View topic - Biggest '09 draft priority

[Y-Town Steel Profile]

I am curious to see what everyone thinks is the biggest area of need. Assume there is equal talent available at all positions when our picks come around.

I think d-line, NT or end, is the landslide winner. Hampton, Smith and Keisel are a top tier unit but they are all getting close to being too old. The depth is fucking geriatric and there is no young talent.

Like the LB focus in '07 with Timmons and Woodley I'd like to see 2 d-lineman taken in the top 3 picks

[stillgrill Profile]

Yeah the lines are old & w/ little depth. But this team needs to draft young corners. McFadden is gone, Townsend is running on fumes, & if I hear another touting of Gay I will puke. They need a corner who can catch the ball (unlike Ike). Alphonso Smith from Wake had 21 pix in college & should be there at 32. Outside of Fat Case & Faneca, they've always found linemen late. They should take a look at Parrish in Buffalo as a 3 WR. He also returns kicks, & probly could be had for a 4th rd pick.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

I'm going to say O-line.
They Suck (especially the OT's), and there is little depth of any quality.

Yes the D-line is old, but they don't suck making them less of a priority than the O-line. I also think Hoke is solid depth.

CB is also a problem area, but we are set at one side with IKE, anw while Mcfaeen leaving is a bug problem, Townsend is a cagy vet and Gay is a youthful prospect which makes the situation more hopeful than our O-line.

[deltadweller Profile]

We don't need d-line in the first 2 rounds, even though it is a need. Generally you can get 3-4 ends that can hold their own further down. NT can also be had, although we took Hampton in the first. OL and CB should be the top priorities. 3-4 DL just need to be able to keep the OL of the LB's in this system. Usually you can find solid players for the 3-4 DL without the measurables farther down the draft board.

[lloydrules Profile]

We don't need d-line in the first 2 rounds, even though it is a need. Generally you can get 3-4 ends that can hold their own further down. NT can also be had, although we took Hampton in the first. OL and CB should be the top priorities. 3-4 DL just need to be able to keep the OL of the LB's in this system. Usually you can find solid players for the 3-4 DL without the measurables farther down the draft board.

Honestly, it's rare that you need to use a first or second round on DE for a 3-4. They are usually guys who are not quick enough to play end in a 4-3 and maybe not big enough to play DT in a 4-3. So, they tend to be a morph between 4-3 DT and DEs and not pure at either so you can find them in the 3rd or 4th, although with more teams going to 3-4 they will be a little harder to find late. But bottom line: don't need a 1st or 2nd to get them, as none of our guys were taken before the 3rd round. No sense changing that.

I'd like to see OL or DB in 1 and 2. DL 3.

[Y-Town Steel Profile]

Usually you can find solid players for the 3-4 DL without the measurables farther down the draft board.

But bottom line: don't need a 1st or 2nd to get them, as none of our guys were taken before the 3rd round. No sense changing that.

Here are the teams I can think of that now run (or, in many cases, attempt to run) a 3-4 defense:

Ravens, Brownies, Chefs, Phins, Pats, Jets, Raiders, Chargers, Cryboys, and Niners. Plus Pitt makes 11 teams... there may be more I am not thinking of.

Again I will surely forget a few guys but here are some of the best lineman playing in these systems:

Kelly Gregg, Haloti Ngata, Shawn Rogers, Glenn Dorsey, Dick Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Kris Jenkins, Jamal Williams, Luis Castillo, Igor Olshansky, Marcus Spears, and our boys Smith and Hampton (not sure if I can objectively put Keisel on this list, but I love the guy).

Reason #1 to take a DL in the first 2 rounds: Other than Gregg, Olshansky and Smith I am pretty sure the rest of this group were first or second rounders.

Reason #2 to take a DL in the first 2 rounds: Not just us, Balt, SD and Pats running the 3-4 anymore. There is a serious lack of talent (especially young talent) on most of these 3-4 teams. Demand is high.

Just cause we found Smith in the mid rounds and Keisel at the end of the day doesn't make that the way it works. I'd argue they're the exception and not the rule.

[Y-Town Steel Profile]

And how have the DLs weve been drafting the past 5+ years in the middle rounds been panning out?? Fucking bums.

Time to spend some high picks on the d-line before it's too late. We all know it takes many years to learn the system anyway

[deltadweller Profile]

And how have the DLs weve been drafting the past 5+ years in the middle rounds been panning out?? Fucking bums.

Time to spend some high picks on the d-line before it's too late. We all know it takes many years to learn the system anyway

I agree with your concern, but I don't think we need a starter this year which means if we took a player in rd. 3-5 we would have at least a year to look at them and or fit them in. I'm also not comfortable getting Roth beat up any more than absolutely necessary. I'm not real comfortable with Gay or Townsend starting opposite of Taylor. I thinhk the D-Line can survive a year or 2 without a stud coming in, but you may be right about having to spend at the top soon.