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2006 NFL Draft Talk (1 Viewer)

Aaron Rudnicki

Keep Walking™
Staff member
2006 NFL Draft Talk

Part VII: Linebackers

Interested in starting up some discussion on who some of the top players will be in this year's draft class.

Feel free to share any information, opinions, scouting reports, etc. on players who you think will be available during the NFL draft in April. This would also be a good place to ask questions about players who you might be having trouble finding good information on.

This obviously will help dynasty owners begin to prepare for the offseason and upcoming rookie drafts, but will also help to improve our overall knowledge and awareness of the incoming talent pool.

Links to all draft threads: QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, DL, LB, DB

 
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Phenomenal depth at LB this year. Hodge, Ryans, Brooks, Greenway, and Hawk could easily all be first-rounders. Should be some great value mid-to-late first round.

 
There was talk of Posluzny looking to go early, but I think his injury last night probably squashed that. MRI today, but prelim diagnosis is torm MCL.

 
It looks to be a very deep class. IMO Hawk is the cream of the crop. What a player! I haven't seen Greenway play, but hear he is an outstanding athlete, as is UTEP's Thomas Howard. I've heard say Howard may be the best athlete of this class. I'm disappointed I missed the Cotton Bowl, really wanted to see Alabama's DeMeco Ryans play. I think Ryans may have the intagables to be very productive on Sundays. Ahmad Brooks is gonna be one of those high risk high reward types, has some charactor issues. I'm not sure, but think he played some d-line this year. I hear Hodge has trouble shedding blocks, prolly better suited for a 3-4. Keep an eye on Maryland's D'Quell Jackson. He is small, but very productive.

 
this was from wrap edition of ear to the ground dynasty IDP column... though just from in-depth profile section and year end...LinebackersA.J. Hawk, WLB, Ohio State (6'1" 238) - High First Round (Top 5-10) +'s... Probably the best defensive player in the country, and certainly the top graded LB prospect (Lombardi Award winner for nation's top LB/DL). Appears to be the total package, with size, strength and speed (clocked a 4.4 at the Buckeyes pro day timing)... his best attributes, however, may be his instincts, intensity and intangibles. Rarely out of position, great sense of angles, doesn't stay blocked long and is a fundamentally, technically sound tackler in the open field. Complete game includes coverage skills. High character-type with nonstop motor who is humble and will be very coachable and a respected teammate, which should smooth his transition. Very durable (hasn't missed a game since his freshman year in high school). -'s... Not many... can be overly aggressive, causing him to at times overrun plays and compromise the defense... but this is a correctable flaw. Forecast... Will be the first LB taken in many IDP rookie drafts... almost regardless of where he goes, should be the favorite for 2006 DROY... has the athleticism and versatility to play inside or outside, but WLB could be his most natural position at the next level... where he might best leverage his sideline-to-sideline playmaking skills, phenomenal pursuit ability and rare closing speed relatively unencumbered by traffic... may not be as good an athlete as LaVar Arrington, but could be a better football player... better natural tools than Keith Brooking. Chad Greenway, OLB/ILB, Iowa (6'4" 244) - Mid-Late First Round +'s... Likely the #2 graded LB... freakish measurables (has been clocked as low as 4.4 and jumped as high as 40"+ in the vertical jump) might be the best for a frontline LB prospect in over half a decade... in terms of measurables and athleticism (if not as tangibly translated into identifiable production), Brian Urlacher could be a comp player. -'s... Took a step backwards in 2005 and didn't meet the high expectations of scouts based on a prior stellar body of work with Iowa... may have been compensating for a lack of some of the surrounding talent he previously enjoyed... may not have elite instincts, run/pass recognition or ability to get off blocks... takes false steps and fails to wrap up at times. Forecast... Similar to Hawk in that he has the multifaceted game and array of skills to line up inside or outside, but probably fits best at WLB at the next level... unlike Hawk, he may not be as pro-ready or make as big an impact his rookie season... could be more of a work in progress and a boom or bust risk than advertised... due to his monster athleticism he has an extremely high ceiling... if he hits, the payoff could be huge... or the former Hawkeye could roll snake eyes! Demeco Ryans, OLB, Alabama (6'2" 232) - Late First Round/Second Round +s... Off-the-charts intangibles who impresses off the field (Academic All-American) as much as on (All-American)... smart player who does a great job reading his keys, diagnosing and in run/pass recognition... while not a burner, has above average short area burst and ability to close on the ball carrier. -'s... If he clocks a rumored 4.7, this would almost certainly bump him from round one, and maybe even out of the second round... a day one lock, though. Forecast... Has the kind of attitude, temperament and work ethic to overcome a lack of eye-popping, best-in-class measurables, and if he lands in the right system and scheme, could even become a star... for instance, Lofa Tatupu probably doesn't run much better than a 4.7, but other qualities more than compensate for supposedly deficient measurables. Thomas Howard, SLB, UTEP (6'3" 240) - Late First Round/Second Round +'s... Best measurables among the LB prospects (saying a lot, given that Greenway is in his draft class)... former walk-on DB... late bloomer who blew up into a physical specimen with explosive speed. -'s... May be a better athlete than a football player... there have been physical specimens in the past that were workout warriors but nonetheless ended up being wash outs in the NFL. Forecast... One of the biggest question marks in the class due to uncertainty over pedigree, level of competition and instincts... could be a boom or bust type pick... has flashed coverage and pass rush ability, which could destine him for the strong side (the least desirable LB position from an IDP standpoint) in a 4-3, or possibly OLB in a 3-4... might surge up the draft board in the wake of the combine, personal workout circuit and Senior Bowl if his computer numbers are legit and as good as advertised... some physical traits and measurables are reminiscent of Chaun Thompson... if he ends up being a comp player, he has been a project who is just beginning to hit his stride after a few years in the league. D'Qwell Jackson, MLB, Maryland (6'1" 225) - Second Round +'s... Easily the top graded MLB/ILB prospect in the nation... telepathic instincts, innate sense of angles, exceptional ability to disengage from blocks, sort through the trash, find and get to the ball carrier... along with Hawk, probably the two surest tacklers at the position. -'s... Not a burner... concerns about whether his size makes him ill-suited and a bad fit to play MLB in the NFL could be misguided (he is within 5 lbs of being the same size as Jonathan Vilma, Odell Thurman & Lofa Tatupu... all emergent stars and the three best MLBs in the past two draft classes). Forecast... His physical traits and skill set reminded scout's scout Mel Kiper of Vilma... though that comparison could founder on the fact that Jackson is not in the same class in terms of speed and explosiveness... still, a poor man's Vilma could be better than 80-90% of other LBs. Ahmad Brooks, ILB/OLB, Virginia (6'4" 240) - Mid-Late First Round +'s... Measurables and pedigree are comparable to D.J. Williams, who was a top 2 LB in the 2004 draft class... at times in his collegiate career he has been deployed as a kick returner (also in Brian Urlacher's resume), which is an indication of the type of athleticism he possesses. -'s... Like Greenway in that scouts aren't sure what to do with him after he seemingly regressed this season (admittedly injury plagued)... there may be some red flags associated with character and off-field concerns, so definitely read to the end of the brochure if considering him... sometimes where there is smoke there is fire. Forecast... A junior who possibly could have been a top 10 pick in 2005, has not declared for the 2006 draft yet, and given a very bumpy and uneven season, could easily opt to return for his senior season and hope to elevate his stock for 2007... maybe the biggest enigma in the class at any position... has Pro Bowl potential but does he have the passion for the game and desire to prepare like a pro and work at refining his game that the great ones have? Has the physical traits and diversity of ability and skills to play either ILB or OLB in virtually any scheme... but with his freakish blend of size, power, speed and agility, could be a monster on the inside. Honorable Mention... Keep an eye on star Florida WLB Ernie Sims, who is a beast and had to be held out of practice on occasion to prevent him from hurting his own teammates. Has the determination, intensity and toughness to be a first or second rounder and start for quite a few NFL teams.

 
Honorable Mention... Keep an eye on star Florida WLB Ernie Sims, who is a beast and had to be held out of practice on occasion to prevent him from hurting his own teammates. Has the determination, intensity and toughness to be a first or second rounder and start for quite a few NFL teams.
Played very well last night. Showed off his speed very well- often blitzing on the left side and comming over all the way to the right to put an initial hit or bring down an RB. Very impressed with his speed above all and also showed some power with that hit in Q4 on PSU's Robinson which took off both helmets. Also showed great tackling ability and held on after the initial contact on several ocassions, not allowing the RB/QB to advance even 1/2 a yard. The same excellent tackling techinique was evident in Posluzny and if he can recover from the MCL injury (very hopeful for him) he should be in consideration for an early round pick.On a side note for next year perhaps: Buster Davis looked every bit as solid as Sims, but obviously lacks the speed. Showed good instincts and yes he was quick to the ball but more importantly, he has the weight that Sims lacks. He, just like Sims, was always around the ball. Both look like glove fits to 4-3 systems. Sims looks like someone who can flex a bit in the 3-4- used his speed to get around the DT's. You could easily mistake him for a DE if he added a few pounds and he may be drafted as such.

 
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Honorable Mention... Keep an eye on star Florida WLB Ernie Sims, who is a beast and had to be held out of practice on occasion to prevent him from hurting his own teammates. Has the determination, intensity and toughness to be a first or second rounder and start for quite a few NFL teams.
Played very well last night. Showed off his speed very well- often blitzing on the left side and comming over all the way to the right to put an initial hit or bring down an RB. Very impressed with his speed above all and also showed some power with that hit in Q4 on PSU's Robinson which took off both helmets. Also showed great tackling ability and held on after the initial contact on several ocassions, not allowing the RB/QB to advance even 1/2 a yard. The same excellent tackling techinique was evident in Posluzny and if he can recover from the MCL injury (very hopeful for him) he should be in consideration for an early round pick.
From a fantasy IDP standpoint, I wonder if Sims might be the best prospect in the draft when its all said and done. He should get to be the WLB in 4-3 that gets to just roam and blow up plays. Depending on where he lands, i like him as much as any LB in the draft to rack up stats.
 
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Certainly Abdul Hodge deserves to be in the running for the top MLB/ILB spot along with D'Quell Jackson. I myself did not get a chance to see Jackson play this year but did get a chance to see Hodge- and often. First off, the dude has a nose for the ball. Drop him back in coverage and he has quickness enough to head downfield and try to make a play. Run coverage, however, is where he shines IMHO. Has all the experience in the world and arguably the best instincts of any MLB as he has played the position for all of his collegiate career. What impresses me most is his discipline however. Does not always try to make the home run play and when he tackles he does not take any risks. He rocks back and hits low- almost a textbook tackle in anyone's book. A very sure tackler when in coverage and also very quick on blitzes (especially up the middle) and can find a hole and get through. Put tons of pressure on Leak and put at least two massive hits on him. What can I say about this guy, the stats say it all. Set an outback bowl record for most tackles, finishing, I believe, with 20+ tackles.

 
Certainly Abdul Hodge deserves to be in the running for the top MLB/ILB spot along with D'Quell Jackson. I myself did not get a chance to see Jackson play this year but did get a chance to see Hodge- and often. First off, the dude has a nose for the ball. Drop him back in coverage and he has quickness enough to head downfield and try to make a play. Run coverage, however, is where he shines IMHO. Has all the experience in the world and arguably the best instincts of any MLB as he has played the position for all of his collegiate career. What impresses me most is his discipline however. Does not always try to make the home run play and when he tackles he does not take any risks. He rocks back and hits low- almost a textbook tackle in anyone's book. A very sure tackler when in coverage and also very quick on blitzes (especially up the middle) and can find a hole and get through. Put tons of pressure on Leak and put at least two massive hits on him. What can I say about this guy, the stats say it all. Set an outback bowl record for most tackles, finishing, I believe, with 20+ tackles.
Does Iowa play a 3-4?
 
Certainly Abdul Hodge deserves to be in the running for the top MLB/ILB spot along with D'Quell Jackson. I myself did not get a chance to see Jackson play this year but did get a chance to see Hodge- and often. First off, the dude has a nose for the ball. Drop him back in coverage and he has quickness enough to head downfield and try to make a play. Run coverage, however, is where he shines IMHO. Has all the experience in the world and arguably the best instincts of any MLB as he has played the position for all of his collegiate career. What impresses me most is his discipline however. Does not always try to make the home run play and when he tackles he does not take any risks. He rocks back and hits low- almost a textbook tackle in anyone's book. A very sure tackler when in coverage and also very quick on blitzes (especially up the middle) and can find a hole and get through. Put tons of pressure on Leak and put at least two massive hits on him. What can I say about this guy, the stats say it all. Set an outback bowl record for most tackles, finishing, I believe, with 20+ tackles.
great post...when i do these distant early warning systems :) , i tend to be collating from multiple scout sources... in many cases i haven't gotten to see some of these players... it later helps, the closer we get to draft... to add in the other strands of info... combine... pro day workouts... senior bowl (if they are seniors & not underclassmen... even if brooks turns pro, he will have to be evaluated in other ways)...

hodge was definitely on my radar & watchlist as one of, if not the top MLB/ILB... some of aforementioned scouting sources either weren't as enthusiastic... OR... if i tend to see similar names crop up in round one of mocks, & other names are excluded, i take my cue from that...

this could partly be a reflection of fact that there seemed to be a trend of a few years back where the top MLB/ILBs were becoming marginalized & not valued as high in draft... but in last two seasons, vilma, thurman & tatupu all went in first/second round... i think i read an article somewhere (?) that elite MLB/ILBs were becoming prioritized in drafts a little more...

& certainly in IDP world, elite MLBs if they get a starting gig & become elite pros are among the most valuable commodities there are...

so probably i should have gone deeper & included him in my list... you have definitely piqued my interest & i will now keep even closer tabs on him than i might have before... thanx for recommending him to the board's attention... i didn't know about breaking the bowl record for tackles... that is the good thing about starting threads like aaron did... & one reason i used my list... as a starting point to prompt more "eye-witness" accounts by those who have actually seen the players... i put a lot of stock in an account like yours, grounded in actual observations...

i found yahoo invaluable last season when i was preparing the IDP rookie DB article... to get highlight packages for likes of antrell rolle, thomas davis, brodney poole, marlin jackson, carlos rogers... et al... as well as the other top IDP prospects at other positions... sometimes scouting reports can be ambiguous or even conflicting... nothing like getting to see the prospects with your own eyes... :)

this is looking like it could shake out to be a very solid LB class...

 
Honorable Mention... Keep an eye on star Florida WLB Ernie Sims, who is a beast and had to be held out of practice on occasion to prevent him from hurting his own teammates. Has the determination, intensity and toughness to be a first or second rounder and start for quite a few NFL teams.
He's going to play on SundaysHe'll probably have the best clock speed of any top LB in the draft. He's not real big, and he's not real strong, but in addition to his speed he's very good at everything an LB is asked to do. He could move into the first round. I know he's been a first rounder in several of Colin's mocks, but I'm guessing there's too much LB talent (and maybe more declaring soon), so he'll fall to the 2nd. Great athlete who will push for a starting job from day one, and always be a tremendous asset in pass coverage. There's going to be a lot of first round talent in the second round this year, and Sims is a perfect example.

 
Terna Nande - Miami U. 6'1" 230lbs and alot fast. He was out most of the year with a lacerated liver, so he might drop in the draft a little... should be a good pickup late 2nd/3rd round.

 
AJ Nicholson FSUOmar Gaither TennKevin Simon TennPatrick Willis Ole Miss- 2nd in nation in tackles/game i believeSpencer Havner - UCLABobby Carpenter- could be great as a 3-4 LB/DE

 
Nande will be fortunate to go on the first day. He is pretty small, and may be a candidate to try SS. Not the kind of tweener where it's a good think. This is a very deep draft for OLBs.

Of those listed above, I do not like Havner and I am a Bruin fan. He is a terrible tackler, but he is excellent in pass coverage. Still, he needs to get his act together.

I like Carpenter and Willis. Willis hasn't declared, but he could turn out to be one of the best LBs in the draft. It is rumored he is looking at a round 1 projection from the NFL.

Adding to the depth, and possibly important for IDPers...

Stephen Tulloch has entered the draft. He won't project high, but he should go in the third or fourth round LB run as this talented class thins down. I like him for our purposes, because he is a true MLB, and he will remind anyone watching him of London Fletcher. Short fireplug who just makes a ton of tackles. He was the MVP of his bowl game and Manny Lawson and Mario Williams play on that defense.

 
Despite being ranked extremely low on the boards, Nick Reid (Kansas) should make a good pro. Team leader, smart LB who can play either MLB or OLB. Good cover skills. Not exceptionally fast, and needs to add some bulk - 6'4, 230 lbs isn't big enough for the NFL. Overall a good 3rd round prospect - might slip as far as the 5th, but should go higher.

 
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Certainly Abdul Hodge deserves to be in the running for the top MLB/ILB spot along with D'Quell Jackson. I myself did not get a chance to see Jackson play this year but did get a chance to see Hodge- and often. First off, the dude has a nose for the ball. Drop him back in coverage and he has quickness enough to head downfield and try to make a play. Run coverage, however, is where he shines IMHO. Has all the experience in the world and arguably the best instincts of any MLB as he has played the position for all of his collegiate career. What impresses me most is his discipline however. Does not always try to make the home run play and when he tackles he does not take any risks. He rocks back and hits low- almost a textbook tackle in anyone's book. A very sure tackler when in coverage and also very quick on blitzes (especially up the middle) and can find a hole and get through. Put tons of pressure on Leak and put at least two massive hits on him. What can I say about this guy, the stats say it all. Set an outback bowl record for most tackles, finishing, I believe, with 20+ tackles.
I was at the Outback bowl and came away impressed with Hodge.He always seems to be in perfect position to make the tackle.He plays with a mean streak,he is a textbook tackler who squares his opponent up and rarely missed a tackle(1 missed tackle that I saw/20 total for the game).He also looked fluid in coverage sometimes 15-20 yards downfield.This kid is going to be a player for many years on Sundays.Definitely on my radar for the Spring Zealot drafts :thumbup:

 
I had a crazy idea today, but not completely far-fetched...What if, at #4, the J-E-T-S took A.J. Hawk? Bush, Leinart, and Vince Young would all most likely be off the board leaving the Jets no real direction at that point. Assuming they "couldn't" trade down (which btw with the way that Bradway makes decisions could certainly be the case) would the pick of Hawk be THAT horrible?As a Jets fan, I realize that they need help ALL over the place, most notably on offense but if they sign a decent FA QB (like maybe a Kitna? who the heck else is out there?) and commit once again to Curtis Martin (again, not far-fetched based on their past loyalties, though that may have changed somewhat with the Edwards departure) the only real two options for them are D'Brickshaw Ferguson and A.J. Hawk. Can you imagine a Hawk/Vilma pairing? THAT would be something to watch and would have DC Donnie Henderson wetting his pants. I have watched Hawk many times and would absolutely LOVE for this scenario to be realized. Of course, you are letting a Pro-Bowl caliber left tackle go to somebody else but I have always been a proponent of picking offensive linemen later in the draft. Just not worth it that high (paging Tony Mandarich). Am I crazy? Or does this make sense to anybody else?

 
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I had a crazy idea today, but not completely far-fetched...

What if, at #4, the J-E-T-S took A.J. Hawk? Bush, Leinart, and Vince Young would all most likely be off the board leaving the Jets no real direction at that point. Assuming they "couldn't" trade down (which btw with the way that Bradway makes decisions could certainly be the case) would the pick of Hawk be THAT horrible?

As a Jets fan, I realize that they need help ALL over the place, most notably on offense but if they sign a decent FA QB (like maybe a Kitna? who the heck else is out there?) and commit once again to Curtis Martin (again, not far-fetched based on their past loyalties, though that may have changed somewhat with the Edwards departure) the only real two options for them are D'Brickshaw Ferguson and A.J. Hawk.

Can you imagine a Hawk/Vilma pairing? THAT would be something to watch and would have DC Donnie Henderson wetting his pants. I have watched Hawk many times and would absolutely LOVE for this scenario to be realized. Of course, you are letting a Pro-Bowl caliber left tackle go to somebody else but I have always been a proponent of picking offensive linemen later in the draft. Just not worth it that high (paging Tony Mandarich). Am I crazy? Or does this make sense to anybody else?
Certainly possible, but IMO a lot may depend on Abraham - if he comes back, they may go with Hawk (or trade down to get him) but if he's gone, Mario Williams would be the right pick (IMO).
 
Everyone seems to agree that Hawk is the #1 FF prospect here. Who's 2nd?
on my board its hodge right now, followed by D Qwell Jackson, then Greenway, Ryans, and Sims, although Ive seen at one site speculate that Sims could be moved to SS. If Sims is drafted by a team that commits to him at WLB in a 4-3, i might be tempted to move him as high as 3rd.
 
Some more news

Kai Parham entering draft early

Simms Comming Out

Both are excellent prospects. Simms has already been discussed at length in this thread but its parham who i'd like to highlight here. He easily is the third ILB off the board and put up damn good numbers (led the team in tackles, career best in tackles for loss and sacks) which shows that despite his weight (10+ pounds above Hodge and Jackson) he can carry himself very well. Also, clocked an insane 40 time of 4.55 comparative to this year's class. The closest among the top 5 prospects is a 4.67 from hodge! Very easily could be the 2nd ILB off the board behind hodge. Also could be a FF monster given his speed and size.

EDIT: To put that in perspective: Chad Greenway clocks in a 4.55, AJ Hawk a 4.51 and Ernie Simms a 4.49

Parham= Speed :thumbup: :popcorn:

 
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This is shaping up to be a year where there is a lot a value at LB relative to other spots, and in particular versus WR on offense, which seems pretty down. We might see more teams going IDP in round 2 of the rookie draft this year.

 
Everyone seems to agree that Hawk is the #1 FF prospect here. Who's 2nd?
on my board its hodge right now, followed by D Qwell Jackson, then Greenway, Ryans, and Sims, although Ive seen at one site speculate that Sims could be moved to SS. If Sims is drafted by a team that commits to him at WLB in a 4-3, i might be tempted to move him as high as 3rd.
Out of curiosity, why would you have not one, not two but 4 LBs ranked above Hawk? Am I reading that correctly?
 
Everyone seems to agree that Hawk is the #1 FF prospect here. Who's 2nd?
on my board its hodge right now, followed by D Qwell Jackson, then Greenway, Ryans, and Sims, although Ive seen at one site speculate that Sims could be moved to SS. If Sims is drafted by a team that commits to him at WLB in a 4-3, i might be tempted to move him as high as 3rd.
Out of curiosity, why would you have not one, not two but 4 LBs ranked above Hawk? Am I reading that correctly?
it was an answer to the question "who's 2nd?"
 
I had a crazy idea today, but not completely far-fetched...

What if, at #4, the J-E-T-S took A.J. Hawk? Bush, Leinart, and Vince Young would all most likely be off the board leaving the Jets no real direction at that point. Assuming they "couldn't" trade down (which btw with the way that Bradway makes decisions could certainly be the case) would the pick of Hawk be THAT horrible?

As a Jets fan, I realize that they need help ALL over the place, most notably on offense but if they sign a decent FA QB (like maybe a Kitna? who the heck else is out there?) and commit once again to Curtis Martin (again, not far-fetched based on their past loyalties, though that may have changed somewhat with the Edwards departure) the only real two options for them are D'Brickshaw Ferguson and A.J. Hawk.

Can you imagine a Hawk/Vilma pairing? THAT would be something to watch and would have DC Donnie Henderson wetting his pants. I have watched Hawk many times and would absolutely LOVE for this scenario to be realized. Of course, you are letting a Pro-Bowl caliber left tackle go to somebody else but I have always been a proponent of picking offensive linemen later in the draft. Just not worth it that high (paging Tony Mandarich). Am I crazy? Or does this make sense to anybody else?
As a Vilma dynasty owner I can say that would truly suck. :thumbdown:
 
I had a crazy idea today, but not completely far-fetched...

What if, at #4, the J-E-T-S took A.J. Hawk? Bush, Leinart, and Vince Young would all most likely be off the board leaving the Jets no real direction at that point. Assuming they "couldn't" trade down (which btw with the way that Bradway makes decisions could certainly be the case) would the pick of Hawk be THAT horrible?

As a Jets fan, I realize that they need help ALL over the place, most notably on offense but if they sign a decent FA QB (like maybe a Kitna? who the heck else is out there?) and commit once again to Curtis Martin (again, not far-fetched based on their past loyalties, though that may have changed somewhat with the Edwards departure) the only real two options for them are D'Brickshaw Ferguson and A.J. Hawk.

Can you imagine a Hawk/Vilma pairing? THAT would be something to watch and would have DC Donnie Henderson wetting his pants. I have watched Hawk many times and would absolutely LOVE for this scenario to be realized. Of course, you are letting a Pro-Bowl caliber left tackle go to somebody else but I have always been a proponent of picking offensive linemen later in the draft. Just not worth it that high (paging Tony Mandarich). Am I crazy? Or does this make sense to anybody else?
As a Vilma dynasty owner I can say that would truly suck. :thumbdown:
How come? Do you think Hawk would replace Vilma in the middle?
 
I think they would keep Vilma in the middle under those circumstances, but I'm sure Hawk would vulture more than his fair share of tackles. Fantasy-wise, it may render both as only average options. Still, as a Jets fan I'm still dreaming of this coming true. That or Vince Young. :D

 
As a Vilma dynasty owner I can say that would truly suck. :thumbdown:
As a Vilma owner, I don't think it would be that bad. Vilma would remain in the middle, and while Hawk may vulture some tackles, he'd remain a top 10 LB at worst. Brooking and Williams were both top 10 this year, Spikes and Fletcher were both top 6 last year. It can be done.
 
I've been doing some homework and wanted to add another name to the middle backers who might be solid IDPs.Kevin Simon. He's 5-11 and 240. A little short, but another Zach Thomas, London Fletcher type. He comes with a boom or bust label, and that's why we should be aware of him. He's had major injury issues. Yuck, I know. But, when healthy he's as good as any of these MLBs (some think better). So his health issues have his stock a solid tier below these guys (Hodge, Jackson, Parham), but his ability is right with them. One interesting thing I read is how fast he is. Supposedly, he is expected to time about 2 tenths faster than any of these guys (except Hawk) and out lift them all on the bench. He is an instinctive sideline to sideline tracker who is always in the middle of every play, which is one reason why he gets hurt (think Dan Morgan). So, his physical may be one of the most important things to check out. He'll go on the first day if some team thinks he's past the knee problems. He'll fall to day two otherwise. Training camp will then be more important than draft position. If he's healthy and producing, he might be a nice IDP surprise.

 
the Jets need a RB now that Martin is really dried up, so i'd go for Lendayle White, maybe Williams but itd be a bigger risk, they need offense more than defense right now

 
Dale Robinson, nicknamed the Manimal, is a player being overlooked by draftniks, but IDPers should get him on their lists. He is a great tackler and very explosive. He didn't go to the Senior Bowl, but considering Havner did, I bet the execs who made that decision regret it. I follow the Pac 10 closely and Robinson has been as good as any LB in the conference for a couple years (yes, that included Tatupu). He's going to the combine, and could very easily be a Kirk Morrison under the radar type of talent for piling up stats.
 
Dale Robinson, nicknamed the Manimal, is a player being overlooked by draftniks, but IDPers should get him on their lists. He is a great tackler and very explosive. He didn't go to the Senior Bowl, but considering Havner did, I bet the execs who made that decision regret it. I follow the Pac 10 closely and Robinson has been as good as any LB in the conference for a couple years (yes, that included Tatupu). He's going to the combine, and could very easily be a Kirk Morrison under the radar type of talent for piling up stats.
:goodposting: So is this guy as instinctive as Tatupa? If so, I'm a bit surprised no mentioning of it in his bio.

 
Jaguars | Team likes T. Howard

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 09:48:23 -0800

Charean Williams, of the Star-Telegram, reports the Jacksonville Jaguars have the need for an outside linebacker, and word is they like UTEP LB Thomas Howard in the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 239-pounder, who runs a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, made 85 tackles and had three sacks and an interception last season.

 
Jaguars | Team likes T. Howard

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 09:48:23 -0800

Charean Williams, of the Star-Telegram, reports the Jacksonville Jaguars have the need for an outside linebacker, and word is they like UTEP LB Thomas Howard in the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 239-pounder, who runs a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, made 85 tackles and had three sacks and an interception last season.
Howard is very raw. He is not instictive and some question his football intelligence. With that said, he is a tremendous athlete and teams will fall in love with his measurables.
 
Jaguars | Team likes T. Howard

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 09:48:23 -0800

Charean Williams, of the Star-Telegram, reports the Jacksonville Jaguars have the need for an outside linebacker, and word is they like UTEP LB Thomas Howard in the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 239-pounder, who runs a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, made 85 tackles and had three sacks and an interception last season.
Howard is very raw. He is not instictive and some question his football intelligence. With that said, he is a tremendous athlete and teams will fall in love with his measurables.
Here's an update:
Howard's hope

Former Miner awaits draft day with anticipation

Matthew Aguilar

El Paso Times

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

The past few weeks have reminded Thomas Howard of his senior season at Lubbock's Estacado High School.

"I felt like I was being recruited all over again," he said. "It was cool."

In the past month, the former UTEP linebacker has visited the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals. He's talked with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Bill Parcells; Dolphins coach Nick Saban; Redskins coach Joe Gibbs; and Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.

He's said hello to Cowboy players Roy Williams and Julius Jones. And he passed by new Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper on his way into Miami team headquarters.

By this weekend, Howard, a walk-on at UTEP, could be part of the NFL family -- and not just a "recruit." He is a projected first-to-third-round draft choice in the NFL draft, scheduled for Saturday in New York City. . .

"I didn't get any feel for (when I might be drafted)," Howard said. "I felt good about the visits. But it's about how they feel I can fit into their system. All (four) of those teams felt like they saw me playing the same position, outside linebacker -- an outside linebacker who can rush off the edge and help in pass coverage.
 
Some more news

Kai Parham entering draft early

Simms Comming Out

Both are excellent prospects. Simms has already been discussed at length in this thread but its parham who i'd like to highlight here. He easily is the third ILB off the board and put up damn good numbers (led the team in tackles, career best in tackles for loss and sacks) which shows that despite his weight (10+ pounds above Hodge and Jackson) he can carry himself very well. Also, clocked an insane 40 time of 4.55 comparative to this year's class. The closest among the top 5 prospects is a 4.67 from hodge! Very easily could be the 2nd ILB off the board behind hodge. Also could be a FF monster given his speed and size.

EDIT: To put that in perspective: Chad Greenway clocks in a 4.55, AJ Hawk a 4.51 and Ernie Simms a 4.49

Parham= Speed  :thumbup:   :popcorn:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>
What happened to this guy? undrafted

 

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