This is the converted DE I like in the 2nd round

[PATRIOTS-80]

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/de/darryltapp.html

Very productive pass rusher at the college level...Shows great strength...Intense and has a motor that never stops...Instinctive and flows to the ball...Technically sound and knows how to use leverage to his advantage...Has a great burst and really closes well...Does a good job of adjusting in space...A team leader and hard worker with top intangibles...A playmaker who is always around the action.

Check out the attached jpg picture of Tapp.

 

[patsfan55]

i kinda like parys haralson
prob a 3rd/4th rder

 

[p8ryts]

He shows up during games and makes plays, like our former linebacker.

 

[JDSal45]

Tapp is okay, but he isn't that tall, a bit too heavy and not quite fast enough to really be a good edge 3-4 linebacker. He would probably need to convert inside in a 3-4. He reminds me more of Bruschi than an edge guy. I would consider 4th round at most because he'd be a big-time project converting inside.

J D Sal

 

[BelichickFan]

Tapp is okay, but he isn't that tall, a bit too heavy and not quite fast enough to really be a good edge 3-4 linebacker. He would probably need to convert inside in a 3-4.

I was going to say the same thing, his height limits his size potential and he looks more like an ILB.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Gimme Lawson + 20 lbs and we'll be sayin' 'Wille Who?'

 

[BelichickFan]

Gimme Lawson + 20 lbs and we'll be sayin' 'Wille Who?'

I'm moving in the Lawson direction, if he's available of course. It would be a year until he'd be big enough to be our Elephant but I think Belichick and Pees could find a way to utilize him part time in the meantime. Him and Colvin at OLB (with Bruschi and Vrabel at ILB) on passing downs would be interesting to say the least.

 

[the taildragger]

helpful draft tips to keep in mind from bills board: "High motor guy" usually means he's white. Just like "heady" or "makes the most out of his limited talent."

 

[patchick]

helpful draft tips to keep in mind from bills board: "High motor guy" usually means he's white. Just like "heady" or "makes the most out of his limited talent."

Holy smokes, Darryl Tapp is white? How did this happen?

Seriously, it's often true...but all those terms are liberally applied to Tapp. And D'Qwell Jackson is routinely called the smartest LB in the draft.

 

[Weishuhn]

I don't like Tapp or Haralson very much because neither moves real well, and both are shorter and heavier than ideal for OLB. Lawson is definitely the physical freak ideal for the position(eventually), with Carpenter as a solid #2 on my list if Lawson is gone. Other project guys with the skillset I like for this position are; 2nd/3rd round- Chris Gocong(Cal-Poly) and Stanley McClover(Auburn), 4th/5th round- James Wyche(Syracuse) and Spencer Havner(UCLA), 6th/7th/UDFA- Brandon Guillory(LA-Monroe) and Ben Ishola(Indiana). All these guys are plus athletes who are 6'3"+, weigh around 250, and have good speed and quickness. That is the blueprint I would look for in someone to develop for the "elephant" position.

 

[drew4008]

Give me Mark Anderson. Lawson is total crap, heed my warning.

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Give me Mark Anderson. Lawson is total crap, heed my warning.

Who are you? The Grim Reaper of Draftnicks?

 

[Weishuhn]

Give me Mark Anderson. Lawson is total crap, heed my warning.

Most profiles I read on Anderson question his ability to convert to OLB due to a lack of agility and athleticism.

 

[drew4008]

Most profiles I read on Anderson question his ability to convert to OLB due to a lack of agility and athleticism.

Willie wasn't the swiftest of guys either, and our 3-4 system is unlike that of say the Cowboys and what they did with Demarcus Ware. They just had him rush from a yard back and a yard off the end every down and hope for the best. We have Rosey doing something similar to that, although not THAT much free blitzing and the other OLB (Willie before) I would assume would serve the same purpose as before, being able to put his hand down when needed, drop back when needed, and assume an ILB or DE mentality at times.

 

[DaBruinz]

Most profiles I read on Anderson question his ability to convert to OLB due to a lack of agility and athleticism.

Well, Anderson actually has pretty good agility for a LB in that he was under 7.0 in the 3 cone.

Here is how Anderson stacks up to Lawson:

Lawson: 6'5 3/8" - 241 lbs, 4.43-40 , 23 reps, 39.5" vertical, 6.9 3 cone
Anderson: 6'4 1/4" -254lbs , 4.62 -40, 20 reps, 42" vertical, 6.96 3 cone

The are very similar except that Anderson doesn't have the straight line speed that Lawson has. I had mentioned a month or so ago that Anderson might actually be better value than Lawson. The problem is that I don't see the Pats veering away from focusing on line play with their top pick.

 

[big mike]

I don't like Tapp or Haralson very much because neither moves real well, and both are shorter and heavier than ideal for OLB. Lawson is definitely the physical freak ideal for the position(eventually), with Carpenter as a solid #2 on my list if Lawson is gone. Other project guys with the skillset I like for this position are; 2nd/3rd round- Chris Gocong(Cal-Poly) and Stanley McClover(Auburn), 4th/5th round- James Wyche(Syracuse) and Spencer Havner(UCLA), 6th/7th/UDFA- Brandon Guillory(LA-Monroe) and Ben Ishola(Indiana). All these guys are plus athletes who are 6'3"+, weigh around 250, and have good speed and quickness. That is the blueprint I would look for in someone to develop for the "elephant" position.

I think you really need to add Ryan LaCasse to that list:
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/scoutingreports/de/ryanlacasse.html
He's 6'3", 265-270, and ran a 4.45 or so at his Pro Day. He's almost as fast as Lawson, but heavier. He'd be a bit more of a project though than Lawson I think, and Lawson is definitely more impressive on the field. But, I'd love to see the Pats take Lawson in round 1, and pick up LaCasse as another OLB project in round 3 or 4, and Kai Parham in 4 or 5 for ILB.

Throw in a receiver in round 2, Maurice Drew in round 3, and I'll be quite happy.

 

[drew4008]

Throw in a receiver in round 2, Maurice Drew in round 3, and I'll be quite happy.

I like your summary, but Mo Drew is going early Round 2.

 

[BelichickFan]

I like your summary, but Mo Drew is going early Round 2.

Sounds like the Browns are interested in putting him and Droughns toghether.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I really like Anderson when he's on. He reminds me a lot of Willie, because like Willie, Anderson had to play both DT and DE. And like Willie I think he's a perfect elephant back. I question Anderson's instincts and I think the conversion would take a year or so longer than a Wimbley. However in the grand scheme, he is better value than Wimbley, if you believe he can convert right away.
Lawson makes me nervous. His numbers are off the chain, but did his numbers benefit from having Super Lazy Mario with him, or vice versa or a little of both. His numbers say one thing, but the film says something a little different.
I've been watching some film on this guy Mincey from Florida that BB brought to New Englend for an interview. it's hard to project him as an OLB in our system. On some plays he looks like the perfect fit, on most others I say Why bother? I'm perplexed as to what BB sees in this guy. It's a guy like this that reminds me of just how little I actually know about this game when compared to the mind of BB.

 

[Patriot Pride]

I've been readaing a lot on Victor Adeyanju. Sounds like he has the speed to be a nice pass rusher but does anyone know if he could be switched to an OLB or will he only be a DE in the 4-3. He pretty large for a OLB at 6-4, 265.