Any college OLB project to a good SOLB? | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Any college OLB project to a good SOLB?

dolphinator86

dolphinator86

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I was wondering if anybody knew of any player in the college ranks who is a OLB in their system but could project into a good strong side OLB in our 3-4. We have Joey on the weak side and i think we will do something either in FA or draft to get a MLB but we also need a guys to develop on the strong side because as much as i like the effort given by Roth but we need a young guy who can hold that spot down for a decade.

Who i like:

Clint Sintim out of UVA, he is BIG 6-3 254 and plays in a Parcells type of system under Groh. And i think he would be a stud on the opposite side of Joey. And even though he is very very good i think he can last until our 2a pick. Throw in a Spikes in the first or someone like Maualuga. Pick up a corner in FA and draft a future NT man this D could be NASTY
 
Sintim is a good choice, and may be a realistic choice if we keep winning games. Ideally, if he decides to come out I think Greg Hardy out of Ole Miss would look great in a Miami uniform.
 
What about Brian Cushing he would be great but again if we keep playing well and end up 9/10/11 wins then he wont be available but he would be another great match. But Hardy or Sintim would be more than welcome
 
I'd go 1) Hardy, then 2a) Orakpo and 2b) Sintim. Cushing seems like too much of a straight 4-3 player, and he's got more injury problems than Orakpo does. I also kind of like Will Davis of Illinois in round 3 or 4. He's not as athletic, but I view him as more of a Lamar Woodley type of SLB.
 
Cushing's a little bit of a projection is the problem for me, when it comes to pure pass rushing and setting the edge against the run. Hardy would be a big time projection, way bigger than Cushing because at least Cushing already does linebacker duties and is fantastic in coverage. But, with Hardy one thing you can rely upon is his fantastic athleticism. This is a man that was an all-state basketball player and has caught impressive touchdown passes as a WR for Ole Miss. And he looked like a WR on those plays too not a TE.

Sintim is not a projection at all, he already does everything we would ask him to do at SOLB.

Brian Orakpo doesn't have enough in the tool box IMO. I'm not all that comfortable with him. He's definitely got a good body for it but his being projected out to space and coverage is a projection, not sure I see that same kind of fluidness as with Hardy or Sintim, and in pass rush Boomer and I get worried that all he's really got is a bull rush.

Give some thought to Larry English of NIU though. Big, good athlete, does a good job doing the things we'd want him to do, could end up a second or maybe even a first rounder, depending on workouts.
 
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I think Brian Cushing is going to have some problems passing HGH tests down the road. lol That guys body is screaming for a drug test.
 
ZachThomas76 said:
I think Brian Cushing is going to have some problems passing HGH tests down the road. lol That guys body is screaming for a drug test.
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LOL yeah you're definitely not the first to bring that possibility up and he certainly lives in the right town and goes to the right program for that sort of thing to be a danger.
 
ckparrothead said:
LOL yeah you're definitely not the first to bring that possibility up and he certainly lives in the right town and goes to the right program for that sort of thing to be a danger.
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its pretty obvious, at least to me. you cant change your body in that short of a time that dramatically. he reminds me of a UFC guy who recently got busted after his fight. same exact look. too ripped, something just looks off. i think Cushing will be better as a 4-3 olb anyway. like you said, great in coverage. i see him as a guy good at alot of things, but not great at any one thing.
 
Sometimes you have to look at what a guy has already done and be happy having him try and do the same things. What has he already done? He's been an impact performer, an unusually big and strong guy, as a strong side linebacker in a Tampa Two type of defense. There are certain responsibilities and techniques that make that position in that defense unique. So why not just draft him to play in one of these cover two defenses, like in Chicago, Indy or Tampa? His unusual size and strength would be sort of icing on the cake for a position like that, rather than the bulk of his resume.
 
ckparrothead said:
Cushing's a little bit of a projection is the problem for me, when it comes to pure pass rushing and setting the edge against the run. Hardy would be a big time projection, way bigger than Cushing because at least Cushing already does linebacker duties and is fantastic in coverage. But, with Hardy one thing you can rely upon is his fantastic athleticism. This is a man that was an all-state basketball player and has caught impressive touchdown passes as a WR for Ole Miss. And he looked like a WR on those plays too not a TE.

Sintim is not a projection at all, he already does everything we would ask him to do at SOLB.

Brian Orakpo doesn't have enough in the tool box IMO. I'm not all that comfortable with him. He's definitely got a good body for it but his being projected out to space and coverage is a projection, not sure I see that same kind of fluidness as with Hardy or Sintim, and in pass rush Boomer and I get worried that all he's really got is a bull rush.

Give some thought to Larry English of NIU though. Big, good athlete, does a good job doing the things we'd want him to do, could end up a second or maybe even a first rounder, depending on workouts.
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Yeah i would love to be able to wait till our 2a pick to get a guy like Sintim that way we could sure some other position up in the 1st. I am not a huge on drafting safeties in the 1st round unless their last name is REED.

I got a feeling that this FO will go out and get a Aso. or Gamble to play corner so a good SLB like Sintim and a safety like Mays or Moore in the first or wait till our 2b pick and get someone like Nick Harris will make the D fearsome.
 
I'm intrigued by Tennessee's Robert Ayers....at 6-3, 270....he obviously has the size....and strength...has even played some DT in certain situations..

He didn't start a game his junior year (playing behind Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds), but he still tied for the team lead in "big plays"...along with Eric Berry.

It's obviously a projection...as there is no film of him playing in space, or in a 2 point stance....but he's a leader, smart, and a tremendous "football player"....Parcells likes smart "football players"...

We'll have to see how he does in post season drills...but he could be one of those diamonds that could be had a little later...
 
I still like Selvie from USF, but I do go there so I'm hardly unbiased.
 
I think Everette Brown out of FSU is going to be a stud. He plays like Selvie, but I always notice how he is always around the ball.
 
CK, have you seen Connor Barwin out of Cincy play? He's definitely a projection but is crazy athletic also
 
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