Why all the Barwin love?

[BelichickFan]

I hear what you're saying and honestly think that we're more in agreement than we are disagreement. I just like Connor Barwin the football player, not as any particular draft pick. I also like Larry English, Louis Delmas, William Beatty, Tyson Jackson, Darius Butler, Jason Phillips, Ron Brace (coached him when I was helping out during my highschool's camp...solid kid), Juaquin Iglesias, Cornelius Ingram and Pat White. I would love the Pats to get any of those players at any stage in the draft. I have no bloody clue what the Patriots are going to do, I just like the players I like and to play amateur hour projection boy. Whomever the Patriots do take, I'm sure I will promptly put my foot in my mouth, take my lumps on here like a man and root for the guy like any true fanboy should.

I like just about everyone on your list. Including Barwin. Just not at #23. In the first round, floor is more important to me than ceiling. You have to come away with a serviceable player - like Meriweather, I don't see him becoming a pro bowl safety but he's a solid, decent contributor and I would take that over risking a total bust for some upside - although I do realize that Barwin's special teams ability and the fact that he could be a backup TE raises his overall floor.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I like just about everyone on your list. Including Barwin. Just not at #23. In the first round, floor is more important to me than ceiling. You have to come away with a serviceable player - like Meriweather, I don't see him becoming a pro bowl safety but he's a solid, decent contributor and I would take that over risking a total bust for some upside - although I do realize that Barwin's special teams ability and the fact that he could be a backup TE raises his overall floor.

I see Meriweather eventually becoming more than solid. Barring injury he could be a future all pro. I hope BB keeps him closer to the box, he made some nice plays last season.

 

[mayoclinic]

I see Meriweather eventually becoming more than solid. Barring injury he could be a future all pro. I hope BB keeps him closer to the box, he made some nice plays last season.

I see him potentially being an all pro too. My only concern with him being closer to the box is whether his frame can stand up to the pounding. He has nice range and his hands are getting better, so I wouldn't mind to see him mix it up a bit, especially if we can pair him with someone appropriate. Sanders is a solid rotational guy, but not the ideal starter opposite Meriweather.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I see him potentially being an all pro too. My only concern with him being closer to the box is whether his frame can stand up to the pounding. He has nice range and his hands are getting better, so I wouldn't mind to see him mix it up a bit, especially if we can pair him with someone appropriate. Sanders is a solid rotational guy, but not the ideal starter opposite Meriweather.

Yeah I agree on Sanders, he doesn't make a lot of plays, but BB seems to love the guy. He took a pay cut to stay, shows some loyalty.

I am not worried about Meriweather's size. I think Woicik will thicken him up and make him a sturdier player.

 

[jays52]

Yeah I agree on Sanders, he doesn't make a lot of plays, but BB seems to love the guy. He took a pay cut to stay, shows some loyalty.

I am not worried about Meriweather's size. I think Woicik will thicken him up and make him a sturdier player.

Do you think it's a form thing as well with Meriweather? From my eyes he doesn't seem to drive after the initial pop.

 

[BelichickFan]

I see Meriweather eventually becoming more than solid. Barring injury he could be a future all pro. I hope BB keeps him closer to the box, he made some nice plays last season.

I see him potentially being an all pro too. My only concern with him being closer to the box is whether his frame can stand up to the pounding.

I hope you guys are right but I don't see the burst to be a premium pass defender nor the thud behind his hits to be a big hitter.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I hope you guys are right but I don't see the burst to be a premium pass defender nor the thud behind his hits to be a big hitter.

I doubt he will ever be a premium pass defender in the Ed Reed mode, but then again Polumolu is not agreat pass defender either. Meriweather's contribution will be in big plays and a solid overall game.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

Dude, have you seen my sig? That's really all you need to know...unless you swing that way...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Barwin presents a true football player. High motor, tremendous footwork and hand placement. He takes natural angles, understands how lanes change during the passing game and has a true nose for the football. He seems to be fairly bright. He will be a beast in the kicking game immediately and likely a solid contributor situationally on offense while he learns the position. Further he is the only candidate for the transition whom we know for a fact is adept at playing in space and cutting/planting. Combine this with Lawrence Taylor type athleticism and you begin to understand the Barwin love. Last, and not to sound like a ****, but from the reading I have done on this forum, one's rating of Barwin is directly proportional to their football knowledge.

I have not read the rest of this thread but this post bang on. One of the best post I have seen so far on this site. The fact we have a thread about this is weird as if anyone cannot perform a search.

Again great post just watch film on this kid please then comment

Time to read the rest of this thread and I bet I will have more to say I have had a few drinks tonight, hump day was rough

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

I like just about everyone on your list. Including Barwin. Just not at #23. In the first round, floor is more important to me than ceiling. You have to come away with a serviceable player - like Meriweather, I don't see him becoming a pro bowl safety but he's a solid, decent contributor and I would take that over risking a total bust for some upside - although I do realize that Barwin's special teams ability and the fact that he could be a backup TE raises his overall floor.

I really think that if we get Barwin at #34 that we should put him right away at OLB. He has been able to pick up new positions well, not just moving from DT or End or Guard to OT he made the move to the other side of the ball and excelled. Now I realize that he will take some time I think with this kid his learning curve will be shorter then many realize and will be ready to contribute by Week 6 or 7 IMO. I really was sold on this kid after this senior bowl week even though he started out at TE. He really wants to move to OLB and wants to excel and I think the Pats would be best suited to put him at OLB and let him learn and excel.

While he could contribute at TE would not really be an issue this year as we have four but at OLB we have a huge need. If we were looking for a Barwin type on Offence we should take James Casey who is also a very versatile player. Barwin has the same one year production as Maybin but I am not sure of you thoughts on him but I see similarities between these two on film at times. Maybin is though to be a top 15 pick and who knows in three years Maybin may be the best defensive player in this draft not Ayers but I like All three of these guys.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

I see him potentially being an all pro too. My only concern with him being closer to the box is whether his frame can stand up to the pounding. He has nice range and his hands are getting better, so I wouldn't mind to see him mix it up a bit, especially if we can pair him with someone appropriate. Sanders is a solid rotational guy, but not the ideal starter opposite Meriweather.

This is what worries me about taking Dalmus in this draft although I love this kid. I am starting to think that Will Moore, Patrick Chung, Chip Vaughn, Michael Hamlin or David Bruton would be a better fit with our two 200lbs safetys. The thing about Palomalu and Bob Sanders is that they are so compact and muscular but Dalmus and Smith need to bulk up IMO. Just a though on where we may go at safety.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

Do you think it's a form thing as well with Meriweather? From my eyes he doesn't seem to drive after the initial pop.

I totally agree!! I really think that as he has become comfortable with the system he is becoming the player you are describing. I really think next year he is going to have a great year and hope he is putting the time in this off season to make that happen.

 

[greerre]

Watching that highlight video, to me, it looks like barwin's plays were a product of who he was playing against. He will not be pushing NFL OTs 7 yards backwards, nor will he get around them that quickly. My point being, that is not a good video to watch of barwin. I would be very happy if we drafted him anytime in the second round.

Something to add about "why everyone loves barwin" that hasent been said:

A major problem with college DE/OLB hybrids is that, in college, they play pass rushing DE. You never get to see them play the OLBer roll. Because every undersized college speed DE is labeled a linebacker in the NFL, hybrid players are considered high-risk, high-reward type of players, as many do not pan out. Bringing it back to barwin... given his time at TE, i think he will be very good as an OLB in coverage. No one really talks about this, but someone who has played TE will be better at covering one than someone who has not (all other things equal)

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Watching that highlight video, to me, it looks like barwin's plays were a product of who he was playing against. He will not be pushing NFL OTs 7 yards backwards, nor will he get around them that quickly. My point being, that is not a good video to watch of barwin. I would be very happy if we drafted him anytime in the second round.

Something to add about "why everyone loves barwin" that hasent been said:

A major problem with college DE/OLB hybrids is that, in college, they play pass rushing DE. You never get to see them play the OLBer roll. Because every undersized college speed DE is labeled a linebacker in the NFL, hybrid players are considered high-risk, high-reward type of players, as many do not pan out. Bringing it back to barwin... given his time at TE, i think he will be very good as an OLB in coverage. No one really talks about this, but someone who has played TE will be better at covering one than someone who has not (all other things equal)

And another thing that hasn't been brought up in this thread is the fact that he also played two years of Big East basketball, which could only help those same coverage skills. It also demonstrates his unwillingness to back down from challenges: he walked on to the basketball team because the coach asked him (and a couple of other football players with BB experience) to do it because they needed help.

 

[JoeShmoe]

We'll see when he gets drafted if the team FO's have the same opinion

No doubt in my mind of the upside and the character but he IS a high risk-high reward type of player and for that reason I don't think he goes until mid-late second when there are a lot of solid other players however with lower upsides

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We'll see when he gets drafted if the team FO's have the same opinion

No doubt in my mind of the upside and the character but he IS a high risk-high reward type of player and for that reason I don't think he goes until mid-late second when there are a lot of solid other players however with lower upsides

Well, I think that was one of the reasons they've spent so much time with him: they're not just trying to figure out his ceiling, they're also trying to judge where his floor is. And if that floor is, say, Benjamin Watson as a TE, then even #23 could be in play. [We can be fairly sure, however, that whatever young Shane Waldron learned about Barwin was not a turn-off, since that well preceded Barwin's visit to Foxboro.]