motife
04-25-2007, 02:21 AM
Draft Preview: Defensive linemen
Branch, Woodley look to reverse Michigan curse
Bob McGinn
Green Bay - Highly rated defensive linemen enter the National Football League from a ton of different schools but the winningest program of them all, the University of Michigan, strangely hasn't been one of them.
Mountainous defensive tackle Alan Branch and tenacious defensive end LaMarr Woodley will try to make history of sorts Saturday in the NFL draft.
Branch should go in the first round and Woodley almost certainly won't last past the second. By doing so, they would become Michigan's first defensive linemen in a generation to be drafted even in the first three rounds.
Defensive linemen from Florida State long have been stigmatized by a history of failure in the NFL. But at least the Seminoles have sent a slew of them early to the pros.
Not so Michigan. Its last premium pick at the position was third-round end Mike Hammerstein in 1986. He kicked around and produced next to nothing, which has been par for the course.
The Wolverines have produced merely three first-round defensive linemen in their glorious history: end Kevin Brooks to Dallas in 1985, end Curtis Greer to St. Louis in 1980 and tackle Dave Gallagher to Chicago in 1974. Only one other player, end Tom Beckman (third round, '72), has been a premium pick since Bo Schembechler became coach in 1969.
The one-dimensional Greer did register 50 1/2 sacks in nine seasons but neither Brooks nor Gallagher amounted to much. Free agent James Hall, a solid player, and second-year man Gabe Watson are the only ex-Wolverine D-linemen currently on NFL rosters.
How can a program that has played such good defense for so many decades not have sent more defensive linemen to the NFL?
"Their system is based on heart and effort and don't give up the ship and fight to the last man," said Dick Corrick, who scouted Michigan for Green Bay, Houston and Atlanta from the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2002. "They played great team defense. A lot of their guys who did the testing things didn't get on the field."
Only two Michigan D-linemen ever made the Pro Bowl. End Len Ford, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a four-time pick in the early 1950s. Lightning-quick tackle Tom Keating, a fourth-round choice in 1964, represented Oakland in 1966 and '67.
"Let me tell you something about the University of Michigan," retired Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf said. "I made so many mistakes there that I never, ever went there actually considering drafting one of their players. I tried it three times, and all three times I struck out, and then I said, 'The hell with Michigan.'"
Some personnel people have basically the same message for Branch even though he's one of the most physically imposing prospects.
"I think he's the most overrated player in the draft," an NFC personnel man said. "I don't see anything on tape."
Branch was looking like a top-10 pick in January before he failed to impress at the combine and his campus workout. At this point, he could slide into the 20s.
"I think he's a big enough body that he won't be a bust," said Rich Snead, Tennessee's director of player personnel. "He's probably similar to the guys in Jacksonville, (John) Henderson and (Marcus) Stroud. They're not great athletes but they're big, strong guys ... if they play hard."
A Journal Sentinel poll of 17 scouts asked each to rank his favorite tackles on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second worth four and so on. The results weren't kind to Branch, who finished third with 51 points behind Amobi Okoye (70) and Justin Harrell (58).
Following, in order, were Ray McDonald (35), Tank Tyler (25), Marcus Thomas (eight), Brandon Mebane (three), Kareem Brown (two), Tank McBride (two) and Paul Soliai (one).
Woodley finished with 15 sacks and 50 1/2 tackles for loss, second at Michigan behind Mark Messner (36, 70). Messner, another in a litany of determined, undersized D-linemen in Ann Arbor, is one of Michigan's two four-time all-Big Ten first-team choices (1985-'88) but played merely four NFL games after being the Rams' sixth-round selection in '89.
"If Branch was like Woodley, he'd really be good," another NFC scout said. "He's short but that guy comes hard all the time."
Not only did Clemson's Gaines Adams finish first among the top ends but he also was the winner in a poll of 18 scouts seeking their favorite defensive player in the draft. Adams had seven votes compared to safety LaRon Landry (six), defensive end Jamaal Anderson (two), cornerback Leon Hall (two) and linebacker Patrick Willis (one).
In the voting by 17 scouts at end, Adams led with 13 firsts and 81 points followed by Anderson with four firsts and 59. Also receiving votes were Adam Carriker (44), Jarvis Moss (34), Anthony Spencer (18), Victor Abiamiri (eight), Woodley (six), Tim Crowder (two), Charles Johnson (two) and Ikaika Alama-Francis (one).
Meanwhile, the scouts have 72 more hours to decide if they really want to risk drafting a defensive lineman from Michigan.
"If you're looking to take a first-round defensive lineman, it's probably not where you want to go," Corrick said. "Unless the guy is really something special."
NEXT: Linebackers
Branch, Woodley look to reverse Michigan curse
Bob McGinn
Green Bay - Highly rated defensive linemen enter the National Football League from a ton of different schools but the winningest program of them all, the University of Michigan, strangely hasn't been one of them.
Mountainous defensive tackle Alan Branch and tenacious defensive end LaMarr Woodley will try to make history of sorts Saturday in the NFL draft.
Branch should go in the first round and Woodley almost certainly won't last past the second. By doing so, they would become Michigan's first defensive linemen in a generation to be drafted even in the first three rounds.
Defensive linemen from Florida State long have been stigmatized by a history of failure in the NFL. But at least the Seminoles have sent a slew of them early to the pros.
Not so Michigan. Its last premium pick at the position was third-round end Mike Hammerstein in 1986. He kicked around and produced next to nothing, which has been par for the course.
The Wolverines have produced merely three first-round defensive linemen in their glorious history: end Kevin Brooks to Dallas in 1985, end Curtis Greer to St. Louis in 1980 and tackle Dave Gallagher to Chicago in 1974. Only one other player, end Tom Beckman (third round, '72), has been a premium pick since Bo Schembechler became coach in 1969.
The one-dimensional Greer did register 50 1/2 sacks in nine seasons but neither Brooks nor Gallagher amounted to much. Free agent James Hall, a solid player, and second-year man Gabe Watson are the only ex-Wolverine D-linemen currently on NFL rosters.
How can a program that has played such good defense for so many decades not have sent more defensive linemen to the NFL?
"Their system is based on heart and effort and don't give up the ship and fight to the last man," said Dick Corrick, who scouted Michigan for Green Bay, Houston and Atlanta from the mid-1970s until his retirement in 2002. "They played great team defense. A lot of their guys who did the testing things didn't get on the field."
Only two Michigan D-linemen ever made the Pro Bowl. End Len Ford, an NFL Hall of Famer, was a four-time pick in the early 1950s. Lightning-quick tackle Tom Keating, a fourth-round choice in 1964, represented Oakland in 1966 and '67.
"Let me tell you something about the University of Michigan," retired Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf said. "I made so many mistakes there that I never, ever went there actually considering drafting one of their players. I tried it three times, and all three times I struck out, and then I said, 'The hell with Michigan.'"
Some personnel people have basically the same message for Branch even though he's one of the most physically imposing prospects.
"I think he's the most overrated player in the draft," an NFC personnel man said. "I don't see anything on tape."
Branch was looking like a top-10 pick in January before he failed to impress at the combine and his campus workout. At this point, he could slide into the 20s.
"I think he's a big enough body that he won't be a bust," said Rich Snead, Tennessee's director of player personnel. "He's probably similar to the guys in Jacksonville, (John) Henderson and (Marcus) Stroud. They're not great athletes but they're big, strong guys ... if they play hard."
A Journal Sentinel poll of 17 scouts asked each to rank his favorite tackles on a 1-to-5 basis, with a first-place vote worth five points, a second worth four and so on. The results weren't kind to Branch, who finished third with 51 points behind Amobi Okoye (70) and Justin Harrell (58).
Following, in order, were Ray McDonald (35), Tank Tyler (25), Marcus Thomas (eight), Brandon Mebane (three), Kareem Brown (two), Tank McBride (two) and Paul Soliai (one).
Woodley finished with 15 sacks and 50 1/2 tackles for loss, second at Michigan behind Mark Messner (36, 70). Messner, another in a litany of determined, undersized D-linemen in Ann Arbor, is one of Michigan's two four-time all-Big Ten first-team choices (1985-'88) but played merely four NFL games after being the Rams' sixth-round selection in '89.
"If Branch was like Woodley, he'd really be good," another NFC scout said. "He's short but that guy comes hard all the time."
Not only did Clemson's Gaines Adams finish first among the top ends but he also was the winner in a poll of 18 scouts seeking their favorite defensive player in the draft. Adams had seven votes compared to safety LaRon Landry (six), defensive end Jamaal Anderson (two), cornerback Leon Hall (two) and linebacker Patrick Willis (one).
In the voting by 17 scouts at end, Adams led with 13 firsts and 81 points followed by Anderson with four firsts and 59. Also receiving votes were Adam Carriker (44), Jarvis Moss (34), Anthony Spencer (18), Victor Abiamiri (eight), Woodley (six), Tim Crowder (two), Charles Johnson (two) and Ikaika Alama-Francis (one).
Meanwhile, the scouts have 72 more hours to decide if they really want to risk drafting a defensive lineman from Michigan.
"If you're looking to take a first-round defensive lineman, it's probably not where you want to go," Corrick said. "Unless the guy is really something special."
NEXT: Linebackers