Bayless on Derrick Johnson...
 

Here's the exerpt:

Then again, new Dolphins coach Nick Saban is a defensive specialist. If he wants the one rare defensive playmaker in this draft, he should mock the mock drafts and take Texas middle linebacker Derrick Johnson.

When I read John Clayton's ESPN.com note that one team has Johnson rated no higher than the second round, I thought, "That scouting staff should be fired."

If you've watched Johnson as much as I have the last three seasons, you know he's always all over the field making plays. At 6-3 and 242 pounds, he runs a 4.5 40. Whether it's a pass, a sweep or a dive play, this guy always seems to be in the middle of it. I haven't seen a college linebacker with a better knack for stripping the ball and forcing fumbles.

But the one knock I hear over and over is that Johnson isn't big and tough enough to blow up lead blocks and stuff runs. Fine, play Johnson on the weak side. Blitz him. Let him chase the ball. Watch him make plays.

Watch offensive coordinators have to account for him on every play. Remember, Ray Lewis didn't go until the 26th pick because, at 225 pounds, he was "too small." Remember, the Ravens still have to protect Lewis by keeping blockers off him.

Auburn's Carlos Rogers is the best cover corner in the draft. But Derrick Johnson is the best defensive player. New Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel should take him at No. 3 and say, "Thank you, God."

The poor 49ers could always do what Jimmy Johnson did in Dallas in 1991. With the No. 1 pick, Johnson took a player projected to go 10th to 15th – undersized defensive tackle Russell Maryland, whom Johnson had coached at the University of Miami. But Johnson took him only under the pre-draft condition that Maryland would agree to take down-the-line money for the prestige of going No. 1.

Maybe San Francisco should try that with receiver Mike Williams – I like his matchup-nightmare possession skills over Braylon Edwards' athletic gifts. But I still say that 10 years from now, 49ers fans will gaze wistfully at Cadillac or Derrick Johnson or even Jason Campbell and think, "If only ..."

Link to the entire article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...s/050422&num=0

Im really sick of hearing about Derrick Johnson not taking on blockers.

I always thought the main priority of a defender was to GET THE GUY WITH THE FOOTBALL.

Derrick Johnson has been doing that, and doing it well for quite some time.


Guys like Mike Mayock who are dogging the Chiefs for taking Johnson saying that he doesnt attack blockers really piss me off.

Hey Jackass. We already have a guy who excels at taking on the blockers. Kawika Mitchell. He seeks out the blockers and takes himself right out of the f'ing play. You see this guy making the pro bowl anytime soon? I think not.

Ill gladly take Derrick Johnson, the guy who always seems to find his way to the football to make the tackle, make the interception, or force the fumble. Why should he make a point to take on blockers when his speed allows him to get to the guy with the damn ball?

I really dont see the need for a Linebacker that "takes on blockers". I prefer my LB to shoot around the blockers and make a play on the ball. :drool:

I prefer my linebackers to cause blockers to spontaneously explode and leave nothing behind but a blood cloud.

Every time Bob Dole reads the "doesn't take on blockers" comment, Bob Dole tries to conjure up highlight reels that show the Great and Powerful Ray Lewis "taking on blockers."

Nope. Still can't come up with any.

I won't compare him to the late DT, but I'd imagine "he really takes on blocks" is not something that you'd have found in his pre-draft bio either. Some guys are so athletically gifted that they can make plays that way...

And, really, so what if he's got something to work on. Remember Williams and Vilma, drafted in the same range last year?So he's not perfect. He's an athletic playmaker. Isn't that exactly what we need?

Like you, I think about that Monday night game when Shields and Richardson were on him all night long and Ray didn't seem to do too well.

It's a tried and true formula - d-linemen take on and occupy the o-linemen, linebackers make plays. If o-linemen aren't occupied, they go up against linebackers, game over. That's what I always thought analysts meant when they talk about winning the war in the trenches.

Watch offensive coordinators have to account for him on every play. Remember, Ray Lewis didn't go until the 26th pick because, at 225 pounds, he was "too small." Remember, the Ravens still have to protect Lewis by keeping blockers off him.

I'm with you guys.

We play a 4-3 defense. It's the job of the DEFENSIVE LINEMEN to occupy blockers.

Give Johnson space and let him roam free.

These same guys who are grading the draft picks are the same guys who had Browner and Blackstock going in the first round in their mock drafts two weeks ago.

All of the top college players got knocked in the press leading up to the draft. The best college lineman was Pollack, the best college linebacker was Johnson and the best college corner was Rolle. All three of them suddenly had big question marks once the final Bowl game was played. All of a sudden it was too short, not physical, maybe a safety. Nothing changed after those bowl games, in fact all three of the guys ran well at the combine and/or workouts. Writers need things to write about, and it's always easy to take a shot at a leader.

"In 18 career games against Top 25 opponents, Johnson registered 175 tackles, 4½ sacks, 31 stops behind the line of scrimmage, nine pass deflections, four interceptions, 19 quarterback pressures, three caused fumbles and a fumble recovery. " You don't put up numbers like those against top talent by avoiding contact and not being physical.

Precisely!! Our OLine functions so well because they are busting thru the DLine, or pinning the DLine inside to get out wide of the pocket, and taking on LBs and DBs. This is a losing proposition for the defense. You do not want your LBs taking on blocks. If you get into that position, you've lost the play. If you get into that position on a regular basis, you lost the game, as we all know so painfully well!!

Are you related to Gaz?

Johnson will do well at the weakside LB position, he is a playmaker.

What cracks me up is they speak as if he played in a football league that had no offensive linemen to contend with.

:rolleyes:

Grunhard has been on 610 saying exactly this. It's Sims and Dalton's job to keep the OL off him.

He said they'd play like 2-gappers now...I don't know if that's true, but if we wanted a LB to take on blockers we'd just keep Mitchell as a starter

Quote from Bayless: "Then again, new Dolphins coach Nick Saban is a defensive specialist. If he wants the one rare defensive playmaker in this draft, he should mock the mock drafts and take Texas middle linebacker Derrick Johnson."


I didn't know DJ was a MLB?