DRAFT Josh Uche

[Horace's Ivories]

He can start a fashion line, UcheBags

this is beyond funny..

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

So now same question on Jennings.
After your uche answer I say nink/Simon and feel stronger about your uche answer.

Yea I'd throw Wise in there as well.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

Facts!!!

 

[SBLIII]

Very good player. Could see him at ILB and OLB. 10 sack per season potential.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

"Potential as a situational rusher"

Does this mean he won't be an every down player? Not happy if true. Otherwise, it's an okay pick I guess.

Think it just means he can be a situational rusher... meaning he can situational rush, or he can have other duties of a linebacker, which involves more than rushing the passer... means hes a versatile, athletic player

 

[JarOfMayo51]

See some people angry with this pick, and nearly every pick.. i guess my question is, who could have been picked at the patriots draft spots that would have made you happy?

Best to go on record now, before the season starts and you have the benefit of hindsight.

 

[NYCPATS4LIFE]

I like the uche pick but is anyone concerned about this guy’s injury history. That would concern him.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

I like the uche pick but is anyone concerned about this guy’s injury history. That would concern him.

Also he's never played more than half the snaps for some reason? Poor stamina or awareness ? Maybe can't play zone or cover RBs ?

 

[Sciz]

See some people angry with this pick, and nearly every pick.. i guess my question is, who could have been picked at the patriots draft spots that would have made you happy?

Best to go on record now, before the season starts and you have the benefit of hindsight.

It’s too late to completely avoid hindsight. The people that wanted Trautman at 71 yesterday can now claim they wanted him at 101 all along.

 

[manxman2601]

 

[borg]

Am I only only one having difficulty reconciling pundits’ predictions regarding Uche...”He may not come off the field playing on NE’s D”
vs
The reality of his collegiate career: underclassman specialist who only saw 50% of snaps in final season at Michigan

 

[Mustangs84]

Also he's never played more than half the snaps for some reason? Poor stamina or awareness ? Maybe can't play zone or cover RBs ?

Am I only only one having difficulty reconciling pundits’ predictions regarding Uche...”He may not come off the field playing on NE’s D”
vs
The reality of his collegiate career: underclassman specialist who only saw 50% of snaps in final season at Michigan

As a Michigan fan, I saw my fair share of him over the last couple seasons. In 2018 he was behind Rashaan Gary and Chase Winovich, naturally he took a bit of a back seat and was only pass rush specialist when Gary moved inside on passing downs.

This past season, Michigan had a severe lack of talent inside on the DL, forcing them to use more of a 3-3-5 look, but their lineman still weren't great. Uche played a bunch of different spots, but I think they struggled finding him a role as they weren't necessarily able to use him the way they wanted. But they knew they needed him on the field, so they kept lining him up in new spots.

I'm no talent evaluator, and no clue if this works out, but I think has lack of snaps at the college level has less to do with his skillset/potential and more to do with schemes and who was ahead of him.

 

[DaBruinz]

Also he's never played more than half the snaps for some reason? Poor stamina or awareness ? Maybe can't play zone or cover RBs ?

Or he was in a situation similar to what Brady went through. It was reported the Pats see him as a 4 down player.. So I doubt that Stamina or Awareness are the issue.

 

[borg]

As a Michigan fan, I saw my fair share of him over the last couple seasons. In 2018 he was behind Rashaan Gary and Chase Winovich, naturally he took a bit of a back seat and was only pass rush specialist when Gary moved inside on passing downs.

This past season, Michigan had a severe lack of talent inside on the DL, forcing them to use more of a 3-3-5 look, but their lineman still weren't great. Uche played a bunch of different spots, but I think they struggled finding him a role as they weren't necessarily able to use him the way they wanted. But they knew they needed him on the field, so they kept lining him up in new spots.

I'm no talent evaluator, and no clue if this works out, but I think has lack of snaps at the college level has less to do with his skillset/potential and more to do with schemes and who was ahead of him.

Your “Michigan lacked talent so that prevented Uche from finding a role and playing more” doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. My initial conclusion to your premise is that Michigan opted for others, lacking as they were, over Uche.
So why was that?
My glass half empty side wonders if Uche has difficulty processing scheme....”trying to find a fit”

 

[skinnydog]

Am I only only one having difficulty reconciling pundits’ predictions regarding Uche...”He may not come off the field playing on NE’s D”
vs
The reality of his collegiate career: underclassman specialist who only saw 50% of snaps in final season at Michigan

The talk about a 4 down player is hyperbole, especially for a rookie defensive player on the Pats. I really like Winovich, but he rarely saw 50% of the snaps on defense last year.

 

[Mustangs84]

Your “Michigan lacked talent so that prevented Uche from finding a role and playing more” doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. My initial conclusion to your premise is that Michigan opted for others, lacking as they were, over Uche.
So why was that?
My glass half empty side wonders if Uche has difficulty processing scheme....”trying to find a fit”

So basically Michigan's situation was they had nothing at DT (not a lot of depth, and they're better players got hurt). Much like NE last year, they had no big bodies in the middle, so they tried to adapt. For 3 years Uche was a pass rush specialist (behind the Gary's and Winovich's), as he was in high school (where he was 6'0 210ish pounds coming to Michigan.

Now imagine last year, they had to change schemes on the fly, and Uche's rush end position wasn't utilized like it was the years prior. So he had to learn new roles and positions on the fly. This was a guy that was a pure pass rusher since high school now being moved all over. Now he was being lined standing up at OLB, even playing the middle sometimes, and being asked to cover every now and then

Overall it wasn't ideal for Uche, but I think he handled it well and did pretty well. I think he's a pass rusher first and foremost, but to live up the pick he's going to have keep improving the other aspects.

I have my concerns with the pick, I wonder how his speed rushed will hold up against elite tackles, whether he can maintain gap discipline and setting the edges, etc, but the lack of snaps isn't one of those concerns.

 

[borg]

So basically Michigan's situation was they had nothing at DT (not a lot of depth, and they're better players got hurt). Much like NE last year, they had no big bodies in the middle, so they tried to adapt. For 3 years Uche was a pass rush specialist (behind the Gary's and Winovich's), as he was in high school (where he was 6'0 210ish pounds coming to Michigan.

Now imagine last year, they had to change schemes on the fly, and Uche's rush end position wasn't utilized like it was the years prior. So he had to learn new roles and positions on the fly. This was a guy that was a pure pass rusher since high school now being moved all over. Now he was being lined standing up at OLB, even playing the middle sometimes, and being asked to cover every now and then

Overall it wasn't ideal for Uche, but I think he handled it well and did pretty well. I think he's a pass rusher first and foremost, but to live up the pick he's going to have keep improving the other aspects.

I have my concerns with the pick, I wonder how his speed rushed will hold up against elite tackles, whether he can maintain gap discipline and setting the edges, etc, but the lack of snaps isn't one of those concerns.

Thanks for the extra details

 

[SONS_OF_BELICHICK]

Looks like there is a huge dropoff ...at available QB after Jake Fromm - State Farm

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

As a Michigan fan, I saw my fair share of him over the last couple seasons. In 2018 he was behind Rashaan Gary and Chase Winovich, naturally he took a bit of a back seat and was only pass rush specialist when Gary moved inside on passing downs.

This past season, Michigan had a severe lack of talent inside on the DL, forcing them to use more of a 3-3-5 look, but their lineman still weren't great. Uche played a bunch of different spots, but I think they struggled finding him a role as they weren't necessarily able to use him the way they wanted. But they knew they needed him on the field, so they kept lining him up in new spots.

I'm no talent evaluator, and no clue if this works out, but I think has lack of snaps at the college level has less to do with his skillset/potential and more to do with schemes and who was ahead of him.

So basically Michigan's situation was they had nothing at DT (not a lot of depth, and they're better players got hurt). Much like NE last year, they had no big bodies in the middle, so they tried to adapt. For 3 years Uche was a pass rush specialist (behind the Gary's and Winovich's), as he was in high school (where he was 6'0 210ish pounds coming to Michigan.

Now imagine last year, they had to change schemes on the fly, and Uche's rush end position wasn't utilized like it was the years prior. So he had to learn new roles and positions on the fly. This was a guy that was a pure pass rusher since high school now being moved all over. Now he was being lined standing up at OLB, even playing the middle sometimes, and being asked to cover every now and then

Overall it wasn't ideal for Uche, but I think he handled it well and did pretty well. I think he's a pass rusher first and foremost, but to live up the pick he's going to have keep improving the other aspects.

I have my concerns with the pick, I wonder how his speed rushed will hold up against elite tackles, whether he can maintain gap discipline and setting the edges, etc, but the lack of snaps isn't one of those concerns.

More or less this is a good breakdown of what happened.

Despite talent & good coaching from Brown, he made some interesting decisions there but sometimes **** is outta your control as a coach.