I just watched about 30 mins of various clips and videos of McClain. The biggest thing I like about the guy is he reminds me a lot of ZT in that he can go side to side like crazy. If you put McClain in the game, outside running will be 1-3 yard pickups, versus 6-8.

The thing I wasn't impressed with was he explosion at point of impact. He likes to wrap up around the legs quite a bit, and drag people down. However, one thing to understand about evaluating players is 1)are they coachable, and 2)can we undo some of the wrong types of habits that he may have formed in College.

Is McClain our answer to our ILB problems? I don't know for sure. Is he top 10 player status in this years draft? I'd say he's first round material but not top 10.

wow, great points... I am almost sure that after the combines and the month or so that follows the rest of the football nation will agree with you.

That's what I have been saying. racking up a bunch of tackles is a great indication of mental ability...but at some point...you want to see him use his size and speed to lower the boom on a back.

haven't seen it yet. I see a fast smart, SAFE player, who doesn't use all of his tools.


I am open to the possibility that I am wrong...but I have yet to see proof.

draft grades aren't an exact science.

Aaron Curry was 4th overall and Cushings was 15th BIG difference there.....Cushings won Defensive Rookie of the year.

Spikes draft grade dropped after the eye gouging incident, and his stats suffered with the missed game by suspension and a few missed games because of injury. But, when you look at the video, you do see plays where he makes a high impact play.

I also think Spikes will be better at the next level, much more of a solid tackler.

That makes at least two of us. For a guy that some posters want to trade away damn near anything to get, there seems to be a lot of doubt on this site. Whether this is from true caution of this player's suitability to be our 1st Rd pick or is a reaction to poor drafts in the past, I don't know. Remember, the draft IS a crapshoot and we have to take our chances just like anybody else.

Rick

Where have you been? This board has ALWAYS had independent thinkers on it. There just is, maybe, a little more tolerance for it, so guys are a little freer to speak their true minds. Less political correctness, more free speech. That's the idea.

Rick

I didn't even watch this video through to the end, I shut it off after watching the same play from three different angles inserted at the beginning and then again later. Who is "Universal Draft"? They made the video. What ax do they have to grind? Victor, I'm not surprised at your uncertainty after watching this. I don't watch college football, and I don't know much about individual players, but I know a less-than-objective video when I see it, and this is it.

Rick

universal draft has similar vids of other playrs--shows bad plays intentionally i think. nevertheless, these guys do make bad plays

I believe that McClain is a no-brainer type of pick if he is still on the board.

He has everything that this regime looks for... big, smart, leadership, keeps his mouth shut, experience in pro-type defense, can blitz, can cover, can hit...

I see him being a bigger, better version of Jerod Mayo (whom the patsies drafted 10th overall).

I dont think that mcclain can even hold mayo's jock strap... Mayo is a BEAST

I think he (McClain) is better. Mayo was projected a mid-late first round pick, but nobody questioned the pick because billicheat made it. And of course because he has proven to be a good player. But he wasnt that great at UT.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2010 08:26PM by Aqua&Orange.

Miami Reppa Wrote:
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> I dont think that mcclain can even hold mayo's
> jock strap... Mayo is a BEAST

WHATA FREAKIN JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!! Reppa has lost all credibility

Well, at this point, I hope we end up with at least one of those guys (McClain or Spikes).

It would be nice if we ended up with both of those guys and due to Mount Cody eating all of Mount Ranier he is now 370 pounds and totally out of shape at the senior bowl.

I would love it if it totally destroyed his stock and we could pick him up in the 3rd round, possibly.

No matter what he does (or eats) off the field. On the field, he dominates.

1st-McClain
2nd-Spikes
3rd-Cody

Dream a big dream guys! LOL!

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

I see a perfect OLB to replace JT. He has the speed to bring an outside rush, he is a sure tackler, and reads plays well. If they want to put him on the outside? Yes he is worth the 12th pick.

As far as ILB? look at the tackle he makes at the 15 second mark. He reads the play, he sets up, initiates contact, and the tackle is made 2-3 yards beyond where contact initiated.

His tackling tendancy is to wrap a guy around the waste and turn him around until he goes down. But any decent NFL RB is going to keep his legs pumping through the turning motion and even if he doesn't break the tackle he is going to get more yards. You can't have that on a run that is vertical on the inside. If it is an edge run, then those extra yards are often toward the sideline and don't hurt as much. If the contact is made as part of containment, then you want that coralling tackle.

On the inside you need a guy who puts his shoulderpads into the guy and DRIVES him backwards.

6'4" 256, with 4.7 speed? GREAT OLB.


But like you mentioned before.....wouldn't it be phenomenal if we got McClain with our 1st round pick and managed to land Spikes with our 2nd?

That would be the best draft since JT and Zach.

That would be a good situation to be in. I would actually like to see us trade up our second pick to make sure it happens. I think Spikes is a far better tackler.

Spikes is not a far better tackler. McClain is the more surer tackler, I garauntee that.

Spikes overreacts on alot of plays.

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

I agree that McClain is the more 'sure' tackler in that his guy gets tackled.

But....in terms of what is the better way to tackle? I prefer Spikes as an INSIDE tackler.

You want your inside guy to stick his nose in, stop the momentum, and if possible drive the guy back. Spikes does that. Yes he has taken bad angles and missed some.

Rolando once he gets his mitts on the guy it is usually around the waist and the guy goes down. usually a couple yards further than point of contact.

Also, McClain does get blocked easily because he is a little too upright. If he lowers his base he would have an easier time shedding.

The more I watch the two, the more convinced I am that McClain is a 3-4 OLB. Which would be awesome.

Would all the Gator fans please raise their hands....?

Ohio State over here.

Now everyone wants McC to change positions? That is a big projection for a #12 pick. We would be better off going with Jason Pierre-Paul or one of the other guys with pass rush experience and then going for an ILB in the second....assuming we get a NT in FA.

We cannot go into the season relying on Fergy to stay healthy (if he doesnt retire) or depending on Soliai or McDaniels to keep blockers of our ILB's.

We can get by with the same ILB crew that we have. We started the season as a top rush defense and dropped off when players got hurt. Fergy, Crowder, Ayodele.

That's not to say we couldn't use an upgrade at ILB.

If we can get Casey Hampton or Vince Wilfork then we have the luxury of drafting an ILB but...we need a pass rusher more than we need an ILB. Our secondary proved that last year.

All signs are pointing to Porter being released and the staff obviously doesn't want to use Taylor at his normal position since they benched him toward the end of the year. He may not return either.

The staff was wanting to use Wake at LOLB with JT and JP rotating at ROLB but it didn't happen. Partly because Wake isn't good enough in coverage and vs the run. He is a one trick pony thus far. That leaves us with Anderson, Moses and Wake. None of which has proven they can man a full time position at either end.

This makes OLB a huge need or our young CB's are in for another long year.

The coaches also have to figure out what to do at Safety. I hope I don't see the same stubborn pride I have seen with other positions (WR) by keeping status quo at Safety. We have two strong safeties playing in our defensive backfield. One has to go so we get a playmaker at FS.

With no CBA, the FS market is going to be slim pickins but we should still be able to land a NT like Hampton or Wilfork due to their number of years in the league.

Needs...
1 & 1a NT/WR
2 OLB
3 FS
4 ILB
5 TE
6 RB

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

Well when McClain and Patrick Willis are the best two ILB's in the league 10 years from now dont say I didnt tell you.

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

In the 2nd round theres gonna be a couple outstanding FS still there IMO...