Ole Miss MLB Patrick Willis

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

BTW, Patrick Willis led all defenders (from North and South squads) in the Senior Bowl in tackles with 11. Willis was also named the South's defensive player of the game. He looked good overall. I only saw him look bad once where he got pancaked by a fullback and I saw him make a bunch of nice tackles.

[GiantsSuck703]

I would love to see us pick Pat Willis, even if we didnt trade down. Hes a monster and I cant believe that many sites have him outside of the top ten, I think hes atleast a top 5 player in this draft. He dominated in a losing effort in the senior bowl, wreaking havoc all over the field. He could be a force with Rocky for years and may solve alot of the problems we have on defense.

[Skins_4_Lyfe]

How often do the Skins do what we want when it comes to the draft?...I still can't believe they took Sean over Kellen Winslow.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by GiantsSuck703

I would love to see us pick Pat Willis, even if we didnt trade down. Hes a monster and I cant believe that many sites have him outside of the top ten, I think hes atleast a top 5 player in this draft. He dominated in a losing effort in the senior bowl, wreaking havoc all over the field. He could be a force with Rocky for years and may solve alot of the problems we have on defense.

As much as I love him, I think he'd be a stretch at #6. I think he's worth about the 12th overall pick. He's not in the same class as Demarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman, but he's definately the best LB in the draft and he could develop into a Pro Bowl MLB. If we can trade down, I would love to get him. If we can't trade down, I think we'd probably get the most value from DTs Branch or Okoye.

I think the two reasons why he's no projected as a top 10 pick are: (1) he's simply average in coverage (but has the potential to be above average); (2) he's had a few injury problems (but he's willing to play through injury); and (3) he doesn't have the "measureables" (which, IMHO, are overrated) that guys like Merriman or Arrington had. I'm still a huge fan and would love to get him and another 2nd or 3rd round pick.

[Skins_4_Lyfe]

Nice!!!

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by Skins_4_Lyfe

Nice!!!

That's a beautiful, Sean Taylor-esque tackle. Thanks!

[GiantsSuck703]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

As much as I love him, I think he'd be a stretch at #6. I think he's worth about the 12th overall pick. He's not in the same class as Demarcus Ware or Shawne Merriman, but he's definately the best LB in the draft and he could develop into a Pro Bowl MLB. If we can trade down, I would love to get him. If we can't trade down, I think we'd probably get the most value from DTs Branch or Okoye.

I think the two reasons why he's no projected as a top 10 pick are: (1) he's simply average in coverage (but has the potential to be above average); (2) he's had a few injury problems (but he's willing to play through injury); and (3) he doesn't have the "measureables" (which, IMHO, are overrated) that guys like Merriman or Arrington had. I'm still a huge fan and would love to get him and another 2nd or 3rd round pick.

I understand it would be a stretch to just take him at 6 right now, but alot of things could change come draft day, although I would love for us to pick him, I think were either going to pick Branch or Adams, and I wouldnt be disappointed with either one of those guys rocking the burgundy and gold next year, although I secretly wish our D was great last year so we could pick Calvin Johnson .LOL

[GiantsSuck703]

What do you think about Brian Leonard? I dont know if we can get him in the 5th, he may fall though, he was not used that well his senior season.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by Skins_4_Lyfe

How often do the Skins do what we want when it comes to the draft?...I still can't believe they took Sean over Kellen Winslow.

man, do i hope you are joking

[Skins_4_Lyfe]

Originally Posted by dmek25

man, do i hope you are joking

I meant that I was surprised when they picked who I wanted (Sean Taylor) because they usually don't...If they did we'd have Merriman instead of "Almost" Rogers.

[Skins_4_Lyfe]

Originally Posted by Skins_4_Lyfe

Nice!!!

Did you hear them say Joseph Addai just went limping to the sideline the previous play...talk about being at the right place at the right time.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by GiantsSuck703

What do you think about Brian Leonard? I dont know if we can get him in the 5th, he may fall though, he was not used that well his senior season.

To be perfectly honest, I know very little about him. I know that he's a load and is projected as an early 1st day pick (mid 2nd round). But, I haven't been paying too much attention to FBs since we have Sellers and we need DTs, DEs, LBs, and DBs.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GiantsSuck703

What do you think about Brian Leonard? I dont know if we can get him in the 5th, he may fall though, he was not used that well his senior season.

Brian Leonard seems like a weapon taylor made for a Gibbs offense. There's no way he's getting out of the second round, and could even slide up into the lower part of the first for a team like the Jets or Eagles who have few offensive needs. This is a guy who could play a power runningback, fullback, H-back, slot reciever, or maybe even TE. I would absoultely love to have him.

Sadly, our only chance to get him would be to trade down, and we have many more pressing needs. It's too bad, because rarely do you get a shot at an offensive player this versatile. If we do aquire a second rounder and he's there when we pick, I think the front office should at least look long and hard at this guy. Any guy who can help us decrease our dependancy on our second, third, and fourth receivers is a great help to our team.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Brian Leonard seems like a weapon taylor made for a Gibbs offense. There's no way he's getting out of the second round, and could even slide up into the lower part of the first for a team like the Jets or Eagles who have few offensive needs. This is a guy who could play a power runningback, fullback, H-back, slot reciever, or maybe even TE. I would absoultely love to have him.

Sadly, our only chance to get him would be to trade down, and we have many more pressing needs. It's too bad, because rarely do you get a shot at an offensive player this versatile. If we do aquire a second rounder and he's there when we pick, I think the front office should at least look long and hard at this guy. Any guy who can help us decrease our dependancy on our second, third, and fourth receivers is a great help to our team.

To be honest, I thought we underutilized Sellers on 3rd down. Even if Leonard is great, and all indications suggest that he is or will be, I'd like to see more of Cooley and Sellers on 3rd down.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

To be honest, I thought we underutilized Sellers on 3rd down. Even if Leonard is great, and all indications suggest that he is or will be, I'd like to see more of Cooley and Sellers on 3rd down.

I agree. What makes this past offseason so disappointing is that not only did we break the bank 4 seperate times, but we didn't actually solve any of our needs in doing so. I think it's important that next year we use our secondary recievers less, and use guys like Cooley and Sellers more in the passing game.

Imagine where we'd be had we not signed either Andre Carter or traded for Brandon Lloyd and Duckett. (Archuleta, Fauria, Randle El, and Collins would have been our only pre June signings). It's safe to assume that if we had the 3rd round selection in 2006, we would have traded up with that instead of our 2007 second rounder with Rocky. Now just like this year, Prioleau tears his ACL three strides into the season, and Archuleta struggles in coverage as we end up losing 11 games in a dissapointing year, one in which we use the final 7 games to break in Jason Campbell.

Fast foward to Sunday, January 28, 2007. We are 4 million under the cap. We return David Patten for 2007 as the third reciever, and receiver while certainly not a strength of this team, is still no weakness, and we can easily account for this by giving more looks to Cooley and Sellers. Randle El is still capable of catching 30-35 balls a year and producing scores in the punt return game. Archuleta is still the highest paid safety in NFL history, and so far has been a horrible bust. But now we head into the draft with all of our picks, and the ability to draft defensively without trading down. We grab an impact D lineman, maybe Brian Leonard, or Patrick Willis in the 2nd, a starting caliber safety in the 3rd, and more line help (either side of the ball in the 4th).

All of a sudden, we are in great shape for 2007, and we are in a much better position despite still making the Archuleta move.

The reason why I left the Archuleta move in this scenario is because I didn't think it was a bad move at the time (Nor has it hurt as much as any of the three moves I'm about to discuss). No film or stat study could have told us that his play would drop off this much. The Lloyd, Duckett and Carter moves were bad moves even at the time. None of those guys underachieved here, we just got exactly what was advertised. We costed ourselves our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round selections to get those 3, and we then proceded to break the bank with Carter (who disallows us to take a pure pass rusher like Adams [a guy who is likely better than Carter] in the draft because they play the exact same position) and Lloyd, who was by all accounts an average WR, and Duckett (a career tip toe runner) wasn't even extended...which was a pretty good decision considering now we aren't stuck with him.

Frusterating.