2009 Preview - Where's the talent?

[Warren94]

I would think that Guyton has the ability to play both inside and outside LB. Give him a yr to put on some weight and I believe he will be solid. I am worried about (Like Most) the right hand side of the OL. Kazcur is not going to cut it. I think you may have to go OT if one seems to drop. Iwould like to see Monroe at LT and move Light to the right


just my five cents.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I would think that Guyton has the ability to play both inside and outside LB. Give him a yr to put on some weight and I believe he will be solid. I am worried about (Like Most) the right hand side of the OL. Kazcur is not going to cut it. I think you may have to go OT if one seems to drop. Iwould like to see Monroe at LT and move Light to the right


just my five cents.

It's a nice nickel, but with the National Post ranking Monroe #6 overall, I don't see him sliding out of the top 10 (as of today). That's backed up by NFLDraftScout.com's OT rankings placing him at #2. I just can't bring myself to wish the Pats a top 10 pick (unless someone gives them one).

 

[KillEM]

I would think that Guyton has the ability to play both inside and outside LB. Give him a yr to put on some weight and I believe he will be solid.

???

Guyton was an Undrafted Free Agent. There must be a reason he was undrafted, especially after doing so good at the Combine.

And OLB's for the 3-4 are different than OLB's in a 4-3. Usually they are former DE's.

Vrabel and Adalius Thomas both were. So were Shaun Phillips and Shawn Merriman. And Demarcus Ware. And LaMarr Woddley. And Joey Porter. etc.

So I would not be so optimistic in saying Guyton has the ability to play OLB in our scheme.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Pro Football Weekly has come out with a preview of the 2009 draft class seniors. Yes there will be 30 - 40 underclassmen that will declare as there usually are.

Without getting into player details yet here is what they think the position by position looks like.

QB- weak and Jrs probably won't help much
RB- weak sould be helped by Jrs
WR- below average but will be brought up with some really good 3rd year players.

TE- one of the best classes in a while
OT- very stong class
OG- average
C- stongest classes in recent memory
DT- good
DE- good
ILB/MLB- very good
OLB - average but serveral DE's added could makeit stronger
FS- very average to below
SS- Very Strong
CB- below average but can be average or a little above with some underclassmen additions.

This looks like a solid draft class for what our needs will be. The Patriots did not draft a OL or TE last year, now we know one of the reasons. Pioli and BB thinking ahead again.

 

[woolster22]

I would be absolutely ecstatic to see our first three picks go lt (move light to right where he belongs and let those still here fight for rg), te, then DL. Untill the other day, our dl has been pretty damn dominant. Seems a bit early to be pulling the trigger on a first round dl when theres a solid lt available.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

???

Guyton was an Undrafted Free Agent. There must be a reason he was undrafted, especially after doing so good at the Combine.

And OLB's for the 3-4 are different than OLB's in a 4-3. Usually they are former DE's.

Vrabel and Adalius Thomas both were. So were Shaun Phillips and Shawn Merriman. And Demarcus Ware. And LaMarr Woddley. And Joey Porter. etc.

So I would not be so optimistic in saying Guyton has the ability to play OLB in our scheme.

There must be a reason Tommy Brady wasn't taken until the sixth round. Current Belichick era UDFA Starters (including reserves plugged in as injury replacements): Alexander, Neal, Yates, Wright, Welker. Past UDFA Starters: Gay, Spach, Ashworth, Andruzzi, Patten...I'm sure I've missed a couple more, but you get the idea.

Guyton reportedly didn't wow scouts in practice at the Senior Bowl where he was brought in as an injury repacement - yet the SF coaches who worked with him tried to sign him as a UDFA, go figure. Pioli was interviewed during preseason and reportedly said 20/20 hindsight would have had them drafting Guyton. As for inside/outside play, he took reps at both in mini-camps and Training Camp. With Crable on the roster and Vince Redd on the squad there are a couple of tall, stretchy guys to plug passing lanes, so Guyton probably won't be asked to play OLB, but like Mayo, he probably could if needed.

 

[LuthierJr]

how about the big Guard from Oklahoma Duke Robinson. The guy is a monster. 6-5 335lbs A fresh talented O-line would be awesome for TB.

As for TE, again at Oklahoma Gresham is a force. Can catch as well as block. Big guy too. 6-6 260lbs

 

[patchick]

Guyton was an Undrafted Free Agent. There must be a reason he was undrafted, especially after doing so good at the Combine.

And OLB's for the 3-4 are different than OLB's in a 4-3. Usually they are former DE's.

Now that he's actually played his way onto the field in the NFL, the statement in bold is completely immaterial, IMO. But I agree that he's clearly an ILB in the Pats' scheme.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Bill Belichick has alwasy given you hisi pjhilosophy on LB play. In his scheme you take college DEs and make them OLBs... and everyone forgets the continuation. Bills says you take college OLBs with some talent for ILB and make them 3-4 ILBs, too.

Bruschi was a small DE/DT at
Arizona. Guyton was a OLB/ILB at Georgia and starter at neither, as his best position was where Phil Wheeler was at All-American ILB. But that is the recipe for a 3-4 ILB, in Belichick's scheme. Some experience at OLB and a flair for ILB.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

But that is the recipe for a 3-4 ILB, in Belichick's scheme. Some experience at OLB and a flair for ILB.

You can include Mayo as well. He played OLB his first 2 seasons at UT and then moved inside as a Junior. On the outside he was average, nothing special, and on the inside, he started poorly, got his lunch handed to him against Florida and then started to excel and finished as an absolute beast.

BB must have seen something in his performance that almost all us fans and almost all the draft gurus missed.

 

[VJCPatriot]

If we assume that Mayo/Guyton are the ILB combo of the future, then our priority shifts to OLB. We need to get a passrusher that can give QBs fits.
Don't forget that for BB that means that DEs that can be converted to OLB are also fair game.