Quote:
Originally Posted by Direckshun
ILB Luke Kuechly, Boston College I actually think Kuechly might be worth the #11 overall. I think he has the potential to be an impact interior linebacker in this league.
The problem is that he's not a natural thumper. He's much more of an athletic, all-purpose linebacker in the vein of Derrick Johnson. And, well, we already have a Derrick Johnson. You need the other ILB spot in Crennel's 3-4 defense to be a line of scrimmage destroyer like Jovan Belcher. |
Very nice work, and great analysis. I am curious about your points on Kuechly not being a thumper though.
I would say anyone who has 20 tackles in one game, a 33-game double-digit tackle streak between 2009 and 2011, which is the longest streak of its kind in FBS college football, would actually be considered somewhat of a thumper/destroyer type.
I know at the combine they were comparing him with Patrick Willis who is indeed considered a thumper.
According to CBSsports and ESPN, Most NFL-caliber college defenders average eight total tackles a game, counting assisted and solo stops, during their most productive season. In 2011, Kuechly led the nation with an astounding 191 tackles (102 solo) during the season, averaging nearly 16 tackles per game. That shows he is good at shedding blocks and has a nose for the ball and making plays no matter how the offense plans.
And finally, having more than one stud like DJ on our defense, wouldn't be a bad thing.
I really like the idea of getting Kuechly in the first and a NT in the 2nd, especially if Poe were to somehow drop, to go along with getting Paul Soliai in FA to really take our defense to the next level.
Although Trent Richardson is a stud and would be hard to pass if he was there, I wouldn't mind getting RB Mike Tolbert in FA to address this need.