I saw every game Castonzo played the last 4 years, Vinnie, and I think he's the best and most athletic edge pass protector the Eagles have ever had---and we have a history of great NFL caiber o-linemen.
He did a great job the last two years against the likes of Robert Quinn and Da'Quan Bowers.
He got beat by Brooks Reed in the Senior Bowl game...but even the announcers said it was because the QB did not step up into the pocket.
Imo, he is excatly what we need---a tall and surprisingly agile LT who plays the angles in textbook fashion.
I agree on that with Castonzo. We really need some athleticism off the edge. He would be a great pick in first round. What i like is that he is so atheltic and yet is not having major troubles with bull rush. He is not that mismatch inside. And off the edge, outside, he would instantly be by far the best we have. Gandy brought some athlelitcism before, and we have lost that completely with Levi and Keith. Gandy was also a mismatch against bullrushers or DE that also had some sort of inside game.
Also seems as a player (Castonzo) that really loves the game. It would be nice to see him at LT, and moving Levi to LG or to RT.
What is your opinion on Herzlich? To me he stands out as the toughest player in the draft, by far. His tapes really show a warrior. That is what football is all about. He is much slower and not as strong as he has been, so now he is not that dominant. But that can really come back fast in no time i believe. It's about physically coming back. His passion and feel for the game have not lost a step. I think he can play and based on technique and instincts and the impact he can make, he is top 5 player in the draft in my opinion.
He is fantastic against the pass, it is rare to see big linebackers being so technically polished in coverage. And he can passrush and tackle. Now lately, he is offcourse bad against the run, can't shed blockers like before, and is not sideline to sideline as he has been earlier. But i strongly believe that the athleticism will come back.
Due to his versatile skills, he is a complete footballplayer and can really play any linebacker position, wheter it is 3-4 or 4-3 (maybe besides WLB in 4-3 as only exception). He is also the type of person that makes any defense better by leading and bringing that warrior mentality. That is what we need.
He would be a fantastic option as SOLB in our 3-4 where he could cover TE's and passrush and play the run. Or put him inside.
I would love to see both these Eagles as Cardinals.
