Grizzlies: The Defensive Front Line

[State]

I'd be very happy with Fairley or Dareus, you just need to look at how a dominant D-liner like Suh did yesterday to realize the value they bring.

It all starts in the trenches.

I'm with you, brother.

 

[State]

Umm, no, not with you on that. Plenty of guys have done a fine job as a 3-4 DE without Richard Seymour's height, and plenty more do a fine job of confusing correlation with causation, I think a lot of this height/arm length/hand size stuff is VASTLY over-rated.

I remember Ted Washington being 6'5". Vince is, what, 6'1" at the same position?

People need to get over the Richard Seymour image of the freakishly tall guy who kept his pads low. Most NFL front offices felt at the time that the Patriots picked him too early, as there were questions about his height being too much for the position.

Six-three or -four--that is what we're probably going to get from a player who is disruptive and weighs 300+.

Believe you me Bill's going to be speaking with Nick Saban about Marcell for quite a long conversation.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I remember Ted Washington being 6'5". Vince is, what, 6'1" at the same position?

People need to get over the Richard Seymour image of the freakishly tall guy who kept his pads low. Most NFL front offices felt at the time that the Patriots picked him too early, as there were questions about his height being too much for the position.

Six-three or -four--that is what we're probably going to get from a player who is disruptive and weighs 300+.

Believe you me Bill's going to be speaking with Nick Saban about Marcell for quite a long conversation.

Yep, I also hope Baltimore will grow frustrated with Cody because he's not already Haloyi Ngata 2.0 and trade him to us for cheap

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Yep, I also hope Baltimore will grow frustrated with Cody because he's not already Haloyi Ngata 2.0 and trade him to us for cheap

I'd do that trade in a heartbeat.

Height is important, but the ability to anchor and control 2 gaps is the main job of the DE in a 3-4 defense. It is large part technique,strength and the ability to stay low and use leverage.

Dareus is only listed at 6'3", but as we saw in yesterday's first half of the bowl game, he is a man among boys. Perfect fit for our defense.

 

[Off The Grid]

Yes!!! :rocker:

Kenrick Ellis just took a bad first step ~ the guys in the booth missed it, surprisingly ~ and sunk a 5.19 40!!

That COULD drop him deep into the 3rd...But of course he'll probably improve that on his second shot.

The later he goes, the better, of course.

IF he passes Coach Bill's Character Eval, I would LOVE to haul this guy in: 6.5/345 AND ~ forget "40" times ~ athletic as HELL.

I would love to get him or Phil Taylor...

But imagine if we got BOTH??? :rocker:

 

[West Philly Patriot]

Yes!!! :rocker:

Kenrick Ellis just took a bad first step ~ the guys in the booth missed it, surprisingly ~ and sunk a 5.19 40!!

That COULD drop him deep into the 3rd...But of course he'll probably improve that on his second shot.

The later he goes, the better, of course.

IF he passes Coach Bill's Character Eval, I would LOVE to haul this guy in: 6.5/345 AND ~ forget "40" times ~ athletic as HELL.

I would love to get him or Phil Taylor...

But imagine if we got BOTH??? :rocker:

That guy is HUGE! Your right forget 40 times as long as he can get guys' hands off his body, he can be a steal. He looks powerful and carries that 345 very well.

 

[borg]

Yes!!! :rocker:

Kenrick Ellis just took a bad first step ~ the guys in the booth missed it, surprisingly ~ and sunk a 5.19 40!!

That COULD drop him deep into the 3rd...But of course he'll probably improve that on his second shot.

The later he goes, the better, of course.

IF he passes Coach Bill's Character Eval, I would LOVE to haul this guy in: 6.5/345 AND ~ forget "40" times ~ athletic as HELL.

I would love to get him or Phil Taylor...

But imagine if we got BOTH??? :rocker:

Looks like he pulled a hammy or something...missing from other drills.
How about the athletism of this whole group. Dareus will be a force, Fairley would be a great DE in the Pats 3-4, Jordan is super athletic...but at 287? Waiting on the Watts workout.

 

[Off The Grid]

Yes!!! :rocker:

Kenrick Ellis just took a bad first step ~ the guys in the booth missed it, surprisingly ~ and sunk a 5.19 40!!

That COULD drop him deep into the 3rd...But of course he'll probably improve that on his second shot.

The later he goes, the better, of course.

IF he passes Coach Bill's Character Eval, I would LOVE to haul this guy in: 6.5/345 AND ~ forget "40" times ~ athletic as HELL.

I would love to get him or Phil Taylor...

But imagine if we got BOTH??? :rocker:

That guy is HUGE! Your right forget 40 times as long as he can get guys' hands off his body, he can be a steal. He looks powerful and carries that 345 very well.

I HEAR ya, Brother!! :rocker:

Looks like he pulled a hammy or something...missing from other drills.
How about the athletism of this whole group. Dareus will be a force, Fairley would be a great DE in the Pats 3-4, Jordan is super athletic...but at 287? Waiting on the Watts workout.

Yeah, you called it, did you see? He twitched out on the last leg of the 40, and then grabbed his right leg. I hope he's OK...But I wouldn't mind if his Stock sank!!

Yeah, I'm with you: This is an AMAZING D Line Draft Class!!

 

[jays52]

Dear lord, Fairley ran a 7.14 3-cone.

 

[fester]

Dear lord, Fairley ran a 7.14 3-cone.

IIRC, that is a "decent" WR time, right?

 

[bucky]

Dear lord, Fairley ran a 7.14 3-cone.

Cameron Jordan weighs only 4 lbs less than Fairley, is actually taller, has longer arms and bigger hands, and beat in all the speed/agility drills: 4.78 40, 4.35 20 shuttle, 7.07 cone shuttle. Jordan is also a full year and a half younger than Fairley and has been much more consistent over his college career. Alas, I think both of these guys are gone in the top 10.

On a more realistic note, Wilkerson looks really solid.

 

[jays52]

On a more realistic note, Wilkerson looks really solid.

Wilkerson has looked good in the drills that don't simulate hand placement and engage technique. He looked like a waist bender on TV and the drills are very much confirming this. He looks very stiff in anti-run technique.

 

[Off The Grid]

Dear lord, Fairley ran a 7.14 3-cone.

That's just crazy.

 

[Don Kipines]

Hey, is it just me, or did Allen Bailey look really good in the linebacker drills?

I know his production hasn't always been there, but he started out as a linebacker before he moved to the line, and he really kind of looks the part of a BB linebacker project, with the long arms, broad shoulders, the big hands and the height -- doesn't have quite the 4.6 speed, but I imagine if he lost a few pounds he could get there. For some background, check out this old piece on Bailey as a high school player; he was a legend in Georgia as a linebacker.

If you watch the clips on Bailey you'll notice he's not the greatest pass-rusher, but he's pretty smooth in space and has incredible arm strength and wingspan. I imagine setting the edge wouldn't be much of a problem for him.

Plus he's big enough that he could put his hand on the ground even inside on obvious passing downs, which is sort of what BB had hoped to use Adalius Thomas for. You take him in the second round and add a more traditional five technique like Wilkerson or Heyward in the first, that seems like a pretty interesting combo to me.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Dear lord, Fairley ran a 7.14 3-cone.

And Watt ran a 6.88. Yeah that's freakish. It's pretty amazing to see these 300 lb guys putting in 7.0 and lower in the agility drills. ^_^ I remember when Wilfork was also considered a 'gap shooter'. And he's turned into one of the top 3-4 NTs in the game. Wilforks 3 cone was 7.62 btw.

In other news Cam Jordan ran a 4.7 40. That is Jerry Rice speed on a guy just outside of the 300 lb neighborhood! We have some real freaks of nature in this year's combine. Question is will any of them still be left when the Pats get their turn at the buffet table?

 

[patchick]

We have some real freaks of nature in this year's combine. Question is will any of them still be left when the Pats get their turn at the buffet table?

Dareus, Watt, Fairley and Jordan are very different players, but they may all rank among the best half-dozen Pats DE prospects in the past several years. You don't get a shot at a guy like that often -- if any of them falls to around 10, I'd strongly consider trading up. If that isn't an option, even Wilkerson beats any DE prospect from last year, and Heyward may too, depending on health.

At NT, assuming we pass on the wonder twins with troubled pasts, Taylor and Ellis, I'd love to get Chris Neild in the middle rounds. (FWIW, Ellis scares me less character-wise than Taylor.)

 

[sbpatfan]

Anyone else think guys like Cam Newton are playing the wrong position?

 

[upstater1]

These tall 300 pound fast guys are so rare that I would take JJ Watt at 17 if he falls there, and then double up with Cam Heyward at #28, and finally take a tackle at #33 (because you know there will be a tackle there, Smith, Castonzo, Sherrod, Carimi, Solder, etc.) and then I'd become very aggressive about landing a pass-rushing OLB for the sub packages by trading up into the second round.

You simply cannot get enough of these tall DEs.

One of them can play behind Ty Warren.

Let Mike Wright and Deadrick and Love and Pryor, etc. return to being backups.

 

[Off The Grid]

Anyone else think guys like Cam Newton are playing the wrong position?

Yes, indeed.

As a Wing Back ~ that's a Rob Gronkowski Motion Tight End Super Hybrid, to you Earthlings ~ he could, quite simply, develop into the greatest of all time.

Of course, that would depend on his dedication...one of many things which I question about him.

Colin Kaepernick could be a TERROR as a Wing End ~ an Aaron Hernandez End/Wide Out Hybrid!!

Tyrod Taylor?? Wide Out is his best bet, of course.

 

[Off The Grid]

These tall 300 pound fast guys are so rare that I would take JJ Watt at 17 if he falls there, and then double up with Cam Heyward at #28...

You simply cannot get enough of these tall DEs.

THAT'S what I'm talking about, Brothah!! :rocker:

I could be wrong, but I think you're only the 2nd guy ~ besides me, obviously ~ to advocate snagging TWO High Caliber D Line GRIZZLIES in the first 33!! Well PLAYED, sir!!

Let Mike Wright and Deadrick and Love and Pryor, etc. return to being backups.

YES!! Depth of Talent is VITAL to The Championship Quest!!