My Blueprint for the Defense

[mayoclinic]

Could it be that Grid likes Smith more than you or I? I'm glad that Grid was impressed by his combination of explosiveness and fluidity, that's exactly what I saw.

I'm afraid that a lot of teams will end up liking Marcus Smith by this time next week.

 

[manxman2601]

I'm afraid that a lot of teams will end up liking Marcus Smith by this time next week.

I can see him topping out in the Jamie Collins range. He's a little position-less unless you envisage him in the role we do. I suppose 3-4 OLB is his beat conventional position and there's a few of them this year.

 

[manxman2601]

and I agree with Grid about Lynch too. I've only watched his ND tape and that had me very excited. If he passes the interviews and demonstrates a willingness to play at 260-280, he's a potential first rounder for me too.

 

[mayoclinic]

and I agree with Grid about Lynch too. I've only watched his ND tape and that had me very excited. If he passes the interviews and demonstrates a willingness to play at 260-280, he's a potential first rounder for me too.

I think he has 1st round talent, but that's a bit of a reach for me - though far stranger things have happened.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

and I agree with Grid about Lynch too. I've only watched his ND tape and that had me very excited. If he passes the interviews and demonstrates a willingness to play at 260-280, he's a potential first rounder for me too.

That's a big if.

 

[manxman2601]

I think he has 1st round talent, but that's a bit of a reach for me - though far stranger things have happened.

Put it this way, if his ND tape was the only thing you had to go on, would you still think the first round was a little high? That's all I was really saying. Heck, I thought that tape was top 10 worthy.

 

[mayoclinic]

Put it this way, if his ND tape was the only thing you had to go on, would you still think the first round was a little high? That's all I was really saying. Heck, I thought that tape was top 10 worthy.

Yeah, but he was surrounded by talent, and that was almost 3 years ago.

Hell of a risky 1st round pick.

 

[manxman2601]

Yeah, but he was surrounded by talent, and that was almost 3 years ago.

Hell of a risky 1st round pick.

You could use the "surrounded by talent" argument for Trent Murphy.

I'm not sure why he'd be any riskier than Hageman.

 

[stelfans]

You could use the "surrounded by talent" argument for Trent Murphy.

I'm not sure why he'd be any riskier than Hageman.

Exactly. And if you watch his 2013 tape all you see is a guy getting double and more often than not triple blocks. And playing at 245 does not help, a lot of times he was just frustrated i think.

To me he is a lot like Tuitt. Their tape last year was not good(despite that they still had some production) but looking back this guys have top 10 potential.

 

[mayoclinic]

You could use the "surrounded by talent" argument for Trent Murphy.

The "surrounded by talent" argument is being used for Murphy, and is part of why he's being downgraded by so many.

I'm not sure why he'd be any riskier than Hageman.

Hageman is certainly a high risk prospect for a potential 1st round pick, which is why some teams will probably be scared off. I think the biggest thing in his favor is that he's steadily progressed, which is quite different than Lynch. When a guy's best film is from 2011, it raises questions.

Again, I'm not saying he won't be a 1st round pick. There are probably 50+ guys with 1st round talent. But he's a guy who has flashed talent rather than a guy who has consistently produced. He has character questions regarding selfishness and motivation, and his 2013 tape is not that inspiring. It can all possibly be explained away, he may well have matured and the light may have turned on, and it only takes 1 team to fall in love with the potential - Denver did take Tim Tebow with a 1st round pick, after all - but I think that on the whole he's a bit riskier for a 1st round pick than most teams would be willing to take. That could obviously all change in the next few weeks.

Given that BB has stated that he values consistency above talent, I can't see the Pats being interested in Lynch before the 3rd round at the earliest. But who knows?

Again, I've said that I personally like Lynch, and that he's a great developmental DE prospect in a draft that's relatively devoid of them. But I think he is a guy who will need some time to develop, and not an immediate contributor.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

I'm also not sure where Ra'Shede Hageman or Brent Urban fit. I like both guys a lot, but they are too tall to be NTs, I'm not sure they are the best fit for a penetrating 3-tech, and I'm not sure they have enough foot speed to play outside in a 4-3. They could excel as 5-techs in a 3-4, but I don't see us going that way. They might be able to play LDE in a 4-3 under and then move inside, but I'm tending more towards guys like Donald, Easley or Reid at the moment for 3-tech prospects. Again, I want to see how they do at the Combine - as much in the drills in terms of their times or measurements.

3-4 ends have to play inside often anyway. With teams in sub-packages so often I think the 3-4/4-3 thing should be looked at with less importance than in the past.

 

[everlong]

Exactly. And if you watch his 2013 tape all you see is a guy getting double and more often than not triple blocks. And playing at 245 does not help, a lot of times he was just frustrated i think.

To me he is a lot like Tuitt. Their tape last year was not good(despite that they still had some production) but looking back this guys have top 10 potential.

Glad I'm not the only one who's made a connection between Tuitt and Murpjy. They'll probably both be solid but there's nothing that puts them in the first 60 picks for me.

 

[mayoclinic]

Glad I'm not the only one who's made a connection between Tuitt and Murpjy. They'll probably both be solid but there's nothing that puts them in the first 60 picks for me.

I believe that the comparison was meant to be between Aaron Lynch and Tuitt, suggesting that both have top 10 "potential" but poor 2013 tape.

 

[everlong]

I believe that the comparison was meant to be between Aaron Lynch and Tuitt, suggesting that both have top 10 "potential" but poor 2013 tape.

He quoted the below with his "Exactly"" and then a lot like Tuitt" so I took it to be Murphy. Anyway I think they are similar players at different positions.

Originally Posted by manxman2601
You could use the "surrounded by talent" argument for Trent Murphy.

I'm not sure why he'd be any riskier than Hageman.

 

[stelfans]

He quoted the below with his "Exactly"" and then a lot like Tuitt" so I took it to be Murphy. Anyway I think they are similar players at different positions.

Originally Posted by manxman2601
You could use the "surrounded by talent" argument for Trent Murphy.

I'm not sure why he'd be any riskier than Hageman.

Mayo's right. The "exactly" was for the second sentence.
But i dont like Hageman much.

 

[everlong]

Mayo's right. The "exactly" was for the second sentence.
But i dont like Hageman much.

Thanks. Yes I realized that on my re-read I was just pointing out why I initially thought you meant Murphy and Tuitt. I'm up and down on Hageman

 

[Coach42]

I had to drop out of the conversation a while back due to my work schedule but I'd like to add a couple of things.

Our situation and Seattle's are not comparable. We have Brady with a huge cap number they have Wilson with no cap number. That difference is why they can go out and have an offseason where they sign Bennett, Avril and sell the farm for Percy Harvin while the Pats have to hope the Tommy Kelly's and Adrian Wilson's of the world pan out. That's a huge advantage and also a disadvantage when its time to sign Thomas, Sherman, Wilson etc etc.

The other thing I'd like to add is its not their scheme that made them look so dominant against the Broncos, its their players. The reason the Pats lost against the Broncos was their defensive line was gassed. Seattle crushed them by always having fresh pass rushers. I don't think BB's scheme has run its course. I mean, really how could it? Making teams beat you with their weakness and not giving up big plays will continue to work, just as it did previously, if you have the players to run it. In the AFCCG the Patriots did not have those players.

So having said that, to fix the D we need rushers. Give me Michael Johnson and with our first pick Aaron Donald. Cut or dramatically reduce Wilfork's cap number. Keep Kelly Re-sign Talib at between 5-6 million per year or one of the other comparable corners on the market (Grimes?). If your resign Talib draft a CB who you can project to play his style so when the inevitable injury strikes you're not a boat without oars (see AFCCG 2013 and 2014). I say let safety stand. Let's see what Harmon can do.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

The other thing I'd like to add is its not their scheme that made them look so dominant against the Broncos, its their players.

It's both in addition to other things.

 

[Coach42]

Completely disagree.

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

No one is perfect