OFFICIAL 2015 NFL DRAFT THREAD

[Carolina_Packer]

McKinney had a pretty pedestrian combine. Curry was a combine wonder. McKinney looks athletically limited to me, but I like his instincts. In short, the exact opposite situation as Curry, from my perspective. And, no, I don't want McKinney at 30.

I was just curious who you were referencing above.

[QBME]

I was just curious who you were referencing above.

Aaron Curry. Big time bust.

[red]

I was just curious who you were referencing above.

aaron curry

#4 overall pick in the 2009 draft. he only lasted 4 years in the league

some "experts" are comparing McKinney to Curry

[red]

McKinney had a pretty pedestrian combine. Curry was a combine wonder. McKinney looks athletically limited to me, but I like his instincts. In short, the exact opposite situation as Curry, from my perspective. And, no, I don't want McKinney at 30.

i don't know about that. curry was the butkus award winner his last year and was a first team all american

his combine numbers were

40- 4.56
25 reps
37 inch vert
124 inch broad
7.15 3 cone
4.51 - 20 yard shuttle


mckinney had

4.66 - 40
16 reps (really just 16?)
40.5 inch vert
121 inch broad
7.21 - 3 cone
4.27 - 20 yard shuttle

hard to call either one a workout wonder i guess

[red]

i wouldn't want either one in the 1st but i also don't think either one will last until our second round pick. so we either need to reach or trade down, and like i mentioned earlier, if it is true that some teams and scouts only think there are 20 or so first round talents, then trading back might be a hard thing to do

[smuggler]

Huh... McKinney tested better than I thought he would/could... I half retract my statements.

[Bretsky]

I really like McKinney as well............so with Wist and I agreeing...he might be shot

We need to bring a lil nasty back to this defense IMO

[wist43]

I think the main difference between McKinney and Anthony is athleticism in terms of being able to turn and run, i.e. Anthony is stiff in the hips, and doesn't change direction as smoothly as McKinney.

Maybe that doesn't show up in the cone drill, and the shuttle, but it is certainly evident in how they look on the field. Anthony did manage to make some plays in coverage in college, but the NFL is a different animal - all other things being equal, each get some good coaching, and each work hard in the strength and conditioning programs they're in - I think McKinney has more upside.

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As I said earlier, the guy I'm really intrigued by is Mauldin. I really could see him stepping in and being an effective role player this year, and replacing Peppers in '16. I've read some of the reports on him that knock his athleticism, but anyone who can back flip like that, and can bend the corner the way he can - that's plenty enough evidence of being a good athlete. I don't see him being stiff at all for a guy his size.

CBSSportsline has him as the 90th ranked player - which would put him in the 3rd round, but I could definitely see him going in the 2nd; and given that we pick at the end of the round - I"d take him in the 2nd round. Don't think he'll be there for sure by our pick in the 3rd - might not be there at our pick in the 2nd??

[red]

I think the main difference between McKinney and Anthony is athleticism in terms of being able to turn and run, i.e. Anthony is stiff in the hips, and doesn't change direction as smoothly as McKinney.

Maybe that doesn't show up in the cone drill, and the shuttle, but it is certainly evident in how they look on the field. Anthony did manage to make some plays in coverage in college, but the NFL is a different animal - all other things being equal, each get some good coaching, and each work hard in the strength and conditioning programs they're in - I think McKinney has more upside.

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As I said earlier, the guy I'm really intrigued by is Mauldin. I really could see him stepping in and being an effective role player this year, and replacing Peppers in '16. I've read some of the reports on him that knock his athleticism, but anyone who can back flip like that, and can bend the corner the way he can - that's plenty enough evidence of being a good athlete. I don't see him being stiff at all for a guy his size.

CBSSportsline has him as the 90th ranked player - which would put him in the 3rd round, but I could definitely see him going in the 2nd; and given that we pick at the end of the round - I"d take him in the 2nd round. Don't think he'll be there for sure by our pick in the 3rd - might not be there at our pick in the 2nd??

see, i see the exact opposite. mckinney looks like a robot to me. and it seems like me and vince aren't alone on this one

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/profil...ney?id=2552490

WEAKNESSES Plays high and is lacking suddenness. High center of gravity causes clunky change of direction in space. Foot quickness in tight quarters is below average and limiting. Instincts against run are there, but tends to fight his feet and marginal agility. Has trouble clearing the trash near his feet and labors against cut blocks, losing lateral momentum. Potential liability against the pass. Looks stiff when asked to cover in space and gives away too much separation to routes in his area in zone coverage.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...drick-mckinney

WEAKNESSES: Limited hand technique. Attempts to slip past blockers, rather than showing the aggression and strength to truly stack and shed. Not a sudden mover. Lacks ideal range. While intelligent, he can be late to recognize plays and ends up a step late to the action. Slow to recover from missteps. Loses sight of the quarterback to turn and run with receivers.

Compares To: Aaron Curry, retired: Like the No. 4 overall pick in 2009, McKinney possesses remarkable size, explosiveness and general athleticism. There are concerns about McKinney's awareness, especially in coverage. He's athletic enough to project to any linebacker role but may never become a star.

[Carolina_Packer]

Per a Seattle Post Intelligencer article from May 2013 with a snippet quoting Aaron Curry, who at the time of the article was trying to catch on with the Giants:

Now Curry is hoping to find a home with the New York Giants, who signed him to a one-year deal earlier this month. And that’s why he recently spoke with The New York Times about his hopes to revive his bust of an NFL career.

“I knew I could do it,” Curry told the NYT’s Tom Pedulla of his first chance with the Seahawks. “I knew I would do it. At the time, I wasn’t motivated to do it. Football wasn’t my top priority, to be honest.”

“I think earlier in my career I was real selfish and self-centered,” he added. “I was more about me than the Seahawks.”

Thank goodness for the rookie wage scale. This joker got $34 mil. guaranteed. Hopefully none of the Packers targets are like this.

[wist43]

Per a Seattle Post Intelligencer article from May 2013 with a snippet quoting Aaron Curry, who at the time of the article was trying to catch on with the Giants:

Now Curry is hoping to find a home with the New York Giants, who signed him to a one-year deal earlier this month. And that’s why he recently spoke with The New York Times about his hopes to revive his bust of an NFL career.

“I knew I could do it,” Curry told the NYT’s Tom Pedulla of his first chance with the Seahawks. “I knew I would do it. At the time, I wasn’t motivated to do it. Football wasn’t my top priority, to be honest.”

“I think earlier in my career I was real selfish and self-centered,” he added. “I was more about me than the Seahawks.”

Thank goodness for the rookie wage scale. This joker got $34 mil. guaranteed. Hopefully none of the Packers targets are like this.

This is why the "character" issue is so important... and something we as fans really can't have a handle on. We can't sit across from them and determine if they are actually just a con man looking to get paid, and then mail it in.

[smuggler]

There were reports that Curry had shit for instincts and that he was not able to properly digest a playbook. He was gifted physically, but his problems were from the neck up. (traditional) Linebackers, safeties, and quarterbacks are very neck-up positions, relative to the rest of players. Obviously, you need the tools, but you also need to be able to use them.

[vince]

I'm strongly with Red and Harvey on McKinney. Watching the game cutups that Red posted, McKinney has heavy feet. He's reliable in the middle of the field where he can bounce off a block using his arm length (though his strength to disengage is a concern at the next level) and doesn't have to change direction to make a tackle but is pretty easily juked in space because he struggles to break down with balance and control since he runs with bigger, more lunging strides.

His combine numbers back up what's on tape. That's a backer who may be OK as a blitzer when there's a statue standing back in the pocket and who will play well between the tackles holding runners to short gains. But that's not an impact linebacker on the field IMO. Not the kind of sideline to sideline playmaker this defense needs. Anyone with moves is going to separate from him quickly.

[wist43]

I'm strongly with Red and Harvey on McKinney. Watching the game cutups that Red posted, McKinney has heavy feet. He's reliable in the middle of the field where he can bounce off a block using his arm length (though his strength to disengage is a concern at the next level) and doesn't have to change direction to make a tackle but is pretty easily juked in space because he struggles to break down with balance and control since he runs with bigger, more lunging strides.

His combine numbers back up what's on tape. That's a backer who may be OK as a blitzer when there's a statue standing back in the pocket and who will play well between the tackles holding runners to short gains. But that's not an impact linebacker on the field IMO. Not the kind of sideline to sideline playmaker this defense needs. Anyone with moves is going to separate from him quickly.

Heavy feet??

Good grief what are you guys looking at??

If anything, he is the closest thing to a potential Urlacher type player in the draft... I certainly wouldn't put him in Urlacher's class, but he's got outstanding sideline to sideline ability. As of now he might not be the best ILB in the draft, but he has the most upside b/c of his size/speed/athletic ability.

Some people think McKinney is a bit of tease b/c everyone thinks he should be making more plays b/c of all that ability - and I'd agree with that; but, I think you muscle him up, and coach him up, he has the ability to be the best ILB in this class.

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As for some of the other guys in this class... I like a lot of them. I like Anthony and Perryman next behind McKinney. Then Hendricks... don't like Dawson at all.

Dawson was productive in college, but good God did he perform poorly in workouts. Think Hendricks is maxed out ala AJ Hawk when he came out... think Hendricks is better than Hawk though.

Further down, I liked Hager... just wish he was bigger. Has great instincts and ran well though.

[mraynrand]

Mckinney is a lumbering stiff. It looks like he is going through an extensive decision tree every time he changes speed. Observer, reactor, not playmaker.

[wist43]

I agree that McKinney is slow to react at times... I've read some reports that say he has good instincts, but from what I've seen I don't agree with that.

The thing with McKinney is that any team that drafts him has to think they can coach him beyond the hesitation he shows on film sometimes. McKinney, even though fairly productive, will be drafted more on what he can be than what he was in college.

[red]

I agree that McKinney is slow to react at times... I've read some reports that say he has good instincts, but from what I've seen I don't agree with that.

The thing with McKinney is that any team that drafts him has to think they can coach him beyond the hesitation he shows on film sometimes. McKinney, even though fairly productive, will be drafted more on what he can be than what he was in college.

now, think about that for a second. do you actually think we have the defensive coaching staff that can coach up an ILB?

and i agree with your assessment there, i agree he's raw but could turn into something decent with the right coaching, but i don't think dom and the boys are capable of doing that

[pbmax]

Query: wist and the second of red's draft summaries identify the kid in question as an athletic marvel. But he doesn't look like a tremendous athlete at times on tape.

Is the problem that areas he measures best in for his position? Arm length, vertical and broad jump all seem to be better suited at OLB or edge rusher.

Or am I discounting his ability by comparing numbers only (versus film) to the top performers in his class?

[red]

Query: wist and the second of red's draft summaries identify the kid in question as an athletic marvel. But he doesn't look like a tremendous athlete at times on tape.

Is the problem that areas he measures best in for his position? Arm length, vertical and broad jump all seem to be better suited at OLB or edge rusher.

Or am I discounting his ability by comparing numbers only (versus film) to the top performers in his class?

some of the stuff i have read say that he might be best suited as a SAM or an edge rusher

[Fritz]

some of the stuff i have read say that he might be best suited as a MICHAEL SAM or an edge rusher

Fixed.