Outside Linebacker

Iowa

6-3 247

40 time: 4.67

Draft board overall prospect rank: #101

Draft board outside linebacker rank: #9

                4/17/10: AJ Edds is one of the best pure strong side linebackers in this draft class, because of his size, but he is also very fluid in coverage and very athletic and quick for his size. He’s not a flashy player or a big name guy, but he should be a very solid outside linebacker in the NFL. He is going to struggle a bit against more athletic tight ends and running backs one on one, but he does a great job in zone coverage and has good anticipation skills. He has solid hands and makes a lot of plays on a lot of balls in the air. He’s also a solid fundamental tackler and has the size to fill holes. He could probably move inside for a 3-4 team, but he’s best off as a 4-3 strong side guy, preferably in a zone defense where his superior zone skills will be shown, rather than his fairly mediocre man skills. He is not a true sideline to sideline patroller, but he has good timed speed and a solid burst so he’s not someone that can be run outside on fairly easily. He needs work with shedding blocks and using his hands to bust through blockers for tackles. Despite his size, he’s not a huge hitter as a tackler, but rather a more fundamental solid tackler. His low relatively low tackle totals are because he played alongside Pat Angerer, who was a tackling machine. Edds is probably going to go off the board in the 3^rd round range as a strong side linebacker in a zone defense. Despite his size, his best attribute is not his big hitting, it’s his zone fliudity, solid hands, and good pursuit, but he also is solid against the run.

NFL Comparison: Zac Diles

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

By Matthew Frank

New safety Antrel Rolle criticized the Giants for a lackluster effort and game plan this past weekend.   Rolle wasn’t very specific, but generally indited the coaches for a creating an atmosphere with no passion and a game plan that did not attack the offense well enough. 

It’s hard to say that he is wrong, though publicly airing this early in the season might not be the best idea.  The Giants came out very flat all game, and the defensive plan was clearly picked apart by the Colts.  The first game the defense got bailed out by a bunch of end zone interceptions which are not going to happen very often against a veteran quarterback.  The Giants better figure out what is going on quickly or they may be in trouble this weekend against the Titans.

http://www.bigbluefootballreview.com/

By Kevin Harrison

I’m not going to harp too much on the Jets thrashing of the Buffalo Bills in the final game of the season as most of the players on the field will not be playing next week in the playoff rematch against the Colts.

However, there are a few positives I would like to take out of the game:

–         The win gave the Jets 11 wins for just the 4^th time ever in franchise history.

–         Jason Taylor had a sack tying him with Lawrence Taylor and Leslie O’Neal for 8^th place on the all-time list.

–         Nick Folk became just the 3^rd kicker in Jets history with at least 30 field goals.

–         Joe McKnight, in his first game starting for a resting LT and Shonn Green, rushed for 158 yards.

–         Marquice Cole, filling in for our injured secondary, came up with two interceptions.

–         The defense pitched a shutout with the Bills only points coming off an interception.

–         Mark Brunell proved that he could be a decent backup in the playoffs if god-forbid that Sanchez goes down.

–         We were able to rest a lot of starters in preparation for next week’s playoff game with Sanchez able to give his shoulder an extra week to heal.

–         A solid win in the final week gives this team some much needed momentum.

–         Even though this has NOTHING to do with the game, the Giants are out of the playoffs giving the area only the Green and White to focus on.

But the regular season is now over and the Jets are the #6 seed and have a long road ahead.  For this team to accomplish their goals, they will have to beat Manning, and then Brady, and then Roethlisberger all on the road.  Hey, stranger things have happened and in this strange season, you just never know.

http://khbirdmantalkingjets.blogspot.com/

Go back to Jets Fan Spot

QB Jordan Palmer

RB Cedric Benson

FB Brian Leonard 

WR Terrell Owens

TE Reggie Kelly

OT Dennis Roland

OT Kirk Chambers

G Evan Mathis

G Nate Livings

C Kyle Cook

DT Jonathan Fanene

OLB Brandon Johnson

MLB Dhani Jones

CB Jonathan Joseph (#13)

Joseph is one of the most underrated shutdown corners in the league when healthy and could be a #1 guy in a lot of places, but he had trouble staying healthy last year. He also indicated he wanted a longterm extension in Cincinnati.

S Roy Williams 

S Chinedum Ndukwe

S Gibril Wilson

S Tom Nelson

Offseason moves:

Draft 

Quarterback

Pittsburgh

6-2 211

40 time (projected): 4.96

Draft board overall prospect rank: #113

Draft board quarterback rank: #7

Overall rating: 66*

            3/22/10: Bill Stull is a bit raw as a quarterback prospect and very inexperienced, but there are a lot of things to like about him as a quarterback prospect and a future NFL starting quarterback. Stull has started 2 years at Pittsburgh at the quarterback position. He struggled a bit in 2008 with a mere 57% completion percentage and 10 picks to 9 touchdowns, but the 25 sacks he took probably had something to do with that. He bounced back behind an improved offensive line in 2009 leading upstart Pittsburgh with a 65% completion percentage, a 8.2 YPA, and 21 touchdowns to 8 picks. I realize that one good year is not enough to say, he’s going to be a future starter, but when you consider that those stats were all while running a Pro Style offense at Pittsburgh, against fairly tough competition. He’s got a good arm and has made countless pro style throws in his time at Pittsburgh. He’s not the star Colt McCoy is, but I actually like his chances to be a future starting quarterback better than McCoy’s because of his stronger arm, his experience putting up good production in a Pro Style offense, and because of his more mature reads. He has everything you look for in an NFL quarterback. He did not receive a Combine invite and probably will not be drafted in the first 4 rounds, but I could definitely see him following in the footsteps of guys like Matt Hasselbeck, Marc Bulger, and Jake Delhomme, going from a relatively unknown prospect, to an NFL backup, to an NFL starter for a winning team. All he needs is a team to take a chance on him and then to get lucky and get a shot to start.

NFL Comparison: Jake Delhomme 

*=For a breakdown of what this means, click here

2. OLB Von Miller C-

Von Miller has #2 pick value as a 3-4 rush linebacker and he has #2 pick value on 3^rd down in a 4-3, but he doesn’t have #2 pick value on all 3 downs in a 4-3, which makes this a bad pick. On 1^st and 2^nd downs, he’s a stand up outside linebacker, a new full time position for him, and while I think he can be an above average outside linebacker, you just don’t take above average outside linebackers in the top 2. The last two teams to pick outside linebackers early are the Redskins (LaVar Arrington) and the Seahawks (Aaron Curry). Both regret it. I think Denver will too.

45. S Rahim Moore A

A lot of people had them taking Moore with their first pick in the 2^nd round, but the Broncos were smart and were able to trade down and still get their guy. Safety was a huge need for them.

46. OT Orlando Franklin C-

They probably drafted Franklin with the intention of playing him at right tackle, because right tackle was a bigger need for them than guard, but I have some doubts about his ability to play there and I think he was a reach of at least a round. I didn’t have a 2^nd round grade on him. Marvin Austin and Stephen Paea would have made a ton of sense here to fill their defensive tackle need.

67. MLB Nate Irving A-

Irving is one of the more underrated players in this draft and he fills a need for them at middle linebacker. He was a minor reach here and I still don’t like that they haven’t taken a defensive tackle, but I’m far from hating this pick like a lot of people do.

108. S Quinton Carter A-

Carter fits the range and they do need another safety because of Brian Dawkins’ age, but I think a 2^nd safety should have been much further down on their list than a defensive tackle.

129. TE Julius Thomas B

A tight end was a need, but I think Thomas was a minor reach at this point and defensive tackle was a much more glaring need than tight end at this point. They needed to get two defensive tackles out of this draft. They’ve gotten none.

189. OLB Mike Mohamed A

Another linebacker actually makes sense with Miller playing end on 3^rd down. Mohamed is a great value at this point. I think he was very underrated and had a 3^rd round grade in my book. He can also play special teams.

204. TE Virgil Green B

Another tight end? Green was a good value at this point and a better value than Thomas was at 129, but they didn’t need two tight ends. Cornerback, defensive tackle, and running back would have been way more sense here.

247. DE Jeremy Beal A

Say what you want about his athleticism, but he has 27 sacks in the last 3 years in a major conference. He was well worth the 7^th round selection and he does have a role on this team. Elvis Dumervil is coming off a major injury. Robert Ayers is currently a bust, though he could turn that around in a 4-3. Von Miller will only play end on 3^rd down and 2^nd and longs. And you can never have enough guys who can get to the quarterback and this guy proved he could at Oklahoma. Beal also played linebacker at Oklahoma.

Overall:

The Broncos actually had some nice picks. I gave 5 of their 9 picks some form of an A, but I think they really messed up their first selection and they also didn’t fill their biggest need, defensive tackle, at all. They needed two players at that position they got none. I think John Elway was pulling the strings more than John Fox was. John Fox loves to build in the trenches and hates tight ends. Von Miller is a very, very, very talented player, but he only has #2 pick value in a 3-4. In a 4-3, he’ll only be able to rush the passer on 3^rd down, 2^nd and long, and on linebacker blitzes. The rest of the time, he’ll just be a stand up linebacker. He’ll have to learn the position and I think he’s going to be an above average linebacker, but it’s the 2^nd pick. I also didn’t like the Orlando Franklin selection.

Grade: C+

Deal for Steelers: It’s pretty obvious what’s going on here. Leftwich has experience in Pittsburgh’ scheme going 21 of 36 for 303 yards 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions as a backup for Pittsburgh in 2008. The Steelers either know that Big Ben will be suspended, in which case the public would find out tomorrow or so, or have a really good feeling that he will and need Leftwich to step in as a stopgap for however many games (presumably 4). Leftwich knows the scheme, did well in the scheme in 2008, and has more experience than Dennis Dixon so, if Roger Goddell decides to suspend Big Ben despite the fact that he was never convicted, there are worse things for the Pittsburgh Steelers than having to start Leftwich for a few games. Good use of a 7^th rounder.

Grade: A

Deal for Buccaneers: Pretty simple deal. Josh Freeman is the starter in town and they have Josh Johnson who can be a backup. Leftwich was expendable and nothing wrong with picking up another 7^th rounder.

Grade: A

() FA Rank 

QB Billy Volek

RB Mike Tolbert

RB Darren Sproles

WR Vincent Jackson (#19)- Franchised 

He has character and attitude issues, but he had 1000+ yard seasons in 2008 and 2009 and was dominant in short bursts this season, in between injury and contract disputes.

WR Malcom Floyd

WR Legedu Naanee

TE Randy McMichael

TE Kris Wilson

OT Jeromey Clary

OT Brandyn Dombrowski

C Scott Mruczkowski

3-4 DE Jacques Cesaire

3-4 DE Travis Johnson

RLB Antawn Barnes

RLB Antawn Applewhite

RLB James Holt (exclusive rights)- tendered

MLB Kevin Burnett (#40)

A do everything linebacker, Burnett has settled into his role in the middle of San Diego’s 3-4 with 95 tackles, 6 sacks, and 2 picks last season.

MLB Stephen Cooper

MLB Brandon Siler

CB Dante Hughes

S Eric Weddle (#30)

S Paul Oliver

S Tyrone Carter

Offseason moves:

Signed Bob Sanders

Tendered James Holt

Franchised Vincent Jackson

Draft

Taylor is going to be 31 in the middle of next season, but he doesn’t have a lot of wear and tear on his body with only 1028 career carries (the equivalent of roughly 3.5 years). However, Taylor is nothing but an average running back right now. He and Matt Forte will make a good running back combination and Taylor should also give the Forte that he lacked last year, which could lead to a rebound year for Forte (like drafting Donald Brown did for Joseph Addai in Indy this year). That being said, 4 years is still a long time for a back for 30, so I don’t love this move.

Grade: B+

Guard

Georgia

6-5 310

Draft board overall prospect rank: #87

Draft board overall guard rank: #8

Overall rating: 70 (mid 3rd)

40 time: 5.37 (projected)

3/27/11: There was a time when I really liked Clint Boling. I actually had him as my top rated offensive tackle (this is not a good offensive tackle class) heading into the season. As I started watching him more, it became clear, this guy struggled way too much with speed rushers to be a tackle in the NFL. He wasn’t athletic enough to play tackle and would have to move inside. Measurements at the Senior Bowl confirmed this. He had too short of arms to play outside.

Fortunately for him, he has so much experience at other positions that moving inside wouldn’t be that hard. He’s played tackle for the past 2 years, but he also has experience at guard and has even played some center, not a lot, but some. Guard seems like it’s going to be his position going forward, and he’s done well as a guard this offseason, especially at the Senior Bowl.

He is impressing in workouts and proving what there was never any doubt about, this kid has a good grasp of the fundamentals. He’s a good technician. He’s smart and versatile. He’s problem is, he’s just not that athletic. He’s rising on my board of late and that seems to be the general consensus. He could go in the 2^nd round and is most likely coming off the board in the 3^rd round.

NFL Comparison: Eric Steinbach