15 Draft Steals - Dallas got one

[BourbonBalz]

Thanks, DallasEast. People are acting like Louisiana Tech is a D2 program. We had a first round pick last year, with three other players being drafted, and three drafted this year. Tramon Williams, Kentrell Brice, Vernon Butler, Myles White, Jordan Mills, Quinton Patton, Luke McCown, Kenneth Dixon, Justin Ellis, Houston Bates...those are a handful of guys who we put out in the past few seasons that have STARTED games in the NFL. The school has won three bowl games in a row, with 9 wins each season. Skip Holtz is doing a great job with the program. In 2012 the team fell one win short of playing in the Orange Bowl. The team lost by one point to Arkansas last year (in a game that Xavier had an INT) and has beaten Illinois, UVA, Navy, Mississippi State and other "P5" programs in the past few years. I know I am biased, but give me La Tech over the lower tier SEC and B1G schools any day.

Xavier is just always around the ball. I get that he is small-ish, but he is a hitter. To me, I'd rather have a safety who played at La Tech and faced spread "air raid" offenses over someone who played in the SEC and faced a lot of power run systems. Air raid offenses are much more complex through the air and much harder to defend. It's true that the quality of competition is lower, but when you are playing offenses that average 65 points per game I'd say that playing safety there is probably a little more challenging. One does not cause 20 turnovers in 3 years by accident.

Tech is one of the top two programs in CUSA, just slightly behind my Toppers. They have a very good program.

 

[Aven8]

Love the pick. Ball akills cannot be taught. You have them or you don't. He may not be all world Woodson type safety, but he will get INT's.

 

[TheKey]

Tech is one of the top two programs in CUSA, just slightly behind my Toppers. They have a very good program.

I'd say Tech is probably second in CUSA behind Southern Miss. WKU is still a newcomer and needs to sustain some success and get some wins in OOC games. In terms of bowl wins and P5 wins, Tech has done it better over a longer period of time. There is a perception that La Tech is one of these spread, smoke and mirror teams. That's not quite true. La tech matches up much better against the Texas A&Ms and Ole Miss' of the world than WKU does. WKU is 'up and coming' though.

 

[BourbonBalz]

I'd say Tech is probably second in CUSA behind Southern Miss. WKU is still a newcomer and needs to sustain some success and get some wins in OOC games. In terms of bowl wins and P5 wins, Tech has done it better over a longer period of time. There is a perception that La Tech is one of these spread, smoke and mirror teams. That's not quite true. La tech matches up much better against the Texas A&Ms and Ole Miss' of the world than WKU does. WKU is 'up and coming' though.

Yeah right. WKU has dominated CUSA the past two years and has been good the year or two before. Yes, we're a relative newcomer to the conference, but we're not behind any program in the conference.

 

[BourbonBalz]

FYI, we held Bama to their lowest rushing average per carry in any game they played last season. We've also won our last two Bowl games. Tech might have more sustained history, but they're not the better program right now. It's not like WKU's history is chicken feed. They were a 1AA national power and won the title in 2002 (I think that was the year). WKU won't take a backseat to any program in CUSA.

 

[TheKey]

FYI, we held Bama to their lowest rushing average per carry in any game they played last season. We've also won our last two Bowl games. Tech might have more sustained history, but they're not the better program right now. It's not like WKU's history is chicken feed. They were a 1AA national power and won the title in 2002 (I think that was the year). WKU won't take a backseat to any program in CUSA.

Not meant as a slight, I think WKU is a formidable opponent. Tech beat WKU twice in the regular season over the past two years, losing once in the CCG in BG doesn't change how I view things. WKU held Bama to the lowest APC but so what? What was the final score? WKU needs to put some skins on the wall in terms of OOC wins to really become a force. For a team that came from the Sunbelt, they have done very well. Props to you guys, keep it up.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Not meant as a slight, I think WKU is a formidable opponent. Tech beat WKU twice in the regular season over the past two years, losing once in the CCG in BG doesn't change how I view things. WKU held Bama to the lowest APC but so what? What was the final score? WKU needs to put some skins on the wall in terms of OOC wins to really become a force. For a team that came from the Sunbelt, they have done very well. Props to you guys, keep it up.

You might want to go back and check some scores. You got us at your place this past season (barely), but we beat you the previous year and went undefeated in CUSA. We've lost ONE game in CUSA the past two seasons combined.

 

[TheKey]

You might want to go back and check some scores. You got us at your place this past season (barely), but we beat you the previous year and went undefeated in CUSA. We've lost ONE game in CUSA the past two seasons combined.

PM'd you..Not sure the rest of the board is interested in our CUSA battle

 

[AsthmaField]

PM'd you..Not sure the rest of the board is interested in our CUSA battle

I am.... I work at Southern Miss and graduated there, lol.

 

[robbieruff]

I must admit I know very little about him but just watching the highlight footage he reminds me a bit of Thomas Everett...similar compact building and running ability with good hands and nose for the football. Although he appears to be slightly bigger than Everett which would be fine assuming he's slated for SS. And of course I would be ecstatic if he goes on to be as good a playmaker.

 

[robbieruff]

Thanks, DallasEast. People are acting like Louisiana Tech is a D2 program. We had a first round pick last year, with three other players being drafted, and three drafted this year. Tramon Williams, Kentrell Brice, Vernon Butler, Myles White, Jordan Mills, Quinton Patton, Luke McCown, Kenneth Dixon, Justin Ellis, Houston Bates...those are a handful of guys who we put out in the past few seasons that have STARTED games in the NFL. The school has won three bowl games in a row, with 9 wins each season. Skip Holtz is doing a great job with the program. In 2012 the team fell one win short of playing in the Orange Bowl. The team lost by one point to Arkansas last year (in a game that Xavier had an INT) and has beaten Illinois, UVA, Navy, Mississippi State and other "P5" programs in the past few years. I know I am biased, but give me La Tech over the lower tier SEC and B1G schools any day.

Xavier is just always around the ball. I get that he is small-ish, but he is a hitter. To me, I'd rather have a safety who played at La Tech and faced spread "air raid" offenses over someone who played in the SEC and faced a lot of power run systems. Air raid offenses are much more complex through the air and much harder to defend. It's true that the quality of competition is lower, but when you are playing offenses that average 65 points per game I'd say that playing safety there is probably a little more challenging. One does not cause 20 turnovers in 3 years by accident.

very nice breakdown. Appreciate the informed opinion!

 

[Blast From The Past]

Here is a nice shot of Xavier taking a pick six to the house, with 1st round pick Vernon Butler *(Carolina Panthers) and GB starting Safety Kentrell Brice running to celebrate.

Two guys trailing him are Butler and Brice.

 

[Supercowboy1986]

I read on a different site that woods is similar to Darren Woodson in terms of a pre draft prospect.

I am not saying that, as I have never heard of him prior to us drafting him but it appears to be well regarded pick from everything I've seen nationally.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I am.... I work at Southern Miss and graduated there, lol.

Old Dominion gradate here...

 

[Hawkeye19]

Its just nice to see some investment in the position. We tend to get more "in the box" type of safeties and want them to be interchangeable. Woods is an aggressive ball hawk, and Cheeto and Lewis can also both play inside or back.

Loads of versatility now... Byron has tremendous position flex so we can match up in lots of deceptive ways and disguise more of what we want to do. Love the direction our D is going!

 

[BigStar]

One thing he'll need to do less of............ he seems to like just trying to run over people instead of wrapping up. In the NFL, that could get you killed.

Which player?

 

[AsthmaField]

Old Dominion gradate here...

CUSA taking over!

 

[erod]

I'd say Tech is probably second in CUSA behind Southern Miss. WKU is still a newcomer and needs to sustain some success and get some wins in OOC games. In terms of bowl wins and P5 wins, Tech has done it better over a longer period of time. There is a perception that La Tech is one of these spread, smoke and mirror teams. That's not quite true. La tech matches up much better against the Texas A&Ms and Ole Miss' of the world than WKU does. WKU is 'up and coming' though.

Western Kentucky had more players drafted than any team in the Big XII except Oklahoma, which they tied.

 

[gmoney112]

I think Awuzie at 60 was a steal. Any other draft and I don't think Lewis falls to our pick either.

Woods in the 6th was great. I'm glad they're willing to show initiative and go get a player they have graded highly. The investment wasn't much but they still had to find a trade partner. Nice to see.

 

[morasp]

NFL.com had him rated at 251 overall. Probably what matters is he fits what we were looking for. Stephen Jones mentioned that LBs and OL were very thin for the type of players we were looking for.