Some draft sites have started to rank prospects for 2012

[cstjohn17]

NFLDraftScout and my favorite NationalFootballPost.com

Nation's top prospects beginning to separate from rest of pack - NFL - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

National Football Post Scouting Department | National Football Post

 

[NePatriots]

Love both those sites as well.

Here are our 2012 Rankings (Scouting reports linked up there as well)

2012 NFL Draft Positional Rankings

 

[cstjohn17]

Love both those sites as well.

Here are our 2012 Rankings (Scouting reports linked up there as well)

2012 NFL Draft Positional Rankings

Nice! just curious if you have had to adjust your approach to defensive players with the Patriots playing more 4-3?

 

[RJB87]

I enjoy the player ranking websites much better than the "here's where we think the draft order would be as of today" websites. I'd rather see the top prospects, once you have a look at that you have a good idea of how they will slide around depending on draft order.

 

[NePatriots]

Nice! just curious if you have had to adjust your approach to defensive players with the Patriots playing more 4-3?

Yep, we're spending a lot more time watching guys like Zach Brown, Brandon Thompson, etc... that might not have made the exclusive 3-4 cut before.

 

[Defsoul]

Yep, we're spending a lot more time watching guys like Zach Brown, Brandon Thompson, etc... that might not have made the exclusive 3-4 cut before.

Zach Brown looked really good in the first half against Clemson. He had a sack, another TFL and nearly intercepted a pass if I remember correctly. Looked fast and agile. Didn't notice him much in the second half though.

 

[RJB87]

Zach Brown looks like a great upgrade at the strong side OLB position. I like him more than all of the 3-4 OLB prospects that we would likely be able to draft. Another good kid is Sean Spence and I think he will be available at the end of the 2nd or early 3rd.

edit: Also, UNC as a program has been producing some really goods kids lately. I know Marvin Austin and Bruce Carter are injured right now but next year or the year after I think these two are going to be beasts.

This National Football Post is losing a bit of respect in my eyes. They have Manti Te'o in their top 32 prospects listed as an OLB and he's clearly an ILB. They also don't have him listed at all when you sort by OLB or ILB prospects.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Zach Brown looks like a great upgrade at the strong side OLB position. I like him more than all of the 3-4 OLB prospects that we would likely be able to draft. Another good kid is Sean Spence and I think he will be available at the end of the 2nd or early 3rd.

edit: Also, UNC as a program has been producing some really goods kids lately. I know Marvin Austin and Bruce Carter are injured right now but next year or the year after I think these two are going to be beasts.

This National Football Post is losing a bit of respect in my eyes. They have Manti Te'o in their top 32 prospects listed as an OLB and he's clearly an ILB. They also don't have him listed at all when you sort by OLB or ILB prospects.

I've listened to a couple of his podcasts. He knows the technicalities of the game. I just question his judgement when it comes to evaluating prospects. Brown does look like a NFL linebacker. If we got him and Melvin Ingram or Vinny Curry. I could live with that.I see Curry as an eventual replacement for A. Carter. Still would like a strongside de that's more athletic than Shaun Ellis. If Crick falls to the middle of the 2nd, he could be that type of player. I don't think he's strong enough at the point of attack to be a 3-4 de. But, a strong-side de in a 4-3 could be his niche. Safety at the end of round 2. I want to see more of this M. Martin kid from OSU. A lot of people are high on him.

1a Zach Brown - olb in base 4-3
1b Vinny Curry - de/olb in our nickel
2a Jared Crick - LDE in a 4-3
2b Markelle Martin - S - Ok ST
3 Ben Jones - C - Georgia

I think we go to more 3-4. But, I'm not crazy about the 3-4 de's. The really big boys don't look athletic enough to me. Since we'll already have Vince and Albert. Don't want another 350lb dl.

 

[Defsoul]

This National Football Post is losing a bit of respect in my eyes. They have Manti Te'o in their top 32 prospects listed as an OLB and he's clearly an ILB. They also don't have him listed at all when you sort by OLB or ILB prospects.

He's not listed in their big board and not in the position rankings, because he's an underclassman. It's seniors only. He is part of the Mock Draft though just like Luck, Barkley, Kalil and many other underclassmen.

 

[RJB87]

He's not listed in their big board and not in the position rankings, because he's an underclassman. It's seniors only. He is part of the Mock Draft though just like Luck, Barkley, Kalil and many other underclassmen.

Ah, that makes sense.

 

[Sciz]

The problem that I have with Brown is that the only position he can really play is Mayo's, unless the pats are going to draft him in the mid-1st to use him as a special teamer and subpackage linebacker. He's not taking Ninkovich's spot as a 4-3 OLB, and he sure isn't playing 3-4 OLB.

 

[NePatriots]

The problem that I have with Brown is that the only position he can really play is Mayo's, unless the pats are going to draft him in the mid-1st to use him as a special teamer and subpackage linebacker. He's not taking Ninkovich's spot as a 4-3 OLB, and he sure isn't playing 3-4 OLB.

Yep, Brown is a Will all the way. At best in a Tampa-2.

No spot at all in a base 3-4.

 

[RJB87]

Mayo can play the Will or Mike in the 4-3. If Spikes doesn't workout I could see Mayo playing the Mike. Mayo played the mike earlier in the season when Spikes was non-existent.

If we play more of a 3-4, however, then Zach Brown is useless. Everyone hates me for saying this but I'd be all for using one of our top 2 picks on an ILB if we are truly going to play more 3-4 next year and on. The only way I don't like this is if Mayo gets better in coverage (I'm talking elite LB level) and Spikes keeps improving. If Manti Te'o is still on the board with our 1st pick there's no way you can't take that guy. He fits in every system. Talk about versatility. Down side is I've heard he is considering not coming out this year

As far as OLB prospects the only one I like and think BB is even likely to draft is Bruce Irvin. I doubt he's there though. He has the height and wingspan that BB loves. Plus it doesn't get much easier than drafting a 3-4 OLB from a school that already uses the 3-4. Although, we did pass on Clint Sintim a couple years back and he came from a 3-4 school.

 

[Defsoul]

As far as OLB prospects the only one I like and think BB is even likely to draft is Bruce Irvin. I doubt he's there though. He has the height and wingspan that BB loves. Plus it doesn't get much easier than drafting a 3-4 OLB from a school that already uses the 3-4. Although, we did pass on Clint Sintim a couple years back and he came from a 3-4 school.

WVU is playing a 3-3-5 defense and Irvin is a defensive end in their scheme. He was a glorified pass rush specialist last year, getting almost all of his snaps on passing downs. This year WVU is trying to use him more as a three down end. His sack numbers are down from last year, but I read that he is playing more well-rounded. His size is far from ideal. NFL Draft Scout has him listed at 6-2 1/4 and 245 lbs.

 

[RJB87]

Interesting. In the links you provided he's listed at 6'3" 255.

 

[Off The Grid]

Yeah, Irvin is a Force, but he's pretty much the OPPOSITE of the kind of "OLB" that Coach Bill targets.