Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
I spent the last few hours watching youtube highlight/lowlight tapes of these linebackers...had done so before but not all in one sitting, and here are some of my observations:
Outside Linebackers
1. Ricky Sapp, Clemson. Lightning quick off the snap. Turns the corner to the QB with a tremendous burst. Can redirect well. Tough and nasty. Needs to meet and shed blocks faster. Would have to learn coverage responsibilities, but is more than athletic enough.
2. Greg Hardy, Mississippi. If it weren't for his injuries (foot and wrist) he's a first round prospect. Has ideal size and burst. Plays a relentless style, especially when pass rushing. Has a knack for being around the ball. Loves to hammer at the ball when he gets a chance. Needs better discipline.
3. Eric Norwood, South Carolina. Not as tall and quick as Sapp and Hardy, is more compact, yet he gains outside leverege quickly and once he does he converges on the QB extremely well. Is pretty decent in coverage. Solid in run defense, but could be more physical, and could get his pad level lower to take advantage of his lack of premium height.
4. Arthur Moats, James Madison. Small, but underneath you and beats you left and right. lacks refinement in other aspects of his game, but is a pure pass rusher.
5. Jermaine Cunningham, Florida & Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio St. Very similar players...both are out-hustlers who are somewhat slow getting off the ball, but once they read the play they never stop hustling to get to the ball.
WILB:
1. Daryl Washinton, TCU. Looks taller than he is because he tends to play straight up. This is great for chasing, but not great for stepping up to make tackles, as it forces him to dive...which can be hit or miss...he'll nail you ebery time on the chase but will nick you on straight ahead runs. Looks tall and athletic in coverage...but he tends to focus so much on the ball that he loses the man in his area. That can be fixed. The good news is he wants to see the ball and he has the speed to cover. But, sideline to sideline he is an excellent chaser and finisher. Pretty sudden blitzer as well.
2. Rennie Curran, Georgia. Toughest, most hard-nosed seek and destroy ILB of the group. Lacks ideal height...but it works to his advantage in terms of pad level and being ready to tackle at all times. He doesn't have to dip like Washington does. Most physcial of any of the LBers. Does not back down to anyone. Takes on blocks early and well, Doesn't give plays time to develop. Very fast to react. Built like a rock and still has good agility and range. Doesn't cover sideline to sideline as fast as Washington, but Washington played as a true MLB and Curran played as a 3-4 WILB, so he had farther to go on plays away from him.
3. Navorro Bowman, Penn. St. What I love about this kid is not only the great passion and heart he puts into his game, but he tackles you and the knees and takes you out. His pad level on tackles is textbook. He's a great chaser---when he gets you in his sights he takes you out with a flash. He's pretty solid in coverage. Needs some work there. I love too that he sacrifices himself in taking on blockers. He's been extremely well coached.
4. Sean Lee, Penn. St. Has come back from his knee injuries well and is a very resilient kid. He's the type of player who thrives on being in the right place at the right time and knowing exactly what to do when he gets there. He's not overly quick or strong...just plain tough and smart. Has good coverage skills, plays the nagles very well. Like Bowman, very well coached.
5, Donald Butler, Washington. Saw his combine interview. Smart, well spoken. Did 35 reps at 225 at the combine, has a chiseled frame. Runs well. Very alert player. Saw his game versus USC where he was NCAA Defensive Player of the Week. Filled the holes quickly, forced a couple of fumbles and made a perfectly timed interception over the middle. Looks the part in every way.
6. Jamar Chaney, Mississippi St. Sneaky quick and tough. he plays like a thief in the night. You don't see him one minute and then bam he's on the scene finishing the play. Has good instincts. tends tp play a little too far back and doesn't react as quickly as he could. But he loves to hit when he gets the chance and is a reliable tackler. Good in zone coverage...not as good in man.
7. Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, Iowa. Talk about well coached, especially in pass coverage. These guys are uncanny at snifting out routes...Angerer in the middle of the field and Edds on the outside. They are interceptions waiting to happen. They are tough kinds but not especially fundamental tacklers head on. They both tend to tackle high...which they got away with at times in colege, but will not be able to in the NFL. In fact, Angerer has no bend in his game. He plays straight up and tackles straight up. Edds isn't especially quick or stout, but he gets the job done. He looks like Mike Vrable a little. And when he intercepts a ball he runs like a TE...in fact, it wouldn't srpruise me if he's used in that cameo goal-line TE role the way Belichick did with Vrable.
SILB:
1. Brandon Spikes. Forget about his clockwatch speed, this guy reacts quickly, gets to the ball in a hurry and dishes out big hits. Likes to celebrate every tackle, a la ray Lewis...who is probably his idol. Not only is he a take you on type hitter, his coverage skills are excellent.
I have a feeling that one or two of these young men will be Cardinals. Hope these notes have been helpful. Please add your own.
Outside Linebackers
1. Ricky Sapp, Clemson. Lightning quick off the snap. Turns the corner to the QB with a tremendous burst. Can redirect well. Tough and nasty. Needs to meet and shed blocks faster. Would have to learn coverage responsibilities, but is more than athletic enough.
2. Greg Hardy, Mississippi. If it weren't for his injuries (foot and wrist) he's a first round prospect. Has ideal size and burst. Plays a relentless style, especially when pass rushing. Has a knack for being around the ball. Loves to hammer at the ball when he gets a chance. Needs better discipline.
3. Eric Norwood, South Carolina. Not as tall and quick as Sapp and Hardy, is more compact, yet he gains outside leverege quickly and once he does he converges on the QB extremely well. Is pretty decent in coverage. Solid in run defense, but could be more physical, and could get his pad level lower to take advantage of his lack of premium height.
4. Arthur Moats, James Madison. Small, but underneath you and beats you left and right. lacks refinement in other aspects of his game, but is a pure pass rusher.
5. Jermaine Cunningham, Florida & Thaddeus Gibson, Ohio St. Very similar players...both are out-hustlers who are somewhat slow getting off the ball, but once they read the play they never stop hustling to get to the ball.
WILB:
1. Daryl Washinton, TCU. Looks taller than he is because he tends to play straight up. This is great for chasing, but not great for stepping up to make tackles, as it forces him to dive...which can be hit or miss...he'll nail you ebery time on the chase but will nick you on straight ahead runs. Looks tall and athletic in coverage...but he tends to focus so much on the ball that he loses the man in his area. That can be fixed. The good news is he wants to see the ball and he has the speed to cover. But, sideline to sideline he is an excellent chaser and finisher. Pretty sudden blitzer as well.
2. Rennie Curran, Georgia. Toughest, most hard-nosed seek and destroy ILB of the group. Lacks ideal height...but it works to his advantage in terms of pad level and being ready to tackle at all times. He doesn't have to dip like Washington does. Most physcial of any of the LBers. Does not back down to anyone. Takes on blocks early and well, Doesn't give plays time to develop. Very fast to react. Built like a rock and still has good agility and range. Doesn't cover sideline to sideline as fast as Washington, but Washington played as a true MLB and Curran played as a 3-4 WILB, so he had farther to go on plays away from him.
3. Navorro Bowman, Penn. St. What I love about this kid is not only the great passion and heart he puts into his game, but he tackles you and the knees and takes you out. His pad level on tackles is textbook. He's a great chaser---when he gets you in his sights he takes you out with a flash. He's pretty solid in coverage. Needs some work there. I love too that he sacrifices himself in taking on blockers. He's been extremely well coached.
4. Sean Lee, Penn. St. Has come back from his knee injuries well and is a very resilient kid. He's the type of player who thrives on being in the right place at the right time and knowing exactly what to do when he gets there. He's not overly quick or strong...just plain tough and smart. Has good coverage skills, plays the nagles very well. Like Bowman, very well coached.
5, Donald Butler, Washington. Saw his combine interview. Smart, well spoken. Did 35 reps at 225 at the combine, has a chiseled frame. Runs well. Very alert player. Saw his game versus USC where he was NCAA Defensive Player of the Week. Filled the holes quickly, forced a couple of fumbles and made a perfectly timed interception over the middle. Looks the part in every way.
6. Jamar Chaney, Mississippi St. Sneaky quick and tough. he plays like a thief in the night. You don't see him one minute and then bam he's on the scene finishing the play. Has good instincts. tends tp play a little too far back and doesn't react as quickly as he could. But he loves to hit when he gets the chance and is a reliable tackler. Good in zone coverage...not as good in man.
7. Pat Angerer and A.J. Edds, Iowa. Talk about well coached, especially in pass coverage. These guys are uncanny at snifting out routes...Angerer in the middle of the field and Edds on the outside. They are interceptions waiting to happen. They are tough kinds but not especially fundamental tacklers head on. They both tend to tackle high...which they got away with at times in colege, but will not be able to in the NFL. In fact, Angerer has no bend in his game. He plays straight up and tackles straight up. Edds isn't especially quick or stout, but he gets the job done. He looks like Mike Vrable a little. And when he intercepts a ball he runs like a TE...in fact, it wouldn't srpruise me if he's used in that cameo goal-line TE role the way Belichick did with Vrable.
SILB:
1. Brandon Spikes. Forget about his clockwatch speed, this guy reacts quickly, gets to the ball in a hurry and dishes out big hits. Likes to celebrate every tackle, a la ray Lewis...who is probably his idol. Not only is he a take you on type hitter, his coverage skills are excellent.
I have a feeling that one or two of these young men will be Cardinals. Hope these notes have been helpful. Please add your own.
I think he might drop to us. With the microfracture surgery rumor going around about him I think he would be a good fit here. With the people we have at OLB now there wouldn't be much pressure to rush him on the field.
