Pass the Peppers

[cmoney23]

Some of you are so frustrating, you can't see the forest for the trees. I see a pure football player. I see a guy with elite athleticism. I see a guy that diagnoses a play and reacts the way that we all gush over Sean Lee for. I see a guy that stepped up for his team and played in a less ideal position because it made his team better. I see a guy that has everything you look for in a safety except having played the position.

Whatever "IT" is, he has it and will be an outstanding player in the NFL and I hope 27 teams are as (too many negative adjectives to list) as some of the people saying to pass on him.

 

[cmoney23]

Guys, you are looking at this like it's 1994... IT'S NOT.

The NFL, like the NBA, is quickly transitioning to position-less players. Look at RB's and TE's They are all over the field. Why can't you have a safety that is all over the field. Playing LB. Blitzing. Returning KO and Punts. Hell, he could even have a package on offense running the jet sweep we love so much.

He's an incredible talent, draft him.

 

[skinsscalper]

Darren Woodson also wasn't a first round pick. And he was bigger than Peppers. 6-1 220, compared to 5-11, 207. He was also faster. Not quite the same guy.

Does it really matter if Woodson wasn't a 1st round pick? If his draft class was re-drafted (in hindsight), he would be drafted before any other player drafted before him.

As to Woody's speed, he clocked a 4.44 40 compared to Peppers 4.46
Peppers weighed in at 213 at the combine, not 207.

We disagree on what Peppers will be at the next level. It's all good. I just think he's going to represent himself, and any team that drafts him pretty well, IMHO.

 

[tyke1doe]

He's a very well-spoken kid. And seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I heard Todd McShay say he wasn't exactly in love with Peppers. Said he shied away from tackles, wasn't really a head-hunter and said he wasn't as fluid as someone you'd expect to man your secondary.
But those were his words, or an exaggerated paraphrase of his words.
I don't know. I didn't see him play much. I just think the Cowboys are maybe two players (on offense and/or defense) away from having a very dominant team. I hope they use the first three picks wisely because this could be a Super Bowl year if they choose the right players.

 

[DOUBLE WING]

13 TFL, 3 sacks in his role as a LB last year.

He played in just 3 games as a freshman which is not uncommon. His sophomore year he played safety and tallied 5.5 TFL and 10 PDs.

And two other LB's on Michigan and more TFL and more sacks than that. So again, what's so impressive? And what about any of what you posted tells you he can be a great safety in the NFL?

If his combine numbers matched his production, these stats should be jumping off the page.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

He's a very well-spoken kid. And seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I heard Todd McShay say he wasn't exactly in love with Peppers. Said he shied away from tackles, wasn't really a head-hunter and said he wasn't as fluid as someone you'd expect to man your secondary.
But those were his words, or an exaggerated paraphrase of his words.
I don't know. I didn't see him play much. I just think the Cowboys are maybe two players (on offense and/or defense) away from having a very dominant team. I hope they use the first three picks wisely because this could be a Super Bowl year if they choose the right players.

McShay doesn't have credibility as a scout. Neither does Kiper or Nolan Nowracki, etc. You're better off reading Bob McGinn's work because he's not using his own 'scouting abilities' and instead is asking actual scouts who are qualified as to what they think.

That's my big issue with 'draft analysts', most of them have zero actual scouting experience to where they were trained by other scouts, to where they learned about developments in the game of football and to where they can better determine a player's weaknesses and strengths. Furthermore, they don't have to figure out if they 'hit' or 'miss' with a player because if the player fails...they're not accountable for that like a scout would be and then has to figure out why he was wrong.

As a draftnik, I usually spend most of my time sifting thru what the actual scouts are saying instead of some nobody's with no scouting experience who touted all of these players that ended up stinking in the NFL.





YR

 

[bud914]

More like pass on the Peppers. Guy doesn't have a position and our defense isn't creative enough to take advantage of a talented tweener type.

i'm old enough to remember reading the same things about Darren Woodsen...just saying

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

And two other LB's on Michigan and more TFL and more sacks than that. So again, what's so impressive? And what about any of what you posted tells you he can be a great safety in the NFL?

If his combine numbers matched his production, these stats should be jumping off the page.

Wait, you're telling me you think all three linebackers have the same responsibilities and roles to compare them apples-to-apples?

First, you criticize him for not having glowing coverage stats ignoring the fact he wasn't used in coverage like a true secondary player much, then you critique him for not having the stats of a 247 lb linebacker.

I get it. You don't like him. But let's not act like your criticisms are rationally based.

 

[DOUBLE WING]

Wait, you're telling me you think all three linebackers have the same responsibilities and roles to compare them apples-to-apples?

I'm telling you that 13 TFL and 3 sacks from a full-time LB aren't stats that would lead me to labeling him a "playmaker."

 

[InDakWeTrust]

He reminds me of Polamalu. A player you just plug and give him a roaming position. He has the measurables to pretty much line up anywhere from Wide 9 to Centerfielder.

We'd have to change our defense and actually adapt. If he'd have that kind of impact that Polamalu did, he may be a War Daddy. If we put him in the boring Church SS role, he'd be a Sugar Daddy.

 

[HeavyBarrel]

Talented, productive player from a big school, I'm in....more of that please

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I'm telling you that 13 TFL and 3 sacks from a full-time LB aren't stats that would lead me to labeling him a "playmaker."

So your expectation is for a 5'11" 213 lbs athlete playing in new position to dominate at the linebacker position?

You're telling me you really think this is an objective and well-reasoned take?

 

[DOUBLE WING]

So your expectation is for a 5'11" 213 lbs athlete playing in new position to dominate at the linebacker position?

You're telling me you really think this is an objective and well-reasoned take?

My expectation for a guy who I'm drafting to be my starting safety would be that he never got moved from secondary to linebacker to begin with.

That's kind of my whole point here. He got moved to LB for a reason (and you'd be a fool to buy the advertised reason that Michigan gave) and he didn't set the world on fire at LB. So you've got a guy who was mediocre at cornerback and average to above average at LB. Now you want to draft him at safety? Maybe third position's the charm?

I see a great athlete, who's not a particularly great football player, who doesn't have a position.

 

[BehindEnemyLinez]

I will take Melifonwu over Peppers

He is an interesting prospect and his measureables are crazy but I wouldnt grab him @ 28. I dont know what his UConn tape looks like but if he's not jumping off the screen I may not even consider him til the 3rd. I'm always wary of combine superstars...

 

[rambo2]

He's a very well-spoken kid. And seems to have a good head on his shoulders.
I heard Todd McShay say he wasn't exactly in love with Peppers. Said he shied away from tackles, wasn't really a head-hunter and said he wasn't as fluid as someone you'd expect to man your secondary.
But those were his words, or an exaggerated paraphrase of his words.
I don't know. I didn't see him play much. I just think the Cowboys are maybe two players (on offense and/or defense) away from having a very dominant team. I hope they use the first three picks wisely because this could be a Super Bowl year if they choose the right players.

He is a leader. He will hustle to make a tackle. He will return punts.

 

[rambo2]

He is an interesting prospect and his measureables are crazy but I wouldnt grab him @ 28. I dont know what his UConn tape looks like but if he's not jumping off the screen I may not even consider him til the 3rd. I'm always wary of combine superstars...

I'm off his bandwagon as well. At 28, I would go with Peppers, or Jackson, or Willis, or a couple of other corners, or Howard.

 

[rambo2]

My expectation for a guy who I'm drafting to be my starting safety would be that he never got moved from secondary to linebacker to begin with.

That's kind of my whole point here. He got moved to LB for a reason (and you'd be a fool to buy the advertised reason that Michigan gave) and he didn't set the world on fire at LB. So you've got a guy who was mediocre at cornerback and average to above average at LB. Now you want to draft him at safety? Maybe third position's the charm?

I see a great athlete, who's not a particularly great football player, who doesn't have a position.

They used him all over the place for a reason. He is a stud and he helped them win.

 

[DC Cowboy]

He is an interesting prospect and his measureables are crazy but I wouldnt grab him @ 28. I dont know what his UConn tape looks like but if he's not jumping off the screen I may not even consider him til the 3rd. I'm always wary of combine superstars...

I feel you