Pats looking at LB O'Brien Schofield

[mayoclinic]

Chad Reuter of NFLdraftscout/CBSSports lists O'Brien Schofield as one of his "fallers" from the Shrine week:

"The first-team All-Big Ten pick popped off film this season but couldn't make much headway as a linebacker or defensive end in practices this week. He was trying to learn the linebacker position on the fly, but looked stiff and slow in his drops and in coverage. In one-on-one pass rush drills, he couldn't stay off the ground when trying to beat Saffold or Scott with his speed. Arizona State's Dexter Davis also struggled with the move from end to linebacker, especially in coverage."

Risers and Fallers from East-West Shrine practices - NFL - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

In contrast, Todd McShay from ESPN/Scouts Inc. listed Schofield as one of the risers from the Shrine game: "We've talked all week about Schofield's transition from end to linebacker here and it looks like he's getting more and more comfortable in the new position. He's reacting and just playing now instead of needing that split second to think about what he's supposed to be doing. He has good, quick feet. Maybe the quickest feet on anyone here and that will help him. Give him lots of credit for hanging in there in what had to be a frustrating week at times and for getting better and better as the week went on. Coaches have to be looking at this and thinking they saw the worst part of his game but he continued to work and get better and better and ultimately he has a chance to be the best linebacker from this group."

Wisconsin Badgers' O'Brien Schofield makes most of opportunity - ESPN

 

[dryheat44]

A completely healthy Nic Kaczur struggles against speed rushers to the same degree that a completely healthy Matt Light does, and no he doesn't get enough credit in the run game - which means he was exactly what Dante and BB were looking for when they drafted him - the fine balancing act between pass and run when you don't draft Top Five every year.

Well, Light struggles with Jason Taylor and Aaron Schobel. Kaczur struggles with everybody he lines up across from. I agree that Kaczur has somewhat unfairly become a whipping boy, but I don't think he'd be particularly difficult to upgrade. He came in as a 3rd rounder and started immediately, didn't he (not rhetorical)? Vollmer was probably the 10th OT chosen and proved able to start. Starters can be found in the middle rounds, it's a matter of good scouting. I'd love a guy like Calloway to fall to the middle rounds. He'll also struggle to handle speed, but at worse he'd be as good as Kaczur, but younger and cheaper.

 

[mayoclinic]

Well, Light struggles with Jason Taylor and Aaron Schobel. Kaczur struggles with everybody he lines up across from. I agree that Kaczur has somewhat unfairly become a whipping boy, but I don't think he'd be particularly difficult to upgrade. He came in as a 3rd rounder and started immediately, didn't he (not rhetorical)? Vollmer was probably the 10th OT chosen and proved able to start. Starters can be found in the middle rounds, it's a matter of good scouting. I'd love a guy like Calloway to fall to the middle rounds. He'll also struggle to handle speed, but at worse he'd be as good as Kaczur, but younger and cheaper.

I've been critical of Kaczur at times (most of the time). But there's no doubt he was an enormous upgrade in 2005, when at one time Brandon Gorin was projected to be our starting RT. But, just as Kaczur upgraded Gorin, I think he himself is readily upgradeable.

I love the idea of moving him to RG, where his skills should shine and his liabilities should be minimized.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Well, Light struggles with Jason Taylor and Aaron Schobel. Kaczur struggles with everybody he lines up across from. I agree that Kaczur has somewhat unfairly become a whipping boy, but I don't think he'd be particularly difficult to upgrade. He came in as a 3rd rounder and started immediately, didn't he (not rhetorical)? Vollmer was probably the 10th OT chosen and proved able to start. Starters can be found in the middle rounds, it's a matter of good scouting. I'd love a guy like Calloway to fall to the middle rounds. He'll also struggle to handle speed, but at worse he'd be as good as Kaczur, but younger and cheaper.

Kaczur was the #3 OT behind Light and Ashworth to start the season, then Light was gang-raped in Pittsburgh and Kac was plugged in for the All-rookie left side season. Ashworth moved to Seattle and Kac was flipped to the right side. After playing four seasons as a starting LT for Toledo and one season as the primary LT for NE he was asked to become right-handed. I thought 2008 was his strongest season at RT after he finally unlearned his left side habits and developed his right side up to where he'd been as a rookie.

Folks are spanking him over Mathis this year, but I believe that was the game where Reiss reported him severely hobbled during the week while the media was enjoying their 15 minutes of warm-ups. Mike Mayock reported Vollmer had help against Freeney on more than three-quarters of his pass reps, with that being the case, did Nick get help as often against Mathis?

The past two seasons the interior of the OL has been the bigger question mark, teams have been beating Mankins, Koppen, and Neal or his replacements up since the Giants won. I have no problem with moving Kaczur inside if Neal is done, I have no problem leaving him at RT, and if Vollmer graded out better, I have no problem with him losing his starting slot and sliding to #3 Tackle. I have a problem with people cherry picking plays and making creating whipping boys a full time occupation - before Afailius went all-Baltimore on his team, my biggest whipping boy was a close competition between Tommy Brady and Billy Yates - which probably makes me almost eccentric enough to be a Heatster disciple.

 

[SanAngeloState]

I've seen Shofield rated in the 5th-7th round. Don't think he's a 3rd rounder and not sure what he adds that all the other DEs/OLBs haven't.

Just waste a 3rd rounder on a guy with a body type and history proven not to work for us to hope that this time it does? What is it they say about insanity?

A 3rd round pick is pretty high....lots of very valuable players there. Not some project who "might" gain 15 pounds (and a couple inches too?). I know BB hasn't had much success there in the draft, but they are supposed to be golden picks if you know what you are doing.

 

[Clonamery]

Wilson: Schofield confirms he tore ACL | National Football Post

Tough. Que lastima, que se mejore pronto.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Wilson: Schofield confirms he tore ACL | National Football Post

Tough. Que lastima, que se mejore pronto.

In English?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

In English?

But the Gaelic is more colorful.

 

[ExeterSportsGuy]

Well the problem with Hughes and Schofield is that they are about 3 inches too short compared to BB's 'prototypical' OLB. Now I don't know what the big deal is with the height requirement but apparently to BB it's a big deal. That's why we passed on guys in past drafts like Lamarr Woodley, David Harris, etc.

I think if BB can't find an OLB he likes in the draft, he should just draft Rolando Mcclain and try to get pressure up the middle, the way Ray Lewis does for the Ravens.

If I were picking and I liked all the scouting reports on Schofield, I'd certainly consider him in the 3rd or 4th, but I'm not convinced that BB will take one look at the lack of height and pulls him off the board. I'm not saying I know that BB does that, but that appears to be how he operates with regards to OLBs.

Just look at imposing physical specimen Shawn Crable (6'5 243, who can't get on the field). And UDFA pickups like Pierre Woods (6'5 250) and Vincent Redd (6'6 260). Tully Banta Cain is really the only 'short' OLB (6'2 250) that BB has ever drafted that worked out, and he wasn't selected until the 7th round. Is this going to change any time soon?

This is the crap i hope BB throws out the window from now on. Good players are good players regardless of "specs". Obviously it hasn't been working lately. Hope we drop the "prototypes" immediately.

 

[TriplecHamp]

O'Brien Schofield tore his ACL in practice today :bricks: Best of wishes

 

[DW Toys]

This is the crap i hope BB throws out the window from now on. Good players are good players regardless of "specs". Obviously it hasn't been working lately. Hope we drop the "prototypes" immediately.

Eric Norwood was South Carolinas best player is 256 but only 6'. Hi is bigger than Teddy. Great QB rush.
DW Toys

 

[rsd]

Poor guy apparently he tore his ACL in practice.

Use one of our 7th round picks on him?

 

[DaBruinz]

He has passed before! Clay Matthews apparently wasn't big enough either. He was 'only' 6'3 and 245 lbs. Yeah he had 10 sacks for the Packers this year. I'm not in BB's head, I can only judge based on his actions. And he has passed on guys that he has deemed are too 'small' for his system.

Matthews also had Aaron Kampman lining up opposite him... Not to mention that the GB 3-4 D-line played extremely well.

 

[DaBruinz]

6'2" 245...the pats have had a ton of these guys Angelo Craig, Robertson from GA Tech, Crable?

What makes him any different from any of the above?

How about the fact that Crable, Craig and Robertson are all in 6'4 to 6'5 range and the 250-260 range.

That's a lot different than just over 6'2 and change and 242.

 

[DaBruinz]

Chad Reuter of NFLdraftscout/CBSSports lists O'Brien Schofield as one of his "fallers" from the Shrine week:

"The first-team All-Big Ten pick popped off film this season but couldn't make much headway as a linebacker or defensive end in practices this week. He was trying to learn the linebacker position on the fly, but looked stiff and slow in his drops and in coverage. In one-on-one pass rush drills, he couldn't stay off the ground when trying to beat Saffold or Scott with his speed. Arizona State's Dexter Davis also struggled with the move from end to linebacker, especially in coverage."

Risers and Fallers from East-West Shrine practices - NFL - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Yet, the Packers Director of Scouting had Scofield rising up their board prior to the kid's knee injury today.

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Schofield impressed scouts last week at the East-West Shrine Game, and he was named the defensive most valuable player. Schofield (6-foot-2, 238 pounds) was one of the risers early on in the draft process. "That kid earned his way here this week," Green Bay Packers director of college scouting John Dorsey said of Schofield, about 30 minutes before the injury. "He really did a nice job last week and opened eyes. A good player."

Posted on NFL Draft Scout.com

NFL Draft Scout Rankings, From Prep to Pro Coverage for Pros by Pros - Powered by the Sports Xchange


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[SanAngeloState]

How about the fact that Crable, Craig and Robertson are all in 6'4 to 6'5 range and the 250-260 range.

That's a lot different than just over 6'2 and change and 242.

Why would that help him? I thought BB's preferred size was taller not shorter.

So he's different, but in a bad way for OLB.

 

[TriplecHamp]

he tore his acl!

 

[DaBruinz]

Why would that help him? I thought BB's preferred size was taller not shorter.

So he's different, but in a bad way for OLB.

Not necessarily. And, since you didn't bother to read, Scofield was also being tried at ILB this week.. Where he'd be the "prototypical size" that the Pats like there.

Nothing like being short-sighted..

 

[DaBruinz]

he tore his acl!

No Sh!t, Sherlock. Why do you insist on being an arse about it? And before you open your mouth, if you bothered to go to the link I provided, the quote I had was made by the Packers staff member TODAY after he tore his ACL.