Jermaine Cunningham vs Sergio Kindle & Jerry Hughes

[Since1971]

Now that we have seen some subjective opinions thrown out about Jermaine Cunningham, lets look at his career stats vs Jerry Hughes and Sergio Kindle.
Look at their career production and then everyones thoughts, comments.

Jerry Hughes:
started 27-of-49 games at Texas Christian, including his final 26 contests … Made 142 tackles (82 solos) with 28.5 sacks for minus-207 yards, 40.5 stops for losses totaling 230 yards and seven quarterback pressures … Caused eight fumbles and recovered four others … Deflected four passes, returned a kickoff 10 yards and gained 32 yards with a touchdown on three interception returns … Tied for fifth among the nation's active players with 28.5 quarterback sacks.

Sergio Kindle:
His official NCAA statistics read, 151 tackles (106 solos), 16.5 sacks for minus-120 yards, 33.5 stops for losses of 166 yards and 18 quarterback pressures … Caused three fumbles and recovered three others … Also deflected five passes and blocked a kick

Jermaine Cunningham:
Saw action in 45 games at Florida, with 38 career starts … Recorded 152 tackles, 80 solo and 72 assisted in his career at UF … Additionally tallied 34.0 tackles for loss, 19.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, five forced fumbles, one interception and a fumble recovery during his tenure with the Gators

Kindle and Cunnighams stats are almost identical. 150 career takles, 33/34 tackles for a loss, 16.5 sacks for Kindle, 19.5 carreer sacks for Cunningham. Cunningham started 38 of 45 games in his career. Both obviously played at big time programs at Florida and Texas.

Hughes had the great sack production. He had less tackles and few more tackles for loss. Only started 29 of 45 career games and played in a lesser program at TCU. (Relative to Florida and Texas)

I didn't include Brandan Graham, we were not going to jump up to the top 10 to get him, if we did, other needs would not have been addressed.

Bottom line: I thrilled with our haul on draft day, need filled. Hopefully another starting corner. Will contribute greatly to special teams. Two excellent T/e prospects and an excellent receiver prospect. Much better talent and depth at iLB. Spikes had over 300 career tackles and 6.5 sacks, 6career interceptions. The interception show his great insticts. Overall, and I realize everyone covets different players, this was an excellent draft.

Bottom line: Objective data shows we landed an excellent edge-rusher prospect at OLD/DE.

 

[cstjohn17]

266... When I saw Cunningham was 266 he jumped ahead of a lot of players, to be the next Vrable, McGinest and line up on at LOLB the player must have sand in his pants.

Hughes appears to be a better pure rusher (I hope he doesn't strip sack Brady when they play the Colts) but Cunningham is a better fit for the Pats scheme.

On paper the Pats have a solid group of players across the defense, to be a champion they will need several to progress from solid to good or very good.

 

[MaineMan]

266... When I saw Cunningham was 266 he jumped ahead of a lot of players, to be the next Vrable, McGinest and line up on at LOLB the player must have sand in his pants.

Hughes appears to be a better pure rusher (I hope he doesn't strip sack Brady when they play the Colts) but Cunningham is a better fit for the Pats scheme.

On paper the Pats have a solid group of players across the defense, to be a champion they will need several to progress from solid to good or very good.

Yeah. I'm better with all of this than I was yesterday (not that I was throwing things at the TV, except when the Eagles snatched another one of my binkys).

In McCourty and Spikes, it seems like we got a couple of very good coverage guys who also play the run well. In Spikes and Cunningham, it seems like we got a couple of solid run defenders who can also rush some. IOW, we didn't just plug holes with single dynamic players, but solidified the whole package in ways that should help the rest of the guys on defense excel at their jobs (e.g., Spikes and Cunningham may be enough to free up TBC to be more successful in pass rush; McCourty maybe now gives us three/four guys in the secondary who can defend the run well without sacrificing coverage).

 

[WhiZa]

266... When I saw Cunningham was 266 he jumped ahead of a lot of players, to be the next Vrable, McGinest and line up on at LOLB the player must have sand in his pants.

Hughes appears to be a better pure rusher (I hope he doesn't strip sack Brady when they play the Colts) but Cunningham is a better fit for the Pats scheme.

On paper the Pats have a solid group of players across the defense, to be a champion they will need several to progress from solid to good or very good.

Not only 266, but also the 6-4 height requirement that BB mentioned last year. When I saw he was from Florida, I had to take him in my top 12

 

[VJCPatriot]

But you're not ALLOWED to use LOGIC on this board! That's unfair! The Stats should be IGNORED in favor of KNEE-JERK hateful reactions! Otherwise we wouldn't have the opportunity to BASH BB yet again for his unanticipated draft selections.

Isn't it OBVIOUS that nonfootball people who POST on a football forum would make MUCH BETTER choices than a coach and GM who has done this job for years and ONLY won 3 Superbowls? What have you done for us LATELY Bill?!

Upon further REVIEW, it is obvious that any pick not named DEZ BRYANT will be a complete BUST. Therefore it is BAFFLING why BB chose to pass on this player, not once, but twice. BB has LOST HIS MARBLES.

It's time that a DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED poster from this football forum was APPOINTED as the Patriots' Player and Personnel guy. So lets write in to Bob Kraft and MAKE IT SO. The fans DESERVE BETTER on draft day!

 

[TriplecHamp]

But you're not ALLOWED to use LOGIC on this board! That's unfair! The Stats should be IGNORED in favor of KNEE-JERK hateful reactions! Otherwise we wouldn't have the opportunity to BASH BB yet again for his unanticipated draft selections.

Isn't it OBVIOUS that nonfootball people who POST on a football forum would make MUCH BETTER choices than a coach and GM who has done this job for years and ONLY won 3 Superbowls? What have you done for us LATELY Bill?!

Upon further REVIEW, it is obvious that any pick not named DEZ BRYANT will be a complete BUST. Therefore it is BAFFLING why BB chose to pass on this player, not once, but twice. BB has LOST HIS MARBLES.

It's time that a DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED poster from this football forum was APPOINTED as the Patriots' Player and Personnel guy. So lets write in to Bob Kraft and MAKE IT SO. The fans DESERVE BETTER on draft day!

on a side note, Ive seen plenty of Cunningham and yes, he is a solid OLB prospect for us but It will probably take him longer to see playing time for us as opposed to Jerry Hughes or Sergio Kindle. All in all, good pick.

 

[sebman2112]

I was just looking at some numbers, and Cunningham registered a 1.57 10 split (PD), which is very good, and indicates that he should have some explosion/speed off the edge.

For comparison at the combine the following players recorded slower ten splits:
Derrick Morgan
Jason Pierre-Paul
Brandon Graham
Sergio Kindle
Sean Weatherspoon
Jerry Hughes
Ricky Sapp

 

[stinkypete]

Cunningham slipped under my radar pre-daft (someone always does) so I had something of a "who dat" reaction when he was drafted.

After studying up, I like, but do not yet love, the pick of Cunningham. He seems to fit the basic requirements, 6'4", 260, productive in a big time system, I see no reason to think he's not an NFL player.

I see people are down on this pick because Cunningham's pass rush is not elite. Well, the Patriots never had elite pass rushers. Vrabel, McGinnest, Colvin were all very good, none was ever in the league of Merriman, Ware, Harrison or Suggs. The pass rush comes from the defense playing as a unit. A good pass rusher like Vrabel looks great with the help of Seymour and Colvin.

It's time we stop and remember the role of a starting OLB in the Patriots defense is to rush the pass, hold the edges on run plays and cover slot guys and TEs. It was clear before the draft that Kindle, Hughes and Sapp were not going to be every down players in this defense because of issues either in coverage or against the run. A pass rush OLB who is soft against the run and stiff in coverage is no better than Tully Banta-Cain, who was good enough to generate 10 sacks with almost no help.

I don't know if Cunningham is the answer, but he is a better option for this defense than Kindle/Hughes/Sapp.

 

[Marqui]

Cunningham slipped under my radar pre-daft (someone always does) so I had something of a "who dat" reaction when he was drafted.

After studying up, I like, but do not yet love, the pick of Cunningham. He seems to fit the basic requirements, 6'4", 260, productive in a big time system, I see no reason to think he's not an NFL player.

I see people are down on this pick because Cunningham's pass rush is not elite. Well, the Patriots never had elite pass rushers. Vrabel, McGinnest, Colvin were all very good, none was ever in the league of Merriman, Ware, Harrison or Suggs. The pass rush comes from the defense playing as a unit. A good pass rusher like Vrabel looks great with the help of Seymour and Colvin.

It's time we stop and remember the role of a starting OLB in the Patriots defense is to rush the pass, hold the edges on run plays and cover slot guys and TEs. It was clear before the draft that Kindle, Hughes and Sapp were not going to be every down players in this defense because of issues either in coverage or against the run. A pass rush OLB who is soft against the run and stiff in coverage is no better than Tully Banta-Cain, who was good enough to generate 10 sacks with almost no help.

I don't know if Cunningham is the answer, but he is a better option for this defense than Kindle/Hughes/Sapp.

Nice post, I agree.

 

[MaineMan]

Cunningham slipped under my radar pre-daft (someone always does) so I had something of a "who dat" reaction when he was drafted.

After studying up, I like, but do not yet love, the pick of Cunningham. He seems to fit the basic requirements, 6'4", 260, productive in a big time system, I see no reason to think he's not an NFL player.

I see people are down on this pick because Cunningham's pass rush is not elite. Well, the Patriots never had elite pass rushers. Vrabel, McGinnest, Colvin were all very good, none was ever in the league of Merriman, Ware, Harrison or Suggs. The pass rush comes from the defense playing as a unit. A good pass rusher like Vrabel looks great with the help of Seymour and Colvin.

It's time we stop and remember the role of a starting OLB in the Patriots defense is to rush the pass, hold the edges on run plays and cover slot guys and TEs. It was clear before the draft that Kindle, Hughes and Sapp were not going to be every down players in this defense because of issues either in coverage or against the run. A pass rush OLB who is soft against the run and stiff in coverage is no better than Tully Banta-Cain, who was good enough to generate 10 sacks with almost no help.

I don't know if Cunningham is the answer, but he is a better option for this defense than Kindle/Hughes/Sapp.

I agree as well.

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Cunningham slipped under my radar pre-daft (someone always does) so I had something of a "who dat" reaction when he was drafted.

After studying up, I like, but do not yet love, the pick of Cunningham. He seems to fit the basic requirements, 6'4", 260, productive in a big time system, I see no reason to think he's not an NFL player.

I see people are down on this pick because Cunningham's pass rush is not elite. Well, the Patriots never had elite pass rushers. Vrabel, McGinnest, Colvin were all very good, none was ever in the league of Merriman, Ware, Harrison or Suggs. The pass rush comes from the defense playing as a unit. A good pass rusher like Vrabel looks great with the help of Seymour and Colvin.

It's time we stop and remember the role of a starting OLB in the Patriots defense is to rush the pass, hold the edges on run plays and cover slot guys and TEs. It was clear before the draft that Kindle, Hughes and Sapp were not going to be every down players in this defense because of issues either in coverage or against the run. A pass rush OLB who is soft against the run and stiff in coverage is no better than Tully Banta-Cain, who was good enough to generate 10 sacks with almost no help.

I don't know if Cunningham is the answer, but he is a better option for this defense than Kindle/Hughes/Sapp.

Most pundits thought Kindle to be perfect for the Pats 3-4 scheme. Breer of the Globe was beating the drum on this right through the second day of the draft. Indeed most mock drafts by experts showed Kindle slotted for the Pats (if he got by Miami).

In reality , both Miami and the Jets passed on him at the bottom of the first round. But Baltimore took him (along with the risk of having Kindle miss a season at some point to have his knee reconstructed) after the Pats beat them to Gronk.

Cunningham was not thought of highly pre draft. So, he suffers from a lack of public recognition relative to Hughes, Kindle or his own team mate Dunlap.

 

[Yorkshire Patriot]

I like the pick, but dont love the pick. Apparantrly he's a hand-in-the dirt rusher and will convert to outside linebacker in the Pats’ 3-4 defense. Had good production racking up 34 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks in his final three years. His numbers were just as good, if not superior to Dunlap’s across the board.

 

[Mogamedogz]

I like the pick, but dont love the pick. Apparantrly he's a hand-in-the dirt rusher and will convert to outside linebacker in the Pats’ 3-4 defense. Had good production racking up 34 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks in his final three years. His numbers were just as good, if not superior to Dunlap’s across the board.

They SHOULD have been. Dunlap garnered extra attention on every snap. Not sure how I feel about the pick, as im of the opinion that he does not have very good pass rushing skills... But Bill likes the kid, and he has a plan on how to use him so i guess we'll see.

 

[dryheat44]

They SHOULD have been. Dunlap garnered extra attention on every snap. Not sure how I feel about the pick, as im of the opinion that he does not have very good pass rushing skills... But Bill likes the kid, and he has a plan on how to use him so i guess we'll see.

Kind of my feeling too. Is he a better overall OLB in our system than a guy like Hughes, for example (setting aside their draft positions)? Yeah, maybe. But this team needs pass rush like nothing else, and I was willing to trade a little less overall game for a little more pass rush.

Now, was he a better pick-up in the second than Hughes in the first? I don't think so. If they got him in the fourth, I'd feel differently.

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

They SHOULD have been. Dunlap garnered extra attention on every snap. Not sure how I feel about the pick, as im of the opinion that he does not have very good pass rushing skills... But Bill likes the kid, and he has a plan on how to use him so i guess we'll see.

After watching tape on him, and judging by his 10 yard 40 split this kid looks very quick. So he can close in on a hurry. And if you watch the tape you see he's got long strong arms. He uses those to grab the QB and pull him down. He also seemed to have a good motor.

I also watched tape of him doing a good job of setting the edge. He wasn't perfect, but used his hands well to punch and control and maintain leverage on the tackle in most situations.

To address your point about his lack of skills - I agree to the extent that his repertoire of moves is limited. I think with some coaching he will add tools to his pass rush and use that quickness the beat OL.

 

[Schmo]

I did NOT like Kindle at all, but I did love Hughes going into the draft. Like a lot of people on this board I wanted a big time pass rusher like Hughes, but I knew BB would go for a less "shiny" player that fits his scheme. From the small amount of tape I've seen on Cunningham, he can play the run, but on obvious passing downs, he gets off the line as quick as anyone.