One last thought. Linebackers are more important than ever now to a defense. The NFL has evolved and TE's are a huge part of the offenses on the better teams. You really do need top-tier LB's in our scheme to defend these big/fast TE's.
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One last thought. Linebackers are more important than ever now to a defense. The NFL has evolved and TE's are a huge part of the offenses on the better teams. You really do need top-tier LB's in our scheme to defend these big/fast TE's.
Yeah, this is exactly how I'd go about it. Give him year or two one the field playing next to Urlacher learning the responsibilities of MLB as well as SLB and shift him over when Urlacher steps down. Having Urlacher mentor him would be invaluable. What a news guys needs most to learn is the pass coverage responsibilities of the MLB in this defense. That's one area I think Urlacher is better at than any other MLB in the NFL.
Your point about how the Packers approach their QB's development is spot on. You don't wait until it becomes an imperative. Get the player beforehand and you may find a guy in the middle rounds who can develop better than a first rounder who is more ready now but has less upside.
Meh, Nigel was hardly a "beast" of a prospect and him going in the fourth kind of says that. A good one with a high ceiling, absolutely, but there are reasons why he fell with the incredible physical talent he has outside of the solid 2/3 depth of the position. There were easily five better 4-3 LB prospects than him and we actually have a guy whose college tape I find very similar in style in JT Thomas, in-house.
As for the potential 2013 class. It's just way too early. Last year Burfict was a lot of people best MLB if Monti stayed in school, and look how that turned out. I will, for shit and giggles give a list of risers who are primed for breakout seasons and others to watch not on that list.
First, a shout out to Illini stud Jonathan Brown. He is such an underrated player with an absolute ton to like about.
Next it's an oddly packed year of great LB tandems. Georgia's Jones and Ogletree, both Jrs, could make things very interesting if one or both decide to leave.
Minter and Mingo are primed to be the Nation's best duo and are both redshirt Jrs.
Zumwalt and Larimore highlight an up-and-coming and very underrated UCLA front seven. Larimore is the solid SR, Zumwalt -- a spectacular Jr.
Mosley and Johnson at Bama will push the LSU LB corps VERY hard in hopes of being the Nation's best.
Penn St has what I think is the best Sr-Sr duo in the country with Hodges and Mauti, who is fresh off a torn ACL. Both are very solid prospect who will be entering this draft.
Chase Thomas is the overshadowed and overlooked LB because of the much revered Skov at Stanford, and he stepped up big to replace Shane when he went down. He's mostly a 3-4 pass rush OLB spect, but I love him.
Underclassmen wildcards
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James Morris-Iowa
Max Bulloush-Michigan St.
Jelani Jenkins-Florida
Sr Risers
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Jeremiah Attaochu- Georgia Tech
Zavier Gooden- Mizzou
Bruce Taylor- UVA
Sean Porter- Texas A&M