This confirms it - Morgan is my man, now make it happen!

[Coach42]

I hope that sackSEER is not correct. I may be an idiot here, but, if my math is correct they are projecting an average of no more than 5 sacks per year from any of the potential OLB/DE prospects. That could be a problem.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Hm. I still prefer Te'o-Nesheim. I'd take him straight up over Derrick Morgan, at least for our defense, but once you add in the values (top 15 vs 3rd/4th round), Te'o-Nesheim is a slam dunk. He fits everything we look for in an OLB. Let's get him.

 

[Coach42]

That sounds like a classic Parcells smoke screen. I find it hard to believe that IF they actually loved Morgan that much they let it slip a week before the draft.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Hm. I still prefer Te'o-Nesheim. I'd take him straight up over Derrick Morgan, at least for our defense, but once you add in the values (top 15 vs 3rd/4th round), Te'o-Nesheim is a slam dunk. He fits everything we look for in an OLB. Let's get him.

Amen, brother! Morgan would probably require a 1st rounder, trade down several times and we could pick Riley Cooper, Nesh, and a bunch of other solid players with what we get for it.

While we're on the subject, what do all you think of Armanti Edwards as a less expensive version of McCluster?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Hm. I still prefer Te'o-Nesheim. I'd take him straight up over Derrick Morgan, at least for our defense, but once you add in the values (top 15 vs 3rd/4th round), Te'o-Nesheim is a slam dunk. He fits everything we look for in an OLB. Let's get him.

All except a nose for the football.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

All except a nose for the football.

Really? Huh. That's unfortunate to hear. I'll take your word for it, Box, since you know better than I do. But what a bummer. Now I don't know who to take.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Really? Huh. That's unfortunate to hear. I'll take your word for it, Box, since you know better than I do. But what a bummer. Now I don't know who to take.

I'd take him in a heartbeat, it's just that Morgan is reported to have a nose for the ball. I don't expect NE will have a chance to get him, so Te'o-Neishem in the third is a good option.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

I'd take him in a heartbeat, it's just that Morgan is reported to have a nose for the ball. I don't expect NE will have a chance to get him, so Te'o-Neishem in the third is a good option.

Way to almost give me a heart attack. I'm stressing enough over the draft without your snide remarks.

If we ran a 43, or I knew we'd play more 40 fronts this year, I'd agree with you about Morgan above Te'o-Nesheim. There's a lot to like. I just really worry about his ability to play in space--I remember watching one game earlier this year where they tried him at 43 OLB, and he looked incredibly confused, slow, and stiff. I do like Morgan, just not as a linebacker. None of the other players excite me very much, and I just want someone to latch on to and root for.

Just under three days left. I'm gonna have a nervous breakdown if the time doesn't fly by!

 

[jays52]

This is likely super tangenitial, but the nose for the ball talk has my geek level at a 10. Nose for the ball is one of a handful of concepts that I believe cannot be taught, learned nor earned. It is an inherrent characteristic of a player. Let me give a simple example.

I am lined up as the weakside inside linebacker in the 34 against standard I. I am in a basic cover-3 call. It's first and ten, and I am anticipating run. I am seeing the fullback and tailback through my head up guard. My mike calls out strong left, but we already knew this. The QB comes under center. I know from film work that in 1st and 10 in the current situation there is a 68% chancethey will run inside zone at TE. I think about my responsibilty. I know if they run inside zone at TE, my mike will eat the fullback and I must scrape to the ballcarrier. My safety will be crashing hard in cover-3 as a backup or if the ballcarrier bounces. I know the center or guard will try to reach block me. I know that my dline will fight for outside leverage in order to turn the back into me. I know my joker will have my back against the cutback so I can scrape as hard as I want. "Hut". The ball is snapped in slow motion. I read the guard and center. Both take a down step. I read inside zone at TE. I read the direction of the fullback. I know the back is reading his fullback. My focus turns to the developing hole, and drive hard off of my outside leg towards the B gap. I am aware of the center trying to block me. I dip my shoulder to engage and fight with my right hand to disengage. I am faster than him and kick it to a higher gear. I shed the center and take another step towards the ball. I know my safety has outside, and I must hit the back before he cuts off of his fullback. I hit my highest gear and am for just off the ass of the fullback. I see jersey and ball. I cork my body and explode through the ball carrier. I see a white flash and hop up off of the turf.

Sounds like a lot to process in three seconds, doesn't it? Nose for the ball comes either through exceptional awareness or the ability to block everything out and just go get the ball. It is intuitive, and a player either has it or not. It's typically found in the exceptionally bright or exceptionally dim- seldom the in between. Just something to consider.

 

[SanAngeloState]

Morgan isn't that good. Beluga stoned him cold in the bowl game. He was invisible. And he will face guys that good pretty much every week.

Just saying. He's 6'3" and athletic, so is the guy from USC, so is teo-nesheim. Trade ups are almost always a bad idea, IMO.

I'd rather them have a lot of picks in the 3rd and 4th, that way they are more likely to hit on someone.

 

[Coach42]

Box what are your feelings on Dunlap if Morgan is not available? I thought you were somewhat interested in him earlier this month.

 

[Marqui]

Morgan isn't that good. Beluga stoned him cold in the bowl game. He was invisible. And he will face guys that good pretty much every week.

This is why I don't want to trade up for him. He's good, but he isn't "trade up for him" good. He'll be a great choice for Miami if he falls into their laps though.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Box what are your feelings on Dunlap if Morgan is not available? I thought you were somewhat interested in him earlier this month.

He was never on my board, there are too many questions for which I can't get a handle on for him. If BB takes him it's all good, but I have no answers for his reported disappearance in games and lack of hustle/motivation, then there's at least one off-field hit. If NE does choose him I'd expect the plan was to bulk him up and work him at 3-4 DE -- which is another reason to wonder since a guy who might not be putting forth an effort at his college position doesn't seem a good risk for a position change in the NFL.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Bulaga did a good job on Morgan, but you can't judge a guy by one game. I don't want to trade up that high for him, but if he fell into our laps or required a minor trade up, I think we should do it.

The more you look at it, the more he looks like a Belichick type of pick in the 1st round. Great vs the run, hard worker, very productive, versatility to play in both 3-4 and 4-3, smart, tough, good person, does his job, takes care of his business, etc. He's not as explosive as a Sapp, but I think he'd be great on the strongside and would definitely help.

Belichick did dip into the GT D-Line last year with Darryl Richard..

 

[Marqui]

Bulaga did a good job on Morgan, but you can't judge a guy by one game. I don't want to trade up that high for him, but if he fell into our laps or required a minor trade up, I think we should do it.

Absolutely. And you're right about not judging by one game, even Freeney got shut out in one game by a rookie OT :singing:. But his skill in general to me seem like he's going to be more on the level of Will Smith rather than DeMarcus Ware. Trading a 2nd rounder in a deep draft to move up to 10 for Morgan is just too much for my liking.

 

[dryheat44]

This is likely super tangenitial, but the nose for the ball talk has my geek level at a 10. Nose for the ball is one of a handful of concepts that I believe cannot be taught, learned nor earned. It is an inherrent characteristic of a player. Let me give a simple example.

I am lined up as the weakside inside linebacker in the 34 against standard I. I am in a basic cover-3 call. It's first and ten, and I am anticipating run. I am seeing the fullback and tailback through my head up guard. My mike calls out strong left, but we already knew this. The QB comes under center. I know from film work that in 1st and 10 in the current situation there is a 68% chancethey will run inside zone at TE. I think about my responsibilty. I know if they run inside zone at TE, my mike will eat the fullback and I must scrape to the ballcarrier. My safety will be crashing hard in cover-3 as a backup or if the ballcarrier bounces. I know the center or guard will try to reach block me. I know that my dline will fight for outside leverage in order to turn the back into me. I know my joker will have my back against the cutback so I can scrape as hard as I want. "Hut". The ball is snapped in slow motion. I read the guard and center. Both take a down step. I read inside zone at TE. I read the direction of the fullback. I know the back is reading his fullback. My focus turns to the developing hole, and drive hard off of my outside leg towards the B gap. I am aware of the center trying to block me. I dip my shoulder to engage and fight with my right hand to disengage. I am faster than him and kick it to a higher gear. I shed the center and take another step towards the ball. I know my safety has outside, and I must hit the back before he cuts off of his fullback. I hit my highest gear and am for just off the ass of the fullback. I see jersey and ball. I cork my body and explode through the ball carrier. I see a white flash and hop up off of the turf.

Sounds like a lot to process in three seconds, doesn't it? Nose for the ball comes either through exceptional awareness or the ability to block everything out and just go get the ball. It is intuitive, and a player either has it or not. It's typically found in the exceptionally bright or exceptionally dim- seldom the in between. Just something to consider.

I really enjoyed reading this, and agree with your last paragraph.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Absolutely. And you're right about not judging by one game, even Freeney got shut out in one game by a rookie OT :singing:. But his skill in general to me seem like he's going to be more on the level of Will Smith rather than DeMarcus Ware. Trading a 2nd rounder in a deep draft to move up to 10 for Morgan is just too much for my liking.

Yup I agree with your assessment. Morgan isn't a Merriman or Ware type of OLB, so he's really not worth trading up to #10 for. If he was there at 22 though, I'd love to have him. He's a very solid, blue collar, hard working, smart type of player. He's not afraid to do the dirty work, is great against the run, and will stick his nose in there to get the job done. He may never be an elite pass rusher, but neither was Mike Vrabel. He's a guy who will make plays, do his job, and help you win games. He just seems like a Belichick type of guy.

I agree that losing a 2nd round pick to trade up for him isn't ideal in such a deep draft where we can load up with 4 very good players.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Yup I agree with your assessment. Morgan isn't a Merriman or Ware type of OLB, so he's really not worth trading up to #10 for. If he was there at 22 though, I'd love to have him. He's a very solid, blue collar, hard working, smart type of player. He's not afraid to do the dirty work, is great against the run, and will stick his nose in there to get the job done. He may never be an elite pass rusher, but neither was Mike Vrabel. He's a guy who will make plays, do his job, and help you win games. He just seems like a Belichick type of guy.

I agree that losing a 2nd round pick to trade up for him isn't ideal in such a deep draft where we can load up with 4 very good players.

True, but here is the rub. Do you want to burn the resources for a Morgan, or can you patiently wait and scoop up a Neshiem that projects to be very similar to Morgan (but plays the run better) and keep the resources it would take to get Morgan?

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

True, but here is the rub. Do you want to burn the resources for a Morgan, or can you patiently wait and scoop up a Neshiem that projects to be very similar to Morgan (but plays the run better) and keep the resources it would take to get Morgan?

As I said, I'd rather keep the resources. I love Morgan as a player but to trade up in the 10-12 range is just too much and not worth it IMO, especially with a decently deep class of DE/OLB conversion projects.