Michael Bush

[The Shadow]

Just a thought : has anyone considered Brian Leonard as a TE?
A 'really good football player' is always an asset; maybe Leonard's best natural poaition is there.
Adding 10 - 20 pounds should not be all that difficult.

[MJZiggy]

Adding 10 - 20 pounds should not be all that difficult.

Speak for yourself...

[Guiness]

If I thought for 1 second he could do a Henderson like hurdle over the occasional Viking or Bear, I'd draft him just based on that

After watching the highlight video, I wonder if he's almost too anxious to jump - y'know, when maybe he should just be lowering the shoulder.

How fast is he? It looked like he had good breakaway speed, but maybe that was just a couple of slow defenders.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I just get a queasy feeling about those "all around" guys, like Leonard and Weddle. It's probably not justified - but it seems like they do a little of everything pretty good but not one thing really well.

"All around" guy wasn't meant to infer less talent for these two. They both are good athletes. For Weddle, it was meant that he was a guy who played corner, safety, RB, teams. Besides being a good athlete, he also has good size. He won't be as good, but I see him being a Brian Urlacher type. A guy who dominated in a smaller conference, but a do it all type with good athleticism who people will wonder why he wasn't taken higher in 5 years. Really, the only knock is the competition he played in college. Leonard is a runner, blocker, receiver, and plays on teams also.

[pittstang5]

I really like Leonard and would love for the Pack to get him. In some mocks earlier, I've seen him go at the end of the first to the Patriots. Now it seems he'll go somewhere in the second. I honest can't see TT, provided he doesn't accumulate any more picks in the 2nd or 3rd round, taking Leonard in the 2nd.

I hope he falls a bit like Hodge did last year and he's there in the third. If that happens, I hope TT pulls the trigger. I know his natural position maybe FB, but I'd rather have him as a RB over Herron.

[Fritz]

Okay. I can live with that. I'm down with Weddle. Unless he doesn't work out. If that happens, I'll pretend I never wrote this post. And if he does work out, I will naturally trumpet this change-of-heart post.

Ah, the joys of being a fan.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I see these guys on a level with Urlacher "in a sense"

Urlacher = small conference (Mountain West with New Mexico), dominant production (conference player of the year), all around athlete (played LB, S, returned kicks), great athlete (way better than people gave him credit for)

Weddle = small conference (Mountain West with Utah), dominant production (two-time conference player of theyear), all around athlete (played CB, S, RB, returned kicks, kicked), good athlete (better than people give him credit for)

Leonard = small school in a bigger conferecne (Big East with Rutgers), dominant production (all-conference all four years), all around athlete (played HB, FB, TE, and special teams), good athlete (better than people give him credit for)

The difference between them and Urlacher is Urlacher has freakish athleticism, and they have good athleticism. Urlacher went outside the top 10. Looking back, it's insane to think enough teams missed on him that he didn't go in the top 5, at least. These guys are projected to go in picks 45-70--while I think they are deserving a solid look late in round 1 or early in round 2.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/draft/prospect?contentId=8791049&year=2007

While the fullback position has evolved over the years, Leonard's hard-nosed, aggressive style is reminiscent to that of former Green Bay Packers great, Jim Taylor. Not since Purdue's Mike Alstott (1991-95) has a collegiate fullback been able to determine an outcome of a game on such a consistent basis as Leonard did throughout his career. Whether breaking free for a long run, powering his way into the end zone in goal-line situations, providing a devastating block for halfback sensation Ray Rice or making the clutch catch in traffic, Leonard is the type of player defenses always need to account for.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/draft/prospect?contentId=8791191&year=2007

Despite all of the attention heaped upon big names like Paul Posluszny, Gaines Adams and Patrick Willis, among others, Weddle is the most accomplished defender in the 2007 draft. The Mountain West Conference's Defensive Player of the Year for both 2005 and 2006, Weddle has principally played cornerback and safety for the Utes. During his career, however, the versatile senior has also played quarterback, running back, punt returner, punter and held on field goals.

Weddle has been a standout throughout his career, earning conference honors of some kind each year. His senior season, however, provides a quick glimpse of his versatility. On defense, Weddle was fourth on the team in tackles, had seven interceptions, returning two for touchdowns and had two fumble recoveries, returning another for a touchdown. On offense, he ran for five touchdowns and threw for another.

In terms of his NFL future, scouts remain divided on Weddle's prospects. Most feel he'll end up at safety, as his instincts and athleticism project nicely there. Weddle would prefer cornerback and was only moved from that spot by his Utah coaches because teams were electing to throw away from him. Playing cornerback in 2005, Weddle was matched up against Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson of in the Emerald Bowl and limited the potential top five selection to two catches for 19 yards. Weddle, not surprisingly, won the Emerald Bowl's Defensive MVP award. Against Tulsa in this year's Armed Forces Bowl, Weddle ended the game with a clinching interception, only a minute after rushing four yards for the winning touchdown.