Michael Sam

[everlong]

Well somebody had to start the thread. I went and watch a lot of the available game film online being mostly unfamiliar with his game. I was really hoping to see a guy who in time could be an impact player and who could be a steal given his coming out. In the end I wasn't impressed.

I'll be rooting for him nonetheless. It takes brass balls to be the first. Yes there were rumors and seemingly everybody knew but he could have just denied it and said it was baseless rumors. He has two brothers who died, two who have been in and out of jail since they were in the 8th grade while he and his sister moved from foster home to foster home and now he's at the draft. Hopefully worst case he makes it as a special teamer and set him and his sister up for life.

I will say after watching Sam it confirmed my early impression that Ealy is overrated.

 

[mayoclinic]

I doubt he'll even be on the Patriots board.

Could you be more specific?

I don't think Sam's skill set, frame and athletic ability project well to the Pats. He's a high effort guy, but his lack of height will be an issue.

I don't think his sexuality will be a factor. If anything, I'm more interested in him as a prospect since his coming out. He is obviously articulate, courageous, gutsy and determined, all of which increase the odds of his succeeding in the NFL despite his physical and athletic limitations. I still don't think he's a fit for the Pats, but I'm rooting for him, and I've seen the Pats take guys who I thought had a lot less going for them.

 

[SalemPats]

Reports have him as a tweener between DE/LB. In this day and age, speed is important. He would have to go to a team that plays a 3-4 (we do play that style). We kind of have a guy projected to play like him in Collins. But you can't have enough pass rushers and his production in the SCC was pretty good. If he's available in day 3 we should probably grab him.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Is his game similar to Ninkovich?

Ninko: 6'2 260 Sam: 6'2 260

Nothing special athletically, but high effort, smart players. Maybe BB would draft him in the 4th to backup Ninko?

 

[manxman2601]

Could you be more specific?

I don't think Sam's skill set, frame and athletic ability project well to the Pats. He's a high effort guy, but his lack of height will be an issue.

I don't think his sexuality will be a factor. If anything, I'm more interested in him as a prospect since his coming out. He is obviously articulate, courageous, gutsy and determined, all of which increase the odds of his succeeding in the NFL despite his physical and athletic limitations. I still don't think he's a fit for the Pats, but I'm rooting for him, and I've seen the Pats take guys who I thought had a lot less going for them.

He's undersized.

 

[meatface]

Is his game similar to Ninkovich?

Ninko: 6'2 260 Sam: 6'2 260

Nothing special athletically, but high effort, smart players. Maybe BB would draft him in the 4th to backup Ninko?

Sam can't play OLB very well but I bet he starts off as a situation pass rusher, The pats would absolutely take him if he dropped low enough but the guy led the SEC in sacks last season so somebody will grab him in the 4th or 5th at the latest.

 

[manxman2601]

He also had 9 of his sacks in three games. That inconsistent production scares me.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

Ninkovich is a hell of an athlete. Really natural in space, has a real strong base for his size. Sam probably isn't nearly the athlete Rob is. I don't know where this "Ninkovich is unathletic" stuff comes from.

Can Michael Sam play SAM?

 

[mayoclinic]

Can Michael Sam play SAM?

If we caught it on replay we could call it "play it again, Sam".

 

[Sciz]

Is his game similar to Ninkovich?

Ninko: 6'2 260 Sam: 6'2 260

Nothing special athletically, but high effort, smart players. Maybe BB would draft him in the 4th to backup Ninko?

One thing I will never understand is why Ninkovich is listed at 6'2". He was 6 feet, 3⅛ inches tall at the combine 8 years ago. Sam was 6 feet, 1⅝ inches at the senior bowl this year. That's a full inch and a half difference.

Also, I think Ninkovich is a very underrated athlete in space. He's not fast, but he's smooth. Sam looked awful in space at the senior bowl. It took years for Ninkovich to become a productive NFL player, and I think we're looking at the same type of situation with Sam, best case scenario.

 

[goheels22002]

He's undersized.

No he's not. He's not going to play defensive end in the NFL

Sam is bigger than Jerod Mayo. I heard that idiot Tanguay on the radio call him a "tweener." He's not. Sam is a prototypical linebacker. Draft as a linebacker, put him on special teams and develop him.

Michael Sam: 6'2" 255
Michael Sam Stats, News, Videos, Pictures, Bio - Missouri Tigers - ESPN

Brandon Spikes: 6'2" 255
Brandon Spikes Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

Jerod Mayo: 6'1" 250
Jerod Mayo Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

Gary Tanguay is "tweener," as in, "Nobody has less tween his ears than Gary Tanguay has tween his."

 

[SalemPats]

No he's not. He's not going to play defensive end in the NFL

Sam is bigger than Jerod Mayo. I heard that idiot Tanguay on the radio call him a "tweener." He's not. Sam is a prototypical linebacker.

Michael Sam: 6'2" 255
Michael Sam Stats, News, Videos, Pictures, Bio - Missouri Tigers - ESPN

Brandon Spikes: 6'2" 255
Brandon Spikes Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

Jerod Mayo: 6'1" 250
Jerod Mayo Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

He's a tweener in terms of a pass rusher not a LB.

 

[manxman2601]

No he's not. He's not going to play defensive end in the NFL

Sam is bigger than Jerod Mayo. I heard that idiot Tanguay on the radio call him a "tweener." He's not. Sam is a prototypical linebacker.

Michael Sam: 6'2" 255
Michael Sam Stats, News, Videos, Pictures, Bio - Missouri Tigers - ESPN

Brandon Spikes: 6'2" 255
Brandon Spikes Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

Jerod Mayo: 6'1" 250
Jerod Mayo Stats, News, Videos, Highlights, Pictures, Bio - New England Patriots - ESPN

He's not undersized for safety or CB either but I'm talking about where he plays now and where people are projecting him to play in the NFL.

 

[goheels22002]

He's a tweener in terms of a pass rusher not a LB.

Clearly he's not an interior lineman nor a DE in the NFL. Nobody's going to draft this guy as a down lineman pass rusher. The film highlights show that he's got great pursuit to the ball and plenty of pop to be a linebacker. Not to mix things up, but with his speed, he'd be a solid "Sam" linebacker to take on TEs or big slot receivers.

The one thing that I have not seen is any footage in space dropped in pass coverage. There may not be any. It looks like Missouri just turned him loose on all pass plays and asked him to set the edge on running downs. If he's got the agility to cover, he'd be an excellent late selection.

I like that with the whole controversy that he'll have something to prove at the next level.

 

[Sciz]

The one thing that I have not seen is any footage in space dropped in pass coverage. There may not be any. It looks like Missouri just turned him loose on all pass plays and asked him to set the edge on running downs. If he's got the agility to cover, he'd be an excellent late selection.

He played OLB at the Senior Bowl and was unanimously bad at it. Now he didn't know he was going to play at linebacker until he arrived at the Senior Bowl and hasn't worked there before so there's probably room to grow, but at this point we have one impression of him at linebacker, and it wasn't good.

 

[ivanvamp]

Teddy Bruschi comes to mind as someone who was a really good pass rushing DE in college, had a high motor, and a huge football IQ. He made a very successful transition to LB in he pros, because of those attributes, his willingness and ability to learn, and his size and speed translated well to the LB position.

Now Bruschi is an all time NE great, so comparing Sam to him may be way out of line. But Sam is a good athlete, has excellent size for a LB, and obviously has some serious guts, which means there's something really positive about his character that you can't measure, but which can be a significant factor in his eventual success.

If he's there in the third I strongly consider him if I'm New England.

FWIW, the last 10 SEC defensive players of the year were all drafted in he FIRST round. Not just drafted, but first round, ladies and gentlemen. The only people that win that award are great football players.

 

[Jewber]

Lol at all the white athlete stereotypes in this thread. High motor, not fast but smooth, high football IQ, first one in last one out lmao.

 

[manxman2601]

Lol at all the white athlete stereotypes in this thread. High motor, not fast but smooth, high football IQ, first one in last one out lmao.

You understand that Michael Sam is black.

 

[everlong]

FWIW, the last 10 SEC defensive players of the year were all drafted in he FIRST round. Not just drafted, but first round, ladies and gentlemen. The only people that win that award are great football players.

Sam wasn't rated as a first rounder before this news. Also being the SEC player of the year on offense or defense hasn't meant NFL success. Tebow, Trent Richardson, Morris Clariborne, Rolondo McClain, Glenn Dorsey to name a few.

I hope the kid lights it up I just don't see it.

 

[fxkane]

Tonite's ESPN header indicates that Sam's best and most likely locations would be Seattle, New England, and Philly. We could handle the press better than any other team... but i think Seattle is the best culture for him, both in terms of the team and the town. Actually, as a Sam fan and supporter, I would like to see him end up there, in Seattle.

I also think he has much more upside than this thread has so far indicated (a couple exception posts) I think he's kind of a steal in the 4th round, let alone beyond that point.