Michael Brockers LSU

[RoyTheHammer]

Rat has been a force as an undersized NT taking on 2 blockers. You dont think moving him to DE + adding a true NT would help collapse the pocket and free up our linebackers?

Moving him to DE would help alot, imo.. yet we've never done it.

I hope we do, but im not convinced we will. Even if we do, we still need to spend a high round pick on a NT or sign Soliai. I'd bring in one other quality DE as well and get rid of either Spears or Coleman.

 

[JoeCorrado]

LSU DT Michael Brockers (19th overall): He’s another draft-eligible sophomore who could opt to stay in school and improve his stock. He’s a disruptive defensive tackle for the Tigers (9.5 tackles for losses this season). His 6-foot-6, 306-pound frame is ideal for a 3-4 defensive end.

Kid seems to be the real deal. Declaring for the draft way early, has become a team leader almost over night and his upside is comparable to our first selection last draft- Smith.

I was in the middle of a mock draft for the Cowboys when this news broke and I now have to reconsider our pick at 14. Yes, I consider him one of the few players on the front seven who deserves consideration there.

The upside is scary. He is 306 pounds of athlete. He could need a year to fill out and actually become the beast he is capable of- but he will be an impact player from day one. A year in the weight room with NFL trainers and he could bulk up to 325 easily with no loss of agility and quickness. He can dominate.

Is the DT prospect of the class. He changes things, for sure.

 

[RS12]

Kid seems to be the real deal. Declaring for the draft way early, has become a team leader almost over night and his upside is comparable to our first selection last draft- Smith.

I was in the middle of a mock draft for the Cowboys when this news broke and I now have to reconsider our pick at 14. Yes, I consider him one of the few players on the front seven who deserves consideration there.

The upside is scary. He is 306 pounds of athlete. He could need a year to fill out and actually become the beast he is capable of- but he will be an impact player from day one. A year in the weight room with NFL trainers and he could bulk up to 325 easily with no loss of agility and quickness. He can dominate.

Is the DT prospect of the class. He changes things, for sure.

We agree on this Joe. My guys are DeCastro and Brockers 1-1A, then Martin and Kirkpatrick 1B-1C. This team has got to get better in the trenches. One thing about Brockers is he gives the team alot of options on the D Line.

 

[burmafrd]

if you are going to spend a first on a DE, he better be a Seymour type. Is he?

Can he generate a pass rush? Can he push the O line back consistently?

Otherwise pass

 

[RoyTheHammer]

if you are going to spend a first on a DE, he better be a Seymour type. Is he?

Can he generate a pass rush? Can he push the O line back consistently?

Otherwise pass

I believe he is.

 

[JoeCorrado]

if you are going to spend a first on a DE, he better be a Seymour type. Is he?

Can he generate a pass rush? Can he push the O line back consistently?

Otherwise pass

He can play from ANY spot along the D-Line- any kind of a D-Line. A 4-3 DT, A 4-3 DE, A 3-4 NT, A 3-4 DE - this kid is so versatile that teams would never know where he might line up. Seriously- imagine the scheming it would take to keep him, Rat and Ware blocked on every down.

And against the run, he can hold his own against a double team and STILL make the play. Seriously- he is a super, super prospect.

As the draft comes closer, he may move up on draft charts to the point that he will be gone before we ever get a sniff. On the day he declared, he cracked top twenty of all prospects... after just his sophomore year! I hope we get a chance at him.

 

[The Natural]

no more LSU DL

 

[JoeCorrado]

no more LSU DL

Have you seen this kid? Like Smith, but on the D-Line. When he fills out he will be about 330 pounds of pure player. If you haven't taken a close look, I would recommend that you do.

Can't wait for the combine numbers! He will likely be gone by the time we come onto the clock... unfortunately.

I see him as a Pro Bowler for a long time wherever he lands. Has his head on straight and a hard worker, family first type... team leader and eager to learn.

First DT off the board, guaranteed.

 

[NeonNinja]

I'm interested to watch him at the combine and get more information on him.

 

[Eskimo]

I agree with this. But a 5 tech guy with the the 14th overall pick when we already have proficient players at that position doesnt seem like that great of an idea to me. Might as well just draft the best pass rushing OLB(even tho I dont agree with that either)

The problem with that strategy is there isn't going to be a great pass rushing option at that spot in the draft. Upshaw isn't a great pass rusher. Some have doubts about Ingram because of lack of explosiveness. Hightower spent much of his time at ILB and is projected for low first round right now and there probably isn't enough tape of him at OLB to know how he'll do as a pass rusher going against top OTs.

There are probably more 2nd round prospects for future pass rushers such as Bruce Irvin (who may slip into the low first), Curry (who will have to flash OLB skills at the Combine) and Mercilus Whitney (16 sacks last year but 1-year wonder).

If this guy is a class 3-4 DE who can collapse the pocket and put up 5-8 sacks per year then he is a good pick at that spot. We need another impact front 7 player now that Rat is in decline and he fits the bill better than any of the OLB prospects at that spot.

I think it is a toss-up between this guy and DeCastro if both are on the board. I would lean towards the DE if they are equivalent players as there will be good OGs in the 2nd and 3rd round and it is not usually considered a premium position.

 

[Eskimo]

I will say the one thing I'm leery of is evaluating a player who comes from a program with lots of great players around him. This usually means the opposition can't key on him so it is harder to say how he would do if he didn't have the talent around him.

I think this is how AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter got overdrafted in 2006 - neither were all that great individually but they were hard to play against both of them at that level.

I think this is the reason why many LSU DL have been overdrafted in the past - just lots of good players who should be 2nd rounders but got pushed up into the 1st round because of multiple big plays on tape.

 

[burmafrd]

I will say the one thing I'm leery of is evaluating a player who comes from a program with lots of great players around him. This usually means the opposition can't key on him so it is harder to say how he would do if he didn't have the talent around him.

I think this is how AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter got overdrafted in 2006 - neither were all that great individually but they were hard to play against both of them at that level.

I think this is the reason why many LSU DL have been overdrafted in the past - just lots of good players who should be 2nd rounders but got pushed up into the 1st round because of multiple big plays on tape.

yeah. neither one of them have EVER looked as good in the pros as they did at OSU. Not even close.

One reason why a lot of USC and Texas players have disapointed in the pros; they were always surrounded by excellent talent and no team could ever concentrate on them and make them really work.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't see any 3-4 DE's worth taking at #14.

 

[burmafrd]

I don't see any 3-4 DE's worth taking at #14.

Depending on what he shows at the combine Brookers MIGHT be.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Depending on what he shows at the combine Brookers MIGHT be.

The kid had 2 sacks this year and his first step doesn't show "elite" quickness.

He sounds like a decent 4-3 DT, but sounds like a "Spears" type of 3-4 DE.

 

[cowboysfan31]

He turned 21 less than a month ago, and he's 6'6" 306lbs right now. Here is a video of Brockers vs. Georgia. He doesn't do much until right before halftime, but he makes alot of disruptive plays that don't always show up on the stat sheet. Towards the end is where the announcers mention that John Chavis wouldn't trade Brockers and Logan for Haynesworth and Henderson.

http://draftbreakdown.com/michael-brockers-vs-georgia-2011

I don't see him take any plays off, he is always hustling to the ball. He looks like he tries the spin move too much right now and gets knocked off balance, but he will learn with experience what works and what doesn't.

 

[JoeCorrado]

Coming out after his "sophomore" season. His upside is comparable to that of T. Smith, just the defensive side of the ball. He has a ton of upside and will easily bulk up another 15-20 pounds. His attitude is what you would want to see.

LSU or not, he still has to do the dirty work, and he does get a lot of attention, double teamed frequently. Maybe THAT is why others around HIM appear to be better than they are. And isn't THAT just what we want here?

He is strong enough to push the pocket, smart player who already, after just his sophomore campaign is using his brain in his play style, and not just his strength. Both of those things will only get better. AND he can play at the DE spot as well, which means that he and Rat would be interchangeable. Making the task of blocking them even more complicated.

Admittedly, he will not "bloom" at the NFL level right out of the box, but he WILL be able to start, and have success in season one. Season TWO and beyond is where the big payoff will be. And THAT is why he MIGHT or might not, be available at the 14 spot.

Depending on the combine, he may be long gone by then. He is already the best DT available in the draft, and was at the moment he announced he would be coming out. Keep an eye on his stock, it will be on the rise.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Coming out after his "sophomore" season. His upside is comparable to that of T. Smith, just the defensive side of the ball. He has a ton of upside and will easily bulk up another 15-20 pounds. His attitude is what you would want to see.

LSU or not, he still has to do the dirty work, and he does get a lot of attention, double teamed frequently. Maybe THAT is why others around HIM appear to be better than they are. And isn't THAT just what we want here?

He is strong enough to push the pocket, smart player who already, after just his sophomore campaign is using his brain in his play style, and not just his strength. Both of those things will only get better. AND he can play at the DE spot as well, which means that he and Rat would be interchangeable. Making the task of blocking them even more complicated.

Admittedly, he will not "bloom" at the NFL level right out of the box, but he WILL be able to start, and have success in season one. Season TWO and beyond is where the big payoff will be. And THAT is why he MIGHT or might not, be available at the 14 spot.

Depending on the combine, he may be long gone by then. He is already the best DT available in the draft, and was at the moment he announced he would be coming out. Keep an eye on his stock, it will be on the rise.

I think the guy will be a better 4-3 DT than he would a 3-4 DE.