Danno

1-CB - Hall, Gamble, or Robinson
2A-OLB-Donterrious Thomas
2B-ILB-Rod Davis
3-CB-Joey Thomas

At this point I spontaneously wet myself... ;)
WhoDat probably does too, if he hasn't fainted yet! ;)

5-FB
6-DB (FS,SS, or CB)
7-RB

The 1st place I visit is Black&Gold.net!!!!!

[Edited on 19/3/2004 by Danno]

deadflatbird

basically its going to come down to a theory... \"Do you build a D from the Oustide-in or the In side-out.

Danno

I looked at last years draft and noticed that by the end of the 3rd round only 8 CB\'s were taken. So its possible to get a top 10 CB in the 3rd round. It\'ll be a guy like Joey Thomas that\'ll need a year to develop into a quality NFL corner.

Ditto for LB\'s. Saints have the 48th pick. Last year only 5 LB (ILB + OLB) were taken by that time. And I think the majority of those taken were OLB\'s. Each year is different, but if trending positions is of any value at all, we could end the draft like this...

1- Top 3 CB (mid-season starter)
2A- Top 5 LB (mid-season starter)
2B - Top 10 LB (late season starter, or heavy playing time)
3- Top 10 CB (late season starter, or heavy playing time)
With all the good looking WR\'s and QB\'s this year, along with so many teams addressing their CB needs by overpaying for free agents, the trending may even be more favorable for us.

I don\'t know why they won\'t let me work the stinkin draft. I\'d work cheap too!

[Edited on 19/3/2004 by Danno]

lsusurfer

I am getting the feeling that Hall is not going to drop to our spot. Looks like after his 40 time, his stock is shooting up. This could be good for the Vilma fans because this might ignite a run on corners, allowing us to grab him.

Almost every mock draft has us taking will poole. I refuse to research any USC players do to lsu religious reasons, is he worth a 18th pick?

LSUsurfer

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT



Will Poole CB USC

Strengths
Will is the new size CB that the NFL now needs to go up against the pro WR’s. He is fast and strong. He is a fighter and uses his body to slow up the WR’s. New cover techniques are needed and Will is learning them fast. Will is a good tackler and has good hands to intercept the ball. Will had seven interceptions in his senior year.



Needs to Improve
Will is a little stiff in the hips. His long legs make it hard to change direction. Will has to learn that in the pros, you can only bump for five yards, not all over the field like the college game allows.



Bottom Line
Every time I see Will play, he gets better and better. With his size and the improvement that I have seen on film, you can bet the scouts will look hard at Will. In fact, he could sneak into the first round. He has pretty good speed, but he is not as quick as most corners in the NFL. Without the quickness, the scouts may not feel that Will is an every down CB. That’s the big question -- his quickness. His quickness, or lack of quickness, will dictate if he is a 1st or 2nd rounder. I think the standards for a CB are changing very quickly in the NFL. Every team needs at least one corner that can handle a big receiver in the red zone. This type of corner is not going to be as quick as the smaller ones. This type of corner needs to be physical and have good straight-line speed. He does not have to change direction quickly because those big, long-legged receivers cannot make their cuts as fast. This is what makes a physical strong, tall, good speed corner so valuable in the NFL today. Five or six years ago, Will is a fourth rounder that you would move to safety as a project. Today, he is exactly what teams are looking for…a big, tall, strong corner to cover a 6’5�-220 lbs-4.50 speed wide receiver that is out-muscling our ‘5\'9\"-185 lbs-4.40 speed with great quickness and change of direction’ pro bowl corner. (That\'s a mouthful.) I am going to guess that Will goes in the 2nd round, but he’s another player that could sneak into the latter part of the first round.



Drew Boylhart




http://thehuddlereport.com/2004DRAFT.../WillPoole.htm

I Live In Beastmode!

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT

Jonathan Vilma LB Miami

Strengths
Jonathan is very quick and strong for his size. He has good change of direction and has played both inside and outside LB for the Miami program. He has good leadership skills and has admirable tackling technique. I like Jonathan in the passing game. He has good speed for his position and is very active when the ball is snapped.

Needs to Improve
Jonathan’s biggest need is more size. It is not going to happen! If he gets bigger, it will affect his skills, so what you see is what you get.

Bottom Line
Jonathan is a systems linebacker. He has to have a big herd of elephants in front of him to be effective or he will be a nickel/ dime linebacker only. Because of this, it drops his status in the draft out of the 1st round. This does not mean that Jonathan will not be one of the better linebackers in the league some day. It just means for the purpose of the draft that until he proves otherwise, the scouts have no choice but to project him as a system linebacker or nickel/dime LB. You Miami fans, don’t get riled up. Rearrange yourselves and listen. Jonathan will have to prove in the NFL that he is more than a system LB. I believe he will. If I am a scout (and want to keep my job), I can’t rate him any higher than that. If he bombs and I rate him as a 1st rounder with his size, I’m looking for a job in a sanitary landfill. If I rate him in the 2nd round and he becomes an all pro LB, I’m a genius. Hmmm… let me see! Genius or job in a landfill--- which one would you pick?

I Live In Beastmode!

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT



DeAngelo Hall CB Virginia Tech

Strengths
De Angelo is fast and quick. He changes direction with ease. Very good hip-flip. He is smart and is a playmaker. He has the abilities to be a shutdown corner in the NFL. Nice long arms to defend against bigger players. He loves a challenge. He is a nightmare on special teams. Excellent in the punt return game. He has the ability to affect the game plan of his opponents.

Needs to Improve
No sense in going through some sort of nonsense about attitude, techniques, yada, yada, yada. Yes, he needs to improve, and he will. He could be a better tackler (pick, pick, pick). Hopefully, he will mature in his actions on the field but if he doesn\'t, it\'s not something that is very likely to affect his draft status.

Bottom Line
There are just a few of these type of players that are shutdown players at their position and can throw fear into the heart of their opponents in the special teams game, too. This kid will impact in his first year with interceptions and run backs on special teams. He likes the big time and wears it well. He uses intimidation to mask his limitations as a cover corner. All the big ones do this. He is the closest thing coming out of the college game to D. Sanders that I have seen. Once drafted, he will have to prove that he is worthy of that comparison. Kansas City special teams player Dante Hall literally won five games for his team this year and affected the game plan of his opponents in all 16 games. With that type of success, other teams will be looking for their own choo-choo, like Dante. The fact that DeAngelo has the potential to be a shutdown corner would make me think that DeAngelo might be a pretty high draft choice. I hear collecting choo-choo’s can be worth a lot of money.



Drew Boylhart

I Live In Beastmode!

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT


Chris Gamble CB Ohio St

Strengths
Chris is a difference maker. He is tall and strong for his position. He
has good speed for his size. He is the next generation of CB in the NFL. He has good hands for interceptions -- important if a CB wants to make the big bucks. He has the potential to be a shutdown CB in the NFL. He does not get down on himself when he makes a mistake. Chris rises to the challenge.

Needs to Improve;
Chris is not yet a finished product. Unusual for Ohio St., but Chris did
not devote his attention full time to the position until just this year.
He still needs to learn about technique and right now is better in zone
than man to man. He guesses a little too much right now. This will all get better with experience.

Bottom Line;
Chris is far from a finished CB right now. There are other CBs in this
draft that are almost as tall and much more polished at this stage then
Chris. Those other CBs have some other problems that may make them on my board unappealing. Chris is a good player now with the potential to be an impact player, with no baggage. Chris is tall enough not to have trouble with the small quick receivers and big and strong enough to shut down the big possession receivers. I personally rate Chris on my board ahead of Derrick Strait because I think he is a bit more athletic then Derrick and has more upside. Chris should go someplace in the middle of the first round and Derrick, late part of the first round

I Live In Beastmode!

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT

Dontarrious Thomas LB Auburn

Strengths
Dontarrious might be the strongest LB in this draft. He is a pure MLB. He has good abilities in the passing game and is excellent at blitzing the QB. He shows good leadership qualities. He is a force in the running game taking on and shedding blockers with ease.



Needs to Improve

Dontarrious needs to show more leadership on the field. In particular, he needs to be more vocal and demanding of his teammates.



Bottom Line
If Dontarrious was more vocal as a leader, there is no doubt in my mind that people would be comparing him to Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens. As I have stated, Dontarrious is a pure middle linebacker. I rate Rod Davis and Dontarrious as 1 and 1A on my board. Flip them anyway you would like. I put Rod ahead of Dontarrious only because Rod can play all three linebacker positions. Dontarrious is motivated by pride. His actions on the field tell me that he will always expect to get paid the going rate without the hassle of negotiating for it. He is a no-nonsense type of guy. Treat him fairly and he will go through a wall for you. If you don\'t respect him and his effort, he just might put YOU through the wall instead. Dontarrious might make the top 15 in this draft, but it really doesn\'t matter to him, so I don’t expect him to push very hard for it. He will start right away and be a main cog in someone\'s defense for a long time. He is a search and destroy type of linebacker. If you need a LB, don\'t pass him up and think you will get him in the 2nd round. New England will not let it happen. Remember they have two picks in the first round. Dontarrious the Destroyer.

I Live In Beastmode!

pakowitz

THE HUDDLE REPORT


Rod Davis LB Southern Mississippi

Strengths
Rod is the right size for an NFL linebacker. He has very good speed. He is an attacking linebacker, does not wait for the play to come to him. Rod has excellent instincts and great change of direction. He is effective in the passing game and equally as effective in the running game. Rod has great pass rushing abilities. Rod can play all of the linebacker positions. He has leadership qualities and makes the players around him better. He is a team player in every sense. He has very good tackling technique. Rod is an impact player.

Needs to Improve
Rod needs to improve his draft rating. He needs to get a good agent and he needs to help improve the marketing department of his school. Rod also needs to inform the NFL draft sites that he is alive and playing linebacker for a college football team.

Bottom Line
Ladies go to any film of any linebacker in college. I will give you film of any game you want of Rod Davis. I dare you to tell me after looking at the film that Rod is not the best linebacker in this draft. Forget your Miami boys; forget the boys from Auburn, this kid outplays them all. You don\'t believe me? You think I\'m missing a screw? Well, I do not believe what potential agents tell me about a player. I do not believe the marketing people of a college about a player. I do not look at other draft sites and repeat whatever they say just to be one of the guys. I look at film. I look at a lot of film. Rod Davis will shoot up everyone’s draft boards before we hit draft day, but you heard it here first. Rod Davis is the best linebacker in this draft and there are not many impact linebackers in this draft. On my personal board, I list the 1st-round linebackers as Rod Davis, Ted Lehman and Karlos Dansby. The other linebackers that everyone else hypes (including underclassmen), I have serious concerns about and would not select them until the second round. Derrick Johnson of Texas is the fastest, but the worst tackler I have ever seen. So close your eyes, click your ruby red slippers and say three times, “I hope my team picks Rod Davis. I hope my team picks Rod Davis. I hope my team picks Rod Davis.�

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