If Alan Branch falls to #22

[Deputy493]

If he is the BPA when we are on the clock, sure, but if there is a higher rated player go with him.

 

[baj1dallas]

If Jeff Ireland....not a bunch of internet hacks, but a real scout, decides he can potentially be a solid NFL nosetackle, then take him. If not, pass.

 

[HeHateMe]

Take him without thinking, but too bad we wont get within 8-10 picks of him.

 

[jsd27]

We're going CB or WR in this draft. I just don't see both Glenn and Owens here next year. Maybe one of them but not both. I remember the last 2 or 3 years Jerry saying he wanted to address WR early in the draft to get some youth there. I think he was veto'd by Parcells every year because of Parcells' philosophy on taking WR in the first RND. He was very much against WR in the first and really had a big fall out in New England over drafting Glenn - hence his reference to him as "she". Well now Parcells is gone and Jones may finally be able to do what he has been wanting to do.

 

[RealCowboyfan]

Pass (in order) if these players are there = Dwayne Jarrett, Jarvis Moss, Robert Meachem, Chris Houston, Carriker, or Leon Hall. If these players I listed in order is not there, go right ahead.

 

[5mics]

Do you select him or pass?

Branch w/ 1-20 picks is a risky pick
Branch w/ 21 - 32 is good value

Take him @ 22

 

[5mics]

Blalock, while playing some OT at Texas, will NOT play OT in the NFL. He is a pure guard.

PLEASE stop w/ the misinformation agenda. Blalock was an OT for 3 years and only played OG his last year at Texas.....He DID NOT just play some OT, he played the MAJORITY of his career at OT.......

 

[silverbear]

God only makes so many 6'6" 320 lbs men NT who can move. If you pass on one this year, you're taking a huge chance that one will be available next year when you absolutely must get one.

Actually, we see players like Branch every couple-three years, big ol' boys who dominated at the college level simply because they were so big... but when those boys also come with question marks regarding their ability to keep their weight under control, about their lack of stamina, those players also bust quite often...

In the last 5 drafts, we've seen 320 pound Marcus Tubbs go in the first round, then start 14 of 29 games in his NFL career... 325 pound Jimmy Kennedy has started 31 of 53 games... 315 pound Ryan Sims has started 35 of 59 games... none of these three has performed anywhere close to what their draft status suggests they should have played... and all three came tagged with "underachiever", even "lazy" labels attached...

When it comes to Tubbs, NFL.com said this in their draft analysis:

Needs to control his weight (additional pounds give him a soft mid-section, preventing him from staying low in his pads) … Needs to be pushed by hard coaching before he responds

SI said:

Looks poorly conditioned, lethargic and does not play with a sense of urgency.

When it comes to Jimmy Kennedy, NFL.com said:

Must stay on top of him in regards to conditioning (was at over 400 pounds at one point earlier in his career), as he tends to raise himself up when he runs out of gas …

ESPN had this to say:

Consistency and focus are concerns. Wears down if his weight is not in control...

And SI said:

Overweight in the past which has led to Kennedy wearing down and not playing with proper fundamentals.

When it comes to Sims, for some reason I couldn't find the scouting reports on him coming out of college online, but I do have this quote from the Scout message boards:

In the past, the knock on Sims was that he was lazy. He had trouble keeping his weight under control.

That squares with what I remember of the scouting reports on him back then...

So, we have three big, first round defensive tackles with big reps, but also with reps for not having the discipline to keep their weight under control... all three have scouting reports quite similar to the ones Branch is receiving now... and all three have been varying degrees of busts, given their lofty draft status...

I have seen this over and over again over the years, to the point where whenever I read that a player has a "lazy" label, or has a rep for letting his weight balloon, I either move that player way down my draft board, or remove him from it altogether...

I get a strong whiff of bust off of Branch, for those reasons...

 

[silverbear]

PLEASE stop w/ the misinformation agenda. Blalock was an OT for 3 years and only played OG his last year at Texas.....He DID NOT just play some OT, he played the MAJORITY of his career at OT.......

He's still gonna be a guard in the NFL...

 

[CrazyCowboy]

He would be the NEED position--we just have to DO IT!

YES!

 

[TNCowboy]

I get a strong whiff of bust off of Branch, for those reasons...

I agree. He reminds me of Jimmy Kennedy.

 

[silverbear]

I agree. He reminds me of Jimmy Kennedy.

Yeah, that would be the worst case scenario, wouldn't it??

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I agree. He reminds me of Jimmy Kennedy.

This kid is nothing like Jimmy Kennedy. This is rediculous IMO but hey, we passed on players before only to watch them become players for other teams. Then we blame Jerry and the coaching staff. I haven't read where this kid is lazy or lacks effort from his coaching staff or anybody who has evaluated him on the field. Nobody. Now, all of a sudden, rumors from here and there pop up that he's to quiet and that equates to not agressive. That's not what I saw or what I've heard any pro talent evaluator say. Reports that he's over weight at at 6-6 324 pounds and now your camparing him to Kennedy who was about the same height and 400 pounds at one point. Come on, this rediculous. Look at what's in front of you. He never came off the field at Michigan. He wasn't a two down player. He wasnt a short yardage only player. He dominated against Ohio State. He played very well against USC. If he was so lazy or out of shape, how is it that he was an impact player in those games or at all? In HS, he played FB and was an up back on the return team. He scored 5 TDs on STs. You guys are over reacting to nothing here. Look at the facts and it's easy to see that this is not a kid who is lazy or rediculously out of shape but hey, lets pass on Shawn Rodgers again.

 

[TNCowboy]

This kid is nothing like Jimmy Kennedy. This is rediculous IMO but hey, we passed on players before only to watch them become players for other teams. Then we blame Jerry and the coaching staff. I haven't read where this kid is lazy or lacks effort from his coaching staff or anybody who has evaluated him on the field. Nobody. Now, all of a sudden, rumors from here and there pop up that he's to quiet and that equates to not agressive. That's not what I saw or what I've heard any pro talent evaluator say. Reports that he's over weight at at 6-6 324 pounds and now your camparing him to Kennedy who was about the same height and 400 pounds at one point. Come on, this rediculous. Look at what's in front of you. He never came off the field at Michigan. He wasn't a two down player. He wasnt a short yardage only player. He dominated against Ohio State. He played very well against USC. If he was so lazy or out of shape, how is it that he was an impact player in those games or at all? In HS, he played FB and was an up back on the return team. He scored 5 TDs on STs. You guys are over reacting to nothing here. Look at the facts and it's easy to see that this is not a kid who is lazy or rediculously out of shape but hey, lets pass on Shawn Rodgers again.

If he were near the prospect you claim him to be, we wouldn't be discussing him dropping to 22.


Stamina and weight have been issues.- Scott Wright

 

[Deputy493]

If he were near the prospect you claim him to be, we wouldn't be discussing him dropping to 22.


Stamina and weight have been issues.- Scott Wright

Two words for you:

Vince Wilfork.

Vince Wilfork had the same type of drop pre-draft and he dropped all the way to the Pats, he is now their starting NT.

 

[burmafrd]

He was out of shape on his pro day. He was not impressive with his interviews. FACT is he is not impressing people RIGHT NOW- at the most critical time before the draft-which at the VERY LEAST calls into question his judgement.

 

[CF74]

no brainer, si

 

[5mics]

He's still gonna be a guard in the NFL...

Agreed. He would be a solid RT BUT a Pro-Bowl OG in the NFL...

 

[Da Hammer]

Take Him! Take Him! Take Him! the guy is just super talented and could be a dominate NT in our 3-4 D for a long time!!!! obviously there is risk but he is worth it

 

[Cbz40]

I take him.

Prospect Profiles

Alan Branch Height: 6-6
Weight: 331
Position: Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle
College: Michigan
Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange
OVERVIEW A mountain of a man, Branch is big, strong and aggressive, and opposing offensive linemen know they are always in for a long day against the outstanding run stuffer. Branch's importance to the team can't be measured by his statistics. The true gauge is the success of others around him, as Branch is known for his ability to consistently tie up multiple blockers and shut down the inside running game.


Branch's dominance in the middle was the major reason for the team's success on defense in 2006. The front wall held opponents to under 50 yards rushing in 11 of 13 games, including two (Penn State and Northwestern) in which there were negative rushing yard totals. The Wolverines led the nation in rush defense, allowing opponents only 43.38 yards per game, and finished 10th nationally by giving up only 268.31 total yards per game, a marked improvement over the 2005 season in which Michigan finished 41st in the nation in run defense (137.33 ypg) and 36th in total defense (345.17 ypg).


With Branch filling up the middle, Wolverines pass rushers led the Big Ten Conference and placed fourth in the nation with an average of 3.23 quarterback sacks in 2006. The defense also led the conference by averaging 7.15 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.