49ers Insider: Options on Brooks being weighed

[big dog cowboy]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports...15083977c.html

49ers Insider: Options on Brooks being weighed
By Matthew Barrows -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Saturday, July 1, 2006


SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers hired Scot McCloughan to run their personnel department last year because they thought he would outwork the competition. And so far, he is doing just that. McCloughan, 35, and his scouts have attended the workouts of six college players who will be part of the July 13 supplemental draft.

That overall thoroughness, however, makes it difficult to tell just how interested the 49ers are in the marquee name in the draft, former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks. The 49ers gave Brooks a medical examination Thursday, then spent three hours with him at the team's Santa Clara facility.
McCloughan and coach Mike Nolan were in Charlottesville, Va., last week to watch Brooks work out. Nolan has the final say on Brooks but was on vacation when the former Cavalier visited Thursday.

McCloughan has said he expects a team to use a high draft pick -- possibly a first rounder -- on the talented but troubled linebacker. The question is whether the 49ers, who are one of the seven clubs showing the most interest in Brooks, will be that team. Brooks was kicked off the team at Virginia earlier this year for violating team rules.

Brooks' agent, Greg Williams, said Friday his client also has met with officials from the Bengals, Browns, Dolphins, Giants and Packers, and that the Bears have shown strong interest, as well. Another three teams have inquired about meeting Brooks, Williams said, but those visits have yet to be scheduled.

One thing that's certain, McCloughan said, is financial concerns will not dissuade the 49ers from taking Brooks with a high draft pick.

"Not at all," he said earlier this week. "We're all about getting as many good young guys as we can because we're still rebuilding."

McCloughan said the most encouraging parts of Brooks' June 22 workout was he seemed to be fully recovered from an array of injuries that cost him most of the 2005 season and that at 260 pounds, he had dropped 30 pounds of bulk in 10 weeks.

"He played the best when he was between 255 and 265 pounds," McCloughan said.

Williams, however, said his client's weight is continuing to fall.

Brooks weighed 255 pounds Thursday, and the plan is he will enter an NFL team's training camp a month from now at 245, his weight during his standout sophomore season in 2004.

Williams noted Brooks' best game that year came against Maryland, a 16-0 Virginia win in which the linebacker had two interceptions.

Whom did he cover in that game? Terrapins tight end Vernon Davis, the 49ers' first-round pick this spring.

[2much2soon]

Williams noted Brooks' best game that year came against Maryland, a 16-0 Virginia win in which the linebacker had two interceptions.

Whom did he cover in that game? Terrapins tight end Vernon Davis, the 49ers' first-round pick this spring.

And yet the author fails to disclose that Davis also had over 100 yards receiving - nearly 21 yards a catch.
Guess someone else was covering Davis on those plays.

[AbeBeta]

Originally Posted by 2much2soon

...

Your username says exactly what I think about anyone using a #1 on Brooks.

[jterrell]

I will guarantee no team uses a first rounder on Brooks.

The 49ers may be desperate enough for talent to use a day 1 selection but they are silly if they do.

This kid may well end up a good player for someone but that team is taking a gamble and honestly the lower the kid is taken the better it may be for him in the long run. He needs to come into the league humble and ready to avoid mistakes that cost him his college eligibility.

[tyke1doe]

Originally Posted by jterrell

I will guarantee no team uses a first rounder on Brooks.

The 49ers may be desperate enough for talent to use a day 1 selection but they are silly if they do.

This kid may well end up a good player for someone but that team is taking a gamble and honestly the lower the kid is taken the better it may be for him in the long run. He needs to come into the league humble and ready to avoid mistakes that cost him his college eligibility.

I agree.

Smoke screen.

No team is stupid enough to take him in the first - at least I hope no team is that stupid.

[Unforgiven]

Really, does it matter? We obviously have no interest in this guy, and I am glad.

[AbeBeta]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

Really, does it matter? We obviously have no interest in this guy, and I am glad.

Obviously?

How is it obvious? We aren't talking about picking him, but that doesn't mean we might not have an interest for the right pick. The 9ers are just being stupid by talking so much about the kid. What do they want? Someone to pick him a round ahead of them?

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by Unforgiven

Really, does it matter? We obviously have no interest in this guy, and I am glad.

Actually, the Cowboys are one of those seven teams the mediots have mentioned as being most interested in Brooks...

Perhaps you should stop projecting your own opinions onto the staff of the Cowboys, and consider the possibility that as a result of Parcells' relationship with Al Groh, the Cowboys are VERY well-informed as to all the issues Brooks has had in college...

It's clear that YOU think he's a useless punk, but it's equally clear that you don't have the first clue what the COWBOYS think about that... so your "obvious" assertion isn't really so obvious at all...

[Screw The Hall]

Originally Posted by abersonc

Your username says exactly what I think about anyone using a #1 on Brooks.

Especially if you are the 49ers and that 1st rounder very possibly could end up being the 1st overall pick. Noway.

[CrazyCowboy]

Brooks looks to be putting the work in.....maybe he gets it now

[ABQCOWBOY]

I, for one, hope San Fran does spend a 1st on Brooks. That would mean one less team in the mix for a QB in next years draft. I'm all for that.

[CooterBrown]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

I, for one, hope San Fran does spend a 1st on Brooks. That would mean one less team in the mix for a QB in next years draft. I'm all for that.

I agree, but I think it is a smokescreen. I can't believe anybody would spend a first round pick on a linebacker who plans to play at 245lbs and allowed himself to balloon up to 290lbs.

I may be mistaken, but this looks like a guy who gets by on physical ability and is too lazy to keep himself in shape. He's getting in shape now because he is looking for a big contract. He acts like one of those players who will be an outstanding player in the last year of his contract, sign a big free-agent contract and then coast along again. It may simply be immaturity and he might respond to good coaching, but I personally doubt it. I look at this guy and see squandered potential in his future.

The 49ers may be desparate, but I doubt any team is first round desparate for this guy. In a late round you can afford to take a chance. First round needs to be as close to a definite pro-bowler as you can get. The draft sometimes resembles a crap-shoot, but any GM that gambles a first rounder on this guy is probably also gambling with his own job.

[burmafrd]

Silver, you are so much on Brooks jock that I wonder how many are laughing at you. He is an ILB, which is not considered that important compared to OLB. And those EXPERTS you keep talking about- some of them are the ones that say he is not all that. Where did the top ILB's go in this draft- people like Hodge? Not in the first rd. You have to be really good to go in the 2nd. And with someone with all the baggage Brooks has- a 3rd would be as high as anyone- even those really desperate like the 49rs and others- would go for him. I think he is not worth more then a 5th. As Sean Taylor AKA "the thug" shows, all the physical ability in the world cannot make up for a 10 cent head. And that looks like what Brooks has got- a 10 cent head. His numbers at his work out were not all that good anyway.

[silverbear]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

Silver, you are so much on Brooks jock that I wonder how many are laughing at you.

Seems to me that most folks who have contributed to this thread have been agreeing with me, actually...

How does saying "if the Cowboys get a less than positive review on Brooks from Al Groh, I don't want them to draft him" make me "on his jock"??

To the contrary, YOU'RE the one who comes off sounding asinine, with your constant flip-flopping between "Brooks is the AntiChrist" and "I wouldn't spend more than a 5th (or a 4th, it changes with you) on him"...

He is an ILB, which is not considered that important compared to OLB.

ROTFLMAO... yeah, what does a 3-4 defense need with inside linebackers??

And those EXPERTS you keep talking about- some of them are the ones that say he is not all that.

Most of them are the ones who said that if he had come out after his sophomore year, he would have been a top 10 pick...

Where did the top ILB's go in this draft- people like Hodge? Not in the first rd.

No ILB in this draft were as good as Brooks is...

You have to be really good to go in the 2nd. And with someone with all the baggage Brooks has- a 3rd would be as high as anyone- even those really desperate like the 49rs and others- would go for him.

First, I have clearly said all along that I wouldn't want the Boys to spend more than a 4th on him... so you're basically arguing with yourself here...

Second, you're gonna feel really, really stupid when Brooks goes higher than your prediction here... ever since that workout that you said wasn't all that good, the
"experts" you referred to have said that it looks like some team is likely to go as high as a 2nd for him, and that he might even go in the first...

BTW, did you know that Brooks has dropped 5 MORE pounds since his workout, and says he intends to report to training camp for whatever team selects him at 245??

Wanna bet that he's faster at 245 than he was at 260??

I think he is not worth more then a 5th.

Which brings me back around to the same question I keep asking you, and you keep ducking (for obvious reasons):

You say that Brooks is a lazy, undisciplined druggie who has problems staying in shape, and isn't any better than what we already have on the roster... you spent considerable bandwidth arguing that, in fact... if that's what you really think, why would you spend ANY draft pick on him??

And that looks like what Brooks has got- a 10 cent head.

Once again, you've made your mind up, and haven't bothered to check into the FACTS first... that makes you a fool...