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Cousins,
If we fill no other positions in the draft because of the hailed BPA theory, ILB outweighs that for a least one draft slot. I think if you look back to last years draft, although I have had disagreements on this, the Pats seemed to be in a pick-for-need mode. Check the positions they needed prior and what the picked. It's 80% need in 2006.
I have a question and I respect all of your thoughts. From reading and study on the LB part of the draft, It appears that the Pats would prefer Woodley over Harris all things being equal, but the OLB/DE he is being pegged at is a little less of a position need now with AT. Woodley being a very quick, feisty animal and 268-270lbs but smart, is it possible to put Woodley on the inside? They say he seems like he can cover fairly well in the drills and the idea of him is being drafted as a OLB (McGinnest) type elephant backer would be a natural fit.
Another idea here goes. I think Woodley can move well, he's still a stuffer and he can make the change to MLB. Wouldn't that be scary for our foes if we draft this kid. Correct me if I am wrong, but it used to be the lighter guys with speed like Colvin played outside the tackles at OLB.
Where do you get that Woodley can cover fairly well? Woodley was pulled in coverage situations while at U of M.
Yes, anything is possible. The bigger question is what is PROBABLE. How PROBABLE is it that the Patriots would use a 1st round pick on a conversion project to move Woodley to ILB. A position he's never played before. Tedy Bruschi at least had 3 years under Belichick before he was moved to ILB in 2002.
Now, I also question whether Woodley is a natural for the "elephant position". McGinest was a natural for that position with his 6'5 height and 270 lbs. Vrabel works out well at that position with his 6'4 height and 255-260 lbs. Woodley is only 6' 1.5" tall. So he's a good 2.5-3.5" shorter than either McGinest or Vrabel.
Next question I have for your viewpoint please. Beason has been said to be a better pick at ILB for a 34 than Willis who is a more traditional 43 guy. Why is that? It seems that Beason has Ian Gold type size and speed and is more suited for OLB. How much smaller in real life is Beason over Teddy? Not the tend-to-lie, media guides.
Beason is less than an inch shorter than Tedy Bruschi and about 10 lbs based on Tedy saying he normally plays around 248. Beason also has about 10-15 lbs on Ian Gold. How do you figure that Beason = Gold? I think that Beason is a lot closer to Tedy Bruschi than he is to Ian Gold. The big question is whether Beason has the body to put on another 10 lbs and be like Bruschi.
Maybe Beason and Woodley (or Harris) should be taken to fill the rotation at MLB with Teddy right now? This way AT, Colvin and Vrabel have a set rotation at OLB. I think Beason and either Harris or Woodley are all there at 24 and 28. Then we are set for many years at MLB even if Teddy retires.
If we can get a safety who can start asap in Round three at #91 if we are lucky, like Piscatelli (most thread champions hate him. Look at the tapes! If this kid played for OSU or USC we'd be talking about where in the first round he lands. The quote is first round talent but still doesn't do enough to satisfy the NFL Scouts appetite) Wendling (good talent, small school), Rouse (gone?) or Gattis (a thread favorite), we have made some good gains on D.
Piscatelli or Wendling have my votes for safety prospects.
Still need a CB regardless of Assante, and a RB. If the above guys are gone, maybe Hughes or Young (too high?) at CB or Bush or Henry at RB are still on the Board and we can go to round four for a safety like Stone from Maine (a steal and a Rodney clone) or Payne, both good size productive safeties who can ST as well.
Agreed. Pats need a CB. I think that RB is a need as well, though it depends on who the Pats will look at.
My sleeper SS is Will Herring from Auburn. 6" 3" 229 with about 4.57 speed, very smart and knows all assignments and led the Tigers in tackles on 05 at SS and 06 at new position OLB the last two seasons! That is hard to do cousins. He took one for the team in 2006 and moved to a vacant hole from SS to OLB. He needed to learn that job. So....Second team All SEC Conferenece. He is being buried by all the media and I can't see why (Major issues?Lack of strength?...... at 18 225's? -That can be taken care of even better with a somber weight program. Weaker in coverage? Actually good. 2 int. 2 PBU and 9.5 TFL at OLB first year in 2006). He can be had in the fifth or sixth round. Is NFL idea to switch him to OLB as well.
Another crazy idea. I would love to experiment with this kid. Urlacher was a SS at U.of New Mexico and he came into the NFL as a MLB after he gained 15- 20 LBS. Herring has that intensity and 4.57 speed. He even has more LB experience than Urlacher had. Obviously a superb tackler. You gentlemen will torch me for this, but have Herring gain 20 LBS and try him at MLB. He's bigger than many ILBs right now. At a fifth or sixth choice, he offers options.
Pro Day:
40-yard dashes in 4.57 and 4.58 seconds, respectively. Even more impressive, however, was Herring's short shuttle (3.99) and three-cone drill times (6.56). Finally, he finished things off with a 35-inch vertical, 10-foot-5 inch broad jump, and 18 bench press repetitions with 225 pounds on the bar. Not athletic? Check the stud safeties. The tapes don't lie either. This kid plays well and is a,ways around the ball. Can play OLB and SS (Roman Pfifer played well with versatility for the Pats). This kid is bigger and faster than Roman.
Quote:The question is, where does that leave Herring? As a big NFL draft question mark. Which is a shame because Herring is a football player, plain and simple. He tackles well, he works hard, and he's reliable. What's more, he's an excellent cover guy for a linebacker.
Just picking through the possibilies and some people less thought of.
DW Toys
Herring is hardly a sleeper pick on this board. BOR found him and many of us have him in our mocks for the Pats.