DRAFT Josh Uche

[Uptown]

 

[State]

Strong pick - him and Baun were similarly ranked

If Bill had stayed put Baun, who is compared to Van Noy on nfl.com, was still available at their original spot of 71.

It will be interesting to compare these two linebackers, both of whom are good Patriot fits.

Although the trade up looks good—unlike last year’s not-so-good (value wise) for Joejuan Williams—I prefer trade downs. Bill is seemingly too eager to trade back up. Let it come to you.

The Ravens approach.

 

[State]

Uche was used as a third down and passing down rusher who feasted on weaker competition like Northwestern.

He only started as a redshirt junior—and not every game. His production was decent.

However, for Mike Reiss on his Twitter account to consider him as a possible next Teddy Bruschi is not apt.

Bruschi had record-setting production in college as an undersized NT at Arizona for defensive coordinator Jim Young and his football IQ is off the charts.

Uche definitely has some of the physical tools, which is why Bill thinks they can expand his repertoire. But he’s too short. He’ll stand three inches shorter than last year’s second-round DB.

And he also lacks the Bruschi football IQ, which is why he didn’t see the field much, even as a redshirt junior. Bruschi never left the field in college except when the offense lined up.

 

[catent]

This guy is gonna be an off-the-ball player here, I feel pretty confident in that.

He's basically Collins in a lot of ways. Extremely athletically gifted for his size, phenomenal closing speed and sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Fluid hips, good feet, can play deep middle-of-field in a tampa-2, looks pretty good covering TEs in man converage.

As an edge rusher he's fine, but basically a 2-trick pony: speed around the edge, or a heavy bull-rush. He uses his hands well but he's not technically developed as a rusher.

His talents will be so, so much better utilized as an off-the-ball LB who does a lot of spying/robber hybrid and blitzing. Again, to my eye, he's basically a Collins clone but hopefully he's a bit less prone to freelancing.

 

[catent]

Uche was used as a third down and passing down rusher who feasted on weaker competition like Northwestern.

He only started as a redshirt junior—and not every game. His production was decent.

However, for Mike Reiss on his Twitter account to consider him as a possible next Teddy Bruschi is not apt.

Bruschi had record-setting production in college as an undersized NT at Arizona for defensive coordinator Jim Young and his football IQ is off the charts.

Uche definitely has some of the physical tools, which is why Bill thinks they can expand his repertoire. But he’s too short. He’ll stand three inches shorter than last year’s second-round DB.

And he also lacks the Bruschi football IQ, which is why he didn’t see the field much, even as a redshirt junior. Bruschi never left the field in college except when the offense lined up.

Please tell us more about how our Michigan draft pick isn't very good, oh Michigan State username-avatar man.

 

[State]

We play Tampa-2? Don’t tell Hightower.

 

[catent]

We play Tampa-2? Don’t tell Hightower.

Pretty rare to see us in cover-2 from base these days; I was just noting what I saw from Uche in Michigan's 2019 game against Iowa.

Late in the game, Michigan up 7 with a few minutes to play, Iowa with the ball around midfield, Michigan's D played a lot of tampa-2 with a 3-man rush. Uche was the deep-middle drop and looked great doing it; got good depth, looked fluid.

Bigger point I was trying to make is that he can play zone coverage well, it appears.

 

[State]

I agree with you. He can do stuff like that. But he’s no Bruschi. He struggles with the mental aspect, not the physical where he’s a short stud. Which is why when the entire front seven needs to be replaced at scUM he gets in only 52% of the time as a redshirt junior. This is a Macy’s Thanksgiving parade red flag.

Don Brown knows what he’s doing.

Uche is a situational blitzer who can be called tao drop back in coverage. The Patriots took notice, Bill had a tingle go up his leg, and they are hoping to utilize him better. Bill is so smart.

What they are going to find out, alas, is that the player might not be capable. I hope I’m wrong.

But he’ll be a great STer! At #60! Not a bargain.

 

[Ring 6]

Uche was used as a third down and passing down rusher who feasted on weaker competition like Northwestern.

He only started as a redshirt junior—and not every game. His production was decent.

However, for Mike Reiss on his Twitter account to consider him as a possible next Teddy Bruschi is not apt.

Bruschi had record-setting production in college as an undersized NT at Arizona for defensive coordinator Jim Young and his football IQ is off the charts.

Uche definitely has some of the physical tools, which is why Bill thinks they can expand his repertoire. But he’s too short. He’ll stand three inches shorter than last year’s second-round DB.

And he also lacks the Bruschi football IQ, which is why he didn’t see the field much, even as a redshirt junior. Bruschi never left the field in college except when the offense lined up.

You can’t even make that comparison. Bruschi was a DE not a NT I’m college, and ended up a MLB/ILB. The sack production in college had doing at all to do with why he succeeded in the NFL. Bruschi perfectly fit the old scheme asa 2 gap ILB/MLB.
Uche fits the current scheme perfectly because of his versatility. The current scheme is 2 DTs 5 dbs and a versatile mix of 4 de/olb/edge players. As we saw while having the best defense in the nfl last year, having players who can play multiple roles and assignments in that system is what makes it unique and effective.
Uche could be a 43 DE a 34 OLB or an
Off the line LB in any scheme.
Will be used similarly to KVN.

 

[Ring 6]

This guy is gonna be an off-the-ball player here, I feel pretty confident in that.

He's basically Collins in a lot of ways. Extremely athletically gifted for his size, phenomenal closing speed and sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Fluid hips, good feet, can play deep middle-of-field in a tampa-2, looks pretty good covering TEs in man converage.

As an edge rusher he's fine, but basically a 2-trick pony: speed around the edge, or a heavy bull-rush. He uses his hands well but he's not technically developed as a rusher.

His talents will be so, so much better utilized as an off-the-ball LB who does a lot of spying/robber hybrid and blitzing. Again, to my eye, he's basically a Collins clone but hopefully he's a bit less prone to freelancing.

Kvn and Collins roles will be filled (and altered) by a combination of Bentley, winovich, uche, Copeland and others.


It’s important to recognize we could have adjusted the defense last year to having 2 Kvn and no Collins or 2 Collins and no Kvn just as well as having one of each.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Uche was our best draft pick by far. He has serious talent. Baun was the better safer pick, but Uche could be a stud.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Uche doesn't have a ton of experience doing a lot but he's displayed the ability to hang with targets down the seam multiple games. That and his ability to blitz the A/B gap. Attack off the edge. Range underneath. Combined with Dugger ... It's obvious Bill and focusing on erasing those areas.

 

[PatsBoy12]

His closing speed jumped out at me in this clip! Wow!

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Uche's utilization in college is a bit concerning, I prefer someone who has a strong college resume like Jennings. Having said that, with Winovich I am sure the Pats know everything about Uche so we have two fast EDGE players like lots of people on this board continually opined for.

 

[doesntmatter1]

He looks like our most promising pick. When mobile quarterbacks run circles around us like Newton and Trubisky have, I have always wanted a linebacker with his closing speed.

 

[Tony2046]

You can’t even make that comparison. Bruschi was a DE not a NT I’m college, and ended up a MLB/ILB. The sack production in college had doing at all to do with why he succeeded in the NFL. Bruschi perfectly fit the old scheme asa 2 gap ILB/MLB.
Uche fits the current scheme perfectly because of his versatility. The current scheme is 2 DTs 5 dbs and a versatile mix of 4 de/olb/edge players. As we saw while having the best defense in the nfl last year, having players who can play multiple roles and assignments in that system is what makes it unique and effective.
Uche could be a 43 DE a 34 OLB or an
Off the line LB in any scheme.
Will be used similarly to KVN.

This is the Ring 6 stuff that I love. It's so good and interesting. I've learned a lot from you over the years.

 

[Tony2046]

I've got to admit that I wasn't your biggest fan but you are really good at what you do. Enjoy the breakdowns of each player. Thanks for that.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Jennings will replace KVN. Uche and Winovich will help replace Collins.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

You can’t even make that comparison. Bruschi was a DE not a NT I’m college, and ended up a MLB/ILB. The sack production in college had doing at all to do with why he succeeded in the NFL. Bruschi perfectly fit the old scheme asa 2 gap ILB/MLB.
Uche fits the current scheme perfectly because of his versatility. The current scheme is 2 DTs 5 dbs and a versatile mix of 4 de/olb/edge players. As we saw while having the best defense in the nfl last year, having players who can play multiple roles and assignments in that system is what makes it unique and effective.
Uche could be a 43 DE a 34 OLB or an
Off the line LB in any scheme.
Will be used similarly to KVN.

Great stuff. Not sure why we do not see more stuff like this and less of the fights with trolls?