CHRIS BORLAND.....A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN OPINIONS ON HIM AS AN NFL PROSPECT

[Joemailman]

Pat Kirwan lists Borland among his Top 10 Safe Picks:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/...a-game-manager

Safe picks
The draft process to drawing to a close and there are a number of players I call "safe" -- what you see is what you get and these guys are the whole package. They have talent, technique, work ethic and look like guys who understand how to handle themselves as pros.

I have interviewed well over 100 of the top picks and watched all of them on tape. Here are my top 10 safe picks and there are no quarterbacks in the group:

Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo
Zack Martin OT, Notre Dame
Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
Odell Beckham, WR, LSU
Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford
Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin
Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt
Tre Mason, RB, Auburn

[vince]

Borland's a player, but Hodge was a step slow getting to the sideline and Borland is a half-step slower than Hodge. 4.8 40 speed ain't gonna get it done at MLB these days. Convert him to H-back and maybe he can plow some holes on 3rd and short and score a couple TDs before he's done.

[Fritz]

Vince! Good to see ya!

Just say no to the slow linebacker. For all the bitching about AJ Hawk's (lack of) coverage abilities, I can't believe people want Borland.

[mraynrand]

Vince! Good to see ya!

Just say no to the slow linebacker. For all the bitching about AJ Hawk's (lack of) coverage abilities, I can't believe people want Borland.

Borland is a poor man's Abdul Hodge

[Bretsky]

I am a Badger homer, and for the record....I'd just like to say you guys are wrong )

[ThunderDan]

Borland is a poor man's Abdul Hodge

No, Abdul had knee issues on both his knees coming into the NFL. That is what limited and ended his career if I remember correctly. Borland doesn't have arthritis in the knees. He will play and play well in the NFL. I don't think he makes Pro Bowls but I could see him as a starter for 4-5 years before his body wares out.

[pbmax]

No, Abdul had knee issues on both his knees coming into the NFL. That is what limited and ended his career if I remember correctly. Borland doesn't have arthritis in the knees. He will play and play well in the NFL. I don't think he makes Pro Bowls but I could see him as a starter for 4-5 years before his body wares out.

Did Hodge have that in college or after he was drafted?

[mraynrand]

No, Abdul had knee issues on both his knees coming into the NFL. That is what limited and ended his career if I remember correctly. Borland doesn't have arthritis in the knees. He will play and play well in the NFL. I don't think he makes Pro Bowls but I could see him as a starter for 4-5 years before his body wares out.

Borland is slower than Hodge, arthritic knees and all (4.81 to 4.78). Maybe a great effort guy, but you can do a lot better. Great rookie FA material.

[ThunderDan]

No, Abdul had knee issues on both his knees coming into the NFL. That is what limited and ended his career if I remember correctly. Borland doesn't have arthritis in the knees. He will play and play well in the NFL. I don't think he makes Pro Bowls but I could see him as a starter for 4-5 years before his body wares out.

So far so good.

[vince]

Thanks Fritz. You too. These homers are too much to handle sometimes...

[Fritz]

I believe, if by "homers" you mean TT supporters, that I fall into that category...

If you mean UW supporters, though, I think I'm safe.

Either way, I'd prefer speed to Borland. This Shazier seems intriguing to me - I'd prefer him to Clinton-Dix in round one, if both are available.

I think it'll come down to a WR, Shazier, Prior, or Nix all available in round one, and a bunch of us screaming no matter what Ted does. Unless he trades down three spots and picks up an extra fourth, then nabs whoever's left from that group. That'd probably get applause from most.

[vince]

Yeah I was (jokingly) referring to the Badger homers in this thread...

I'd love to see Shazier, Ebron, Beckham or Brooks or one of the touted corners fall to us.

I think the combination of Hyde, Richardson and a guy like Ward or Brooks would make a good safety team to include with Burnett.

[Fritz]

Well, sometimes they have a point. There have been a few Badgers that have worked out pretty well in the NFL.

But Ted has hot pants for Hawkeyes.

[vince]

Speaking of that, I'd love to see Teddy steal Hawkeye Christian Kirksey in the mid-late rounds. He's a little light in the shorts but fast and a very athletic player. Seems like Teddy's kinda guy who can add strength and develop into a real player.

Strengths Agile and athletic. Flows to the ball when he has a clear path. Experience in space and over the slot. Has terrific personal and football character, including leadership traits. Two-time captain. Was a 21-year-old senior. Ran extremely well at his pro-day workout, recording superb sub-4.6-second 40-times and a 36-inch vertical jump.

Weaknesses Undersized -- lacks ideal length and bulk. Looks like a safety at first glance. Outmuscled at the point of attack -- gets stuck on blocks and covered up. Average eyes and instincts. Needs to be schemed free as a blitzer. Not a playmaker -- just 3.5 sacks and 9.5 TFL in three seasons. Bench-pressed 225 pounds just 16 times, second-fewest among linebackers at the combine.

[Joemailman]

I'm not a Badger homer either, but every list I've looked at has Borland as a Round 2-3 prospect. We'll see if GM's agree. A guy doesn't need a ton of speed to play ILB in a 3-4 if he has instincts. Desmond Bishop didn't have good timed speed either. By the way, when I said I'd be okay with taking Borland in the 2nd, I didn't mean I think that's what TT should do. I just wouldn't be pulling my hair out.

[pbmax]

I'm not a Badger homer either, but every list I've looked at has Borland as a Round 2-3 prospect. We'll see if GM's agree. A guy doesn't need a ton of speed to play ILB in a 3-4 if he has instincts. Desmond Bishop didn't have good timed speed either. By the way, when I said I'd be okay with taking Borland in the 2nd, I didn't mean I think that's what TT should do. I just wouldn't be pulling my hair out.

You gotta believe that 40 time is garbage then for the second round.

[mission]

I wouldn't want to see Borland in the second, but I definitely like him. Third or fourth would be much better value IMO.

[vince]

I'm sure there are plenty of guys who project him higher but here's the first link from my google search...

http://www.csnchicago.com/bears/nfl-...-chris-borland

Chris Borland (ILB), Wisconsin

5'11" | 248 lbs.

2013 stats:

111 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4 sacks, FF

Projection:

4th/5th Round

What the scouts are saying:

"Short, active, athletic, instinctive tackling machine who will have to overcome physical limitations to establish himself as a dependable, long-term starter, though he has immediate special-teams ability and the makeup to push for a more prominent role." (Nolan Nawrocki, NFL.com)

"The highly instinctive, physical (and productive) Borland certainly looks like a candidate for this year's Rang's Gang, which highlights a group of prospects who may not possess the ideal size or athleticism, but are terrific football players. His lack of NFL size and arm length will be tough to overlook for scouts, but he is a heady player who doesn't make many mistakes and has the productive resume that should get him drafted sometime on the draft's third day." (Rob Rang, CBSSports.com)

"Almost all of Borland's weaknesses can be traced back to his small size and short arms. So although he was highly productive for Wisconsin becoming the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, his lack of NFL size will be tough for teams to overlook. Nonetheless, Borland's college production, football smarts and gritty high motor will certainly be enough for scouts to entertain the thought of him during the end of Day 2 of the draft. There are rumors Borland's size will push him into the fourth round, which would be tremendous value for any team in need of depth at the linebacker position as he could eventually turn into a three-down starter with the proper coaching." (Luke Inman, eDraft)

[vince]

Iowa rarely blitzed Kirksey, who played over the slot receivers a ton at WLB. Borland obviously played a different position but it's strange how his 8.5 tfl and 4 sacks make him a great player but Kirksey's 9.5 tfl and 3.5 sacks are evidence of a lack of playmaking ability... Kirksey was a playmaker at Iowa despite what his bio states...

[wist43]

6th round pick maybe... he's just too limited.