C'mon and Ride the Wagon...the David DeCastro Bandwagon!

[dreamcastrocks]

That is very much against conventional wisdom.

The 6 Guards in the 2010-11 pro bowl:

1st round
2nd round
4th round
5th round
UDFA
UDFA

The 4 guards for the nfc's 2 best offenses: three 4th round and one 5th round selection.

Sure is. I'd rather have a Pouncey or a Mangold even over a Joe Thomas.

 

[Stout]

You must just overlook the positives because I find it hard to believe a consensus top 10-20 player has only negative thing written about him. In fact, I see much positives than negatives in the scouting reports I see.

Alot of people count him not playing with a mean streak as a negative, but the first report I went to, CBS sportsline, had this to say about him:

Above-average football and general intelligence, but plays with a nasty streak that makes defenders know he can handle himself. Solid character and work ethic.

No, he has some positives, definitely, but he's nowhere near as good a prospect as DeCastro, it seems to me.

Ive heard the same thing about Martin several times now. When scouts look at the tape he is not as good as they would expect and he not very good as a pass blocker.

Pass on Martin. This board is only in love with him because the team needs a tackle. And yes, they do need a tackle, but they dont need another Levi Brownesque reach and whiff.

Yeah, that's the thing. I've read a lot about how he has bad feet and is awful in pass pro. And that he's not as good as the scouts expected. I'm figuring he benefited from a top QB and great OL buddies.

Reaching for offensive lineman is stupid.

Except you've been quoted as saying we need to draft a LT no matter what...which may easily be reaching. Can ya make up your mind?

He isn't a reach at 13 in the slightest.

Agreed! Harumph!

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Didn't say LT Stout.....said OL....and you said an OL at 13 this year would be a reach.

 

[Stout]

Didn't say LT Stout.....said OL....and you said an OL at 13 this year would be a reach.

Nope, not at all. I just said I don't want us reaching for an offensive lineman, and I didn't feel any of the OTs were good enough to pick at 13. DeCastro reminds me of the top OG prospects over the years, though, so I'd be all for it.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Nope, not at all. I just said I don't want us reaching for an offensive lineman, and I didn't feel any of the OTs were good enough to pick at 13. DeCastro reminds me of the top OG prospects over the years, though, so I'd be all for it.

7 similar posts later.....me too.

 

[joeshmo]

You must just overlook the positives because I find it hard to believe a consensus top 10-20 player has only negative thing written about him. In fact, I see much positives than negatives in the scouting reports I see.

Alot of people count him not playing with a mean streak as a negative, but the first report I went to, CBS sportsline, had this to say about him:

Above-average football and general intelligence, but plays with a nasty streak that makes defenders know he can handle himself. Solid character and work ethic.

You mean the same scouting report from CBS that says in one sentence, "good foot quickness", then in another sentence says "lack of foot quickness".

I hate it when scouting reports will put the players Strength also as their weakness. Its like they are trying to cover their butts and will be right no matter what. I tend to dismiss those scouting reports because it just seems lazy, and it happens a lot.

Not a rant on Martin really, but more a rant on how lazy scouting reports are on the internet these days.

 

[Russ Smith]

The thing you like about DeCastro is he is just flat mean, not dirty but mean. He's a grown azz man if you will very tough kid. I'd be fine with him at RG and Snyder at RT but if the Cards are serious about playing him at C that would be ok too. If we can get Deuce to come back and in shape that would be a nice combo inside.

Just take the BPA, which may well be DeCastro.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Nope, not at all. I just said I don't want us reaching for an offensive lineman, and I didn't feel any of the OTs were good enough to pick at 13. DeCastro reminds me of the top OG prospects over the years, though, so I'd be all for it.

Excluding Kalil of course???

 

[crisper57]

DeCastro is our guy! We just need a FA LT so that we don't pass up on a great player to reach for a LT need again.

 

[Totally_Red]

I'm in!

Never seen the guy play, but if he really is the equivalent of Steve Hutchinson or Alan Fancec, e.g. an elite guard that only comes around every 4-5 years and can be a leader and O-line mainstay for the next 8-10 years, it is the ultimate no-brainer.

Someone, I think it was Kerouac, posted several weeks ago, that the Cardinals haven't had a 'true leader' on the O-line in a long time. If this guy really has that potential in addition to being an elite guard, he's well worth the #13 pick IMO.

 

[Stout]

Excluding Kalil of course???

Yeah, if by some miracle he makes it to us, you have to take Kalil.

 

[Denny Green Fan]

Imagine winning $50k in Vegas

You could buy a sports car or pay down the mortgage

Drafting Decastro would be like paying down the mortgage

I would prefer the sportscar, but couldn't argue with paying down the mortgage

Heck $50,000 bones would pay off my house and by a sports car

 

[Chopper0080]

OT's are overrated because they are just so hard to find. I would much rather take a Pro Bowl OG who is tailor made for our system than the 2nd or 3rd best OT who many feel is overrated.

David DeCastro at #13.

 

[Duckjake]

OT's are overrated because they are just so hard to find. I would much rather take a Pro Bowl OG who is tailor made for our system than the 2nd or 3rd best OT who many feel is overrated.

David DeCastro at #13.

How can you take a Pro Bowl Guard in the draft?

Seriously though, and I'm not one of those who blindly believes NFL coaches are geniuses, but if taking a star Guard in the first round was such a good idea why do so few teams do it. Going instead with 4th round guys who end up making the Pro Bowl. I'm confused here.

Of course offensive linemen don't make the Pro Bowl because of their play they make it because of who they play FOR and their reputation. "Who you going to vote for as a Guard. I don't know any Guards, you know any? Well how about Nicks he made it last year? Sounds good to me."

 

[dreamcastrocks]

How can you take a Pro Bowl Guard in the draft?

Seriously though, and I'm not one of those who blindly believes NFL coaches are geniuses, but if taking a star Guard in the first round was such a good idea why do so few teams do it. Going instead with 4th round guys who end up making the Pro Bowl. I'm confused here.

Of course offensive linemen don't make the Pro Bowl because of their play they make it because of who they play FOR and their reputation. "Who you going to vote for as a Guard. I don't know any Guards, you know any? Well how about Nicks he made it last year? Sounds good to me."

Simply because few teams value the position as much as they should, and fans hate to see these types of picks in the first round. Fans want to see the flashy skills players in the first round.

 

[40yearfan]

I agree with one of Duckjakes posts in another thread. Draft Melvin Ingram!!

We do need to sign a tackle before the draft however.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Yeah, if by some miracle he makes it to us, you have to take Kalil.

It may be a smoke screen but Minny is talking about taking Claiborne at 3. The Browns are always looking to trade down. What about trading up for Kalil at 4? I would think this years and next years #1 would do it along with a later round pick, maybe a 3rd or 4th next year. Getting a franchise LT is tough, it would probably be worth it.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It may be a smoke screen but Minny is talking about taking Claiborne at 3. The Browns are always looking to trade down. What about trading up for Kalil at 4? I would think this years and next years #1 would do it along with a later round pick, maybe a 3rd or 4th next year. Getting a franchise LT is tough, it would probably be worth it.

Done and done.

 

[Stout]

It may be a smoke screen but Minny is talking about taking Claiborne at 3. The Browns are always looking to trade down. What about trading up for Kalil at 4? I would think this years and next years #1 would do it along with a later round pick, maybe a 3rd or 4th next year. Getting a franchise LT is tough, it would probably be worth it.

That would be worth it, sure, but it'll take more than that to move up 9 spots, into the top 5. And what I'm sure it will take would not be worth it, IMO.

 

[cardsfanmd]

It may be a smoke screen but Minny is talking about taking Claiborne at 3. The Browns are always looking to trade down. What about trading up for Kalil at 4? I would think this years and next years #1 would do it along with a later round pick, maybe a 3rd or 4th next year. Getting a franchise LT is tough, it would probably be worth it.

I've said this in other threads and couldn't agree more; well done.

 

[binkar]

Saw this tweet about DeCastro last night. These are the kind of guys you want on your team.

"@SC_DougFarrar
Mancrush on David DeCastro grows -- at a cafe with @RobRang after the Pro Day, and we saw him jogging by. AFTER his Pro Day. Total bada**."

 

[Duckjake]

Simply because few teams value the position as much as they should, and fans hate to see these types of picks in the first round. Fans want to see the flashy skills players in the first round.

I can understand that but if other teams aren't going to take guards early why use a 1st round pick on one when you can get two first round talents by taking a flashy skill player in round one and a Guard in round three?

 

[Chopper0080]

I can understand that but if other teams aren't going to take guards early why use a 1st round pick on one when you can get two first round talents by taking a flashy skill player in round one and a Guard in round three?

Because it is very rare for college OG to be a top NFL prospect. Most of the most talented college offensive linemen play the OT position. It is not until they project to the NFL that they are switched to OGs (See Cordy Glenn, Amini Silatolu, Senio Kelemente, Kelechi Osemele). This transition is where teams devalue that player to a later round because they are perceived to be less talented OTs rather than highly athletic OGs. Players like Steve Hutchinson, and Alan Faneca and David DeCastro are rare because they are supremely talented players who are the TOP OGs in college football. They probably could have been average OTs, but they were always played inside which made them plug and play top players to whatever team drafted them.

I hope this answers your question.

 

[Chopper0080]

It may be a smoke screen but Minny is talking about taking Claiborne at 3. The Browns are always looking to trade down. What about trading up for Kalil at 4? I would think this years and next years #1 would do it along with a later round pick, maybe a 3rd or 4th next year. Getting a franchise LT is tough, it would probably be worth it.

I totally agree. The Vikings GM was recently quoted as saying that one reason you souldn't lock the Vikings into Matt Kalil is because he looks at the starting OTs for recent Super Bowl winning teams and he sees that they don't have elite LTs. He said look at the top two OTs in the NFL, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, and look where their teams are drafting.

I have recently been of the mind the Cards have 3 options.

1, trade up for Matt Kalil. LTs are rare, and it would do wonders to solidify our offensive line.

2, stay put and draft David DeCastro or Melvin Ingram. Both are impact players, and both played the positions that we would be drafting them for in college (with Ingram it was at times, but still counts).

3, trade back, pick up a 2nd rounder and take an impact player like Mark Barron.

 

[Dayman]

Former NFL scout Russ Lande offered his opinions on DeCastro and Martin after their pro day.
http://www.russlande.com/

On DeCastro:

Showed good stamina in his field-work. Not a gifted athlete. Legs a little heavy, thick calves. Good knee-bend and works till the whistle. Definitely more of a mauler type on tape and that shows up in his lack of raw athletic ability while working out.

On Jonathan Martin:

Martin looks a little fleshy on the hoof. Lacks strength. He was decent in field-work but not at all special like you would expect a potential 1st rounder to be. Got winded. Can bend but his quickness looked average and his strength, power and explosion were poor hitting the bags. Lacks a violent punch on tape and he looks the same in drills. Might be a tad of an underachiever. Does have some upside due to size and smarts.

And Johnson Bademosi, a possible gem in the later rounds who could excel as a CB/S hybrid:

Bademosi turned heads with his 1st 40 yard dash as well as 40 VJ. Well-built kid. A lot of energy. Seems everyone was pulling for him. A little tight in his field work but shows good straight speed/burst