Who is the best OLB in the draft?

[Titty Meat]

That would fit the Chiefs 3-4. I don't beieve Hali is an effective everydown player and Vrabel should not be resigned. If the 3-4 is ever going to be successfull in Kansas City it will need a good NT and OLB. Who in this draft do you think is the best OLB prospect? Kindle, Hughes,Miller? Discuss.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Most 3-4 OLB's were DE's...

Yeah I know that, but I'm saying in terms of safest pick the guy that's playing the position already is it. I'm not saying he's my first choice, but he's the safe choice.

[Toad]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

...The good thing is... it's extremely deep this year at OLB... Hughes, Kindle, Norwood, Graham, Von Miller... ONE of them will be there for sure.

Agreed. Pretty decent year for LB's. Personally, I like (in no particular order) Norwood, Kindle, Hughes, Sapp, Hardy and Griffen with our 2a pick - pending speed at the combine. It has been reported that all these guys ex Hughes and Norwood runs in the 4.5+ range. These 2 are also less than ideal height.

[Chiefnj2]

I like Norwood. If KC waits until the 3rd round watch for O'Brien Schofield and Jason Worilds.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Tamba Hali is still a complete liability as an every down player, he is about the worst run defender a front 7 player can possibly be.

Oh now it's his run defense. See at the beginning of the season you were another guy that said Tamba would epically fail in this defense. That he wasn't a good pass rusher and that he wouldn't be able to drop into zones. I didn't see where you showed up to say how wrong you were.

Derrick Thomas was also a liability against the run. So is Shawne "roidman" Merriman. so was Jon Randle. So is Dwight Freeney. So are lots of guys. not that I even buy that any way. When you're dealing with 3 down linemen who don't always anchor their gaps properly and the outside backers are constantly having to eat tackles and pulling guards they aren't going to do that well. I'm sure the argument that backs and tight ends run block him out of the hole is coming next, but I don't recall seeing that so often that it was an issue.

[Mecca]

He doesn't get enough sacks to make up for it, if he was a terror throwing up 15 sacks ok, he's not. And he sucked as a run defender when he was playing end, this isn't a new development.

I personally don't see Griffen or Hardy as stand up players, could just be me though.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Mecca

He doesn't get enough sacks to make up for it, if he was a terror throwing up 15 sacks ok, he's not. And he sucked as a run defender when he was playing end, this isn't a new development.

I personally don't see Griffen or Hardy as stand up players, could just be me though.

Tamba had a shit ton of holding calls and pressures. Sacks aren't the only stat in judging an outside linebackers value. Sorry but you were about as ****ing wrong as someone can be about Tamba and you still haven't owned up to that.

[Chiefaholic]

Jerry Hughes, TCU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 258.
Projected 40 Time: 4.64.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
11/14/09: Jerry Hughes is once again having a huge year (10.5 TFL, 9 sacks). He has a great shot of being the first rush linebacker taken in the 2010 NFL Draft.

5/18/09: Jerry Hughes had a monstrous 2008 campaign for TCU, notching 19.5 TFL and 15 sacks.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Chiefaholic

Jerry Hughes, TCU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 258.
Projected 40 Time: 4.64.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
11/14/09: Jerry Hughes is once again having a huge year (10.5 TFL, 9 sacks). He has a great shot of being the first rush linebacker taken in the 2010 NFL Draft.

5/18/09: Jerry Hughes had a monstrous 2008 campaign for TCU, notching 19.5 TFL and 15 sacks.

Maybe our best option is really just to trade down, take a guy like this and get more picks. I wonder if it would even be possible to trade down and/or use one of our 2nds to get back into the first round? I wouldn't mind a scenario where we could get a good rush backer along with Mays if he fell.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by billay

Didn't know that but they've picked in the top 10 for so many years it shouldn't be a surprise. They almost let Warner go to San Fransico. They will also have to choose between who to pay Dansby or Boldin.

Fitzgeral, Breaston, and now Douchet is emerging... seems like they would be more inclined to let the guy who wants more and doesn't want to be there go.

[Chiefaholic]

Best of the rest

Von Miller*, Texas A&M
Height: 6-2. Weight: 240.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Projected Round (2010): 2.
11/20/09: Compares to Elvis Dumervil; undersized but makes up for it with relentless pass rushing. Von Miller has 18.5 TFL and 15 sacks as a junior, beating Russell Okung on a few occasions. Any 3-4 team would love to have him.


Ricky Sapp, Clemson
Height: 6-4. Weight: 246.
Projected 40 Time: 4.62.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.
11/20/09: Did a good job rebounding off his torn ACL with 8.5 TFL and four sacks in 10 games this year. Plays standing up at Clemson, so he'll be targeted by 3-4 teams.

2/12/09: Collected 9.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks in 2008, but tore his ACL in November.

7/30/08: Ricky Sapp's 40 will intrigue some GMs and coaches. Sapp was a nightmare for opposing signal callers, as he racked up 22 quarterback pressures and six sacks in 2007.





Sergio Kindle, Texas - Scouting Report
Height: 6-4. Weight: 254.
Projected 40 Time: 4.54.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.
11/14/09: Sergio Kindle is physically gifted and some team may fall in love with him at the Combine. However, he has only 3.5 sacks as a senior.

2/16/09: Though he was just a first-year starter in 2008, the hard-working Sergio Kindle made a name for himself, notching 46 tackles, 12.5 TFL and 10 sacks. He also blocked a kick. With another stellar season, he'll be the top rush linebacker in the 2010 NFL Draft.

8/2/08: Sergio Kindle has yet to start a game at the college level, but he registered 32 tackles in reserve last season. He also owns a spectacular 40 at his size.


Eric Norwood, South Carolina
Height: 6-1. Weight: 255.
Projected 40 Time: 4.71.
Projected Round (2010): 2-3.
11/14/09: Eric Norwood has 10.5 TFL and seven sacks in 2009. He also has two blocked kicks and 62 total tackles.

9/12/09: There is no clear-cut favorite as the top rush linebacker in the 2010 NFL Draft, but that could quickly change if Eric Norwood continues to dominate his opponents like he did against N.C. State last week. Norwood finished with eight tackles, two TFL and two sacks. The Wolfpack didn't have much of an answer for him.

2/12/09: A monstrous pass-rusher, Eric Norwood collected 14.5 TFL and nine sacks as a junior.

1/6/09: Eric Norwood has announced that he'll be returning to school once he learned that he would be a late-round pick from the NFL Draft Advisory Committee. Norwood cited that he plans to improve his draft stock as a senior just like Aaron Curry.

7/30/08: Eric Norwood made the most out of his first year as a full-time starter. Norwood recorded 69 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.


O'Brien Schofield, Wisconsin
Height: 6-2. Weight: 248.
Projected 40 Time: 4.60.
Projected Round (2010): 3-4.
11/20/09: A man with two last names, O'Brien Schofield has terrorized Big Ten quarterbacks with 51 tackles, 19.5 TFL and eight sacks in 10 games.


George Selvie, South Florida
Height: 6-4. Weight: 247.
Projected 40 Time: 4.68.
Projected Round (2010): 3-4.
11/14/09: George Selvie continues to struggle, registering just three sacks in eight games in his senior year.

5/18/09: A 3-4 rush linebacker, George Selvie has slipped into the second round of my 2010 NFL Mock Draft because he had just 5.5 sacks in 2008.

1/8/09: George Selvie announced that he'll be returning for his senior season.

11/16/08: Facing countless double teams this year, it's amazing George Selvie has been able to put up 11 TFL and five sacks through eight contests.






Cameron Sheffield, Troy
Height: 6-2. Weight: 247.
Projected 40 Time: 4.63.
Projected Round (2010): 4-5.
11/20/09: The "other" pass-rusher on Troy has 10 TFL and 6.5 sacks in 10 games as a senior.

2/16/09: Qualifying for the All-Sun Belt First Team, Cameron Sheffield had 58 tackles, 12.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks in 2008.


Jason Worilds, Virginia Tech
Height: 6-2. Weight: 254.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2010): 4-5.
1/8/10: Jason Worilds has declared for the 2010 NFL Draft. Worilds is coming off a poor season, but told the media that he expects to be drafted in the first round. This has a chance of happening until Worilds wakes up.

11/15/09: Disappointed in 2009; has just seven TFL and 3.5 sacks as a junior.

2/12/09: Despite playing with shoulder injuries, Jason Worilds garnered 18.5 TFL and eight sacks, earning himself a spot on the All-ACC Second Team.


Jermaine Cunningham, Florida
Height: 6-3. Weight: 250.
Projected 40 Time: 4.69.
Projected Round (2010): 4-5.
11/14/09: Through eight games, Jermaine Cunningham has 8.5 TFL and four sacks. More importantly, Cunningham actually tries, unlike the guy on the other side.

2/12/09: Jermaine Cunningham did a great job putting on some bulk this season, moving up from 237 to 250 pounds. Cunningham had 10 TFL, six sacks and four passes broken up in 2008.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by RustShack

So Curry was Below-Average then right? Or do you just not know what a good LB is?

Curry was average at best.

The three USC linebackers had FAR better years and two are Pro-Bowlers.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Oh now it's his run defense. See at the beginning of the season you were another guy that said Tamba would epically fail in this defense. That he wasn't a good pass rusher and that he wouldn't be able to drop into zones. I didn't see where you showed up to say how wrong you were.

Derrick Thomas was also a liability against the run. So is Shawne "roidman" Merriman. so was Jon Randle. So is Dwight Freeney. So are lots of guys. not that I even buy that any way. When you're dealing with 3 down linemen who don't always anchor their gaps properly and the outside backers are constantly having to eat tackles and pulling guards they aren't going to do that well. I'm sure the argument that backs and tight ends run block him out of the hole is coming next, but I don't recall seeing that so often that it was an issue.

There's a difference between being a "liability" and a complete and utter failure.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Oh now it's his run defense. See at the beginning of the season you were another guy that said Tamba would epically fail in this defense. That he wasn't a good pass rusher and that he wouldn't be able to drop into zones. I didn't see where you showed up to say how wrong you were.

Derrick Thomas was also a liability against the run. So is Shawne "roidman" Merriman. so was Jon Randle. So is Dwight Freeney. So are lots of guys. not that I even buy that any way. When you're dealing with 3 down linemen who don't always anchor their gaps properly and the outside backers are constantly having to eat tackles and pulling guards they aren't going to do that well. I'm sure the argument that backs and tight ends run block him out of the hole is coming next, but I don't recall seeing that so often that it was an issue.

DT wasn't as ineffective against the run as Tamba, and made up for his weakness as a heads up run defender to some extent with his speed in backside pursuit.

He was also, for the most part, a far more consistent pass rusher.

Every pass rusher gets held.
It's not unique to Tamba.

But the fact is, he had two good games and was invisible much of the rest of the season.

Did he surpass my expectations?
Sure.

But let's not get carried away and act like he's played above the line of mediocrity.

He wasn't the crap I was expecting.
But he also ain't the second coming.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

He wasn't the crap I was expecting.
But he also ain't the second coming.

He's the exact same guy he's always been.

It's just that this year, he stayed healthy through all 16 games.

Without the benefit of having an elite talent in front of him (ahem, Dorsey), he would have been a footnote this season.

And most assuredly, trampled over.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Chiefaholic

Jerry Hughes, TCU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 258.
Projected 40 Time: 4.64.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
11/14/09: Jerry Hughes is once again having a huge year (10.5 TFL, 9 sacks). He has a great shot of being the first rush linebacker taken in the 2010 NFL Draft.

5/18/09: Jerry Hughes had a monstrous 2008 campaign for TCU, notching 19.5 TFL and 15 sacks.

I think when its all said and done he will go around 20-25 but if he fell past that and we could trade up for minimal value, he would be a very good pick. From everything Ive read and seen of him he would be a difference maker.

If he tests high, he could go as high as 12 or so I think.

Seems like a player

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Curry was average at best.

The three USC linebackers had FAR better years and two are Pro-Bowlers.

This

I would also like to add that if we had a dominant nose and a guy like Jerry Hughes as the other OLB, Hali could be a 10-13+ sack per year type guy, tomorrow. Just my opinion of course, but he is doing pretty good with no push up the middle or pass rush presence from the other side. We need to develop that atmosphere we had a couple years ago when we got a good pass rush from both sides so the ends (olbs now) can feed of each other.