Finally someone that makes sense. We DO have more depth at OLB than ILB. I'm not saying we couldn't use a good OLB to improve the pass rush, but if we can't stop the run (i.e. improve the inside of our D), then a pass rush won't really help much.

MAN...I hope we get Maualuga. I would cry if the Patsies drafted him.

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"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

good blog

Yeah, I posted it because thought it was a very interesting read. The only thing I don't get though, that if Miami is scouting Matthews for inside, then why wouldn't they show interest in Laurentis?

I don't know, for all the talk of these players, I think a lot of them will be gone when we pick. Not way gone, but I think for the first couple rounds we'll miss out on players just a couple slots ahead of us, especially with NE picking four times. I don't think we're going to end up with Matthews, I really don't. I think he's getting way too much press, just like Chris Long did, and he's too versatile. I also think Percy Harvin and Hakeem Nicks will be gone, and there may be some corners taken early with teams fearful of the deep pass. I think they'll be lots of rushing linebackers taken, but there's so much good talent there that we should end up with someone good, too.

I predict our draft goes like this:

English, Britt, Beckwith (or McKillop.)

Here's my rationale for that:

Larry English is way better than lots of other players we could pick up at the first spot, and even though he'll play OLB, he's good against the run too. Since we don't have spectacular corner talent, even though we'll pick up another corner in the draft, we could use a pass rush along with Porter. As much as I think it would be incredible to trade up for Maualuga, and how important a monster ILB presence is to eat up the run and short pass, we won't do it. That doesn't leave much worthy as a first pick in that spot. Who else would we use number one for? The best corner? I'd rather have the best OLB. Other positions used heavily in the first round are QB, RB, TE, WR, and we're set on all of those, except for WR and he won't draft a WR in the first round.

2nd round we need a good receiver, and that could be 44 or 56. But assuming Harvin and Nicks are gone, we get Britt who fits our system perfectly. He has good size and strength, gets good separation and shows up in big games.

Beckwith fills the ILB need, is a solid player worth a second round pick. McKillop's had a great combine, and his stock is rising. Neither player is likely to be around by the time we pick in the 3rd round.

Matthews will not be taken by this team. Any news to the contrary is a smoke screen.

Are you saying we're not targeting him either? Who do you guess it is that we'd prefer?

ghotirule Wrote:
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> Matthews will not be taken by this team. Any news
> to the contrary is a smoke screen.

ghotirule Wrote: It is why draft prognostication by wannabe GMs on a fan message board disgust me.
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So which is it? You disgust yourself?

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

eesti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ghotirule Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Matthews will not be taken by this team. Any
> news
> > to the contrary is a smoke screen.
>
> ghotirule Wrote: It is why draft prognostication
> by wannabe GMs on a fan message board disgust me.
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> So which is it? You disgust yourself?


I don't usually defend ghotirule, but those 2 comments are not related. Ghotirule isn't playing GM when he says Matthews won't be taken by #25. He's not predicting who we will take. He's only making a comment that Matthews isn't worth a 1st rounder, and that's the basic consensus throughout the NFL.

mathews stood out among the LBs at the combine.

Like Chris Long last year, Matthews value is inflated by his daddy.

We won't be picking him, just like we didn't pick Chris Long after having him in for a visit.

Well, either way, I don't think he'll be available. Something tells me he would have been a disappointment anyway. I didn't want Chris Long at the time, either. I'm sticking with my prediction of English, although there's a chance it could end up being Stintim, Barwin or someone else like that.