http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/ New Orleans Saints News, Forums, Blogs, and Magazine en Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:14:20 GMT vBulletin 60 http://blackandgold.com/forums/bngforum/misc/rss.jpg http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/man-o-man-i-love-summer-olympics-65/ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:34:13 GMT Watching the Olympics

Today's coverage of the Olympics by the major sporting channels can leave you yearning for the old Wide World of Sports. Coverage is pretty lame to say the least. I understand the stress on American athletes but it leaves you wanting the old days when every country and every sport was covered fairly. Well thank God HD cable has more channels covering the Olympics so I can catch these lesser athletes in those lesser sports perform. Sorry compete.

Brazilian Synchronized Swimming Bia And Branca Feres




Paraguayan Track & Field (Javelin) Leryn Franco




Brazilian Beach volleyball Camillinha Saldanha






What do we have to look forward to 4 years

American Track & Field ( Pole Vaulter) Allison Stokke



Watching college track and field just keeps getting better and better. She just missed the qualifying height but she is just a freshman.

Politics and Olympics

The Irish take on our elections


An email from Ireland to all of their brethren in the States...a point to ponder despite your political affiliation:
'We, in Ireland , can't figure out why you people are even bothering to hold an election in the United States
On one side, you had a pants wearing female lawyer, married to another lawyer who can't seem to keep his pants on, who just lost a long and heated primary against a lawyer, who goes to the wrong church, who is married to yet another lawyer, who doesn't even like the country her husband wants to run !
Now...On the other side, you have a nice old war hero whose name starts with the appropriate 'Mc' terminology, married to a good looking younger woman who owns a beer distributorship !!
What in God's name are ya lads thinkin over in the colonies !

I like their take on this one. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/man-o-man-i-love-summer-olympics-65/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/504highlander/urgent-saints-need-secondary-coach-64/ Sat, 09 Aug 2008 00:05:53 GMT Saints' secondary desperately needs improved coaching.

Harper in his 3rd year, still doesn't seem to know where to line up.

He is talented, but in his 3rd year he should be the coach on the field.

Why do the Saints have so many mediocre DB's.

Why do many other teams have consistent success drafting and acquiring secondary talent.

Orgeron was brought in to motivate and work with the DL, since this was a problem in 2007.

Same is URGENTLY needed for the entire Saints secondary. ]]> 504Highlander http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/504highlander/urgent-saints-need-secondary-coach-64/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/bobaganoosh/saints-2008-defensive-preview-62/ Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:54:40 GMT Now that we have already given the offense a... Now that we have already given the offense a position by position breakdown, lets try the same thing for the defense. But before I get started, I think most of us would agree that we have to have realistic expectations for this defense. We obviously need them to be better than last year, but they dont have to be an elite defense for this team to win a lot of games this, and thats a good thing because even under the best circumstances, this will not be an elite defense. Now with that being said, lets go to the breakdown.

The defensive line has been the "strength" of the defense for the past few seasons. Part of that is because of the high drafts picks we have invested into the line, and part of that is because the back seven has been horrible the past 5 years or so talent wise. But now, i expect this defensive line to once again be the strength on a better defense and there are many reasons why i believe this to be true. First, the additions that were made in the offseason. Sedrick Ellis is potentially the force in the middle we havent had in quite some time. Bobby McCray gives us a legit pass rushing threat off the bench. Demarrio Pressley may even make the team and contribute here and there along the way. But i believe the most important addition we have made has been the addition of Ed Orgeron. The hire has been raved about nationally moreso than locally, with the exception of Bobby Hebert, and he brings something this defense needs. He is an excellent teacher on the defensive line, he is fiery, and you can bet his unit will show up ready to play from down to down, game to game. I also believe this will be the year Charles Grant lives up to his ability (and contract) and becomes a top shelf defensive end. Will Smith should post numbers similar to or better than what he did in 2006 when he went to the Pro Bowl. Hollis Thomas appears slimmer and he looks like he is out to prove that he still belongs. No one is going to work harder than Brian Young and if he can steer clear of the injury bug, this part of the defense can reach elite status. The unit goes about 7 deep and Pressley, Antwan Lake, and Kendrick Clancy will be fighting for the last one or two spots in the rotation. Mark it down, i will go out and say this unit will at least double its sack total from a year ago and will hands down be the strength of the defense.

Up until 3 days ago, the one offseason acquisition everyone was excited about was #51. He is one the most athletic MLB's in the game and what makes him special is that no one is going to put in more time watching tape than Vilma. He may be the smartest LB in the league and I cant wait to see him play in the black and gold. Bringing him in may be the biggest move this club has made on defense in the past 20 years. He will be flanked by the steady fan favorite Scott Fujita who, while he isnt the fastest guy on the field, is always in position and consistently makes plays. And since the Dan Morgan experiment didnt work out, Scott Shanle will be the starter at WLB for the Saints in 2008. I am not as down on Shanle as most of you here, but i will say he needs to be better than he was last year and i expect him to. Fujita and Shanle should both be much better this year if only because the will be playing next to Vilma and behind Ellis. They should have to fight through less trash on their way to the ball due to the strength of the middle of our defense. Mark Simoneau is still around and he will be the primary backup to all 3 LB's this year and i can live with that. Troy Evans and Marvin Mitchell should still be employed here come September but the name everyone seems to be anxious about is Jo-Lonn Dunbar. Dunbar was a very productive college LB, but he may not have the athleticism to be an NFL LB but he is becoming a fast fan favorite. His development will be interesting to watch in the preseason. The Saints do not boast much depth at LB, but the acquisition of Vilma and giving the Saints that athletic leader in the middle of the defense not only makes this unit better than last year, but may take this defense to an entirely different level.

Now, that leads us to the secondary. I dont think anyone in the world is excited about this group. I will say that their job will also be made easier by improved play from the front seven, and lets hope that holds true. Mike McKenzie is the unquestioned leader of the secondary and his return to health may be the biggest question when predicting this team's success for the season. He has to be in the lineup for week 1, and while he doesnt have to be what he was last season, he has to be close to it. Randall Gay fits in here with what we have in the secondary which is a bunch of average to below average NFL cornerbacks. I like Randall Gay, I like the signing, but he is in no way a savior for this defense. That being said, I hope he is the one lining up next to McKenzie on opening day. Tracy Porter, our second round pick, is hard for me to get a read on. At first my thoughts were if he is as fast as what was reported and his strength is covering the smaller, faster WR's, then i like him. There isnt a bevy of tall, physical WR's in the NFC South so that shouldnt be a problem. He is the one guy who could be the starter or the 5th CB this year. Cornerbacks are hard to judge in training camp and we will have to wait till the bullets start flying in 2 weeks to see where he stands. Usama Young is a favorite of mine, but i dont think he is going to make that leap we were all hoping for. This looks another year of him being the 4th or 5th CB on the roster and seeing very little time on the field. I hope i am wrong about that but i get the feeling that he is still a ways away from being ready, but his physical abilities cannot be questioned. Jason David!!! I will admit I was the guy 3 months ago saying i thought he would be better this year, mainly by default because he couldnt be any worse, but in reality, I am not even sure he is an NFL cornerback. That is my description of him and lets leave it at that. I dont think much of Aaron Glenn at this point in his career and i will be surprised if he makes the team. The Safeties arent much better and this is a make or break year for all three of them. Bullocks is really on thin ice, and this is a contract year for him so if he doesnt produce this year, his days in the NFL may be close to over. KK is average at best. He does seem to find the ball occasionally but he isnt overly fast for a safety and he is limited athletically. That being said, he will start some games for us this year and he will be on the field more than he was last year. Roman Harper is the one safety we have that can turn into a very good NFL player. He is very smart, has good speed, and he is a tough in the box guy. He is still relatively young when it comes to games played so he is capable of taking a big step forward and i am looking forward to seeing it this year.

So there you have it, one man's view on the Saints defense. I expect the Saints to be a top 12-16 defense this year. I expect them to be pretty stout versus the run, i expect them to make more big plays and most importantly, i expect them to give up significantly less big plays. Either way, the offense is going to score points so if we get this unit to be slighlty above average, this is a Super Bowl contending team. ]]> Bobaganoosh http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/bobaganoosh/saints-2008-defensive-preview-62/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/bobaganoosh/football-season-here-lets-look-what-we-have-61/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:12:20 GMT Well guys and gals, its football time again and... Well guys and gals, its football time again and if you are anything like me, you can't wait to see the product the Saints are going to put on the field. Let me give you guys my take on what we have to work with this year.

Offensively, everyone in their right mind knows that the Saints start and stop with #9. Drew Brees has brought something to this organization that we have never seen before. He is a legit elite quarterback and he is responsible for getting this team going. If the old saying is true that the team with the best quarterback wins, then the Saints are definitely the favorite in the NFC because i dont think any other team in this conference has a better signal caller than the Saints. We also brought in Mark Brunell as our backup and while he is an upgrade over Jamie Martin, lets hope he doesnt need to see the field other than mop up duty because if the Saints lose Brees for a significant amount of time, they are finished.
So in adding Brunell, I say the Saints QB situation is better than it was last year.

Questions linger at the RB position, but I am not one of the guys who is worried about it. Deuce has showed up lighter than ever and ready to help this team win again. I will also say that his days of running for 1,200 yards are over, but he can be effective enough to help us out and pound the ball. We have all heard the talk about Mr. Bush dedicating his time this offseason to being with the team and making himself better after he faced a reality check last season. I will go on record as saying that i am buying it. I am buying it to the degree that i think Reggie will average more than 4 yards a carry, and he will reach a new career high in rushing yards this year. I am not going to give a number, but we will all be pleased. I will put out the over/under on his yards from scrimmage at 1,700. If Deuce goes down this year, the fallback plan will rest on the shoulders of Pierre Thomas. The fan favorite has had a full season of learning, weight training, and most importantly, gaining the confidence of the coaches to give him the ball. So if McAllister gives us 12 games, Reggie has finally found the light, and Thomas gets his chance, the running back situation is far better than it was last season.

The WR position is a murky one. 8 guys with NFL ability will be fighting it out for 5 or 6 spots. We know that we have talent on the roster, but we don't know who makes the team come September. Colston, Patten, and Meachem are locks, with the latter being the main focus of all of us message board fanatics. I am the guy who thinks Meachem validates himself this year and becomes a major part of the most explosive offense in the history of this franchise. Devery Henderson brings a ton of speed and even more inconsistency to the position, but he is something for opposing defenses to worry about. Terrence Copper is very underrated locally in my opinion because of what he brings to the team as far as knowledge of the offense and ability to excel on special teams. To me, he is more of a lock to make it than Henderson. Lance Moore didn't capitalize on his opportunity last year as a returner, but was adequate as a reciever and did play well on the coverage units. Adrian Arrington is this year's camp sweetheart, but he has his work cut out for him. I can't see him making it unless he turns himself into a special teams demon, which is something he has never done. If you ask me, I think Moore and Arrington miss the cut unless the Saints can find a taker for Henderson. I cannot see any scenario in which Meachem, Henderson and Arrington all make the team. With the expected progression of Meachem, and either the emergence of Henderson or Arrington make this unit better than last year as well.

The offensive line is pretty much set, with the only questions being who becomes the last guy to win a roster spot. The starting five of Brown, Evans, Goodwin, Nesbit and Stinchcomb are all set. Strief, Bushrod and Alleman are all locks as well. That leaves Matt Lehr, Carl Nicks and Tim Duckworth to fight it out for one or two spots. There shouldn't be a question of whether or not Goodwin can fill Faine's shoes, because he can and he will. Nesbit and Stinchcomb may have the young guys breathing down of them a bit harder this year but I believe they hold on to their jobs. The depth of this unit makes this year's line better than last year and possibly the best in many years because it goes 9 or 10 deep without much dropoff.


I will get to the defense later, assuming you dont think my breakdown of the offense was a complete waste of your time ]]> Bobaganoosh http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/bobaganoosh/football-season-here-lets-look-what-we-have-61/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/defense-butchers%92-toll-part-1-60/ Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:17:52 GMT No one can...]]> The Butchers’ Toll
Part 1

No one can tell me we played the same system as in 2006. By the end of 2006 the fans and the rest of the NFL knew how to kill the Saints’ defense. Attack it. So in 2007 the Saints went for a safer approach and decided it was safer to read and react to opposing offense and try to minimize the bleeding. Well that did not work. The Saints’ Defensive blood had to be cleaned for the field every Sunday. Napoleon would always ask for “What’s The Butchers’ Toll?” after a battle and that is a good slogan to describe the 2007 Saints defensive damage opposing offenses inflicted on them.

In 2007 the offense seemed to be missing something, Coach Peyton’s play calling was not working as it did in 2006. The NFL had adjusted to Sean’s play calling. Then with Deuce gone, and injuries to other key players, they just could not get it together. The Saints still managed to pull off a 7-5 record after starting off 0-4. With 2 key games decided by a touchdown or less. To make matters worse it was within the division and at home. They got B-slapped in their own home in front of their fans.

vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS 13 – 16
David Carr hit Steve Smith with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 13-13 with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Kasay's 52-yard field goal at the final gun gave the Panthers the 16-13 win.

vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 23 – 27
McCown threw a 4-yard TD pass to TE Jerramy Stevens with: 14 remaining to put on top 27-23.

Those two games determined the difference of a 9-7 record and the 7-9 we ended up with, despite a 0-4 start. Those losses were directed by the skilled QBs named Carr and McCown. Scary stuff. What it proves that defense is the key to winning no matter how good your offense is (#4 in yardage/12^th in scoring). So even when the offense scored, the defense could not manage to keep the opposing team from making a come back. In 2008 the defense has its work cut out for itself. Before I get into the players we added and all that stuff. Lets swallow the bitter pill that was 2007.

Defensive Statistics
As a unit the defensive stats show how the little things effect the game. Look at the difference in the Points per Game, 7.6 pts. and 81.7 yards per game separated use from the 1 spot. Not to over whelming of a goal as we might think. The Saints did not yield an over whelming amount of first downs but yielded the big play way to much. We all know this. But one thing that stands out is the number of penalties we had. Ranked 16th with 89 flags we managed to come up to 13^th in yardage surrendered. Not bad. So we were not really killing ourselves there. The timing of those penalties was not always the best. The third conversion rate was another issue.42% put us in the 22^nd ranking tied with 4 other teams (Texans, Titans, Jets, Panthers) Not very good company. But the best news is we did get to be ranked #1 in one ranking. At 5.8 yards per play we were the league leaders. Damn descending order. Sorry about that for got to click twice. The bad thing is we surrender more yards in few plays than any other team in the NFL. Well that puts in the company of team like Oakland,Miami, and Detroit. Another scary part in that is we did not face Brady, Farve and the much better QBs in the AFC west twice a year. We even managed to that while ranking 6^th in the league in time of possession. LOL.. The Big Play yet again comes to the forefront. This is a sick comedy routine that never ends and we the fans are the butt of the joke..

Passing Defense
A league leading 15 plays over 40 yards and the second most plays of over 20 yards at a horrible 54 plays. No those 15 plays over 40 do not count as part of the 54. Only Buffalo was worse at 55. That's a grand total of 69 plays longer than 20 yards. Second to none in the NFL. Now take those numbers and add in the fact we yielded 4,131 yards passing, third worse only to the Lions and the league leading Vikings at 4,225. To ice off this turd cake we generated only 13 intercepts. Only 4 other teams did worse. We were fielding the worse defensive secondary in the NFL without a doubt. Teams managed to do this with fewer attempts thrown against us than 2/3 of the rest of the NFL.
The total number of sacks was once again disappointing. At 32 we found ourselves in the middle of the pack. The Giants lead the league with a total of 53. I thank Haz once again for destroying this part of the defense. Fans got use to the Saints always being in the top 10 for sacks for so many years until Haz finally destroyed this group. He left us dwelling in the pits of the NFL. The once proud unit is just a shadow of itself.

Rushing Defense
I really hate to even go into the rush defense. How can you judge this group when passing was no trouble for the opposing offenses? Why Run? The number of the running plays ( 408 ) vs. passing plays (524) was a bit surprising. That is a 44% running attempt and 56% pass. So the break down is not as bad as I thought. It is below NFL average but not by much. But the numbers do look pretty good. The only number that worries me is the number of plays over 20 yards. 14 plays once again ranks us at the bottom third of the league. With a pass defense like ours why go into it any deeper. We really have no idea how good or bad they really were.

Conclusion:
I can not take any more of this. Let us move on to part 2. I must have rewritten this part a dozen time and had a real hard time not :furious:or :puke:or just :messedup:

So I figured it was best just to stick to the really bad stuff and over analyze the the small dung piles leading up to the big steaming heap in front of me.
If it smells like it and looks like it, then it must be it. I do not need to feel it or taste it in order not to step in it.

Part 1 of 2

Defense: The Butchers’ Toll Part 2 - Black and Gold Forums ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/defense-butchers%92-toll-part-1-60/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/defense-butchers%92-toll-part-2-59/ Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:16:50 GMT *Now what...]]> The Butchers’ Toll
Part 2

Now what did the Saints do?
Let’s face facts here. Youth is the main need for our defense. We rented a Defense now for two years and they were not really any spring chickens out there. The Saints’ went all out in FA and the draft for defense. Yes we did add another group of aging vets to one year contracts in FA. Well that is our standard mode of operation. What was surprising was the signing of Randell Gay , Bobby McCray and the trade for Jonathan Vilma. All solid additions and all of them are 26 years of age. Talk about infusing youth across the board. That’s A++ stuff in FA. From the draft we added Sedrick, Terry, and DeMario to fill in the gaps in the defense that FA did not address. Say what? Two DT and a solid CB in the draft? I had to get up of the floor after these picks.

Oh yeah we did add Aaron Glenn to the team. See we had to get an old timer in here somewhere. But he is smart and can play several positions. Jerametrius Butler if he can stay healthy maybe a steal. But he does not get an under the radar signing tag, not yet.

First Level Of Defense
Now how do you give Vilma the best protection a middle LB could want? Answer is DT. So the Saint went all in the draft to protect him by trade up for Sedrick Ellis. What I like about Ellis is he can play the DT (three technique) and NT in the 43 defense. I hope he is in good shape because he will be running in and out of the game a lot to begin with subbing for Thomas and Young. This is just what these two aging vets needed. Then we added DeMario Pressly to the mix. There is no arguing his talent. The issue was injuries during his senior season. He is going to add much needed depth to the DT position. Antwan better keep an eye on this kid.

The saints DL is completed with the DEs all under contract. Grant last year and Smith signed just this year. They both got big time pay to keep them happy. The Saints then added a set of very fast young legs in the signing of bobby McCray. They even gave him a ton of cash. All of sudden the saints have two players Smith and McCray that can out run most of the OT and fullbacks in the NFL.

The addition of youthful legs should help us get more of a push up front all the way through the fourth quarter.. This should cut down the ability of QB stepping up to avoid the DEs and Blitzer’s. So once Ellis signs we will have one of the most expensive front fours in the NFL and with 3 1st round draft picks taking to the field. The pressure is on for the front 4 to perform and let the LBers do there thing.

Second Level
If Jonathan Vilma is healthy and can come back, he can single handedly change the middle of the field for the Saints’ defense. We all hope he returns to his pre injury form. Gee this sounds a lot like Drew all over again. Well his impact would be the same for the defense as Drews’ was for the offense.. If he does return to his 100+ tackle form we then have to worry about resigning him at the end of the season. Well I feel better about this risk knowing Drew and Vilma had the same doctor. If this gamble pays off he will cost a large sum of money and an additional pick to stay in the Black and Gold. He would be worth every penny in my opinion. I know JoeSam loves this move.

The DL has to keep the OL off of Fujita,Vilma and Shanle so they are, free to roam. Well the key as I said is Vilma. To many times last year I watch the defense doing it job only to have the MLB just a step or two too slow to make the play. Maybe this explains Shanle’s drop off in production, that and his hamstring injury early in November. I am not saying to expect a pro bowl out him but he is a solid veteran. We tried to upgrade the position but Dan Morgan decided it was better to retire than suffer any more brain damage. This was a smart move on his part. Scott Fujita is another solid veteran that is not a highlight reel waiting to happen but does his job. 90+ tackles two years in a row is hard to argue with. This is our group and well that’s about all we have. As back up we have nothing but unproven players that play their roles well. Simoneau is our jack of all trades master of none backup. Evans is a special team’s demon that has shown signs of promise. Dunbar is a rookie free agent. Thin at LBer is a good way of saying it.

Third Level
Now we have to look at the secondary. This is hard because unlike the rest of the defensive unit, this piece is in the middle of a major overhaul. Yes there are still some questions whether Mike McKenzie will be ready or not. We all know he is a big key to the unit but we also have to realize at 32 he is no spring chicken coming off of injury. Then you have Jason Craft at 32 also, who is our wily old Vet. Well Aaron Glenn at 35 is the wise old man for sure. He can play both CB and FS but he has lost a step and a half. I am still wondering were besides coaching does he fit in. So time is ticking here.
This is where; Usama Young, Tracy Porter, Jason David and Randell Gay come into play. Here is the future. Out on the Island, as we call it, there was Jason David last year. Jason David, in my opinion, needs to write the saints a check after last years play. He should pay the Saints to get on the field and get the chance to redeem himself. He stunk up the NFL. Granted the lack of Safety did not help but that is not enough perfume to cover the stink of this PePe Le Pew in Black and Gold. Sean promised all of use we will see an improvement this year. I hope so. He can not get any worse. So that was a safe statement for the coach to make. Well I hope not. With M&M getting older this is where I see Gay stepping in. Gay simply does not have the speed to make the safeties look good out there one on one. But at the number two he could be perfect. Out on the Island we need size and speed. Two things both Young and Porter have. Lack of experience is the killer out there but the Saints have refused again this year to go after a top CB in FA. So on the job training is a must. Strap yourself in gang this could be a bumpy ride, again. But heck it can not be any worse than last year.
Bullocks and Harper are the Saints starting Safeties. Recent roomers have Kaesviharn as the starter over Bullocks at FS. Either way Harper seems to be the best thing back there for us and even then his game could use improving. But Harpers 2006 knee injury did set the tandem back in 2007. Remember Bullocks had a good rookie season (2005) and we all looked forward to his play in 2006. Harper was drafted and the two looked to be a good match. But 5 games into the 2006 season it was all over. In 2007 the saints got there starting S tandem back on the field. So 2007 was the first time they played together. Well a lot of factors came into play and well the results were hard to digest. Roman, KK and Bullocks have to do one thing better this year and that is generating turnovers. OK better pass defense is one also.

Conclusion
What do we have to look forward to in 2008? God only knows. This is the same thing we went through in 2006 with the Saints offense. Time will tell. There is way too many new key pieces that have to come together in order to make an educated guess. But as a fan you have to like the approach the saints have taken in just 3 years under Sean. We have an offense that scares people and are just now putting the finishing pieces in place for a defense. All we can hope is that the results are close to what the 2006 offensive turn over yielded. Let see what happens and look forward to the 2009 draft and FA to plug a few more holes in the defense that were not addressed this year. There simply was not enough money or picks to address all of them in one year.

One thing that is for sure, The Butchers’ Toll can not get any worse than in 2007. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/defense-butchers%92-toll-part-2-59/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/2008-will-biggest-offensive-year-yet-55/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:42:49 GMT ...]]> 2008 could be the BIGGEST year yet

This is Sean Peyton’s third year of building a team for the city of New Orleans. The 2006 draft and FA period that may go down as one of the best in NFL history. Sure 2006 was an emotional year that may have led to an additional victory or two. The 2007 season was a year that left most of us wondering. What happened? Well 2008 is going to be the year that the saints and their fans will put the horse back in front of the cart. We, the fans, had the super bowl cart in front of the horse in 2007. To be honest so did the team. Let us look realistically were we are at in regards to year three of the rebuilding under the direction of Sean.

2006 Greatest off season I have ever seen. I will refer to it plenty.

2007 Saint Super Bowl? Words I prayed to hear since the bitter beginning. I could hear it echoing through out the national media. It was fun. We got all caught up in it. The funerals and all were silly fun. Let’s take a look at the situation now that the rose color glasses are off. The saints did not spend a fortune on the high priced free agents. In stead they kept the cap space and kept as many of its own FA as possible. Why not, NFC Championship game last year. FA was quite, except for Jason David. Lets all pray 2008 is a better year for him. A promise I am holding the Saints to. The draft was not near as exciting. Picking 27^th does that. Of all the picks only two saw the field with any regularity, Young and Mitchell. Most fans were screaming bust. Two small school players, Alleman and Bushrod had to compete for time on an OL that is one of the best in the NFL. So I hand out a flyer here. A WR knees are also getting a flyer. The saints knew ahead of time that was an issue. Pittman was a major disappointment once we got to see a UDFA named Pierre Thomas. David was a cut. I never understood this move. I guess the Saints showed some loyalty to Thomas in final year.

The Saints start off with a 0-4 whimper. Let’s face facts here gang, the NFL is not loaded with dummies. After an appearance in the NFC Championship game teams around the NFL spent a lot of time looking at the saints’ game plan and were mapping out ways to stop it. Now the Saints had to counter punch the moves without Duce for the rest of the year. The results were 7-5 from that point on. Not too bad for a club faced with a lot more injuries across the board than the previous year. Then to do it with a defensive secondary that was every fantasy football player’s wet dream come true. I find it amazing we pulled off a 7-5 mark off at all. What this proves to us, the fans, is the saints have heart and also have good enough depth to be a very special team. My biggest disappointment was the more than evident lack of depth at WR. This was supposed to be a position of strength. Well it was not. Why beat up on the secondary any more than it already has.

2008 – The Saints can no longer ignore the defense and expect to get bye with their rent a defense philosophy. Do not take that in the wrong way. The Saints have added some very good players to the defense but most are up there in age and really are not to be considered nothing more than excellent rotational players on an elite defense. So what do the Saints do to improve the unit? They pull another 2006 Drew move. They go out and gamble on another teams damage goods to be the leader in the middle of the defense. Vilma is the teams choice and I love the gamble ( I know Joesam loves it to). The Saints then go an add quality to the secondary by signing Gay from the Patriots. While he may not be an elite shut down CB, he is one of the best multi purpose CB in the NFL. You can plug this guy in any where on the field and he will produce. Bobby McCray at DE is a gamble that can pay off big time for the Saints. He has the speed off the edge to force the QB back up into the pocket. Smith should benefit greatly from this move. Wow CB, DE and MLB all addressed before the draft. Nice.

The draft was also defensive in mind. The saints need on the DL was obvious. So they picked two DTs (Ellis and Pressley) in the 1^st and 5^th rounds. Now with Smith and McCray forcing QB up into the pocket, the Saints are hoping the DT can push the pocket enough to increase the sack totals and give the beleaguered secondary a break. To help the secondary out the saints drafted Tracy Porter in the second. A pick that I like. We did not reach on him nor did he fall into our laps. As usual the saints added some good depth on the OL with pick of T/G Carl Nicks. The next pick maybe my second favorite of the draft, Kicker Taylor Mehlhaff. If he can help us out by carrying just one kicker over the next 5 years I will be very happy. Then to trade back into the draft in the 7^th for Arrington seems to be a steal. Adding to it we did it in front of Tampa. LOL in your face.

We could be looking at the same kind of off season impact in 2008 on defense that we saw on offense in 2006. Time will tell but on paper it looks good. So I will wait for this to play itself out first.

That brings me to where the offense stands in 2008. The saints have been building the OL for three years now and 2008 is a pivotal time to say the least. OC is the biggest area of concern. Faine was good but in no way was he worth being paid as the #1 center in the NFL. The Saints did the smart thing and let him walk and will collect a decent comp pick for him. Can Goodwin step in and handle the Job? If not the Saints signed C/G Matt Lehr as a safety net. Sean is very familiar with him from his days as a Cowboy. The signing of Lehr maybe an under the radar signing by the Saints that pays off big time. Especially now that his troubles seem to be dead and buried.

Taking a look at the OG position we are all very comfortable with Jahri Evans at RG. He has been playing at a pro bowl level since day 1. At LG we have the serviceable Jamar Nesbit. Talk about a pleasant surprise but he is in his 10^th year and a youthful upgrade is due. Alleman and Nicks appear to be the candidates to replace him. They will slug it out in camp and on the field in 2008. It is going to be a battle worth watching. Oh yeah, don't forget Lehr is in this mix to.

Another player to watch is Bushrod in 2008. If he can prove his worth in 2008 he may step in at LT by 2009 or maybe earlier. If Bushrod can take over at LT look for Brown to go back to the RT position. The wild card here is Zach Strief. Zach has been one of the best 7^th round picks ever made by the Saints. Man o man the 2006 draft will forever haunt Sean. Any ways, every year he has gotten better so do not count him out. John Stinchcomb is more than serviceable out there at RT but I think he is going to be the odd man out in 2009 if all goes as planned. He will be an UFA in 2009 and I really think the saints will let him walk. But if the rookies and 2^nd year players are not ready the saints will sign him ASAP. His services will be wanted by more than one club I am sure. So like Faine the Saints will not get into a bidding war. Just take your comp pick and go on with business.

Now that brings us to the glamor positions on offense. Drew, Colston and Patten are all set. Duce, we are lighting candles for you and your knees. Bush will have to prove is worth. How about 1000 yards rushing and receiving. Nothing like putting the pressure on a guy, huh. At the number three spot I like the combination of Stecker and Thomas. Stecker will teach this kid as much as he is willing to learn and Thomas seems to be a good student. He is in good hands. I think we will see PT and Stecker in the same backfield together this year. PT for the between the tackles stuff and Stecker for the scat back material. This will allow the Saints to keep Bush on the field more.

At the #3/#2 WR position I have Meachem penciled in already. This year we have been promised we will see why he was drafted in the first round. I am holding the Saints to that promise because Moore, Copper and Henderson have amounted to little or nothing. They have their moments but I would not call them dependable or irreplaceable. The saints have signed a lot of players that are capable PR and KR so they not happy with the play they have gotten on ST. This is where Adrian comes into play and maybe one or two other UDFA/FA we have signed.

Our TE are more than serviceable. Sorry we have not had enough picks in a draft or fewer needs elsewhere on the field to put a higher needs rating on the position. We flirted with Shockey but I never thought the Saints would pay the kings ransom for the guy that NYG wanted. Maybe next year in FA, trade or the 2009 draft will we look to upgrade the position. Till then we will once again pray for more pleasant surprises from this group. They are not bad, not bad at all.

So 2008 is a big year to see if the Saints rebuilding project over the past 3 years on the OL pays off. We all will be waiting to see if this is indeed the year the saints have, in one year, put the main pieces on the field for the defense that can play in the top 16 for the first time in years. I am telling you this will be fun to watch. It is a Saints football freaks dream come true. Everyone is going to play and everyone’s play is going to be key as to the future of this club. Every one should be watching an evaluating more than ever.
]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/2008-will-biggest-offensive-year-yet-55/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/big-time-gamblers-54/ Fri, 23 May 2008 11:03:27 GMT The thread about the the Saints and the big time... The thread about the the Saints and the big time gamblers they are this year has forced me into a long rebuttal. One I thought was better for the blog than the thread. We talk about the reach of walking wounded the saints have signed in 2008 and compare them with the FA signed Philli and Carolina. Including the draft moves of others. I think we need to step back and see this team in the proper light.

here is the link:
http://blackandgold.com/forums/new-o...tml#post167037

In the case of Philli and Carolina I have to agree they did improve the teams greatly. In Phillis case they mortgaged the cap for next few years with those moves. But Philli has to do this because they are an aging club. They have cut as much cap space because of age as the can without hurting the team over the last two years and are left with no choice but to make the super bowl push now. Carolina was smarter they did trade and cut to make cap room. But trust me more is to come out of Carolina. They made some good moves in year one. Carolina will always be our #1 contender for the division. Their FO is good. Atlanta and Tampa will have their years but until the FO changes I do not see either of them being a threat year in and year out. Thank god our FO changed or the Panthers would be all alone.

So while it is an improvement in Philli over the short haul, I have to say building over time like the saints are doing is the way I would go. Let us not forget the fact we are still in the early stages of building a foundation for this team. Draft youth and sprinkle it with a few vets at the key positions. We did it on offense in 2006. But we had to do it opposite on defense. We got the good but not glamorous veterans first and just we are now starting to add some much needed youth to the defense. You only have so much cap space and draft picks in a two year period to build a club. I like what the saints did and I have to say luck played a big part of it.

That first year netted us 5 solid starters on offense, 4 in the draft (Bush, Evans, Colston, Strief and Faine) and 2 (Drew, Miller) in FA. On the defensive side we also got Thomas, Shanle, Simoneau, Fujita and Harper. Now do you really think we can pull of deals like this in the off season every year? Beside now we are looking for youth to replace some of those vets that got us a 10-6 record and 1 game from the super bowl.

In 2007 we went heavy on the offense again in the off season and results was that not too many of them saw the field. Now we we use the word bust to describe that draft. I fhave this to say to those people. Come on the offense was not an issue and the saints went for players that can be developed as starters in a year or two to replace the other aging parts of the offense that the 2006 draft did not address. Of course they did not start. The OL was great in 2006. DUH. WR is the are we got some bad luck in. Mech got hurt. We layed a goose egg in the fourth and lost a fifth rounder. Now that sounds like a typical draft in the NFL to me.

2008 we did take a big risk and traded for Vilma. If all goes well he will be the key addition to the defense just like Drew was to the offense in 2006. Then we added Gay into the CB mix and that alone was an immediate upgrade for the secondary. Now we addressed the defense with the first 3 picks in the draft. 2 solid DTs to protect Vilma. A solid CB for the secondary. Added another OT/OG and WR to the team. We did a great move in the 6th and tried to solve our kicking games problem. 2 Ks on the roster is crazy. Free up one of those spots for another position is a wise move. Plus this kid kicks in the cold weather. GB in December and January is not going to phase him. I can not wait to see what he does in a Dome stadium.

Now to go out this year and get some of the Big Ticket FAs names that are being thrown around here this year would have been, well stupid to say the least. Just take a look at the FA we have to sign next year. Granted 2 are RFA but that does change a thing. You can not place a 1st and 3rd round tenders on both of them. You have to sign one at the least. If not it will put you into a bidding war for both and really do damage to the cap. Evans and Colston are on every teams hit list right now. We have to get this done. I have not even mentioned Smith here. He is going to cost us too. Next year in FA we will be able to make moves because we did not mortgage the cap this year. Do not forget this was a weak FA class this year and next years is going to be better.

Once we get the depth on this team and the age of this team down then we can make the moves. We have to take it one step at a time. Once the roster is established then make our super bowl run in FA. Dump the big bucks into the several positions you think will need upgrading to get you there. Simply put we are not there yet. Lets see what this year brings. I hope for a ring but my gut is telling me it maybe another two years till we ready to make that push. When we do the team will be deep enough and young enough to keep that push going for many years to come.

As for the remaining positions pointed out here, Center, Safety, TE, and Running Back, lets see if there is a diamond in the ruff and what camp cuts may bring. If nothing develops there is always next years draft and FAs to address those needs. This is only the start of year 3 of the rebuilding process and I like were we are at. We are not as big of gamblers as you think. Vilma is the only one this year. All the other moves have been solid, smart and safe. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/big-time-gamblers-54/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-3-53/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:20:07 GMT *Philip Wheeler**,...]]> 7. Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech, 6019, 248, 4.66, OLB/ILB

Philip Wheeler will not be the biggest or strongest linebacker of this class. However, despite those concerns, Wheeler has great athleticism. Wheeler is a solid cover man for a linebacker and will be able to match up well with most backs and tight ends in the league. Smooth, natural and a great athlete with loose hips. Wheeler is a strong player who can shed blocks and stuff the run with seeming ease. He has good quickness with a burst to close on the ball. Has sideline-to-sideline range. Terrific instincts. Big hitter and solid tackler. A very good pass rusher and blitzer. Extremely active. Versatile, Durable and experienced. Smart

Wheeler can be a bit too aggressive at times. He also is not always stout at the point of attack. He does have some trouble getting off blocks because of poor hand work.

His versatility will get him a long look from a few teams and he could be a steal for the right team in the third round.

2/28 Update: Philip Wheeler had one of the better overall combines of any linebacker. The numbers across the board were solid and Wheeler should reap the benefits. His strength and speed did not blow anybody away, but his combination of skills and quick feet will get the scouts' attention

8. Ali Highsmith, L.S.U., 5116, 230, 4.70 (MLB/OLB) Highsmith does the one thing all NFL scouts love -- he finds a way to get to the ball. Also, scouts love his versatility, with him capable of filling any linebacker role. His leadership skills also enhance his value. He's able to go sideline to sideline and is a very solid player in coverage. He shows good hip flip in coverage and has the burst to break on the ball. He shows a good understanding of the offense and knows where he should be. As a tackler, he shows good effort and form, and delivers a surprising pop.Solid blitzer and pass rusher. Real active and has a non-stop motor. Good leader. Excellent special teamer.

His lack of size and straiaght line speed will be a concern, since he has trouble at times getting off blocks. Highsmith is often overpowered by offensive linemen and even fullbacks and tight ends. He will need to get stronger. If they can get into his body, he's washed out of the play too easily. Has trouble taking on and shedding blockers. His best asset, unbounded aggression, can also work against him at times. He needs to be more disciplined. Highsmith sometimes runs himself right out of the play, taking poor angles and leaving his feet to dive at the ballcarrier. He'll also fall for misdirection and play action, counting too heavily on his athleticism to allow him to recover. His reaction to the ball is a little slow. Marginal instincts and he is often late to react.

Most scouts expect him to thrive as a weakside linebacker. Classic weakside prospect who is equally effective against the run as well as in coverage and could excel in the right. Might be best suited for a scheme like the Colts or Bucs employ.

9. Tavares Gooden, Miami (FL), 6013, 234, 4.65

Gooden is your typical Miami linebackers -- a cat-quick defender who is very physical with his hands, using them well to maintain separation from blockers. He has had a respectable, yet unspectacular career at Miami until he shifted to middle linebacker as a senior. Tavares Gooden is a great athlete. Few defenders display the lateral pursuit skills that Gooden has. He is also an explosive tackler who consistently drags ballcarriers to the ground. Face-up tackler who delivers a blow on contact and hits with leverage and good wrap-up technique. He does have the speed to make plays while in downhill pursuit and shows the ability to easily run with tight ends and halfbacks in the short area. Fluid and does a nice job in coverage. Aggressive player who will compete until the whistle.

Gooden will have little problem chasing down the opposition in the NFL laterally. Gooden can close downhill like a rocket, but he is not the most instinctive linebacker. Can be fooled by misdirection. He will need to find more balance between speed and strength if his new team wants him to be able to shed blockers and get into the backfield. Must show better recognition skills, as he does hesitate and look slow trying to locate the ball. He is tight in his hips when having to change direction suddenly. Bit of a liability in pass coverage. He is not much of a pass rusher or blitzer. Makes better plays in space than in tight quarters. Injuries impact his performance and he won't play hurt. He lacks toughness off the field.
Gooden is a quality special teams player in the NFL; he is smart enough and experienced enough to get some quality snaps at linebacker as a rookie as well.

Hampered by an assortment of injuries during his first three seasons with the Hurricanes 2004: Suffered a left shoulder sprain vs. Clemson (11/06) that would limit him to reserve duty in the team's final three games.
2005: Dislocated his left shoulder in the season opener vs. Florida State (9/05) and missed the rest of the season, undergoing surgery on October 3rd.
2006: Suffered a concussion vs. Virginia Tech (11/04), sitting out the Maryland (11/11) and Virginia (11/10) contests.

2/28 Update: Tavares Gooden proved what we all knew heading into the Combine: that he is a great athlete. How teams grade his intangibles and ability to gain strength will probably be the difference between a first and second day selection for Gooden ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-3-53/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-2-52/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:08:01 GMT *Erin Henderson**,...]]> 3. Erin Henderson, Maryland, 6028, 244, 4.73, ILB/OLB

Linebacker Erin Henderson has great size and speed and one of the top LB’s in the nation that should be one of the top linebackers on most draft boards. He is quite instinctive and will always be around the ball and deliver some big time hits. He reads the action quickly, and is athletic and strong enough with his hands to get through blocks on his way to the ball carrier. Can beat the running back to the edge. Has decent range and does a nice job in pursuit. Will thump ball carriers. Great instincts and awareness. Protects his knees and avoids the trash while keeping his head up. Real aggressive and plays with a nasty demeanor. Can hold his own in zone coverage. Sees crossing routes well and is very instinctive. Very good change of direction skills. Chiseled frame with room for additional growth. Has shown the ability to bounce back from major surgery with no loss of speed or aggression. Versatile, Hard worker, Excellent intangibles and Nice bloodlines. Brother, E.J. starting linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings

His injuries are the biggest concern, including a torn ACL suffered a couple years back.Henderson does not have the best cover skills around and would prefer to go after the ball, but he has enough speed and skills to develop his coverage ability if necessary. Plays too tall and is not overly stout at the point. Has trouble taking on and shedding blockers. Relies too much on his athleticism to evade blocks, rather than physically confronting them. Does not have elite speed or athleticism and looks stiff. Lacks fluid hips and has trouble matching up in coverage. Still needs to work some on cover skills. Has to get stronger Henderson only missed one game last year and remained extremely productive despite the injuries. He is a tough player and will not allow any minor injuries to get in his way. He is not as physically gifted as some of the other linebackers, but he is no slouch either. His superior instincts will have many teams who are looking for a linebacker fighting over his services in the second round of the draft.

Torn ACL in his left knee caused him to miss the entire 2005 season. Missed only one game, but was held out of practice (only playing on Saturday) in many more games this season after tearing the meniscus and spraining the ACL in the same knee
>
2/28 Update: Erin Henderson did what he could to show off his instincts at the Combine, but he put up some decent numbers across the board as well. He did not do anything to drop his status below the second round and everybody has to like his ball hawking ability that can only be seen on game tapes

4. Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma, 6000, 246, 4.67

Curtis began to emerge as a sophomore but really burst onto the scene as a junior in 2007 when he was named an All-American and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Simply put he has a nose for the ball. Football acumen is second to none. Knows where the play is going and makes proper adjustments. Excellent instincts and awareness are his strongest traits. Smart with a high football I.Q. This mental quickness allows him to play faster than he times in the forty. Curtis has a solid frame and a non-stop motor that can step up and fill against the run. Big hitter and reliable tackler. Does a terrific job in pursuit and has a burst to close. Able to rush the passer, Sifts through defenders well and racks sacks. Does a decent job in zone coverage. Hard worker and team leader with top-notch intangibles. Has been very productive at OU. Goes 100%. Could play in either a 43 or a 34 defensive scheme.

Lofton isn't all that big height-wise and he's not a burner. He has marginal timed speed and is not a great athlete. Stiff and does not have fluid hips and will struggles matching up in man coverage. Just an average blitzer with a limited pass rush repertoire. Limited college starting experience (19 games). Not a lot of versatility, will only play ILB in the pros

He might not have all the physical tools you look for but is just a football player but a) he's very strong and b) his numbers say it all - he gets the job done, time and again. 157 tackles in 2007.

Update (2/28/08): At the combine Lofton ran a 4.77 in the 40, which wasn't particularly impressive; but on the other hand, he had 23 reps in the bench press.

Smart decision to leave early.

6 Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech, 6018, 232, 4.69 (ILB/OLB/S)

Few players can match the productivity of Xavier Adibi. He used his speed to get to the quarterback and earned three sacks and seven quarterback hurries as a senior and he proved to be an effective player in coverage as well, intercepting seven passes during his Hokie career. Instinctive player who finds a way to the ball, as he can get to the line with suddenness, taking on the inside run with his shoulder downhill. Runs to the ball well and plays with good effort. Plays until the whistle and shows toughness taking on bigger blockers. He has the body control to fit in space and the quickness and speed to squeeze the edge on blitzes. Has the speed to chase and close on the move. Excellent sideline-to-sideline range. Really fluid and looks like a natural in coverage. Plays with good football intelligence and awareness. A playmaker a tight midsection, very long arms, with a good reach and natural hands to extend and catch the ball outside his framewith. Adibi has no problems mirroring the run or pass, very instinctive . Has a feel for his area in pass coverage, with the range to cover the field, as he shows alertness in zone coverage, reacting quickly to throws. Focuses on the quarterback's eyes during his pass drop, using his quickness to get proper depth. He is very athletic, on fire, and one not to show lag at any point in the game. Solid on the punt unit and uses his speed to be a solid contributor on the coverage squads. Very confident. Leads by example and can handle hard coaching.

Extremely undersized and really needs to add weight. Lacks the strength to play in the middle or on the strong side, but will combat at the point of attack. Is much better reading hats and tracking the ball when aligned outside than when working through trash inside. Struggles to shed when blitzing inside. Can get covered up by the bigger blockers when playing inside. Does not have the hand strength needed to reroute tight ends and backs in the passing game. Has to work on his tackle technique, as he does not always attack the outside leg of the ballcarrier and spends more time grabbing at the runner rather than driving through with his hits. Has good field vision, but is a bit slow reading and reacting to the play and must be quicker in his diagnostic skills. Gets a bit reckless in his pursuit and, while he has good foot speed, he takes false steps and needs to throttle down a bit to redirect when he outruns the play. Durability's a concern

The problem for Adibi heading into the NFL is his size and he will have to be a weakside linebacker, but with his speed and agility, combined with the fact he is very aware of what is going on in front of him, makes him a solid pick for a weakside linebacker position. He does have the loose hips to get depth in pass drops, and could make the move to strong safety. With a mid-to-late second round pick, some team will find themselves with a quality weakside linebacker who will work hard and contribute on special teams. Sat out 6 games with a torn tendon in his right biceps muscle.

2/28 Update: For a player who depends mostly on speed, Adibi's 40 time at the Combine was a little disappointing. He was by no means slow, but he was not the flat-out burner many were expecting. However, Adibi did show off his great instincts and solid coverage ability in the position drills.
]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-2-52/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-1-51/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:59:49 GMT *Penn...]]> 1. Dan Connor, Penn St., 6-3 233 4.67

Blue collar. That's the word heard most often when describing Dan Conner. The Penn State Senior linebacker has been nothing short of a tackling machine since the first game of his freshman year. Conner led Penn State with 145 tackles this year. Conner doesn't just wait for backs to come at him to be tackled. Conner has experience playing both inside and outside on the line backing core, both with equally impressive results. The best news for NFL teams is that Conner is probably a slightly more athletic version of Paul Posluszny. What you get with Conner is a smart, versatile linebacker who never misses a tackle. Above average athleticism with sideline-to-sideline range. Physically aggressive and will deliver the big hit. Possesses brut strength. Excellent size for the position. Smart with excellent awareness and instincts. Does a solid job in coverage. Versatile. A hard worker and leader with an intense and competitive non-stop motor. Has a lot of experience against top competition.

A tad undersized and needs to bulk up and will have to bulk up. He isn't always stout at the point and has had trouble taking on blockers head-to-head.He is improving against the pass but needs to drop back more in coverage. A little rigid and mechanical. Lacks fluid hips to turn and run in man coverage. Had some maturity issues early in college.

Conner and Posluszny have a lot of similar skills and both have a nose for the football, always seeming to be in on the tackle. Could project inside or outside at the next level. He may have been a little over hyped by the media.

Was suspended for a few games in 2005 for making harassing phone calls to a former assistant coach.

Dan Connor had a fantastic Senior Bowl. Scouts have questioned his athleticism, but Connor showed he could move during drills. He's got great technique and instincts. Connor also recorded nine tackles and an interception for the North squad. Connor did nothing but prove that he may not look or seem athletic in shorts, but put him in pads and he's as good as any body out there.

Dan Connor declined to work out at the NFL Combine, because of nagging injuries from the Senior Bowl. Connor was weighed and measured and reportedly did very well during the interview process. Teams are impressed by his work ethic and his passion for the game.

Dan Conner finally got to show off his ability at Penn State's pro day. After missing combine workouts because of injury, Connor put on a show. He ran a 4.67 forty yard dash and a 4.25 second short shuttle. In addition to those drills, Connor registered 21 reps on the bench press, a 35 inch vertical leap, and a 9'7" long jump. Connor has first round talent as a inside or weakside linebacker. He may, however, have to wait until round two to hear his name called.

One of the tops at his position, Connor should be a mid 1st rounder

2. Jerod Mayo, Tennessee, 6013, 242, 4.54

Mayo is an outstanding physical specimen. He possesses great speed and agility and shows good strength and explosiveness as well. He has been very productive and made a smooth transition from OLB to ILB in 2007, where his athleticism has served him well. Mayo covers a lot of ground, as evidenced by his high number of tackles (140 tackles -- 79 solo). He's explosive off the ball, which makes him an effective blitzer and he's capable as a run stopper and in pass coverage. He's able to stop on a dime, square up, and redirect quickly, not falling prey to the jukes and moves of the ball-carrier. He has good instincts and is a hard hitter. He doesn't miss many opportunities to make tackles. Has terrific range and does a great job in pursuit Mayo is especially comfortable in coverage who is fluid & smooth in coverage. Smart with good awareness and instincts. Physical and plays bigger than he is. Plays aggressively and has a nice motor.

Mayo needs to improve at the point of attack and become better at shedding blockers, a key to success in the NFL. Despite his production, Mayo still shows some inconsistency. He'll make a great play and then get caught out of position on the next one. Undersized and doesn't have either the ideal height or bulk that you look for and will needs to be protected up front. He's not nearly as physical a player as he needs to be on the inside. He also needs to improve at closing down running lanes. He'll also miss tackles when he tries to blow up the ball-carrier with a shoulder instead of wrapping up. Durability may be an issue.

Mayo enjoyed a couple very good seasons for Tennessee. Best fit may be as a middle 'backer in a Cover 2 or he may do better with a return to WLB in a 4-3 scheme where he can utilize his athleticism and ability to read and react. Not a traditional thumper but he will prove awfully attractive to teams that are willing to sacrifice some size for speed.

Mayo also has some injury history, having missed the final 4 games of 2005 with a knee injury and then playing through a knee injury at the end of 2006. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/mlb-2008-draft-round-1-51/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-4-50/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:36:09 GMT *16. Bryan Kehl, B.Y.U., 6023, 242, 4.56* Kehl... 16. Bryan Kehl, B.Y.U., 6023, 242, 4.56

Kehl is not a typical BYU linebacker having adequate size and bulk. Kehl is a very fast and a decent athletic player. Bryan has good instincts in the running game evident by the number of tackles he makes. Capable of delivering the big hit. He is active with nice range showing excellent instincts and awareness. He does an excellent job in open space and taking on blockers at the edge. Has a knack for getting to the sideline and keeping runners turned inside for help. Bryan can hold his own in coverage. He has a good football frame and possesses the necessary instincts to drop in coverage -- being better in zone than on man-to-man coverage. He is a ball hawk-type of player, who has good balance and moves smoothly laterally. Has shown consistent improvement in the passing game. Hard worker..Smart and mature with premier intangibles.

Strength is probably his greatest weakness besides lack of experience. He is a good (not great) tackler who can hit with force, but tends not to do so. He is not the best open field tackler and needs more coaching and experience. He sometimes plays with overconfidence, causing him to miss coverage assignments. Doesn't really play up to his workout numbers. He has trouble shedding blocks. He doesn't play with a nasty demeanor. Marginal pass rusher. May not have a lot of upside. Only a two year starter after taking two years off for a LDS Church Mission.

He is truly athletic and agile, but needs more coaching and playing time with better competition (but the instincts are there). A pretty good all-around player whose physical tools are passable and gets pushed over the top by doing all the little things

Following a solid combine, Bryan Kehl dropped his 40 by close to .1 seconds, notching a 4.56 at his Pro Day.

Bryan Kehl looked solid at the combine; one of the NFL Network analysts compared him to Brady Poppinga.


17. Bruce Davis, UCLA, 6026, 252, 4.72, (DE/OLB)

Davis has made a habit of being in the opponent's backfield. Davis uses great quickness and speed to rush the passer, with 26.5 career sacks at UCLA. He has good moves and simply beats his tackle around the corner into the backfield. In the NFL, Davis' lack of size and strength at the point of attack will force a move to linebacker. Davis has a long, linear athletic frame that can carry extra bulk on it without effecting his speed. A terror off the edge with an outstanding quickness with a burst to close. Good recognition and flashed improved lateral quickness to flatten out and extend plays to the sideline while practicing as a linebacker at the Senior Bowl. Versatile and has played both DE and OLB. Has dominate games at times. Rangy and makes plays in pursuit. Very active with a non-stop motor. A team leader with great intangibles

Davis is vastly undersized and desperately needs to bulk up. A liability versus the run and struggles to hold his ground or get a push. Strength is well below average. Davis has very little experience as a linebacker and has VERY limited experience in coverage. Bruce has the speed to become an effective DE/LB hybrid but lacks the experience that some of the others have. One trick pony with a meager pass rush repertoire

A one-dimensional pass rush specialist who will probably have to move to outside linebacker at the next level.

Had a wonderful combine in which he weighed in at 252 pounds, 18 more than what he weighed at UCLA. He also ran a 4.72, one one-thousandth of a second behind consensus top DE Chris Long. He has a never ending motor, and could easily move to the 3-4 DE/LB hybrid.


18. Jordon Dizon, Colorado, 5119, 229, 4.63

Colorado WLB Jordon Dizon plays 100 miles per hour and is so active that he has been getting an IV drip at halftime of every game due to dehydration. Dizon isn't going to impress anyone physically, which is why he'll likely be on the board until the latter rounds.Has excellent range and makes plays sideline-to-sideline. Field fast, active and reactive. Really breaks through trash and finds the ball carrier. Can still add some muscle mass, and if done sveltely, he could be a terror at MLB because of his awareness, smarts and leadership qualities. Project best to the WILL position but can play anywhere. Productive and pretty tough. Good blitzer. Has a lot of experience. In 13 games, Dizon recorded 173 total tackles (127 solo, 46 assists), 11 TFL, four sacks, 8 QB hurries, and two interceptions. As a result, he was named a consensus first-team All-American, first-team All-Big 12, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and was the runner-up for the Butkus Award.

Although he is very productive and flies to the ball, he is not a physical tackler and can be knocked backward. Is vastly undersized and needs to add weight. He may wind up playing strong safety in the pros if he times well enough, but he does not show a lot of fluidity in coverage for how little he is asked to cover in the Buffaloes’ defense. Does not flip his hips well, has poor ball skills and really struggles in man coverage. Flashes pass coverage ability, but height will be a concern on an ongoing basis in pass defense. Sometimes bites on misdirection. Not fast enough or tall enough to be tried outside. Limited versatility hurts.

However, as hung up as evaluators can be on the physical, Dizon's numbers and his accolades speak for themselves. Also, he makes plays when it matters - he had 17 third-down stops as a junior and posted a single-season school record of 19 as a senior. Classic case of a great college player who just doesn't project well to the next level. Probably won't be anything more than a backup in the pros but he has all the makings of a special teams ace.



19. Stanford Keglar Purdue 6-15/8 239 4.58

Stanford Keglar has had a solid, but unspectacular career at Purdue. He has good size and bulk to go with great athleticism. Excellent instincts and great sideline-to-sideline range. Holds his own in zone coverage because of his high football IQ. Has a very good motor. Hard worker with solid intangibles.

One of the issues scouts are going to have with Keglar is his lack of production, given his athleticism. He is a big outside linebacker at 6'2" and 247 lbs. Keglar also possess remarkable speed for his size, but was often burnt in coverage and rarely got to the quarterback on blitzes throughout his career. Can be too aggressive at times. Has trouble matching up in man coverage. Struggles when he has to take on and shed blockers.

Keglar's athletic ability will lead someone to draft him in the late rounds. He should be a good special teams contributor and with time and coaching could develop into a starting linebacker in the NFL. A good player with starting potential but could get overdrafted

Stanford Keglar attended the 2008 East-West Shrine Game. He played well, but didn't particularly stand out amongst the linebackers. This would have been a good opportunity to showcase his play making skills, but as usual, he put on a lackluster performance. Keglar should hear his name called between rounds 5 and 7.

Stanford Keglar raised his stock by leaps and bounds at the NFL Combine. Keglar scored toward the top of every event in Indianapolis. He ran a 4.58 40 yard dash and finished the 20 yard shuttle in just 3.98 seconds. Keglar also hoisted 29 reps on the bench press. Keglar is a bigger 4-3 outside linebacker, but showed he has the speed to play at the NFL level. Keglar was a late fifth or sixth round pick before the Combine, but now could go as early as the end of round four. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-4-50/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-3-49/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:18:21 GMT *12. Beau Bell, UNLV, 6013, 244, 4.68... 12. Beau Bell, UNLV, 6013, 244, 4.68 (MLB/OLB)

Bell is very athletic with a good combination of size and speed. A big backer for today's standards and exceptionaly quick. Bell does an excellent job in his pre-snap reads and fights through traffic really well. He is quick to read and react and is able to change direction quickly because he is an intuitive player. Bell is one of the better tacklers in college football and has huge upside when it comes to creating turnovers. He shows good burst of his blocks, is a sideline-to-sideline player and is effective on blitzes. Bell is a reliable tackle and has closed quickly on ball carriers, possessing enough speed to cover tight ends in man to man coverage. Violent and reliable tackler. Active and a terror in pursuit. Bell is good in coverage, which makes him appealing to 3-4 and 4-3 defenses. An extremely versatile player. Real aggressive and has a good motor. He has discipline, plays within the assigned system.

Bell could show better awareness in zone coverage. Instincts are relatively average. Has tight hips. Poor ball skills. Too aggressive at times. Has some trouble shedding blocks. He can be worn down when runners attack him. Leadership abilities and work ethic have been questioned.

Bell has intriguing physical skills. He could play inside or outside in the NFL. He does need improved coaching to reach its potential. His injury history is of concern, but overall is a very solid football player with an above average pro ceiling.


13. Wesley Woodyard, Kentucky, 6004, 227, 4.49 (OLB/SS)

Wesley Woodyard is the unquestioned leader of the Wildcat defense. As the starting WLB the past three years (he played some safety and MLB as a freshman), he's consistently racked up phenomenal stats and earned All-SEC honors. Woodyard is a great athlete. He shows great football awareness and has the speed to get to the ball. He has a great burst off the ball, a nose for the ball, and he brings a load when he gets to the ball. He's a very hard hitter. Smart with good awareness and instincts. Despite his (lack of) size, he plays an aggressive and physical style of football and has shown himself to be a solid tackler. With his athleticism and speed, he's comfortable dropping into coverage. Has fluid hips and does a nice job in coverage. He's a true leader on and off the field and has excelled academically and is involved in the community. No one will work harder.

You can't teach size and Woodyard is just undersized. He needs to get much heavier and stronger, which will help him improve getting off blocks (which is his biggest weakness). Struggles to fight through traffic and is not stout at the point. Some scouts would like to see him improve his tackling skills.

There's a lot to like about this guy but his lack of size is a monumental negative. Woodyard is simply a football player and that's a high compliment. He'll find a job. He might never be more than a backup and special teamer

14. Tavares Gooden, Miami (FL), 6013, 234, 4.65

Gooden is your typical Miami linebackers -- a cat-quick defender who is very physical with his hands, using them well to maintain separation from blockers. He has had a respectable, yet unspectacular career at Miami until he shifted to middle linebacker as a senior. Tavares Gooden is a great athlete. Few defenders display the lateral pursuit skills that Gooden has. He is also an explosive tackler who consistently drags ballcarriers to the ground. Face-up tackler who delivers a blow on contact and hits with leverage and good wrap-up technique. He does have the speed to make plays while in downhill pursuit and shows the ability to easily run with tight ends and halfbacks in the short area. Fluid and does a nice job in coverage. Aggressive player who will compete until the whistle.

Gooden will have little problem chasing down the opposition in the NFL laterally. Gooden can close downhill like a rocket, but he is not the most instinctive linebacker. Can be fooled by misdirection. He will need to find more balance between speed and strength if his new team wants him to be able to shed blockers and get into the backfield. Must show better recognition skills, as he does hesitate and look slow trying to locate the ball. He is tight in his hips when having to change direction suddenly. Bit of a liability in pass coverage. He is not much of a pass rusher or blitzer. Makes better plays in space than in tight quarters. Injuries impact his performance and he won't play hurt. He lacks toughness off the field.

Gooden is a quality special teams player in the NFL; he is smart enough and experienced enough to get some quality snaps at linebacker as a rookie as well.

Hampered by an assortment of injuries during his first three seasons with the Hurricanes
2004: Suffered a left shoulder sprain reserve duty in the team's final three games.
2005: Dislocated his left shoulder in the season opener and missed the rest of the season,
2006: Suffered a concussion

2/28 Update: Tavares Gooden proved what we all knew heading into the Combine: that he is a great athlete. How teams grade his intangibles and ability to gain strength will probably be the difference between a first and second day selection for Gooden.



15. Geno Hayes, Florida St., 6009, 226, 4.67 (MLB/OLB)

There is little doubt about Geno Hayes' ability on the field. Hayes is a superb athlete who can put on the big hit and his quickness makes him a great sideline-to-sideline player. He has a compact frame and flashes solid speed. Plays with the intent of punishing runners. He is a hit and wrap up tackler that comes ready to play. Decent blitzer and makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Fluid and agile with great change of direction when dropping back in coverage. Good awareness and instincts. Versatile and could project to more than one position.

At only 218 pounds, he will need to bulk up some to compete at the NFL level. Prefers to run around blockers rather than take them on. Struggles to shed. Too aggressive at times. He has had some issues being exposed on the pass game. Durability could be an issue. Has off-the-field & character concerns.

Poor-man's Lawrence Timmons or Ernie Sims ?

Missed a few games with a knee injury in '06
Tased, arrested and later charged with assault on an officer, resisting arrest without violence and disorderly conduct following a bar fight in 2007
Was one of the Florida St. players involved in the academic cheating scandal ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-3-49/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-2-3-48/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:11:58 GMT *8. Ezra Butler, Nevada, 6016, 240, 4.51... 8. Ezra Butler, Nevada, 6016, 240, 4.51

Butler has excellent size with long arms, well built and Very fast for a linebacker. He hasn't really been used as a classic outside linebacker, as the "Bandit" position he played is more like a 5-tech rush end. He is agile and moves well and has quick change of direction, moves well in traffic. Butler plays sideline to sideline and can really get after it when he is engaged. He closes quickly on ball carriers and very explosive when he gets into the offensive backfield. Big hitter. Physical, aggressive and plays with a mean streak. He will truly deliver a cannon-type blow. Does his best work in attack mode. Good build for LB duties, thick legs and wide frame. A terrific pass rusher. He can run with any tight end and most receivers and possesses good hands for interceptions. He gets a good deep drops on zone coverage. Plays with a nasty edge and having a good team around him will only make him better. Great special teamer. He is more polished than some of the other OLB prospects on this draft class. 3 year starter.

Although big and strong, Butler seems to wear down when run at. Can be too aggressive at times. He must avoid biting on play action fakes, because sometimes he tends to gamble. Gets reckless in his pursuit, out-running the play and then struggles to get back into the action. Needs to refine his technique. Needs to play with better leverage. Has some troubling shedding blocks needs to use his hands better and relies too much on his speed as a pass rusher. Tries to over-power blockers rather than slip past or avoid. He is just average in coverage. He needs to get a quicker read on the quarterback in pass coverage and show better awareness to handle switch-off activity in zone coverage.doesn't always play up to his measurable.

Butler is the kind of athlete who can change a game around and made difference-making plays. Has all the physical tools you look for and could be a fit for either a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme at the pro level. Workout Warrior with a lot of potential

Violation of team policies resulted in a one-game suspension in 2007



9. Ali Highsmith, L.S.U., 5116, 230, 4.70 (MLB/OLB)

Highsmith does the one thing all NFL scouts love -- he finds a way to get to the ball. Also, scouts love his versatility, with him capable of filling any linebacker role. His leadership skills also enhance his value. He's able to go sideline to sideline and is a very solid player in coverage. He shows good hip flip in coverage and has the burst to break on the ball. He shows a good understanding of the offense and knows where he should be. As a tackler, he shows good effort and form, and delivers a surprising pop.Solid blitzer and pass rusher. Real active and has a non-stop motor. Good leader. Excellent special teamer.

His lack of size and straight line speed will be a concern, since he has trouble at times getting off blocks. Highsmith is often overpowered by offensive linemen and even fullbacks and tight ends. He will need to get stronger. If they can get into his body, he's washed out of the play too easily. Has trouble taking on and shedding blockers. His best asset, unbounded aggression, can also work against him at times. He needs to be more disciplined. Highsmith sometimes runs himself right out of the play, taking poor angles and leaving his feet to dive at the ball carrier. He'll also fall for misdirection and play action, counting too heavily on his athleticism to allow him to recover. His reaction to the ball is a little slow. Marginal instincts and he is often late to react.

Most scouts expect him to thrive as a weak side linebacker. Classic weak side prospect who is equally effective against the run as well as in coverage and could excel in the right. Might be best suited for a scheme like the Colts or Bucs employ.


10. Marcus Howard, Georgia, 6005, 237, 4.40 (OLB/DE)

Marcus Howard stepped into the pass-rushing end role that was previously occupied by Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses and delivered in a big way in 2007. He was among the national leaders in sacks with 10.5 on the season. He also was able to create turnovers as he forced three fumbles and recovered one. Howard is an undersized rush end who shows great ability to rush the QB. A former LB, he's explosive off the snap and is often clearing the offensive tackle before he's even able to set up. He has the speed to gain the edge and shows good balance while dropping his shoulder to turn the corner and avoid the blocker. He also uses his hands well. He has the speed for pursuit and is able to get down the line quickly. A reliable tackler. Has fluid hips to turn and run in coverage. ...Nice special teams potential.

Howard is a DE trapped in the body of a LB. He's a pass-rusher, pure and simple. He possesses a good burst and rare straight-line speed, but he doesn't change direction very well and is easily fooled by misdirection. Howard doesn't seem to show the instincts needed to play LB. Can be physically manhandled and isn't very stout at the point and is a liability against the run .He wasn't asked to drop into coverage much at Georgia. One-Dimensional

It is hard to define exactly how he'll fit in at the next level (3-4 OLB? 4-3 OLB? 4-3 DE?) but there will always be room for a top pass rusher with his type of elite speed and athleticism. Howard will have to become a one-down pass-rush specialist and special teams demon.


11. Gary Guyton, Georgia Tech, 6016, 245, 4.47

Veteran outside linebacker with experience at the weak-side and strong-side positions, Guyton lacks eye-popping athleticism but has the size and strength teams are looking for. Guyton remains a bit raw, but has the physical tools and showed improvement as a senior when moved to the weak side.Gary has good size with a solid frame and with room for additional growth. Good size and strength to come up and fill lanes as a run-stuffer. Hard hitter and can play hard at times. Looks for the big hit. More quick than fast and has a burst to close. Long arms and strong hands are used well to supply a pop to blockers and disengage. Shows some burst as blitzer. He is a very good athlete that can run with backs a break back into coverage to cover the pass. Versatile. Switched to weak-side linebacker as a senior and improved as the season wore on. An excellent special teamer. Smart with solid intangibles

Gary has only marginal instincts for the position. Inconsistent. Does not have great instincts or awareness and he can be slow to react. Needs to get stronger, does not fight of blocks well. He lacks fluid hips and struggles in coverage. Lacks great overall athleticism and is more of a straight-line player who plays pretty stiff in coverage. Isn't the physically intimidating player his size would indicate.

Should at the very least be a nice backup...Could surprise. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-2-3-48/ http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-2-cont-46/ Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:53:26 GMT *6. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech, 6018, 232, 4.69... 6. Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech, 6018, 232, 4.69 (ILB/OLB/S)

Few players can match the productivity of Xavier Adibi. He used his speed to get to the quarterback and earned three sacks and seven quarterback hurries as a senior and he proved to be an effective player in coverage as well, intercepting seven passes during his Hokie career. Instinctive player who finds a way to the ball, as he can get to the line with suddenness, taking on the inside run with his shoulder downhill. Runs to the ball well and plays with good effort. Plays until the whistle and shows toughness taking on bigger blockers. He has the body control to fit in space and the quickness and speed to squeeze the edge on blitzes. Has the speed to chase and close on the move. Excellent sideline-to-sideline range. Really fluid and looks like a natural in coverage. Plays with good football intelligence and awareness. A play maker a tight midsection, very long arms, with a good reach and natural hands to extend and catch the ball outside his frame with. Adibi has no problems mirroring the run or pass, very instinctive . Has a feel for his area in pass coverage, with the range to cover the field, as he shows alertness in zone coverage, reacting quickly to throws. Focuses on the quarterback's eyes during his pass drop, using his quickness to get proper depth. He is very athletic, on fire, and one not to show lag at any point in the game. Solid on the punt unit and uses his speed to be a solid contributor on the coverage squads. Very confident. Leads by example and can handle hard coaching.

Extremely undersized and really needs to add weight. Lacks the strength to play in the middle or on the strong side, but will combat at the point of attack. Is much better reading hats and tracking the ball when aligned outside than when working through trash inside. Struggles to shed when blitzing inside. Can get covered up by the bigger blockers when playing inside. Does not have the hand strength needed to reroute tight ends and backs in the passing game. Has to work on his tackle technique, as he does not always attack the outside leg of the ball carrier and spends more time grabbing at the runner rather than driving through with his hits. Has good field vision, but is a bit slow reading and reacting to the play and must be quicker in his diagnostic skills. Gets a bit reckless in his pursuit and, while he has good foot speed, he takes false steps and needs to throttle down a bit to redirect when he outruns the play. Durability's a concern

The problem for Adibi heading into the NFL is his size and he will have to be a weak side linebacker, but with his speed and agility, combined with the fact he is very aware of what is going on in front of him, makes him a solid pick for a weak side linebacker position. He does have the loose hips to get depth in pass drops, and could make the move to strong safety. With a mid-to-late second round pick, some team will find themselves with a quality weak side linebacker who will work hard and contribute on special teams.

Sat out 6 games with a torn tendon in his right biceps muscle.

2/28 Update: For a player who depends mostly on speed, Adibi's 40 time at the Combine was a little disappointing. He was by no means slow, but he was not the flat-out burner many were expecting. However, Adibi did show off his great instincts and solid coverage ability in the position drills.

7. Shawn Crable, Michigan, 6049, 245, 4.64 (OLB, DE, DT)

Shawn Crable may lack a true position, but wherever he lines up, he is a difference maker for the Michigan defense. Crable played outside linebacker, defensive end, and occasionally defensive tackle for the Wolverines this season. Played with his hand on the ground as well as SAM linebacker. With Crable's tall and rangy frame with long arms, some talent evaluators feel he could bulk up for a possible switch to the defensive line, where his pass rushing and pass coverage skills could excel as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. Crable is a truly remarkable athlete, possessing excellent speed for his size and extraordinary strength. Crable plays on his feet and is effective at wrapping the ball carrier in closed quarters, generating good pop on contact. He has the speed to make plays around the perimeter, and when he gets through traffic. He has an outstanding blitzing ability off the edge or on an inside dog, as he chases hard and shows good intent to deliver the blow. Very good on stunts, as he has the knack for finding the open lane. Shows more quickness than speed as a speed rusher, but has a long stride and range to get to the ball. With his pass rush skills, he can create havoc in the backfield, but must be more conscious of sinking his hips to generate the extra burst needed to seal the deal. Shows better coverage skills across the middle and outside the box vs. the tight end than he does in the zone. He does an adequate job in coverage. Still improving and has upside.

Crable may be too big for linebacker, not big enough for end. Has good upper body development, but is slender in his thighs and legs, appearing to lack the bulk to anchor vs. double teams. Because of his lanky frame, he fails to generate good pad level, getting too tall in his stance and the result in him getting washed out. Needs to play with better leverage. Must be more active with his hands in attempts to disengage. Crable can get lost in zone coverage as he struggles handling switch-offs and will bite on pump fakes. Not really fluid in his backpedal and is prone to taking extra steps in transition, causing him to be a bit behind when trying to mirror the tight ends and backs in space. Too stiff in his hips to work fluidly down the line, needing to gather before changing direction. Slow to read and react. Not a natural hands catcher, as most passes that he gets to are deflected rather than intercepted.Sub par ball skills. Has little experience in pass coverage. Pass rush repertoire is limited, lacks swim and rip moves. Does not have a great motor and his work ethic has been questioned. Intelligence may be a concern?

Crable's type of versatility will make him highly sought after during this year's draft. Brut strength, scary size. Above average football acumen. Playing experience. Speed(track star in high school). Nasty. Crable projects best as a pass rushing OLB, particularly in a 3-4 defensive scheme. However, his coverage skills and experience at DE could lead a team to use him at DE on third downs. Crable has the potential to be an Adalius Thomas type defender in the NFL.

A real interesting prospect with a unique set of physical tools. But may need to be pushed in order to fulfill his potential. Teams are drooling at what Crable can bring to a defense; toughness, size, speed, he is really a hybrid defender who can get the job done.

Shawn Crable showed up in Indianapolis for the combine and had a great day. Crable ran a 4.64 in the 40 yard dash, an excellent time for a man of his size. He managed 29 reps on the bench press, showing off his good upper body strength. Crable has shown he's one of the top four or five 3-4 outside linebackers available this year. ]]> hagan714 http://blackandgold.com/forums/blogs/hagan714/olb-2008-draft-round-2-cont-46/