Combine Talk: Defensive Line

[Box_O_Rocks]

Question: How does Sidbury compare to our current roster crop of developmental DE/OLBs?

Answer: No one but the Pats brass know because we haven't seen enough of them

Logic: Don't write off a Sidbury when he may be a better pass rusher now than our current crop. Maybe the entire group needs work on coverage too. This is why they're developmental.

Food for thought: Belichick will always look for ways to upgrade the roster from the top down and the bottom up. Sidbury (or anyone else), could supplant a bottom of the roster player.

I got to watch Sidbury in a couple playoff games, the Shrine Game, and Senior Bowl. Strength = pass rush. Weakness (from a 3-4 perspective) = setting the edge/coverage. His 266 weigh-in helps him with 4-3 teams, I don't value him as highly as an Indy might.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I haven't seen any numbers for Robert Ayers at all, and didn't see him work out. Is he not working out, or did I miss something? I also haven't seen much of Everett Brown. Did I miss a DL group?

So far, Connor Barwin, Aaron Maybin, Brian Orapko and Michael Johnson have looked the most impressive of the DE/LBs that I've seen. Maybin and Johnson surprised me with how fluid they were in space in some of the drills, and in reacting to the ball. They all show good power and burst. Sidbury looks great going forward and will probably rise up as a pass rusher, but he looked very awkward going backwards and in space. Not sure he could make it as a 3-4 OLB in our system. Would like to see how Brown/Barwin/Ayers did in the drills.

Jarron Gilbert looks very intriguing as a 3-4 DE. BJ Raji looks too heavy to me, but surprisingly agile given his bulk. I hope he falls a bit and that we get a good pick for Cassel and have a shot at him, or one of the OTs.

NFL Network only has three hours of coverage, they don't start until the second group of the day is starting to run the 40, so you don't get to see the first half of the alphabet as often as the second half.

 

[goldenaleus]

Let mebe thefirst to predict an upset. The Pats will use one of their seconds to draft Ron Brace, as a reserve NT. Their top three picks wil be two LBs and a NT. It will be the third round before they pick any DBs.

I can hear the moaning, groaning and gnashing of teeth already.

Already beat you to it.

1- #23 Alphonso Smith - CB
2- #47 Ron Brace - DT
2- #58 Kraig Urbik - OG/OT
3- #89 Chip Vaughn - SS
3- #97 Brandon Gibson - WR
4- #124 Lawrence Sidbury - DE
4- #136 Bear Pasco - TE
5- #158 Victor Butler - OLB
5- #167 CJ Spillman - FS
6- #192 Cecil Newton - OG/LS
7- #230 Marquez Branson - HB/FB

 

[tanked_as_usual]

I'll take tyson jackson over jarron gilbert

just watched gilbert run.......strangest looking stride in the draft.....I don't think it translates well to how one would run in the NFL

 

[Warren94]

I think we would like Jackson's versatility to potentially kick inside.

 

[bakes781]

NFL Network only has three hours of coverage, they don't start until the second group of the day is starting to run the 40, so you don't get to see the first half of the alphabet as often as the second half.

Is it just me or does their coverage need some serious work?

It may just be my RCN cable, but I keep getting cut off from coverage into commercial w/o warning several times during the workout.

When they are on the air, the producer insists on following the prospects all the way through their run instead of focusing on the important part of the drill and therefore missing half the players. Very annoying!

 

[patchick]

NFL Network only has three hours of coverage, they don't start until the second group of the day is starting to run the 40, so you don't get to see the first half of the alphabet as often as the second half.

Very frustrating...fwiw, some small glimpses of Everette Brown's workouts in this interview video, at 1:56.

Exclusive 2009 Combine Video: Everette Brown interview | Chicago Bears Nation

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Is it just me or does their coverage need some serious work?

It may just be my RCN cable, but I keep getting cut off from coverage into commercial w/o warning several times during the workout.

When they are on the air, the producer insists on following the prospects all the way through their run instead of focusing on the important part of the drill and therefore missing half the players. Very annoying!

I've written the past two Combines to complain and offer suggestions about improving the coverage...the streaming video this year on NFL.com has been a significant upgrade, but the televised coverage is even worse. They suck, but they know they have a captive audience. We lose.

 

[dryheat44]

Anybody watch Ian Campbell this year? I don't think I caught Kansas St, but I've had him on my watch list as a possible 7th rounder due to his size at 6'4" 265. he had impressive shuttle/3 cone numbers (4.28/6.93) at the combine and may be worth paying attention to.

Looks like he's started every game for the Wildcats over the past three years at DE, notching 45 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks (20.5 for career) and 3 blocked figgies. Intriguing guy, who could potentially fit at the Sam or the Mike. He played for Texas in the Texas Vs Nation game, so if anybody has any input, I'd love to hear it. BoR, I'm looking in your direction.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Anybody watch Ian Campbell this year? I don't think I caught Kansas St, but I've had him on my watch list as a possible 7th rounder due to his size at 6'4" 265. he had impressive shuttle/3 cone numbers (4.28/6.93) at the combine and may be worth paying attention to.

Looks like he's started every game for the Wildcats over the past three years at DE, notching 45 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks (20.5 for career) and 3 blocked figgies. Intriguing guy, who could potentially fit at the Sam or the Mike. He played for Texas in the Texas Vs Nation game, so if anybody has any input, I'd love to hear it. BoR, I'm looking in your direction.

Hustle, high effort kid. I'm not confident about his ability to find the ball, but that may be a function of his height playing on the line as a DE. He wasn't as strong at the point of attack in Texas vs. The Nation as I'd like to see. He was pegged as a standout during the week of practices. I have no problem with taking him late/UDFA as a possible SILB project - his change of directions at the Combine was very interesting.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

NFL Blog | Sports News | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

Clemson's student-athlete
2:02 PM Tue, Mar 10, 2009
But not in defensive tackle Dorell Scott's world. Scott opted to stay in school during Clemson's spring term, taking just a weekend off to attend the combine. He was a three-year starter at Clemson but his greatest accomplishment in college didn't occur on the football field. And it hasn't occered yet.

"My greatest accomplishment would be graduating in May," Scott said. "That's why I didn't take time off to get ready for the combine. I'm only three class away from graduating, so I chose to stay.
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"I just didn't want to leave the job undone, especially with me being so close," Scott said.

Scott will graduate with a degree in sociology. The classroom didn't seem to slow him down any. He still ran faster (4.92 40-yard dash) than all but three of the 23 defensive tackles at the combine and posted a better bench press than 14 of his peers.