Why Can't the Defense Stop Elite QBs?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by barrett

I also really hope Antonio Smith is back. I think he is a huge part of Watt's success, and he puts up fantastic 34 DE numbers in his own right.

Watt is spoiling the fans here, Smith's year was comparable to the year that Gary Walker had in 2002 and that got Gary to the Pro Bowl. Smith is not the problem.

We need an ILB who is a force to go along with Cushing, and we need better production from the OLBs. Sadly I have five positions that could be addressed with the 1st round pick: ILB, OLB, NT, WR or TE.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Watt is spoiling the fans here, Smith's year was comparable to the year that Gary Walker had in 2002 and that got Gary to the Pro Bowl. Smith is not the problem.

We need an ILB who is a force to go along with Cushing, and we need better production from the OLBs. Sadly I have five positions that could be addressed with the 1st round pick: ILB, OLB, NT, WR or TE.

I'd be ok with any of those 5. I had not considered TE, but if there was a great one available I would probably prefer that to a WR since we are more likely to effectively use a great TE. An ILB would have to be special and multitalented (a pass rush and coverage guy in addition to regular ILB skills).

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by painekiller

. Sadly I have five positions that could be addressed with the 1st round pick: ILB, OLB, NT, WR or TE.

Guys that fit these positions who might be available when we pick in the 1st:

ILB - Manti Te'o Notre Dame (who knows how far he will fall), Kevin Minter LSU
OLB - Alex Okafor Texas; Ezekiel Ansah BYU; Margus Hunt SMU
NT - Jesse Williams, Alabama; John Jenkins Georgia; Sharrif Floyd Florida; Kawann Short Purdue
WR - *Cordarrelle Patterson Tennessee; Tavon Austin West Virginia; Robert Woods Southern California; DeAndre Hopkins Clemson; Terrance Williams Baylor; Justin Hunter Tennessee
TE - Zach Ertz Stanford; Tyler Eifert Notre Dame

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Guys that fit these positions who might be available when we pick in the 1st:

ILB - Manti Te'o Notre Dame (who knows how far he will fall)

I don't watch too much college ball so didn't see this guy play all year until the BCS game with 'Bama, but if you saw that game he was very disappointing IMO.
The 'Bama Oline pushed him around and when he had a chance to make a play one-on-one vs a back he looked foolish a couple times. And I'm not talking missing the runner in space, he had the 'Bama back coming right thru his gap at the los and failed miserably in his attempt to get him on the ground.
But how do we not use our top picks (atleast 2 of top 3) to draft somebody to play RT and maybe most of all a WR, especially with Andre turning 32 this year ?

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

I don't watch too much college ball so didn't see this guy play all year until the BCS game with 'Bama, but if you saw that game he was very disappointing IMO.
The 'Bama Oline pushed him around and when he had a chance to make a play one-on-one vs a back he looked foolish a couple times. And I'm not talking missing the runner in space, he had the 'Bama back coming right thru his gap at the los and failed miserably in his attempt to get him on the ground.
But how do we not use our top picks (atleast 2 of top 3) to draft somebody to play RT and maybe most of all a WR, especially with Andre turning 32 this year ?

Teo flashed all this and last season, until he played Bama. Watch the tape on the kid, he is an impact player. Now the questioned surrounding the girlfriend story point to huge judgment issues off the field, so the team that takes him will need to do their homework on him. He was a top 15 pick IMO before this story.

As for a RT, IMO Newton showed more growth at RT then we saw from Duane Brown after 16 starts, that is pointing to an upside that I can live with at RT.So I do not have the RT as a top priority, now if the team were to take a guy like Oday Aboushi or Barrett Jones I would not be upset.

I just see 5 or 6 other positions as bigger needs right now.

**note** 6 = I forgot to add Safety to the need positions if we do not resign Quin.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by painekiller

Teo flashed all this and last season, until he played Bama. Watch the tape on the kid, he is an impact player. Now the questioned surrounding the girlfriend story point to huge judgment issues off the field, so the team that takes him will need to do their homework on him. He was a top 15 pick IMO before this story.

OK, like I said I don't watch much college ball and I know you do, so if his game vs Alabama was not really him then I'll call that effort an outlier. But there's still this -with Cushing's contract would you really want to tie up 1st round money in a second ILB which is afterall a low-priority position ?

Originally Posted by painekiller

As for a RT, IMO Newton showed more growth at RT then we saw from Duane Brown after 16 starts, that is pointing to an upside that I can live with at RT.So I do not have the RT as a top priority, now if the team were to take a guy like Oday Aboushi or Barrett Jones I would not be upset.

I wish I shared your optimism of Newton as the Texans answer on a long-term basis for RT.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by nunusguy

OK, like I said I don't watch much college ball and I know you do, so if his game vs Alabama was not really him then I'll call that effort an outlier. But there's still this -with Cushing's contract would you really want to tie up 1st round money in a second ILB which is afterall a low-priority position ?

Someone else maybe better versed on the new labor agreement, and the slotting of the 1st round picks. My understanding is that after the top 10 the money is not crazy like it used to be.

And I want an impact player no matter what position we pick. I was has clamoring for Stephen Hill last off season, so I still think we need to go with an offensive play maker.