If you're talking about 5-technique defensive ends playing in the 3-4 defense, I would say there are two: Justin Smith and J.J. Watt, with Calais Campbell possibly getting there in a year or two. Being a DE in a 3-4 and making an impact in addition to executing your assigned responsibilities is pretty tough.Originally Posted by Bretsky
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Completely agree; that's why if that OLB is there you grab him and fill the DE the next two rounds
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
Odds are, the OLB will be the better player at this point in the draft. I know everyone talks about how much DE's don't matter in this defense, but boy, I tend to disagree with that. Maybe on 3rd down they're not as big of a deal, but on 1st and 2nd. . . . star DL get you to 3rd and long. Star OLB's finish it off. And it's not like star DL can't get after the passer too, especially on 3rd down when they can pin their ears back and shoot a gap.
To me, a great OLB makes splash plays throughout a game. A star DL consistently disrupts the offense. Star DL are so rare. You have to take them first. Problem is, everyone else probably already did. It's a rule in the NFL, you take the big guys when you can. I don't care what defense you play, if you have a monster on your DL, whether it be nose, 3-tech, 5 tech or 6/7. . . it means more than an OLB.
Put Suh as our DE and I'll bet we're better off than plugging a star OLB into our defense.
The great ones hold their gap responsibility and once they read pass, they can shove the OL straight back into the QB's lap or shed the block and make a play. The great ones are just more man than the guy across from them. On 1st down, the DL mean more. On 2nd down, the DL mean more, and on 3rd down, if that same DL can get after it, he can mean just as much as the OLB.
DL play seems greatly underappreciated here IM humble O. It's like every down is 3rd down in our minds and every DL is incapable of destroying a QB on 3rd down.
Last edited by RashanGary; 04-14-2012 at 12:06 AM.
I agree that a star 5-tech is a big deal, the thing is? You're not going to find one of those ready-made at #28. Justin Smith went 4th overall, J.J. Watt went 11th overall, Tyson Jackson who was supposed to be that guy (but isn't, at least not yet) went #3rd overall. You can bring one along over time, Calais Campbell is becoming elite-ish, but this is his fifth year in the league. If you want to look at what a 5-tech we draft this year would do for the defense, look at Cameron Heyward in Pittsburgh or Wilkerson in New York from last year (and that was a better 5-tech class at the top than this is.)
Even if we were to land an elite 5-tech prospect this year (which is pretty much limited to Cox or Brockers) you're not going to get that high end play from them this year, and I don't know about you, but I think we can win the Super Bowl this year if things break right. I think a solid OLB who can play right away does more to help the defense on the short term, and you can grow 5-techs with time and effort. So I would personally prefer to take a safe, ready OLB with upside in the first (Branch or McClellin) then throw a hundred thousand picks at 5-tech picks later in the draft (Give me Wolfe in the third, Akiem Hicks in the Fourth, and Markus Kuhn in the 7th) hoping to grow a Brett Keisel type prospect.
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As far as the DL that are being considered at our spot, unless there is some guy who's off the radar that I haven't seen, I watched those guys play and they look like a bunch of slugs.
I'm with you, Lurker. We're going to have projects and junk to choose from. OLB is clearly the more likely position where we can make an impact.
But take nothing away from those DL. The monsters inside are the most important pieces you can get, bar none. You just aren't going to get them without a high pick or some serious friggin luck. Even with the high pick, you need some serious luck. They're just rare. That's all there is to it.
Formerly known as JustinHarrell.
How big is McClellin? As far as I was aware, I thought the other OLB needed to be the big, dominant run-stuffer who didn't need to be quite as agile as Clay.
No longer the member of any fan clubs. I'm tired of jinxing players out of the league and into obscurity.
I edited the information in notepad to include tabs, then pasted in between [code] brackets.
No longer the member of any fan clubs. I'm tired of jinxing players out of the league and into obscurity.
FWIW, I do think that Akiem Hicks could become a monster DE for us, with some seasoning. If you look at the physical tools he's better than Brockers (he certainly was when they were both at LSU) it's just that he had to play in Canada since he was ruled ineligible due to recruiting violations. Give the kid a year or two and some good coaching and you've got a good one on your hands.
Brockers is 6050 322 with 35" arms, 19 bench reps, 5.36 40, jumped 30" and 98"
Hicks is 6045 318 with 35 1/8" arms, 26 reps, 5.23 40, jumped 31 1/2" and 108" .
One of those two guys is going to go in the top 20 on the basis of mediocre tape and upside. It's not the Canadian.
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Man the more film I watch of Branch the less I feel he's a safe pick. He looks stiff in the hips and a straight line pass rusher. He doesn't seem to change directions too well. McClellin seems to be safe, steady, and Aaron Kampmen like Tenacious. I saw you liked him more than Brooks Reed..I know you were not a fan of my Smash Mouth Texan
but
If he's better than Reed
You draft him at 28
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
I was pounding the table last year
I'd still pound the Table
OF COURSE you'd trade pick 28 for Brooks Reed
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
The big difference? Reed is crazy, while McClellin is smart. Kid played everywhere on that BSU defense, and he never took himself out of a play. I also think he's more loose on his feet, he's played in space a lot in college.
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That is an interesting but accurate comparison IMO
In Brooks Reed, I saw a combo of the personalities of Clay Matthews and Odell Smash Mouth Thurman....who clearly would have been a great player if not for the lack of a brain
In McClellin I see Aaron Kampmen with more talent
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
There are always one or 2 teams that draft some guy from way out in left field leaving the pundits scratching their heads so there is a chance a good pass rusher will fall on the first day.
No one else concerned with his 19 bench reps?
cough cough Nick Perry
not in a 3-4 IMO
LIFE IS ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIPS; I JUST REALIZED THIS. The MILWAUKEE BUCKS have won the same number of championships over the past 50 years as the Green Bay Packers. Ten years from now, who will have more championships, and who will be the fart in the wind ?
Why is that? and why would Shea McClellin fit in a 3-4?
You can Go Advanced when you reply or just punch in [code]all the stats you want[/code} around the chart and you are good. Only that last bracket to close the code code should be a closing square bracket, not curly.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
McClellin has played both DE and OLB in a hybrid 4-3/3-4 setup at Boise, much like Clay Matthews did at USC. (I'm not saying he's as good as Matthews). Perry hasn't done that and fared fairly poorly in both the cone and shuttle drills at the Combine. Many people seem him as a better 4-3 DE prospect than a 3-4 OLB prospect.
I'm sorry but with the level of competition this guy played against last season he should have had more than 7 sacks especially with the talent he was surrounded with at Boise State. If we trade down to the 2nd round and pick him I wouldn't mind but this guy is just not worth a 1st round pick IMHO. Perry on the other hand has been compared to Steelers OLB Lamar Woodley and has put up better combine numbers than DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. He was also the Pac-10 defensive player of the year with 9.5 sacks. I know McClellin is this years fan favorite like Brooks Reed last year but the simple fact of the matter they are nothing alike.
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