ahead of Barwin at that position. Names?
