What do you think about drafting Malualaga and moving him to Sam, keeping Adibi at Will, Demeco as Mike, and Diles as the first backup to Sam and Mike?

If you can't tell btw, I am a huge fan of Malualaga's and believe he is the thumper that brings teh attitude we need to the D.

You cant judge a guy by measurables alone. You know that.

In one of the games yesterday I watched a defensive player, I think he was a DE, come around the edge as fast as he could and as he was getting toward the QB his body was leaning so far over sideways he seemed like he was barely a foot off the ground. Moving sideways. At full speed. And he made the play. I could study measurables all day long and they would never tell me who could make that play and who would be falling on their face.

Obviously, it is great tho know the measurables, but how do you measure something like that?

Laurinitis is not the prototypical WILL IMO. I can see him as a MIKE or a SAM.

Rey Rey is looking like a 3-4 Middle guy. I like his attitude, but he is a little slow which would hurt in pass coverage.

They call that Body Lean and it was a reason that the Giants wouldn't trade Osi to the Chargers in the 04? draft.

But it does help compare players who have gone against different competition. One guy who makes a great play against an inferior opponent, might not have been in the same position against better talent.

I like to watch the players to determine who I am interested in, but then use the measurable to check my enthusiasm.

Cody Brown gets results in pass rush, however he is probably too small at the next level to play DE all three downs. Everette Brown is only slightly larger, but probably falls into that same category. Unless of course you have better tacklers at LB and S to cover up his deficiency against the run. The other option is go to a 3-4 system to play OLB.

Did you think that of A.J. Hawk? I did, but he was pretty effective at the WILL for the Packers. Of course, now with Capers as the DC in GB, he may become the ILB.

I thought Hawk was a 3 position guy, but the WILL was my least favorite place to play him. I would have put him in the middle had we drafted him.

Your point is a good one. I guess I am starting to favor the smaller quicker approach.

In looking at a lot of Mock drafts two players stand out...

Vonte Davis at cb, and Will Moore at Safety...

Also alot of the mocks are mixed about how high some of the DE's are going...

one might have a guy going third, and then another might have the same guy being drafted by the Texans...

It seems like there will be value at 15..

Wonder why Laurinitis passed up the Senior Bowl ? He seems just like the kind of player who would be there no matter what to compete ? Unless he's injured ?
I think Rey-Rey is overrated and Cushing, who really reminds me of Laurinitis, will go off of the Board first among USC LBS.
Of Laurinitis, Cushing, & Rey-Rey, which would be the most valuable backer to the Texans ?

I don't think Maluluaga is overrated but I think Cushing was a little bit underrated going into this process.

Rey Rey had a better day today. That said, I had hoped Rey Rey could be our Sam, but this week showed me he is a Mike only. He needs to be going downhill.

So who can play Sam or Will for use? I like some latter round guy better. I am not willing to use the 1st round pick on these guys.

I suppose Aaron Curry won't last until 15.

There's usually some pretty talented LBs that slip into the 2nd and 3rd rounds though. I think we just take the BPA on defense at 15 or entertain trade down offers.

I'm liking Cody Brown and Victor Butler.

Marcus Freeman could possibly be a decent Will for us. Heck, Nic Harris is playing WILL in Mobile this week.

Kaluka Maiava my target, just not sure where he falls.

Dannell Ellerbe is someone I wonder if he can play the SAM.


A few others i like are Zack Follett, Larry English, Jonathon Casillas, Quentin Cotton to name a few seniors.

BTW I have been a Freeman fan all season.

English looks like he can have more of an impact of the edge then any of the others yo named IMO.

I started out a Freeman and McKillop fan this year but both dissapointed me when I watched them. Freeman just wasnt the around the ball type player that I like at OLB and while McKillop was he just didnt have the pop/drive hrough tackling ability I thought he had. If you could combine the 2 you would have a great OLB. I still wouldnt be upset if we took either of them after the 3rd round.

UPDATE!!!! 2/15/2009


I believe these players will be gone.

1 Eugene Monroe
2 Andre Smith
3 Matthew Stafford
4 Michael Crabtree
5 Chris Wells
6 Michael Oher
7 Malcolm Jenkins
8 Brian Orakpo
9 Aaron Curry
10 Rey Maualaga
11 B.J. Raji
12 Jason Smith
13 Aaron Maybin
14 Everette Bown
15 ???????


I would be happy with any of the bolded players falling.

Defensive players left that might be worth the 15th pick

James Laurinaitis LB 6-2, 245 Ohio State
Clint Sintim OLB
Brian Cushing OLB
Alphonso Smith CB 5-9, 195 Wake Forest
D.J. Moore CB 5-10, 182 Vanderbilt
Vontae Davis CB
Sen'Derrick Marks DT 6-1, 290 Auburn
Jeria Jerry DT 6-2, 290 Mississippi
Michael Johnson DE 6-6, 250 Georgia Tech


Offensive players left to consider

Percy Harvin WR 5-10, 180 Florida (X)
Darrius Heyward-Bey WR 6-1, 206 Maryland
Jeremy Maclin WR 6-0, 200 Missouri
Alex Mack OC 6-4, 315 California
Knowshon Moreno RB 5-10, 207 Georgia
Leshon McCoy RB 5-11, 215 Pittsburg
Jamon Meredith OT 6-5, 310 South Carolina

Who would you pick? Of course if any of the bolded players fell I would jump all over that player. If I had to choose from whats left and trading down wasnt an option, I think I would have to go Maclin. I think he could have the biggest impact of all the players left.

Sintim is an interesting player that I dont think has been disscussed around here enough.

Mack at center is another option that should be considered. Is 15 to high for a guy who would come in and start right away?

Sintim? I can't believe how many times I see his name brought up as a 1st round pick. Why? The best way this guy can make a living in the NFL is as a ILB in a 3-4 defense like Brady James or Bart Scott. If he were to play for the Texans, he'd be the SAM that has to come out of the game on 3rd down.
He's not athletic enough to play the WILL and I don't think I would move Ryans over to put this guy at MLB.

Jamon Meredith in the 1st round? That's a typo, right?

Yeh Meredith shouldnt be on there. Cut and past mistake.

One of the pro arguments about Cushing was that on third down he could put his hand down and be our pass rush specialist. IMO Sintim would be better at this than Cushing. Look at their sack numbers throughout their college Careers.

Basing all of this on re-signing Dunta I too would like any of the bolded, with Cushing and Davis as my front line favorites if none of the bolds are left.

I then would like a DE in the second, or a Chung/Moore/Delmas safety type (especially if we went DE/LB in the 1st). I then like Caldwell (C), or Rashad, Brown, Greene type back in the 3rd or 4th. That would make me happy as a clam...even though I have no idea what that means.

I really like Caldwell alot and think he would fit in Gibbs's system well. He can play all over the line, but would draft hoping he would stay at center. He has good feet and decent size. In January, I thought we had to get Mack or Unger if we drafted a center in the first couple of rounds, but based on where theyre appearing to go (2nd round, maybe late 1st), it would be a waste of a pick IMO. Seems to be a good draft for Centers this year.