Is Brockers Too Risky at 14?

[InmanRoshi]

In his 3 years at LSU, he got some of the best coaching available at the college level. The LSU defensive coordinator produced a ton of NFL ready linemen when he was DC at Tennessee. The LSU defensive line coach is a former NFL DL coach with the Chicago Bears. I don't think he was just some raw kid running around winging it. I think he got more NFL caliber coaching in one year at LSU than Poe or Cox or Wolfe or Winn got in 3-4 years at their school.

I'm really afraid we're going to be sitting here next year wondering why our defense was so ineffective against good QB when we have so many "solid" players (all "solid" in everything except rushing the passer, naturally), and we won't address pass rusher next year either because we took a DL with a 1st round pick the previous year.

I will also add that the first thing I would do with Brockers is get him in the weight room and make him lose about 20 lbs. of blubber around his midsection. Maybe he might show at least decent athleticism without the spare tire, but that also brings up why he didn't do that fore his workouts in the first place. Drew Boylhart says if you get him down to the 290 range he could be a monster, but at his current weight he is not nearly athletic enough to be any type of pressure player as evidenced by his 5th round caliber workout numbers.

 

[Stash]

Way to chane the subject..we are taking about professional scouts.. Not just scouts in Dallas..pro scouts love Brockers..arm chair scouts do not..

I'm not changing the subject at all.

I do not care what other teams or their scouts do.

I'm a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Hope that sinks in this time.

 

[JBS]

I'm not changing the subject at all.

I do not care what other teams or their scouts do.

I'm a fan of the Dallas Cowboys.

Hope that sinks in this time.

I'm not even talking about scouts that are associated with teams. Bryan Broaddus loves Brockers..maybe more than cox

 

[SMCowboy]

In his 3 years at LSU, he got some of the best coaching available at the college level. The LSU defensive coordinator produced a ton of NFL ready linemen when he was DC at Tennessee. The LSU defensive line coach is a former NFL DL coach with the Chicago Bears. I don't think he was just some raw kid running around winging it. I think he got more NFL caliber coaching in one year at LSU than Poe or Cox or Wolfe or Winn got in 3-4 years at their school.

I'm really afraid we're going to be sitting here next year wondering why our defense was so ineffective against good QB when we have so many "solid" players (all "solid" in everything except rushing the passer, naturally), and we won't address pass rusher next year either because we took a DL with a 1st round pick the previous year.

Yes, at LSU he got great coaching but he is still brand new an a DT.

Keep in mind, that Michael Brocker's is only a Sophomore. How many DT's put up big sack numbers as Sophomores? Fletcher Cox only put up 2.5 sacks as a Sophomore, with just 6.5 tackles for a loss.

If Michael Brocker's was a Junior or especially a senior who only had 2 sacks on the season, it absolutely would be a reason to be very skeptical of his ability to all of a sudden "learn" to rush the passer. But, there are not very many Sophomore DT's that are good pass rushers. And scouts, and respected NFL Draft Analyst say that he shows the skills and flashes the ability to be a good pass rusher, he just needs time to develop those skills.

 

[JBS]

Yes, at LSU he got great coaching but he is still brand new an a DT.

Keep in mind, that Michael Brocker's is only a Sophomore. How many DT's put up big sack numbers as Sophomores? Fletcher Cox only put up 2.5 sacks as a Sophomore, with just 6.5 tackles for a loss.

If Michael Brocker's was a Junior or especially a senior who only had 2 sacks on the season, it absolutely would be a reason to be very skeptical of his ability to all of a sudden "learn" to rush the passer. But, there are not very many Sophomore DT's that are good pass rushers. And scouts, and respected NFL Draft Analyst say that he shows the skills and flashes the ability to be a good pass rusher, he just needs time to develop those skills.

Happens all the time! One year wonders in college...some pan out and some don't..Brockers left before even getting to the one year wonder status..but to suggest that he isn't going to blossom isnt fair

 

[TNCowboy]

If we're going to take a 1 dimensional player, how about a guy who's great at rushing the passer? Why is that so far down our radar?

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

Wouldn't draft him even at 45. He has no upside.

Michael Brockers just turned 21 years old and will add 30 lbs to that huge 6ft 7 frame without losing a step on the inside as a 350 lb 3/4 NT..yeah you're right no upside.

 

[Stash]

Michael Brockers just turned 21 years old and will add 30 lbs to that huge 6ft 7 frame without losing a step on the inside as a 350 lb 3/4 NT..yeah you're right no upside.

A 6'7" nose tackle?

 

[InmanRoshi]

Michael Brockers just turned 21 years old and will add 30 lbs to that huge 6ft 7 frame without losing a step on the inside as a 350 lb 3/4 NT..yeah you're right no upside.

He needs to lose 30 lbs, not gain it. Also, he would suck as a nosetackle. And he's not a guy who plants his back leg and just absorbs blockers like Casey Hampton, he's at his best playing on the move and using his arm length to keep blockers off of him.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

He needs to lose 30 lbs, not gain it. Also, he would suck as a nosetackle. And he's not a guy who plants his back leg and just absorbs blockers like Casey Hampton, he's at his best playing on the move and using his arm length to keep blockers off of him.

Squat and Watch

 

[Manwiththeplan]

yea, i don't want Brockers to gain weight. 6'6 310 is the max I want him at, and that is at the DE position.

 

[SMCowboy]

Happens all the time! One year wonders in college...some pan out and some don't..Brockers left before even getting to the one year wonder status..but to suggest that he isn't going to blossom isnt fair

I don't even think the "One Year Wonder" label would be correct. Noone considers Fletcher Cox, a 1 year wonder.

The "One Year Wonder" label is usually used for guys that have played all 4 years in college, and then their junior years the slight switch goes off, and they start to dominate.

Michael Brockers was following the natural progression for most all DT's in college football. Redshirt his freshman year, get playing time as a reserve your redshirt freshman year. Start your Sophomore year, and show potential as a pass rusher, and be a great run stuffer. What happened, is he decided to jump to the NFL before he had a chance to show that he took the next step to start to realize those pass rushing abilities.

 

[baj1dallas]

Wouldn't draft him even at 45. He has no upside.

he's got at least as much "upside" as Decastro.

 

[Stash]

he's got at least as much "upside" as Decastro.

The difference is that DeCastro has already arrived.

There's no 'hopefully', 'possibly', or 'maybe' with him.

And that's what I want if I'm using pick #14.

 

[SMCowboy]

The difference is that DeCastro has already arrived.

There's no 'hopefully', 'possibly', or 'maybe' with him.

And that's what I want if I'm using pick #14.

DeCastro, is a technician, and a great OG. But, lets be honest, DeCastro does have weaknesses. He isn't an overpowering player. He isn't going to maul anyone into submission.

Michael Brockers has also already arrived as a dominating run stuffer. The Michael Brockers the run stuffer might not completely be worthy of the #14 pick in the draft. But he absolutely is worthy of a late first round pick, even without his pass rush upside. You add his pass rushing upside, and he absolutely is worthy of the #14 pick. Just as no OG, or C is worth the #14 pick in the draft. Even Steve Hutchinson wasn't drafted till #17 in the draft.

 

[Stash]

DeCastro, is a technician, and a great OG. But, lets be honest, DeCastro does have weaknesses. He isn't an overpowering player. He isn't going to maul anyone into submission.

Michael Brockers has also already arrived as a dominating run stuffer. The Michael Brockers the run stuffer might not completely be worthy of the #14 pick in the draft. But he absolutely is worthy of a late first round pick, even without his pass rush upside. You add his pass rushing upside, and he absolutely is worthy of the #14 pick. Just as no OG, or C is worth the #14 pick in the draft. Even Steve Hutchinson wasn't drafted till #17 in the draft.

You're going to argue over 3 spots?!?!?

And where is this magic 'pass rush upside' you speak of?

Is it the same 'upside' that draft busts of the past 'had' that never materialized?

DeCastro is good at both parts of his job - not just one.

Brockers is great at run stuffing - the other part of his job? Not so much.

I'll take the guy who does all of his his job great, not hope and pray that the guy I took with my #14 overall pick becomes something he's not.

 

[NeonNinja]

DeCastro over Brockers every time for me.

Hopefully Brockers pans out if he's our selection.

I don't see it but teams and most scouts seem to like him a lot.

 

[Gaede]

..but there are people who get paid a lot more then I do with a lot more experience and have a much more proven track record who say he's a gem and value at 14. I'll take their opinion every time. If I was hearing a few here and there who liked him and the majority was on the fence I might have a different opinion but 9 out 10 GM and Scouts love the kid and what he brings to the table. I'll side with them.

Only reason I'd be OK with Brockers. I was dead wrong on Tyron last year--all he needed was some coaching.

So if Brockers is that kind of prospect, he's definitely worth the risk.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I wonder if this "interest" in Brockers is real or just a ruse put out there to try and get Philly to trade ahead of us to take him so another player can fall.

Word is Philly really likes him and if we don't take him, they will. Seen a video of him on ESPN or NFLN and they were asking him about elevating his pass rush game and he said he is training with one of the Philly Coaches (Dline coach? do not remember the coach's name)

Yeah Brockers has been spending the offseason working on technique and drills with retired DL guru Pete Jenkins. Jenkins is a long time LSU guy. He coached LSU D-linemen all the way from Leonard Marshall to Marcus Spears. He's the guy who built the LSU DL legacy. He retired when Saban left LSU. He came out of retirement to coach DL for the Eagles for a couple of years. Jenkins and Juan Castillo are also old buddies. Reid was able to coax him out of retirement thanks to Castillo. He's credited for developing Trent Cole. Jenkins retired again after Jim Johnson left because he's about a bazillion years old.

That's a pretty strong tie-in, and DT is by far their biggest need. I think the interest is pretty legit.

Also on a sidenote, Brockers trained for the Combine in Dallas at CES, where Ratliff workouts.

 

[Stash]

Yeah Brockers has been spending the offseason working on technique and drills with retired DL guru Pete Jenkins. Jenkins is a long time LSU guy. He was the Eagles DL coach under Jim Johnson, but retired when Johnson left because he's about a bazillion years old. Jenkins and Juan Castillo are also old buddies. Reid was able to coax him out of retirement thanks to Castillo.

That's a pretty strong tie-in, and DT is by far their biggest need. I think the interest is pretty legit.

Some good insight.

Thanks.