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Baltimore Raven LB C.J. Mosely (1 Viewer)

Bracie Smathers

Bracie Smathers

Footballguy
Can't believe a thread wasn't opened the second he was drafted.

Before the draft Harbaugh said he wanted to address the inside linebacker position, saying he needed 'at least one, maybe two guys.' The specualtion pointing directly to Mosely as the top pick started.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Ravens-Looking-For-One-Maybe-Two-Inside-Linebackers/24dee111-beb1-4f54-9219-39aadff095bb

Ravens Looking For One, Maybe Two Inside Linebackers

Posted Apr 6, 2014

The Ravens re-signed inside linebacker Daryl Smith this offseason, but that doesn’t mean they’re done reinforcing the position.

“We need to bolster our inside linebacker position – at least one, maybe two guys,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said at the NFL owners meetings last week.

The Ravens have a long list of needs, but inside linebacker hasn’t been commonly identified.

Baltimore cut Jameel McClain – who later signed with the New York Giants – opening up one starting spot.

Harbaugh said he expects second-year linebacker Arthur Brown to win that starting Will job. Brown was a highly regarded second-round pick last year who essentially had an apprentice year in which he served as the nickel linebacker.

If Brown and Smith are the starters, the only depth on the roster is Josh Bynes who started six games last year, and Albert McClellan, who can play both outside and inside.

Baltimore also holds the rights to inside linebacker Rolando McClain should he return to the NFL following his retirement last offseason. McClain, a former first-round pick, was reportedly set to speak with General Manager Ozzie Newsome on Friday about a possible comeback.

The Ravens could look to the draft to add inside linebacker talent for depth, or look to a potential future replacement for Smith, who is 32 years old.

The top draft option available, who could be around at pick No. 17 in the first round, is Alabama’s C.J. Mosley. General Manager Ozzie Newsome has a soft spot for players from his Alabama alma mater, but he hasn’t drafted an inside linebacker in the first round since Ray Lewis in 1996.
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Mini camp begins for the Ravens and now the speculation that he'll be the starter began.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-ravens-rookieminicamp-primer-20140514,0,7222542.photogallery

( Lloyd Fox, Baltimore Sun / May 9, 2014 )

Head coach John Harbaugh won't immediately anoint a rookie as a starter. He wants to make sure they earn it, both with their play on the practice field and their study habits off of it. So, it was predictable when he said that Mosley, the 17th overall pick and viewed as one of the most NFL-ready players in the draft, will get an opportunity to compete for a starting job.

It would be extremely surprising if Mosley isn't the Week 1 starter alongside middle linebacker Daryl Smith. Arthur Brown currently tops the depth chart at weak-side linebacker, but he played sparingly last year and still needs to get bigger. Mosley, on the other hand, has a head start on learning the Ravens' defense because it has many similarities to the defense Mosley played in at Alabama.
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The hype that went to Brown wasn't yet carried forward to C.J. and it should Shazier already has his thread but the Steelers tend to sit rookies. I think C.J. is going to get the starting gig and be and IPD star starting in his rookie season.

 
Wow.

The top IDP rookie inside linebacker and zero replies?

Hmnn.

Well I'm interested and he's been running with the ones in mini-camp.

http://espn.go.com/blog/baltimore-ravens/post/_/id/10751/thoughts-on-day-3-of-ravens-minicamp

How much progress is linebacker C.J. Mosley making? The Ravens' rookie first-round pick was running with the first team on Thursday. Mosley, the 17th overall pick, has been considered the favorite to start alongside Daryl Smith at inside linebacker. The Ravens have been praising Mosley's ability to pick up the system quickly. Arthur Brown was moved to second team, but he was still making plays on the field. It's a position of strength.
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Looking more-likely C.J. Mosely plans to being the starting LB for the Ravens.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/CJ-Mosley-Feels-Hell-Be-Ready-To-Start/950a00ec-0de4-423a-8cb9-aa580df99958

C.J. Mosley Feels He'll Be Ready To StartPosted Jun 27, 2014

First-round pick C.J. Mosley will look to get bigger in his upper body over the next month

At the end of Ravens minicamp, one month and seven days after Mosley’s first practice, the inside linebacker sat at his locker, exhausted.

Mosley and the Ravens rookies have gone through walk-throughs and practices on the same day, and classroom sessions well after the veterans have gone home, which is typical of rookies league-wide.

But now at the end of the first stage of his NFL rookie season, Mosley feels confident about his progress. Asked whether he felt he was on track to start Week 1, Mosely replied, “Yes, sir.”

“The coaches feel comfortable with the way I’m playing and comfortable enough that I know the defense,” he said. “It’s all about how I feel right now, and I feel like I’m doing a great job.”

Mosley ran some with the first-team defense at the end of minicamp. For the majority of the spring and summer months, it was second-year linebacker Arthur Brown ahead of him. Both players have been impressive.

Brown bulked up and is still flying around the field. It’s evident that he knows the defense better, and has put himself in position to make a couple of interceptions during practice (including a pick with one hand).

Mosley hasn’t had the same eye-grabbing plays, but he’s shown off his athleticism. He shot the gap on a few plays when practicing blitzes. He’s read screen passes well, showing his football intelligence. He’s shown great leaping ability and hands during individual drills.

“The competition is real tight in our linebacker room, and that’s a good thing because it’s going to make us all work,” Mosley said. “At the end of the day, the best player is going to be on the field. Hopefully come Week 1, if I do the right things, that will be me.”

The biggest thing for the rookie has been learning the ins and outs of the defense, and he says he feels caught up to the vets.

Coming from Alabama’s complex defensive system gave Mosley somewhat of a head start. He and Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees were already on the same page with a lot of terminology before the Ravens drafted Mosley.

“You have to know the defense to be successful and earn a role,” he said. “I feel like I’m at that point now. It’s all about making plays on the field.”

Often, rookies find the jump in speed to be difficult when they reach the NFL. Not Mosley. He was known for his speed at Alabama, allowing him to play sideline-to-sideline with ease.

“It hasn’t really been a big deal for me,” he said. “I would say the only time the game seems fast to me is when you don’t know what you’re doing. When you know what to expect, that’s when the plays start to slow down for you.”

With a month off before training camp, Mosley’s work won’t stop. He said coaches told him that they would like to see him get bigger in his upper body.

“I’ve just got to make sure I get stronger and better,” he said. “Even though the game doesn’t change, there’s going to be a difference in the strength and taking on blocks.”
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Baltimore Ravenes.com thinks the competition as to who will win the starting job next to veteran LB Daryl Smith will be one of the most intriguing competitions of training camp.

They break down ALL of the competition but they narrow down the field to only LB Arthur Brown and C.J. Mosely in their fan poll where Mosely has a 3-1 edge but for those who think its a lead-pipe-synch that C.J. takes over as the starter from day-one Ravens Defensive Coordinator Pees states that Brown is 'light years' ahead at this time from where he was last year and the coaches have effusively praised Brown this off-season.

I think Mosely will eventually win the starting job but he may give-way to Brown on passing downs where he was utilized last year so it will be interesting to see how the competition develops in camp.

Here is how the aticle breaks down Daryl Smith, Arthur Brown, and C.J. Mosely.

Chopped off the other competition so go to the link for the full read:

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/The-Competition-2014-Inside-Linebackers/06170d80-d060-44c3-a339-a23dff1457aa

The Competition 2014: Inside LinebackersPosted Jul 1, 2014

The battle for a starting job will be one of the most intriguing competitions of training camp.

Returning Players

Daryl Smith (6-foot-2, 248 pounds, 11th season)

In his first season with the Ravens, Smith took over Ray Lewis’ middle linebacker spot and filled in seamlessly. He led the Ravens with 123 tackles and played nearly every defensive snap of the season. Smith will once again be one of the veteran leaders in the middle of the defense. The Ravens re-signed Smith to a four-year contract this offseason, and he said he hopes to spend the rest of his career in Baltimore.

Arthur Brown (6-0, 235, second season)

Brown was the Ravens’ second-round pick last year, and he was primarily used in passing situations and on special teams. Brown has the speed to run with tight ends and running backs in pass coverage, which is why the Ravens used him in nickel packages. Brown put a focus on adding weight this offseason so that he can be a three-down linebacker, and he has his sights on a starting job

Rookies

C.J. Mosley (6-2, 235)

The Ravens first-round pick is the team’s highest selection (No. 17) since taking Haloti Ngata at No. 12 in 2006. With such a high pick, the Ravens expect Mosley to be a difference maker for the defense. Mosley was an All-American during his college career at Alabama, and he is expected to earn a starting spot next to Smith.

Frontrunners

The competition at inside linebacker will be one of the most intriguing spots to watching during training camp, as Mosley and Brown will be in a tight race to start next to Smith. The coaching staff has praised Brown’s development going into his second season, as Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees said that Brown is “light years” ahead of this time last offseason. Brown’s development will make it difficult for Mosley to immediately earn a starting job.

Brown was primarily the one working with the starting defense during the offseason program, but Mosley took reps with the first-team by the end of minicamp. That competition will be decided during training camp once the players put on the pads.

Outside of the two starting positions, there will be good competition for playing time and roster spots between Bynes, McClellan and Spitler. The Ravens have traditionally kept four or five inside linebackers on the 53-roster, so those final spots will likely come down to special teams. All three of those veterans have experience in that area, and Bynes and McClellan have been key special teamers for the Ravens the last few years.
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Even though Mosely is looking good and picking things up and might even start, it seems he will be splitting playing time with A-Brown this year.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-ravens-rookie-linebacker-cj-mosley-making-bid-to-start-immediately-20140710,0,2193016.story

Ravens rookie linebacker C.J. Mosley making bid to start immediately Former Butkus Award winner, All-American is competing with Arthur Brown for starting job at weak-side linebackerBy Aaron WilsonThe Baltimore Sun11:30 a.m. EDT, July 10, 2014

The last time that C.J. Mosley made the transition to a higher level of football, he had no trouble adjusting.

Mosley quickly emerged as a starter as a true freshman at Alabama and showed himself to be a playmaker, running back an interception for a touchdown against the Florida Gators. He was named a freshman All-American.

Now, the Ravens' first-round pick in the draft is getting acclimated to the NFL and making his bid for an immediate starting job at weak-side inside linebacker.



Mosley looked instinctive and comfortable during the Ravens' offseason practices while working with the first-team defense. Competing with Arthur Brown, Mosley reacted quickly to running plays and gained plenty of depth in pass coverage.

"It's going real well so far, learning the defense day by day," Mosley said this spring. "We're getting our feet wet. I'm trying to prove myself out there and make this team better, make the defense better.

"Right now, I'm doing well. I'm not going to get too happy or too low about myself. So far, I've been doing well on defense and learning as much as I can each day."

Mosley, 6-feet-2 and 235 pounds, is fast and fluid in his movements. He displayed his athleticism, leaping high to intercept passes.

Mosley won the Butkus Award at Alabama as the top linebacker in the country, was named a Consensus All-American and shared Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors with St. Louis Rams rookie Michael Sam. Mosley recorded 319 career tackles, 6.5 sacks, five interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

“I think it’s a great pick, man," veteran middle linebacker Daryl Smith said. "[Mosley] has been here working his butt off, and he’s definitely got some ability."



Signed to a $8.787 million contract that included a $4.711 million signing bonus, Mosley is off to a good start absorbing defensive coordinator Dean Pees' schemes.

"Just getting in the playbook, the more little things I know about the defense, the more it's going to help me," said Mosley, who registered 108 tackles in his final season for the Crimson Tide. "Learning the new system and the new language, that's the main difference coming from college to the NFL."



Mosley won't simply be handed a starting assignment, though. He'll have to earn it by beating out Brown, the Ravens' second-round draft pick last year from Kansas State.

Brown primarily operated on special teams and in passing situations last season. He's added some necessary bulk this offseason and has made a lot of progress since playing sparingly as a rookie last year.

"It's competitive," Mosley said. "At the end of the day, we both want to help this team win. We're both on special teams and playing the same position. When I have a question, he answers it. It's all about being competitive, but we both want to be successful and win a championship."

Both Mosley and Brown are expected to play a lot regardless of who becomes the starter.

"That's what you want to do when you have two great players," Mosley said. "This defense has a lot of talent. Whether you start or whether you're a backup, it's all about execution. Whoever's executing the best and is going to help the team out the best is going to be playing."
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I also really like Telvin Smith, he's got a pretty nasty playing style and has serious sideline to sideline speed. My only concern is his size I think he's around 230 which is on the smallish side, sort of like Woodyard when he first came into the league, I just hope he's as much of a tackling machine as Woodyard.

 
I should have posted my above statement in the Ryan Shazier thread. Others see what I see and share my concerns.

 
@RapSheet: #Ravens believe they hit it big with 1st round LB CJ Mosley. Wondered if he'd be a 2-down backer predraft. Know now he'll be on-field for 3

 
I drafted Brown last year, and now I have no idea what to do. I dont want to have both, but ONE of them will likely be a 3-down LB with lots of upside, just no idea which one. If it's Mosely, Brown isn't even worth a roster spot IMHO, so if Mosely is there when I go to draft, whats the best play??

 
Bytor said:
I drafted Brown last year, and now I have no idea what to do. I dont want to have both, but ONE of them will likely be a 3-down LB with lots of upside, just no idea which one. If it's Mosely, Brown isn't even worth a roster spot IMHO, so if Mosely is there when I go to draft, whats the best play??
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Mosely, and this is coming from a guy with both on nearly each dynasty team I have.

 
We have had mixed signals on how much PT Mosely will get but it seems he is doing well.

BR put out grades on all 1st round draft picks, only two got A grades, only one defender, Baltimore LB C.J. Mosely.

Not a clean A but an A-.

Here is the write-up.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2160128-nfl-preseason-2014-report-card-grades-for-all-1st-round-rookies-after-week-1

17. C.J. Mosley, ILB, Baltimore Ravens

Despite having a talented second-year linebacker in Arthur Brown with the skill set to take over the starting spot next to Daryl Smith on the inside of their 3-4 defense, the Baltimore Ravens wasted no time making No. 17 overall pick C.J. Mosley a starter. It was easy to see why in their preseason opener Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers.

Mosley played every defensive snap of the game’s first half and made plays all over the field. He led the Ravens with five total tackles.

An excellent blitzer at Alabama, Mosley showed that same skill Thursday. He had multiple pressures on 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert, including a half-ending sack, while he exploded through a gap at the line of scrimmage to make a run stop on Carlos Hyde.

Another skill Mosley displayed Thursday was his ability to quickly read plays with his eyes. He then used his speed to chase plays down. He successfully pursued a number of running plays to the sideline, including one lunging tackle on Hyde eight yards downfield.

The one area where Mosley was unspectacular in his debut was in coverage. He stumbled on a break by 49ers tight end Vance McDonald that allowed McDonald to get open on a short out route and gain 17 yards.

Overall, the Ravens should feel very good about having Mosley in their defensive lineup. Viewed as a well-rounded, plug-and-play-type player out of college, that’s exactly what he looked to be in his first NFL game.

Grade: A-
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They didn't even give it to DSmith though. Gave it to nobody. Hopefully they award it to Mosley tonight and not wait until stat corrections, which are always hit or miss anyway.

 
I could use the points too - was hoping to see some sort of correction made here, I hope he continues to make big plays out there.

 
Still nothing. Is it that hard to take 5 seconds to watch that replay to see that it was clearly CJ that forced the fumble? They gave it to nobody which means they just weren't sure who forced it when it happened, which you would think they would mark that play and then review it immediately so that could get it right. I hate to complain but it is crap like this that makes me hate IDP. We don't have to worry about this crap with our offensive players.

 
There better be a forced fumble from stat corrections tomorrow morning. Guess we shall see. I don't need the points but just want to feel like I can somewhat trust the system.

 
Well boys it didn't even get fixed by stat corrections. I am at a loss for words. How flawed can the system be to A. Miss the obvious forced fumble when it happened live and then B. Don't even fix it with stat corrections?? I'm beyond pissed, not because I need the points but because it just shows how terrible the IDP scoring system is. What a joke.

 
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TheBottomLine said:
Well boys it didn't even get fixed by stat corrections. I am at a loss for words. How flawed can the system be to A. Miss the obvious forced fumble when it happened live and then B. Don't even fix it with stat corrections?? I'm beyond pissed, not because I need the points but because it just shows how terrible the IDP scoring system is. What a joke.
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My exact thoughts. Unbelievable.

 
Had a similar instance in the fantasy playoffs several years ago where my opponent had Justin Tuck, who got credit for a full sack and solo tackle against the Vikings when he should have been credited with a half sack and assist. I lost by 1.5 points and the adjustment would have given me the win. :bs:

Here's the worst part (and the reason I bring this up) - the correction was not made on the following Thursday, so I lost. But the NFL eventually made the correction 2 weeks later (too late to reverse the outcome). Talk about painful... I was watching the play live, which made it even worse when I saw how it registered in the box score. :topcat:

It actually provoked some thought as to whether you assign a statue of limitations as to how long a correction can still be made (or whether the correction should be made no matter when it occurs). In our league we decided that the correction has to be made prior to kickoff of the following week (so Thursday - the typical MFL correction day). I understand it is a tough pill to swallow when you know without a doubt how the play actually occurred, but imagine to have the play affect the outcome in the playoffs?

Good luck to all this season. Hope the bounces break your way. :thumbup:

 
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What's this guy's deal?  I dealt for him in my main dynasty (not cheap)... just in time for him to settle to mediocrity last year.  Now he begins with a 1 solo 1 assist?  I hate you C.J.

Does anyone who watched the game have any insight? 

 
I don't know what's up with this guy but he just isn't producing as much as he's supposed to. 

Maybe teams are game planning away from him? Maybe he's overrated? 

I don't know, but I'm starting to feel the urge to sell. 

 
midnight_green81 said:
I don't know what's up with this guy but he just isn't producing as much as he's supposed to. 

Maybe teams are game planning away from him? Maybe he's overrated? 

I don't know, but I'm starting to feel the urge to sell. 
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I don't like to sell low.  I've seen him play at a high level during his rookie year and produce good numbers.  I just looked back and he was #12 overall in my league last year and that would still make him a LB1 so maybe I am being hard on 'ol CJ.

 
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