Thomas Davis high on Shaq Thompson, calls Shaq "a better athlete than was," proud to be compared to Shaq

[micnificent28]

In response to our "needs"....

"When you reach, you get screwed" - Gettleman

As far as bpa goes this draft is much better at wr ol and probably db than 4-3 olb.

[GamecockSmitty4]

As far as bpa goes this draft is much better at wr ol and probably db than 4-3 olb.

 

Matter of opinion. First, I see Shaq as a SS. Second, I don't see anyone who will likely be there at 25 that I think will be better than Shaq. Only possibilities, IMO, are maybe Humphries and Fisher. And that would be up to the FO to decide if either of those are better value than Shaq assuming that they are even there at 25.

 

I don't see any WR or DB being there that I think is better.

[Ace_Aladdin]

A

[Mol3m4n]

Matter of opinion. First, I see Shaq as a SS. Second, I don't see anyone who will likely be there at 25 that I think will be better than Shaq. Only possibilities, IMO, are maybe Humphries and Fisher. And that would be up to the FO to decide if either of those are better value than Shaq assuming that they are even there at 25.

I don't see any WR or DB being there that I think is better.

Why would you draft someone in the first that you have never seen play one snap at the position you want him for?

[GamecockSmitty4]

Why would you draft someone in the first that you have never seen play one snap at the position you want him for?

 

Because based on his athletic ability and play style I project (key word) that he would have more value at that position than the guys I believe will also be available at 25 would have value at their respective positions. In a worst case scenario, I believe he can be a special package OLB that brings similar value as his competition for our pick.

 

Again, all this is my opinion. But that's all that the draft is. It's a consolidated view of differing opinions.

[CPantherKing]

They have seen him play the position they want him for.

 

The Panthers use the "big nickel" and 2-4-5 package more than a base 4-3.

 

They plugged about 5 guys into that big nickel spot. That is the big reason the did not give Mike Mitchell the money he wanted in free agency. His coverage was terrible in the big nickel and he could not fill in that hybrid position.

 

Last season the Panthers had Charles Godfrey, Roman Harper, Colin Jones, Bene Benwikere, and Melvin White man that spot. Colin Jones finished the season there, and that tells you all you need to know.

 

Charles Tillman was signed to help fill this very big void, and if they draft Shaq Thompson I see him playing run downs at OLB and moving into the big nickel when teams use their spread offense in short yardage situations. Especially against those hybrid TEs.

 

This is the Big Nickel:

You need the hybrid players to play the run and defend the pass against a spread offense with short yardage. The Steelers ate the Panthers up all day with this crap last year. You put Tillman on the slot, Shaq Thompson on the TE. Benwikere and Norman on the outside. This allows Kuechly and Davis more freedom.

 

 

[French Navy]

^^^ football boner post

[micnificent28]

Matter of opinion. First, I see Shaq as a SS. Second, I don't see anyone who will likely be there at 25 that I think will be better than Shaq. Only possibilities, IMO, are maybe Humphries and Fisher. And that would be up to the FO to decide if either of those are better value than Shaq assuming that they are even there at 25.

I don't see any WR or DB being there that I think is better.

First off kendricks is better than shaq lets get that out the way. Not only is he will he not be bpa at 25 when we are on the clock he isn't even the best at his position.

People i would take over shaq at 25: Peat Perriman Gordon Gurley fisher kendricks Humphries DGB Dorsett landon Collins Peters Darby Flowers.

[GamecockSmitty4]

First off kendricks is better than shaq lets get that out the way. Not only is he will he not be bpa at 25 when we are on the clock he isn't even the best at his position.

People i would take over shaq at 25: Peat Perriman Gordon Gurley fisher kendricks Humphries DGB Dorsett landon Collins Peters Darby Flowers.

Read the first three words of my post. It's my opinion. Try not to get so worked up over things that don't really matter.

[jayflip]

I have nightmares just thinking about what Gettleman Jack's twitter feed looks like.

And that's not a knock.

[DaCityKats]

They have seen him play the position they want him for.

 

The Panthers use the "big nickel" and 2-4-5 package more than a base 4-3.

 

They plugged about 5 guys into that big nickel spot. That is the big reason the did not give Mike Mitchell the money he wanted in free agency. His coverage was terrible in the big nickel and he could not fill in that hybrid position.

 

Last season the Panthers had Charles Godfrey, Roman Harper, Colin Jones, Bene Benwikere, and Melvin White man that spot. Colin Jones finished the season there, and that tells you all you need to know.

 

Charles Tillman was signed to help fill this very big void, and if they draft Shaq Thompson I see him playing run downs at OLB and moving into the big nickel when teams use their spread offense in short yardage situations. Especially against those hybrid TEs.

 

This is the Big Nickel:

You need the hybrid players to play the run and defend the pass against a spread offense with short yardage. The Steelers ate the Panthers up all day with this crap last year. You put Tillman on the slot, Shaq Thompson on the TE. Benwikere and Norman on the outside. This allows Kuechly and Davis more freedom.

 

 

 

Good post. in nickel situations, i do not see Tillman playing the nickel back role, but playing outside. this allows Bene to slide to the inside, at nickel. I just cannot see Shaq as an option to stay on the field over Tillman, Bene, or Norman. not even Harper.

[micnificent28]

 

 

69. Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington (78)

Instincts/recognition: 3

Take-on skills: 4

Range vs. run: 1

Tackling: 2

Third-down capabilities: 2

What he brings: He's a tremendously versatile player after playing linebacker, safety and even some running back at Washington. He lacks ideal size as a linebacker but is an excellent mover in space who can cover sideline to sideline against the run. He's also a good tackler and has above-average man-to-man coverage skills against running backs and tight ends.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft2015/insider/story/_/id/12783019/jameis-winston-headlines-todd-mcshay-top-300-prospects-2015-nfl-draft

Number 69 on Todd Mcshays final big board.

 

29. Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA (88)

Instincts/recognition: 1

Take-on skills: 3

Range vs. run: 2

Tackling: 2

Third-down capabilities: 1

What he brings: He is the best coverage linebacker in this draft. He lacks ideal size and power for the position in run defense, but he makes up for it with very good overall range and his quick diagnosis of plays. He's a playmaker against both the run and the pass.

 

kendricks is way superior....

[GamecockSmitty4]

Well if ESPN says it then it MUST be true!

[Bartin]

????

Compare the Combines:

Shaq (6-0/228), TD (6-1/230), and Landon Collins (6-0/228) were the same size.

Shaq's 3-cone (measures the athletic ability needed for pass coverage) is Top 30% in the NFL and his short shuttle (sideline-to-sideline speed) is Top 10% in the NFL. TD's 3-cone was just behind Shaq's (Shaq 6.99, TD 7.09 - both elite) and TD's short shuttle was better than Shaq's (TD 3.97, Shaq 4.08)

Landon Collins is the opposite of those two : horrific 3 cone (bottom 5% in NFL) and terrible short shuttle (bottom 17% in NFL)

Whether you or anybody believed that TD was poor in pass coverage in college is irrelevant, because he is great at it now, just like Shaq. Hence the comparisons

Landon Collins is the opposite of those two : poor in pass coverage and doesn't have the athleticism to ever get any better

As for instincts against the run:

PFF rates Shaq with a 7.3 run-stop percentage

PFF rates Thomas Davis 3rd-worst OLB in the NFL (#35 of 37 OLBs) with a 3.7 run-stop percentage

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/04/24/sig-stats-run-stop-percentage-lbs/

 

Just because players are athletically similar doesn't mean they compare well as football players. Games aren't played in underwear as our GM likes to tell us.

 

TD while in college played most similarly to the way Landon was used last year by Alabama. Landon also has the 2nd best coverage grade for safeties(though that doesn't say much in this class) and 4th best run defense grade according to PFF.

 

Also just a correction, the 20 yd short shuttle does not measure sideline to sideline speed. It's a change of direction speed measurement which is still really important in coverage maybe even more so than sideline to sideline speed. Sideline to sideline is probably best measured by the 20 yd split in the 40.