stuy119

Since I'm already online, the Whale Vaginas of San Diego select Rey Mauluaga of Southern Cal.

Good deal. I agree with Peter's take as to why it happened.

Thanks for the breakdown of every position's responsibilities for the Florida State defense. Knowing that Brown's only responsibility was to rush the passer I think it only reinforces my belief that he will only excel in a Tampa-2 defense. At the very least it would limit the number of times that he would be called upon to defend against the run. I'm willing to wait and see how he does at the FSU Pro Day. It's nice to see that he now weights 256 pounds now, but I'm just surprised that he didn't at least add some lower body strength. Between the Combine and the Wisconsin game (granted it is a small sample size) I am not at all comfortable with the Packers trying to convert him into an OLB. His skills as a pass rusher are obvious but when it comes to holding his own against the run I don't see it in him. Of course he could become better with the proper teaching, but for the Packers to take him ninth he is just too much of a project. Factor in that this draft is deep with better all-around 3-4 OLBs there are numerous players who I view as much better value than Brown. BTW do you have any links that says Cleveland is seriously considering selecting Everette Brown with their first round pick? Nothing that I have saved or remember, other than a couple of short quips from (at least) a couple of weeks ago.

If the Packers were to pick Brown they would use him as an outside linebacker across from Aaron Kampman. Brown is way too small to play as a defensive end in a 3-4, where linemen normally ought to weight around 300 pounds. If Justin Harrell is healthy, from everything I've heard out of the Packers' front office, he will be the defensive end opposite Cullen Jenkins. While my input doesn't matter, as a Packers fan I would say avoid Brown at all costs. It may be irrational on my part, but he just screams bust like every other undersized defensive end from Florida State. Except most of those "busts" were used in a 4-3, not a 3-4. Coincidentally the one player I was thinking of when I wrote that post was Kamerion Wimbley. Outside of his rookie season he continues to be a disappointment in a 3-4 defense. Since you're the resident Florida State fan can you name any DE/OLB, other than Peter Boulware, that has actually lived up their hype? Actually, from a lot of thing I've heard (and read), it's the success of Wimbley and his work ethic that is pushing the Browns toward taking Everette Brown. Wimbley (aside from the 11 sacks of his rookie year) has been pretty consistent in his 3 years in the NFL. But, no, I can't name another off the top of my head. Like you said, it's due to the small-ish size of the DE's in our system which is based on speed and not power, and makes them more suited to a 3-4 (which wasn't used much in the NFL until the past 6-8 years - after our heyday of producing top college DE's). Do you by chance have a link to any site that says the Browns are thinking of drafting Everette Brown because of how successful Wimbley has been? Right now any news that Brown may be off the board by the time the Packers pick is good news to me. About Wimbley he has been consistent, but below expectations of what people expect for the 13th pick in the draft. For a guy who is supposed to be a pass rushing threat and all around playmakers on the Browns' defense, there is absolutely nothing that points to him being either of those. I will cut him slack on two things though. The 2-gap 3-4 that the Browns run is a complicated defense, and normally any team that runs it takes time to develop their linebackers. Another thing is he is the only player in the Browns' front seven that is a threat to the opposing team's offense. I'm sure it is easy to scheme him out of plays so that he becomes a non-factor. There is still time for him to develop, but right now he appears to be a huge disappointment. About Everette Brown there is no questioning his skills as a pash rusher. Outside of Aaron Maybin there is no other defensive end that can match his quickness off the snap. Add to that that Brown already has multiple pass rushing moves, with his spin move being the best of all of them. The one thing I'm leery of is his overreliance on his speed to get sacks in college. Watching highlights of his the Seminoles were able to line him up wide of the tackle and use his speed to get by most blockers untouched. In the NFL I think that there too many OTs that have superior lateral movement where Brown will not be able to get away with just using his speed. Due to this I see him as a better fit in a Tampa-2 like Indianapolis where there is less emphasis on the defensive ends to be run defenders. The one thing that absolutely terrifies me of him is how terrible he is as a run defender. The only game that I was fully able to watch every defensive snap of his was Florida State's bowl game against Wisconsin. For most of the game on running plays the Badgers were able to successfully block Brown using Garrett Graham, a tight end. If he already has problems being blocked out of plays by a decent tight end, how do you think will translate to the NFL where he will have to face much better tight ends and offensive tackles? I'm not saying he can't get better against the run, but there is a lot of work that has to be done for such a high pick. Especially in this draft where there are at least 4 or so DE/OLB prospects that I view as being a better pro than him. The other thing is I was disappointed by his showing at the NFL Combine. He had an above average time in the 40, but what concerns me is his showing for the vertical jump and the broad jump. For a player that is supposed to be explosive a vertical jump of 31.5" and a broad jump of 9'06" is simply terrible. Compare that to Demarcus Ware who put up a vertical jump of 38.5" and a broad jump of 10'02". It appears that Brown has very little power in his first step, and instead relies on the speed of his first step to simply run by slower players. Alsoo I'm skeptical that he will ever be able to fully develop even an average bull-rush move. For a 3-4 OLB that is not something you want to hear. Until Florida State's Pro Day no one will know if those numbers are accurrate of his lower body strength or if he just had a really bad day at the Combine Another DE/OLB bust from Florida State that I thought of was Alonzo Jackson. Granted he was a late pick in the second round, but again playing in Pittsburgh's 3-4 that is favorable for OLBs just didn't help him. A good reason for the lack of run support is that we rely on our LB's to fill the gaps and make plays. Our DE are mainly for getting a speed rush, the DT to fill gaps, and the LB to get to the ball. A classic game for this was against Wisconsin. EB didn't have a great game, but looked great rushing the passer. His lack of stats (and below-average run production) were reasons we wanted him back. Of course, some of his combine deficiencies could be due to adding weight quickly. There are reports that he played the last couple of games of the year at 225, which is terribly low for a DE. I understand he was at 250 or so at the combine. And I was never sold on Jackson either. Nice guy but didn't seem to have the "stuff" for the NFL.

Bump to keep us on the first page.

Kellen Winslow traded to the Bucs.

Sorry, the clock manager was busy showering and getting ready for work. EhDubya and the Bills are on the clock and I will PM him. And I love the Stafford to 49ers pick. Just meant to get someone on it, since I don't have "Mod Powers." :D

Anyone want to put Buffalo on the clock?

If the Packers were to pick Brown they would use him as an outside linebacker across from Aaron Kampman. Brown is way too small to play as a defensive end in a 3-4, where linemen normally ought to weight around 300 pounds. If Justin Harrell is healthy, from everything I've heard out of the Packers' front office, he will be the defensive end opposite Cullen Jenkins. While my input doesn't matter, as a Packers fan I would say avoid Brown at all costs. It may be irrational on my part, but he just screams bust like every other undersized defensive end from Florida State. Except most of those "busts" were used in a 4-3, not a 3-4. Coincidentally the one player I was thinking of when I wrote that post was Kamerion Wimbley. Outside of his rookie season he continues to be a disappointment in a 3-4 defense. Since you're the resident Florida State fan can you name any DE/OLB, other than Peter Boulware, that has actually lived up their hype? Actually, from a lot of thing I've heard (and read), it's the success of Wimbley and his work ethic that is pushing the Browns toward taking Everette Brown. Wimbley (aside from the 11 sacks of his rookie year) has been pretty consistent in his 3 years in the NFL. But, no, I can't name another off the top of my head. Like you said, it's due to the small-ish size of the DE's in our system which is based on speed and not power, and makes them more suited to a 3-4 (which wasn't used much in the NFL until the past 6-8 years - after our heyday of producing top college DE's).

If the Packers were to pick Brown they would use him as an outside linebacker across from Aaron Kampman. Brown is way too small to play as a defensive end in a 3-4, where linemen normally ought to weight around 300 pounds. If Justin Harrell is healthy, from everything I've heard out of the Packers' front office, he will be the defensive end opposite Cullen Jenkins. While my input doesn't matter, as a Packers fan I would say avoid Brown at all costs. It may be irrational on my part, but he just screams bust like every other undersized defensive end from Florida State. Except most of those "busts" were used in a 4-3, not a 3-4.

ALright, it's Rocket then soccer10K.

It certainly helps to have veteran WRs around the young guy, but I think some young WRs can have success without an established group around them. How established do you mean, also? Do you mean only the Colts and Patriots should draft receivers, or can the Titans (who have veterans, but aren't very strong at the position) draft one by your standards? If you mean a strong, quality group, then there's not that many teams like that and most of those don't need WRs. If you just mean solid veterans, then I tend to agree. A solid group of veterans who are capable of producing, and don't count on the new WR to make a serious impact. For example, if a team is strong and has a solid core of veterans (the Titans) and seems in need of only a WR, by all means draft one (yes, I know they have other holes after FA). But if you need an impact WR (like Seattle), it's better to go out on the market and pick up a good FA and draft a different player at a position that is more predictable. How in the world do you justify that theory? Arizona shouldn't have drafted Fitzgerald? Why can't a mediocre team draft a WR? They can, but more often than not the WR drafted will not end up being a difference-maker. Truffle mentioned a few cases earlier, and most of those don't fit into this group either. Holt went to the Rams when they had Bruce (and someone else, I can't remember who), Moss went to MIN who already had Carter (and were already a pretty good team), Harrison I don't even remember where the Colts were when he came in, and Jackson was joining an established cast in Philly. Again, there are few cases of a WR coming in to make an immediate impact on a team that wasn't already an established contender.

It certainly helps to have veteran WRs around the young guy, but I think some young WRs can have success without an established group around them. How established do you mean, also? Do you mean only the Colts and Patriots should draft receivers, or can the Titans (who have veterans, but aren't very strong at the position) draft one by your standards? If you mean a strong, quality group, then there's not that many teams like that and most of those don't need WRs. If you just mean solid veterans, then I tend to agree. A solid group of veterans who are capable of producing, and don't count on the new WR to make a serious impact. For example, if a team is strong and has a solid core of veterans (the Titans) and seems in need of only a WR, by all means draft one (yes, I know they have other holes after FA). But if you need an impact WR (like Seattle), it's better to go out on the market and pick up a good FA and draft a different player at a position that is more predictable.

He's not Calvin Johnson, but at 6-3 he's taller than most WRs in the draft, he's strong and athletic and has good to very good hands. Plus he's only 21, so he's got more time and upside. I kinda question whether he's average speed or not. He's no burner, but the times I've seen him I'd say he's probably above average speed. He's 6-1. Did he get measured at the combine? ESPN has him listed at 6-3. Yeah, he was measured 6-1 at the combine. ESPN probably didn't update it yet. Crabtree is essentially an average WR physically that played in an offense designed to get him the ball as often as possible. Still got to make the plays though, which he did repeatedly. I agree with IMB, he's not a total stud (like Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald), but he's a very good WR. i think he ends up a possession guy WRs bust so often, it wouldnt surprise me if he ended up a nobody teams are always so wet to add a star WR that i think they're dishonest with themselves sometimes. crabtree is average or just above average almost across the board, but he put up huge numbers so gms are soaking their britches. i follow the draft pretty hard all year long, but the talk is 95% "is he the next larry fitzgerald" and 5% "wait, is he a system guy?" I don't think he's the next Larry Fitzgerald, but I also think he's got a good shot to be a very productive WR. You hardly ever see a WR come in and make an impact from day one. Only established teams with solid WR groups should be drafting a WR.

And I thought the wait was unbearable when there were 15 minutes between picks on TV, and I was forced to listen to Mel Kiper, Jr. and the ESPN crew ...

Great. More ESPN. Just what everyone needs. Ugh.

Yeah, I like the jabs at Florida, but at some point he needs to stop. It's fun to hear, but ultimately, I think it could hurt us. With all due respect to Hosak and you, Dew, Tennessee deserves a better "coach" the Lane Kiffin. This kid, this joke of a coach has been so unprofessional since taking over at Tennessee, that it should be embarrassing Vols fans. I'm sorry dew, don't take this the wrong way, but I hope Alabama/UF/GA and LSU strings up Kiffin on the scoreboard. Lane Kiffin needs to learn some lessons about humility. And pissing off the powers of the SEC is NEVER a good thing for your career. Good fans like you and Hosak deserve a much better representation of the university then Lane Kiffin. Don't you mean CLK?

Up to 17 on Rivals. Two things I am hearing... Condredge Holloway has said (off the record, of course) that Oku is no longer being recruited by UT. Bryce Brown is a HIGH priority to this staff right now. He's going to be a drama queen and high maintenance, but you make some exceptions for the top overall player in the class. Also, not sure if you've heard the drama behind why Marlon Brown chose UGA, but it's pretty sketchy. Also, I like Kiffin's confidence, but wish he'd stop trying to be the most hated man in the conference. Let Saban and Meyer keep that for themselves. Lane is picking a fight with Urban, and that might turn out ugly for him this year. Probably about as sketchy as what I'm hearing UT did with Orson Charles to get him to drop FSU, from what I'm hearing. Do tell. FTR, I'm not saying that UGA did anything sketchy at all. I'm saying that Brown's grandma and Brown are both saying that Orgeron screwed it up for UT. Apparently he called himself a "damned ol' coon-ass from Louisiana" in front of them, and the saintly grandma did not like that very much. Other rumors had Orgeron's breath smelling like whiskey. THe first one, I'll believe. The second, no way. Goes back to the Brandon Warren issue, and the misconception that his mother was dying and Bowden wouldn't let him out of his commitment. Of course, the fact is that Fulmer sent Rae Sykes on a visit to get him to go back to UT (and I hear some cash for the family was involved, too, to cover some medical expenses). Needless to say, mom is fine and recovering well - as was reported to the FSU camp and why he wasn't allowed to leave. From what I understand, Charles was favoring FSU all the way. When he gets to UT, who is his host but none other than Brandon Warren, who is in his ear the whole time about all the bad parts of Tallahassee, and how they don't treat you like family. At some point, Charles was also led to Warren's house where his mother was able to bad-mouth the FSU program. Come midnight on signing day eve, Charles mysteriously leaves messages that FSU is out of the running, but doesn't explain why and won't talk with any of the coaches about what happened at UT.

that's like the penn state classes recently. people kiss the asses of larry johnson sr., tom bradley and mike mcqueary for their recruiting efforts but you'd think that a program like penn state wouldn't be getting beaten in recruiting by ohio state and michigan year after year. Penn State recruits almost entirely out of PA, NJ and MD. It's nice to have a lock on those states, but you're not usually seeing a ton of 5-star recruits out of those areas. I'm hoping that whoever the next coach at PSU is breaks out of the antiquated "territorial" recruiting strategies and goes hard after a few guys from Florida or California Territorial recruiting strategies can work exceptionally well if you can control the territory. Georgia and Florida, for instance, don't travel that much nationally, but the Bulldogs pretty much control Georgia and the Gators pretty much have Florida secure. Penn State's problem with that, I'd say, is that Wannstedt is a good recruiter and can pull some Pennsylvania recruits away and the neighboring strong recruiting states (Michigan, Ohio) are controlled by major programs. So, the territorial strategy can work and work well - but it may not be the best idea for Penn State. Florida State and Miami say "Hi." The Gators recruiting inside Florida is a pretty big misconception. Their current class has less than 50% of the players from Florida, while FSU and UM are around 75% and 60% respectively. As someone who has seen a team go from a regional to a national recruiting strategy, I can only hope the Gators do that. Florida talent is as good as any in the nation, and some of the so-called second-tier players are as good as top-level talent from most other states (excluding Texas, Cal, etc.). Going out of state really killed FSU, along with sorry coaching, of course. But now we have the coaches, and we're staying away from wasting time on out-of-state recruits.

Up to 17 on Rivals. Two things I am hearing... Condredge Holloway has said (off the record, of course) that Oku is no longer being recruited by UT. Bryce Brown is a HIGH priority to this staff right now. He's going to be a drama queen and high maintenance, but you make some exceptions for the top overall player in the class. Also, not sure if you've heard the drama behind why Marlon Brown chose UGA, but it's pretty sketchy. Also, I like Kiffin's confidence, but wish he'd stop trying to be the most hated man in the conference. Let Saban and Meyer keep that for themselves. Lane is picking a fight with Urban, and that might turn out ugly for him this year. Probably about as sketchy as what I'm hearing UT did with Orson Charles to get him to drop FSU, from what I'm hearing.

LMAO. Apparently, Lane Kiffin is causing quite an uproar in the SEC. At a press conference (I'll link video when I find it again), he calls out Urban Meyer for recruiting violations (he was calling Nuke while on his UT official visit) and Nick Saban. This won't end well with the larger powers fighting amongst themselves.

I could be mistaken, but didn't they sign 32-34 players? Someone will be off the team next season and doesn't yet know it.

I'm hoping you're right. hes staying at UF. LULZ. What number will he be wearing?

It hasn't been a complete bust of a day for UT to this point, but I am surprised that it hasn't been better. Yea, the only real surprise (positively) has been Myles. I really thought we had Marlon Brown and it was very disappointing to hear about Oku and Phillips. Otherwise, we've pretty much gotten out commits. You've gotta be happy about Teague as well. I'm much happier to see him at UT than at UF. And I'm enjoying the unraveling of their class.

Awesome - Frankie Telfort to USC. Gators are losing 1/4 of their class as the day unfolds. I just hope Trent sticks with Bama ...