Trade up to get Lawson?

[Ochmed Jones]

For my money if I'm running a 3-4 defense and need an OLB, I'd take Wimberely over Lawson any day of the week. Wimberely has shown me that he can rush the passer, is fairly solid against the run and he can play in coverage. Lawson has no expereince in coverage. Yes 4.4 speed is good, but not if you don't know where you are going in space.
As an OLB in a 3-4 Wimberely gets on the field first because the learning curve is a little less for him.

 

[14thDragon]

I do not know about Lawson, but Wimberly has gone through interviewing with BB and they went over some game tape.

Right now I lean a bit more towards Wimberly just given the fact that he seems to be low on ego and long on respect. Not to mention during the interview I listened to he alluded to how much he would like to play for the Patriots and did say how much he respects and admires Bill.

 

[bucky]

For my money if I'm running a 3-4 defense and need an OLB, I'd take Wimberely over Lawson any day of the week. Wimberely has shown me that he can rush the passer, is fairly solid against the run and he can play in coverage. Lawson has no expereince in coverage. Yes 4.4 speed is good, but not if you don't know where you are going in space.
As an OLB in a 3-4 Wimberely gets on the field first because the learning curve is a little less for him.

I don't know what makes you think Wimbley can play in coverage. The guy was a DE and not even a full-time one until his Sr year. Lawson has better college stats and is more athletic. There's no question in my mind that as a rookie he would only contribute as a pass rusher and on ST. But so would Wimbley. Ultimately, whichever guy works harder and has better football instincts will become a better player. And I don't know if we have enough information to determine that.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

From my Senior Bowl summary - Defensive End:

Daryl Tapp (Virginia Tech), Manny Lawson (NC State), Parys Haralson (Tennessee) Mark Anderson (Alabama) and Elvis Dumervil (Louisville) all showed skill sets that will translate to a 3-4 OLB. Lawson even covered Dominique Byrd in the flat on a bootleg play. Lawson really helped himself by showing a real knack for locating the ball. He needs to be better disciplined with his containment duties, but improved over the course of the game. Tapp is another Rosie Colvin, just a couple inches shorter. Dumervil really caught my eye when he beat what was essentially a double team to pressure the QB. Tamba Hali*(Penn State)*is a knuckle down man, he is a good 4-3 edge rusher, but I’m uncertain about his ability to play upright in a 3-4. Victor Adeyanju got one mention in my notes for burning the slow footed McNeill. Kamerion Wimbley gave Trueblood some trouble, but was handled in pass blocking by Klopfenstein.

 

[Carny]

I can't see Lawson being a Patriot. Belichik has repeatedly spoken about bringing in players that fit their system and from what I can gather, for linebackers that means players who can hold the point of attack, shed blocks, use their hands, knife through trash to make tackles and drop back into coverage, all while having the big size they look for. The Patriots, contrary to national perception, do draft great athletes and not just those considered to be "coaches on the field" but they don't draft raw great athletes and try to teach them the skills required of them at the professional level. They've drafted players who had those skills already polished. From what I've read about Lawson, he's not great at taking on or shedding O-lineman so I see him being an ill-fit here.

 

[dryheat44]

Honestly, unless a guy like Ngata, Huff, or Hawk inexplicably falls past 15, I can't see us trading up in the first round for anybody this year. I'm sure that anybody who has done a mock or two this year has had a hard time deciding where to go. Trading down, possibly more than once, seems to be the better option. I would love to end up with a pick in the second, then eight in the fourth.

 

[Feep_FLA]

I don't want to "trade up" for anyone..... A.J. Hawk or Mario Williams being 2 exceptions which we will not do anyway. Sooooooo if Bobby Carpenter, Chad Greenway and Demeco Ryans are all available at 18th pick or so I see em trading down and taking whoever is left standing and hopefully parlaying a 2nd round pick this year into that deal...... Best case scenario methinks but its just a guess on my part......

 

[Ochmed Jones]

If you watch the FSU games closely, yuo will see Winberely fall off into coverage every now and then. And he does not look bad or out of place out there. He looks very comfortable in space.

 

[big mike]

I don't want to "trade up" for anyone..... A.J. Hawk or Mario Williams being 2 exceptions which we will not do anyway. Sooooooo if Bobby Carpenter, Chad Greenway and Demeco Ryans are all available at 18th pick or so I see em trading down and taking whoever is left standing and hopefully parlaying a 2nd round pick this year into that deal...... Best case scenario methinks but its just a guess on my part......

Ditto that. But add Manny Lawson to that list. It's entirely possible that Carpenter, Greenway, Ryans, and Lawson are all still on the board when #21 rolls up. If that happens, I definitely can see BB trading down several picks, and picking up whoever is left of them. Cincinatti make take an OLB/DE at 24, NY Giants are a good bet to at 25, and Carolina at 27. Jacksonville may also at 28. That has to play into what BB does. If there are 4 OLB candidates he likes, he can't trade past Jacksonville, as they could all be picked up before 29 rolls around. I'm thinking BB may look to trade down with Chicago at 26 if 3 or more of the good OLBs are left at 21. Chicago may be looking to move up to snag a CB ahead of Tampa Bay (23).

 

[shakadave]

It's entirely possible that Carpenter, Greenway, Ryans, and Lawson are all still on the board when #21 rolls up. If that happens, I definitely can see BB trading down several picks, and picking up whoever is left of them. Cincinatti make take an OLB/DE at 24, NY Giants are a good bet to at 25, and Carolina at 27. Jacksonville may also at 28. That has to play into what BB does. If there are 4 OLB candidates he likes, he can't trade past Jacksonville, as they could all be picked up before 29 rolls around. I'm thinking BB may look to trade down with Chicago at 26 if 3 or more of the good OLBs are left at 21. Chicago may be looking to move up to snag a CB ahead of Tampa Bay (23).

Good analysis! I would add that I doubt BB will value four LBs equally --- he'll have maybe two in mind that fit the system, and two that don't. So he may be able to trade down a spot or 2 or 3, but maybe more than that would be too risky unless we're pretty sure about who below us doesn't need linebackers!

 

[Handel]

According to NFLDC's Scott Wright,

http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/blog/wrightstuff.html

One thing that struck me while working on this latest version [of his mock draft] is just how much depth there is going to be in early round two and I found myself penciling guys in as late as the middle of the second round who could just as easily have come off the board in the mid-20's. For example, some of the guys I have going in round two right now are Eric Winston, Claude Wroten, Nick Mangold, Ashton Youboty, Manny Lawson, Tamba Hali, Daniel Bullocks, John McCargo, Mathias Kiwanuka, Marcus McNeill, Marcedes Lewis, Sinorice Moss, Ko Simpson and Leonard Pope. All of those guys at one time or another were considered possible, if not probable, first round picks and many still are. Needless to say this is a great year to stockpile those second rounders.

So, count on the possibility to see our Pats trading down...or up.

I could imagine our 2 3rd round picks traded for a 2th rounder
and/or our 1st for a 2nd and a 3rd or a 4th.

 

[bakes781]

*newbie alert*

I'm a fan of drafting Manny Lawson as well, however I wouldn't trade up to do so. As others have stated LB is the deepest position in this draft so it would make more sense to trade down if anything. The only scenario in which they shouldn't trade down is if DeAngelo Williams or Tye Hill happen to fall to #21. They're the only 2 top prospects that could realistically fall. Trying to rate the LBs of this class is a job I wouldn't want. I'm sure the Pats are doing their homework on these guys.