Your Favorite LB's?

[raphael]

I think Damontre Moore ends up at linebacker. Maybe even ILB. He would be beast.

[Kase1]

Ogeltree, Sio Moore, and Khaseem Greene are 3 guys who I would LOVE to have on the Giants

[Attyla the Hawk]

Arthur Brown Jr.
Khaseem Greene
Sio Moore
Jaime Collins
Gerald Hodges
Trevardo Williams

If we ran a 3-4 in Seattle -- a guy I'd like very much in a James Harrison role:

John Simon

I guy I would cry if he was a 4-3 LB tasked with cover responsibility:

John Simon

[kingdomcome]

Originally Posted by holt_bruce81

I love him too. Think he's the best Inside Linebacker in this draft.

I like Kevin Reddick as well. He is solid all around. Good against the run and pass.

I also like A.J. Klein

[AcheTen]

LBers are only as good as their DL.

If you draft stud DL, then you can put almost anybody behind them and have a good defense.

Even if you have stud LBers, if your DL is below-average your defense will suck in both the run game and the pass game.

Case in point: 49ers the past two years. Best ILBs in the league, but when Justin Smith goes down, their defense hemorrhages yards. Similarly, when their DL is beasting, and Patrick Willis misses a game, they plug in Larry Grant and don't miss a beat.

If I were a GM I would never draft a non-pass-rushing LB higher than the 3rd round, ever. LB position is to the defense what the RB position is to offense.

[kingdomcome]

Originally Posted by AcheTen

LBers are only as good as their DL.

If you draft stud DL, then you can put almost anybody behind them and have a good defense.

Even if you have stud LBers, if your DL is below-average your defense will suck in both the run game and the pass game.

Case in point: 49ers the past two years. Best ILBs in the league, but when Justin Smith goes down, their defense hemorrhages yards. Similarly, when their DL is beasting, and Patrick Willis misses a game, they plug in Larry Grant and don't miss a beat.

If I were a GM I would never draft a non-pass-rushing LB higher than the 3rd round, ever. LB position is to the defense what the RB position is to offense.

With all respect, I disagree with some of this. You cant put anyone at LB. A LB needs to be able to tackle, shed blocks, play their gaps and not over-pursue plays. I do agree with the last part about non-pass-rush LB being taken higher than the 3rd round. Especially with the LB having to do more in pass coverage.

RB is more of a skill position where a team can have more of a rotation at that position then LB due to specialization.

[AcheTen]

Originally Posted by kingdomcome

With all respect, I disagree with some of this. You cant put anyone at LB. A LB needs to be able to tackle, shed blocks, play their gaps and not over-pursue plays. I do agree with the last part about non-pass-rush LB being taken higher than the 3rd round. Especially with the LB having to do more in pass coverage.

I realize that you can't put anyone at LB. But you don't need anyone really special. You just need someone competent; and 6'2" 230-240lb guys who are competent are basically almost a dime a dozen. As I said, if I were a GM, all my LBers (that do not rush the passer - 34 OLBs are different) would be free agents or 3rd round - 7th round picks.

RB is more of a skill position where a team can have more of a rotation at that position then LB due to specialization.

My point is that LB and RB are both heavily affected by the DL and OL they play in front of, respectively, and that they are highly interchangeable parts that should not be invested in with premium picks.

[Attyla the Hawk]

Originally Posted by AcheTen

Even if you have stud LBers, if your DL is below-average your defense will suck in both the run game and the pass game.

Case in point: 49ers the past two years. Best ILBs in the league, but when Justin Smith goes down, their defense hemorrhages yards. Similarly, when their DL is beasting, and Patrick Willis misses a game, they plug in Larry Grant and don't miss a beat.

I wouldn't use the SF analogy. While yes that was somewhat true, that team had/has absolutely zero depth. 13 players played 90% of the defensive snaps. By the end of the season they were all worn out across the board.

Their fade down the stretch should be pretty predictable. And that defense as a whole isn't particularly youthful.

[AcheTen]

Or how about the Ravens analogy?

There was a stretch in the mid 2000s when Ray Lewis started to look really bad. Offensive linemen were blocking him with ease, he wasn't making plays in the backfield, and the team defense was mediocre.

Then they drafted Haloti Ngata, and what do you know? Ray Lewis looks awesome again. The defense improves.

I think the Baltimore defense being great the past handful of years has more to do with the linemen - i.e. Ngata, Pryce, Redding and Suggs (pass rushing 3-4 OLB that plays in a lot of 4-3 DE looks) than with the interior linebackers.

[Attyla the Hawk]

That's a good analogy.

[BallerT1215]

Originally Posted by AcheTen

Or how about the Ravens analogy?

There was a stretch in the mid 2000s when Ray Lewis started to look really bad. Offensive linemen were blocking him with ease, he wasn't making plays in the backfield, and the team defense was mediocre.

Then they drafted Haloti Ngata, and what do you know? Ray Lewis looks awesome again. The defense improves.

I think the Baltimore defense being great the past handful of years has more to do with the linemen - i.e. Ngata, Pryce, Redding and Suggs (pass rushing 3-4 OLB that plays in a lot of 4-3 DE looks) than with the interior linebackers.

I remember when Ray Lewis publicly pleaded for the Ravens to draft Ngata or any form of D-line help before that draft.

[thebow305]

Barkevious Mingo. <3 I friggin love this guy!


Others I am very high on are Sean Porter, Brandon Jenkins, Jarvis Jones, Kevin Minter and Nico Johnson.

[Docta]

Check out Jordan Campbell. Former USC Trojan, but was forced to transfer due to sanctions. Killer work ethic. Went to USC to play RB, but he converted to LB.

http://www.youtube.com/user/COSXCEO/videos