Luke Kuechly

[XClown1986]

With that mentality, we should draft Richardson because what if Deangelo, Stewart and Tolbert all get hurt? Or we should draft Tannehill if he's available, because what if Cam gets hurt? I've said this before, I don't want to spend the #9 on a backup MLB because it's not smart to use your top 10 first round pick to backup the 3rd best player on your team "because he might get hurt". You use it on a position where you don't already have a great player.

That's a copout. Beason and Davis are both coming off of major injuries that they may never fully recover from in order to play at the level they had before. Comparing this to Stewart or Cam doesn't work in this scenario because they are NOT in that situation.

Kuechly would provide more than depth, he would provide a playmaker on defense. He can easily beat out one of the 3 starters we already have. No matter how you swing it, Davis was drafted in 2005 and is coming off of 3 ACL injuries. If he can come back, great, but he is nearing 30 and will need to replaced soon anyway. Why not do that with the most elite prospect at middle linebacker since Patrick Willis?

[JawnyBlaze]

Beason has had 1 injury in his career. Davis is obviously a big question mark, but I'm not of the belief Kuechly can play WLB so he's not a potential Davis replacement anyway. Stewart and Williams have more of an injury history than Beason, so it is an absolutely fitting comparison. and..

Davis was drafted in 2005 and is coming off of 3 ACL injuries. If he can come back, great, but he is nearing 30 and will need to replaced soon anyway. Why not do that with the most elite prospect at middle linebacker since Patrick Willis?

This makes no sense, Davis isn't a MLB so what does him coming back have to do with evaluating whether we should take a MLB prospect? Beason was, is and for many years to come will be our MLB. We don't need to draft a MLB in the 1st until Beason's time is nearing an end. It's certainly too early to assume Beason can't recover from his injury and draft his replacement at #9 overall, especially when we have much greater needs elsewhere. LB is a position you can fill in later rounds anyway. I'd much rather have one of the LBs rated in the 3rd or 4th with a top DL (or Claiborne) in the 1st and then the best secondary guy in the 2nd (or if we get Claiborne in the 1st, the best DL in the 2nd).

[XClown1986]

Beason has had 1 injury in his career. Davis is obviously a big question mark, but I'm not of the belief Kuechly can play WLB so he's not a potential Davis replacement anyway. Stewart and Williams have more of an injury history than Beason, so it is an absolutely fitting comparison. and..

This makes no sense, Davis isn't a MLB so what does him coming back have to do with evaluating whether we should take a MLB prospect? Beason was, is and for many years to come will be our MLB. We don't need to draft a MLB in the 1st until Beason's time is nearing an end. It's certainly too early to assume Beason can't recover from his injury and draft his replacement at #9 overall, especially when we have much greater needs elsewhere. LB is a position you can fill in later rounds anyway. I'd much rather have one of the LBs rated in the 3rd or 4th with a top DL (or Claiborne) in the 1st and then the best secondary guy in the 2nd (or if we get Claiborne in the 1st, the best DL in the 2nd).

Correction, Beason has had 1 MAJOR injury in his career. Hopefully he can come back and be a very good player.

I should have elaborated better, Kuechly can play any linebacker position. I don't care what you think, you're wrong. I think he is best suited at MLB, but he can play wherever and play well. If Beason comes back and can play, but isn't sideline to sideline anymore (loss of range of motion, stiffness, and some loss of speed), he would become our new starting WLB, (while Davis would be a role player and depth), where he can still play downhill and be a leader on defense, but not be accountable for a wider range on the field. I am saying Kuechly would give us flexibility, security, and an upgrade to our defense. Period.

[TMC]

He is a 10-year starter and likely the captain of your defense in 2-3 seasons with Pro Bowl potential. He may be one of the safest picks in the draft.