Senior Bowl Game Thread

[PatsFan24]

go bears!!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The guy I would like to break down on film concerning coverage was Stewart Bradley. He weighed in at the Senior Bowl at 6'5, 256. He played OLB for the Huskers. The only knock on him is he had an ACL his Jr. season (which can scare teams during draft day). The Senior Bowl doesn't allow blitzing, but I would like to see him in coverage. As a LB, who is used to covering people, he might be less of a projection. BB I believe once said that OLB in college project ILB for us, and DE in college project to be OLB. Right now, Bradley is in the top three on my board.

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/olb/stewartbradley.html

Looks like you picked a winner P-80, this kid's information fairly screams Patriot.

This is a subscription site...
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members/ratings/profile.php?pyid=8439

01/24/07 - Senior Bowl North Team Wednesday Practice Report: One outside linebacker who has certainly improved his draft stock this week is Nebraska's Stewart Bradley. At 6-4, 255 pounds Bradley has great size and is surprisingly athletic in coverage. In drills against running backs trying to catch passes out of the backfield, Bradley showed uncanny instincts for the routes back were going to run and a late burst to break up passes. Often in coverage during scrimmages Bradley forced quarterbacks to turn away from even their check down options as he blanketed backs and tight ends. Entering the week I personally had Bradley pegged as a mid 2nd day guy. If he plays with the physicality I expect in the game I see him moving into the first day, perhaps even ahead of some of the bigger named OLBs of this draft.

He has also been used at MLB and DE by Nebraska! :rocker:

He led the North Squad in tackles with 4 solo, 1 assist, 1 for a loss, and 1 forced fumble. I still haven't looked for him on tape, but he was wearing #53 if you want to go back and watch for him.

David Harris had 3 solo tackles and 2 assists, 1 for a 6 yd loss I remember when he blew up a screen. He's listed at 6'2" 239, so he's a pound below my ILB threshhold, but he has the frame to carry more weight...he can afford to slow down a tad in the 3-4 carrying the extra weight.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

BTW, Brian Leonard (Rutgers) makes a real good play against Buster Davis at about 6:20 left in the second quarter. Buster tries to meet Leonard in the hole in the backfield, but Leonard got the leverage on him and carried him for two yards for the first down.

My lust to see Leonard in a Pats' uniform grew watching him in that game.

 

[DaBruinz]

Well those awards are a bunch of BS then. Willis had a horrible game. He was constantly out of the equation particularly in the first half.

How do Jay Moore or Okoye not get the defensive MVP?

How can a guy who had 11 tackles and one for a loss be "constantly out of the equation?"

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

How can a guy who had 11 tackles and one for a loss be "constantly out of the equation?"

I'm not Sey93, but I'll say what my thoughts about Willis. (BTW, I just love the draft forum in the off-season, the discussion is so thoughtful).

Anyhow, here's my take.

Assuming you recorded the Senior Bowl, watch Willis. He makes the tackle on ST on the opening KO (there's one of the tackles).

If you watch him on the opening series, you will notice that he's got great speed, and he doesn't miss tackles. But NE Patriot LB must be able to use their hands to get off OGs. They also can't get away from their assignment and freelance and lose "containment." On the Jason Hill reverse, Willis bites and goes the wrong direction. Hill runs along the sideline closest to the T.V., but Willis goes the other way. Once realizing it, he turns 180 degrees and runs down the field something like 30 yards down the field (he's got good speed) and tackles Hill out of bounds (ps. Merriweather did a horrible job get off Troy Smith's block on that play).

Next, on fourth down on that series, the Rutgers FB just blows Willis out of the play. Its not a fluke play, because the next run they do the Rutgers FB completely blows him "out of the equation." Result -- TD.

Willis did make some good plays, but I have yet in the Senior Bowl tape to see him use his hands to get off an OL and make the play (which is required for our system). I saw Willis in the beginning of the 2nd Q, make a great break on the HB toss, and come blazing in unblocked and wraps up the RB on the LOS for a small loss. Good play for him.

Bottomline in my mind: Willis seems to be an ideal speedy 4-3 MLB for the Tampa-2 system who is worth a 1st round pick. But when a guard gets on him, he gets blown out of the equation. He gets blocked, I would say convincingly. If he could use his hands to fight off blockers, I would think he would work for the 3-4. What I saw in the Senior Bowl suggests that he might not be suited for our system.

As always, this is MHO of the situation. Your opinion might differ.

 

[PonyExpress]

How can a guy who had 11 tackles and one for a loss be "constantly out of the equation?"

Seymour93 is just referring to a sequence of plays on the 1st drive. Willis chased a WR down on a reverse 30 yards downfield and leveled him. A few plays later, on a 4th and 2, a guard stood him up and Leonard got under his pads for 3 yards. The announcers made it seem like Leonard had driven Willis back on a one on one matchup. This was not the case. The guard stood him up, and Leonard ran into him. The following play, Beekman pulled, Willis took him on and Beekman shivered him. Hunt scored a TD. Taken in isolation, I suppose the casual viewer would suppose Willis to be "overrated". What I took from it is he needs some work fighting off 300 lb guards. But I also took from it the guy will not back down, will take punishment and stick his nose right back in. He came back from that series and was outstanding the rest of the game vs. the run, with some excellent open field tackles, crunching hits and forced a fumble later on a pass reception near the goal line. His problems are fighting off blocks, which he should do better considering his long arms, false steps in diagnosing the pass, and a certain stiffness in his lower body, which hurts his short area change of direction. I will be interested to see his shuttle and 3 cone times. His straight line speed is outstanding. Wouldn't be surprised if he breaks 4.60, say 4.59. Anyone demeaning Willis for his performance is not a careful viewer. However, I prefer Harris for the 3-4 because IMO he is more fluid and better in coverage. Still, Willis can hit like a freight train and shows great leadership.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Seymour93 is just referring to a sequence of plays on the 1st drive. Willis chased a WR down on a reverse 30 yards downfield and leveled him. A few plays later, on a 4th and 2, a guard stood him up and Leonard got under his pads for 3 yards. The announcers made it seem like Leonard had driven Willis back on a one on one matchup. This was not the case. The guard stood him up, and Leonard ran into him. The following play, Beekman pulled, Willis took him on and Beekman shivered him. Hunt scored a TD. Taken in isolation, I suppose the casual viewer would suppose Willis to be "overrated". What I took from it is he needs some work fighting off 300 lb guards. But I also took from it the guy will not back down, will take punishment and stick his nose right back in. He came back from that series and was outstanding the rest of the game vs. the run, with some excellent open field tackles, crunching hits and forced a fumble later on a pass reception near the goal line. His problems are fighting off blocks, which he should do better considering his long arms, false steps in diagnosing the pass, and a certain stiffness in his lower body, which hurts his short area change of direction. I will be interested to see his shuttle and 3 cone times. His straight line speed is outstanding. Wouldn't be surprised if he breaks 4.60, say 4.59. Anyone demeaning Willis for his performance is not a careful viewer. However, I prefer Harris for the 3-4 because IMO he is more fluid and better in coverage. Still, Willis can hit like a freight train and shows great leadership.

yeah I would agree with what you said. He's definitely got real good speed. I also really like Harris.

 

[PonyExpress]

I'm not Sey93, but I'll say what my thoughts about Willis. (BTW, I just love the draft forum in the off-season, the discussion is so thoughtful).

Anyhow, here's my take.

Assuming you recorded the Senior Bowl, watch Willis. He makes the tackle on ST on the opening KO (there's one of the tackles).

If you watch him on the opening series, you will notice that he's got great speed, and he doesn't miss tackles. But NE Patriot LB must be able to use their hands to get off OGs. They also can't get away from their assignment and freelance and lose "containment." On the Jason Hill reverse, Willis bites and goes the wrong direction. Hill runs along the sideline closest to the T.V., but Willis goes the other way. Once realizing it, he turns 180 degrees and runs down the field something like 30 yards down the field (he's got good speed) and tackles Hill out of bounds (ps. Merriweather did a horrible job get off Troy Smith's block on that play).

Next, on fourth down on that series, the Rutgers FB just blows Willis out of the play. Its not a fluke play, because the next run they do the Rutgers FB completely blows him "out of the equation." Result -- TD.

Willis did make some good plays, but I have yet in the Senior Bowl tape to see him use his hands to get off an OL and make the play (which is required for our system). I saw Willis in the beginning of the 2nd Q, make a great break on the HB toss, and come blazing in unblocked and wraps up the RB on the LOS for a small loss. Good play for him.

Bottomline in my mind: Willis seems to be an ideal speedy 4-3 MLB for the Tampa-2 system who is worth a 1st round pick. But when a guard gets on him, he gets blown out of the equation. He gets blocked, I would say convincingly. If he could use his hands to fight off blockers, I would think he would work for the 3-4. What I saw in the Senior Bowl suggests that he might not be suited for our system.

As always, this is MHO of the situation. Your opinion might differ.

I agree with most of what you say... but on that 4th down, Leonard hit Willis after he'd been stood up by a guard, giving him lower leverage. It was not the one on one victory that some are suggesting. And Leonard isn't the one who hits Willis on the TD run, it's BC guard Josh Beekman. That's a horse of a different color. Willis fought back nicely the rest of the game and was certainly not "blown out of the equation" again. Does he need work fighting off guards? Yes. But let's not exaggerate his flaws. Is he ideally a 3-4 LBer? Probably not.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Seymour93 is just referring to a sequence of plays on the 1st drive. Willis chased a WR down on a reverse 30 yards downfield and leveled him. A few plays later, on a 4th and 2, a guard stood him up and Leonard got under his pads for 3 yards. The announcers made it seem like Leonard had driven Willis back on a one on one matchup. This was not the case. The guard stood him up, and Leonard ran into him. The following play, Beekman pulled, Willis took him on and Beekman shivered him. Hunt scored a TD. Taken in isolation, I suppose the casual viewer would suppose Willis to be "overrated". What I took from it is he needs some work fighting off 300 lb guards. But I also took from it the guy will not back down, will take punishment and stick his nose right back in. He came back from that series and was outstanding the rest of the game vs. the run, with some excellent open field tackles, crunching hits and forced a fumble later on a pass reception near the goal line. His problems are fighting off blocks, which he should do better considering his long arms, false steps in diagnosing the pass, and a certain stiffness in his lower body, which hurts his short area change of direction. I will be interested to see his shuttle and 3 cone times. His straight line speed is outstanding. Wouldn't be surprised if he breaks 4.60, say 4.59. Anyone demeaning Willis for his performance is not a careful viewer. However, I prefer Harris for the 3-4 because IMO he is more fluid and better in coverage. Still, Willis can hit like a freight train and shows great leadership.

one thing on that drive is at around 12:00 in the 1st Q, it was 3 and 10 and Troy Smith threw a check down to a RB. When Willis makes the tackle at the first down marker, he doesn't tackle him with his arms, he just kind of put a shoulder into him. Maybe I'm wrong about it (you can go check it for yourself) but if you don't wrap up in the NFL, that's how good running backs like LT can really hurt. If Willis works on getting off 300 OG, I think he could work in our system. But right now I kinda like David Harris and Stewart Bradley for our scheme.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I agree with most of what you say... but on that 4th down, Leonard hit Willis after he'd been stood up by a guard, giving him lower leverage. It was not the one on one victory that some are suggesting. And Leonard isn't the one who hits Willis on the TD run, it's BC guard Josh Beekman. That's a horse of a different color. Willis fought back nicely the rest of the game and was certainly not "blown out of the equation" again. Does he need work fighting off guards? Yes. But let's not exaggerate his flaws. Is he ideally a 3-4 LBer? Probably not.

yeah I checked on that and you're right, both the OG and Leonard get a piece of him.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I agree with most of what you say... but on that 4th down, Leonard hit Willis after he'd been stood up by a guard, giving him lower leverage. It was not the one on one victory that some are suggesting. And Leonard isn't the one who hits Willis on the TD run, it's BC guard Josh Beekman. That's a horse of a different color. Willis fought back nicely the rest of the game and was certainly not "blown out of the equation" again. Does he need work fighting off guards? Yes. But let's not exaggerate his flaws. Is he ideally a 3-4 LBer? Probably not.

Yeah, I am looking at the tape again before I "really" make up my mind. Leonard is pretty good FB IMO, he takes Buster Davis for 2 yards on a fourth down play later in the game.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I don't think Willis is "overrated," and I actually think he will be a really good LB. For our system, I'm not so sure.

 

[DaBruinz]

I am not sold on any particular player just yet. Well, other than Brian Leonard who I think would make a great replacement for Faulk, but also take on short yardage duties and be the type of Fullback/RB that Larry Centers was early in his career.

Whether its Willis or Posluszny or Bradley or Harris, the Pats need at least ONE new ILB from the draft. I would hope they would grab an ILB and an OLB early. And I think they need this even if they sign Jarrett Johnson and/or Adalius Thomas.

CB and FS will pan out as we get closer to the draft. The Pats may need someone, but they may not. It all depends on Asante. Honestly, I am hoping that their Asante re-signs or the Pats trade him to the Bears for Nathan Vasher.