Eric Weddle

[Triple-T]

I haven't seen a thread dedicated to this guy, but I'm completely with Kiper on him. He is definitely first round material and I'd have no problem with spending the 24 on him.

He's sized like a free safety and covers like a corner. He got many snaps at RB, returns punts and played some quarterback. He's like a Troy Brown or Wes Welker for versatility, but better.

His combine/pro-day times are completely on par with Nelson, Griffin and Meriweather with better quickness numbers on short shuttle and 3 cone.
http://www.thehogs.net/Draft/combine/2007-combine-results-defense.php#db

His production is through the roof with 18 career ints, named conference defensive MVP twice and shut down Calvin Johnson in last years bowl game. He won this years bowl game by running in the game winning touchdown as a Rb and sealed it with an Int as safety.

His passion? Film Study

His achievements and profile just go on and on. I don't see anything not to like about this guy and really hope we get him.

Some links to read up on him:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/weddle_eric
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/interviews/ericweddle/ericweddle.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBxxosXhS84
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/recap?gid=200512290094 (GT vs Utah write-up. Weddle was MVP.)



Thoughts?

 

[notex]

i wouldnt mind him at 24 but i hvae a feeling hes still around at 28....damn i wish we still had that 2nd rounder...

 

[AzPatsFan]

I think he can be had in the third with a position tradeup say our 3 & 6 for a earlier 3...

 

[cloud34]

I haven't seen a thread dedicated to this guy, but I'm completely with Kiper on him. He is definitely first round material and I'd have no problem with spending the 24 on him.

He's sized like a free safety and covers like a corner. He got many snaps at RB, returns punts and played some quarterback. He's like a Troy Brown or Wes Welker for versatility, but better.

His combine/pro-day times are completely on par with Nelson, Griffin and Meriweather with better quickness numbers on short shuttle and 3 cone.
http://www.thehogs.net/Draft/combine/2007-combine-results-defense.php#db

His production is through the roof with 18 career ints, named conference defensive MVP twice and shut down Calvin Johnson in last years bowl game. He won this years bowl game by running in the game winning touchdown as a Rb and sealed it with an Int as safety.

His passion? Film Study

His achievements and profile just go on and on. I don't see anything not to like about this guy and really hope we get him.

Some links to read up on him:
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/weddle_eric
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/interviews/ericweddle/ericweddle.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PBxxosXhS84
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/recap?gid=200512290094 (GT vs Utah write-up. Weddle was MVP.)



Thoughts?

He also holds for placekicks, just another example of his versatility.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

I think he can be had in the third with a position tradeup say our 3 & 6 for a earlier 3...

In no way he lasts until the third round. The farthest he might drop is to Jacksonvilles 2nd rounder and thats if Griffin, Landry, Nelson and Merriweather are taken before him.

 

[WhiZa]

To me Weddle will just be a great college player, but won't be able to have the same success in the pros. He was asked to do a lot of things in college and he did them well, but when it comes to focusing just on being a Safety I think his stock drops down.

 

[sebman2112]

Really, I think he's 2nd-3rd round talent, and would be a complete reach in the first round. I'd rather NE reach for someone like Harris before they reach for Weddle. I'd take John Wendling in the third round before reaching for Weddle. I like Wendling a lot by the way.

 

[hobbsownscoles]

Really, I think he's 2nd-3rd round talent, and would be a complete reach in the first round. I'd rather NE reach for someone like Harris before they reach for Weddle. I'd take John Wendling in the third round before reaching for Weddle. I like Wendling a lot by the way.

Yeah I like Wendling and Piscitelli more than weddle

 

[stinkypete]

I prefer Weddle over Wendling. His build might not project perfectly to the pro game, but you can't argue with that kind of production. To me, Weddle is as likely to succeed in our system as Griffin, Nelson or Meriweather, and he seems to fit the Patriots mold better.

Weddle won't make it past pick #50 or so, a smart front office will trade a late 1st rounder to a team desperate for WR help (are you listening, Minnesota?) and grab Weddle.

The depth picks we get in return could be used to move into the upper portion of round 3, or so stockpile for next year.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Im not going to bad mouth Weddle (just in case he ends up with the Pats), but I am hoping that we get one of the other guys.

 

[PonyExpress]

In the past 2 years Weddle has played 5 games against non-cellar dwelling BCS conference opponents. In those games he made 3 INTs, 1 PBU, 30 tackles and 4 TFLs. If prorated, these numbers would be remarkable compared with other safeties from BCS conference schools vs. similar competition. Of course, the sample size is too small to make grandiose judgments, as some may seek to do. Athletically, he exhibits a remarkable combination of speed and quickness. In fact the only safety prospects in this draft class with a better combination of speed and agility IMO are Griffin, Nelson, and surprisingly Piscitelli. Where Weddle suffers in comparison with other safeties athletically is IMO he is physically the weakest prospect on the board. He lacks explosion in the upper and lower body, and I wonder how this lack of strength will translate over a significant number of games against elite competition. If you draft him, it may take a season or two to develop his strength, and this may impact his agility, the trait that has made him so successful up till now. For that reason I would not draft him in rd 1, but instead treat him as a developmental prospect better suited to rds 2-3.

 

[patchick]

With all the discussion of safeties here, Josh Gattis has been a missing name lately. He's a highly productive major-conference player with great hands, solid size and speed, and a combination of intelligence and fiery intensity that sounds like a mini Rodney. Just curious why a guy like Wendling out of Wyoming is getting more love on this board?

 

[hobbsownscoles]

With all the discussion of safeties here, Josh Gattis has been a missing name lately. He's a highly productive major-conference player with great hands, solid size and speed, and a combination of intelligence and fiery intensity that sounds like a mini Rodney. Just curious why a guy like Wendling out of Wyoming is getting more love on this board?

Wendlings measureables are better

 

[sebman2112]

With all the discussion of safeties here, Josh Gattis has been a missing name lately. He's a highly productive major-conference player with great hands, solid size and speed, and a combination of intelligence and fiery intensity that sounds like a mini Rodney. Just curious why a guy like Wendling out of Wyoming is getting more love on this board?

I like Gattis and Wendling a lot, and think they both could fit into NE's defense well. If NE doesn't go Safety in the first, I'd actually like to draft both of them, if possible. One of my pipe dreams has NE landing Wendling or Gattis in the third, and one of them in the fourth, but they could both be off the board before NE's third rounder, or they could both go in the fourth. This draft is a little hard to figure out.

 

[patchick]

Wendlings measureables are better

I like Wendling just fine, and he does seem like the better natural athlete. But when you talk about "measurables" it's worth throwing in numbers like these...

In the last two years Gattis has 7 INTs, 11 PBU, and 3 FF -- all better than Wendling's numbers. And he was playing in the ACC, Wendling in the Mountain West against the likes of Air Force and UNLV.

 

[dryheat44]

I like Wendling just fine, and he does seem like the better natural athlete. But when you talk about "measurables" it's worth throwing in numbers like these...

In the last two years Gattis has 7 INTs, 11 PBU, and 3 FF -- all better than Wendling's numbers. And he was playing in the ACC, Wendling in the Mountain West against the likes of Air Force and UNLV.

Gattis is the far better player. He should be IMO picked in the first 50 picks.

 

[danny88]

i wouldnt mind him at 24 but i hvae a feeling hes still around at 28....damn i wish we still had that 2nd rounder...

Using the 24 or the 28th on Weddle would be a terrible move.