Phifer Talks Drafting ILB

[TeamPats]

This is a pretty good article on Roman talking about the difficulties he faced switching inside and what young kids would face at ILB in BB 3-4. Many forget just how simple Phifer made it look during our Super Bowl run, while you may not remember his name being mentioned often...more importantly you never heard it mentioned during a mistake for a big play.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...bg?articleid=1089532&srvc=patriots&position=3

 

[Sicilian]

“It is pretty tough coming from college. I remember Tully Banta-Cain [stats] when he came in as a rookie and Eric Alexander when he first came in. It can be difficult, but those guys are pretty smart. That’s a big factor,” Phifer said. “Bill finds guys that are good athletes, but also smart guys.”

This is actually the most encouraging part of the article for me. Combine this comment with the fact that Bruschi wasn't a full time big play linebacker until he had a few years under his belt, and makes me think Alexander has a chance to be a solid contributor in ILB rotation this year.

Fingers crossed anyway, that would be huge.

 

[miDeuce]

... makes me think Alexander has a chance to be a solid contributor in ILB rotation this year.

Great article and I hope you're right. I would've thought that his playing time in the 2006 AFCCG would be a sign that he would've seen some non-ST time in 2007 but alas it wasn't. Could this be the year? Would love to see Pierre Woods get in there too...

 

[RayClay]

“It is pretty tough coming from college. I remember Tully Banta-Cain [stats] when he came in as a rookie and Eric Alexander when he first came in. It can be difficult, but those guys are pretty smart. That’s a big factor,” Phifer said. “Bill finds guys that are good athletes, but also smart guys.”

This is actually the most encouraging part of the article for me. Combine this comment with the fact that Bruschi wasn't a full time big play linebacker until he had a few years under his belt, and makes me think Alexander has a chance to be a solid contributor in ILB rotation this year.

Fingers crossed anyway, that would be huge.

Of course Bruschi was a third round pick only because he was a tweener. He also led the country in sacks in college.

Why would that apply to Alexander?

 

[Water Boy]

Good article. Nice to reminisce about how good Phifer was with the Pats.

 

[spacecrime]

Of course Bruschi was a third round pick only because he was a tweener. He also led the country in sacks in college.

Why would that apply to Alexander?

That wouldn't.

What he said was that even a player as good and as smart as Bruschi took a few years to be productive at ILB, so don't give up on ALexander and other ILBs in training just because they aren't productive yet.

THAT applies to Alexander. And to Beau Bell, our future third round draft pick.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Of course Bruschi was a third round pick only because he was a tweener. He also led the country in sacks in college.

You just reminded me what a freak of an athlete the young Bruschi was.
Most notable was the stacked line after the snap with Bruschi vaulting over it.
One coach predicted Bruschi could be an NFL sacks leader if he went to a team
that featured him for that job.

Also ... ILB humbled AD a bit this year also and I might add the story
adds to the legend of Vrabel in how he switches inside and outside confidently.