baj1dallas
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bbgun said:
We'll trade down in the first this year and take a WR.
What? N.C. State defensive lineman Manny Lawson, who ran a 4.44
- Thread starter CrazyCowboy
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We'll trade down in the first this year and take a WR.
Rack
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neosapien23 said:
Not necessarily.
No, he wouldn't have. It's more then just how fast your run and if you can catch the ball. There's A LOT more to playing WR then running and catching.
Their speed might put them over the top, but they are/were good players REGARDLESS. They are/were all good football players that were also fast.
You obviously didn't get the point. The position has NOTHING to do with it.
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Z-Man said:
I never said he was. I think you misunderstood the point I was trying to make.
For another words, if he was a good player before he'd still be a good player now, regardless of how fast he ran his 40.
Was Terrell Suggs suddenly a poor player cuz he only ran a 4.8? No.
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BigWillie said:
Again, you simply aren't getting the point. Position has NOTHING to do with the point I'm trying to make (and apparantly, you're the only one that doesn't get it).
By the way, you don't "Need" speed at WR, do you? You don't "Need" speed at RB, do you? You don't "Need" speed at DE, do you? Hell, you don't even "Need" speed at CB.
If you can play, you can play. If you can play, AND you have speed, even better. But it isn't a necessity.
CrazyCowboy
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proline said:
Good points--it will be interesting after reading this how he does on the infamous Wonderlick score?
proline
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CrazyCowboy said:
Actually, based on the difficulty of the degree he is pursuing, I would expect him to perform well on the W. test. It's his "game sense" that might be questionable. I'll see my friend today and try to get some more detailed thoughts from him to pass along.
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CrazyCowboy said:
i started the bandwagon, YIPPEE!! but anyways, he's gonna be gone by the time cleveland picks, he could go top 10, in any event, we're gonna have to trade up if we have any hopes of landing manny fresh
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Rack said:
lawson is a good player, he's active and good at pursuing plays and making tackles in the open field, plus he's played olb before
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Hostile said:
scouts look at lineman's vertical numbers, because it shows how explosive they are, Kudla is pretty explosive then, and hell, manny is explosive as anything, nice 20 yard dash time, and vert, plus his 40 time...
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Bluefin said:I completely agree with Rack about computer numbers.
They're addictive and fun to talk about, but only give a glimpse of what a player can do under controlled settings.
Is he smart, dedicated, instinctive?
Does he possess leadership qualities and/or have a burning desire to prove himself and be a part of a winner?
Is he a football player or a workout wonder like former Eagle Mike Mamula?
Great computer numbers are always welcome if they come along with a football player, but the athlete must be a football player to put those raw skills to use on Sundays, IMO.
As for NC State's Manny Lawson, I remember some Senior Bowl articles that compared him to a current NFL outside linebacker.
Who?
His name is DeMarcus Ware.
I agree with rack too, but ware had great combine #s last year, that was the main reason why he went so high, and had a couple teams thinking about making him a top 5 pick
CrazyCowboy
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Manny Lawson (DE - N.C. State) - Sunday, February 26, 2006:
Q: Would you feel most comfortable as a outside linebacker or a defensive end?
Lawson: Wherever a team wants to put me, so long as I can play.
Q: If you went to a 4-3 team, what weight do you think you come become eventually?
Lawson: The way I look at it, my weight can hold a lot, but I don't want to substitute weight for speed, so I'll probably stop adding weight whenever I start slowing down.
Q: What's the most you've ever weighed?
Lawson: The most I've ever weighed is 247.
Q: Are you going to do all the workouts at the Combine?
Lawson: Yes.
Q: Who all have you met with here at the Combine?
Lawson: The Falcons, Jaguars, Dallas, New York Giants, Tampa Bay...I can't remember all of them. I had eight interviews last night.
Q: How about the Dolphins?
Lawson: I have not met with them. I actually met with them at the Senior Bowl.
Q: Is there a certain way to block punts like you did so much in college?
Lawson: There is a specific technique. Really, I think the knack is ‘want to,' as coach [Chuck] Amato would call it. If you want to get back there, you'll do anything or whatever it takes to get back there.
Q: How do you feel about being compared to linebacker/defensive end tweeners like Willie McGinest?
Lawson: It's crazy because they've done things I have not yet done, so I don't know what to say.
Q: Do you think Mario Williams complemented you as much as you were a complement to him at State?
Lawson: I think it goes both ways. When you see one guy coming around the corner, you're definitely not going to run his way, so you're automatically going to go the other way and into the next guy, who you don't see. I think we both complemented each other.
Q: Are you faster than Mario?
Lawson: By far. It's not even close. Not even.
Q: You did jumps for N.C. State track?
Lawson: Yes. Long jump and triple jump. I ran track all the way up until my junior year. I stopped before my senior year so I could focus more on football and get closer to [weighing] 400 pounds [laughs].
http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/article.jsp?id=11113
Q: How many reps did you do in the bench?
Lawson: I did 23 reps.
Q: Is that the most you've ever done?
Lawson: Actually, that's the only time I've ever done it.
Q: Where are you training?
Lawson: Phoenix, Arizona. Fisher Sports wish Brett Fisher.
Q: Did you put 25 pounds on before your senior year?
Lawson: Yes.
Q: How?
Lawson: Baked potatoes. Baked potatoes and right after I ate baked potatoes, I went to the gym. Just constantly eating and then working out rather than eating and running and then working out.
Q: How much have you played standing up like a linebacker?
Lawson: I played probably two years to a year and a half.
Q: As a starter?
Lawson: I started against passing teams standing up whenever my talents were needed to cover a tight end or a receiver.
Q: So do you think playing outside linebacker for a 3-4 team would be a huge adjustment for you?
Lawson: I don't feel it will be new to me at all. There may be a technique I have to learn or re-learn or improve upon, but as far as covering somebody, as far as dropping back in zone, I feel I can do it.
Q: So you're very comfortable in dropping into pass coverage?
Lawson: Very. I've been dropping into pass coverages all throughout my years even as a defensive end.
Q: How accomplished of a pass rusher do you feel you are?
Lawson: I'm pretty much still learning. I'm going to always be learning. I feel I have a variety and array of pass rushing moves that I can use and that will work, but if you really want to look at it, I've only been playing defensive end at the collegiate level for two years. So I'm still new to the game.
Q: Would you liken your abilities to anyone currently in the NFL, or is there anyone you model your game after?
Lawson: The guy who I look up to is a guy about my size, my height: Jason Taylor. And another guy is Dwight Freeney, because I wish I had the spin move to where I could keep spinning and spinning and somehow end up at the quarterback. I just can't do it.
Q: Who's the better end, you or Mario Williams?
Lawson: Better end? Better looking is me hands-down. We both have our days. Sometimes I'll end up with a good day and sometimes he'll end up with a good day. I've been rated as an athlete ad he's your prototypical end.
Q: You were voted your team's most valuable defensive lineman the past two seasons. Who votes on that?
Lawson: The team votes, the coaches vote.
Q: Would you feel most comfortable as a outside linebacker or a defensive end?
Lawson: Wherever a team wants to put me, so long as I can play.
Q: If you went to a 4-3 team, what weight do you think you come become eventually?
Lawson: The way I look at it, my weight can hold a lot, but I don't want to substitute weight for speed, so I'll probably stop adding weight whenever I start slowing down.
Q: What's the most you've ever weighed?
Lawson: The most I've ever weighed is 247.
Q: Are you going to do all the workouts at the Combine?
Lawson: Yes.
Q: Who all have you met with here at the Combine?
Lawson: The Falcons, Jaguars, Dallas, New York Giants, Tampa Bay...I can't remember all of them. I had eight interviews last night.
Q: How about the Dolphins?
Lawson: I have not met with them. I actually met with them at the Senior Bowl.
Q: Is there a certain way to block punts like you did so much in college?
Lawson: There is a specific technique. Really, I think the knack is ‘want to,' as coach [Chuck] Amato would call it. If you want to get back there, you'll do anything or whatever it takes to get back there.
Q: How do you feel about being compared to linebacker/defensive end tweeners like Willie McGinest?
Lawson: It's crazy because they've done things I have not yet done, so I don't know what to say.
Q: Do you think Mario Williams complemented you as much as you were a complement to him at State?
Lawson: I think it goes both ways. When you see one guy coming around the corner, you're definitely not going to run his way, so you're automatically going to go the other way and into the next guy, who you don't see. I think we both complemented each other.
Q: Are you faster than Mario?
Lawson: By far. It's not even close. Not even.
Q: You did jumps for N.C. State track?
Lawson: Yes. Long jump and triple jump. I ran track all the way up until my junior year. I stopped before my senior year so I could focus more on football and get closer to [weighing] 400 pounds [laughs].
http://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/article.jsp?id=11113
Q: How many reps did you do in the bench?
Lawson: I did 23 reps.
Q: Is that the most you've ever done?
Lawson: Actually, that's the only time I've ever done it.
Q: Where are you training?
Lawson: Phoenix, Arizona. Fisher Sports wish Brett Fisher.
Q: Did you put 25 pounds on before your senior year?
Lawson: Yes.
Q: How?
Lawson: Baked potatoes. Baked potatoes and right after I ate baked potatoes, I went to the gym. Just constantly eating and then working out rather than eating and running and then working out.
Q: How much have you played standing up like a linebacker?
Lawson: I played probably two years to a year and a half.
Q: As a starter?
Lawson: I started against passing teams standing up whenever my talents were needed to cover a tight end or a receiver.
Q: So do you think playing outside linebacker for a 3-4 team would be a huge adjustment for you?
Lawson: I don't feel it will be new to me at all. There may be a technique I have to learn or re-learn or improve upon, but as far as covering somebody, as far as dropping back in zone, I feel I can do it.
Q: So you're very comfortable in dropping into pass coverage?
Lawson: Very. I've been dropping into pass coverages all throughout my years even as a defensive end.
Q: How accomplished of a pass rusher do you feel you are?
Lawson: I'm pretty much still learning. I'm going to always be learning. I feel I have a variety and array of pass rushing moves that I can use and that will work, but if you really want to look at it, I've only been playing defensive end at the collegiate level for two years. So I'm still new to the game.
Q: Would you liken your abilities to anyone currently in the NFL, or is there anyone you model your game after?
Lawson: The guy who I look up to is a guy about my size, my height: Jason Taylor. And another guy is Dwight Freeney, because I wish I had the spin move to where I could keep spinning and spinning and somehow end up at the quarterback. I just can't do it.
Q: Who's the better end, you or Mario Williams?
Lawson: Better end? Better looking is me hands-down. We both have our days. Sometimes I'll end up with a good day and sometimes he'll end up with a good day. I've been rated as an athlete ad he's your prototypical end.
Q: You were voted your team's most valuable defensive lineman the past two seasons. Who votes on that?
Lawson: The team votes, the coaches vote.
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rack, I havent' missed your point, I like talking about lawson lol
proline
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OK, here's some more info about Lawson from my NC State grad friend. To be honest, most if not all of this is available online, but here's his view anyway.
Lawson was a linebacker his first two years at State. In those 2 years, he only started 3 games. One of those three starts was actually as a DE in the 2003 bowl game.
In 2004 and 2005, he started at DE.
Why was Lawson moved from LB to DE? Was it just to make use of his pass rushing skills, or because he was not complete enough at LB to be a pass rushing LB? Maybe because it is simpler for a guy to understand "Just go get the QB" than it is to read plays and react? You won't find this written anywhere, but my friend thought that as a LB he was out of position much of the time. He also got beat up against the run (something that happened to him as a DE against Wake Forest in 2004, by the way).
So ..... basically Lawson has no proven track record of being able to play LB at the college level. Can he do it at the pro level? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe with better coaching, experience, etc., he will become an outstanding LB. But at 245 pounds, he obviously won't be an NFL DE. My friend's "fear" (and he's a Lawson fan) is that Lawson will be a great athlete without a position at the next level.
I honestly have not seen Lawson play, and I don't have a horse in this race. I just wanted to add some food for thought while all this "Man"-ny love is going around.
Lawson was a linebacker his first two years at State. In those 2 years, he only started 3 games. One of those three starts was actually as a DE in the 2003 bowl game.
In 2004 and 2005, he started at DE.
Why was Lawson moved from LB to DE? Was it just to make use of his pass rushing skills, or because he was not complete enough at LB to be a pass rushing LB? Maybe because it is simpler for a guy to understand "Just go get the QB" than it is to read plays and react? You won't find this written anywhere, but my friend thought that as a LB he was out of position much of the time. He also got beat up against the run (something that happened to him as a DE against Wake Forest in 2004, by the way).
So ..... basically Lawson has no proven track record of being able to play LB at the college level. Can he do it at the pro level? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe with better coaching, experience, etc., he will become an outstanding LB. But at 245 pounds, he obviously won't be an NFL DE. My friend's "fear" (and he's a Lawson fan) is that Lawson will be a great athlete without a position at the next level.
I honestly have not seen Lawson play, and I don't have a horse in this race. I just wanted to add some food for thought while all this "Man"-ny love is going around.
MissionCoach
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Some of the Scouting Reports also list Lawson as a very good Special Teams player...sounds like a BP guy to me. :starspin