Ratliff or Spears the better NT?

[rw54]

Who do you think makes a better NT? Has anybody heard how workouts are going this year. I think Spears could do it if he added more upperbody strength. He has massive powerful legs. If he added 20 pounds of muscle in his upper body he would be close to perfect.

[Bryan8284]

Spears had the size at the draft last year for NT from LSU.

Ratliff had the size, wasn't aware he saw a lot of DT/NT time.

I'd like to try Ratliff as a swing man since Spears has gotten a whole year of the system and players down. Ratliff was hurt mostly or inactive.

[Eddie]

Spears is a solid DE. Let's not start changing positions already.

Get a real NT to play NT.

[Kangaroo]

Originally Posted by rw54

Who do you think makes a better NT? Has anybody heard how workouts are going this year. I think Spears could do it if he added more upperbody strength. He has massive powerful legs. If he added 20 pounds of muscle in his upper body he would be close to perfect.

I thought Ratliff and the Pepper kid where goign to be fighting it out for playtime behind Fergy

[littlewebs]

Ratliff is strictly a Nickel DT. He can't play the nose on 1st or 2nd down. Ferguson is our only run-stopping NT.

[rw54]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Spears is a solid DE. Let's not start changing positions already.

Get a real NT to play NT.

Just looking at who might could do it in a pinch if we don't address it. We haven't yet.

[cowboysfan31]

Originally Posted by rw54

Just looking at who might could do it in a pinch if we don't address it. We haven't yet.

Hatcher was drafted to play NT, and Johnson also has experience there. Both Ratliff and Spears are better suited for DE.

[JackMagist]

Originally Posted by cowboysfan31

Hatcher was drafted to play NT, and Johnson also has experience there. Both Ratliff and Spears are better suited for DE.

Where does this notion that Hatcher was drafted to play NT come from? The guy doesn't weight but 285, that is lighter than Ratliff, Johnson, Spears or Ferguson. Plus at 6'6" he is too tall for a NT in a 3-4. For that you need a guy no taller than 6'3" with a wide body and tree trunk legs. I just don't see him as a NT at all and as far as I know he has never played inside.

Johnson was doing pretty well at NT last year with limited PT before going down and Ratliff got some time there as well. They are both around 305, about the same size as Ferguson, and can hold down the spot if they have to. Even Spears would be a better fit inside than Hatcher since he is a bit shorter at 6'4" and he goes about 300 last I heard. Not that I want to waste Spears inside mind you but he could do it should a worst case scenario happen and we had to improvise.

[neosapien23]

Originally Posted by cowboysfan31

Hatcher was drafted to play NT, and Johnson also has experience there. Both Ratliff and Spears are better suited for DE.

Spears is better suited for NT than Hatcher. Hatcher is 6'6" at 286 lbs. Spears is 6'4" at 295 after slimming down from 307. If Spears can gain 10 lbs, he will be a big upgrade over Ferguson.

[VTEXPRESS]

Originally Posted by neosapien23

Spears is better suited for NT than Hatcher. Hatcher is 6'6" at 286 lbs. Spears is 6'4" at 295 after slimming down from 307. If Spears can gain 10 lbs, he will be a big upgrade over Ferguson.

Neither one is suited to play NT.