de/olb at combine MEASUREMENTS

[cardncubfan]

Dear mitch its time to move up
As it was reported last year we tried to get in the 12th spot to grab anthony barr ,this year we cant wait too long and just target 3th or 4th round pass rushers who doesnt bring nothing special to our highly rated defense

Imo gregory is undersiize considering his height 6'5
I think he can slide and playing ILB for us
Also in college he used to blitz from the middle and he has the athleticism to move well in the backfield

I thought they tried to move up to the 10 spot but Barr was taken at 9? I could see them doing this again this year for the right guy.

 

[Bodha]

Go ahead and check Vic Beasley off the list


if there were ever a shred of possibility he couldve made it to us before the combine, its gone now.

 

[Chopper0080]

Ok, watched Nate Orchard, and I see the difference between him and Ray in terms of burst.

 

[Chopper0080]

So, I think we are going after Worilds in FA, and that is going to adjust our targets in the first round. I think this team understands that it is tough to get an immediate impact edge guy if you are not in the top 15.

I think you can count on Beasley, Fowler, Ray, and probably Gregory off when picking outside the top 20. Shaq Thompson becomes more of a possibility IMO at 24. Harold and Owa have the athleticism, but have other issues as well to make me question going in the first round. Orchard is a trade down option due to lack of burst IMO. Shelton is probably gone, but he would be ideal if we lose Williams (which I think we will).

 

[overseascardfan]

Unless we trade up, we will have no shot Beasley, Gregory or Fowler (Shane Ray too).

I think Harold will probably be taken prior to #24 too.

Go ahead and check Vic Beasley off the list


if there were ever a shred of possibility he couldve made it to us before the combine, its gone now.

Damn skippy he's not at #24, he will in the Top 10 challenging Ray for first OLB taken. Ran a 4.53 40, 41" vertical with 35 reps on the bench while coming in bigger (6'3 245) than anyone thought. He's still has the 3 cone and 20 yard shuttle to go but he is looking like he will have a Von Miller type rise up the draft boards.

 

[Snakester]

Shane Ray and Vic Beasley are the linebackers that I would take in the first round. If neither are there then go in a different direction. Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley would look good at 24. If we loose Big Dan then Danny Shelton would be a good pick. What we don't want to do is reach for a pick like we did last year.

 

[Finito]

Shane Ray and Vic Beasley are the linebackers that I would take in the first round. If neither are there then go in a different direction. Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley would look good at 24. If we loose Big Dan then Danny Shelton would be a good pick. What we don't want to do is reach for a pick like we did last year.

We didn't reach last year. Some including me thought Bucannon was the best safety in the draft his numbers support that if he had played at Alabama he would have gone top ten.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

How about the athlete that Danielle Hunter is? He's only 20 and I'd love for the Cards to nab him in round 2 or 3.

Eli Harold will more than likely be there at 24. I doubt there are 6-7 DE/OLB taken in round 1, much less in the top 24. Gregory, Ray, Beasley, and Fowler are the only SURE 1st rounders. Dupree and Harold are next in line.

To me, the most impressive looking player out there to day was Leonard Williams. That guy is a monster.

 

[Chopper0080]

How about the athlete that Danielle Hunter is? He's only 20 and I'd love for the Cards to nab him in round 2 or 3.

Eli Harold will more than likely be there at 24. I doubt there are 6-7 DE/OLB taken in round 1, much less in the top 24. Gregory, Ray, Beasley, and Fowler are the only SURE 1st rounders. Dupree and Harold are next in line.

To me, the most impressive looking player out there to day was Leonard Williams. That guy is a monster.

I think Randy Gregory is more likely to fall than Alvin Dupree. Gregory does not look physical at all, and did not have flashy athleticism. Dupree at least looks like he can play the edge.

 

[juza76]

I think Randy Gregory is more likely to fall than Alvin Dupree. Gregory does not look physical at all, and did not have flashy athleticism. Dupree at least looks like he can play the edge.

On field drills was one of the best gregory today

 

[Chopper0080]

On field drills was one of the best gregory today

Gregory looked like an athlete, but not like a defensive end. Big difference. Dupree looks like he can play DE AND OLB. Gregory looks like a lean OLB only. That limits what teams he will be drafted by. In a 4-3, I'm drafting Williams, Fowler, and Dupree as a DE before Gregory. In a 3-4, Fowler, Dupree, Ray, and Beasley before Gregory.

 

[Snakester]

We didn't reach last year. Some including me thought Bucannon was the best safety in the draft his numbers support that if he had played at Alabama he would have gone top ten.

I thought Bucannon was a second or third rounder and after watching him play I feel the same. I hated our second round pick Troy Nicklas. I didn't care much for last years draft. I just don't want an in the box safety. I want both my safeties to cover like cornerbacks.

 

[juza76]

I think Randy Gregory is more likely to fall than Alvin Dupree. Gregory does not look physical at all, and did not have flashy athleticism. Dupree at least looks like he can play the edge.

I read scouts saying dupree lacks football insticts and he doesnt look smart,slow reading plays

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I thought Bucannon was a second or third rounder and after watching him play I feel the same. I hated our second round pick Troy Nicklas. I didn't care much for last years draft. I just don't want an in the box safety. I want both my safeties to cover like cornerbacks.

I thought the same as well. Bucannon was by no means a sure fire 1st round pick going into it. He played alright but he also really didn't play the position he was drafted to play. I guess that could be seen as a positive though.

I've been on record that I haven't been too enamored with Keim's first 4 top picks. I like drafting more for impact positions in the first 2 rounds rather than an OG, ILB, in the box safety, and blocking TE. In the first 2 rounds I'd rather concentrate on OLB, OT, CB, WR, DL, QB. I realize that can't always be the case(Cooper is a perfect example as he was rated BPA), but 4 straight picks at low impact positions is not the best thing, imo. He's overcome those picks by really hitting in the latter rounds though.

 

[Chopper0080]

I thought the same as well. Bucannon was by no means a sure fire 1st round pick going into it. He played alright but he also really didn't play the position he was drafted to play. I guess that could be seen as a positive though.

I've been on record that I haven't been too enamored with Keim's first 4 top picks. I like drafting more for impact positions in the first 2 rounds rather than an OG, ILB, in the box safety, and blocking TE. In the first 2 rounds I'd rather concentrate on OLB, OT, CB, WR, DL, QB. I realize that can't always be the case(Cooper is a perfect example as he was rated BPA), but 4 straight picks at low impact positions is not the best thing, imo. He's overcome those picks by really hitting in the latter rounds though.

I think the story on these picks is a little construed because of who he took rather than the idea behind the pick. I really like the strategy of the picks, but two of them have been huge disappointments to date.

Jonathan Cooper was the right idea (build the offensive line in a poor draft), but has been sabataged by the player's personality/work ethic/injuries. Highly rated player, but it hasn't worked out. Now, had we taken Kyle Long, we might all be thinking it was a great pick.

Kevin Minter continues that thinking to a point, but falls into the right idea, poor evaluation of skills/league. Again, second round pick on a young ILB is a good idea. Taking a guy whose main struggle is in pass defense is a huge issue. If he can't play all three downs, he isn't worth a top 60 pick IMO.

Deone Bucannon could very well fall into the Kevin Minter catagory except the fact that he has shown he can be a nickel LB if he proves to be limited in coverage. However, a three down S is a very solid move at the end of round one, especially when you are able to trade down and pick up additional picks.

Troy Niklas continues the theme, though I believe he will take a big step next year. He was passing up Carlson for reps before he got injured a second time this year, and I think he will carry that momentumn into this next season. Also, the idea of taking a two-way, red zone TE in round 2 is a good one. If Niklas doesn't develop into a pass catching threat, than he falls into the Minter catagory.

So, I would say that the thinking behind the picks was good, but the execution of what player was taken looks poor in the 2013 draft. I think Cooper can still earn a second contract with the Cardinals as he has ability, but I think Minter is a special teamer at best going forward. Too early for Bucannon and Niklas, though I believe they have the look of two quality picks.

 

[Chopper0080]

I read scouts saying dupree lacks football insticts and he doesnt look smart,slow reading plays

I have read a bunch of things, and I believe very few. Here is what Dupree is. He is an athletic freak who has experience playing DE and OLB. He has the gifted athleticism to play OLB in a 3-4, and the power to play DE in a 4-3. He was a big player at a small school, which can lead to some motivation and ego issues. You can see DRC if you want an example of what that looks like. That being said, DRC has had a decent NFL career.

 

[Mitch]

I thought the same as well. Bucannon was by no means a sure fire 1st round pick going into it. He played alright but he also really didn't play the position he was drafted to play. I guess that could be seen as a positive though.

I've been on record that I haven't been too enamored with Keim's first 4 top picks. I like drafting more for impact positions in the first 2 rounds rather than an OG, ILB, in the box safety, and blocking TE. In the first 2 rounds I'd rather concentrate on OLB, OT, CB, WR, DL, QB. I realize that can't always be the case(Cooper is a perfect example as he was rated BPA), but 4 straight picks at low impact positions is not the best thing, imo. He's overcome those picks by really hitting in the latter rounds though.

Good assessment---I agree with your draft philosophy---draft game changers early then address needs.

That said, I think Bucannon is a great pick. He is going to be a stud. People underestimate his value as the nickel LB this past season. He handled the job well enough so that it wasn't a liability---when no one else on the team could have. It was a sacrifice he and the team had to make, and Todd Bowles was smart in not overloading Bucannon too soon by switching him between two roles.

It's the explosiveness he has in getting to the football and finishing off tackles---he drives through the tackles with the correct pad levels. He is going to have a Cam Chancellor type impact on our defense.

As for Minter and Niklas---there were far too many better football players on the board when they were selected. I mean---really---Niklas over Carlos Hyde? Hyde being there was a gift and the Cardinals whiffed on it.

Minter over RBs Eddie Lacy, Le'Veon Bell and Montee Ball? Over Ss D.J. Swearinger and T.J. McDonald? Imagine if we had drafted Lacy and Ellington where we would be at RB right now.

 

[Buckybird]

As for Minter and Niklas---there were far too many better football players on the board when they were selected. I mean---really---Niklas over Carlos Hyde? Hyde being there was a gift and the Cardinals whiffed on it.

Minter over RBs Eddie Lacy, Le'Veon Bell and Montee Ball? Over Ss D.J. Swearinger and T.J. McDonald? Imagine if we had drafted Lacy and Ellington where we would be at RB right now.

Amen Mitch!

You simply don't draft role or solid players in Rd2, those guys have to be very good to great players that also fit your system, just like a 1st rounder. Minter didn't fit this D & imo Niklaus never had a chance to be a huge impact in BAs offense. Blowing 2nd round picks can haunt teams in the long run & we've whiffed quite a few times lately

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I have read a bunch of things, and I believe very few. Here is what Dupree is. He is an athletic freak who has experience playing DE and OLB. He has the gifted athleticism to play OLB in a 3-4, and the power to play DE in a 4-3. He was a big player at a small school, which can lead to some motivation and ego issues. You can see DRC if you want an example of what that looks like. That being said, DRC has had a decent NFL career.

I'm not sure where I stand on Dupree. If he's there at 24, I would be happy with pick(of course that assuming no one has dropped) because he has all the measurables and had some production. My concern, and I need to look closer, is that he didn't play all that well against the better teams. That may not be entirely his fault though as he was the main focus of the offense and didn't have much help around him, which made it easier to neutralize him.

 

[Chopper0080]

I'm not sure where I stand on Dupree. If he's there at 24, I would be happy with pick(of course that assuming no one has dropped) because he has all the measurables and had some production. My concern, and I need to look closer, is that he didn't play all that well against the better teams. That may not be entirely his fault though as he was the main focus of the offense and didn't have much help around him, which made it easier to neutralize him.

He won't get to us just because he fits in a 4-3 and a 3-4. His ability to fit with every defense ensures he goes top 20 IMO just because so many teams are looking for edge rushers in both defenses.