Should We Be Looking At David DeCastro If He Falls That Far................

Despite our needs for a LT and the logjam at OG if DeCastro were to fall as far as #19 would he be a good choice as BPA? There's little chance that he could play on the outside but he's the #3 overall ranked player in the draft by NFP. He grades out as a can't miss prospect and a first year starter and NFP's latest mock has him going at #11 but there are times OG's slip just because they're OG's. Logan Mankins was a late 1st round pick by the Pats.

We don't have desperate need for an OG unless CWill is moved back to LT but this guy is such a good player that he may be hard to pass on if he's still on the board. Give up your thoughts on this.


David DeCastro OG

• 2011 GRADE: 8.5 HT: 6-5 WT: 310
• Overview

Jan 30 Mock Draft: Version 2.0

A top-flight early entry makes his way into the top 10.

• Scouting Report

What I like…

- Sits into his stance well and exhibits a flexible lower half.

- Showcases good initial quickness off his frame when asked to reach defenders trying to shoot gaps on either side of him in pass protection.

- Keeps his base down through contact and exhibits natural balance when asked to slide his feet laterally.

- Extends his arms well, exhibiting good hand placement under the chest plate of defenders and sticks well through contact.

- Showcases quick hands when asked to re-set through the play and maintain leverage laterally.

- Rarely gets overextend/off balance with his footwork through contact. Showcases natural fluidity when asked to shuffle and slide, and with ease can push his man past the pocket inside.

- Exhibits plus range laterally, can re-direct cleanly and is tough to side-step/disengage from in pass protection.

- Keeps his head on a swivel, locates blitzing linebackers quickly and works well in tandem with his center.

- Has a toughness/mean streak about his game, demonstrates a passion and takes pride in finishing his man in all areas of the game.

- A dominant force in the run game. Exhibits a "plus" first step off the ball as an in-line blocker and showcases an explosive snap through the hips into contact.

- Displays excellent snap awareness, is routinely the first lineman off the ball and into contact.

- Extends his hands well at the point in-line and generates good power on contact from his upper body as well.

- Is a technician when trying to create a push in-line, gains leverage, keeps his base under him and can overpower/push bigger lineman off the ball.

- Sticks well through contact, exhibits a natural feel, understands angles and can walk bigger lineman away from the play.

- Showcases excellent range when asked to pull from the backside, has the ability to lead through the hole and eliminate defenders on contact.

- Displays "plus" body control/coridnation breaking down in space, gets around blocks quickly in order to seal through contact.

- Looks natural chipping at the line, generating a powerful jolt on the opposing down lineman and cleanly scraping his way into the second level to seal.

- Possesses the flexibility to drop his pad level and cut down defenders on the move.

- Is a guy you can run behind in short yardage situations. Fires off the ball low, there is a real explosive element to his game as he gains leverage and creates a push form his lower half.

What I don't like…

- Lacks elite anchor strength. Can be overpowered a bit at the point of attack vs. the bull rush.

- Would like to see a more violent punch on contact, displays good hand placement, but not a real jarring pop at the point.

- Can be unwound at the waist and get upright at the point of attack vs. bigger lineman working the bull rush, causing him to "skate" into the backfield.

- Will get a bit overextended in-line as he tries to finish, causing him to lose balance and will fall off blocks through the play.

- Lacks elite natural power in his lower half and if he loses off the snap doesn't have the kind of natural strength to simply overwhelm and create a push.

Impression: The best offensive line prospect I've evaluated since Maurkice Pouncey in 2010. He showcases the ability to get a push in-line and is a dominant move player as well. He's fluid/natural in pass protection and with a little more power in his base he's got the skill set to become on of the leagues best guards early in his NFL career.

Much like the LT's it's hard to ignore an Olineman with DeCastro's talent. If you need a starting OG in 2012 he's your guy. Based on his ranking he could go in the top ten but there are times when an OG slips no matter how good he may be.

I would still be looking for a DE or if we were to trade Briggs then a WLB prospect. I do admit though that he'd be very hard to overlook if he was still on the board at #19. Really good Olineman are hard to come by.

I really really wish that we needed a guard instead of tackles. Starting DeCastro and C. Williams would be awesome, but we need a tackle, not a guard. We really are pretty set at guards, even though he'd be a starter. We have too many holes to fill elsewhere on the team. Unless J'Marcus Webb somehow fuses with Joe Thomas and we get to keep him, then I'd say leave him on the board even if he falls to us.

FWIW, Charles Davis on NFL.com has us taking DeCastro in his mock draft. The link is in the thread titled, "Does Every Mock Draft Have the Bears Picking Michael Floyd?" The other three guys have the Bears picking Floyd, but Davis has us going with DeCastro.

And as for your question, soul, here is my answer: no, do not take him. My goal for the first round is to either come away with a LT or a DE. We have several pretty solid OG's, and all we would be doing by drafting DeCastro are two things: 1) He would be your strarting OG from day one, and 2) You would be cutting at least one of your OG's due to the logjam that you speak about. This will be an interesting thing that Emery will do. I trust that he will do the right thing and get us as many players as can fill our needs.

If you can remove Webb from the equation I would say yes. Cwill to LT or Carimi to LT and Cwill to RT. FA will determine the direction. If BPA you start him from day one. As much as some think the line is vastly improved it's just improved like a girl dumping a wife beater for a douchebag-still a long way to go. You get DeCastro and the only thing you have to think of is getting a center of the future to groom as you would already have depth like Ewill, Spencer, and maybe Webb (with Omiyale GONE).

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Originally Posted by short faced bear

If you can remove Webb from the equation I would say yes. Cwill to LT or Carimi to LT and Cwill to RT. FA will determine the direction. If BPA you start him from day one. As much as some think the line is vastly improved it's just improved like a girl dumping a wife beater for a douchebag-still a long way to go. You get DeCastro and the only thing you have to think of is getting a center of the future to groom as you would already have depth like Ewill, Spencer, and maybe Webb (with Omiyale GONE).

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My main worry is what if Carimi doesn't turn into a stud OT like he was projected to be? I'm a little bit bothered by his knee injury in the second game of the season last year. Also, Mike Tice will never allow Carimi to move from RT to LT. He's too stubborn, and he would honestly rather have Webb play that position despite his ineptitude. My think is to draft a LT in the first round if at all possible, as most like Mike Adams will still be around, and then maybe sometime down the line in the draft, take someone like Brandon Washington out of Miami who can play either OT or OG, and build depth from there. I think that WR Al Toon is going to be available later than the second round due to his foot injury, so the scenarios for the first two rounds, depending on which way we choose to go, are infinite.

LT is one of 2 ways:

Webb gets help with offensive sets and "chipping" along with no or less 7 step drops. Masking his ineptness making you think he's improved. The other is it limits the flexibility esp with a new passing OC. I KNOW we need wr and badly but Drake isn't going to coach up anyone and Blackmon is the only true "impact" guy I see. LT is the foundational piece (as is Jay's health). FA does not seem to have a LT of starting worth.

Also imagine the line flexibility we will have (already have depth and a fair amount now) if we do get DeCastro. If we're going to win championships the lines must dominate so that when we get the WR's they can execute and take advantage of matchups tactically giving the WR time imo.

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Originally Posted by Zelezo Vlk

I really really wish that we needed a guard instead of tackles. Starting DeCastro and C. Williams would be awesome, but we need a tackle, not a guard. We really are pretty set at guards, even though he'd be a starter. We have too many holes to fill elsewhere on the team. Unless J'Marcus Webb somehow fuses with Joe Thomas and we get to keep him, then I'd say leave him on the board even if he falls to us.

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LOL, we should be so lucky.

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Originally Posted by Dagan81

FWIW, Charles Davis on NFL.com has us taking DeCastro in his mock draft. The link is in the thread titled, "Does Every Mock Draft Have the Bears Picking Michael Floyd?" The other three guys have the Bears picking Floyd, but Davis has us going with DeCastro.

And as for your question, soul, here is my answer: no, do not take him. My goal for the first round is to either come away with a LT or a DE. We have several pretty solid OG's, and all we would be doing by drafting DeCastro are two things: 1) He would be your strarting OG from day one, and 2) You would be cutting at least one of your OG's due to the logjam that you speak about. This will be an interesting thing that Emery will do. I trust that he will do the right thing and get us as many players as can fill our needs.

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What about if Emery gets a LT and let's say Robert Mathis in FA. What then? As far as cutting an OG you have two that are actually OC's. Don't know that you cut the odd man out. You just inactivate him unless you need him as an injury replacement.

Personally I think it's a moot point because I don't think he'll fall that far but the way the guy is ranked he'd be one hell of a pickup that late in the draft. Most definitely a BPA at that point.

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Originally Posted by Dagan81

My main worry is what if Carimi doesn't turn into a stud OT like he was projected to be? I'm a little bit bothered by his knee injury in the second game of the season last year. Also, Mike Tice will never allow Carimi to move from RT to LT. He's too stubborn, and he would honestly rather have Webb play that position despite his ineptitude. My think is to draft a LT in the first round if at all possible, as most like Mike Adams will still be around, and then maybe sometime down the line in the draft, take someone like Brandon Washington out of Miami who can play either OT or OG, and build depth from there. I think that WR Al Toon is going to be available later than the second round due to his foot injury, so the scenarios for the first two rounds, depending on which way we choose to go, are infinite.

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You can't base your draft on what happens to Carimi when he rehabbing and he'll be ready when camp begins. That said we do need some OT's unless CWill moves back to LT and I think that's about as likely as snow in Honolulu. I have no problem with them taking Adams if he's the BPA when we pick. I just don't think he will be that's all and I've given my reasons for that before.

If you get Adams in the first and Washington in two where does a WR and CB come into the picture? How about a DE and LB? We can afford to spend one pick in the first three rounds on an Olineman the rest have to go for other positions. This all kind of fruitless right now anyway. We have no idea what spots we might fill with free agents so predicting how we'll draft and not knowing that or how Emery goes about things is nothing more than a shot in the dark.

For all we know he may trade down if he thinks there isn't enough value to pick at that spot.