LZ has a keen eye for talent evaluation. Time allowed it would be a thrill for me to spend a few hours talking scouting & the draft over a few cold ones
Draft grades are like great beer fluid & fleeting always evolving. Sometimes it's nothing more than timing. Having a great scheme or receipe is just as important as the talent/ingrediants but all are important & work together in the final product.
Wade Phillips has made all the difference. Talk about eye for talent then ability to apply & achieve results. Love this guy.
Merciless is fluid & relentless. I think soccer greatly benefited his athletic skill set. His closing speed is elite & may be near the ideal size/speed ratio for 3-4 OLB? His abilty to close in space is something Mario never actualized (size inhibited?) but had a quick glimpse before injury w/Wade.
What I would like to know is there anyway Barwin, Reed, Cushing & Merciless could all be on the field @ the same time? If so, would this be situational 3-4 or operational from a base 4-3?