Who's the pick?

[BadMoFo]

Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee has to be the pick. Has the size, arm length, strength, and skill level to play the nose and more importantly, the 5-technique.

I don't know why people on this board and media people consistently think Brandon Graham is going to the Pats. BRANDON GRAHAM WILL NOT BE DRAFTED BY THE PATRIOTS. BB said last year the reason the Patriots didn't draft any OLBs was because there were not any 6'4 guys who run 4.6s. Based on this very attainable piece of information, why would the Pats select a 6'1 guy with short arms and 4.7 speed?

The OLB options here are Everson Griffen and Ricky Sapp. Griffen is only 6.3 but ran in the 4.6s and has long arms. Sapp is 6'4, only ran a 4.7 (on the slow combine track, he'll in the 4.6s at his pro day).

I'm not a big Odrick fan. Doesn't have the base the Pats typically like at the
5-technique, played in a one-gap system, and looks out of control at times.

That's some great stuff right there.

 

[Snake Eyes]

The Rams HAVE to take a quarterback. You can't pass on a potential franchise QB for a near-guaranteed Pro-Bowl DT. If you don't have a quarterback you simply will not win in this league. Paying Jamarcus Russel money for Suh will make sure the Rams are picking top three again next season, when they'll pretty much have to take Jake Locker, Ryan Mallet or whomever.

A DT has never, by himself, changed the course of a franchise. Quarterbacks do that all the time. You only pick Suh if you're absolutely positive neither Bradford or Clausen will amount to anything in the league. And I am pretty sure there is no scout on any front office who can atest to that right now as both are better prospects than, say, Matt Ryan (to give a recent, successful, example) was.

The Rams would probably do just better with Michael Vick or Tarvaris Jackson rather than Clausen or Bradford, Vick and Jackson can at least make plays with their feet and that would force defenses to account for that, making Steven Jackson even more effective. The Rams would be smart to plug up their holes on the O and D lines first before throwing their franchise QB out there, really, it's not like they're going to be SB contenders next year anyway.

Help your lines and draft Jake Locker next year, the Lions grabbed Stafford and threw him out without decent protection and he got the crap beaten out of him, and it's not he was going to take them to the playoffs anyway so what's the big deal?

 

[HarkDawg]

Check this out for DT and QB bust rates:

WalterFootball.com: NFL Draft - Do Quarterbacks Bust More Than Other Positions?

As you can see, they are very similar.

Suh alone can't change the Rams fortunes. Even if he is selected all pro 12 consecutive times, he won't turn the franchise around solely on the strenght of his play and get them a SuperBowl. However, if there is the slightest chance Sam Bradford/Jimmy Clausen can become a Aaron Rodgers/Eli Manning type of quarterback you have to invest that money on one of them. Good Qbs can propel you to greatness, I cannot think of a single case where a DT changed the course of a franchise the way Brady, Manning, Elway, Brees, Marino, Favre etc. have.

Even those who are a little below that upper echelon have found ways to improve their franchises exponentially, something DTs (even hall of fame ones) rarely accomplish. If you are going to dish out nearly 70 million dollars on a college player, it has to be the one who has the greatest chance of elevating your team's play in a drastic manner.

Interesting Article........ but the DT's in this thread comprise mostly of picks 6-16

a couple 2's were busts etc....


do you seriously think SUH will BUST? The guy didn't even have to go to the COMBINE and he did. This shows me what kind of guy he is... A (WARRIOR) who loves the game. SUH will not bust.... I promise you.

 

[WhiZa]

I'd like Graham. He's smart, versatile, productive. If he had the size he'd be going in the top 10.
I'm not sold on Sapp as a 1st rounder.
Odrick isn't the run stuffer we would need as a DE in the 3-4. He's a better suited for 4-3 DT who can penetrate.
Dan Williams is boom or bust. I'd rather save those picks for later rounds

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'd go with Odrick. 300 lbs athletic DL are like gold in BB's system. It all starts up front.

 

[SanAngeloState]

Graham is non bustable and a good pass rusher. I don't think the guy with the bum hip (forgot his name) was much taller, maybe an inch.

Hopefully BB is learning that you can't be such a bum that you throw out all potential OLBs....otherwise you get stuck with stiffs like Burgess..

Either that or just go to another type of defense...

I wanted a "big" 4-3 with wilfork and pryor in the middle and warren and what's his name, former udfa from cincy at the other end. That way we'd at least control t he line. Then you could install any type of good athletic LBs to cover people, shoot gaps, etc.

Maybe you're right though, Graham in some of the videos I've seen gets blocked kind of easy.

Haven't seen video of Williams...Lindval Joseph might be as good as him and he'd be gotten later.

I think we need to move from a 3-4 though, just not working with our talent.

 

[Since1971]

Graham is non bustable and a good pass rusher. I don't think the guy with the bum hip (forgot his name) was much taller, maybe an inch.

Hopefully BB is learning that you can't be such a bum that you throw out all potential OLBs....otherwise you get stuck with stiffs like Burgess..

Either that or just go to another type of defense...

I wanted a "big" 4-3 with wilfork and pryor in the middle and warren and what's his name, former udfa from cincy at the other end. That way we'd at least control t he line. Then you could install any type of good athletic LBs to cover people, shoot gaps, etc.

Maybe you're right though, Graham in some of the videos I've seen gets blocked kind of easy.

Haven't seen video of Williams...Lindval Joseph might be as good as him and he'd be gotten later.

I think we need to move from a 3-4 though, just not working with our talent.

Roosevelt Colvin was 6' 3''

 

[Patriot Missile]

Graham is non bustable and a good pass rusher. I don't think the guy with the bum hip (forgot his name) was much taller, maybe an inch.

Hopefully BB is learning that you can't be such a bum that you throw out all potential OLBs....otherwise you get stuck with stiffs like Burgess..

Either that or just go to another type of defense...

I wanted a "big" 4-3 with wilfork and pryor in the middle and warren and what's his name, former udfa from cincy at the other end. That way we'd at least control t he line. Then you could install any type of good athletic LBs to cover people, shoot gaps, etc.

Maybe you're right though, Graham in some of the videos I've seen gets blocked kind of easy.

Haven't seen video of Williams...Lindval Joseph might be as good as him and he'd be gotten later.

I think we need to move from a 3-4 though, just not working with our talent.

Every pick in this draft has some degree of risk. If Graham was "non-bustable" wouldn't you think he would be a top 10 pick.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Graham is non bustable and a good pass rusher. I don't think the guy with the bum hip (forgot his name) was much taller, maybe an inch.

Hopefully BB is learning that you can't be such a bum that you throw out all potential OLBs....otherwise you get stuck with stiffs like Burgess..

Either that or just go to another type of defense...

I wanted a "big" 4-3 with wilfork and pryor in the middle and warren and what's his name, former udfa from cincy at the other end. That way we'd at least control t he line. Then you could install any type of good athletic LBs to cover people, shoot gaps, etc.

Maybe you're right though, Graham in some of the videos I've seen gets blocked kind of easy.

Haven't seen video of Williams...Lindval Joseph might be as good as him and he'd be gotten later.

I think we need to move from a 3-4 though, just not working with our talent.

The big elephant 4-3/3-4 defense needs a special athlete at the elephant position and this year I think that player is Dunlap. (Lane might make an excellent developmental elephant to backup Dunlap and we can get him in the 4th.)

The plan is to draft Mt. Cody in the first round and line him up on the nose with Waren on the outside of him. Move Wilfork to the undertackle/DE position with Dunlap (second round pick) outside of him. Pryor is second string to Cody and spells him when he needs a break. Wright subs for Cody on passing downs with Wilfork kicking back to his old NT position. We can also invest a 7th rounder in Deaderick to backup Warren.

The linebackers are TBC, Mayo, Guyton and Dunlap plays the elephant backer role. We can draft Spikes in the second to backup Mayo or Guyton. If Batten of South Dakota runs a 4.6 forty, we need to draft him on day three and he can backup Mayo and/or Guyton. We can use another second rounder on 4-3 type OLB, like Hughes or Misi to backup TBC.

Guyton comes out for the nickel and Dunlap for the dime.

 

[ayjackson]

The big elephant 4-3/3-4 defense needs a special athlete at the elephant position and this year I think that player is Dunlap. (Lane might make an excellent developmental elephant to backup Dunlap and we can get him in the 4th.)

The plan is to draft Mt. Cody in the first round and line him up on the nose with Waren on the outside of him. Move Wilfork to the undertackle/DE position with Dunlap (second round pick) outside of him. Pryor is second string to Cody and spells him when he needs a break. Wright subs for Cody on passing downs with Wilfork kicking back to his old NT position. We can also invest a 7th rounder in Deaderick to backup Warren.

The linebackers are TBC, Mayo, Guyton and Dunlap plays the elephant backer role. We can draft Spikes in the second to backup Mayo or Guyton. If Batten of South Dakota runs a 4.6 forty, we need to draft him on day three and he can backup Mayo and/or Guyton. We can use another second rounder on 4-3 type OLB, like Hughes or Misi to backup TBC.

Guyton comes out for the nickel and Dunlap for the dime.

Dunlap, TBC, Warren and Wilfork doesn't seem like a lot of speed on the edges.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Dunlap, TBC, Warren and Wilfork doesn't seem like a lot of speed on the edges.

Against the run, I don't need speed on the edge,just the ability to set a hard edge and let the OLB's and ILb clean up the trash.

As for pass rushing,I don;t need a ton of speed, just a great first step off the LOS to gain the edge and then power to keep from being pushed past the QB or to cut back to the inside. TBC is decent at it and Dunlap could be McGinest good at it.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I've taken Dunlap off my 1st round board because of character issues. He might be worth gambling on in the second though. Who knows maybe BB isn't as concerned at me since he did take Meriweather. However I think that Dunlap's DUI before his team's big bowl game is worse than Meriweather's stomping incident.

Character red flags

Brandon Meriweather:
the second red flag raised concerns character issues. In the infamous brawl between Miami and Florida International University last season, Meriweather could be seen stomping on one of his opponents. This netted him a one-game suspension. Prior to the 2006 season, Meriweather also shot at an assailant who was circling his house, according to news reports. These two incidents raise some serious issues about his character. He clearly has a mean streak; if he can't keep that under control, he may not see much playing time, especially with the league cracking down on off-the-field transgressions.
KFFL - Article - Brandon Meriweather, FS, Miami Hurricanes

Carlos Dunlap:
Defensive end Carlos Dunlap was arrested early Tuesday and charged with driving under the influence, just days before the biggest game of the season.

Coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday after practice that Dunlap won't play Saturday, adding that there is no timetable for his return. Meyer called Dunlap's actions "stunning."
Carlos Dunlap DUI: Arrested Gator Charged With Driving Under The Influence

I think the DUI is worse, because you could potentially kill someone when you're driving drunk in a car. That kind of stuff happens a LOT. And it shows me that he cares more about drinking than being ready for the biggest game in his college career. Where's the commitment to football?

Well, maybe I'm the only one who cares about draftee character issues. You be the judge.