Safe to Say That DE/LB Will Be Draft Priority

[Avery]

By filling our other holes on defense, it's a safe bet to say that the front seven is going to be rounded out with young playmakers. Guys like Spears, DJ, Merriman, Crowder, Burnett, at least one of these guys will be wearing a star.

Don't count out a first day WR either.

[Eskimo]

If we are drafting DT/DE we are flying into the weakness of the draft.

If we draft CB/WR/OLB we are flying into the strength of the draft.

How we draft will be telling about our organizational philosophy.

[The30YardSlant]

*cough*shawnemerriman&derrickjohnson*cough* :D

[followthestar]

If we are drafting DT/DE we are flying into the weakness of the draft.

If we draft CB/WR/OLB we are flying into the strength of the draft.

How we draft will be telling about our organizational philosophy.

flying into the weakness of the draft with the #s 11 and 20 is a nice position to be in though, dontcha think...?

[Snaggletooth]

*cough*shawnemerriman&derrickjohnson*cough* :D

I'd be happy with either one, I just don't think Johnson will be there at 11. But if both are available at 11, who do we take?

[The30YardSlant]

I'd be happy with either one, I just don't think Johnson will be there at 11. But if both are available at 11, who do we take?

DJ without looking back. However, he wont be there 90% sure. Merriman is a hybrid and much more likely to fall to us.

[Eskimo]

flying into the weakness of the draft with the #s 11 and 20 is a nice position to be in though, dontcha think...?

The draft is where you look for impact players because as we have learned they are hard to come by in FA. When you have a premium pick, you want a premium player even if you have to draft against need.

Now if two players are almost equal on your board and one fills a need and one doesn't, then by all means draft the guy who fills a need. What I disagree with is "reaching" on a DE with one of our high picks because it fills a need - this is what netted us Ekuban, Pittman, Carver and Lafleur.

[Eskimo]

DJ without looking back. However, he wont be there 90% sure. Merriman is a hybrid and much more likely to fall to us.

I don't know - Merriman has been flying up most of the mocks out there. DJ hurt his stock with a bad performance in the Bowl followed up by a 4.6 in the 40 instead of the speculated high 4.4s. If Merriman works out well, I think he leapfrogs DJ and goes top-10 and is the first front 7 player off the board.

This is an area where I'm glad to have Parcells - no one knows LB and RB like him. He'll find us some good ones.

[The30YardSlant]

I don't know - Merriman has been flying up most of the mocks out there. DJ hurt his stock with a bad performance in the Bowl followed up by a 4.6 in the 40 instead of the speculated high 4.4s. If Merriman works out well, I think he leapfrogs DJ and goes top-10 and is the first front 7 player off the board.

This is an area where I'm glad to have Parcells - no one knows LB and RB like him. He'll find us some good ones.

If DJ runs a 4.6 than somebody's stop watch was broken...

[ghst187]

I think we'll be looking at:
DJ, Merriman, MW at 11
Pollack, Spears, Clayton, and Jamaal Brown (if we don't get a RT via FA) at 20
and probably Blackstock, FS, Nugent in 2nd round.

It doesn't look like we're going to get a FA LB so we almost have to draft one and this draft has a lot of good ones.

I'm also curious to see what we do at RDE. Doesn't look like we'll have enough money to sign much more if we get Rivera.

If we can hit on a WR in the draft, find a FS somewhere, and get a playmaking LB in the draft, I think we'll be a legit challenger.

[Eskimo]

If DJ runs a 4.6 than somebody's stop watch was broken...

That's what they were reporting yesterday - 4.6 something. However, Gil Brandt clocked him at 4.56 but that was hand-timing which almost always overestimates a guy's speed (or conversely, underestimates his actual electronic time).

[Roy Williams]

By filling our other holes on defense, it's a safe bet to say that the front seven is going to be rounded out with young playmakers. Guys like Spears, DJ, Merriman, Crowder, Burnett, at least one of these guys will be wearing a star.

Don't count out a first day WR either.

Ya know I was just thinking how great it would be to land DJ with #11 and then steal Mark Clayton with #20. Now that would make my day!!

[Eskimo]

I think we'll be looking at:
DJ, Merriman, MW at 11
Pollack, Spears, Clayton, and Jamaal Brown (if we don't get a RT via FA) at 20
and probably Blackstock, FS, Nugent in 2nd round.

It doesn't look like we're going to get a FA LB so we almost have to draft one and this draft has a lot of good ones.

I'm also curious to see what we do at RDE. Doesn't look like we'll have enough money to sign much more if we get Rivera.

If we can hit on a WR in the draft, find a FS somewhere, and get a playmaking LB in the draft, I think we'll be a legit challenger.

I'd love to get a shot at MW, but he won't slide past the Moss-less Vikings at #7.

On the bright side, at least he won't be in our division with the Skins.

[Jester33]

Who every we draft they need to be able to make some kind of impact this year.

[Eskimo]

Ya know I was just thinking how great it would be to land DJ with #11 and then steal Mark Clayton with #20. Now that would make my day!!

Clayton is an interesting pick. Has a ton of natural talent and ran faster than expected. Also did well at the Sr Bowl. My only worries about him are his lack of size and his disappearance in the two Nat'l championship games. I'm also somewhat leery of a guy whose numbers decline in his senior year although that was probably due to the emergence of Adrian Peterson.

[Jimz31]

Anybody see how big McCune was at the Combine?


Here's a little bit about him. And no, I'm not talking about taking him with our top pick either.....just asking if anybody saw him.

http://www.draftboardinsider.com/players/ILB/mccune-r.html

[JackMagist]

One thing about it, with Merriman, Johnson, Pollack, Spears and Blackstock in the draft we should be able to pick up at least one very good LB for the 3-4 scheme. If we could get two of those guys we'd be golden and Blackstock in the 2nd round is a distinct possibility.

[Roy Williams]

Clayton is an interesting pick. Has a ton of natural talent and ran faster than expected. Also did well at the Sr Bowl. My only worries about him are his lack of size and his disappearance in the two Nat'l championship games. I'm also somewhat leery of a guy whose numbers decline in his senior year although that was probably due to the emergence of Adrian Peterson.


I agree. I thought it would be a lock for him to be there at #20, but with his good times in the 40 he might not be now.

[Dough Boy]

DJ without looking back. However, he wont be there 90% sure. Merriman is a hybrid and much more likely to fall to us.

DJ ran a 4.56 at the combine. At 243 lbs, thats fast. Add that to the fact he has produced at a big time program and has been a marked man for at least two seasons. I think the guy is going to be a beast. One question for the UT fans. Can he rush the QB off the edge. I know he can blitz up the middle, but if can play both OLB and ILB in the 3-4 as well as OLB in the 4-3, how can you pass on him. Again, if anyone knows if he can be an edge rusher, let me know.

I would like to have him and Roy on the same field. That's two playmakers for you right there.

[Eskimo]

DJ ran a 4.56 at the combine.

I thought the 4.56 was the hand-time. Is that the electronic, too?

[Dough Boy]

I thought the 4.56 was the hand-time. Is that the electronic, too?

I heard Mike Mayoock (sp) say that several scouts had him at the mid 4.5 range. I'm sure that is hand held. I would guess he is about a 4.6 electronic. Which IMO, is a good time for a 6"3', 243lb backer. He could play for me any day and twice on Sundays.

[Eskimo]

I heard Mike Mayoock (sp) say that several scouts had him at the mid 4.5 range. I'm sure that is hand held. I would guess he is about a 4.6 electronic. Which IMO, is a good time for a 6"3', 243lb backer. He could play for me any day and twice on Sundays.

The question posed was whether Merriman had leap-frogged him on draft boards. I'm thinking that if Merriman runs 4.6 on his Pro Day at 6'4" 270 lbs, he'll jump over DJ and go top 10 and be the first front 7 player off the board.

[ddh33]

Did someone here say that they had heard Jennifer Floyd Engel on the radio saying the Cowboys liked Cody? Which one?

[Dough Boy]

The question posed was whether Merriman had leap-frogged him on draft boards. I'm thinking that if Merriman runs 4.6 on his Pro Day at 6'4" 270 lbs, he'll jump over DJ and go top 10 and be the first front 7 player off the board.

Tough call. I really like Merriman. I'm in DC and I've seen him play. In another thread, I posted some stuff on him. This guy is the real deal. I think they are 2 diff players. I think if you are looking for a tweener, Merriman is your guy. Although Merriman is 270 lbs, he looks 250 lbs. He carries the weight well. I think DJ is the next Derrick Brooks. He will make plays all over the field. DJ creates turnovers. Merriman can get after the QB. Give me both. I don't know if you can go wrong with either. IMO