Official Draft Thread
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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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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.
Al loves those stretch the field WRs. Maybe he would take Edwards and we could get Crabtree.
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PFW's Nolan Nawrocki has a good writeup on this year's top LB prospects:
LB class might be best in years
Here are a few of the more notable profiles:
Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
6-1 3/4, 250, 4.61
A thickly built, strong, physical, hard-hitting ’backer with the size, instincts and overall athletic ability to line up at any position in a 3-4 or a 4-3 front. Curry’s value in large part stems from his versatility, as few linebackers possess the skill set to be effective at any position in either system. Might not have the overall length desired in a rush linebacker but has been extremely productive playing over the tight end, and his strength at the point of attack and ability to shed blockers is rare. With knuckle-breaking hand strength, he ragdolls blockers and plays a big man’s game with power. The most complete ’backer to come out in a long time, Curry has few deficiencies in his game and easily could fit into the top five. Scouts love his physical skill set.
Rey Maualuga, USC
6-2e, 250e, 4.7e
A true “Mike” linebacker with terrific strength at the point of attack, Maualuga still gets out of position too often and takes some questionable angles. When he has a clean window, he can strike with the authority of a small truck and level ballcarriers. However, he is tight in the hips, does not change direction cleanly and could be restricted on third downs, limiting his overall value. Durability and overall character still need closer examination, and perhaps the biggest question scouts will want answered is whether he can be more than a two-down, “Mike” ’backer in the NFL. A strong tackler with good overall instincts, Maualuga should contribute readily in the pros if he can stay focused.
Clint Sintim, Virginia
6-2 3⁄8, 250, 4.7e
Playing the same position at which Shawne Merriman excelled at Maryland, Sintim has been a force coming off the edge and has the experience rushing the passer to transition easily to the highly desired rush LB spot in a 3-4 front. Leading the nation in sacks from the LB position, Sintim has shown he can stick his hand in the dirt or drop into coverage. Having shed weight and shown better hand use and burst off the edge this season, he plays physically and also could be effective playing inside. However, he’ll warrant the most interest for his pass-rush ability and should fit into the first round.
Mark Herzlich, Boston College (Jr.)
6-4e, 240e, 4.7e
A miniature version of former NFL LB Bill Romanowski, Herzlich is expected to remain in school and could benefit from another year of seasoning. Somewhat mechanical and robotic in his movement, yet athletic enough to make plays to the sideline, “Little Romo” plays smart, with good technique and hand use and gets the most out of his ability. Somewhat similar to Patriots LB Mike Vrabel with the length and power desired to rush the passer, Herzlich could project outside in a 3-4 front. Leading the team in tackles from the SLB position, Herzlich’s motor, intensity and playing demeanor project well to the pro game.
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nfldraftscout's got Sintim projected as a late Round 1/early Round 2 guy.
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Sintim would be a good one but it would be touchy if we wanted to get him at the top of round 2...and it would be way too early to take him in round 1...the kid from BC might be a good option if we go RB or CB in round 1.
I somehow think RB might come in to the mix in round 1. Both Moreno and Wells are going to go near our slot.
The ideal for us is for 1 of the two top backs to be drafted before we pick...a team with their eyes on one might offer up a 2nd for us to drop 4-5 slots and swap positions in round 4.
Lots of options.
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