How come no mention of this guy

[wxcpo]

Ohio State Center Nick Mangold.

I think with this team's need at center he would be an excellent round 2 pick. Getting a guy like DeMeco Ryans or Michael Huff in the first and then Mangold in the second would be a great start to the draft for us and give us two players that could possibly come in and compete and start right away.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Ohio State Center Nick Mangold.

I think with this team's need at center he would be an excellent round 2 pick. Getting a guy like DeMeco Ryans or Michael Huff in the first and then Mangold in the second would be a great start to the draft for us and give us two players that could possibly come in and compete and start right away.

I don't know. He's actually smaller than Al.

 

[Juke99]

I don't know. He's actually smaller than Al.

Particularly in this picture.

 

[InDakWeTrust]

I would go after a proven FA at C and draft a OT, plus some guards late day 2.
Mangold would be a feasible option if we get a new Oline coach.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

I've been singing his praises the past few weeks. As a Buckeyes fan, I have watched Mangold the past 4 yrs. & I can tell you that every coach that was there when L. Bentley was there says that Mangold is every bit the Center that LeCharles was. Plus, he can play both OG positions, and is 4-5 years younger.

As far as his size, what does that have to do with it? He stoned every North DT he went up against, which includes Watson, Dvoracek, & Oshinowo, in practice all week, and took it to the South's best, as well. Size doesn't matter nearly as much as technique, leverage, strength, & determination. Dude is tough as nails, and will duke it out with anyone.

I would flat out love it if we call his name in the second.

 

[burmafrd]

Bring him in and turn him loose- maybe switch Johnson to RT= he certainly is quicker then Pettiti- and maybe that is all we need there. I am no longer of the opinion that OT need to be 310-320 any more- there are few DE's around that are really big enough to overwhelm a guy Johnsons size; a tackle anymore needs quickness above anything else. I would look hard at trying Pettiti at guard- he already has the size and can increase his strength.

 

[dbair1967]

I don't know. He's actually smaller than Al.

so was Mark Stepnoski...difference was Step was well coached and knew how to play with leverage

David

 

[burmafrd]

Sad thing about Johnson is that the guy works his butt off; no slack there at all. He just does not have either the technique or the strength, or maybe both, to keep from getting his lunch eaten by the big DT's and NT's.

 

[sago1]

Actually I've read elsewhere, including Spagnola column, that Johnson's size is not problem but rather he needs to understand better how to play the center position. Don't know if that means in his 3rd year he will get better if leverage/technique improves or what? Certainly as season progressed Parcells became more exasperated by his play. Most of us attribute OL problems to poor coaching; wonder why Parcells doesn't agree with that.

 

[burmafrd]

maybe the coaching was good enough but the players could not learn it well enough to perform better. Johnson really suprised me this year by the way he was owned so much. All I can think of is that the other teams watched a lot of tape on him and learned his weakness which he could not remedy this year.

 

[DanTanna]

Mark Stepnoski had a wrestler's balance and footwork. That is what it takes to be a great OL, balance, quick feet and technique. Strength really helps, but the lack of super strength can be overcome with quickness/technique/balance. No matter how "strong" you are, you will get burned and whiff a lot of plays w/o other said qualities.

If Al Jonhson has quickness/technique/balance, then he's better than an OT that gives the DE a free shot at the QB via a whiff. Fast OTs won't whiff, they may be overpowered if weak, but that is a hell of a lot better than a whiff because it at least takes time to be over-powered. How many times did it look like Pettiti didn't hear the snap count and the DE just ran by him? That equals a sack in 1 second. Being over-powered takes 2 or 3 seconds.

We need to do everything we can to get some quickness instilled into our OL. Denver does this, right?

 

[dragon_mikal]

Mark Stepnoski had a wrestler's balance and footwork. That is what it takes to be a great OL, balance, quick feet and technique. Strength really helps, but the lack of super strength can be overcome with quickness/technique/balance. No matter how "strong" you are, you will get burned and whiff a lot of plays w/o other said qualities.

If Al Jonhson has quickness/technique/balance, then he's better than an OT that gives the DE a free shot at the QB via a whiff. Fast OTs won't whiff, they may be overpowered if weak, but that is a hell of a lot better than a whiff because it at least takes time to be over-powered. How many times did it look like Pettiti didn't hear the snap count and the DE just ran by him? That equals a sack in 1 second. Being over-powered takes 2 or 3 seconds.

We need to do everything we can to get some quickness instilled into our OL. Denver does this, right?

I agree 100%. I'm sick of these big, slow offensive lineman when the rest of league is bringing in quick, fast defensive lineman.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Maybe we should wait and see who we get in free agency before we get to wrapped up in draft specualtion.

 

[Sarge]

Maybe we should wait and see who we get in free agency before we get to wrapped up in draft specualtion.

YA think?

 

[Typhus]

Mark Stepnoski had a wrestler's balance and footwork. That is what it takes to be a great OL, balance, quick feet and technique. Strength really helps, but the lack of super strength can be overcome with quickness/technique/balance. No matter how "strong" you are, you will get burned and whiff a lot of plays w/o other said qualities.

If Al Jonhson has quickness/technique/balance, then he's better than an OT that gives the DE a free shot at the QB via a whiff. Fast OTs won't whiff, they may be overpowered if weak, but that is a hell of a lot better than a whiff because it at least takes time to be over-powered. How many times did it look like Pettiti didn't hear the snap count and the DE just ran by him? That equals a sack in 1 second. Being over-powered takes 2 or 3 seconds.

We need to do everything we can to get some quickness instilled into our OL. Denver does this, right?

Thank you for bringing up Stepnoski and recognizing,, What Step brought to the table was his ability to play and succeed in this league as an undersized center because of his incredible understanding of leverage.

He used leverage and a quick burst to the gut to nuetralize oversized slow DL off the line.

Wish we would go that route,, would love to have Stepnoski as the OL coach.

 

[AbeBeta]

Actually I've read elsewhere, including Spagnola column, that Johnson's size is not problem but rather he needs to understand better how to play the center position. Don't know if that means in his 3rd year he will get better if leverage/technique improves or what? Certainly as season progressed Parcells became more exasperated by his play. Most of us attribute OL problems to poor coaching; wonder why Parcells doesn't agree with that.

No I think the point was that a small guy can do well if his technique is perfect.

How can you say Parcell's was exasperated by his play? if anything, he won serious points by playing hurt.

 

[AbeBeta]

Getting a guy like DeMeco Ryans

??? Ryans is maybe 235 -- he's small. That's not a 3-4 OLB. We'll be looking at OLBs but not little ones.

 

[big dog cowboy]

maybe the coaching was good enough but the players could not learn it well enough to perform better.

I've never read or heard anything about our O-line coaching being good enough for many years now.