Linebacker - scouting the prospects

[Box_O_Rocks]

Interview With TCU Defensive End Jerry Hughes | Patriots Daily

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Danny Batten - South Dakota State

Danny Batten, South Dakota State, NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

54 - Danny Batten - GoJacks.com—Official Web Site of South Dakota State Athletics

Batten named to Buchanan Award watch list - GoJacks.com—Official Web Site of South Dakota State Athletics

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Brandon Graham: Michigan defender fondly remembers practice battles with Miami Dolphins star Jake Long - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | From the Hart: Size sometimes matters

spring in regards to pass rushers that there aren’t a lot of 6-4 guys who run a 4.6 40-yard dash.

With that in mind I asked Steelers head personnel honcho Kevin Colbert about drafting NFL-ready pass rushers. What do you look for?

-----

I followed that up with a question about ideal body type reference and the success that shorter guys have had in recent years. For years people looked for the 6-3, 6-4 guys as the ideal. Is that changing?

“I think that has changed with the growth of the tackles,” Colbert acknowledged. “As the tackles get taller they have a little more trouble with the Elvis Dumervils and the James Harrisons who aren’t quite 6-3, because they are good leverage players. So I don’t think you ever want to get locked into a prototypical size. We all want that. But you can’t shut out a good player just because he might not be 6-3.”

One thought on Colbert's comments:

Pit is identified as a one-gap, disruptive 3-4, the aggressive kind so many of our fellow fans drool over. They ask their OLBs to do some things differently from what NE would do.

NE is a two-gap, line control 3-4 (and 4-3 when they use that base). NE edge rushers are asked to play their gap assignment first and penetrate the backfield only after they've read the pass. Naturally on passing downs they'll have their ears pinned back and will be coming, but in general they are staying home and reading the play.

NE desiring strong, long-armed, and smart players with good size tends to fit in with their scheme. Pit's comfort with shorter, smaller edge rushers is more consistent with their scheme. Folks may now howl and gnash their teeth over BB's dinosaur system.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | From the Hart: Size sometimes mattersOne thought on Colbert's comments:

Pit is identified as a one-gap, disruptive 3-4, the aggressive kind so many of our fellow fans drool over. They ask their OLBs to do some things differently from what NE would do.

NE is a two-gap, line control 3-4 (and 4-3 when they use that base). NE edge rushers are asked to play their gap assignment first and penetrate the backfield only after they've read the pass. Naturally on passing downs they'll have their ears pinned back and will be coming, but in general they are staying home and reading the play.

NE desiring strong, long-armed, and smart players with good size tends to fit in with their scheme. Pit's comfort with shorter, smaller edge rushers is more consistent with their scheme. Folks may now howl and gnash their teeth over BB's dinosaur system.

right, but if you don't find the right guy to fit the bill, don't you still have to find someone to put on the field? it just seems that the pats decided to forego getting LB's at all because they could not find the exact ones they wanted

I mean what happened to developing player.....if they guy has the physical attributes and at least half of a brain, the coaches will make him out the rest of the way...no wait, there arent enough coaches to actually develop players

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

It Is What It Is: Scott Pioli Q&A, 2/25

Q: What types of players are you looking for at the outside linebacker position?
Pioli: “I think it has something to do with the type of 3-4 that you are playing. **** LeBeau 3-4, the size of the linebackers performing for him and the size of the linebackers Bill Belichick or Bill Parcells defense when they had Carl Banks and some of the guys he played with back when I was with New England, are different. There are a lot more projections because there are some outside linebackers that are college defensive lineman. When you go back and look at what Willie McGinest was when he came out, the list goes on and on of the different types. Depending on the type of 3-4 that you run, there are different outside linebackers that you are looking for both size wise and skill-set wise.”

 

[tanked_as_usual]

It Is What It Is: Scott Pioli Q&A, 2/25

so what does he look for in an OLB? just wondering because I believe a guy like lamarr woodley work well in all schemes

and the mcginest example is not a very good one since they tried to replace him with colvin..........mcginest had a rough start as an OLB and even at his best, he benefitted by playing beside seymour......

 

[Since1971]

I don't get how New Era Scouting is so high on Kindle and so low on Sapp in certain areas. Like for instance, they claim Kindle has top level strength at 6'4 239, while Sapp is too weak at 6'4 242. I don't know it seems a little biased to me. I would consider Kindle and Sapp the same type of prospect. Speed edge rushers who would excel on the weak side and have good burst off the line. Both need to add some bulk. I just don't get how they compare Kindle to Ware and say Sapp is going to be overdrafted/overrated.

Good point. I notice this alot with other palyers as well. You get differing opionions and unless you've seen the guy play often, it's hard to know. I guess it only matters what Bill and Casserio think.

 

[DaBruinz]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but I think that Edds running a solid 4.65 and being 6'3.5" is a good thing.. The only problem is his strength.. 16 reps on the benchpress isn't great.

 

[captain stone]

NE desiring strong, long-armed, and smart players with good size tends to fit in with their scheme. Pit's comfort with shorter, smaller edge rushers is more consistent with their scheme. Folks may now howl and gnash their teeth over BB's dinosaur system.

You got that right.

It's time to kill some QBs, not stand around waiting to see what they do first.

 

[BritPat]

If we're talking 4-3 guys, the absolute best player I've watched over the course of the last 4 days was Darryl Washington. He has everything.

Not a fit for the 3-4, but he's going to be a stud in the 4-3.

 

[captain stone]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but I think that Edds running a solid 4.65 and being 6'3.5" is a good thing.. The only problem is his strength.. 16 reps on the benchpress isn't great.

I also was disappointed by his strength; it was almost Guytonesque. I really don't know that he can play SILB here.

 

[BritPat]

Have to mention him as well - Kyle Bosworth. Almost as good as Washington.

Again not a 3-4 LB, but someone will pick him in the third or fourth round, maybe lower, plug him in at WLB, and have a stud on their hands for the next 5 years or more.

 

[SanAngeloState]

Have to mention him as well - Kyle Bosworth. Almost as good as Washington.

Again not a 3-4 LB, but someone will pick him in the third or fourth round, maybe lower, plug him in at WLB, and have a stud on their hands for the next 5 years or more.

Which is why we need a 4-3. We have one draftable player who can play ILB and basically none who can play OLB. They're either too short (graham, hughes) or too drunk and indifferent (dunlap).

How do you run a defense playing castoffs as OLBs and 4-3 mikes as ILBs (mayo, when they're not ruining his knee).

 

[tanked_as_usual]

Which is why we need a 4-3. We have one draftable player who can play ILB and basically none who can play OLB. They're either too short (graham, hughes) or too drunk and indifferent (dunlap).

How do you run a defense playing castoffs as OLBs and 4-3 mikes as ILBs (mayo, when they're not ruining his knee).

you don't get it, do you??????

BB is never going to have a 4-3 as a base....never has

 

[bradyforlife]

Checked out the Pats site and they have Wilfork listed at 325 and jeez he hasn't been at 325 in some time. Guess they feel there is some competitive advantage for doing it. Anyway this is my last question and I appreciate your help. Can you recommend a book where I can learn about techniques? I hear references to so and so is a 5 technique or a 0 technique. Please steer me in the right direction so I can gain a few points on my football IQ. Thanks in advance.

reminds me of pro wrestling.

 

[BritPat]

Checked out the Pats site and they have Wilfork listed at 325 and jeez he hasn't been at 325 in some time. Guess they feel there is some competitive advantage for doing it. Anyway this is my last question and I appreciate your help. Can you recommend a book where I can learn about techniques? I hear references to so and so is a 5 technique or a 0 technique. Please steer me in the right direction so I can gain a few points on my football IQ. Thanks in advance.

There was a terrific post on here some time ago explaining it all, I'll try and dig it out. For now, read this

Understanding Defensive Line Techniques | Bleacher Report

 

[DaBruinz]

you don't get it, do you??????

BB is never going to have a 4-3 as a base....never has

The Pats ran the 4-3 as a base in 2000 and 2001. Because of the personnel he had..

The Pats also started off the 2009 season running the 4-3 as the base.

That being said, BB will do whatever he can to get back to the 3-4.

But to do that, he needs another ILB, 2 OLBs, a 3-4 RDE, and a NT. The ILB could be McKenzie. The NT could be Wilfork. The other positions are the issues.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

The Pats ran the 4-3 as a base in 2000 and 2001. Because of the personnel he had..

The Pats also started off the 2009 season running the 4-3 as the base.

That being said, BB will do whatever he can to get back to the 3-4.

But to do that, he needs another ILB, 2 OLBs, a 3-4 RDE, and a NT. The ILB could be McKenzie. The NT could be Wilfork. The other positions are the issues.

only because of what BB had when he first showed up here......and by later in 2001, the pats spent most of the time with seymour as NT and pleasant and hamilton as the ends

there are still too many bodies around that would make 4-3 being a regular thing the wrong way to go

 

[Defsoul]

We will see if Belichick will stick with his height/speed standards or if he will take a guy that does not quite fit them.

There are so many DE/OLB-tweeners in the second and third round... it would be a crime if they didn't draft at least one.