Sturm Draft Profile: Shaq Thompson

[xwalker]

@Sturm1310

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***/2015/02/sturm-draft-profile-shaq-thompson-lb-washington.html/

Sturm likes Dawson better than Thompson.

I think Thompson will run well at the combine and be gone before #27.

It's hard to find a lot of plays where Thompson had to take on blocks because his DL did a good job keeping him clean. He just seems like an instinctive player maker to me. I lean towards LBs that can be great in coverage which he can, IMO.

Dawson is a little more powerful, but they seem to be about the same size with Dawson maybe having a thicker lower body.

Thompson's multiple roles (baseball, RB, Special Teams, and multi-dimensional LB) might have kept him from being fully developed, but I like him quite a bit.

I like Dawson also, but I wonder about the reports of his character/work-ethic. I want a film junkie type LB because we've seen what not being a film junkie can lead to with Bruce Carter. You couldn't ask for a better physical specimen than Carter to play as a 4-3 LB, but his mental makeup has prevented him from being a superstar player.

 

[reddyuta]

I dont think we draft him to play one position but i think Shaq is a guy who can play on all three downs.

 

[The Realist]

Wow someone actually likes Dawson better than Shaq.

Sacrilege!!!!!

 

[xwalker]

Wow someone actually likes Dawson better than Shaq.

Sacrilege!!!!!

What is your assessment of the 2 players?

 

[The Realist]

What is your assessment of the 2 players?

'Twas sarcasm. I like Dawson better because he is more instinctive and a far more well rounded LB.

Shaq is an elite athlete. Dawson is a good athlete with fantastic closing speed. When he sees it it's like he's shot out of a cannon. Shaq is a natural WLB. Dawson could play that but looks like a great fit at SLB when we lose Carter and bring Durant back on a short deal. We don't blitz our LB's much, but when we do it's usually off the strong side. Dawson is far more pass rush ability than Shaq and more ability to get off blocks. He is also very strong in coverage. DPOY in his conference and had 6 sacks and 4 picks.

As far as the character/personality issues he has never been suspended that I am aware of. Lawrence was suspended 1 game 3x at Boise and we moved up aggressively to get him. This team needs catalytic playmakers on D.

 

[unionjack8]

we need pressure players, these two dont add that in the slightest.
I would be mildly peeved if we took a lber at 27(despite both beinmg good players). Rather take Gurley by a country mile at 27, or a RT, or a CB

 

[Hardline]

I have seen Dawson's every game. Never seen Thompson play once.

 

[AsthmaField]

I tend to like Dawson more for this defense than Thompson, but I really haven't watched a lot of Shaq.

I just like Dawson's toughness, and his athleticism. Seems like a really good football player to me.

 

[The Realist]

we need pressure players, these two dont add that in the slightest.
I would be mildly peeved if we took a lber at 27(despite both beinmg good players). Rather take Gurley by a country mile at 27, or a RT, or a CB

Assuming Orchard is gone Dawson had pretty much the same sack/pressures as any DE you would take at 27.

The question becomes who would you rate higher at their position in this draft and vs their position group already in the league.....Dawson or OO, Flowers, Preston?

 

[Leadbelly]

I agree somewhat with Sturm but I like them both too. Dawson already plays the position more like it's played in the NFL. It's less of a projection with him. There's still a lot of Safety in Thompson's game.

But Thompson also has certain abilities that almost no LBers ever have at his skill level. He seems like a natural to me the way Darren Woodson was a natural. Interested to see if he adds weight for combine/pro day like Shazier, or if he even can. He's pretty thinly built. He looks smaller to me than listed.

 

[unionjack8]

Assuming Orchard is gone Dawson had pretty much the same sack/pressures as any DE you would take at 27.

The question becomes who would you rate higher at their position in this draft and vs their position group already in the league.....Dawson or OO, Flowers, Preston?

would dawson play de or off los lb in this scheme?

 

[Oh_Canada]

I'm torn on this one. Both look like REALLY good football players, Thompson has a lot of Tevin Smith in him, whom I loved in last year's draft and had a good year in Jax. Do kind of agree with Sturm in a sense that his position is still yet to be defined which is kind of scary, but I think in the end he will end up as weak side LB in the NFL, the difference here is that you KNOW what Dawson is. Only red flag as mentioned in an earlier post is that there have been some character concerns with Dawson, but it doesn't seem to be anything serious.

Either way I would be ok with a LB early, the position has been RAVAGED by injuries over the past two years and with Carter seemingly on the way out the team is going to be relying on a bunch of injury prone guys to fill most of the heavy workload.

 

[xwalker]

we need pressure players, these two dont add that in the slightest.
I would be mildly peeved if we took a lber at 27(despite both beinmg good players). Rather take Gurley by a country mile at 27, or a RT, or a CB

Free Agency

 

[AsthmaField]

would dawson play de or off los lb in this scheme?

You're right. He would play LB and would only get a chance to go after the QB every now and then in Marinelli's scheme. He would not provide the QB pressure Dallas needs, even if he is a good pass rusher. Like it or not for Dallas fans, pressure on the QB is going to come from their front four, and if they want the pass rush to improve, catalytic front four players must be found.

 

[The Realist]

You're right. He would play LB and would only get a chance to go after the QB every now and then in Marinelli's scheme. He would not provide the QB pressure Dallas needs, even if he is a good pass rusher. Like it or not for Dallas fans, pressure on the QB is going to come from their front four, and if they want the pass rush to improve, catalytic front four players must be found.

Are there any catalytic front four players in this draft? Orchard, Kikiha, Bennett?

 

[AsthmaField]

Are there any catalytic front four players in this draft? Orchard, Kikiha, Bennett?

Not necessarily. I do like Orchard some but I probably wouldn't term him as Catalytic. That is what Dallas needs but they may not find it in this draft from the 27th pick.

Maybe if Dupree somehow falls... I think he is closer than Orchard to catalytic. Ray probably would fit the bill and Williams definitely would but they'll be gone very early. Fowler too, I really like him, but he'll go before Dallas picks.

Don't get me wrong, I really do like Dawson a lot. A whole lot. Enough where I probably wouldn't complain about him in the first round and I don't like taking 43 LB's in the first round. He is one hell of a prospect for a Marinelli OLB.

What I was saying since you talked about how good he is rushing the QB, was that he isn't going to provide much pressure on the passer playing OLB for Marinelli because he will rarely get the chance to rush the QB.

I hope I explained all that correctly.

 

[xwalker]

Not necessarily. I do like Orchard some but I probably wouldn't term him as Catalytic. That is what Dallas needs but they may not find it in this draft from the 27th pick.

Maybe if Dupree somehow falls... I think he is closer than Orchard to catalytic. Ray probably would fit the bill and Williams definitely would but they'll be gone very early. Fowler too, I really like him, but he'll go before Dallas picks.

Don't get me wrong, I really do like Dawson a lot. A whole lot. Enough where I probably wouldn't complain about him in the first round and I don't like taking 43 LB's in the first round. He is one hell of a prospect for a Marinelli OLB.

What I was saying since you talked about how good he is rushing the QB, was that he isn't going to provide much pressure on the passer playing OLB for Marinelli because he will rarely get the chance to rush the QB.

I hope I explained all that correctly.

Catalytic:
Greg Hardy
Suh
maybe JPP

Finding a Catalytic rookie DL will be really difficult at #27.

I would be tempted to spend big on free agent DL. If needed use the money that would go to Murray and then draft a RB. The chance of getting a Catalytic rookie RB is much higher than getting a Catalytic rookie DL, IMO.

 

[AsthmaField]

Catalytic:
Greg Hardy
Suh
maybe JPP

Finding a Catalytic rookie DL will be really difficult at #27.

I would be tempted to spend big on free agent DL. If needed use the money that would go to Murray and then draft a RB. The chance of getting a Catalytic rookie RB is much higher than getting a Catalytic rookie DL, IMO.

I agree. Very tempted. If Dallas gets one difference maker on the DL then it would open up the whole draft for them to go BPA. I said a day or so ago that Dallas could pay Murray and draft DL or they could let Murray go and use that free agent money on a good young DL like Hardy or Suh and draft a RB.

IMO it would me much easier to get a RB that will make a big contribution as a rookie than a DL.

I'm normally against spending big in free agency but Suh and Hardy are young still and would make an enormous difference in Marinelli's defense. Suh would be a monster playing for Marinelli. If you can get a dominant, young, DL who has no work ethic issues, that is absolutely something you try to do.

Had Dallas drafted Suh and now he was going into his second contract, everyone would be talking about him just like they are Dez, ie "No way we let him go. Pay the man."

It is very rare that a DL like him hits the open market but because of a dumb contract by Detroit it looks like that is actually going to happen. Plus rumor is that he wants to play in Dallas or NY.

With the Salary cap there will be a dozen different ways Dallas could make it work. I hope they do even though I'm normally not a spend big kind of guy. In this rare case, I'd do it.