Brooks Reed visiting the Cardinals today.

[JeffGollin]

OT Do We Need to Redefine Position Categories

As players increasingly specialize, they seem to sort out into different categories from the traditional DE, TE, DT, OLB etc. cubby-holes.

Brooks Reed is a perfect example. You can't really define him as a DE (too small) or an OLB (not good in space). But the one thing he does really well is rush the passer (He has the quick first-step, the variety of counter-moves & great closing execution. But that's about it).

Perhaps he should be placed in a new category called "Pass Rusher."

By contrast, Miller and Quinn are more rounded and figure to be more compleat in traditional OLB roles. They should remain in a category called "3-4 OLB."

There are other positional categories that defy traditional definition:

All Purpose RB
3rd Down RB

#1 WR
Slot WR
Possession WR

Blocking TE
Pass Catching TE
All Purpose TE

LT
RT

4-3 DT/3-4 DE
3-4 NT/4-3 UT

4-3 RE/3-4 OLB


FS
SS

...to name a few.

Just wondering.

 

[Chopper0080]

Well to be honest I could see him lasting until the 4th seeing as the draft is all about hype and with so little hype around Harvey I could envisage him going under the radar and someone nabbing him in the 4th or even 5th. I was speaking in talent terms earlier where I feel his worthy of 2nd to 3rd selection.

So if I was selling a draft comprised of

1-Patrick Peterson-CB
2-Jaball Sheard-OLB
3-John Moffitt-OG/C
4-Mario Harvey-ILB
5-Julius Thomas-TE
6a-Dion Lewis-RB
6b-Brandon Bair-DE
7-Jeff Maehl-WR

would you be buying???

 

[bg7brd]

So if I was selling a draft comprised of

1-Patrick Peterson-CB
2-Jaball Sheard-OLB
3-John Moffitt-OG/C
4-Mario Harvey-ILB
5-Julius Thomas-TE
6a-Dion Lewis-RB
6b-Brandon Bair-DE
7-Jeff Maehl-WR

would you be buying???

Let me go get my wallet.

 

[splitsecond]

YES! Brooks is going to be one of those guys who shows up big time in his 2nd or 3rd year in the league I think. I hope we can wait to pull him until the third, but I am not sure what his rep is around the league right now, or how far his stock as risen.

 

[splitsecond]

Reed is a guy who is a decent player who is watching his stock rise because he is physically gifted. However, temper your enthusiasm. He was fanatstic early last year against inferior competition, but as the season wore on he did not produce at the same level. One thing though is he has been a starter for 3 years and is not relying on one great season as his statistical basis. Is he deserving of his ranking, maybe. Someone will take a mid 2nd to early 3rd round flyer on him and wil likely get good value.

Was Iowa inferior competition?

Any fall off was due to familiarity of pac 10 coaches and Stoops inability or refusal to make adjustments on the defensive side of the ball.

Here is one thing that Brooks Reed is: DISCIPLINED. And the #1 required trait in running the zone blitz d? Discipline. Add to this his pure athletic ability, and you have the perfect guy to develop in the 34 zone blitz system.

 

[Garthshort]

Jeff, I definitely agree with your breakdown of skills at the different positions, and hope the Draft magazines follow suit. They (the mags) change but slowly. It wasn't too long ago that ALL LB's were grouped together, and now we have in and out. Your suggestion would give a mag that does that to get a leg up on other Draft mags. JMO.

 

[Chopper0080]

I think that Brooks Reed is much closer to Clay Matthews in terms of talent than people realize. Now, keep in mind that Reed has a much greater hill too climb as he is relatively new to playing standing up, but they bring very similar traits coming out of college.

I would not mind Brooks Reed in the 2nd.

 

[Dayman]

So if I was selling a draft comprised of

1-Patrick Peterson-CB
2-Jaball Sheard-OLB
3-John Moffitt-OG/C
4-Mario Harvey-ILB
5-Julius Thomas-TE
6a-Dion Lewis-RB
6b-Brandon Bair-DE
7-Jeff Maehl-WR

would you be buying???

This is just about my ideal scenario. Patrick Peterson is going to be a star. Passing on him for a player at a position of greater need would be a huge mistake. I also love the Julius Thomas pick. The last guy from Portland State we drafted worked out pretty well for us. I think Thomas has a chance to do the same, minus the injuries.

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[JeffGollin]

I think that Brooks Reed is much closer to Clay Matthews in terms of talent than people realize. Now, keep in mind that Reed has a much greater hill too climb as he is relatively new to playing standing up, but they bring very similar traits coming out of college.

The book on Reed is that - at least at this point in his development - he is a one-trick pony (with a variety of skills and technique-tools which make him a terrific pass rusher).

Matthews is considered more of a heady & instinctive but less athletically-skilled guy who makes a lot of plays with his brain and relentlessness. But by no means is he considered a sack-meister.

In the end, it will all come down to which guy will make the most plays? (Although the 2 differ from one another, either of them could).

 

[Cards Czar]

Here is Clay Matthews Bio from 2009.


http://www.nfldraftscout.com/members/ratings/profile.php?pyid=57020

 

[Chopper0080]

The book on Reed is that - at least at this point in his development - he is a one-trick pony (with a variety of skills and technique-tools which make him a terrific pass rusher).

Matthews is considered more of a heady & instinctive but less athletically-skilled guy who makes a lot of plays with his brain and relentlessness. But by no means is he considered a sack-meister.

In the end, it will all come down to which guy will make the most plays? (Although the 2 differ from one another, either of them could).

You realize that I was comparing Brooks Reed to CLAY Matthews when he came out of USC a couple years ago rather than Cliff Matthews out of Oregon right?

 

[kerouac9]

I'm not a Brooks Reed fan at all. Just because he has long blonde hair doesn't make him Clay Matthews. Now if he'd get on the PED's, like Clay, then we're talking. I think there are much better options at the top of round 2 than Reed. Houston, Sheard, Ponder, an OL, Paea are all guys that could be hanging around.

I wonder if a glut of DL prospects in the first will push solid-but-not-transcendent pass rush prospects in the 2nd down the board. There may be pent-up demand for OL/WR/QB/RB in the second which will allow players like Reed and/or Beal to fall out of the 2nd day.

I like Brooks Reed, but not in the 2nd necessarily. If we go QB/CB/WR/DE in the first than I'd be in on it.