Dowling compared to McCourty
 

I have heard some talk that Ras-I is going to be the left-side equivilent of McCourty as if they were similar players but I don't think that is the case at all. They seem quite different. I don't think that Ras-I has the coverage skills that McCourty does but is rather a tall rangy guy for the outside. I do not think he will be effective against small quick receivers in the slot but rather his value be against tall receivers on the outside. McCourty seems to be able to cover either type but I am not sure Ras-I will be able to.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

Like you really have no clue what you are talking about ... just saying.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

Not having seen him play and with no agility numbers to go from, I couldn't say. But he did have one of the fastest 10-yd splits at the Combine - 1.47 - slightly quicker than either Peterson or Amukamara. But, then, so was Malcolm Williams (1.48), although HIS short shuttle time was worse than all DBs at the Combine.

His 6013 height is taller than most CBs, though not super tall. If he had posted less than a 36" vertical that height advantage might be largely irrelevant.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

If Dowling has a rookie season which is 80% equivalent to what McCourty did bookmark one of the best defenses in the league and a 13-3 record at minimum.

Naturally I'll just wait out until we see what happens with the Labor movement first and the implications that has for football.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

McCourty is just a ******* stud. For Ras-I Downling i just hope he can become solid contributor that doesn't scare the **** out of me everytime he is covering a talented receiver. Pretty much all i'm asking for is that he will be better than Darius Butler and Co.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

Ya I think we are pretty safe assuming that he will be better than Butler.
I suspect that he will be a good pro and find a niche working against larger WRs.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

As long as he's an upgrade to the ultra scrubs Arrington and Butler, I'll be happy. Asking him to be as good as McCourty, especially in his rookie year, isn't really fair to Dowling. Devin was an absolute stud last year.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

Arrington a scrub? Among the ST tackle leaders 2 season running (and managed that in only a half-season in 2009); played RCB better than 2nd-rounder Butler; better than about 75% of the safeties in the league in run-support (as a CB) - THAT Arrington?

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

His vertical was a stellar 38 inches. I'd like to point out as well that he had a pretty decent three-cone time of 6.85, and blazed through the 40 in the mid 4.3s. He also has some of the best ball skills I've seen from a defense back. Last year I had him rated almost as highly as Eric Berry, and I still think he could be a similar player. He's big, fast, mobile, intelligent, and nasty. Sounds like the perfect football player. :)

I had Dowling rated higher this year than I had McCourty last year, but to be fair I thought McCourty was a second rounder. Based on physical ability and on field production, Dowling is the superior prospect, but McCourty has been exceptional because he's an extremely smart man with excellent study habits. If Dowling can apply himself as well as McCourty has--and he's smart enough to equal him, in my opinion--then he could end up being just as good, if not better.

After all, he's played in a college version of our 34 defense already, which should accelerate his learning curve.

Re: Dowling compared to McCourty
 

I'm super happy about getting Dowling, but I'd say its extremely, extremely early to be touting his ability to surpass McCourty.

McCourty's rookie season was one of the better ones I've seen by a Pat. Let's let it be, and not hyperbolize a rookies' chances to surpass it already.