BMG, why are you so sold on Williams? I think the guy is really good, but don't you think the Saints need a LB more than a DE? If the Saints draft Williams, what do they do with Grant and Smith....rotate?

I just want to find out why you think Williams could help this team more than Hawk or D'Brick or another QB.

jnormand, Thank you for asking.

At first I was really opposed to the Williams deal because of Grant and Smith. I was persuaded when I talked to Detillier about it. I ordered a draft guide from him a few weeks ago and he spent a few minutes responding to my question "What's up with the media love affair with Williams when we have Smith and Grant on the roster?"

In a nutshell, Detillier thinks that Grant is a liability against the run. After he laid it out, I found myself persuaded. After the Manimal really established himself last year, I agree with Detillier that Grant is going to get run over all season long. He also laid out how Mario "tilts the field" away from him. I found myself more convinced that if anyone is too over-rated in this draft its Manny Lawson. Teams would rather take chances on his side than against Williams. Now Detillier was in favor of a Grant for Walker deal with the Packers. I'd prefer to deal Grant and get some sort of value for him now, mainly for his declining performance going into a contract year.

Now if we don't take Williams I won't be crushed. I'd still prefer Ferguson over Hawk, simply because there are a lot of LBs in this class that I don't think are that much less of a player than Hawk is. Ferguson and Brown would give us a quality tandem on the line that we haven't had since Willie Roaf left. The hard part about being so high is that I don't see a player who strictly corresponds as the second best player in the draft. So I'd still rather trade down.

On the other hand, it's very emotionally satisfying to give WhoDi ulcers in the week leading up to the draft. :08:

[quote]I just want to find out why you think Williams could help this team more than Hawk or D'Brick or another QB

It wont. And it would be like buying a new hat cause your shirt got ruined. Even though it may be a nice hat. I just look at it this way.

Physical Skills: Hawk and Mario are both impressive. I don't think anyone would argue that.
Drive: There are some questions about Mario. I haven't heard any really about Hawk.
Leadership: LB is really the leadership role on the defense. And that's something we've been lacking. Hawk would make more of a leadership impact in a weak linebacking corps than Mario would on a strong DE position.
Need: Self-explanitory.

I wouldn't hesitate to draft Mario if there wasn't anybody of the same calibar or higher availible in a area of need. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks BMG and Savant.

How can you give someone ulcers when they've stopped paying attention to you, and pretty much regard your current series of posts the same as I would a crazy cat lady in the park, with laughs and distance. :D

I ask again:

[quote]Ferguson and Brown would give us a quality tandem on the line that we haven't had since Willie Roaf left. The hard part about being so high is that I don't see a player who strictly corresponds as the second best player in the draft. So I'd still rather trade down.

But it's looks like trading down might be out of the question now. Ferguson might just be it.

Oh, if Mike Dettilier said it, it must be true then... after all, he saw Williams play every game last year and was the only one who was saying how good Williams was...

Gimme me a break. The fat slob is going with the national media flow. "Tilts the field"?? Against BC, did he tiltt the field? Against Clemson, did he tilt the field? Against the Gators, did he tilt the field? Against VT, did he tilt the field? Against UNC, did he tilt the field? He only "tilts the field" when playing Wake.