After watching some quick film on both I think Miami might go towards Weatherspoon a bit more due to his great coverage skills, extremely physical and HARD HITTER (somethign this defense lacks, biggest hitter is Davis..a CB) and a good instinct/tackler.
I think I am starting to lean towards that guy as being our ILB of the future more so than McClain even though the man is a beast (I doubt he gets past 11).
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He's a good player. Not as good at play recognition before the play starts, and doesn't deal with traffic as well.
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McClain may be higher on the board due to his experience in the 3-4.
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Weatherspoon is a chase player. He's a finess linebacker that would rather run around blocks than take them on. He really struggles at getting off blocks. IMO, he's a poor fit for the 3-4. I see him as a Tampa Two weakside linebacker. -
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx-BxSaQVh4"]YouTube- LB Sean Weatherspoon Highlights/Lowlights 2009 Missouri[/ame]
This is a good cut up of several games during this past season. It highlights his strengths as well as his weaknesses. It shows that he is very good in space, can go sideline to sideline, and will typically make the tackle if he doesn't have to take on blockers or navigate through traffic very much. He's also very good in coverage. It also shows that he can be completely engulfed by blockers, whether it is an offensive lineman, a fullback, and even a receiver on a couple of plays. Most of his tackles are down the field. A few were at or behind the line, but there weren't many of them. I've read where he's listed at 245 lbs, but I'd be surprised he if weighs in at more than 230 at the combine. His best fit is as a tampa two linebacker that can play in space.gunn34 likes this. -
I'm kind of curious if the Dolphins don't go for a guy like Weatherspoon. I agree with KB21 that he's more of a pure "chase" type linebacker, but I'd disagree pretty completely that he's not a fit for a 3-4.
There's nothing about a Tampa-2 style Weakside OLB's positioning that affords him any more protection from blockers than a 3-4 ILB. If anything, it gives less... A 4-3 Weakside OLB is lined up over the outside shoulder of the 3-technique, with the weakside DE generally not covering a blocker. A 3-4 "Mike" is sitting over the outside left shoulder of the NT, and has a 300+ End shading the RT.
The idea that your 3-4 ILB is going to have to get into a fight with Guards with regularity is a throwback to where pretty much everyone played a 2-gap 3-4, which is a rarity nowadays.
You can get by with a smallish "Chase" type 3-4 ILB. There are plenty of quality 3-4 ILBs who have had the same things attached to them, like Nick Barnett, Jerod Mayo, D'Qwell Jackson, etc -
If you look at the history of the people running things in Miami, it shows that they don't take those smallish, chase linebackers very often. The one that seems to go against the grain was Kevin Burnett, but even he was 6'3" and around 240 lbs. Bobby Carpenter was an outside guy at Ohio State that they converted to an inside guy in Dallas, and he goes about 255 to 260.
I think Miami is much more likely to go with Rolando McClain or Brandon Spikes as their inside linebacker or go with a guy like AJ Edds from Iowa in the 2nd round or so than going with a chase linebacker like Sean Weatherspoon or a guy like Rennie Curran from Georgia. -
What linebackers compliment Crowder, and which would Crowder compliment? I think this is a question that may answer what direction we take in going for ILBs.
I know some are down on him, and hes not great, but he is a solid player. Every time he comes out our defense seems to get worse. On his own, he cant cover up a weaker player like Ayodele or Torbor, but paired with another solid or better player he can be a very good player for us. What kind of player is that? -
texanphinatic likes this.
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Dansby seems to come up big in big games as well. If he hits the market and we dont make at the least a serious play for him then I will lose some faith in the FO.
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You can put me in the McClain camp. Although, admittedly I haven't seen much of Weatherspoon play. But, I was simply blown away by McClain in the BCS championship game last week. And, I don't know X's and O's, or break down players the way some of you guys do. But, I do have two eyes. And, all I know is that dude is a freakin' stud. If he declares, and is there at #12, I hope like hell we pull the trigger.
Also, and from what I've seen so far, Weatherspoon looks to be a 2nd/3rd round prospect anyway (at this point in time). -
I only saw the BCS game but what I saw was that Rolando McClain is a ball hawk. Wherever the ball goes there's McClain. He's very smart, sniffs out where the play is going and then goes and hits the playmaker. He's good. Very good. You can look at him and see the talent gap between him and Crowder or Ayodele.
I think he'd make our defense much better. -
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Do you think Jamar Chaney from Mississippi State could be one of them? I think he played in the 4-3 and had a broken leg in his first game of his Senior year, but was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week that week (ironic).
I know there are guys out there with probably a better pedigree, but IMO, Miami needs someone with not only good tackling skills, but with the speed to cover TEs and RBs. I am tired of the big, lumbering backers who can't cover crap with flies. I think a decent-sized, speedy backer with good tackling and cover skills could be good for this D. Chaney, if good from his injury, I think fits that mold. I know, the injury is the big question. -
Of course, I also think Weatherspoon can play inside and he's a good player. AJ Edds of Iowa of course. -
If we could somehow land Mcclain in the 1st and weatherspoon with our 2nd, i think they would compliment each other beautifully, and I would bathe in the man cream stuff that boomer refers to. -
I do love the idea of doubling up on two linebackers with our first 2 picks, this is the draft to do it, to break boundries, and boldly go where no man has gone before...9 picks....4 linebackers {fresh meat..yummy}..1 tight end....1 position player/returner..1 guard...2 bpa.
Mcclain/weatherspoon...I would be happy with Graham/weatherspoon as well.Xeticus likes this. -
Chaney is listed at 6'1"/245 (I do not think he's under 6') and does have some very good cover and tackling skills. He's not a big hitter, but can lay the wood from time-to-time. I have also noticed he is an excellent blitzer when called upon. He played in a 4-3, but that was in the SEC against bigger, faster opponents. He should be able make that switch to a 3-4. Athletically, I think he would be a steal in the later rounds if he is good to go.
** On another note, he was invited to the East-West Shrine game on the 23rd. He's accepted. I will be watching that game to see how he's recovered from his injury. ** -