The Weakside Linebacker postion thread

[Davidson Deac II]

Playing coverage against elite QBs is useless. Rules are too offense friendly. You have to hit them. Anybody watch the NO-SF game?

Rush the QB.

Did you watch the game today? Both defenses were very effective with pressure from the front four, with some blitzing and good coverage from the back 7. A linebacker today has to be able to cover, no way around it.

[frash.exe]

Did you watch the game today? Both defenses were very effective with pressure from the front four, with some blitzing and good coverage from the back 7. A linebacker today has to be able to cover, no way around it.

both front fours are exponentially better than ours

[Matthias]

We should sign Erin Henderson, and draft Nigel Bradham. Out of those three (Henderson, Bradham, and Davis), the weak side should be sured up for next season.

[Rook35200]

I say trade back in round 1 and draft Vontaze Burfict and call it a day

[Donald LaFell]

I say trade back in round 1 and draft Vontaze Burfict and call it a day

I would take him I think he's a productive maniac like steve smith and he could fill in for beason if we want to bring him along slowly.

[jarhead]

Did you watch the game today? Both defenses were very effective with pressure from the front four, with some blitzing and good coverage from the back 7. A linebacker today has to be able to cover, no way around it.

You are 100% right

[panthers55]

Assuming we don't go linebacker in the first, who might be a surprise pick who folks haven't heard about. I looked at guys at smaller schools who might fall. The first 2 mostt folks know about but the next 3 are not household names:

Ronnie Hillman out of Marshall- 6'4" 263- could play DE/OLB projected 2nd rounder. Could be gone as early as the first round but I included him anyway.

Bobby Wagner- Utah State- 6'1" 241- was great in the senior bowl. A little slow at 4.69 in the 40. projected 2nd rounder could rise or fall based oon combine/proday workouts.

Jonathan Massoquoi- Troy State- 6'2" 270- DE/OLB- maybe more suited to 3-4 but if we are going the direction he could be a transitional player. He is a junior and projected in the 3/4/round.

Tahir Whitehead- Temple- 6'2" 228- 4-3 outside linebacker- 4.59 40 time- projected 5-6 rounder

Tank Carder- TCU- 6'2" 228- WAC defensivee player of year 2 years in a row- but is a 5-6 rounder and will earn a spot in Special teams.

Outside of Hillman and Wagner, the rest would not be starters but developmental players. Just thought I would add to the conversation with some guys who won't get much press if any.

[mick eye]

Um what if we let James Anderson play WLB? Then draft a versatile linebacker who could play middle or strong. Guy i like is Jerry Franklin of Arkansas. Originally recruited as a defensive back moved to linebacker and has been a starter at several positions. Jerry is a tackling machine with a nose for the ball and showed he can hurry and disrupt the opposing offense. Also he is under the radar enough that we can get him late. Opening up our first 2 picks to positions other than LB.

[rayzor]

Assuming we don't go linebacker in the first, who might be a surprise pick who folks haven't heard about. I looked at guys at smaller schools who might fall. The first 2 mostt folks know about but the next 3 are not household names:

Ronnie Hillman out of Marshall- 6'4" 263- could play DE/OLB projected 2nd rounder. Could be gone as early as the first round but I included him anyway.

Bobby Wagner- Utah State- 6'1" 241- was great in the senior bowl. A little slow at 4.69 in the 40. projected 2nd rounder could rise or fall based oon combine/proday workouts.

Jonathan Massoquoi- Troy State- 6'2" 270- DE/OLB- maybe more suited to 3-4 but if we are going the direction he could be a transitional player. He is a junior and projected in the 3/4/round.

Tahir Whitehead- Temple- 6'2" 228- 4-3 outside linebacker- 4.59 40 time- projected 5-6 rounder

Tank Carder- TCU- 6'2" 228- WAC defensivee player of year 2 years in a row- but is a 5-6 rounder and will earn a spot in Special teams.

Outside of Hillman and Wagner, the rest would not be starters but developmental players. Just thought I would add to the conversation with some guys who won't get much press if any.

one guy i like a lot late in the draft is tyler nielsen from iowa. dude isn't much as a pass rusher but he's big and he's great against TEs in coverage. could probably be picked up in 6th or 7th round.

[stirs]

one guy i like a lot late in the draft is tyler nielsen from iowa. dude isn't much as a pass rusher but he's big and he's great against TEs in coverage. could probably be picked up in 6th or 7th round.

From my mock. Yaaaa.

He is fast and 235. Seems to fit us

[Donald LaFell]

Assuming we don't go linebacker in the first, who might be a surprise pick who folks haven't heard about. I looked at guys at smaller schools who might fall. The first 2 mostt folks know about but the next 3 are not household names:

Ronnie Hillman out of Marshall- 6'4" 263- could play DE/OLB projected 2nd rounder. Could be gone as early as the first round but I included him anyway.

Bobby Wagner- Utah State- 6'1" 241- was great in the senior bowl. A little slow at 4.69 in the 40. projected 2nd rounder could rise or fall based oon combine/proday workouts.

Jonathan Massoquoi- Troy State- 6'2" 270- DE/OLB- maybe more suited to 3-4 but if we are going the direction he could be a transitional player. He is a junior and projected in the 3/4/round.

Tahir Whitehead- Temple- 6'2" 228- 4-3 outside linebacker- 4.59 40 time- projected 5-6 rounder

Tank Carder- TCU- 6'2" 228- WAC defensivee player of year 2 years in a row- but is a 5-6 rounder and will earn a spot in Special teams.

Outside of Hillman and Wagner, the rest would not be starters but developmental players. Just thought I would add to the conversation with some guys who won't get much press if any.

Lavonte david!

[CatMan72]

I think TD will make a run at it, but we need to have a plan B.

I like Senn, but I think we can do better. I'm going to catch hell for this but if TD goes down again I think we need to move Beason to WLB, put Connor in the middle and keep Anderson at SLB... that's getting our 3 best LB's on the field.

[panthers55]

I think TD will make a run at it, but we need to have a plan B.

I like Senn, but I think we can do better. I'm going to catch hell for this but if TD goes down again I think we need to move Beason to WLB, put Connor in the middle and keep Anderson at SLB... that's getting our 3 best LB's on the field.

I won't give you hell but I don't think we move Beason. For whatever reeason, he is much less effective at Will versus Mike. He seems to likee to flow to the bal which he can do at Mike moreso than Will which requires more discipline regarding gap integrity. Given how effective he is at Mike, I would simply replace Davis with our long term solution at that position and then have a strong trio for now and the future.

As for Connor, I think he is going to move on as he just doesn't have the skill set to shine here given his issues in coverage. Let him go elsewhere for a big payday and we get a compensatory pick down the road. He is great against the run but very dicey in coverage. We really don't need a starting linebacker who is only a 2 down guy. Particularly in a division where teams love the no huddle and hurry up offenses.

[Jackofalltrades]

You're one of the few that expects Connor back.