Slimm's 2015 Outside Linebackers | Page 2 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Slimm's 2015 Outside Linebackers

I may be in the minority here, but Benardrick McKinney is not a very good football player.

When you're 6'5 250 and Nick Marhsall is breaking your tackles that's a serious problem. He's drag down tackler. He should hit, wrap, and explode from his hips. I've seen him do that maybe once or twice. Really stiff hips like most high cut guys.. liability in coverage, don't see him stack and shed, he's not quick to key, flow and fill. Aside from HGHT/WGHT/SPEED I don't know what is appealing to some people.
 
If I could add one LB from this class to Miami, I'd want AJ Johnson, and I wouldn't be opposed to spending a 1st on him. Instincts, block shedding, playmaking, COD, burst - all major pluses. I like Shaq Thompson, but with the emergence of Jenkins, I wouldn't prioritize WLB, and I don't think Thompson is as good as AJ.

Going to have to disagree with Tannenballs on McKinney. Like AJ Johnson, when McKinney shoots a gap, he doesn't have to be perfect to blow up a running play. He has the physicality to meet a pulling guard in the hole and still blow up the run. He doesn't have Johnson's COD (to my eyes, anyway), but I'd jump all over McKinney in the 2nd.
 
I'm curious what the NFL is going to decide on Shaq Thompson. His rushing results have become awful compelling.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
If I could add one LB from this class to Miami, I'd want AJ Johnson, and I wouldn't be opposed to spending a 1st on him. Instincts, block shedding, playmaking, COD, burst - all major pluses. I like Shaq Thompson, but with the emergence of Jenkins, I wouldn't prioritize WLB, and I don't think Thompson is as good as AJ.

Going to have to disagree with Tannenballs on McKinney. Like AJ Johnson, when McKinney shoots a gap, he doesn't have to be perfect to blow up a running play. He has the physicality to meet a pulling guard in the hole and still blow up the run. He doesn't have Johnson's COD (to my eyes, anyway), but I'd jump all over McKinney in the 2nd.
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After 5 tapes I didn't see him blow up a pulling guard or stack and shed an OL at the 2nd level. I wouldn't take him top 75. He just doesn't do anything well. He's got to come off the field in subpackages. When Nick Marshall can step out of two of your tackles you're obviously not a form tackler. With his size/speed a quarterback should never step out of a tackle.

Like most high-cut guys he has stiff hips. He is a major liability in coverage. MAJOR.
 
ckparrothead said:
I'm curious what the NFL is going to decide on Shaq Thompson. His rushing results have become awful compelling.
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It's an interesting point - since LB has been devalued on D much the same way RB has been devalued on offense (though to not the same extent). Still, given his playmaking ability on D, I'd imagine that most NFL teams would favor him as a LB. Overall, I really like Thompson, but he's not in on nearly as many plays as the guys he's been compared to in this thread. The flip side is that those players didn't make as many huge plays. As cool as it is to see Thompson go from a great season on D to a great season on O, I would have liked to see him finish the year at LB. I still have some questions about his ability to make a consistent impact.
 
Tannenballs said:
After 5 tapes I didn't see him blow up a pulling guard or stack and shed an OL at the 2nd level. I wouldn't take him top 75. He just doesn't do anything well. He's got to come off the field in subpackages. When Nick Marshall can step out of two of your tackles you're obviously not a form tackler. With his size/speed a quarterback should never step out of a tackle.

Like most high-cut guys he has stiff hips. He is a major liability in coverage. MAJOR.
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That's not my take. I've seen him physically overwhelm O-linemen. Nick Marshall makes a lot of people miss/look bad. I wouldn't fixate on that play too much. I was re-watching the Auburn game yesterday, and he was a problem in the running game (a problem for Auburn). He can battles with O-linemen like a D-lineman, and he's also a viable pass rusher. If I were to pick a comp for him, I'd say he's a lot like Dont'a Hightower, but McKinney looks to be a better athlete.
 
Hightower is a nice comparison for McKinney, although a little better athlete than Hightower. He's great at the POA, limited in coverage. He's basically just another linebacker prospect if you look at strength vs. weakness. This is usually typical of most linebackers.

However, where he's unique is with his size and athleticism. Actually reminds me a lot of Chris Slade coming out of Virginia in the early 90's who went on to be a pro bowler and a dominant force with the Patriots in Parcells' 3-4 defense. It's incredible how similar they are. Slade came off the board early in the 2nd round, I think it's a good range for McKinney.
 
j-off-her-doll said:
That's not my take. I've seen him physically overwhelm O-linemen. Nick Marshall makes a lot of people miss/look bad. I wouldn't fixate on that play too much. I was re-watching the Auburn game yesterday, and he was a problem in the running game (a problem for Auburn). He can battles with O-linemen like a D-lineman, and he's also a viable pass rusher. If I were to pick a comp for him, I'd say he's a lot like Dont'a Hightower, but McKinney looks to be a better athlete.
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It's not that he made him miss in the open field. McKinney went to dive/drag down Marsha and he stepped right out of it. He doesn't wrap and shoot his hips like you're supposed to.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
Hightower is a nice comparison for McKinney, although a little better athlete than Hightower. He's great at the POA, limited in coverage. He's basically just another linebacker prospect if you look at strength vs. weakness. This is usually typical of most linebackers.

However, where he's unique is with his size and athleticism. Actually reminds me a lot of Chris Slade coming out of Virginia in the early 90's who went on to be a pro bowler and a dominant force with the Patriots in Parcells' 3-4 defense. It's incredible how similar they are. Slade came off the board early in the 2nd round, I think it's a good range for McKinney.
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Man, it's been a while since I've thought of Chris Slade. I was a kid for most of his career, so I don't remember a lot of the details of his game. I just remember that he moved well for his size, was very physical, and he made a lot plays. Do you like McKinney best as a 3-4 SOLB/SLB in and Under?
 
Tannenballs said:
It's not that he made him miss in the open field. McKinney went to dive/drag down Marsha and he stepped right out of it. He doesn't wrap and shoot his hips like you're supposed to.
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I agree McKinney is over-rated. I think he reads the game magnificently and he's a great athlete. I just don't see him executing what he reads half as well as he should. For a guy who is so deficient in coverage, you'd expect him to be ultra-decisive and executing well the plays in front of him, but it's not always there. He doesn't have the impact on the game that his leadership, his instinct and physique should deliver.
 
Paul Dawson of TCU is the best linebacker in the NCAAF that nobody is talking about. Instinctive, quick, great run stuffer, great in pursuit, decent in coverage, has a nose for the sack. His tackling is phenomenal. I would love us to take this kid if the price wasn't too high. He's going to be getting a lot more attention the later we get into the season, no question.
 
"TCU head coach Gary Patterson can credit his defense for the finishing flourish in the contest turning the game against Texas into a big time blowout, with a pick-six in the final three minutes capping off a terrific second half in which they forced four turnovers. Linebacker Paul Dawson had a dominant game -- recording six tackles in his first 10 snaps -- to wind up as nation's only player with at least 100 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions this season."

Dawson is still under the radar versus his production. I would love to see us snag this guy. Didn't see the Texas game - can anyone comment?
 
ckparrothead said:
I see kind of a young Scott Fujita. Who knows though.
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I'm seeing him projected in the 6th round. I don't think that will stick. With his 10-yard split, 20-yard shuttle, and 3-cone, he tested into a pretty elite group - that includes guys like Matthews, Ware, Von Miller, and Vic Beasley. I can see a team like New England (who we all know loves the 3-cone) taking him at the end of the 3rd - not banking on him to produce until 2016. But if he adds the necessary weight and strength, he and Jamie Collins would be terrors in the passing game.
 
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