Nick Fairly vs Suh as Prospects

[NeonDeion21]

So I am going to try to debate something that I probably don't have a chance on being right on. One family member this weekend asked me how good I think Nick Fairly is. I responded with the answer, "I believe he is close to, or equal to Suh as a prospect." And that is not a popular answer with most people.

So let me present an argument for Fairly before you jump all over me. Let's compare the final season stats of Fairly and Suh.

2010 Season

Nick Fairly

GP: 14

Sacks: 12

TFL: 24

FF: 2

FR: 2

QB Hurries: 21




2009 Season

Ndamukong Suh

GP: 14

Sacks: 12

TFL: 20.5

FF: 1

FR: 0

QB Hurries: 19



http://www.cfbstats.com/2010/player/37/1023141/index.html
http://www.cfbstats.com/2009/player/463/83162/index.html


One other factor that has a major influence on the prospects is their level of competition. Any college football fan will tell you that the SEC is superior to the BIG 12. So advantage: Fairly

What about the measurable? They actually very similar, take a look:

Nick Fairly

Height: 6'4

Weight: 297 lbs.

40 yd dash: 4.87


Ndamukong Suh

Height: 6'4

Weight: 307 lbs.

40 yd dash: 4.98


They are very close in Height, Weight, Speed. Fairly is quicker, but Suh is heavier.

There is one thing that Fairly has that Suh doesn't and it inst something that can be argued. A National Championship. I always value players who win championships and have great performances in those games. Fairly was named MVP of the game and held the #1 scoring offense Oregon to 19 points.

Now I'm not saying Fairly will be a better pro or anything, but to say Fairly isn't in Suh's class is stretching the truth. I believe he is very close talent wise to Suh.

And to finish up with a Cowboys spin on this, I believe if Fairly is there at #9, he is too good of a talent to pass up.

 

[Cowboy Brian]

Suh was one of the best 5 defensive linemen in the league last year.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

Suh was one of the best 5 defensive linemen in the league last year.

Well the argument is, who says Fairley can't be the same. Really noone knows.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

He's not even close to Suh.

Fairly was very good, no doubt. But he has character and work ethic questions where Suh is impeccable there. Plus Suh did it for more than one year.

And no offense, but winning a NC means nothing. You can't seriously hold it against Suh that his team wasn't as good as Fairley's.

 

[NeonDeion21]

He's not even close to Suh.

Fairly was very good, no doubt. But he has character and work ethic questions where Suh is impeccable there. Plus Suh did it for more than one year.

And no offense, but winning a NC means nothing. You can't seriously hold it against Suh that his team wasn't as good as Fairley's.

Why doesn't it? We criticizes QB's all the time for not winning SB regardless of how bad their teams are.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

He's not even close to Suh.

Fairly was very good, no doubt. But he has character and work ethic questions where Suh is impeccable there. Plus Suh did it for more than one year.

And no offense, but winning a NC means nothing. You can't seriously hold it against Suh that his team wasn't as good as Fairley's.

Fairley's main issue is his character of course, that is why he's dropping. Those character issues alone make him a lesser prospect, but talentwise its hard to say that as prospects coming out of college that Suh is far beyond Fairley.

We took that risk on talent last year in the first, and if Fairley is there at #9, I would probably take that risk again.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Fairley isn't the same type of person. He doesn't have the same mindset. He is closer to Fat Albert type player than Suh. Suh will dominate this league year in and year out. Fairley will only when he feels like it.

 

[NeonDeion21]

I have a theory on why he has this notion around him that he "took plays off."
Was Nick Fairly most likely out of shape before or during the season? Most likely. Without him on the field how bad was Auburn's defense? Really bad.

I think the coaches at Auburn felt like a gassed Fairly was still a better option than anyone behind him. I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but I tend to agree with the premise that he was so much better than everyone else on that team that they needed him in the game.

 

[urface59]

Fairley = best player in the draft

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Answer to this question is pretty simple in my mind. Fairley played on a team that was loaded. Not taking anything away from him but he did not play on a team like Nebraska who did not enjoy the same kind of talent. I watched Suh play against triple teams and still kick the crap out of those teams. Suh has gone onto the highest level of the sport and continued to dominate in the same kind of fashion. I like Fairley very much but he is not Suh.

 

[TheCount]

Answer to this question is pretty simple in my mind. Fairley played on a team that was loaded. Not taking anything away from him but he did not play on a team like Nebraska who did not enjoy the same kind of talent. I watched Suh play against triple teams and still kick the crap out of those teams. Suh has gone onto the highest level of the sport and continued to dominate in the same kind of fashion. I like Fairley very much but he is not Suh.

Auburn is loaded? Their team basically had Cam and Fairley, that was it.

I do agree though that there is no measurement till both have faced NFL competition and any argument born on statistics isn't going to convince anyone one way or the other.

They both play with the same mentality, and that's a huge plus in my book. Suh came into the league and didn't give a damn who the guy opposite him was or that the league likes to baby QB's, he was out to crush someone.

Suh came into the combine and did every drill that was available because he had nothing to hide, Fairley did the same. I like that type of mentality a lot.

As for who's better, like I said, I've seen Suh play against NFL competition so I'm going to give him the nod till proven otherwise.

 

[NeonDeion21]

Answer to this question is pretty simple in my mind. Fairley played on a team that was loaded. Not taking anything away from him but he did not play on a team like Nebraska who did not enjoy the same kind of talent. I watched Suh play against triple teams and still kick the crap out of those teams. Suh has gone onto the highest level of the sport and continued to dominate in the same kind of fashion. I like Fairley very much but he is not Suh.

Suh played with two future 1st Round Picks in Crick and Prince. Fairly didn't play with anyone draft-able on defense.

 

[YosemiteSam]

It really doesn't matter who they played with. They are both very disruptive DTs. I think it comes down to the type of person they are. Suh lives to dominate, Fairley doesn't have that trait. He is someone you will have to keep motivated.

Of course; that can change, but if they were both sitting on the draft board, you would be a moron if you selected Fairley over Suh.

 

[TheFinisher]

Suh was one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of college football. The Big 12 Championship game was basically Suh vs. Texas, and he almost singlehandedly won it.

If Fairley was a Suh-like talent there is no way we would be talking about him possibly falling out of the top 10.

I would also say that Gerald McCoy was a better prospect than Fairley.

 

[NeonDeion21]

Suh was one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of college football. The Big 12 Championship game was basically Suh vs. Texas, and he almost singlehandedly won it.

If Fairley was a Suh-like talent there is no way we would be talking about him possibly falling out of the top 10.

I would also say that Gerald McCoy was a better prospect than Fairley.

And why did all of a sudden are we having this discussion? I guess I am just confused because I remember after the BCS National Championship Game he was considered a lock at the #1 or #2 spot.

 

[TheFinisher]

And why did all of a sudden are we having this discussion? I guess I am just confused because I remember after the BCS National Championship Game he was considered a lock at the #1 or #2 spot.

He was never a lock, he was a candidate along with about 6 other players.

 

[YosemiteSam]

And why did all of a sudden are we having this discussion? I guess I am just confused because I remember after the BCS National Championship Game he was considered a lock at the #1 or #2 spot.

Don't listen to mediots. They are nothing but talking heads.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Suh was one of the most dominant defensive players in the history of college football. The Big 12 Championship game was basically Suh vs. Texas, and he almost singlehandedly won it.

If Fairley was a Suh-like talent there is no way we would be talking about him possibly falling out of the top 10.

:signmast:

Fairley is extremely talented, thought he's a different player than Suh. But Albert Haynesworth is extremely talented, too.

 

[DFWJC]

Assuming he won't turn out to be a head-case, I think Fairley will be a very good pro.
But you get brave points for actually trying to compare him to Suh on an equal basis.

BTW, 40 yard time for interior DL is pretty much meaningless. I would be curious to see what the lower and upper body strength comparisons are. I would guess that Suh is much stronger, but I don't know for sure.

Also, that's the first time I've ever heard someone say a dline player winning a national title gives them bonus points over one of their piers. I wonder how many Hall of Fame Dlineman also won national titles? You actually ask that question about QBs too...the answer would be almost none.

Still, I agree that Fairley should be a top ten worthy player.
I would love to have him if he somehow fell to 9th....he'd create havoc

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Auburn is loaded? Their team basically had Cam and Fairley, that was it.

Auburn had Antonie Carter, Mike Goggans, Mike Blanc, Zach Clayton, Josh Bynes, Craig Stevens (suspended) and Dee Washington. I don't know if any of these guys will be in the NFL or how much success they will have but the were all part of that 2007 top 10 recruiting class.

I will say this, I was surprised to see that the talent was not better as Auburn has had some pretty good defensive players in recent drafts but I would not say that they had nobody. I do think it's fair to say that they did not have as many NFL quality players this year as in recent years and that kinda surprised me.