dryheat44
Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I am not making my crazed thoughts translate well!Very intersting theory, but wonder about limiting the selections to certain positions??
Willie McGuinest, Mike Haynes, Rodney Harrison are not mis-match players???
Thank you. Time to study the other defenders.Great, great effort Box.
So, does any of this make sense? If you had to weigh the relative value of say Brian Leonard and David Harris, which creates the greater mismatch at the line of scrimmage? Who is the better mismatch, Drew Stanton or John Beck? Reggie Nelson or Josh Gattis? I'm getting dizzy, must be time for more meds.
Disclaimer: My mismatch theory came of prolonged exposure to Patsfans.com members and inadequate medicinals. Those of you have been bored enough to read my posts might note that players I never had an interest in are on this board. I'd like to think that shows some integrity in the process, but more than likely it means I've done it all wrong. Again, this is a theory and attempts to dispute it's elements are welcome.
Good point.I would disagree with you that OLB is not a mismatch position in the 3-4 set. The front 3 are the most important players in a 3-4 but the linebackers are counted on to make the plays. The beauty of the 3-4 is that you can bring the outside linebackers up and have them play with one hand on the ground, implicating a pass rush, and then either send both of them in, drop of them back in coverage, or send one and drop one back.
You can also blitz the inside linebackers but generally it is better to attack on the outside because the ILB will have to work through trash or count on the DL to create an opening for him to shoot in. Also you generally want the ILB to stay in position to stop the run.
So just my opinion but in the 3-4 the OLB can and should cause mismatches depending on how the play is drawn up. The OLB in the 3-4 is probably the most worrisome to a QB because the pre-snap read doesn't tell you much and he can easily mask or fake his intentions.
Good point.
Recall that this is a "drafting" theory. Does the position of OLB lend itself to control of the line of scrimmage in the run game with an average college OLB? Since the college ranks do not grow 3-4 OLB themselves, the Pros have to develop them. Drafting a DE to be a 3-4 OLB is a crap shoot which eliminates it as a mismatch position for drafting theory.
The 3-4 is a defensive formation that lends itself to creating mismatches through disinformation. The offense counters with TE/RB/FB movement to keep the "balance of power." If you could draft a ready-made Mike Vrabel, then OLB would be a mismatch position for "drafting" theory. All positions are used to create mismatches on the field and I agree, 3-4 OLBs on the field of play are powerful, mobile chess pieces. You just can't get them off the shelf ready to rock & roll.
You didn't respond to my contention that OLB position has great potential for creating mismatches in the 3-4 and is underrated by your "theory." I also don't like Leonard as a 1st round pick but would consider him with a 2nd rounder.
I also disagree with Kalil as a 1st round pick because we already have Koppen signed longterm. Unless you see him moving to guard, and then how much of an upgrade would he be over Neal? I think 1st rounders should go to LT prospects such as for example Staley.
I don't have so much a problem with your 2nd tier players at pick #28 but I'm a fan of trading down from this pick since more than 50% of those players should be available in the early to mid 2nd round.
Perhaps not, I credited him as a mismatch because despite only one year at starter he has 10 career interceptions and 33 PBUs. Not bad for a country boy. If he can learn better technique to reduce the big plays he gives up you have a ballhawk who won't shut down the #1 WR, but will pick the pocket of the QB. It's worth noting that NFLDraftScout.com, whose comparison you used, rates him #3 CB and a first round value - despite that note of theirs.Personally I don't see Ross as a mismatch guy (on defense), at all. I don't think he's a first round talent when it comes to his level of play from CB. If NE needs a really good PR than I would take him, but they don't.
Sports Xchange:
"Compares To: Devin Hester, Chicago Bears … A definite lack of man coverage technique, poor route recognition skills, hesitant in zone coverage, poor tackling form and marginal strength are some of the liabilities in these two players' games … Both are blessed with incredible quickness for the return games, but Ross is far from a finished product as a defender … Right now, he brings instant value as a returner and nickel back, but he will need a few years to see if he ever develops into a quality cover defender … There is a lot of Deltha O'Neal in this kid and if you need a shutdown cornerback, you are advised to look elsewhere … In his only year as a starter in 2006, he won the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, but nothing could be further from the truth … The media seems to get enamored by big returners and pass thieves and Ross is both of those … However, he allowed 51 receptions for 701 yards (13.7 avg.) and five touchdowns in 2006, as 20 of those catches resulted in first downs and 16 were for 10 yards or longer. In addition, he fumbled twice and was penalized four times."
Perhaps not, I credited him as a mismatch because despite only one year at starter he has 10 career interceptions and 33 PBUs. Not bad for a country boy. If he can learn better technique to reduce the big plays he gives up you have a ballhawk who won't shut down the #1 WR, but will pick the pocket of the QB. It's worth noting that NFLDraftScout.com, whose comparison you used, rates him #3 CB and a first round value - despite that note of theirs.
He was nowhere near my board before this exercise in draft depravity. Call me foolish or intellectually honest (foolish in pretty ribbons), but with the information available I think he's got mismatch potential at CB.I know, and it's confusing to me. Ross was more of a backup for a large part of his time at Texas, then he becomes the starter this year, and I thought he did well (at times), but I didn't think he was a top level CB. That secondary was picked on a lot last year, and Ross was among the main victims. He had a lot of PB's and those INT's because people threw against him so much. I almost think some of these websites/services are ranking him so high because of his potential at CB, and his PR ability.
To be honest before his arrest Tarell Brown was the better CB with more physicality, instincts, and recognition than Ross. I see bust written all over Aaron Ross.
Sure, a DB who has all the tools is an upgrade. The Pats want to stop the run with the front seven, they want the back four to be good enough to buy that front seven the fraction of time they need to read pass and shift from run to pass. So having a Safety who fills run lanes like he's Ted Johnson is sweet, they can always use that talent. Having a Safety who can direct the secondary and read pass patterns like they're See Spot Run is even sweeter.I like LaMarr Woodley, Josh Wilson, Meriweather, Wade, Staley, Harrell, Carriker, Lynch, Leonard, Kalil, Bradley, Jason Hill, and others.
Now what about:
Matt Spaeth, Walter Thomas, Craig Davis, Chris Davis, and Jay Moore?
I also think if you find an ILB with really good coverage skills it could creat mismatch problems at the LOS, because it could allow your other LB's to focus more on pass rushing, and run support. This is the same at FS & SS. If you have FS's and SS's with really good coverage skills it should help your LB's focus more on pass rushing, and run support. This is why I think someone like Meriweather who has good run support, CB coverage skills, and displays sound tackling technique would upgrade your secondary.
Just wait until after the post-draft mini-camp. From mid-May to late July. Not just slow, dead.it's a slow football period.
Here's another thing you want to remember, the Patriots like the most experienced players, especially on their O-Line.
Rick Gosselin on the subject of the most experienced college players being attractive, especially at O-Line.
He also composed the fallowing chart showing the college O-Linemen with the most experience:
And don't I know it, though the gossips will share some news on the baby to keep us entertained. The only good thing I was thinking about the Chinese Rice Bowl was it started camp earlier.Just wait until after the post-draft mini-camp. From mid-May to late July. Not just slow, dead.