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Topic: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB (Read 251 times) |
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #2 on: Mar 16th, 2004, 3:43pm » |
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JONATHAN VILMA
Miami, Fla.
HT: 6' 0"
WT: 233 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Jonathan Vilma occasionally draws comparisons to another former Miami LB: Ray Lewis. He has excellent quickness. While he only times at 4.6 in the forty, he seems to play at a much higher speed. He is always around the ball and pursues very well. He is a very smart player who understands the defensive schemes and is able to put people in position. Vilma played the position at about 215 lbs. during his senior year, but added nearly 20 lbs. prior to the combine. In order to play inside in the NFL, he'll need to maintain a weight of at least 235. Despite his smallish size, Vilma is a very hard hitter. He has excellent leadership qualities.
WEAKNESSES:
Size. Vilma was able to succeed at Miami because he had great players occupying the offensive blockers in front of him, allowing him to use his speed and instincts to make plays. If he gets drafted by a team with an average or worse defensive line, he will not be effective. (Look at the decrease in production by Brian Urlacher once he lost Ted Washington and Keith Traylor.) Vilma needs to be able to get bigger without hurting his speed as he relies very heavily on his atleticism.
PROJECTION:
Linebacker is not a deep position in this year's draft, and Vilma is regarded as one of the top two or three at the position. Because of team needs and his playmaking skills, look for Vilma to go somewhere between picks 17 and 30. Some teams interested in his services might be Cincinnati, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, and New England.
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #4 on: Mar 25th, 2004, 3:45pm » |
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TEDDY LEHMAN
Oklahoma
HT: 6' 1"
WT: 237 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Teddy Lehman has outstanding instincts and understanding of the game. He is often considered a coach on the field. He can play inside or outside LB. He is a better OLB than ILB, but NFL teams may want him in the middle. He has tremendous speed (4.55 forty) for a LB and is able to go sideline to sideline with ease. Lehman is a very athletic LB who is also able to cover receivers and has good hands to make interceptions. Adequate tackler who will lay the lumber and also create turnovers on occasion. Won the Butkus Award for being the best LB during the 2003 season.
WEAKNESSES:
Lehman has not shown much ability in pass-rushing, which will be a requirement if he plays outside in the NFL. He also needs to improve his skills defending the run. He will occasionally run himself right out of a play with his speed. He will have to improve his strength and not rely only on his speed and athleticism.
PROJECTION:
In a draft that is otherwise weak on LBs, Lehman is one of the best ones. It seems as though he is a bit underrated. As a result, he will probably be selected in the second round. If there is a run on LBs early, a team like the Eagles or Colts might be smart enough to take him late in the first round, but he will more likely go to the Jets or Raiders in the top half of the second round.
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #5 on: Apr 21st, 2004, 2:47pm » |
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COURTNEY WATSON
Notre Dame
HT: 6' 1"
WT: 235 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Courtney Watson brings solid athleticism to the inside backer position. He was a three year starter inside, but could move to the outside in the NFL. He runs very well (4.5 forty) and excels in pass coverage. If he gets his hands on the ball, he is a dangerous runner who is a threat to take every INT to the house. He is a very smart player and is good at recognizing the play. He uses good instincts to get in position. Watson moves laterally very well and can pursue sideline to sideline. Watson is an outstanding character player, on and off the field, and has natural leadership skills.
WEAKNESSES:
Watson has good size and strength (22 strength reps) for the position, but seems to prefer pass coverage than run support. He has shown a lack of aggressiveness in playing near the line of scrimmage. Watson is not a great tackler. He will need to have more confidence in his abilities as a player in order to succeed at the next level, otherwise he'll end up as a special teams player and second-string LB.
PROJECTION:
In a draft that lacks a number of quality linebackers, Watson is desirable because of his versatility to play any of the LB positions. He should be a second round pick and could wind up in Minnesota, Cincinnati, or Philadelphia.
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
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Posts: 5675
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #6 on: Apr 21st, 2004, 2:47pm » |
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DARYL SMITH
Georgia Tech
HT: 6' 2"
WT: 234 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Daryl Smith earned significant playing time as a freshman and hasn't left the field since. A very strong player (30 strength reps, more than many linemen), he is a significant contributor in stopping the running game. He works off of blocks well and is a textbook tackler. He has decent speed (4.6 forty) and can get outside the pocket to cut off ball carriers. Smith works very hard to prepare himself for games and is a tireless performer on the field.
WEAKNESSES:
Smith does not perform well in open space. He seems to be more comfortable banging heads in the trenches. While Smith has decent speed, he lacks the quickness and burst needed to excel in pass coverage. He can cover receivers in the short area, but does not have the flexibility to turn and run with them. Smith has had some injury troubles (elbow, shoulder) in college, but has shown the toughness to play through them.
PROJECTION:
Smith should be an early to mid-second round pick. He could go as early as #34 to the Giants, #38 to the Falcons, or slide down to #48 to the Saints.
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #7 on: Apr 21st, 2004, 2:47pm » |
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DONTARRIOUS THOMAS
Auburn
HT: 6' 3"
WT: 245 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Dontarrious Thomas played his first three years at the SAM position in college, but seems best suited for the MIKE position in the NFL, which is where he played his senior year. He moves sideline to sideline with impressive speed (4.5 forty) and is an effective blitzer. Thomas is a very strong player (26 strength reps) and is an aggressive tackler who delivers a good pop to the ball carrier. He can shed blocks well and has a nose for the ball. Thomas plays hard and brings an intensity to every play. He earned the respect of teammates and coaches for his leadership and academic work.
WEAKNESSES:
Thomas still struggles a bit in pass coverage. He has the speed to cover most TEs and backs out of the backfield, but does not use good technique. He will over-pursue and be fooled by misdirection and play-action. He is a bit stiff in his movements and does not flip well.
PROJECTION:
Thomas was one of the top LB prospects entering the 2003 season, but a weak year by Auburn seemed to take attention off of him. He should still be selected in the middle of the second round, possibly by the Titans, Niners, or Saints.
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UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
Pay, I said pay attention, son.
Posts: 5675
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Re: 2004 NFL Draft - Player Profiles - LB
« Reply #8 on: Apr 21st, 2004, 2:48pm » |
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MICHAEL BOULWARE
Florida St.
HT: 6' 2"
WT: 227 lbs.
STRENGTHS:
Michael Boulware, the younger brother of the Baltimore Ravens' Peter Boulware, is probably the most athletically gifted of the LB prospects. He is fast (4.47 forty) and extremely quick. He has outstanding body control and is a natural in pass coverage. He shadows the TEs and RBs and has the speed to run with the WRs. He has good hands and ball-hawking skills to get interceptions. He is able to pursue ball carriers and has the speed to run them down from behind.
WEAKNESSES:
Boulware worked out for teams at the LB and S positions. If he wants to play LB in the NFL, he will need to add some bulk and a great deal of strength. He currently gets destroyed by bigger blockers and is ineffective working in the trenches. He has far too many of his tackles broken as he does not display the skills, nor attitude, to be a good tackler. Boulware is a natural athlete, but does not work hard enough to gain strength or keep his body in football shape.
PROJECTION:
Michael Boulware will have some appeal as a safety to NFL teams, but will require far too much work to be an effective linebacker. As such, look for him to be a late second round selection who could slip into the third because of his lack of a true position. Oakland or Cleveland could take a chance on him in the early third round.
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