Look I'm done with this....TIFWIW...I called Brain Urlacker way be for anyone knew what he was going to play in the NFL, much less where he'd play(position). I'm calling my shot here. Get over it. I started this guy off as second day after thought. He's answered all of my questions, with exclamations points. I believe in my annyalists so much, I'm willing to put my rep on the line and be a laughing stock from here on out.
I'm calling him a top ten pick now.....what ever. If fourteen clubs pass him up, and we're foolish enough to not draft the guy....my book says he's got the skills to get someone into multiple super bowls over his career..we'll see.
I dig it.
Some people are late bloomers, and it takes a awhile to believe in yourself.
The guy is surrounded by family members who made a career in the NFL, he's playing at US-freaking-C (as a walk-on), and he might just finally be hitting his stride in terms of emotional/mental/physical development. It's possible that he's about to make a big leap from could-be to gonna-be.
Marketing is everything. Cushing and Mauauluaga have a leg up on him, due to who they are and all that jazz. Sometimes the third guy in that trio of players is the guy who wants some of that, too, and he just knew he wasn't going to "get over" in college with those two guys playing the same position.
Therefore: Matthews is standing at home plate, like Babe Ruth, and "picking his shot" so to speak. I remember the relief of graduating from high school--getting away from the labels that had been unjustly put on ALL of us over the past 14 years or so. It was a new beginning. I wonder if that's how Matthews feels? He isn't competing against Cushing and Moo (for short) anymore. There's no pecking order anymore. It's Matthews auditioning for a LB spot on any one of 32 teams.
College is still pretty much a place where boys might be acting like men, but not really ready to face the men in the NFL yet. I'm amazed at how 22-year-old people (and I used to be one about 11 years ago) in the NFL, NBA, and MLB are expected to be as mentally/physically/emotionally stable as a 30-year-old veteran of the game. i think some people are wondering how Matthews is going to react when he gets in the NFL and the rules of engagement are a little different from college? Can he handle it all? Time will tell.
I don't know that I could reach that far, to take Matthews at 15, when I might have reached to take Amobi at about the same spot. Two "reaches" for guys who are in-between the could-be and gonna-be stages of prospectity??? I think Smithiak stays far away from "reaching" in the first round this year. Just a hunch.
FWIW: I'd be OK with Matthews. IF that's what was left on the board, and the opportunities for Round 1 talent are drying up as the first 14 picks roll off the board.