I said he wouldn't amount to anything,

Well, actually I said he'd never amount to anything as an edge rusher, and would never post double digit sacks in his career.

Either way I'm happy we didn't cut him like i wanted.

 

How you luh dat!

 

I think he was the difference maker last game too, kid seems to have a knack for making big plays.

 

I was pretty neutral on the kid, but definitely pleased so far.

 

there are players that just seem to be in the right place at the right time. I am starting to get the feeling Vernon is one of those guys… cant wait to see him develop considering you know damn well the coaching staff at the U didnt teach him anything.

 

Light came on against the Rams. Keep it up OV.


Sent from my iPhone

 

Vernon IMO is going to be a guy that gets you 6 to 9 sacks a year, solid pressure and plays the run.

 

The guy is a stud.

 

I don't want to temper anyone's expectations and be a Debbie Downer, but Merling looked pretty damn good his rookie year too. I think Vernon has a bright future, but I still have some questions about him. Anyway he has played lights out the last couple games, I love how aware his is at all times. Very high football intelligence especially for a rookie that left college early.

 

Well, Merling didn't make these kind of plays, he was good against the run and not much else, minus that int for a TD against Favre and the Jets to win the East.

 

Lol you could argue the same thing for Vernon, minus this play or that play. Some of Vernon's sacks were more of coverage sacks and if I recall correctly one he was unblocked. Also Merling had a couple impact plays his rookie year too; I know because I was really excited to watch him develop. Again, I'm not trying to start stuff I just am just trying to temper the excitement a bit. Vernon will be a good heads up player that will contribute for a while, but I don't know if he will be a "great" player. I still want to see him drop his hips to get around the corner better.

 

He has been impressive. I didn't like the pick when it happened, but it wasn't anything specific against Vernon. I just wanted Sanu in that spot. I hadn't scouted Vernon so I didn't have an opinion on him.

 

I remember Merling's rookie year well too and he never showed this kind of potential, they are completely different kind of players talent wise. Also Merling had just one sack the whole year, OV has 2.5 already in just 7 games, and a blocked FG now.

 

Phillip Merling 2.0 was the worry with me. He's done more in these last two games than Merling ever did in his entire time here in Miami. I didn't know a thing about him coming out of Miami U so I wasn't sure what we were getting. Never bashed him just simply didn't know anything about the kid. Glad he's come to life.
If we could just get something from Michael Egnew going this draft would shape up as one of the better ones in recent history for us.

 

I dont know that he is ever going to be a great player but I think he is going to be one of those guys that makes a big play just about every game. So far this season he blocked a kick (Jets, time out), big sack a couple weeks ago. Today he had a TD. He has 2.5 sacks so far… Merling had 3.5 in four years with the Fins. Like I said I dont know how his career is going to end up (none of us do) but he is playing better right now then Merling ever did so that give me hope… :)

 

He's definitely played above my expectations. Would be shocked if he was ever anything more than average as a pass rusher, and still think we need to find a situational pass rusher opposite Wake for 3rd downs. But he can still be a very good player at all the other phases of the game, as he's been doing.

 

I love Miller but the coaching staff see something in him that they must hate if they cant even get him some carries in a 20+ point blow out.

 

I totally agree… I just dont see the quickness off the ball that is going to make him a great passrusher… but I think he is a football player...

 

I don't know that Vernon had the most amazing game as a pass rusher this week, but then again he was going overwhelmingly against D'Brickashaw Ferguson too.

It's worth noting that he was responsible for a points differential of 10(9 if you're anal) points this week and likely 3-6 game winning points in the last game. That's pretty big regardless of where it comes.

 

Vernon has come along strong in the last 2 games. If he continues this way, one can only guess at his upside. THe guy just makes plays, it seems.

 

Pretty much. And you can never have enough football players. Making plays is making plays. Doesn't really matter whether it's on special teams, run defense, or rushing the passer.

 

[video=youtube;rQKsKbXN1A4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQKsKbXN1A4[/video]

Had to ;p Great performance though! The only time letterman has asked a band to play on.

 

I was afraid he'd suck, although I was holding out hope that since it was so early that he was by no means a final product.

 

Irrelevant. Two completely different people with different DNA. Whether or not Vernon has a successful career is in no way connected to how Merling's career went.

 

They aren't even close to similar skill sets. Merling was a 4-3DT/3-4DE type, and Vernon is a 4-3DE/3-4OLB.
I don't see anything with Vernon since he joined the team that made me concerned he could be the next Merling.

 

"That dude is a big mother..built well, no wonder he's strong as hell.."

"Vern got hurt..but gets up 10 mins later, and pops on his toes..he was pissed for a second..That guy may have some good makeup."

He did that in camp, and I was reflecting on the situation, he acted at the time that it was the final minute of the superbowl, he is fun to watch, and a very tough kid..

 

I just watched that GIF for like 5 minutes....it just doesnt get old.

Ball security. Watch the way he holds the ball. Doesnt mean he wont be a stud as tons of backs have ball security early on...Tiki Barber, Ahmad Bradshaw, MJD among them.

As for Vernon, I didnt really have an opinion on draft day and after watching some film/highlights I said he would be a good player before the season started. Not sure I see him being a pro bowl level player but he can definitely be an 8-9 sack guy who plays the run well if he reaches his potential. I do think if he busts his tail he could go even further then that because as a DE you need that high motor and he has that. You need to be able to get upfield either by overpowering or being faster then the tackle and he can do those as well. His hand placement was the biggest knock I had.

 

Nice new fresh look there buddy..

 

Kid looks damn good.

 

I think (like Merling) Vernon would be better as a standup LB. Don't see him ever becoming a good hand in the dirt, DE edge rusher. But I see him flashing all sorts of other good looking skills.

Pass drops. Great awareness. Real good special teams player. And competent against blokers... Wonder how he'd look as Misi's backup at SOLB. That's my preference for him long-term.

 

For me, the Merling thing came from seeing Merling as a guy they mis-cast by taking a high-motor guy who was a bit slogging and didn't have the quickest twitch moves at the line, and instead of having him drop a few pounds and hacving him play SOLB in the 3-4, which he could have done at LEAST as weell or better than Matt Roth, they had him put weight ON and moved him somewhere he was not optimally styled to play, imo. He got MORE slowish as he put on more bulk. Totally wrong way to go, I thought.

In Vernon I see a guy who does not show quick twicth explosion around the edge, and doesn't have quick feet in the pass rush. A guy who, if you expect him to be Cam Wake, he just ain't. And packing MORE weight on him won't make him any quicker so I fear if they want him on the line at DE the mandate will be "Put on pounds". If that happens, some of the natural athleticism letting him drop into a zone and dive to breakup a pass, or run back into the endzone to catch a blocked punt, or elevate to block a FG will disappear. Embrace what he is, and play him as a strongside linebacker, imo. You'll get the most out of him. He takes on blocks well, but doesn't defeat them well. So make him a professional dance partner who pass drops at times... make him Misi's backup protege at SOLB.

That's where the Merling thing comes in for me. I don't want to see him wasted by being pushed towards being a lineman, not an LB.

 

We were referring more about what happened with his career, not the playing style... High floor, middle-tier ceiling guy. Will be as good as his body allows him. He can't seem to sink his hips and turn the corner real well. He is strong but, not country strong like JJ Watt. Most DEs that are not exceptionally strong/powerful or exceptionally fast/quick do not turn out to be great players. Players like him that have average strength and average speed/acceleration tend to just be good, never really becoming great. I see someone that will work hard and max out his potential, but I also see limitations to him as DEs/OLB. I simply named Merling as a player that had a pretty solid impact in year 1 and then never got better. Vernon is not the same guy, yes I understand that but that was the easiest and quickest reference I could make in terms of someone that had an impact in year 1 and never progressed. Vernon has the drive and wants to be a good player, will he work his *** off in the offseason? Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean he will be an impact player. If you want a better comparison in terms of how I see his career turning out (not a comparison, but a what will his career end up like) I would say Matt Roth.

If I remember correctly one of his sacks was a coverage sack and another he was not touched en route to the QB. Just because he is having a big impact early on doesn't necessarily mean he will develop into a great player. You have to look at how the stats were accumulated, not at only the stats. If you looked at stats in a tunnel, Kellen Moore would have been the #1 overall pick.

Keep in mind, I am a Dolphins fan first and foremost. If I am proven wrong I will gladly and happily eat crow, but that is just how I see it now.

 

This is what I was thinking too. The guy is very active and looks more the part of a linebacker or kind of a hybrid DE/LB. Such a good ST's player could really be used a lot of ways defensively. Get creative with the guy and he will pay dividends IMO.

 

Funny that we both brought up Roth lol. I posted before seeing either of your last two posts.

While we agree on Vernon, I still don't think Merling could have played LB but I guess we will never know. I could see Vernon at OLB though.

 

Less Zaslow, please.

That said, Vernon was targeted as a 1st round pick we were able to get a year early. Vernon hasn't turned in a 1st round pick level season, at least IMO, but he's certainly coming along. We're still two seasons away from being able to evaluate him (and the rest of the rookies).

 

I didn't know what to think of the pick. He underachived at Miami didn't he?

Glad he is on our team now seeing play.

I did not like the Miller pick at all. Still waiting for Miller to prove he was worth taking.