BB speaks on LB's

[sg14]

Bill Belichick Conference Call - 12/29/2009

Talk about Mario Williams starts at 11:36, and he discusses this position till the 15 minute mark/end. Interesting to listen to BB talk pure football skills.

Do you have a link?

I still think that we blew it on Barwin. I think he would be getting considerable playing time by now, and would have been a starter by next year.

 

[mayoclinic]

Bill Belichick Conference Call - 12/29/2009

Talk about Mario Williams starts at 11:36, and he discusses this position till the 15 minute mark/end. Interesting to listen to BB talk pure football skills.

Thanks. Nice comments. Makes you think that if Carlos Dunlap is available when the Pats pick, that BB would be very tempted to pull the trigger. Not many guys with that kind of size/length and athleticism come around. Dunlap would be the 3rd in a decade after Peppers and Williams.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Did anyone else notice the kid from Miami, Sharpton last night? I thought he looks like he has all the skills. Granted he is listed at 5'11" (which means he is shorter than that) but he looked like he can fill the holes. Miami MLB have a great pedigree in the NFL, and yes, I think that is something that a team should take into account when drafting players. Some schools seem to put out quality players at ecertain positions (most lekely because if you are a High School kid and you think you can be a great player at position X you will pick school Y which seems to turn players from that position).

I thought the kid looked good, and he was still making plays long after it was clear that Miami was not going to be winning that game. Wisconson has an All-American TE (Graham) however, it was the other TE (Kendrick) that killed Miami last night.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Thanks. Nice comments. Makes you think that if Carlos Dunlap is available when the Pats pick, that BB would be very tempted to pull the trigger. Not many guys with that kind of size/length and athleticism come around. Dunlap would be the 3rd in a decade after Peppers and Williams.

I wonder if Dunlap is even on BB's draft board after the DUI.

I have thought since the beginning of the season that Dunlap would make a great OLB in our system at around 270 lbs. which is what he looks like to me.

However if he is around 290 pounds then maybe we can play him in the 5 technique at DE opposite Warren. I guess it all depends on whether BB sees enough run stopping courage/ability on tape.

 

[mayoclinic]

I wonder if Dunlap is even on BB's draft board after the DUI.

I have thought since the beginning of the season that Dunlap would make a great OLB in our system at around 270 lbs. which is what he looks like to me.

However if he is around 290 pounds then maybe we can play him in the 5 technique at DE opposite Warren. I guess it all depends on whether BB sees enough run stopping courage/ability on tape.

I have no idea whether Dunlap is on BB's draft board. But for a guy who is generally fairly terse, he practically gushes when talking about players like Peppers and Williams, and how "unique" they are and the challenges they present.

I don't see Dunlap as a 5-technique guy at all. Aside from the size issue, he just doesn't seem to have the personality or style to play 3-4 DE at all. Then again, neither do Williams or Peppers, and that doesn't stop BB from going on and on about them.

 

[LuckyGandolff3x]

Did anyone else notice the kid from Miami, Sharpton last night? I thought he looks like he has all the skills. Granted he is listed at 5'11" (which means he is shorter than that) but he looked like he can fill the holes. Miami MLB have a great pedigree in the NFL, and yes, I think that is something that a team should take into account when drafting players. Some schools seem to put out quality players at ecertain positions (most lekely because if you are a High School kid and you think you can be a great player at position X you will pick school Y which seems to turn players from that position).

I thought the kid looked good, and he was still making plays long after it was clear that Miami was not going to be winning that game. Wisconson has an All-American TE (Graham) however, it was the other TE (Kendrick) that killed Miami last night.

I graduated high school with Darryl Sharpton. He's a good kid. I can tell you that he's very bright, we had a lot of classes together, and he is all effort. I watched his play progress at UM and it is evident how hard he worked to become a starter. Darryl's a great leader too, and he's always helping other people. I run into him every once and awhile and we keep in touch on FB, he's not Mr. Superstar, he's still down to Earth and talks to every fan who approaches him on the street. That's what I can tell you from a personal level.

Oh, and he's got a great pedigree coming from Coral Gables High, see Frank Gore and Mike Lowell. Go Cavs!

 

[Nonentity]

Seneschal2 posted the above data regarding Austen Lane in a separate thread. I'm not sure where the data are from, but, if true, he sounds like an almost perfect BB 3-4 OLB:

- 6'6" 260#
- 4.6 speed
- Terrific burst and agility, with a 10 yard of 1.51, 20 yard shuttle of 4.07, and 3-cone of 6.70. Those numbers compare favorable with DeMarcus Ware's 2005 combine numbers (4.65, 4.07 20 yard shuttle, 6.83 3-cone).
- Strong against the run - opponents averaged 0.41 YPC running at him on 29 runs in 2009 for 12 yards, including 6 stops at the LOS.
- Good against the pass - opponents completed just 1 of 14 passes into his area in 2009 for -3 yards.

He sounds like the total package. Problem is, he's done it all against lesser competition. But that doesn't mean he can't do it in the NFL, especially if those numbers hold up. He certainly deserves close scrutiny as a potential DE/OLB prospect in the 2nd/3rd round. I'd love to pair him with someone like Greg Hardy or Greg Romeus at OLB, and maybe bring in a veteran FA like Aaron Kampman to school them and provide leadership.

I should probably be shot for even making the comparison, but he sounds a lot like Jared Allen coming out of college. Went to a Division I-AA school and put up big numbers, fantastic athletic ability but no-one knows whether or not he can replicate it in the NFL.

I would not be upset if we used our own 2nd round pick on him.

 

[mayoclinic]

I should probably be shot for even making the comparison, but he sounds a lot like Jared Allen coming out of college. Went to a Division I-AA school and put up big numbers, fantastic athletic ability but no-one knows whether or not he can replicate it in the NFL.

I would not be upset if we used our own 2nd round pick on him.

Be still my beating heart. One of my favorite players.

 

[DaBruinz]

Why not indeed? Somebody took a chance on developing Jared Allen, Elvis Dumervil, and James Harrison, among others. Their warts seem smaller now.

Allen plays DE next to the Williams.. Dumervil was drafted when Denver was playing the 4-3.. He's still extremely short for an OLB.. Harrison spent 6 seasons as a special teamer before getting his chance..

As for Allen and Dumervil, they were both day 1 picks.. Harrison was a UDFA.. The Pats have had a plethora of UDFA LBers.. Woods, Alexander, Guyton, etc...

 

[jsull87]

I do not disagree with BB, but I do want to point out this out.

Why not at least take a developmental guy with a few warts and try to develop the kid?

Why wait for the perfect player and then hope he falls to you in the draft.

Surely at least a few of the myriad 3-4 hybrid DE/OLBs from last year's draft are better for our team then Nikovich or a suspended Thomas??????????

like crabble and mckenzie?

 

[mayoclinic]

As for Allen and Dumervil, they were both day 1 picks.

I wasn't aware that 4th round was a "day 1 pick". Both guys were taken with the #126 pick - Allen in 2004, Dumervil in 2006.

Based on that track record, I'd say trade back to #126, pick a DE/OLB prospect, and pray would be a better approach than what we've done in the past 5 years.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

I can't take another off season of strength and setting the edge talk. If someone bumps into BB at the store please escort him immediately to someone like Box or Mayo's house so they can talk LB philosophy for a couple of hours. I feel lately BB has forgotten how to draft for the outside position. Hopefully McKenzie or lol Crable with exonerate him.

This board has given him several good player options over the years and he still refuses to read. {he needs too} The list goes on and on of members here who struck gold with their 1st through 3rd round assessments of OLB position.

Keep dreaming in fantasy land. You really think that BB would listen to armchair qb's?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

like crabble and mckenzie?

I consider McKenzie to be an ILB and I do not blame BB for taking a chance on Crable, I only wish he would take a chance on another player. Maybe competition will get Crable back on the field.