Consolidated list of DE/OLB Tweeners for the 3-4

[dryheat44]

A guy I like is Kam Wimbley from FSU. ( 6-4, 255) runs well for a tweener (4.5) vertical of 39.5 inches. The guy is a freak. He busted his ass at FSU just to get up to weight. He came in as a freshman at 210 the rumor was that if he could not add weight they would play him at linebacker. In highschool he played WR and QB and LB.

This is probably the ideal conversion project in the draft. The more I see/read about him, the more I think he might be ahead of Lawson on our board.

Kamerion Wimbley, Florida State (3-4 OLB) (6' 3" 245 lbs.) Athletic, quick and agile, Wimbley is a prototypical end/outside linebacker tweener, who will fit very well in a 3-4 defense. He has an explosive first step and a very solid arsenal of pass rush moves. He comes around the edge with great speed, balance and solid strength and can line up all over the field and be very difficult to double team. He is tough and relentless, and will always give a good effort, even if it means playing hurt. Wimbley has a nose for the ball, changes direction well and can dominate once he gets on a roll. He can drop into coverage fairly well. He doesn't get off blocks especially well, can be handled at the point of attack versus the run and needs to add a little lower body strength. He has some minor injury concerns. Wimbley will need a season to learn OLB, but his potential for success is huge. He could go as early as pick #18, but more than likely he last until early in round two. Similar to: Demarcus Ware

 

[patchick]

This is probably the ideal conversion project in the draft. The more I see/read about him, the more I think he might be ahead of Lawson on our board.

Kamerion Wimbley, Florida State (3-4 OLB) (6' 3" 245 lbs.) Athletic, quick and agile, Wimbley is a prototypical end/outside linebacker tweener, who will fit very well in a 3-4 defense....

Despite my membership in the Manny Lawson Irrational Exuberance Club, I'd be perfectly pleased if the Pats took Wimbley. Of the two, though, I do think he has more question marks. He's a bit smaller and slower than Lawson, and strikingly didn't start until his senior year. (The player in front of him was talented but not great -- Eric Moore was drafted in round 6 last year amid concerns about his lack of game productivity and his wonderlic score of 9.) Lawson started 2 years, and was the team's special teams player of the year the season prior.

 

[dryheat44]

Despite my membership in the Manny Lawson Irrational Exuberance Club, I'd be perfectly pleased if the Pats took Wimbley. Of the two, though, I do think he has more question marks. He's a bit smaller and slower than Lawson, and strikingly didn't start until his senior year. (The player in front of him was talented but not great -- Eric Moore was drafted in round 6 last year amid concerns about his lack of game productivity and his wonderlic score of 9.) Lawson started 2 years, and was the team's special teams player of the year the season prior.

I'd be thrilled with either. In fact, I have Lawson ranked higher still (although the gap is closing). However, I think that comparing Wimbley as an underweight defensive end to what he could do as an outside linebacker might be misleading.