official 2012 combine discussion thread...

[Pachyderm_Wave]

There's probably a case to be made somewhere/somehow for Miami to pass up Kuechly at #8 overall..... but Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett are not it.

Kuechly isn't the prospect or player Patrick Willis was, but you don't pass up Kuechly because you "already have" Dansby and Burnett. Just like you don't pass up Patrick Willis because you already have Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder.

Miami is probably going to be in need of a Mike 'backer and Kuechly is as good as it gets.

Kuechly has to at least be in consideration for the #8 overall pick for a team like Miami, along with several other players, or Jeff Ireland needs to be fired again.... for about the 5th time.

 

[TheWalrus]

We don't really HAVE a star middle linebacker. We haven't since Zach was here. Karlos Dansby is not that player. He's a big, fast and versatile player capable of making big plays, but he made his bones as an OUTSIDE linebacker in Arizona. He's a coverage guy, a blitz guy, makes plays that way. He's also what, 31 or 32 years old? This off season if he were a real leader like you'd expect Kuechly to be, he wouldn't have shown up something like 20 or 30 lbs overweight, having to play his way into shape to where the defense sucked for the first half of the year. And if he were the player we thought, we wouldn't have so obviously missed Channing Crowder's football IQ for most of the season. These are the things you'd be getting in Luke Kuechly.

You JUST got done saying if you keep drafting for need and not best player, you end up with an underachieving team. Dansby is 31 or 32 years old, regardless of what his pay is, he's got his strengths and weaknesses. He's not going to be around forever.

And Burnett is like 30 years old, on the 2nd year of a 4 year deal.

Even so, I'm having a tough time seeing why we can't get all three players on the field a significant number of snaps. Didn't Kevin Coyle in his interviews just get done saying that in today's league, your nickel defense is fast becoming your base defense? With Karlos Dansby's prowess as a blitzer, why can't we utilize a 3-3-5 defense on nickel downs, with our fourth rusher coming from any number of directions, be it a defensive back, Dansby, Burnett, Kuechly, etc?

I was just trying to acknowledge both sides of the argument. There are people who'll completely throw out Kuechly because of Dansby and Burnett, but I think it's important not to do that for the reasons I've stated. But I do think that when you're trying to decide between Kuechly and Coples, the current situation at LB has to be part of the discussion. One could conceivably fill the MLB spot with a two down player (like Channing Crowder, if he didn't hate Jeff Ireland) and play a more conventional nickel scheme (allowing our strength at DL to be maximized) and feel reasonably good about that, too.

 

[Hayden Fox]

I saw a specific problem with Kendall Wright's 40 technique that may have affected his 40 the same way it affected Joe Haden's a few years ago. I don't think the 40 was indicative of his speed in this case. I question the thumbs involved in that 4.61 official time, since I believe his first unofficial time was a 4.45. That's too wide of a disparity, and there was enough weirdness going on in his technique at the start of the run for me to throw the time away.

Interesting. I was REALLY surprised at his 40 time. He plays faster than that it seems. Tough combine for him.

 

[Hayden Fox]

I am not a Kuechly guy. Too high at 8. That has to be a pass rusher or something to aid a Peyton Manning signing. Kuechly is a numbers hanger with his tackles.

 

[Kdawg954]

Kuechly definitely surprised me with his athletic ability and even though it is just the combine, I think he confirmed in my eyes that he is in contention for the #8 pick. Sub 4.6, impressive broad jump and vertical and immense instincts . . . I still would want a pass rusher but Kuechly would be a great add, especially if we go more 4-3.

 

[MiamiMuss]

There's probably a case to be made somewhere/somehow for Miami to pass up Kuechly at #8 overall..... but Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett are not it.

Kuechly isn't the prospect or player Patrick Willis was, but you don't pass up Kuechly because you "already have" Dansby and Burnett. Just like you don't pass up Patrick Willis because you already have Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder.

Miami is probably going to be in need of a Mike 'backer and Kuechly is as good as it gets.

Kuechly has to at least be in consideration for the #8 overall pick for a team like Miami, along with several other players, or Jeff Ireland needs to be fired again.... for about the 5th time.

I am very interested as to why Kuech isnt the "prospect or player that Patrick Willis was".Seriously he has won more awards then Willis.Made more tackles in 2 seasons then Willis's whole college career.

Kuech's combine number are almost identical to Willis' and im more then Absolute that Kuech will lick Patricks 12 wonderlic score.

Willis is very good but hes not the end all as far as linebackers go.The 49ers defense played better without him.

 

[miamiron]

miami used him at times in odd ways.

Btw, how much speed did randy shannon and al golden have on that team?

not enough to win

 

[Finfan4lyfe91]

I'd be more comfortable with Malik Jackson in the 2nd or 3rd round than I would Coples in the top 10. There's things about Coples that I like, but also things that I question. Too many questions to take him in the top 10 when I think I can get a virtual clone of him with less question marks later.

Nick Perry is the guy who's going to give left tackles fits in the NFL with his lower body explosion and pass rush ability. He's my top rated 4-3 defensive end.

I am terrified of taking Coples with a top ten pick. Yes he is a freak athletically but I just don't feel like he has IT. He is missing something that I want to see in a top 10 pick. That determination and passion and want... I was impressed by a number of DE's today including Nick Perry. I will admit I didn't know much about him but I am beginning to learn real quick! Kid id a stud!! I'm not saying I want him at 8 but I would take him in a trade down over Coples at 8 any day.

I don't know if it has been posted on this yet but I would LOVE Michael Floyd. That kid helped his stock immensly. Again sorry if it has been posted but he ran very well and did surprisingly well in the gauntlet drill.

 

[Pachyderm_Wave]

I am very interested as to why Kuech isnt the "prospect or player that Patrick Willis was".Seriously he has won more awards then Willis.Made more tackles in 2 seasons then Willis's whole college career.

Kuech's combine number are almost identical to Willis' and im more then Absolute that Kuech will lick Patricks 12 wonderlic score.

Willis is very good but hes not the end all as far as linebackers go.The 49ers defense played better without him.

If tackle statistics, awards, and Wonderlic score were all that you need to determine a player is equal or superior to the other, there would be no need for scouts to travel to campuses around the country to scout football players.

Did you have the opportunity to watch Patrick Willis play at Ole Miss? He dominated in the SEC. I watched him dominate in the SEC with a cast on his hand, a seperated shoulder, and a broken bone in his foot all at the same time and never miss a game.

Willis was a more explosive tackler than Kuechly is. He forced almost as many fumbles during his MVP performance at the Senior Bowl on one day that Kuechly has in his entire career.... despite Kuechly having about 550 more opportunities to do it.

Willis went out and blistered a 4.37 at his pro day. The reason that's significant is because he played to that speed on film. He still does in the NFL... chasing WR's down from behind 80 yards downfield when nobody else can catch 'em.

You'll find a lot of players who have more tackles in college than Patrick Willis who never sniffed an NFL roster because a lot of 'em accumulate tackle stats by being pile jumpers.

Kuechly's a great prospect, but he's still a notch below Patrick Willis as a prospect to me. Willis was the best defensive player in college football for 2 years running, and the best defensive player in the draft. Kuechly isn't the best defensive player in this draft in my opinion, but he's good enough for me to consider him at #8 in this particular draft with what's likely to be available to me after the first 7 picks are gone.

 

[hoops]

here's my post combine thoughts...after having finally watched the last group dbs on the dvr...

dontari poe destroyed the combine 346 lbs sub 5 second 40 feet like a damn ballerina in drills you kiddin me...scheme diverse this kids getting top 10 consideration no doubt in my mind...hell carolina behind us should he get by us might pounce...when you say top 10 physical talent that kids pictures in the dictionary...not sayin he'll be a rediculous pro player but i will say is that when we talk about those guys that are rare physical talents who have the potential to be legit impact nfl players and difference makers this kids one of them...that kid can the 40 at 346 lbs like an athlete...i like taamu and think mayocks nuts when he said at his combine wrap up barring skeletons in his closet you can get taamu "late" but when you looked at him and poe side to side as prospects it was no contest upside and tools wise...poe was phenomenal

luke kuechly i think did everything to have a top 10 team giving him strong looks...with the move of misi to ilb this year which some of us have been praying for for what now 2 years if we're gonna play more 43 looks this kids the prototype nfl mike...ran better than 4.6 athletically tested very well and the tapes rediculous...i got no problem taking this kid in the top 10...none...frankly if its up to me our top 10 pick provided we land a qb in free agency ie manning or flynn would be down to poe, coples, kuechly or decastro and i'd be damn happy with any of them...decastro and kuechly are safe high end level nfl players and poe and coples provide that top 10 talent value you want and look for and hope for with a top 10 pick

michael floyd if he's cleared off the field locked up the #2 wr pick this week no question in my mind...ran better than he plays on tape caught everything in site with his hands he's a natural receiver of the ball...on tape gets off press maybe the best of any wr in the draft...alshon jeffery you're fooling no one with you weight loss and not running...justin blackmon looked good in drills and is another guy cutting weight to run fast...he runs mid 4.5's or better and he won't get past st louis in any trade down i guarantee you that...kendall wright dissappointed imo and is in a fight for the #3 wr off the board...4.61 he plays faster than that on tape...looks like a sneaky pats pick at the tail end of round 1 to me


fletcher cox was fantastic...had to lock up a top 20 pick and imo he's a top 15 bpa...300 lbs and great movement skills...kendall reyes i was hoping i could sneak you in the 3rd round so much for that looks like a top 40 pick to me now...another guy who had a great combine...off strong senior bowl momentum...i think he's a nice strength in his hands and quickness 43 dt

was intrigued by the workout of lb denario davis from ark st i think it was liked his length liked his movement and hips i think he's a fast riser...kendrick mychals fantastic workout and hips and feet in drills but at just over 5 ft 11 i doubt he's on miamis board...

george iloka as the last line of defense at free you guys can have slimm and ck...i was worried about those hips and all he showed me was he's way too stiff to man the deep middle...i like his length against te's but when a vertical wr eats up his cushion and he has to transition out of his pedal i think its curtains...

i think brandon taylor at free is someone people are sleeping on...if i can get that kid from lsu in the 5th round i'd pull the trigger...i'm not sayiin he's ed reed but i think he's smart i think he can run and and i think he has better hips and coverage skills than he gets credit for...5th round sign me up

i also like kyle wilbur as a situational pass rusher in the 4th round...his get off is very good i could care less if he ran the 40 in like 4.9 i want that kid to hunt the qb and he's got solid tools and a solid body to work with

melvin ingram had a hell of a workout i saw more straight line in him on tape than i saw at the combine...but i still wouldn't use a top 10 pick on him...i like the pass rush arsenal though have to say that...

i thought morris claiborne was fantastic in drills...188 lbs is a little light for me but he's got awesome tools...long arms looks taller than he is if he gets to 8 run the card up...needs some work on his technique like mayock and even deion said he too high in his pedal in drills but thats kids got off the charts tools...he could be a hell of a boundary cb

alfonso dennard i'm starting to wonder if he should be kicked inside to safety...cause i see some stiff hips and average tools for a boundary cb...frankly i'd stay away he's buyer beware to me

trumaine johnson looks like another classic tweener to me...a sean smith like...not quick twitch or high end tools enough to play the boundary i think if anything the value in him is at free safety...i saw a lot of guys at the combine who came in being viewed as potential high end pick cbs who as pros better get physical and move to safety...and those kids scare me...