Statistical Breakdown: Super Mario vs Peppers

[blockhead83]

Just thought I'd do a little comparison between these two based on their draft profiles.

My source for Peppers: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2002/profiles/peppers_julius.htm (Also used Gil Brandt's combine numbers for him).

My source for Mario: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3828410.html

These will be based on their 3 year career's in college and their combine numbers.

Mario: Peppers:
Height: 6'7 Height: 6'6
Weight: 294 Weight: 282

Combine
Mario: Peppers:
40: 4.73 40:4.74
Bench: 35 times Bench: 24 times
Vertical: 40 1/2 inch Vertical: 36 1/2 inch

Career:
Mario: Peppers:
Tackles: 126 (solo) Tackles: 128 (solo), 167 total
Sacks: 25 1/2 Sacks: 30 1/2
TFL: 55 1/2 TFL: 53
*TFL= Tackles for loss

Looks very comparable to me. Williams seems like the better athletic specimen while Peppers had slightly more production rushing the passer during his college career (5 more sacks over 3 years). If Williams can have a career in the ballpark of Peppers, look for our defense to improve by leaps and bounds. The 40 times I used changed form source to source, some having Williams as low as 4.66, and Peppers as low as 4.67 I think. Let's just say they're about the same speed in the 40, . If you'd care to add anymore statistics feel free.

*Edit* My spacing didn't come out right in the post, so be aware the numbers on the left are Mario, on the right are Peppers.

 

[BrianC]

I think whats impressive is that Williams got 5 more sacks in his last year and they are very comparible because the fact that they are in the same conference (some would argue Mario played in a tougher ACC due to the addition of Miami, Va Tech, and BC)

 

[ComstockLode]

Here are my problems....(taken from a Pasquarelli article)

"None of this is to suggest that Super Mario will turn into Blooper Mario. Comparisons of Williams to Reggie White, Julius Peppers and Richard Seymour may be hyperbole, but the former North Carolina State star figures to be a terrific player. In time. Certainly he isn't a dominating defender yet, not when he had sacks in just 16 of his 36 appearances for the Wolfpack.

Ten of his 14½ sacks in 2005 came in just three games and against lesser opponents. Half of his six sacks in 2004 came in one outing, although, granted, the opponent was Florida State. But you ask yourself: What was this guy doing the rest of the time? Maybe the Texans, who haven't had many answers for anything else in their first four seasons, actually have one for that query."

He also didnt exist during the first half of the season, and most of his sacks came in two games. That doesnt scream first overall pick to me.

 

[edo783]

The reason (According to Mario) that his sacks were lower to start and that he didn't seem to persue as much in the start of the season, is that the coach had him hang back to cover for runs and that they didn't attack the QB until later in the season. He also said he had some initial difficulty learning how to play off the cut blocks and once he got that down he was fine.

 

[Akhorahil]

I love the whole inconsistantsy issue..... its pretty funny that some sports writers are using that as a reason why Super Mario isnt anything like Peppers.....

the SAME concerns were made about Peppers when he was drafted....... heres a combine question to Peppers and his answer in '02

"Q: What do you think of the criticism that you took plays off this year, such as at the Georgia Tech game?

A: I didn’t take any plays off this year. I had games where I had better stats than others, but it wasn’t because I wasn’t playing hard. I played hard and gave the same effort every game. It was just different situations — different teams put me in different situations."

His last year in college.... his sacks came the same way.... in bunches..... he won all sorts of awards that year... yet he was shutdown by who? UT.... and you could argue even by Duke..... he wasnt great in every game.... he had games where he didnt get sacks.... and he had games he had 5 or 6 sacks..... go look...

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2002/profiles/peppers_julius.htm