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Texans Draft Board

beerlover

Hall of Fame
What do you imagine the Texans Draft Board looks like? could it look something like this-

  • Derrick Johnson LB, Texas
  • Braylon Edwards WR, Michigan
  • Mike Williams WR, USC
  • Ronnie Brown RB, Auburn
  • Cedric Benson RB, Texas
  • Carnell Cadillac Wiliams RB, Auburn
  • Antrell Rolle CB, Miami
  • Carlos Rogers CB, Auburn
  • Shawne Merriman OLB, Maryland
  • Justin Miller CB, Clemson
  • Adam Pac Man Jones CB, W. Virgina
  • David Pollack OLB, Georgia
  • Troy Williamson WR, S. Carolina
  • Thomas Davis SS, Georgia
  • Marcus Spears DT, LSU
  • Alex Barron OT, FSU
 

Grid

All Pro
  • Derrick Johnson
  • Ronnie Brown
  • Braylon Edwards
  • Cedric Benson
  • Antrel Rolle
  • Mike Williams
  • *at this point we would start looking at trading down*
  • David Pollack (I hope)
  • Marcus Spears
  • Shawn Merriman
  • Justin Miller
  • Anttaj Hawthorne
  • Cadillac Williams
  • Alex Barron
  • Channing Crowder
  • Shaun Cody
  • Carlos Rogers
  • Darryl Blackstock
  • Barret Ruud

dont give me too hard a time.. im just giving my opinion, based on value and our needs.
 

threetoedpete

Hall of Fame
Hmmm short arms, little hands, I'd be surprised if Pollock is in anyone's top fifteen at this point. Could be another "hacksaw". Never know. Pollack is my nominee for this years Led Zeplin. 'Course, I've been wrong befor. To quote that dude on the radio, "Rack him".JMHO.
 

beerlover

Hall of Fame
threetoedpete said:
Hmmm short arms, little hands, I'd be surprised if Pollock is in anyone's top fifteen at this point. Could be another "hacksaw". Never know. Pollack is my nominee for this years Led Zeplin. 'Course, I've been wrong befor. To quote that dude on the radio, "Rack him".JMHO.
off that list Pollack is my 3rd most favorite player, he just knows how to play football, he is smart, diciplined, coachable, quick, strong, versatile, leader off & on the field. along with Carnell Cadillac Williams (#1) & Justin Miller (#2) these guys are great football players & would become great Texans, also at this point its going to be very difficult to trade down unless your in the top 7 :thumbup
 

cadahnic

Rookie
I would venture that Carlos Rogers should rise on the board. and Pollack should definately fall. We dont need him when we got Babin last year. Do we really need two slower OLBs that cannot cover anyone. Dont get me wrong I think Babin will be a monster this year at least doubling his sacks maybe even triple, but he is not about to cover anyone so I am against Pollack who would be the same type of player. I think BeerLover has the closest to the Texans Board looking at our specific needs.
 

Grid

All Pro
im hoping that Sharper gives us a nice little bargaining chip for a trade down.


About Pollack.. no he isnt the perfect physical specimen.. but how many times have we seen a player who IS the prototypical fit for his position become a bust?

Fact of the matter is Pollack, of all the LB prospects in this draft, has the best instincts, the best drive, the best attitude, and the most intelligence. Hes the type of player who will have no trouble moving from DE to 3-4 LB.. and no trouble picking up on how our defense works. On top of that.. he is the QUICKEST LB in this draft.. with outstanding shuttle and cone drill times... he could potentially be one of our best coverage LBs.


Yah his measurables are questionable.. but with everything else he has going for him, I think he is worth the risk. His attitude alone makes me think he will be worth the pick.. I dont think he is going to let short arms and small hands keep him from being successful.
 

Grid

All Pro
see the above post cadahnic.

and my list were just my personal preferences.. I honestly wouldnt even know where to begin at guessing what Casserlys picks look like.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
Grid I see what you are saying about Pollack. First he is not the quickest LB in the draft, but I know where you were going with the thought so I will leave it alone. We would be better taking a guy like Demarcus Ware rather than Pollack. I dont care about short arms or any of that **** cause that is what it is a Football player is a football player. They said Culpepper had small hands yet he is doing pretty well I think. I know Pollack has intagibles that are a definate quality, but we have the same guy in Babin so that would not make since for us to make him our pick or have him that high on our board. He has to be almost a last result from trading down.
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
cadahnic said:
We dont need him when we got Babin last year. Do we really need two slower OLBs that cannot cover anyone. Dont get me wrong I think Babin will be a monster this year at least doubling his sacks maybe even triple, but he is not about to cover anyone
Babin is hardly slow. He has posted 40 times as low as 4.54--
Link

His official combine time was in the 4.6's. And he does cover--in his 1st year doing it he had 4 passes defensed. For comparison--Wong had 6, Foreman 1, Sharper 6.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
Infatry. our linebackers on a whole cannot cover so you lose a little something with me by showing me our linebackers, but Babin is not and will not ever be mistaken for one of the fastest OLBs in the game. Yes he posted good times and he plays well in short areas we know that that is why we drafted him, but the post was about Pollack who would be just another BABIN. Babin is bad in coverage but a solid tackler so at least he can bring down the guy who catches it on him. That is better than our SS. I mean Brown who is cut not EArl
 

Grid

All Pro
Pollack's times in the quickness drills were faster than Babin.

and what exactly do you think we should have opposite of Babin? I mean.. i understand the comparison because Pollack is a bit like Babin, but im not seeing why having two Babin's would be a bad thing??
 

beerlover

Hall of Fame
cadahnic said:
I would venture that Carlos Rogers should rise on the board. and Pollack should definately fall. We dont need him when we got Babin last year. Do we really need two slower OLBs that cannot cover anyone. Dont get me wrong I think Babin will be a monster this year at least doubling his sacks maybe even triple, but he is not about to cover anyone so I am against Pollack who would be the same type of player. I think BeerLover has the closest to the Texans Board looking at our specific needs.
other than Derrick Johnson who will not get past the Viking's basicly the WR class @ the top would be a no brainer but also gone by 13. moving down to the RB's I don't expect any of them to be there @ 13 either, but if one did slip to us I would not hesitate to make that pick, regardless. the CB's are an excellent grouping of different skills, in my opinion Justin Miller has the potential to be the best shutdown corner, he is fluid & moves alot like Dunta Robinson & while not as fast is a strong, fearless & physical corner, in addition folks he led the nation in kick-off returns & could back-up Mosses or be the starter as the Texans see fit. Antrell is rated #1 & most knowledgable pro scouts have Carlos Rogers rated #2. Pac-Man to me is a distant 4th. Like I've stated before it will depend on who the Texans bring in to work out and how well they perform.

the rest are really on the outside looking in, Pollack OLB, Williamson WR, Davis SS, Spears DT & Alex Barron, but they can all play and possibly become Texans if Casserly & his team rate them higher up on their Draft Board, I'm only making one fans educated guess :rolleyes:
 

cadahnic

Rookie
It would not be a terrible thing, but opposite babin should be a compliment to his type of play. A more relentless pass rusher, who can cover, and is fiery aggressive. A true mean streak player which Babin is not. Yes that may sound like Pollack, but that is not. Pollack has several knocks on him and likely will go lower than Babin did in the draft. I am not saying he is not a quality player, he is just not what we need in our system. We already have him in our system so why not get terror to compliment Babin's solid play. That is what I am saying Babin and Pollack are solid players not going to far to the left or to the right. We need someone like Suggs, Boulware, Peek, Sharper. Who literally hate the other team and have an overwhelming desire to cause pain.
 

Grid

All Pro
So we need a relentless pass rusher with speed and aggressiveness who can also cover. heh.. basicly the total package :). we should put that guy at strongside OLB and let Babin compliment him.



I still think Pollack is a solid pick, and would mesh well with the defense we run. we have an aggressive, fast, mean OLB that can cover in Antwan Peek.. and the coaches are very reluctant to let him start. So.. another Babin may be the best choice for us.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
BeerLover that coment was directed towards Grid's projections not yours. I agreed with yours. Carlos Rogers though is the most like D-Rob to me. He is fearless and plays much larger than he already is. He is physical and fast and loves to take peoples heads off. Did you see him blitz last year tell me that did not remind you of D-Rob.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
I cannot deny your point there Grid. Maybe it is our coaching staff that does not like the mean streak in players. I just look at other teams that run a similar style 3-4 system and their OLBs and ILB have a real mean streak. That is what makes LBs successful in my opinion in the NFL. I think Pollack is a good player, possibly like Kevin Greene or Grant Winstrom. He does not let his size or lack of overall athleticism deny him anything which is good I just think two guys that are the same do not compliment each other and would hurt us in the long run. My example I would use is Willie McGinest and Roman Phifer of last years Patriots for complimenting one another.
 

beerlover

Hall of Fame
cadahnic said:
BeerLover that coment was directed towards Grid's projections not yours. I agreed with yours. Carlos Rogers though is the most like D-Rob to me. He is fearless and plays much larger than he already is. He is physical and fast and loves to take peoples heads off. Did you see him blitz last year tell me that did not remind you of D-Rob.
yes I did, but no he didnt remind me of D-Rob he reminded me more of Thomas Davis the safety, he plays much bigger & has excellent straight ahead speed. his coverage skills do not match Dunta's or Justin's, nor is he as much of a threat to take it to the house. yet I really like his potential, guess thats why the Texans are in charge of evaulation they will be testing and prodding to determine which fits their needs & has the best set of skills. I would not be upset at all if the Texans choose to select Carlos Rogers.
 

infantrycak

Hall of Fame
cadahnic said:
Infatry. our linebackers on a whole cannot cover so you lose a little something with me by showing me our linebackers, but Babin is not and will not ever be mistaken for one of the fastest OLBs in the game. Yes he posted good times and he plays well in short areas we know that that is why we drafted him, but the post was about Pollack who would be just another BABIN. Babin is bad in coverage but a solid tackler so at least he can bring down the guy who catches it on him. That is better than our SS. I mean Brown who is cut not EArl
Foreman is the only LB the Texans started who is bad in coverage--notice who is no longer around. Production from other 3-4's since you think the Texans are so bad--Pittsburgh 22 passes defensed, San Diego 21, Texans 17, New England 11 and Baltimore 10. By the way Wong and Peek combined for 4 INT's as well--not too bad for guys that can't cover. You have to give some consideration in Babin's case that he was converting to LB last year and had never had coverage responsibilities before.

Maybe this is a semantic thing and you see anything that isn't great as bad--to me there is a lot in between.
 

Grid

All Pro
oh.. and to quote this months issue of SportingNews.

"The best thing I can say about David Pollack is he's a football player" says new jaguars linebackers coach Brian VanGorder, who was Pollack's defensive coordinator at Georga. "He's not this fancy-schmancy kid who's going to talk and not back it up. He plays football, he plays with emotion, he finds ways to make things happen on the field. He is a football player. That's the best compliment I could give any player"

"He is Tedy Bruschi" says one AFC scout. "He's one of those guys who is eternally pissed and motivated because people dont beleive in him"

"With his intense workout style, Pollack seperated from the rest of IMG's distinguished alumni, including Peyton and Eli Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Byron Leftwich and Michael Clayton. "I'm not going to say he is the best we've ever had here," says Trevor Moawad, IMG's associate director of mental conditioning, "But he's darn close. He has the mentality of Rudy---but with skill and talent."

"It's those plays that draw NFL scouts to Pollack, whos 36 career sacks broke Reggie White's Southeastern Conference Record. It's the 58 career tackles for loss, the 117 quarterback pressures, the seven forced fumbles, the 18 pass deflections--all of this production while playing in the nation's most physical conference. It's also his 'motor'--his non-stop, hell-bent attitude-- his tremendous upper-body strength, his lateral quickness, his football intelligence"




this is the article that originally sold me on Pollack.

Sorry I cant provide a link mods.. im copying this directly out of the magazine in front of me.


SportingNews, March 18, 2005.
Article by Matt Hayes
 

cadahnic

Rookie
Justin Miller is much more fluid in his backpedal and breaks. My only problem with him is how he gets turned on second and third moves by receivers. I just saw in his tapes when he gets turned he did not really have the speed to recover to make the play. He can make the play if he is with the receiver and I think it would be great to get either of them to study under Glenn for a year or two. A wish list would be to get Antrell Rolle if we dont get DJ. A lot of people are thinking the Vikings are going after DJ, but with their linebacking crew, which is young and very athletic they are looking for something more along the D-Line and Offense dont you think
 

Rosusu

Rookie
I have to agree with Grid, Pollack is a great player. I remember watching a few games with him last year and you could watch just him every play and he would turn on the motor and give 110% every play until it was over. He has passion to play, I think he would be a great pick up.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
He is not that high on a draft board though. He would be our second or third choice if we traded down. If we stay the same he will not become a Texan.
 

Rosusu

Rookie
Agreed, I do think the 13th pick is too high for him. If we traded down or do what we did last year to get a later 1st I would pick him up.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
I have no problem with that but Grid is talking like he is the second coming of LT. He is not. I saw the kid up close while I was at LSU scouting. He is a terrific player, but his intagibles do not outweigh the facts that he is not even a top 25 prospect.
 

The Preacher

Waterboy
No doubt Pollack has heart I am just not sure if that's enough to plow through NFL lineman. I would never have any doubt he'll succeed but at what level I'm not sure. His shuttle #'s at the combine showed his quickness and he's definitely a guy you wouldn't mind having on your team. I've just got enough headaches thinking about our lb situation with sharper etc. and with the turnover I doubt we would want to throw another player in there to have to get on the field. Besides Roth looked like a monster at the Senior Bowl and looks to have more strength and the same smarts. #13 is probably too high for these guys and I just think we need to see this crew work for a year before we try to tinker with it anymore except Merriman would be appealing.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
hey preach dont you think DJ would be a welcome addition to the squad. Technically we could make a trade up to 8 or 9 without trading sharper and then trade sharper later in the second round to pick up a second or third round pick. Check this lineup.

Babin, Greenwood, DJ, Wong/Peek
 

The Preacher

Waterboy
To be honest I have no clue what to make of the Sharper situation and I'm not sure the Texans do either. It's hard to believe DJ could be at 8 or 9 but maybe possibly trade up is the best I can do. That lineup would be serious I'm just in the camp of thinking DJ as a Texan is very wishful thinking.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
No Preach if he does not fall past 7 we will not consider trading up. We will keep our pick and take Carlos Rogers who is D-Rob just 3 inches taller and 10 pounds heavier but just as fast.
 

Sarg01

Veteran
cadahnic said:
hey preach dont you think DJ would be a welcome addition to the squad. Technically we could make a trade up to 8 or 9 without trading sharper and then trade sharper later in the second round to pick up a second or third round pick. Check this lineup.

Babin, Greenwood, DJ, Wong/Peek
If we can get DJ with our #1 for Sharper or #73, you take that deal. Anything more than that and you leave it on the table. I don't really think he'll fall far enough for us to be able to make a deal for him, but there are reasonable scenarios in which he does. My gut tells me some team with only minimal need will take him, since he's a playmaker.
 

Dunta_23

Rookie
IF it takes a trade up around 7 or so to get DJ its a good idea, unless that Sharper & 13 & a 3rd to the browns for # 3 isnt just a a rumour. Other than that I say they just take the best CB left on the board unless 1 of the bigtime RB's or WR's falls to around 10 or 11, then trade up and snag them....other than that CB, CB, CB....too many good recievers on Indy...and maybe trade back into round 1 for Barron if he falls a lot...
 

F-minus67

Veteran
I think DJ will be a top 5 pick, and I'm wondering if we have enough fire power to trade up into a position like that. I mean we had the 10th pick last year and we couldn't trade up to get Sean Taylor. Since DJ will most likely be gone by the time we get to pick, I think we should go after Merriman.
 

cadahnic

Rookie
I am going to let everyone on notice that DJ will not be a top 5 pick. As far as BPA he does not fall into the top 5. At most I can see 6 or 7. I think Tenn. has to take a corner or they will just suck and Minn needs a real threat at Receiver. They have no redzone threat right now. Williams is that threat and he will fall to 7 which means we can get DJ at 8 or 9 depending on the top two QBs. Look for Cleveland to go BPA I think they take Braylon Edwards which means the next top QB could be at 8 and nine would be our spot to grab DJ
 

F-minus67

Veteran
How can you sat DJ is not a top 5 pick when going by BPA? He is the only really can't miss prospect in this years draft. Not to mention the best LB to come out since Arrington.
 

D-ReK

RAWWWRR!
The absolute lowest DJ will go is 7th overall...Everyone that wants us to trade up for DJ should just give up...It won't happen...
 

D-ReK

RAWWWRR!
Rosusu said:
I have to agree with Grid, Pollack is a great player. I remember watching a few games with him last year and you could watch just him every play and he would turn on the motor and give 110% every play until it was over. He has passion to play, I think he would be a great pick up.
Agreed...That said, we'd probably be able to trade down and get him...IMO he'd be a great fit here...I think if a 4-3 team drafts him, however, he'll really struggle...
 

Meloy

Veteran
Grid said:
  • Derrick Johnson
  • Ronnie Brown
  • Braylon Edwards
  • Cedric Benson
  • Antrel Rolle
  • Mike Williams
  • *at this point we would start looking at trading down*
  • David Pollack (I hope)
  • Marcus Spears
  • Shawn Merriman
  • Justin Miller
  • Anttaj Hawthorne
  • Cadillac Williams
  • Alex Barron
  • Channing Crowder
  • Shaun Cody
  • Carlos Rogers
  • Darryl Blackstock
  • Barret Ruud

dont give me too hard a time.. im just giving my opinion, based on value and our needs.
I thought Pollack remained in school because of criticism he would not do well in NFL last year. As a projected linebacker he would need strong arms. I understand his are considered weak and short. Thoughts? :hmmm:
 

texasguy346

Mod Squad
Here's an article about the Texans' needs, but I don't agree with much of it. Food for thought though.

Link

LOOKING AHEAD

The signing of Miami linebacker Morlon Greenwood indicated that the Texans are serious about improving their defensive front seven's speed and quickness. The athletic Greenwood is slated to play on the inside and, with his good range and solid coverage skills, is expected to provide the defense a different look. Despite not having the reputation of a difference maker, Greenwood appears to be a solid fit in Houston's scheme.

The Texans have given starting linebackers Jamie Sharper and Jay Foreman permission to seek a trade this offseason, but it would be surprising to see both of them leave. Still, Houston, which holds the 13th overall selection in the draft, has been rumored to be evaluating linebacker prospects.

When healthy, the Texans have a stout defensive line. Gary Walker , Robaire Smith and Seth Payne make up a solid front. Injuries have prevented Walker and Payne from playing a full season in either 2003 or 2004, but both will take part in spring practice.

The offense still needs a few tools to complement the talents of Carr and Johnson. The offensive line has been a work in progress for three seasons, with Carr taking the brunt for the line's inexperience, marginal talent and inconsistency. The performance at offensive tackle remains questionable and the guard play has been average at best. Another talented wide receiver opposite Johnson is also a necessity.

TEAM NEEDS

Offensive line – If there is one aspect of the Texans' building process that has failed, it has been the development of an offensive line to protect David Carr. Easily sacked and pressured more than any quarterback in the league over the last three seasons, Carr should be begging the front office to improve his line's quality and depth. With linemen flying off the free agency board, the draft is the place where the Texans can find Carr some help.

Safety – Strong safety is a weak link in the defensive backfield. Glenn Earl was questionable as the starter, so the Texans will be looking for a replacement.

Cornerback – Dunta Robinson had a solid rookie season and could become a shutdown cornerback. After Robinson, though, the position is questionable in both talent and depth. Veteran Aaron Glenn is on the downturn of his career, and another cornerback in the mold of Robinson would allow the defense to play a more aggressive style.

Wide receiver – Andre Johnson needs a running mate to open up the passing game. The position needs depth, too.
 

royce1054

Rookie
draft board by needs....for 1st round
1. WR since braylon Edwards and Mike Williams gone
1. Williamson

fill out #1 need to replace Bradford and stretch field for Johnson. Give Carr another Option. This will be #1 unless we sign someone which i doubt

2. OL
1. Barron if not gone
Thats it for 1st
for a 2nd which is what i think we will go Britt OL out of ALabama he is 6'7'' like 330. I think he will be a good tackle and will push wand.

3. CB if we decide that Sanders and Faggins arent worth the money we payed them.. 3 shut down corners in AFC South are needed
Rolle and Pac-man are gone
1. Rodgers
only one that fits.

Most likely the 2nd pick of 3rd round Eric Green would be a steal if he is still there. Maybe a McFadden if not on the board.

4. DL i dont see a first but in my mock i only have 1 DL man going in the 2nd round (justin Tuck DE notre Dame)... so i am saying we can get a top 10 player at the the DE in the 1st pick of 3rd round obcourse if Eric Green isnt on the board but thats speculation.
their is a Bill Swancutt, Chris Canty and a chris Jovan. would fit nicely and could prosper in our system

5LB.. we just sgined Chamberlin for depth.. U can always use good LB's but We are in the running for Chargers LB i 4get his name his is here just like a Dashon Polk, or a Chmaberlin. I can see a 5th rd. LB
 

Grid

All Pro
I dont think he is the second coming of LT. but I think he is the best LT in this draft and will be a good LB in the NFL.

and no his arms arent weak. Short, yes, but not weak. His upper body strength is one of his selling points.



and no i dont agree with much from that article at all. for one I think sharper will leave, same as Foreman. I think SS can be scratched from our list of needs... I think OL is 3rd or 4th on our list.. simply because this is a very deep draft and getting a good interior lineman will be easy in the 3rd and 4th. And I think WR is way at the bottom of our list of needs. It would be nice to get another one, but it is not a necessity.



going back to Pollack. The reason I have not pushed trading down for Pollack is because the elite talent in this draft drops off very quickly at around the 8th -10th pick. AFter that.. everyone is very comparable in value. So, while trading down for Pollack seems like a good idea now, since everyone has him going late-mid first. the fact of the matter is that he could go anywhere from 14-40 on draft day.. and would not really be a reach, or a huge value, at any of those positions. The talent in this draft plateaus.. there are ALOT of players that can be considered "good prospects".. from Merriman to Rogers to Fason to Williamson.. there will be good players available all the way into the 3rd round.. just no elite players.



Now that I think about it.. I hope we do well in this draft. We have a pretty bad track record when it comes to drafting 2nd and 3rd round quality players.
 

The Preacher

Waterboy
It seems the draft is becoming critical our recent 1st's have put us in good position to make a decent move soon and I get the feeling we're about to be serious contenders. Considering guys ask for huge money after 3 or 4 years it's getting to where you have to start them immediately to get the most value out of them. It seems CC likes to try to hit home runs you know he's up to something. Hopefully not trading a bunch of picks again there's plenty of depth to get a few starters and you know somebody is going to fall to us who you never thought could. He was awfully trigger happy on the Babin trade I hope they are a little more patient this year.
 

beerlover

Hall of Fame
The Preacher said:
He was awfully trigger happy on the Babin trade I hope they are a little more patient this year.
until you wear another man's shoes its difficult to understand, its something you need to experience, maybe next year in our Mock Draft you can play Casserly :cool:
 

royce1054

Rookie
LOL Thomas Davis... We have Earl.... to start he impressed enough last year to get his shot

Other players make lots more since like Barron, Williamson & clayton
 

D-ReK

RAWWWRR!
LoL @ the Thomas Davis pick...I'd be incredibly pissed if we took him...We're supposed to be adding speed to our D, and he just doesn't have it...
 

cadahnic

Rookie
D-Rek I am gonna have to disagree with you. If we leave him at SS he will be a liability, but if we move him down like a lot of teams are thinking to OLB or ILB in the 3-4 system he will be quite fast and not a liability in coverage. I do agree that if we pick him with the 13th pick I would be pissed.
 

D-ReK

RAWWWRR!
If we want an ILB, why don't we trade down and take Channing Crowder, Odell Thurman, Barrett Ruud, or Robert McCune, all of whom won't be near the project that Davis would be...
 

royce1054

Rookie
Channing wont make it out the 1st round
Thurman is a tweener. He could make 1st or could fall to early 2nd
Rudd he is and end of 2nd round player maybe early 3rd.
McCune has dropped like a rock... i had him a sure 2nd now i think he is the end of 3rd or even a 4th.

So 2 out of the 3 are possible 3rd round picks
The 1st 2 wont be there after our 1st pick
 

D-ReK

RAWWWRR!
That's why I said trade down...If we trade to the late teens or early 20s, Crowder will still be there...If we trade with Philly for the 31st and 35th picks, we could select Thurman with either of those...Ruud may still be there at 47, and if we can't get any of them, McCune will be there in the 3rd...
 

hound

Noob
cadahnic said:
Grid I see what you are saying about Pollack. First he is not the quickest LB in the draft, but I know where you were going with the thought so I will leave it alone. We would be better taking a guy like Demarcus Ware rather than Pollack. I dont care about short arms or any of that **** cause that is what it is a Football player is a football player. They said Culpepper had small hands yet he is doing pretty well I think. I know Pollack has intagibles that are a definate quality, but we have the same guy in Babin so that would not make since for us to make him our pick or have him that high on our board. He has to be almost a last result from trading down.
Actually he IS the quickest LB in the draft. He's not the fastest in the forty. But his combine numbers in the quickness drills were amazing. According to the numbers posted by NFL DRAFT SCOUT Pollack was as quick as the very quickest running back, Kansas State's little 5'6" 187 pound RB Darren Sproles. At 6'2" 265 pounds his 20 yard shuttle and his cone drills 3.94 and 6.87. Sproles ran a 3.96 and a 6.96.


And we can probably trade down and get Pollack. I don't have anything against Babin. He made some great tackles against LT in he San Diego game. But he would have been just as good if we had waited till the second round to take him... and if he wasn't there... well I could have lived without him. The Texans moved up because they thought someone else was going to take Babin. Well there were only two OLB's taken between when the Texans sellected Babin and when the Texans would have drafted in the second round. If the Texans hadn't moved up and if one of those teams would have taken Babin... then the Texans could have taken the OLB that they took. Babin had 63 tackles and 4 sacks. The two guys we might could have taken in the second round would have been Arizona's Karlos Dansby, with 60 tackles and 1 sack last year, and Detroits Teddy Lehman with 102 tackles and 1 sack.

Houston just gave up too much for him.

With the picks we sent Tennessee they took Ben Troupe, Randy Starks, Bo Schobel and Jacob Bell. Only Bell is starting for them at OG, but Starks had 4.5 sacks as the back up at DT and Troupe had a better year at TE than their starter. Schobel got into five games and is listed on their roster now, but not on the depth chart I saw. Considering the Texans are weak at OG, DT and TE... taking those four guys instead of Babin might have been a better move in the long run.
 

Grid

All Pro
Eh I like Babin and I think he was worth the trade up. I think he is going to be a real good OLB for us. I dont think we panicked and moved up on a whim.. I think we had a valid reason to think someone would take him before us.. maybe that team took someone else at a different position since Babin wasnt there? who knows... but I think he was worth the picks we gave up. And I think Pollack is REALLY worth grabbing.. especially if we can trade down and still get him. Heck.. id even take an "eh" trade down.. just a 4th rounder or something.. cause really I think we are getting good value for Pollack at the mid-late first... so anything we can get extra is just gravy.

I hope Casserly has given Pollack alot of consideration.. I think he will be a playmaker.
 
C

celtiksage

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Newby here, just working on my mock and lurking to see your opinions of what you guys need. It sounds like (moreso than any other board I've been on) a lot of you rate Pollack pretty high.

I'm a UGA and Falcon fan, so let me give you my take on Pollack. I watch UGA about every weekend or listen to their games over the net, and I always try to watch Pollack objectively. It's always been (until this past year) my opinion that he's overrated. In trying to be a critic though, I've found there really isn't anything to dislike about him (believe me, I've been trying). He continually bull rushes OTs that outweigh him by 50 or more pounds and seems to always fight through double teams and sometimes through three blockers when you throw in the RB. For a guy who is said to have short arms, I've never seen anyone make as many sacks by throwing the OT back in the QBs face, then reaching around both sides of the OT to grab the QB and throw both of them to the ground. Pollack does ocassionally get flagged for the personal foul (blow to the helmet) on the QB, mostly because an OT has him buried, but he still manages to find the QB behind the blocker that's masking him and shielding him from the QB. Simply put, he just leaves me shaking my head sometimes, wondering how in the heck he can pull off some of the feats that he does (and more or less disprove me in my attempt to discount him).

So, after another year of trying to be his worst critic, I got to give him all the props in the world. I can't find a thing wrong with him.

That said though, #13 might be a little early for him, but not much.

Keep in mind though that Pollack is a DE. He has never played a down of OLB at UGA (not one single snap, and I've seen almost all of them). Playing 5-10 yards further off the ball, I'm just not so sure about. He plays DE on both sides and/or seems to rotate from one DE spot to the other at any time in a series.

I've also heard/read a lot about him being an OLB in a 3-4. I'm sure he could do it to, but that's an aweful large risk for someone who never has, especially at a juncture between college and the NFL. I just think moving him to OLB is too big of a risk to take (unless the team that drafts him is also week at DE and could use him there) unless it is done very late in the first round.

Pollack's strength is getting into the opponant's backfield. I don't think he could cover a WR (maybe he could play a zone as a LB). He could probably cover a TE. I think putting him into a roll where he is required to go laterally (for longer distances) or back (in coverage) is just not something he could get use to. Even if he could, his fire comes from his ability to just charge forward. He has tremendous leg drive and lower body strength if you ask me, and he will be getting after QBs in the NFL, just not as a LBer.

I wouldn't mind him being a Texan though, if it came to that. I just hope it isn't the Cardinals, Cinci, or some team that's a perennial sumphole that drafts him. He deserves some place respectable.

Oh, and as they always do, I think RBs will fall in this draft too, and Carnell Williams will be available at #13. TB will take Mike Williams if even half of what I read is true (basically that Gruden is "enamored" with him, and their rookie WR Clayton - I think is his name - is pressing hard for a Mike Williams signing). As a Falcon fan, I really hope it's all smoke and mirrors and BMW goes somewhere else. I'd hate to be seeing him line up against us every year.

Anyway, good luck in the draft and next year.

celtik
 
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