Depth at Defensive Tackle

Outside of being a rookie and not having OTAs Ayers didn't do that poorly at all. One huge hole in our defense was we didn't have a good Will LB to play in the nickel so Ayers was forced to play as a cover LB a good part of the year. He is maybe average in coverage but for a guy his size that isn't going to be his best position. He is more of an inline LB and pass rusher and now with the addition of Brown as a Will and nickel LB Ayers can focus on being a pass rusher in the nickel. About 1/2 of his big plays in college came when he had his hand down as a DE in passing situations in college. That isn't new to him. Basically by drafting Brown we also gained an additional outside rush guy.

Also, the flexibility Gray has with Ayers and Wimbely as the ends is going to allow Gray to mix things up because both Ayers and Wimbley can drop into zone coverage while Gray brings LBs, Ss or NBs on the blitz. We won't have to be vanilla and just line up four DL guys to rush. Remember the SB when Warner threw the pick to Harrison? That is what happens when you mix things up and confuse the QB.

 

It's not going to be perfect.

However... on the Locker thing, I also had him 2nd rated QB in the draft and there's a post in the draft forum about that.

Ayers I almost admitted to being wrong about until he sucked weeks 4 and beyond... He started out playing far beyond expectations though, and I said if things held up- I couldn't have been more wrong. So I at least give him the chance of proving me wrong still.


However those aren't talent evaluations.

That was expectations for the season. Which is a bit different.

Hard to find any I miss on when it comes to talking about if players are either going to be good or bad (that we draft, expecially).


Robert Thompson would be a current one. I expected him to be good. So far, he's done nothing.

Ayers I thought sucked completely. He has a chance to make me wrong because he showed signs early. (I did say McCarthy was better, but didn't expect him to be near as good as he was either)

Terna Nande I was high on. He did nothing.

Eh... there are a few more.

Mostly the ones I'm really vocal about are the ones everyone ignores after arguing with me for so long.

 

i try and stay away for player predictions. sometimes it has little to do with the player and everything to do with the team they go to.

 

Understatement of the year.

 

It's true the NFL is an entirely different monster..but sometimes that is to the benefit of the player.

UM fan here as well, but I can see him becoming more of a playmaker in the NFL. He def will be a solid hole plug; I think with good coaching he can come through with a few more big plays. All depending on how much time he gets on the field.

 

I can see him having some big plays, no doubt. But I think it'll have to be with good coverage down field... his pursuit/motor will get him a forced fumble or 2. He's relentless.