Michael Buchanan DE/OLB Illinois

Pass.

You can pass all you want, but I would suggest accepting that, most likely, Odrick isn't going anywhere from base DE and we'll need a complimenting pass rusher when he bumps inside on passing downs. I see Buchanan and Lemonier as two candidates to fill that role and maybe get a look at OLB. I like Okafor, but he is clearly less explosive off of the edge than Buchanan and wouldn't fit that role as well imo. At the very least Buchanan gives you a pass rushing threat opposite Wake, which is a huge need imo. Depending on what happens in rd 2-3 and who's available- and who we already took- I'd look at Buchanan with 2b or one of the 3rd rd picks.

His stock seems to be slipping a bit, but for our team and what we need I think that he's definitely worth a look.

That is some of the weirdest at-the-snap footwork I think I've seen this year. At the snap, he does a choppy step thing and stands upright. Instead of vaulting forwards across the LOS, he just moves in place, it seems. Then he kind of dances and moves forwards like a lizard running across water.

Michael Buchanon, vs W. Mich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhsxo7vY8ac

Okay, enough joking. I'm getting over the weird looking footwork and now watching to see the results. Does he get to the QB? And the answer is, sort of.

- Not dominating as an edge rusher, but not bad. He's got some quicks, but not overwhelming... som ability to bat handss away and dip his shoulder, but not such strong hands that he can jolt the tackle to create a shorter corner to turn. Seems good, not dominant and so I wonder how he'd look against NFL guys. I fear he'd look about average... which right now is better than we are getting from our DE in pass rush.
- seems to do well redirecting inside... leads me to think he'll see results on stunts.
- gets decent amount of pressures and hits, and I like the tipped pass aspect
- comes off the ball to get RBs aggressively. I like that
- can beat a guy off the edge, but has trouble bending the arc once he does. Doesn;t get enough body lean, imo. I have no idea if that's really fixable. Seems more like a natural body movement thing that you kinda have a propensity to move that way or you don't. Don't see it improving with coaching.
- A lot of wasted movement, it seems. he moves a LOT even before initial contact.. like a ball of kinetic activity, without always actually doing that much.

Overall I think he's a decent DE. Can do a few things pretty well, but doesn;t jump out at me. Not a favorite of mine, for sure.
I watched your clips (not the highlights. I don;t watch highlight packages as it gives me a skewed opinion of a guy.) and also watched this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsvsroYLrPU

I don;t think he's a second round value. You're probably right that he's 'worth' a third, but he's not a guy I care if I get or not, so I'd only scoop him if he somehow made it to the fourth round.

My interest in him is as a speed rusher, specifically because that's what we need. He looked awfully thin for DE at the Senior Bowl game, I can't see him holding up against the run at DE. But I do think that he's a talented pass rusher and the 3rd rd sounds about right, as a pass rusher and see what he can do at OLB.

Pass.

"ckparrothead wrote:

Pass.

Can you elaborate, or did you just want to make sure we know where you stand?

Never been a fan. Not very physical.

"ckparrothead wrote:

Never been a fan. Not very physical.

I'd have to agree with the not physical part. Suprisingly thin in the upper body, but imo a talented pass rusher, satisfying our need for that is my interest.

He's been posturing that he can play OLB, that remains to be seen, but imo he might have to move there and be only a pass rush DE. He can get to the QB, though.

How does a guy satisfy a need if he's not very good at what he does?

I think he's an interesting prospect as a 40 backer but admittedly is a tweener.

"ckparrothead wrote:

How does a guy satisfy a need if he's not very good at what he does?

In your opinion he wouldn't. In my opinion he's a talented pass rusher who could help us in that regard. Suprisingly thin upper and lower halves, and very much a question mark as a potential convert to OLB. 1st round no, later 2nd or 3rd maybe- I have to see more and as always it would depend on who we took previously and who would be available, particularly from the deep WR group. But he certainly has a good 1st step and looks explosive to me, hopefully he can add some weight and get stronger.

I wasn't really a big Whitney Mercilus fan but Mercilus blows Buchanon away, IMO.

"ckparrothead wrote:

I wasn't really a big Whitney Mercilus fan but Mercilus blows Buchanon away, IMO.

6 sacks. Wonder how much action he saw and on what downs.

"Bpk wrote:

6 sacks. Wonder how much action he saw and on what downs.

(Relatively) high sack total but low production of hits and pressures especially compared with number of pass rush opportunities. It's no wonder PFF gave him such a big negative grade, especially in pass rush.

Guys can luck into sacks. We saw Olivier Vernon luck into a few this year.