There are 3 players playing for Texas that I am very interested in. Vaccaro, Jackson Jeffcoat, and Alex Okafor. I watched all 3 last weekend and am still very impressed with them. Jeffcoat may well be out of our reach, but the other 2 could be there when we pick.Originally Posted by steelerdude15
AML
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Good question.
Ill break it down into Strong Safety prospects...then Free Safety prospects...then overall.
The top two strong safeties in the draft at this time are Kenny Vaccaro of Texas and Robert Lester of Alabama....both are considered second round prospects on most boards but I think Vaccaro is special and warrants a late 1st round look. I absolutely love this kid.
As far as free safeties, I'll give you three. Eric Reid of LSU , T.J. McDonald of Southern California and Tony Jefferson of Oklahoma. Reid is considered a mid 1st rounder and the unanimous "best safety" in the upcoming draft. T.J. McDonald is considered a late 1st rounder and Jefferson is a mid 2nd rounder.
That being said....my personal opinion is that they rank in this order:
1) FS Reid-mid first round
2) SS Vaccaro-late 1st round
3) FS McDonald- late 1st round/early 2nd round
4) SS Lester- early to mid 2nd round prospect
5) FS Jefferson-late 2nd/early 3rd round prospect
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
Awesome write up, LLT! As always, a fantastic look at prospects. I'll definitely check out all of these players. I'll probably do it tomorrow night.
Perry,, you might want to add Hyde to that list. He is have a good year, so far, and I am starting to see more people agree with me that he would make a better pro safty than a CB. He would likely go in the same area as Jefferson.
AML
Only watched two games yesterday. The RB for South Carolina, who will remain nameless, look good. He may be one of the best all around RBs I have seen for a while. His weakness? He needs to work on his pass blocking.
Ball Montee Ball looks to be moving himself up the draft chart.
Iowa CB Micah Hyde, I still think he will end up a safty, had a good game. I see him as a 3rd rounder.
Perry - what is your assessment of Georgia's safety Shawn Williams??
I have caught some Bulldogs football this year and too me he has been more productive than Rambo in the film that I have seen. To me Williams has a nose for the ball.
he would be my #6 on that list and great value in the 3rd.
"NUMBER 7 FOR OUR BELOVED ONE IN HEAVEN"
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Ive thought the same thing about Xavier Rhodes of Florida State. He is 6'1 217 lbs....but is supposed to run around 4.55. At that speed he may be a better safety option with his willinness to lay a hit on players.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
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Williams is one of those players that I like alot.....I find him intriquing because his secondary position is actually OLB. I agree with you that he is just as talented as Rambo and he appears to be one of the better open field tacklers that I have seen for awhile.
I know there is a knock on him for having been suspended for a half of a game....but it wasnt for off-field issues, but rather a hit that the NCAA said was "unnessarily rough".
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
Just watched some videos of the top safeties that were highlighted by LLT and Kenny Vaccaro is still the best IMO. Since its being predicted that this isn't a good safety class and not a single one could possibly not be drafted in the first round, would corner be the best route to go if this is the scenario?
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McDonald and Vaccaro may slide into the top of the 2nd....But I would be shocked if Reid wasnt picked in the 20-32 range in the first round.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
I think he will go higher than that, I think he could be in the teens before the year is over. It would be interesting if when we pick he and Jeffcoat are both there.
AML
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Oh ...I entirely agree. By best guess is that he is picked in the 15-25 range. Of course that is being said without the advantage of the combine results and "fine-tooth" combing his background.
Jeffcoat should be available in the first round for a team that will take a chance on him.....small risk GREAT reward for a player that suffered a right pectoral muscle rupture this week and is out for the season....but may end up being an ELITE 3-4 OLB.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
If we are too concured about Jeffcoats injury, the man that llines up on the otherside of the D-line is another one of my personal favorites for this year. Of course where we actually draft will have a bunch to do with our decision.
AML
Been watching Louisiana Tech WR Quinton Patton 6'2 195. Do it all receiver, looks like a fit in Haleys bubble screen heavy offense if they want to move on from stone hands Wallace. Has numbers similiar to Sanders and Brown whem they came out.
"It comes with the Territory" - Floyd 'Money' Mayweather
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Great call on Patton. I saw the game in which he had 200+ yards and 4 TD's. I dont think he is as fast as Brown and Sanders, but appears to be a better route runner then either of those two coming out of college. He is predicted to go in the 2-3 round.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
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Wow....even just alluding to a player...and you curse him!!!! LOL!!!!
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
It doesn't really matter now. He has stated that he will be going back to school. How would you feel about Alex Okafor. Through seven games he has 23 TT, 10 TFL, 8 sacks, and 2 FF. We seem to have problems at times getting pressure on the QB. OR Eric Reid, Reid would strengthen our safty position.
AML
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I love Okafor as a player but think that he may not fit our scheme very well. I think he isnt built like a 3-4 DE and not sure that he projects as a 3-4 OLB. Some 4-3 team will grab him mid way through the first as a DE which is where he will thrive.
I also love Reid, and would draft him in a heartbeat if he is available when we pick. Right now, my gut tells me that he will probably go in the first round in the 15-25 range.
I agree with you that we need to find a few players capable of putting pressure on the QB....and wonder if DE John Simon of Ohio State could play OLB. He is the epitome of the word "tenacious"....and built like superman. 31.5 career TFLs, 19 quarterback sacks. He is a tweener and may slide into the 3rd-4th round for a team that is willing to gamble on his making the transition.
Last edited by LLT; 11-06-2012 at 01:24 AM.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
OK guys, I am going to throw another name at you that is starting to make more and more sence to me.
Jesse Williams, NT, bama. 6'3", 320 lbs. Jesse is reported to benck 600 lbs. with pretty quick feet. A kid that does not have a whole lot of experiance, only a couple of yeays I think, but seems to be learning fast.
Question? If we thought we need a NT last year, are you comfortable that we found one?
AML
Anyone hear of Phillip Thomas, Safety 6'1 Fresno st. Happened to be in Reno past weekend and caught the game. They play an aggresive 3-4. His strength was blitzing and tackling, but also covered the slot, played deep, and has 8 Int'S . Will be following the Bulldogs through bowl season.
"It comes with the Territory" - Floyd 'Money' Mayweather
Thomas has put up some very impressive numbers this year. I believe I read that he leads the nation in INTs. Right now I think he is figured to be a late 4, or 5th round pick. The only real knock on him, that I have heard, is his speed. He has the look of a player that could make good use of the combines. Could be one to watch.
AML
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If we're talking safeties, what do you guys think of Brynden Trawick out of Troy? I've been impressed with this kid. Seems to have really improved against the pass this season. At 6-2 he is pretty tall, but he doesn't look stiff and flows to the ball well.
"If you are holding on to something that you no longer need to hold on to, I encourage you to let go." - Rashard Mendenhall
Other than safety, our bigest need is pass rusher. I have watched kid from BYU, Ezekiel Ansah. He`s pretty fast for his size (6`6 270) but also pretty raw. He has a similar athletic abillities like JPP or Aldon Smith. I know we dont take players who are one season wonder like this guy, but i sure would like to see him in Steelers jersey. For now most scouts have him in late first. Any thoughts about this guy?
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Trawick is a beast at run support and has improved against the pass. However, I think he only has one career interception. He is 6'2, 218 lbs and runs a 4.4 forty....so some team will take a chance on him in the later rounds or as a UDFA. He is the type of player that I like to see us draft in the 6-7 rounds....High risk/High reward. There is an remote chance that he will be drafted by some team and asked to gain weight as a 4-3 OLB.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
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Reminds me of Jason Pierre Paul....who I was critical of (due to being a one season producer), but has flourished in the NFL. Ansah has a high ceiling and is surprising a lot of people with his production this year. Most draft boards that I am looking at show him as a 2nd rounder....but I think you are right in saying that he will go late in the first round to a team that knows he wont be on the board late in the 2nd.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
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Hmmmmmm.....History of character concerns AND runs a 4.74 forty. Most teams will take a chance on a kids mistakes if his talent warrants the risk. Few will take a chance on a player with character concerns who might not be able to play at NFL speed. Probably why he gets a 5th round grade.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
Haven't heard about the character issues, but then I haven't been following him closely yet. You know what those issues are? His LBers type speed does concurred me. I'm afraid that he may be that the type of kid that can be coached into looking better at the combines than he will play in the pros.
AML
I have always been concurred about a kid that does well just before he enters the draft, and the kid that suddenly does well at the combines. Still the young man obviously has talent. I also think he is an early 2nd rounder that we would have to move to a 1st rounder if we want him. I think there will be to much left at the end of the 1st round for us to do that. Still there is plenty of season left for him to prove to teams that he is worth a 1st round pick. Also, remember that the way our season is going, we may be drafting much earlier that we originately thought.
AML
We all know the problems our team is having right now, and if thing do go south there is a chance that we could be drafting in the mid teens. If this happen players that may be available could be.
Manti Te'o, ND, ILB, 6'2" 255. Outside chance here. I really like this kid, liked him last year when we all thought he might come out.
Barkevious Mingo, LSU, OLB, 6'4", 245. Another outside chance.
Sam Montgomery, LSU, DE/OLB, 6'5", 260.
John Jenkins, Georgis, DT/NT, 6'3", 355, Do you still want a NT.
Eric Reid, LSU, FS, 6'2, 210, This might be my choice, If Te'o is gone, since we might be able to trade down 5 or 8 spots and still get him.
Any one else in that area that you like?
AML
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Exactly what I was coming to this thread to post. I too, didn't believe in Pierre-Paul when he came out. And Ansah looks almost like a clone. Whether that will trasnlate to the league or not we obviously don't know. But I have been slowly opening up to these kinds of guys as coaches seem to be having some level of success with them. Michael Johnson is another guy who comes to mind. But for every JPP there are two or three Vernon Gholston's, so to select a player like this you have to really think long and hard about the possibility that it doesn't work.
"If you are holding on to something that you no longer need to hold on to, I encourage you to let go." - Rashard Mendenhall
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