The 'Beat' reporter mock draft

[GuernseyCard]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/footb...-draft-20140504,0,7318235.story#axzz30ctbxHIr

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Who did they pick for us?

I don't like opening up LA Times articles

 

[Finito]

Who did they pick for us?

I don't like opening up LA Times articles

It was Kent Somers and he picked Ryan Shazier saying Cards are going to use him as a pass rushing OLB

If that's the plan I love it

 

[BullheadCardFan]

It was Kent Somers and he picked Ryan Shazier saying Cards are going to use him as a pass rushing OLB

If that's the plan I love it

Thanks, I'm okay with Shazier

 

[Totally_Red]

Right now I think it will be either Calvin Pryor or Ryan Shazier. If both are gone, they attempt to trade down.

 

[kerouac9]

Any mock that has Miami taking a quarterback in the first round should be looked at with deep suspicion.

I'll be pretty disappointed if the Cards take Shazier with the 20th overall pick in this draft. excellent prospect in a trade-down scenario, though.

 

[BigRedRage]

seems like if we take shazier he will be ILB next to dwash and minter will remain a clipboard holder

 

[GuernseyCard]

seems like if we take shazier he will be ILB next to dwash and minter will remain a clipboard holder

Arizona (Kent Somers, Arizona Republic) OLB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State — "The Cardinals have used a 3-4 defense since 2007 but have yet to develop an elite outside linebacker. They need an eventual replacement for John Abraham, who turns 36 on Tuesday."

Somers and Jurecki have pointed out that if he's the pick, it's to be groomed as an outside pass rusher.

 

[BigRedRage]

Arizona (Kent Somers, Arizona Republic) OLB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State — "The Cardinals have used a 3-4 defense since 2007 but have yet to develop an elite outside linebacker. They need an eventual replacement for John Abraham, who turns 36 on Tuesday."

Somers and Jurecki have pointed out that if he's the pick, it's to be groomed as an outside pass rusher.

fine and dandy but his measurables and skills on paper scream 34 ILB to me. Which is fine IMO if he is BPA and can be highly skilled next to DWASH im all for it.

If we want him as OLB, I just hope he can actually blitz. Our last two OLB selections are not much of pass rushers at all. (Acho, okafor). We do not need another one of them on the roster.

 

[Chopper0080]

Any mock that has Miami taking a quarterback in the first round should be looked at with deep suspicion.

I'll be pretty disappointed if the Cards take Shazier with the 20th overall pick in this draft. excellent prospect in a trade-down scenario, though.

Some final thoughts on Shazier and his fit with the Cardinals.

1-My first thought is him playing ILB as well which would mean the Cards screwed the pooch last year with Minter. That being said, shouldn't draft picks be sunk costs? If you truely believe Shazier brings similar skills as a Bowman or Willis, why let the previous year's ILB prospect prevent you from taking him?

2-Shazier does bring great athleticism, burst and seems to move through trash well. With those skills, you would think he could be a legit option at OLB even in our 3-4 scheme. More to the point, with Minter's rep for struggling in pass coverage, you could play Shazier at OLB is base D and then ILB for Minter in nickel packages. I can't say that is what Bowles would do, but it could be an option.

3-While I don't love the idea of the Cardinals taking Shazier at #20, he is a player that I am comfortable with overall. However, drafting him does really limit the overall impact that Minter will ever have on this team. If the Cardinals draft Shazier in round 1, you know they will do everything they can to get him on the field. With that being said, I see it as more likely that he moves inside in passing situations rather than down as a DE.

 

[Totally_Red]

Arizona (Kent Somers, Arizona Republic) OLB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State — "The Cardinals have used a 3-4 defense since 2007 but have yet to develop an elite outside linebacker. They need an eventual replacement for John Abraham, who turns 36 on Tuesday."

Somers and Jurecki have pointed out that if he's the pick, it's to be groomed as an outside pass rusher.

If he is the pick, it will be interesting to see how he's used. With kind of elite speed he possesses {faster than most running backs and tight ends} he has the versatility to be used all over the field.

In the Ohio State tape I've watched, he's gets negated frequently by big offensive linemen. He's a guy that needs to play in space IMO, because at this point he's not going to 'convert speed to power'.

 

[Totally_Red]

Some final thoughts on Shazier and his fit with the Cardinals.

1-My first thought is him playing ILB as well which would mean the Cards screwed the pooch last year with Minter. That being said, shouldn't draft picks be sunk costs? If you truely believe Shazier brings similar skills as a Bowman or Willis, why let the previous year's ILB prospect prevent you from taking him?

2-Shazier does bring great athleticism, burst and seems to move through trash well. With those skills, you would think he could be a legit option at OLB even in our 3-4 scheme. More to the point, with Minter's rep for struggling in pass coverage, you could play Shazier at OLB is base D and then ILB for Minter in nickel packages. I can't say that is what Bowles would do, but it could be an option.

3-While I don't love the idea of the Cardinals taking Shazier at #20, he is a player that I am comfortable with overall. However, drafting him does really limit the overall impact that Minter will ever have on this team. If the Cardinals draft Shazier in round 1, you know they will do everything they can to get him on the field. With that being said, I see it as more likely that he moves inside in passing situations rather than down as a DE.

I really think Ryan Shazier is best used in space where he can use his elite speed. I agree that moving him inside on passing situations is the best use. He can have responsibility for the running back or tight end, and if that player stays in to block, he blitzes the QB. With his speed, the NFC West quarterbacks, Wilson, Kaepernick and potentially Manziel in St. Louis, will not be able to out-run him. That ability to contain the run-happy NFC West quarterbacks makes him more valuable to the Cardinals IMO.

Does he make Kevin Minter obsolete? Maybe. But with Minter's lack of speed, I'm not sure he's a 3-down linebacker anyway. So Minter leaves the field on passing downs, Shazier moves back to ILB and one of the OLB's like Okeafor or Sam Acho enters the game. Frankly, I'd rather have Shazier on the field for 1st & 2nd down anyway.

 

[CFLredzoned]

Charley Casserly evaluated him on Path to the Draft last week. Basically said that he doesn't project as an outside pass rusher. But he would be great inside, in a system where he was well protected up front. Then he would be free to roam sideline to sideline.

 

[Chopper0080]

Charley Casserly evaluated him on Path to the Draft last week. Basically said that he doesn't project as an outside pass rusher. But he would be great inside, in a system where he was well protected up front. Then he would be free to roam sideline to sideline.

Almost any front 7 player who has burst and can bend projects to an OLB in a 3-4, it just depends on what you ask that player to do. I think he fits best as an ILB but I also believe he could play OLB as well because he has such great speed. My issue is using a top 20 pick on a guy who isn't a really sold scheme fit.

If I am the Cardinals, there are worse scenarios than a draft of

#20 - Ryan Shazier - ILB - Ohio St.
#52 - Jeremiah Attoachu - OLB - Georgia Tech
#84 - Will Clarke - DE - West Virginia (or Brent Urban, Kareem Martin, Taylor Hart, Josh Mauro)

All front 7 players who offer speed, strength and pass rush ability. Personally, I believe in winning with front 7 play over back 7 play. Ideally, if I could move back and get Shazier, even better.

 

[BigRedRage]

In the Ohio State tape I've watched, he's gets negated frequently by big offensive linemen. He's a guy that needs to play in space IMO, because at this point he's not going to 'convert speed to power'.

I really think Ryan Shazier is best used in space where he can use his elite speed. I agree that moving him inside on passing situations is the best use. He can have responsibility for the running back or tight end, and if that player stays in to block, he blitzes the QB.

Charley Casserly evaluated him on Path to the Draft last week. Basically said that he doesn't project as an outside pass rusher. But he would be great inside, in a system where he was well protected up front. Then he would be free to roam sideline to sideline.

Exactly.

 

[mwanamatapa]

Mayock on Shazier or Barr to the Cards on his media conference call last week, had this to say

Q. How would you compare Anthony Barr and Ryan Shazier? Your thoughts on the Cardinals taking one of those two players with the 20th pick?
MIKE MAYOCK: They're very different players. Barr is an outside linebacker set for a 3-4 defense, where Shazier is the prototype 4-3 Will. Barr would make a ton of sense for Arizona, but I don't think he'll be on the board. Shazier, if he was going to be an Arizona Cardinal, he would have to play the will inside linebacker position. They already have a tremendous one in Daryl Washington. I don't think he's a fit. I don't think Barr will be there.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Shazier at ILB and move Minter to the outside

 

[Denny Green Fan]

Last night they had the media draft show on NFL NETWORK. Michael

Irvin picked Johnny Football to go number 2 to the Rams. Charles Davis

picked for us and selected Anthony Barr. The Bears picked the Louisville

slugger and the Giants picked Lewan. Then Dallas would take Donald.

I squirmed in my chair thinking Mayock would say the Dolphins take Shazier

because the 4 stud tackles are gone. Instead he basically said the Dolphins

would reach for Kouandjio if the board fell this way.

 

[BigRedRage]

Mayock on Shazier or Barr to the Cards on his media conference call last week, had this to say

Q. How would you compare Anthony Barr and Ryan Shazier? Your thoughts on the Cardinals taking one of those two players with the 20th pick?
MIKE MAYOCK: They're very different players. Barr is an outside linebacker set for a 3-4 defense, where Shazier is the prototype 4-3 Will. Barr would make a ton of sense for Arizona, but I don't think he'll be on the board. Shazier, if he was going to be an Arizona Cardinal, he would have to play the will inside linebacker position. They already have a tremendous one in Daryl Washington. I don't think he's a fit. I don't think Barr will be there.

nice to see my opinion is shared by all of the draft gurus. Hes not an OLB in a 3-4 (shazier) and if we draft him he will be an ILB the majority of the time and compete with Minter.

 

[GuernseyCard]

nice to see my opinion is shared by all of the draft gurus. Hes not an OLB in a 3-4 (shazier) and if we draft him he will be an ILB the majority of the time and compete with Minter.

Van Noy at 243 is viewed as a solid 3-4 OLB prospect, so why couldn't a better athlete at 238 grow into the role?

 

[Denny Green Fan]

Shazier is like a swiss army knife. We have needs inside and outside. He can

help us at both. Plus he is a good person. If Barr is gone Shazier makes alot

of sense for us at 20. I bet he would love the weather out there.

 

[BigRedRage]

Van Noy at 243 is viewed as a solid 3-4 OLB prospect, so why couldn't a better athlete at 238 grow into the role?

Ive delved into it in the shazier thread. He is an ideal fit to play the dansby role in our defense and not an elite pass rusher. He would be a projext OLB and you dont take project OLBs in the first round.

 

[kerouac9]

Van Noy at 243 is viewed as a solid 3-4 OLB prospect, so why couldn't a better athlete at 238 grow into the role?

You didn't ask me, but I'd argue that Van Noy is viewed more along the multi-tool Sam Acho type OLB and not a rush linebacker in the mold of DeMarcus Ware.

The other POV is that Van Noy is viewed as a late-second, early-third round pick, and so has far less risk than a Top 20 pick.

 

[GuernseyCard]

Ive delved into it in the shazier thread. He is an ideal fit to play the dansby role in our defense and not an elite pass rusher. He would be a projext OLB and you dont take project OLBs in the first round.

Well, there a good chance that BASK will in fact invest in that 'project'.

 

[BigRedRage]

Well, there a good chance that BASK will in fact invest in that 'project'.

If we draft him, we will play him at ILB primarily with at BEST spot duty at OLB on running downs.

Ill wager an entire years avatar on it.

I think the thought of he will be a pure OLB in our 3-4 is fabricated nonsence.

A "good chance" is pure hyperbole.