Michael Brockers Article

[chbright]

i would like to go some variation of DT/CB with the first two picks. ideally we would be able to trade back for a couple firsts, but i'm not counting on that being a realistic option.

yes to trade, pipe dream but really hate our spot honestly. DT/CB need to be addressed in the 1st round minus FA moves or players you cant pass on and can use falling to you.

i would rather go DT first because CB is deeper this year, although i think we might be able to pull of poe, cox, or worthy in the 2nd if we go CB in the first.

I whole heartily agree, CB deeper than DT this year, but i would not take a DT early over a better CB. if we dont get a DT or CB in the 1st, i think its likely the better players in the 2nd round will be CBs not a DT. i just think there are a few cbs that can start in our system early and have success of the majority of the DTs out there. i am not sold that a DT other than a guy like Cox. hell i would take Vinny Curry over all the DTs not named Cox, Poe, or Brockers. he is a one trick pony at this point (he was better against the run than in the past, but he isnt playing SEC rushing attacks is he). he is the pressure we could use over the other post 1st round DT.

as bad as the run D was this year, though, in addition to being poor at getting pressure on the QB, DT just seems like a massive priority above anything else. i didn't see anything in what we have currently that would be good enough to warrant not taking DT early.

the DT question starts with Ron Edwards and what he is gona be able to provide now, and long term. if he is not gona be able to really go, i would focus on finding the next NT one way or another (Brockers has done this at LSU by the way teams focus on him, but i think as a 3 he would be better). we need a stout guy up front to anchor the line against the run and bull the double teams back. that could be Brockers or Poe early or Ta’amu a bit later (questions with his motor still).

personally i think Ron will suffice for now. the anchor to a line is much easier a question to solve later than in the 1st 10 picks. So i can buy into Brockers for the long haul, putting him at UT as the base set, and bringing in McClain in with the nickle/dime packages. Or get curry, slide johnson back inside with McClain for the nickle or at least dime package.

it's kind of like the QB situation last year. many thought it wouldn't make sense to draft another QB early because we had just drafted clausen and people thought it was too early to give up on a 2nd rounder, but the truth was even at his best he wasn't good enough to pass up on an elite QB prospect like cam.

this year has no one at DT that jumps off the screen. the closest may be Brockers. after him, ho hum. i like last years class a lot more than this years. honestly i like Austin, Taylor, Wilkerson, and Luiget more than the guys mentioned after Brockers. Cam jumps off the screen all day long even when the play went south.easier for a QB to do, but it can be done at DT, see Dareus, Fairley, and Suh. hell even Ellis and Dorsey did. Brockers is closer to the Ellis/Dorsey types than the other 3. worthy of the top 10, probably so. but has the production been there, to a large extent no, but he is a true jr and the tape shows he he is close. given the conference he is in, and his inexperiance he is on par with dorsey. still is a 5th year senior, for a top round guy he should be flat dominant, cox is a true junior (like him), poe is a mid major guy. there is nothing like Cam this year. hell there is no DL like the last few years either.

i don't think any of the DT prospects (including coples if you moved him to DT) are on the level of cam, but still, i would put 4 or 5 of the prospects significantly above fua and mcclain.

i'll buy Fua as a flop, as i think he was an extremely bad pick last year, but not so much with McClain. equal i can buy into, better, marginally. He can be a fine UT imo, he has the tools of anyone in this draft not named Brockers or Cox (a reach at 8/9) at the 3 tech. i think those 2 are the 2 i would target as UT (even though IMO Brockers is a dream at the 5 tech). if Coples is a 3 tech (do not like) he could be a better player than McClain, but that would be silly to put him there, it be a grave misuse. Still doesnt do a damn thing for me as a rSR. nor do the the other UTs. Poe is intresting and so is Ta’amu but as NTs as i said above.

anyway. i agree we must find ways to strengthen the DL. i think Ron will help anchor the line, and another piece would be nice, but i am not sold that we must get a DT in the 1st 2 rounds yet, even Brockers. I really dont want to pass on a better player, that can fill a need, to select the best DT/DE available in the 1st. 1st round is where you get the best starting talent that can make the biggest impact. i am not sold Brockers will be that guy come April.

Keeping cam upright, improving the guard play and LT and RT spot (kalil or martin could move gross back to RT and otah inside) in all phases would be great. improving the entire wr corp would be fantastic (Blackmon). Improving the secondary would help too (looking at you MO). And of course bolstering the DL would help (Coples to a small extent, Brockers to a large one). i dont see any RB or QB helping, even if they are BPA at 8/9.

also general note: look up Cox. guy like Brockers is a true junior, was 4 time DPOTW in the SEC and played on a less talented line. also look up other true juniors of the past. Brockers and Cox are above the others in this draft and previous true juniors, especially Cox. the development of both would take time as they are far from finished products, and as such they may never develop. some of the other talent around 8/9 is closer to a finished, starting talent still with room to grow.

[nagai]

i think this is a "swing for the fences" type team and this pick seems very much in line with that. same with jenkins.

they are willing to take a gamble on someone if they have the drive and the hunger and the potential to be great.

Yeah I think the Cam pick proved that last year. In a way, picking Brockers would be a lot like the Cam pick last year. Position of need, important position, physically gifted, mentally driven, not a finished product but the signs are good enough for them to believe.

[JawnyBlaze]

Brockers is a sophomore

[iskassim06]

Yeah I think the Cam pick proved that last year. In a way, picking Brockers would be a lot like the Cam pick last year. Position of need, important position, physically gifted, mentally driven, not a finished product but the signs are good enough for them to believe.

It's important to remember we had Andre Neblett play his ass off last year. He's shown he can be a playmaker so I think it makes sense to take a DL high ..then we could have a nice rotation with little drop-off on Defence

[JawnyBlaze]

As far as I'm concerned, Neblett and Brockers would be the starters.

[Actionman0z]

At 6'6", and his play with extremly high pad level, I havent really liked what I've seen, regardless of how much time he spent doubled in the SEC.

[DaCityKats]

At 6'6", and his play with extremly high pad level, I havent really liked what I've seen, regardless of how much time he spent doubled in the SEC.

but that can be coached up. and will be.

[Kuech Da Sneak]

At 6'6" its hard to keep a low pad level. I do like the ability for us to move him around.. but to me, it did not look like he was very dominant, and at 8/9 I do not draft potential, I draft as sure a thing as possible.

Really? You saw what happened with the last sure fire DT prospect around that position in last year's draft, nick fairley, right?

Dude couldn't do anything, even next to a beast like Suh.

I'll take potential with a constant motor as opposed to a 'sure thing' that might have already hit their limit.