Olivier Vernon

[Awsi Dooger]

Yeah, he's a rookie. Sometimes rookies are supposed to be shockingly good. Why are we immune to that? That's what I meant in the "draft SEC" thread. we might screw up and find a Pro Bowler once in a while, instead of name after name that other franchises don't care about but it's an industry on this site to pretend they are special.

David Bowens is probably not a bad comparison to Vernon. Same general caliber but I can't say they are identical in any one characteristic. Bowens is more relentless and instinctive and arrogant. He's had numerous big plays in his career, including a couple of touchdowns in one game against the Saints a couple of years ago. Vernon has a wider stronger frame and is better against the run. Special teams I might lean to Vernon slightly. Bowens has played more than 10 years. I doubt Vernon will match that. Bowens has a lithe body type that has enabled him to overcome injuries and play younger than his years.

 

[kcbrown]

Give the guy a little time and credit. Even Cam Wake was a situational player that didnt see the field much is first season in the NFL.

Cam should have taken J-Peezy's spot long before they gave it to him.

Vernons ok, but I'm not a big fan...I don't think he will ever be a stud rush threat.

 

[Coach_Rob]

I may get some hate for this but I could just about count the number of good pass rush reps I've seen out of Olivier Vernon on one or two hands. It just so happened that one of the truly great reps he had was that killer sack at the end of the Rams game. Picked a great time for it.

To me he's the second coming of David Bowens. He's easily as good a special teams player as Bowens was, and he's also destined to be an "ok" outside linebacker type, like Bowens. But like Bowens, the pass rush skills are overrated.

You definitely hope to get more than that in the 3rd round. But he's not going to lose you games like a Jason Trusnik will lose you games. And in fact his special teams impact is so big you can actually sit back once or twice in a year and say hot damn this guy did something pretty big to help me win a game or two.

werent you a big supporter of his when he came out?
anyway i think he should have played more last week. i wasnt big on him coming out but he has made some big plays this year, and i hope he gets better