Saints talking with two more LB's
 

Re: Saints talking with two more LB's
 

add a 3rd one.............
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Saints | Team interested in Hawthorne
Tue, 8 Apr 2008 12:00:12 -0700

J.J. Pesavento, of Next Level Scouting, reports the New Orleans Saints are interested in Texas-Christian University LB David Hawthorne.

from kffl.........

this puzzles me...............
while they may be looking into the 2nd and 3rd round possibilities, not hawthorn, i still have the feeling they are looking deeper in the draft and may trade down...... who out there does not think it's a good time to load up for the future? i for one do not believe there is any sure thing.......there are what some consider safe bets, but i would'nt go beyond that.......
and the more bodies you bring in, the chances are higher there may be a colston or two in the bunch..........
and on top of that, i still believe they go offense more than 1/2 this draft....
change my mind.............make my day..................smitty

Re: Saints talking with two more LB's
 

nah we are talking second day here.

Re: Saints talking with two more LB's
 

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.

OLB in the 2008 Draft: Round 3 - Black and Gold Forums

Now with defensive end/linebacker Quentin Groves coming into town I am happy