Official Draft Thread
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I haven't seen a lot of him, but I really don't want Orakpo. It seems like the worst thing a 5 or 6 win team should do is draft a specialist player. Not to mention the fact that every profile of him sounds exactly like Vernon Gholston's (who has 12 tackles, 0 sacks this year).
I think we have to get a true impact player. QB, RB, ILB. Someone who's in just about every play. Obviously the Browns won't be drafting a QB so it's between Maualuga, Curry, and Beanie for me. Yeah, I like Harrison too but our running game is terrible. I also don't like the idea of spending a top 10 pick on an RB in theory, but I just don't think anyone else can make an impact like Beanie could for our offense.
Definitely wouldn't complain about getting one of the stud LBs either. I think my order would be Wells-Curry-Maualuga
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Patrick Willis was a solid backer from Ole' Miss...maybe the top in that draft...nothing specialized about him.
This guy from Texas might be more a tweener type. Maybe too slow for a backer role, maybe a bit small for a true DE role.
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Glad to hear you're coming around, JewDago.
Actually, Patrick Willis is the guy Curry reminds me of. Though Willis may be a little more athletic (4.37 40 at his pro day), Curry's probably got better instincts.
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2008 DICK BUTKUS AWARD WINNER: E.E. Smith High School graduate Aaron Curry has earned one of college football’s most prestigious awards. Curry, a senior at Wake Forest, was informed Tuesday he’s the winner of the 2008 Dick Butkus Award which is awarded annually to the nation’s top linebacker. Butkus, who is both a college and NFL Hall of Fame member, made the announcement in Winston-Salem during a regularly scheduled press conference called to discuss the Deacons postseason bowl game. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Curry led Wake Forest this season in tackles (101) and tackles for loss (15). He also collected 2.5 sacks, broke up three passes, recovered three fumbles and made one interception in helping the Deacons to a 7-5 finish and a berth in the Congressional Bowl on Dec. 20 against Navy. Seven times in 12 games this season Curry paced Wake Forest in tackles, including a career-high 16 stops against rival Duke. The performance had already earned Curry first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. He is also a finalist for the Lott Trophy which goes to the nation’s top defensive player.
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Here's a good article about one of my favorite 3-4 LB prospects, South Carolina junior Eric Norwood.
USC standout named to All-SEC first team after making switch to linebacker
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Norwood is interesting...but I still like Jasper Brinkley from USC better. He is the same size....and before his injury...noted often in the same sentence as Maualuga. He is known as a run stuffer...and expectations are that given another year he will be back at 100%...
He should be able to be drafted in rds 3 or 4...so talk about a steal.
From WalterFootball.com
# Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina
Height: 6-2. Weight: 267.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2009): 5-6.
12/7/08: Jasper Brinkley has 54 tackles, five TFL and 2.5 sacks... not bad for a guy coming off a nasty knee injury.
5/11/08: Jasper Brinkley was a late first, early second-round prospect before suffering a nasty injury during the 2007 season. He has to prove himself all over again this year.
2007: Jasper Brinkley is out for the year with a knee injury. He may apply for a medical redshirt and return to South Carolina in 2008.
A member of the All-SEC First Team, Brinkley is a monstrous linebacker who will be able to play numerous positions on an NFL team because of his impressive size and speed.
I think his numbers at the combine are going to send him up higher than the 5/6 they are calling for him....which is why I am saying 3/4. He is a complete beast.
He was also noted by Todd McShay for having the best HANDS at MLB....which he attributes to the ability to shed blockers and dominate the line of scrimmage.
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Yeah, I like both of SC's linebackers. I wouldn't mind having both of them, but I'd prefer Norwood to Brinkley.
Brinkley's a hard hitter whose inadequacies in coverage probably make him exclusively a 3-4 ILB, kind of like Beau Bell. And like Bell, the combination of poor change of direction & knee problems worries me a bit.
Norwood's a more athletic guy who's proven his versatility, being an All-SEC defensive end and linebacker in their 4-2-5 alignment. Most site have him playing 3-4 OLB in the pro's, but I think his best position may be 3-4 ILB.
He's a poor man's Adalius Thomas, something our LB core could definitely use.
Interesting that McShay would say that about Brinkley. When I watched SC games this year, I was impressed more with how Norwood shed blocks. And nfldraftscout included this in their profile of Brinkley:
Too often looks to slip blocks instead of using his size advantage. Struggles with his hand placement and is slow to disengage.
Like I said, I'd take either one of these guys - Norwood in Round 2 (if he declares), Brinkley in Round 4 (or later). But I definitely think Norwood would be the better 3-4 ILB, and he's probably the only one of the two who could stay on the field all three downs.
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Another thing I like about Norwood: he doesn't let chatting with Erin Andrews get in the way of respecting the alma mater.
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I agree with the flexibility of Norwood...but if we go Curry in round 1....you would basically be taking the same player twice. They are both about 250 and a OLB with the ability to play inside....good coverage....but not really a RUN STUFFING type.
If we go Maualuga in rd 1...then Norwood would be a good compliment...but if we go Curry....I would love to have the big stuffer to go with him.
The comparison between Bell and Brinkley makes some sense....but Bell was never considered a top round guy (Brinkley was bottom rd 1 until his knee, which he has come back from nicely), and Bell is also about 20 lbs lighter than Brinkley.
Anyway, both are very good later prospects. It will be interesting.
I would love to see:
Rd 1: Curry
Rd 2: Chung
Rd 4: Brinkley
Talk about beefing up the defense.
Then, anything we get for DA and/or K2 could be used for the OL/WR/RB slots.
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Not sure I agree with your "RUN STUFFING type" distinction. I think Curry & Norwood are actually very different players, with Curry being more rangy & Norwood more physical.
The common trait between them is ILB-OLB versatility, but their similar weights (Curry: 247, Norwood: 253) actually belie a big physical difference: Curry's about 2" taller. Norwood's actually a lot stouter (physically) than Curry.
Also, I don't think it's right to say that Bell was never considered a Round 1 guy. This is from February of last year:
After dominating the Mountain West Conference, UNLV inside linebacker Beau Bell was characterized as a potential first round pick by some scouts. Before succumbing to a knee sprain at the Senior Bowl, however, Bell's stock had already been injured. Though he's explosive in a straight line, Bell struggled changing directions, meaning he is strictly a two down run defender at the next level, and thus, likely a middle round selection.
And I always worry about picking guys based on the possibility that they'll regain the speed & athleticism that injuries stole from them. The Chargers did that when they drafted Anthony Waters in the 3rd Round of the '07 draft, and so far he has 2 career NFL tackles.
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I think damajuki brought him up before, so I'll note that Notre Dame free safety David Bruton has been invited to the Senior Bowl.
As of now, nfldraftscout projects that Bruton will be taken in Round 5. They compare him to former Buckeye Nate Salley, who's currently a backup for the Carolina Panthers.
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i'm really starting to think that curry's the way we have to go, despite my affinity for mays.
The safety???
If so....he is a good player...8 might be a bit high to get him, but i am big on building both units from the inside out...a stud safety would be welcomed as Jones has never panned out as hoped...I was big on Ed Reed a few years back...and Sean Taylor.
I know this is off on a tangent, but I have always thought Cribbs would make one heck of a free safety. Too bad we have spent 2-3 years with the guy and never found a way for him to impact games on a regular basis...he could still return kicks if we wanted.
In the end, I still think it comes down to the two I mentioned earlier...one of the 2 backers or 2 corners...any of the 4 would be a superb pick.
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How about if we are looking at 2 additional first day picks from trades of Winslow and Anderson, at least an additional #2 and #3 + a few late round picks. I don't think we can get a number one for either one. Winslow because of his knees and Anderson because of his play this year.
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I think Winslow can bring a 3rd...and Anderson and a 4th can bring a 2nd....if we indeed trade DA...a new coach may want to hang on to him....and.....we might get more by paying the bonus and waiting for someone to get hurt in camp...or can trade him without a renegotiated deal since the bonus was paid.....more or less buying a draft pick.....be it the draft after next.
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@ balllpeen: yeah, taylor mays, al davis' new dreamchild. i think he can have a polamolu/taylor/reed-esque career, too, but doubt that we'll get him since oakland's likely to pick before we will. he's got the speed and ferocity that make for a new-generation NFL stud.
and while eight is a bit high for a safety, taylor went five to washington in 2004. one of the reasons we don't think mays should go that high is because he's not being asked to do enough at USC. all they have him do is play center field, and he can do so much more than that if given the chance.
had cribbs played any defense in college, i'd agree. i just don't know if he'd have started too late to make an impact in the NFL. chris gamble played some corner in college after being a wideout, but he's really only coming into his own as a corner now in his career. cribbs is much more of a hitter, though.
however, after thinking about the impact that patrick willis had on san fran's 3-4, i'd be happy with either mays or curry if curry turns out to be a willis-type player, someone who can do pretty much everything, which it looks like he can.
since i'm not the owner, i say buy that draft pick. fine by me. however, i think the most we can get for DA at this point is a four, K2 a second, likely a third, but you have to remember that the saints gave up a second and a fifth for shockey. it's like what happened last year with DTs; once the going rate is established, it's pretty much what teams stick to.
that's the most i can see us getting for winslow; his injury history really hurts his trade value. and i still think we only trade ihm if rucker turns out to be a viable player. otherwise, with heiden likely to hit a severe downslope in his career soon, we'd be without an answer at TE, and that's just one more hole we don't need.
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Too many premium guys and too many needs for Davis to take Mays. If Cleveland wants him over a ILB he will be there.
Might depend on who the new coach is and what scheme. Also, if the new coach decides to resign Jones.
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i'd like to think so, bu crazy al has gone DB at least four times in the first since 2001, and that number may even be six. i did the research before but have no memory.
let's hope he falls in love with michael crabtree.
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i'd like to think so, bu crazy al has gone DB at least four times in the first since 2001, and that number may even be six. i did the research before but have no memory.
let's hope he falls in love with michael crabtree.
i'd like to think so, bu crazy al has gone DB at least four times in the first since 2001, and that number may even be six. i did the research before but have no memory.
let's hope he falls in love with michael crabtree.
I was going to say the same thing....and davis has put a premium on defensive backfield players since way back when...he has even made comments that they are the most important component of a defense...and in some way I agree....and the NFL is starting to agree....corners and safeties regularly go high in the draft where in the past you could get good players in the 2nd-3rd round.
now...if you don't get them by the early 2nd round, you are going with a shot in the dark.
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I think damajuki brought him up before, so I'll note that Notre Dame free safety David Bruton has been invited to the Senior Bowl.
As of now, nfldraftscout projects that Bruton will be taken in Round 5. They compare him to former Buckeye Nate Salley, who's currently a backup for the Carolina Panthers.
Aloysius said:
I think damajuki brought him up before, so I'll note that Notre Dame free safety David Bruton has been invited to the Senior Bowl.As of now, nfldraftscout projects that Bruton will be taken in Round 5. They compare him to former Buckeye Nate Salley, who's currently a backup for the Carolina Panthers.
Good memory, Al. Thanks for the mention though all I really did is ask you pro's what you've heard on him.
He'll be an interesting name to follow. I think he's a bit under the radar because of ND's defensive woes in the past but he and the D were actually decent this year. It was the offense that really failed the D and the team.
I think he may have enough speed to stick in the NFL and he definitely can hit. He's a bigger safety, I believe. Could be someone for us to keep an eye on for a developmental safety on Day Two.
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