silverbear
Semi-Official Loose Cannon
- Messages
- 24,195
- Reaction score
- 25
OK, this pick was used on an obscure player, there's not nearly as much info available on him... the only analysis I can find is from NFL.com:
Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
Positives: Has an athletic frame with good upper body definition, long arms, broad shoulders and thick chest...Has the initial quickness and adequate burst coming off the right side of the line to chase down the quarterback from the backside...One of the hardest workers on the team...Productive coming off the edge, as he has that initial burst off the snap and the speed to surprise a lethargic offensive tackle...Shows adequate ability to read the play and shows good urgency to close once he locates the ball...Has minimal experience, but shows enough speed to drop back in zone coverage and should convert to linebacker at the next level...Uses his hands well to prevent tight ends from getting under his jersey, but will be instantly defeated if a bigger lineman engulfs him...Keeps his feet on the move, doing a nice job of avoiding the trash...Has effective pass rush moves coming off the edge when given a free lane...Adequate tackler in closed quarters, extending his arms to wrap and secure...Can also play on the kickoff team...Plays with a high motor...Goes low in his stance, extending his arms to wrap, secure and drive the opponent back on his heels...Has good field awareness dropping back in the zone...His pass drop skills and fluid backpedal could see him shift to strong safety at the pro level.
Negatives: Gets suckered out of position at times, having problems with misdirection... Will finesse rather than try to maul blockers, which results in him getting tied up by some blocks when trying to shed...Better flowing to the play-side than from behind...Drives for depth with good angle in his pass drops, but keeps his feet a little narrow handling the switch-off in the zone...Does not have natural hands for the interception...Struggles to grasp the play book and is a high rep type who can't learn well...Bit too stiff in his hips to cover receivers outside the short area as a linebacker...Marginal run defender whose lower body weakness sees ballcarriers consistently break his tackles or run over him... Gets powered over by the bigger blockers on running plays directed right at him...His lower body frame is woefully under-developed, as he lacks muscle tone in his quadriceps and calves.
Compares To: RODERICK GREEN-San Francisco...Like Green, Walden is strictly a situational pass rusher with minimal value otherwise. Even though he is built like a linebacker, he has marginal field awareness and lacks the loose hips needed to get depth in his pass drops. He is simply obliterated by bigger blockers on running plays directed at him, but shows a good burst coming off the edge to wreak havoc in the pocket. His inability to grasp the playbook will limit the amount of plays he performs in.
Injury Report
2007: Sat out the Florida International and Virginia contests due to turf toe.
Bear's take-- this was the only guy the Boys drafted that I didn't have on my draft spreadsheet, frankly I'd never heard of the guy... it sounds like he has some potential as a pass rusher, but that talk about him making a move to safety (kind of doubtful, given he runs a 4.7 40) suggests he should be capable in coverage... I've heard the Boys might try him at ILB, which makes some sense if he can handle cover duties...
But I do not like reading that he's a liability against the run... this makes me wonder if he has a realistic shot at making the team... at the most, I'm guessing he'll be used as a cover linebacker, who rushes the passer on occasion...
Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange.
Positives: Has an athletic frame with good upper body definition, long arms, broad shoulders and thick chest...Has the initial quickness and adequate burst coming off the right side of the line to chase down the quarterback from the backside...One of the hardest workers on the team...Productive coming off the edge, as he has that initial burst off the snap and the speed to surprise a lethargic offensive tackle...Shows adequate ability to read the play and shows good urgency to close once he locates the ball...Has minimal experience, but shows enough speed to drop back in zone coverage and should convert to linebacker at the next level...Uses his hands well to prevent tight ends from getting under his jersey, but will be instantly defeated if a bigger lineman engulfs him...Keeps his feet on the move, doing a nice job of avoiding the trash...Has effective pass rush moves coming off the edge when given a free lane...Adequate tackler in closed quarters, extending his arms to wrap and secure...Can also play on the kickoff team...Plays with a high motor...Goes low in his stance, extending his arms to wrap, secure and drive the opponent back on his heels...Has good field awareness dropping back in the zone...His pass drop skills and fluid backpedal could see him shift to strong safety at the pro level.
Negatives: Gets suckered out of position at times, having problems with misdirection... Will finesse rather than try to maul blockers, which results in him getting tied up by some blocks when trying to shed...Better flowing to the play-side than from behind...Drives for depth with good angle in his pass drops, but keeps his feet a little narrow handling the switch-off in the zone...Does not have natural hands for the interception...Struggles to grasp the play book and is a high rep type who can't learn well...Bit too stiff in his hips to cover receivers outside the short area as a linebacker...Marginal run defender whose lower body weakness sees ballcarriers consistently break his tackles or run over him... Gets powered over by the bigger blockers on running plays directed right at him...His lower body frame is woefully under-developed, as he lacks muscle tone in his quadriceps and calves.
Compares To: RODERICK GREEN-San Francisco...Like Green, Walden is strictly a situational pass rusher with minimal value otherwise. Even though he is built like a linebacker, he has marginal field awareness and lacks the loose hips needed to get depth in his pass drops. He is simply obliterated by bigger blockers on running plays directed at him, but shows a good burst coming off the edge to wreak havoc in the pocket. His inability to grasp the playbook will limit the amount of plays he performs in.
Injury Report
2007: Sat out the Florida International and Virginia contests due to turf toe.
Bear's take-- this was the only guy the Boys drafted that I didn't have on my draft spreadsheet, frankly I'd never heard of the guy... it sounds like he has some potential as a pass rusher, but that talk about him making a move to safety (kind of doubtful, given he runs a 4.7 40) suggests he should be capable in coverage... I've heard the Boys might try him at ILB, which makes some sense if he can handle cover duties...
But I do not like reading that he's a liability against the run... this makes me wonder if he has a realistic shot at making the team... at the most, I'm guessing he'll be used as a cover linebacker, who rushes the passer on occasion...
