Top Picks Draft Fluff

BrooksMustGo · 04-20-2006, 03:29 PM

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9382793

A very interesting piece on the top prospects coming out. I'll note the 3 that caught my interest. There are 13 more at the article.

1. Manny Lawson, LB, N.C. State: Here's a college defensive end rising up the draft boards for good reason. He's 6-foot-5, 241 pounds and runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. His 17 sacks in the past two seasons tells a little of his story about the kind of athlete he is, but a conversation I had with him recently told me a lot more. Lawson was offered a basketball scholarship to Davidson College coming out of high school, which tells me he will not struggle in space dropping back in pass coverage in a 3-4 defense. As a high school track-and-field athlete, he triple jumped close to 50 feet and long jumped just under 25 feet, making him one of the best jumpers in the country. As a college defensive end, he was a member of N.C. State's 4x100-meter relay team. Imagine a 6-5 defensive lineman on a sprint relay team -- that is rare! He finished up our conversation telling me his post-football career plans involve his other love, architecture.

I don't know if he'd make it to 34 or not, but he's an appealling prospect to me.

6. Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma: Talking with Joseph was like talking to an NFL line coach. He's played against the best, remembers everything about every opponent he faced in his four years at Oklahoma, and has an opinion about all of them. Successful NFL offensive linemen usually are some of the brightest guys on a team and Joseph will fit right into that mold. He recalled little subtleties about Oregon's Haloti Ngata from his junior year, stunts that former USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody used in the Orange Bowl two seasons ago, and what his blocking plan would be when he faces Michigan's Gabe Watson again. Any team who interviewed Joseph walked away knowing he was a sure bet to have a long NFL career.

I'd be shocked if he fell to 34, but I'd love to have him on this team.

4. Reggie Bush, RB, USC: Why a quick segment on the top pick in the NFL draft? Because he carries himself as a very humble young man that doesn't assume he's the top football player in America. I have talked with Bush many times and there are two things that jump out at me the most: his total focus to doing things the right way all day every day, and how much NFL owners who meet him are going to feel comfortable paying him a ton of money because he is a safe pick -- and a man with integrity.

If he's there #2, do we take him? That my friends is the million dollar question. We don't really need him, but he seems remarkable.

saintswhodi · 04-20-2006, 03:37 PM

Manny Lawson intrigues me. Not cause of this article, but cause he played across from the great Mario Willaims, and yet nothing from both of them in the big games. Why was neither of them able to go off in the big games if at least one of them was getting double teams? They both seem like workout warriors to me.

Joseph, I like.

Bush, take him and trade him for an assload of picks, or a pro bwol player and some picks. no way on keeping him.

BrooksMustGo · 04-20-2006, 04:01 PM

WhoDi, perhaps it would be better for you to refer to them as:

The Immortal Mario Williams
and
Future Hall-of-Fame Linebacker Manny Lawson

It will avoid confusion. 8)

saintswhodi · 04-20-2006, 04:07 PM

True, true.

TheDeuce · 04-20-2006, 05:11 PM

WhoDi, perhaps it would be better for you to refer to them as:

The Immortal Mario Williams
and
Future Hall-of-Fame Linebacker Manny Lawson

It will avoid confusion.

Haha!

Here are my thoughts:

All three of those guys sound like great players. Joseph is probably going to be a very good pro, and at worst a serviceable one because of his intellect and knowledge of the game. Lawson sounds like a beast who was trapped in the shadow of "immortal Mario." I would like to take both of those guys, however, where would we take them? I believe that if Nick Mangold is going to be there at #34, we HAVE to take him. We just simply don't have a center right now and so it is, IMO, our biggest hole. Plus, this guy is supposed to be one of the best centers to come out in the draft in a while, so.... I think if he's there, he HAS to be our pick.

And about Bush, I know that whodi has said that we shouldn't take him, but I just feel that if we can't get a decent trade for him, we will need to take him. Hands down he is just one of the most amazing athletes any of us will ever see. His speed, strength, balance, vision, etc. etc. is just unparalleled by any player in recent college memory. I say take him. If people can argue that we should take Mario Williams even though we have Charles Grant and Will Smith; then I sure as hell can argue that we should take Reggie even though we have Deuce. Besides, Reggie never takes plays off, and he always showed up for the big games unlike somebody I know...

saintswhodi · 04-20-2006, 05:50 PM

I didn't say don't take Bush, Is aid take him and trade him off for pretty much whatever we want. Some of the same reasons I don't want us to take Mario(no need besides the obvious) is the same reason I don't wanna keep Bush(no need, Deuce highest contract ever for a Saint).

JimBone · 04-20-2006, 08:59 PM

While Williams and Bush are both very good prospects, they do not fill an immediate need for the Saints. The team was 3-13 for a reason...that reason is that we arent a very good team. We need players to come in and play in the positions where we really need to upgrade. No need to spend the number 2 pick in the draft to bolster depth at an already settled position.

saintswhodi · 04-20-2006, 09:01 PM

Exactly.

JimBone · 04-20-2006, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by saintswhodi

Exactly.

Quick, someone get a moderater over here to see that we agree on something!!

Once again. i like Johnathan Sullivan. The guy was a steal getting him at 6.

Football related.

gandhi1007 · 04-20-2006, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by JimBone

Originally Posted by saintswhodi

Exactly.

Quick, someone get a moderater over here to see that we agree on something!!

Once again. i like Johnathan Sullivan. The guy was a steal getting him at 6.

Football related.

JB, I hope that was a joke. 8)

04-20-2006, 03:29 PM	#1
BrooksMustGo 1000 Posts + Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,762	Top Picks Draft Fluff http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/9382793 A very interesting piece on the top prospects coming out. I'll note the 3 that caught my interest. There are 13 more at the article. 1. Manny Lawson, LB, N.C. State: Here's a college defensive end rising up the draft boards for good reason. He's 6-foot-5, 241 pounds and runs a 4.4 40-yard dash. His 17 sacks in the past two seasons tells a little of his story about the kind of athlete he is, but a conversation I had with him recently told me a lot more. Lawson was offered a basketball scholarship to Davidson College coming out of high school, which tells me he will not struggle in space dropping back in pass coverage in a 3-4 defense. As a high school track-and-field athlete, he triple jumped close to 50 feet and long jumped just under 25 feet, making him one of the best jumpers in the country. As a college defensive end, he was a member of N.C. State's 4x100-meter relay team. Imagine a 6-5 defensive lineman on a sprint relay team -- that is rare! He finished up our conversation telling me his post-football career plans involve his other love, architecture. I don't know if he'd make it to 34 or not, but he's an appealling prospect to me. 6. Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma: Talking with Joseph was like talking to an NFL line coach. He's played against the best, remembers everything about every opponent he faced in his four years at Oklahoma, and has an opinion about all of them. Successful NFL offensive linemen usually are some of the brightest guys on a team and Joseph will fit right into that mold. He recalled little subtleties about Oregon's Haloti Ngata from his junior year, stunts that former USC defensive tackle Shaun Cody used in the Orange Bowl two seasons ago, and what his blocking plan would be when he faces Michigan's Gabe Watson again. Any team who interviewed Joseph walked away knowing he was a sure bet to have a long NFL career. I'd be shocked if he fell to 34, but I'd love to have him on this team. 4. Reggie Bush, RB, USC: Why a quick segment on the top pick in the NFL draft? Because he carries himself as a very humble young man that doesn't assume he's the top football player in America. I have talked with Bush many times and there are two things that jump out at me the most: his total focus to doing things the right way all day every day, and how much NFL owners who meet him are going to feel comfortable paying him a ton of money because he is a safe pick -- and a man with integrity. If he's there #2, do we take him? That my friends is the million dollar question. We don't really need him, but he seems remarkable.
	http://www.blackandgold.net/site/signature/buddysig.jpg

04-20-2006, 05:11 PM	#5
TheDeuce 1000 Posts + Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,928	WhoDi, perhaps it would be better for you to refer to them as: The Immortal Mario Williams and Future Hall-of-Fame Linebacker Manny Lawson It will avoid confusion. Haha! Here are my thoughts: All three of those guys sound like great players. Joseph is probably going to be a very good pro, and at worst a serviceable one because of his intellect and knowledge of the game. Lawson sounds like a beast who was trapped in the shadow of "immortal Mario." I would like to take both of those guys, however, where would we take them? I believe that if Nick Mangold is going to be there at #34, we HAVE to take him. We just simply don't have a center right now and so it is, IMO, our biggest hole. Plus, this guy is supposed to be one of the best centers to come out in the draft in a while, so.... I think if he's there, he HAS to be our pick. And about Bush, I know that whodi has said that we shouldn't take him, but I just feel that if we can't get a decent trade for him, we will need to take him. Hands down he is just one of the most amazing athletes any of us will ever see. His speed, strength, balance, vision, etc. etc. is just unparalleled by any player in recent college memory. I say take him. If people can argue that we should take Mario Williams even though we have Charles Grant and Will Smith; then I sure as hell can argue that we should take Reggie even though we have Deuce. Besides, Reggie never takes plays off, and he always showed up for the big games unlike somebody I know...
TheDeuce 1000 Posts + Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,928

04-20-2006, 09:07 PM	#9
JimBone 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Thibodaux, La Posts: 614	Originally Posted by saintswhodi Exactly. Quick, someone get a moderater over here to see that we agree on something!! Once again. i like Johnathan Sullivan. The guy was a steal getting him at 6. Football related.

04-20-2006, 09:10 PM	#10
gandhi1007 Part Time Pimp Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,967	Originally Posted by JimBone Originally Posted by saintswhodi Exactly. Quick, someone get a moderater over here to see that we agree on something!! Once again. i like Johnathan Sullivan. The guy was a steal getting him at 6. Football related. JB, I hope that was a joke. 8)

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04-20-2006, 03:37 PM	#2
saintswhodi 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 6,941	Manny Lawson intrigues me. Not cause of this article, but cause he played across from the great Mario Willaims, and yet nothing from both of them in the big games. Why was neither of them able to go off in the big games if at least one of them was getting double teams? They both seem like workout warriors to me. Joseph, I like. Bush, take him and trade him for an assload of picks, or a pro bwol player and some picks. no way on keeping him.

04-20-2006, 04:01 PM	#3
BrooksMustGo 1000 Posts + Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,762	WhoDi, perhaps it would be better for you to refer to them as: The Immortal Mario Williams and Future Hall-of-Fame Linebacker Manny Lawson It will avoid confusion. 8)

04-20-2006, 04:07 PM	#4
saintswhodi 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 6,941	True, true.

04-20-2006, 05:50 PM	#6
saintswhodi 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 6,941	I didn't say don't take Bush, Is aid take him and trade him off for pretty much whatever we want. Some of the same reasons I don't want us to take Mario(no need besides the obvious) is the same reason I don't wanna keep Bush(no need, Deuce highest contract ever for a Saint).

04-20-2006, 08:59 PM	#7
JimBone 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Thibodaux, La Posts: 614	While Williams and Bush are both very good prospects, they do not fill an immediate need for the Saints. The team was 3-13 for a reason...that reason is that we arent a very good team. We need players to come in and play in the positions where we really need to upgrade. No need to spend the number 2 pick in the draft to bolster depth at an already settled position.

04-20-2006, 09:01 PM	#8
saintswhodi 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 6,941	Exactly.