OLB with the 8th pick?

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by RollTide, Jan 20, 2011.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

    23,252
    3,351
    1,059
    Mel Kiper has us taking Von miller with our pick a college DE(Texas A&M0 with big sack numbers. Miller is 245 lbs, runs well and could potentially play the SAM linebacker spot but also can put a hand down and rush the passer as a DE on those downs.

    My initial reaction to Miller or Ayers or Houston was negative, that all 3 are hybrid DEs better suited to in a 3-4 system or pure 4-3 DEs in our system. So why not just draft a DE which of course we won't do.

    But then i started thinking that we have never had a starting OLB who can get the job done against the run, be respectable against in pass coverage but still put a hand down as a dangerous pass rusher. Had we drafted Clay Matthews he would have been that type of guy.

    Miller, Houston and Ayers weight 245, 258, 255 respectively. They are all fast enough to play linebacker but quick enough? Certainly a guy like Clay Matthews could fulfill that role if he was here but are these guys in that category?

    Early on the guy i like most of the 3 is Houston who seems to have those Lavar Woodley qualities and could be a big physical run stopper from the SAM position.

    Or is OLB that big a need postion or are there better impact players @8. It is a risk.
     
  2. steverife

    steverife Pro Bowler

    6,783
    2,305
    709
    There was already a thread about Miller. Anyway, that is his board and not a mock draft, so he doesn't really have us taking Miller, he just has Miller as the 8th best guy. Scouts, Inc has Miller 9th.

    I agree with you thoughts and concerns about OLB.
     
  3. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

    23,252
    3,351
    1,059

    Yes it is a mock. Kiper has us taking Miller and he is down a few spots on his big board.

    I didn't want to only talk about Miller i wanted to talk about the position in general. Miller makes me think of Jerry Hughes for some reason.
     
  4. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

    23,252
    3,351
    1,059
    The best OLB in this draft by far for our type of defense is Dantay Moch. 4.40 type speed maybe even faster!

    If there is a Keith Bulluck in this draft he is it and would be a better than Miller, Ayers, Aldon or Houston for us.
     
  5. Finnebosch

    Finnebosch I am vengeance.

    4,464
    1,917
    719
    If we are discussing Moch at #8 overall then I would say no in a Micheal Scott like fashion. I would rather have Ayers in the first and Carter in the second. I wouldn't mind taking Moch in the third round though but if it came to that I'd rather trade off our third for Orton and take Casey Mathews in the forth. Moch is amazingly fast but I have always thought he was of an athlete then a linebacker.

    I think if we have any chance of winning in 2011 then we need to rebuild our defense from the inside. In 2009 we had 10 out of 11 starters on defense and we fell from a top five defense to one of the league's worst. It is no consequence that once our team was sans Hanyesworth that we had such a dramatic fall. The rush four/drop seven scheme we play calls for a dominate defensive tackle that collapses the pocket and panics the QB. Brown/Jones are good at getting sacks and pressures but they do not have the strength to shove a center/guard into the QB's face and eat a double team.

    When we had Bulluck in 2009 our defense was horrible so I don't the lack of leadership/talent from the linebacker position is our biggest need. If we cannot collapse the pocket we will have a top five pick this time next season... which admittedly wont be so bad because I think we will have a "Luck"-y pick next year.
     
  6. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

    23,252
    3,351
    1,059
    Moch in rd 3? There is no way he makes it out of rd 1 especially if he runs a sub 4.4 40 which he might do. The Colts, Eagles, Giants, Bears, Bengals will all want that guy.

    Ayers would be a DE in our system. We don't need a DE.

    I'm not advocating Moch at 8 i want Julio Jones, best player, but i think Moch is the better choice among OLBs for our team.

    Kiper can't i guess expect to understand every one of the 32 teams but last year he had us taking Kindle. Same problem as with Ayers, Miller and aldon.
     
  7. Finnebosch

    Finnebosch I am vengeance.

    4,464
    1,917
    719
    Please show me one person's big board that has Moch in the top 32 players becuase unless Kiper or McShay have him there I havn't seen any draft site or scouting reports that have him going in the first. Moch can run a 4.3 40 for all I care but no team is going to take him in the first round because he runs fast (unless Al Davis does). Taylor Mays ran an unoffical 4.2 at his combine but that didn't get him a first round grade. (He was way faster then the offical time and every one watching the combine admitted as much.)

    Moch is a fast player but shows sloppy coverage technique and plays in the WAC conference where none of the other teams can capitalize on it. He will go mid- to low second round at the highest.
     
  8. xpmar9x

    xpmar9x The Real Slim Shady

    14,862
    5,085
    809
    40 Time isn't everything.

    I don't think the Titans need a OLB with our #1 pick. We have 3 servicable starters at LB (if we re-sign Tully), and have other needs first. There are plenty of late 1st/early 2nd OLBs that could fall to us in the 2nd.

    My personal favorite is Martez Wilson, from Illinois. 6'4 250, runs a 4.5ish.
     
    • High Five High Five x 1
  9. steverife

    steverife Pro Bowler

    6,783
    2,305
    709
    Moch is probably a 2nd round guy if he backs up his 40.

    I think Miller is a LOT more well rounded than Jerry Hughes. When I watched Miller, he was all over the field.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  • Welcome to goTitans.com

    Established in 2000, goTitans.com is the place for Tennessee Titans fans to talk Titans. Our roots go back to the Tennessee Oilers Fan Page in 1997 and we currently have 4,000 diehard members with 1.5 million messages. To find out about advertising opportunities, contact TitanJeff.
  • The Tip Jar

    For those of you interested in helping the cause, we offer The Tip Jar. For $2 a month, you can become a subscriber and enjoy goTitans.com without ads.

    Hit the Tip Jar