Patriots Make Another Intriguing Pick in S Nate Ebner

[JimJohns]

I have a hard time seeing him making the 53, the PS is more likely.

 

[pdangle]

This guy is a wrecking ball!

Probably needs some seasoning, but Pats can probably stash or move him through the PS pretty easily if he shows any NFL potential. Might be a good player to use for certain weekly opponent preparation as well.

You can't really evaluate anything off of this but its awesome. He certainly has serious acceleration.

Its rugby highlights.

Nate Ebner Ohio State 7's - YouTube

 

[Block "O"]

Oh man I love this pick and I love that you guys picked him. Ebner will be the fan favorite on special teams...former rugby player that brings that hard-nosed aggression to the gridiron!!!!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Here you go ladies. Try and take it easy.

Damn! Just when my wife forgot about Christian Fauria and Brady's 2 SB losses dropped him from my wife's "to do" list, this guy joins the team

 

[Gostkowski for 3]

i had never heard of the guy until we drafted him....and i go to school here

 

[The Scrizz]

- solid tackling skills: he really wraps up his opponent and brings them down. He doesn't make flashy highlight-reel moves, he just gets his arms around the guy and pulls him down. There's something really thorough and sure about his tackling. It kind of reminded me of Nate Solder pancake-blocking Cameron Wake in Miami last season (not in technique, but in thorougness). Anyway, this would obviously be valuable on defense or kick coverage.

This is the first thing I thought of when I heard rugby player. They actually tackle people as opposed to just trying to Meriweather them like half the safeties in the league do now.

Tackling is becoming a lost art. NFL coaches should have their teams watch some rugby games.

 

[Sciz]

Nate Ebner Earns 'Leonidas' Nickname, Dubbed Ohio State's Most Valuable Player for Strong Work Ethic - New England Patriots - NESN.com

Then, Haynes dropped the most eye-opening bomb. "He was probably the most valuable player on that whole team, the most valuable player on that whole team last year," Haynes said passionately. "If there was a guy that we were going to go down with, it would have been Nate Ebner by far. There isn't a coach on that staff who wouldn't say that."
...
"Here's the thing about Ebner, I don't think the kid can't do anything," Haynes said. "If you put him in that position, and you tell him, 'Hey, I want you to get good at this,' I think he'll be out there until the freaking sun goes down to get better at it. That's the kind of respect that I have for him, and I wouldn't say that about a lot of guys. I really wouldn't."

Wow. This guy is making the roster.

 

[pork3]

This is the first thing I thought of when I heard rugby player. They actually tackle people as opposed to just trying to Meriweather them like half the safeties in the league do now.

Tackling is becoming a lost art. NFL coaches should have their teams watch some rugby games.

The problem is that good form tackling doesn't make the highlights nearly as much as someone who smashes shoulder/head first into the opposing player.
Additionally, this is a problem that's rooted in poor technique drills in the player's formative years which leads to them adopting bad habits during their collegiate/professional careers.

It would be rather cool for NFL teams to start enlisting the help of Rugby coaches to indoctrinate their players in proper technique, but that's a pipe dream.

-Jamman

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The problem is that good form tackling doesn't make the highlights nearly as much as someone who smashes shoulder/head first into the opposing player.
Additionally, this is a problem that's rooted in poor technique drills in the player's formative years which leads to them adopting bad habits during their collegiate/professional careers.

It would be rather cool for NFL teams to start enlisting the help of Rugby coaches to indoctrinate their players in proper technique, but that's a pipe dream.

-Jamman

To be fair, the Pats did a pretty good job teaching Edelman to tackle the right way. . . .

 

[ctpatsfan77]

And Chris Price adds another seemingly unbelievable tidbit from his coach:

How valuable was Nate Ebner when he was a collegian at Ohio State? Paul Haynes is going to bottom-line it for you, Patriots fans.

“The guys we protected during the week were the quarterback and Nate Ebner,” said Haynes, who was the defensive coordinator and coached the defensive backs when the former rugby star was at Ohio State. “We knew that we couldn’t get Nate hurt during the week, because if we did, we’d be in trouble in Saturday.

“It sounds crazy, but when it came to practice, he didn’t need to do a lot. We needed him on Saturday.”

patriots - Legend of the fall: Nate Ebner's 'special' story began with a bang at Ohio State - WEEI | Christopher Price

I don't know if the new kickoff rules allow this, but I'd expect BB to try and find ways to "disguise" Ebner on STs (as they apparently did with Ray Ventrone back in 2008).

 

[Sciz]

Alright, I'll say it. I think that there's a better chance that Nate Ebner is a starting safety for the Pats in 3 years than that he's not a Patriot in 3 years.

 

[Joker]

wait..we drafted Buddy Ebsen?...isn't he like 110 years old??

 

[TB146]

Nate Ebner Earns 'Leonidas' Nickname, Dubbed Ohio State's Most Valuable Player for Strong Work Ethic - New England Patriots - NESN.com

Wow. This guy is making the roster.

And Chris Price adds another seemingly unbelievable tidbit from his coach:

patriots - Legend of the fall: Nate Ebner's 'special' story began with a bang at Ohio State - WEEI | Christopher Price

WW........

 

[Rusty Coupe]

Will BB and Ebner start a trend in the NFL?

The fact that Belichick, who sits on the top of the NFL coaching food chain, invested a draft pick, will get the attention of the football world. In a copycat league that is the NFL, we could eventually see more and more players from rugby in camps and playing on Sunday. After all, many ruggers tackle better than NFL players, are great locker room guys and are simply more unselfish teammates. I may catch heat for saying this but they seem to be mentally and physically tougher than some college football players.

Will Belichick Start a Trend? | National Football Post

 

[Fencer]

I find it interesting that the Pats drafted this guy before they drafted Dennard.

I guess Pioli got the same glowing recommendations from Vrabel that the Pats did.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Nate Ebner Earns 'Leonidas' Nickname, Dubbed Ohio State's Most Valuable Player for Strong Work Ethic - New England Patriots - NESN.com

 

[captain stone]

If he can make the over-paid, non-returner, non-position-player Matt Slater expendable,
then I'm All-In for Ebner.

 

[Sciz]

If he can make the over-paid, non-returner, non-position-player Matt Slater expendable,
then I'm All-In for Ebner.

Because getting rid of guys that are the best in the NFL at something is a great strategy.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

i had never heard of the guy until we drafted him....and i go to school here

LOL me too. (go to school and I know all the starters on D and O.

 

[Arrington Planet]

If he can make the over-paid, non-returner, non-position-player Matt Slater expendable,
then I'm All-In for Ebner.

And if Ebner took Slater's place as the ST ace of the team, you'd say: "Why do we keep this over-paid, non-returner, non-position-player?"

If Slater was so expendable, he'd be out of the team long time ago.