A couple other draft considerations

[football karma]

A couple guys who are rated to be gone by #16, but could conceivably slip:

James Laurinitis, LB Ohio St.

played in the middle, but has the size, speed and skills to play the outside. With Laurinitis, the Cards would end up with more of a true 3-4 look as the guy is a true LB. Assuming Pace and Dansby are back, this would give the Cards a really nice set of four athletic, young linebackers for the defense.

Sedrick Ellis, DT USC.

Undersized DT at 6-1, 285 -- but super quick, disruptive and a very good interior pass rusher. Very productive, and every USC game I watched, this guy was unblockable. This is a little of a BPA pick should he be there, but would give the Cards another young D-lineman and an upgrade to Antionio Smith.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Laurinitis is listed at 247 lbs. where I'm looking. Isn't that a little light for an OLB in a 3-4? He would likely be a BPA pick, and I'll wait until after the BCS Nat'l Championship game and the offseason workouts before saying much more (especially since Hawk has developed so nicely for Green Bay).

Calvin Pace is listed at 270, Berry at 264. On the other hand, Okeafor is listed at 247 going into the season, but he got injured early, so you never know.

 

[football karma]

Laurinitis is listed at 247 lbs. where I'm looking. Isn't that a little light for an OLB in a 3-4? He would likely be a BPA pick, and I'll wait until after the BCS Nat'l Championship game and the offseason workouts before saying much more (especially since Hawk has developed so nicely for Green Bay).

Calvin Pace is listed at 270, Berry at 264. On the other hand, Okeafor is listed at 247 going into the season, but he got injured early, so you never know.

I dont know

a quick, unscientific sampling of other 3-4 OLBs shows 250lbs is fairly common--

Demarcus Ware (Dallas), Clark Haggans and Lawrence Timmons (Pitt), Joey Porter (Miami) are all 250 or less.

Interesting though in each of those examples, the guy on the other side is in the 260 range

 

[JeffGollin]

245 is a nice weight to come in at. (Once these guys fill out and hit the weight room regularly, they'll typically add 5 - 10 more pounds of muscle anyway.

Laurenaitis is projected to play inside, rendering the comparison with Ware (who's an OLB/DE) kind of moot. It's always been my understanding that MLB's in a 4-3 weigh more than ILB's in a 3- 4.

And while personally, I like my ILB's to be massive, there are exceptions to the rule of prototypes - i.e. Zach Thomas and Dat Nguyen were both undersized ILBs.

My biggest concern about Laurenitis is that he supposedly runs somewhere around 4.75 (which isn't exactly "sideline to sideline"). But I still rank him in my Top 16 players because he has gritty, Vrabel, Bruschi and Urlacher-type intangibles.

 

[joeshmo]

Some questions you need to ask when trying to find out if a player can play OLB in a 3-4 D. Then make a judgement from there.

1. Size - They dont have to be huge but I think if your below 240 you are doomed at the position.
2. Stoutness - Can they hold up at the point of attack similar to that of a DE. Can they get off of blocks from OT's and TE's. Can they be effective without a DT or DE in front of them taking some of the load.
3. Pass rush ability.
4. Can they put their hand down at the line of scrimmage and be effective.

The last 3 items is why Timmons in Pitt saw little to no action in their current 3-4 D and played primarily on special teams.

Dont think you can answer yes to more then 2 of those questions for Laurinitis. Would be a good 3-4 strong side ILB though. To slow to be the main coverage LB at the weakside ILB spot, like Dansby.

 

[joeshmo]

As for Ellis I like a little more height from a 3-4 DE but I think he could do very well in that role anyways.

 

[Cards Czar]

my picks:

1. R. Mendenhall RB ILL. 5-11 224 4.46 (man beast)

2. D. Cromarite CB Tenn St. 6-2 185 4.37 or Chevis Jackson CB LSU 6.0 190 4.42 (which ever one is there).

3. Bo Rudd OLB Neb 6-3 235 4.62 (Just as good if not better then his broter Barnett)

4. John Greco OT Toledo 6-5 318 5.20

4A. William Franklin WR Missouri 6-2 205 4.40 ( I think he is a sleeper in the WR field. Every year his production has gotten better and his 40 is not bad. Cant wait to see what he does at the combine).

5. David Roach FS TCU 6-2 215 4.42

6. Grayson Gunheim DE Washington 6-5 265 4.64

7. BPA

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

my picks:

1. R. Mendenhall RB ILL. 5-11 224 4.46 (man beast)

2. D. Cromarite CB Tenn St. 6-2 185 4.37 or Chevis Jackson CB LSU 6.0 190 4.42 (which ever one is there).

3. Bo Rudd OLB Neb 6-3 235 4.62 (Just as good if not better then his broter Barnett)

4. John Greco OT Toledo 6-5 318 5.20

4A. William Franklin WR Missouri 6-2 205 4.40 ( I think he is a sleeper in the WR field. Every year his production has gotten better and his 40 is not bad. Cant wait to see what he does at the combine).

5. David Roach FS TCU 6-2 215 4.42

6. Grayson Gunheim DE Washington 6-5 265 4.64

7. BPA

way, way, WAY too small for 3-4.

 

[Matt L]

When do we find out compensation picks? Shouldn't we have a third rounder for giving up on BIG?

 

[General Chaos]

When do we find out compensation picks? Shouldn't we have a third rounder for giving up on BIG?

I forgot about that, good point good sir. I would guess a 3rd or 4th.

 

[football karma]

When do we find out compensation picks? Shouldn't we have a third rounder for giving up on BIG?

I would be surprised if its anything higher than a 5th.

The formula is somewhat unclear -- but picks go to teams that lost more free agent that they signed-- free agents defined as tenured NFL players, rather than rookie free agents.

Also, certain free agents qualify and others dont.

Cards lost Big -- but added Al Johnson, Rod Hood, Terrence Holt, Terrel Smith and Sean Morey.

Its quite likely that they get no compensatory pick.

 

[joeshmo]

I would be surprised if its anything higher than a 5th.

The formula is somewhat unclear -- but picks go to teams that lost more free agent that they signed-- free agents defined as tenured NFL players, rather than rookie free agents.

Also, certain free agents qualify and others dont.

Cards lost Big -- but added Al Johnson, Rod Hood, Terrence Holt, Terrel Smith and Sean Morey.

Its quite likely that they get no compensatory pick.

You are correct. We will not get any compensation since we had more qualifying players come in then we lost. Also add Gandy to the list of players brought in.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

As i questioned earlier, Laurinitis is very shaky as a pro LB. Don't thhink you're getting an AJ Hawk because you're not.

 

[cardsfanmd]

As i questioned earlier, Laurinitis is very shaky as a pro LB. Don't thhink you're getting an AJ Hawk because you're not.

He blew last night. RBs and FBs were routinely blowing him off the ball back into th secondary. The best future pro I saw last night was Beanie Wells, no question. That boy is a beast.

 

[football karma]

As i questioned earlier, Laurinitis is very shaky as a pro LB. Don't thhink you're getting an AJ Hawk because you're not.

Cbus-

who is the Senior LB for the Buckeyes?

good game last night. Looks and plays fast. Do you know his size?

Edit: saw in the other thread its Larry Grant. I liked the way he played. One hit wonder or was he productive like that all season?

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Cbus-

who is the Senior LB for the Buckeyes?

good game last night. Looks and plays fast. Do you know his size?

Edit: saw in the other thread its Larry Grant. I liked the way he played. One hit wonder or was he productive like that all season?

I also thought he was their best defensive player last night.He'll be an interesting prospect. He started out the year playing well then faded but came on towards the end.The thing i like best about him is that he played well against the better teams.I think he'll be available in round 4 and would be a nice get. He's about 6'3 245 and can run.He was a 2 year starter for OSU after transferring from JUCO. He originally was going to Florida but they had a miscue in his transfer credits and ended up at OSU.

 

[Skkorpion]

He was a 2 year starter for OSU after transferring from JUCO. He originally was going to Florida but they had a miscue in his transfer credits and ended up at OSU.

Miscue? Cough, cough, gag, choke. Florida wouldn't find a way around the "miscue" but OSU would?

Never mind. He'll probably be a decent prospect and his agent can point to the place on the paper where the kid can mark his X. Then direct deposit will make pay handling easy for him.

 

[Mulli]

Miscue? Cough, cough, gag, choke. Florida wouldn't find a way around the "miscue" but OSU would?

Never mind. He'll probably be a decent prospect and his agent can point to the place on the paper where the kid can mark his X. Then direct deposit will make pay handling easy for him.

Well done.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

A couple guys who are rated to be gone by #16, but could conceivably slip:

James Laurinitis, LB Ohio St.

played in the middle, but has the size, speed and skills to play the outside. With Laurinitis, the Cards would end up with more of a true 3-4 look as the guy is a true LB. Assuming Pace and Dansby are back, this would give the Cards a really nice set of four athletic, young linebackers for the defense.

Sedrick Ellis, DT USC.

Undersized DT at 6-1, 285 -- but super quick, disruptive and a very good interior pass rusher. Very productive, and every USC game I watched, this guy was unblockable. This is a little of a BPA pick should he be there, but would give the Cards another young D-lineman and an upgrade to Antionio Smith.

Both are expected to go in the top 10. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Pats snap up Road Warrior Animal Jr. Their LB core has an average age of 31.5, and Ted Bruschi is nearing the end of his career. Also, this guy is grit and guts, and fits the Patriot mantra perfectly.

Ellis could go to the Raiders with their pick, or could fall. He's the more likely of the two to drop.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Miscue? Cough, cough, gag, choke. Florida wouldn't find a way around the "miscue" but OSU would?

Never mind. He'll probably be a decent prospect and his agent can point to the place on the paper where the kid can mark his X. Then direct deposit will make pay handling easy for him.

I think he needed an extra math class to get into Florida. You know the one that all SEC schools require. If booster A gives you $10,000 and booster B gives $7500,how much can you deposit into a bank account without sending up a red flag?

 

[Matt L]

So back to the compensation picks,

We lose a pro bowler and fill in with decent players and we won't get any compensation for that? The whole thing is skewered towards Eagles, Ravens, and Patriots if that is the case. When is the last time we even rec'd a comensation pick in the first day? Dennis Johnson?