Pace is a great pick!

[LVCARDFREAK]

He will be a very productive player in this league and has all the measurables to be a top tier pass rusher and run stopper. Do I think it was a reach at #18-well, kinda. Follow me, after McDougale was taken by the Eagles I think it was the right choice. Otherwise the Cards might have been stuck with William Joseph, whom I do not like at all!

I know a lot about Calvin Pace having seen him play many many times and having some ties to the wake forest coaching staff I can tell you they all believe he will be a long term player in the NFL. He is consistent, a very hard worker, nice bust off the line, and his size and wing span are nice to have for swatting down passes.

I also know this, which most of you probably do not know, is that had the Cardinals not selected him right there, he already had a phone call from the Giants Ernie Accorsi who said they were taking him with their first pick. Instead they ended up with William Joseph!

I know many of you dont like (or even know Calvin Pace) but you wont be disappointed in his hard work, intelligence, athleticism and motor. Like I said he has a quick burst, great upper body strength, and is a commited football player.

Because of the amount of d-lineman taken in round 1, sure, maybe it was early, but had they not drafted him at #18 the Cards may have been stuck with no DE in round 1 at all ! Pace was ont he rise these past few weeks and because I have seen him play, talked to the guy, and been around him, I am very excited about this pick!

 

[Red Air Force]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK

nice bust off the line

I hope this wasn't a fruedian slip.

 

[hef]

thanks for the info.now i feel alot better about that pick

 

[CardLogic]

But do you believe that he will be a better NFL player than Suggs?
Because basically (Read Harry Greene's article on ASFN Home page) We traded picking Suggs for picking Pace!

 

[RedStorm]

I am getting a little thirsty...Can you give me a swig of that koolaide.

 

[AZCB34]

I am not sure about "great" pick but here is to hoping the WF coaching staff is right about his ability in the NFL. At this moment it is a questionable pick. If he produces well...for several seasons...then we can say it was a good pick. A 10-12 year career of solid production and Graves will look like he made a "great" pick.

Having said that, let's go ahead and get him signed...along with the others...and get this thing going. They need every snap they can get before the season starts.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by RedStorm
I am getting a little thirsty...Can you give me a swig of that koolaide.

And who would you have chosen at #18? It isnt Koolaid moron, it is an opinion form someone who has actually seen this guy play. I doubt you know about him at all or even seen him play.

Ofg course it was early at #18, but with the way the draft was going and all the d-lineman taken, had they not selected him there they would not have been able to grab a DE of any note at all!

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by CardLogic
But do you believe that he will be a better NFL player than Suggs?
Because basically (Read Harry Greene's article on ASFN Home page) We traded picking Suggs for picking Pace!

I wasnt talking about the trade down, just the fact that selecting Pace was the right move there. I have read his article and it doesnt really have anything to do with Pace just the stupidity of trading down in the first place.

 

[Tangodnzr]

Originally posted by AZCB34

Having said that, let's go ahead and get him signed...along with the others...and get this thing going. They need every snap they can get before the season starts.

OK....so the draft's over. My new prediction: The Cards will be one of the first teams to get all their picks signed.

 

[RedStorm]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
And who would you have chosen at #18? It isnt Koolaid moron, it is an opinion form someone who has actually seen this guy play. I doubt you know about him at all or even seen him play.

Ofg course it was early at #18, but with the way the draft was going and all the d-lineman taken, had they not selected him there they would not have been able to grab a DE of any note at all!

Still...Koolaide will help. At least to live with Graves calling the shots.....

 

[EndZone]

I don't like the Pace pick...honestly because I don't know who he is so I could be totally wrong.

But I do think that because of the team he went to and the position that Suggs will be playing that Pace will be a more productive NFL player than Suggs. Suggs will be a bust at LB.

 

[Russ Smith]

At last someone who's seen him play so I'm encouraged that you like him.

I think Joseph actually fits the Giants because they have Hamilton to play next to him. I think Joseph will ultimately beat out Griffin but probably not right away.

Can you shed some light on Pace's weight I've seen him listed between 253 and 269 is this like Suggs a guy who gained weight for the draft?

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
At last someone who's seen him play so I'm encouraged that you like him.

I think Joseph actually fits the Giants because they have Hamilton to play next to him. I think Joseph will ultimately beat out Griffin but probably not right away.

Figures I read on NFL.com that Giants plan to use Joseph with Griffin because Hamilton is always injured. I'm not sure Griffin is big enough I think he and Joseph are both more slashers than pluggers they need Hamilton to play to make it work.

I still think Joseph will turn out a much better NFL player than people are saying but if he's used incorrectly it won't help.

NFL.com did say the Giants wanted a DE but all were gone which supports the comment about Pace.

 

[EndZone]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
At last someone who's seen him play so I'm encouraged that you like him.

I think Joseph actually fits the Giants because they have Hamilton to play next to him. I think Joseph will ultimately beat out Griffin but probably not right away.

Can you shed some light on Pace's weight I've seen him listed between 253 and 269 is this like Suggs a guy who gained weight for the draft?

This is what a NFL scout had to say about Pace after the combine.

"You want a sleeper-type guy as a pass rusher? OK, take a look at Calvin Pace (Wake Forest) and tell me what you think. No, you couldn't line him up at defensive end on first or second down. He's too light in the ass. But he just looks the part of a situational pass-rush guy. He's quick. He has that little twitch you want in a third-down rush guy. Just use him for maybe 15 snaps a game, don't let him wear down physically, and I think you could get yourself a decent player there."

Wake Forest's web page at the start of the year had him at 270 and he weighed in this past week at 267.

 

[PACardsFan]

Having lived in the Mid-Atlantic area for almost 15 yrs, I became a Terps fan secondary to my beloved Orangemen. I will say this about Pace. He was a thorn in our side. I recall distinctly asking a fellow Terp fan WHO IS THIS GUY PACE???? He was in the QB's face ALL day. He also was solid against the run. Wake certainly doesn't have a storied football program, but this guy definitely stood out. Only time will tell whether this guy pans out, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed with him the couple of times I saw him play. Also, living in Nittany Lion country, I had the opportunity to see Johnson play on TV every Sat. Great leaper, acrobatic catches in the red zone, tough over the middle, solid hands. Not a spectacular punt returner, but very reliable. This kid got better every year. My neighbors are Penn State fans & they claim we'll be very happy. He's also a VERY good blocker.

 

[Snakester]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
And who would you have chosen at #18? It isnt Koolaid moron, it is an opinion form someone who has actually seen this guy play. I doubt you know about him at all or even seen him play.

Ofg course it was early at #18, but with the way the draft was going and all the d-lineman taken, had they not selected him there they would not have been able to grab a DE of any note at all!

First I think that the trade should have not been made. Two, Cory Redding, Chris Kelsey, Tyler Brayton and Dewayne White were still there to be had. I like all of them more than Pace. I have watched Pace in action here in Winston- Salem and I think he was a very good college player. However I think he will be very average as an NFL player. I don't think he is or will be better than KVB but he is a decent player. Not getting Suggs though was just plain stupid. Now that I have calmed down a little I can think about our draft a little more clearly. Pace will give us a better passrush than Wakefield if he is put at LE. I do think that Dennis Johnson will be our LE of the future though.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
At last someone who's seen him play so I'm encouraged that you like him.

I think Joseph actually fits the Giants because they have Hamilton to play next to him. I think Joseph will ultimately beat out Griffin but probably not right away.

Can you shed some light on Pace's weight I've seen him listed between 253 and 269 is this like Suggs a guy who gained weight for the draft?

I do like him Russ. Again I will say, yes it msay have been too early, but I dont think the Cards had a choice right there. Maybe Joseph does fit the Giants but I dont like him in AZ.


To answer your question, this year he played at 270, and by years end was about 265 . I would say around 265-270 is what he is comfortable playing at but at 6'6 there is no reason he cant add a few more pounds if need to w/o sacrificing speed hopefully!


A few more notes about Pace:


He was a 2002 first-team All-America and All-ACC selection, leading Wake Forest to a 7-6 record and Seattle Bowl championship. Pace broke the WFU career tackles-for-loss record, originally set by another NFL lineman, Michael McCrary. He ranks second all-time behind McCrary in career sacks as well.

WF coaches feel he is the best athlete on the defense including the secondary and at times he would drop back into coverage on zone blitzes.

From a personal standpoint, and One that I am sure Mac/Graves knew all about is that he was the team leader at WF and had a great attitude and led all off-season workouts and conditioning while at WF...

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by Snakester
First I think that the trade should have not been made. Two, Cory Redding, Chris Kelsey, Tyler Brayton and Dewayne White were still there to be had. I like all of them more than Pace. I have watched Pace in action here in Winston- Salem and I think he was a very good college player. However I think he will be very average as an NFL player. I don't think he is or will be better than KVB but he is a decent player. Not getting Suggs though was just plain stupid. Now that I have calmed down a little I can think about our draft a little more clearly. Pace will give us a better passrush than Wakefield if he is put at LE. I do think that Dennis Johnson will be our LE of the future though.

Chris Kelsay? So you do want another KVB huh? No way do I pull the trigger on him right there-that is way tooo early. White as well. Redding and Brayton I am not so sure about and arguements can be had either way.

I am glad you at least watched Pace. We will have to disagree about the pick, I really like him and think he will be very good in the NFL. He is more athletic than Johnson and I think he will start by the start of the season. I like Johnson as well, but I think Pace 's athleticism and size give him a great advantage!