Michael Oher

[bobblehead]

If Oher wants ty in his corner, he will spell his name Oar, Or, or Ore.

Or Oher could spell his name Orr or Ohr.

I think I was well on record saying draft any of the 4 tackles if they were available at our pick... I like BJ and I like BJ's, but I would rather have a mega talented future LT at this point than either.

That is very debatable with Oher.

People are projecting him to get there, but will he?

He still has the same issues he had in college, he looks great on 7/8th of plays. Many people's biggest issue with him was not how talented or how good he was, he had the production to go in the top ten, he had the physical ability to go #1 overall. Why did a guy with the physical ability to be one of the best ever, struggle at times? He should have been a 0-1 sack in a college career guy, like Boselli, Munoz or Thomas. But he wasn't.

Why did the team that coached him for a week in the Senior Bowl (Jax), pass him in favor of a guy that they hadn't worked with?

Oher has the same issues as Barbre, which will likely cap his ceiling at very good. The potential to be no better than very good is not something that you settle for in the top 10.

I understood the questions with him, but franchise LT's don't come along that often...I felt he was worth the gamble and if it didn't work out you had a really good RT for years to come.

With Cliffy nearing the end and no solution in sight, I am hoping we don't draft in the top 10 again any time soon I just don't see where we get the franchise LT now. While BJ was a good pick, I think I would have gambled a bit.

[Waldo]

Very good LT's also come from the late first and second with some reliability.

Remember Cliffy was a 2nd. NE grabbed Vollmer in the 2nd this year. Joe Staley was taken at the end of the first (28th) in '07. About 1/3rd of the leagues LT's were not 1st or 2nd round picks, and came from elsewhere.

[bobblehead]

Very good LT's also come from the late first and second with some reliability.

Remember Cliffy was a 2nd. NE grabbed Vollmer in the 2nd this year. Joe Staley was taken at the end of the first (28th) in '07. About 1/3rd of the leagues LT's were not 1st or 2nd round picks, and came from elsewhere.

I know just a few years ago it was nowhere near 1/3rd, but it might be now. I just have nightmares of Wolf trying to find a replacement for Ken Rutgers. Cliffy was indeed a 2nd, but he never was a very good run blocker. I just happen to be a firm believer in having an elite LT and an elite QB as a winning formula.

Here is an article off a quick google...might even be the same one I posted in the past.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_10_226/ai_83794037/

In 2002 2/3rds of starting LT's were first round picks. There was a time where I was onboard with you (or you were with me) that College was the LT of the future, but I always wanted another plan since we have not seen him play extensively there. I still think he MIGHT be able to man the spot, but I'd rather have a guy with elite skill sets.

In recent history the best LT's to enter the league have all been very high picks to the best of my recollection. Boselli, Thomas, Pace, Ogden. Parcells took an LT over anyone else when he had the chance. I'm not saying you can't get serviceable guys at the end of the first or the second, but the odds are best in the top 10....more so than any position including QB (and QB bust factor is MUCH higher).

Again, I'm not disputing what you say overall, but the odds are in favor of doing it my way and just grabbing the mega talented guy when you have a top 10 pick. When we got Hawk I was wishing Ferguson would slip. This year I wanted one of the big 3 to slip, but still woulda drafted oher. Next year I'll be saying draft up and grab one. I just happen to believe an offense starts and stops with a great LT, and its the hardest thing to aquire. Although Babre proved it can stop with a bad enough RT as well :P

[Waldo]

You are assuming though that Oher as a prospect belonged in that conversation, when he simply didn't. I understand the concept of not passing on a elite LT prospect, but you don't take Joe Staley, the prospect, in the top 10 and hope he gets there.

Oher's fall is the same reason that Jeremy Thompson, with the physical ability of a top 10 pick, was drafted in the 4th, same with Aaron Rouse or Deshawn Wynn taken in the 7th. One of the worst black marks that a player can get come draft day, is not being too slow or too weak, or being raw, it is having the measurables to be great, coming from a good program with good coaching, starting a long time, and producing very ungreat. Players like that rarely work out. Teams look for players whose production matches or exceeds their physical measurements, and severely downgrade those who underachieve. Certain positions this is especially true at, none moreso than LT, who is expected to be Mr. Reliable.