Todd McShay Mock

[mayoclinic]

Eric Norwood is the next Tedy Bruschi. A little short, but he can rush from anywhere in the front seven and he makes plays at crunch time.

I've been a fan of Norwood since last year. He's a bit short for a typrical BB OLB, but I agree with your assessment. I see him mainly as an SILB, where he's my #2 prospect after Rolando McClain. I'd be happy to see him picked up in the 2nd round.

 

[mayoclinic]

Scott Wright has come out with a new mock at NFLdraftcountdown, and also gives us Ricky Sapp in the 1st. I don't like it any better.

Draft Countdown - 2010 NFL Mock Draft

 

[Marqui]

and also gives us Ricky Sapp in the 1st.

And he even, ironically, mentions Sapp hasn't amounted to anything in college.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I've been a fan of Norwood since last year. He's a bit short for a typrical BB OLB, but I agree with your assessment. I see him mainly as an SILB, where he's my #2 prospect after Rolando McClain. I'd be happy to see him picked up in the 2nd round.

I noticed him as a freshman while scouting Jasper Brinkley - I thought Brinkley looked like a lump, but Norwood jumped off the screen as a playmaker. If BB is going to flirt more with a 4-3, especially if he's going to play sub-packages as much as he does, Norwood is good for any of the DE/LB slots - size be damned, the kid flat out gets to the ball and makes plays and he's done it in the NCAA's premier NFL-preparatory conference and he's done it while being used at multiple DL & LB positions. He's apparently dropped his weight about 10 lbs since his Freshman and Sophomore seasons to improve his quickness and foot speed for Linebacker. I'm not the only one to compare him to Bruschi: Eric Norwood, , NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

The biggest negative I see is the contention he was allowed to freelance in the SC defensive system, which might lower his value in NE's eyes in terms of his being able to play effectively in a more disciplined defensive scheme. I'll cross that bridge when he's drafted.

 

[mayoclinic]

I noticed him as a freshman while scouting Jasper Brinkley - I thought Brinkley looked like a lump, but Norwood jumped off the screen as a playmaker. If BB is going to flirt more with a 4-3, especially if he's going to play sub-packages as much as he does, Norwood is good for any of the DE/LB slots - size be damned, the kid flat out gets to the ball and makes plays and he's done it in the NCAA's premier NFL-preparatory conference and he's done it while being used at multiple DL & LB positions. He's apparently dropped his weight about 10 lbs since his Freshman and Sophomore seasons to improve his quickness and foot speed for Linebacker. I'm not the only one to compare him to Bruschi: Eric Norwood, , NFL Draft - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

The biggest negative I see is the contention he was allowed to freelance in the SC defensive system, which might lower his value in NE's eyes in terms of his being able to play effectively in a more disciplined defensive scheme. I'll cross that bridge when he's drafted.

I agree with everything you say. I'd been hyping him a lot to get people's attention, then I backed off not so much because of his play but because I saw his lack of height as a potential issue, and because he does freelance a lot more than BB tends to prefer.

If BB is looking for classic 3-4 OLB's then I doubt he will go with Norwood. But if he wants a versatile playmaker who can play 4-3 SAM, 3-4 SILB, and 3-4 OLB in spite of his lack of height, then Norwood's as good a prospect as any.