Round 7: Lee Ziemba

[Darth Bobo]

Ziemba is what some might call a handcuff pick. The handcuff pick assumes that some of Newton's excellence at Auburn is attributable to Ziemba who protected his blind side.

We didn't do enough to improve the offensive line. Betting on Otah's healthy return, that Wharton can play a whole season in one spot, that Kahlil will return after being franchised the next year are all real gambles. We gambled on the O-line last year too.

If copnfidence is more important for rookie and sophomore QBs then need MORE protection they can rely on.

[rayzor]

i'm feeling a lot better about this oline.

still need for everyone to be healthy and duke to take things seriously.

i don't care who starts, as long as we've got solid guys all across the line.

[Big Beast]

I am sure that a lot of Auburn fans in the Carolinas will be buying a ton of Panther tickets this season. How many guys on the 2011 Panthers have NCAA rings?

[4Corners]

I truly love this pick, and I think we could have a major steal for a couple reasons.

1. He won't be required to start this year or next. He'll have an opportunity to be groomed by a very good line of versatile players who know how to carry themselves on/off the field.

2. I've read he may have to move inside to G. Perhaps he will be that kick in the ass to Duke Robinson to get him motivated?

3. Ziemba and Cam are boys and now 2 time team mates. If things get off to a rocky start with Cam, he knows there will be at least one guy in his corner who can immediately relate to.

I mentioned Duke Robinson earlier, I was one of those guys who thought we got a MAJOR steal when we pick him up in RD5 2 years ago, and as we all know that hasn't been the case. Hopefully Ziemba pans out!

[bleys]

I'm really sick of the 'Brady fell to 6th' comparison. He was a true Diamond in the Rough player. Meaning, it's rare. And I'm only talking about QB's. This doesn't even really compare with other player positions. I would compare it more to Greg Hardy.

matter of fact, there wasn't one thing you could even pinpoint to have predicted Brady's success.. Brady barely even made the Patriots roster.. Bellichick basically flipped a coin (a vague hunch) and kept him on the roster.

[KillerKat]

- Why did several high profile players slide out of the draft or unexpectedly slip into the late rounds? Seemingly it centers around one word at this point; injuries. Tackle Lee Ziemba and tight end Virgil Green were both red-flagged with injuries as were running back Derrick Locke and receiver Terrance Toliver. This harkens back to something we posted and stated in interviews after breaking the story of Nick Fairley’s injury during the combine; teams were going to be leery selecting injured players in the draft when they could not monitor them due to the lockout.

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=5345

[BizEagle]

Ziemba is a great run blocker. He was so mean & nasty when he was freshman that the coaches had to calm him down because he was injuring the defensive players during practice scrimmages. He is one bad dood and he plays smart, exactly what you want in the trenches. Can't wait to see him bustin' heads in the NFL

[Brandon]

Ziemba is a great run blocker. He was so mean & nasty when he was freshman that the coaches had to calm him down because he was injuring the defensive players during practice scrimmages. He is one bad dood and he plays smart, exactly what you want in the trenches. Can't wait to see him bustin' heads in the NFL

I like that in my offensive linemen.

[zebrainz]

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=5345

The only thing I could find was a knee injury back in September '10. MRI revealed no tears but he wouldn't elaborate anything else about it. He didn't miss time. I read one article that said the coaches told him to lay down as he approached the sideline because they were changing a jersey on a player from TE to OL and they wanted him to delay for whatever that's worth.

[BizEagle]

The only thing I could find was a knee injury back in September '10. MRI revealed no tears but he wouldn't elaborate anything else about it. He didn't miss time. I read one article that said the coaches told him to lay down as he approached the sideline because they were changing a jersey on a player from TE to OL and they wanted him to delay for whatever that's worth.

That is what happened. I think it was the Ole Miss or the Miss State game. Ziemba (LT) came out limping and Brandon Mosley who was a TE took his place. Ziemba missed 1 quarter of play. It actually was a lucky break because Mosley played so well as a backup that he took over the right tackle spot when the other tackle broke his ankle. Now Mosely will likely start as either RT or LT on the 2011 Auburn team. Ziemba was fine after that and never missed a snap except when the 2nd team was doing clean up duty during a couple of blow outs.

[zebrainz]

That is what happened. I think it was the Ole Miss or the Miss State game. Ziemba (LT) came out limping and Brandon Mosley who was a TE took his place. Ziemba missed 1 quarter of play. It actually was a lucky break because Mosley played so well as a backup that he took over the right tackle spot when the other tackle broke his ankle. Now Mosely will likely start as either RT or LT on the 2011 Auburn team. Ziemba was fine after that and never missed a snap except when the 2nd team was doing clean up duty during a couple of blow outs.

Knee surgery 2 years ago? I wish they would have elaborated whether it was the same sort of thing that dropped Bowers draft stock.

Ziemba has heard two theories on why he fell to the final round. Some teams apparently were concerned about his knee surgery two years ago to repair a torn meniscus, performed by renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews.

A shaky combine performance didn't help.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/05/07/2281141/cam-newtons-protector-wait-at.html#ixzz1LjwgJHOa

^from a Charlotte Observer article. This guy is definitely a gamer. I'm hoping we have a steal here.

Note: Ever since the Observer reported that "team doctor" James Andrews performed Jonathan Stewart's toe surgery just before he was drafted, a lot of people that post here think that Andrews is our "team doctor", when in reality he routinely does surgeries for everyone. I'm sure several teams got an opinion out of him and had their own doctors perform an evaluation from there.

Every athletic trainer, physical therapist, strength-and-conditioning coach in the land seems to have Andrews' cell phone number".

wiki link

[Zaximus]

I like this pick. It's a SEVENTH round pick, if he's a solid BACK-UP we got our value. But I have a feeling this guy will start eventually. I have almost given up hope on Otah altogether and I'm glad we got some depth.

Yeah, he ran a slow 40, he's an offensive lineman, just like he says in the observer article "I'm not a trackstar."

Peppers is probably the biggest freak in the game, but when he played here, half the time, he had no heart. I'll take HEART, meanness/nastyness, and strong work ethic over someone that has amazing athletic skills but doesn't care.

We need people to change this team's attitude. Rivera is a former Bears LB, he isn't going to be John Fox on the sidelines clapping after a lost fumble. He's going to demand intensity from his players, not this "Happy-go-lucky-Peppers" attitude that was OK for so long (I hope at least).

[Hairless Cat]

had some major issues with false starts

he and gross ought to get along fine