A.J. Hawk or Gholston?


PhilFree:arrow:

The arguments against Curry are rock solid. It's the arguments FOR Curry that need the work.

What's the main argument against Curry? The fact that 8 NFL teams seem to believe that college DEs, not 4-3 OLBs, are the ones you want to put at the 3-4 OLB position (16 of 16 NFL 3-4 OLBs were DEs in college). Or the fact that 15 of 16 NFL 3-4 OLBs are over 260 lbs (Curry is under 260 lbs).

As for arguments claiming he should be an ILB, two arguments against that. #1) ILB is more of a role-playing position. You usually have a run-stuffer and a pass coverage guy. DJ is the pass coverage guy. So is it worth taking DJ out of a role that he's going to be pretty good at? Not at the #3 pick. #2) The ILB position in a 3-4 defense is like the guard position on offense. It's a nice position to have, but it's a very easy position to fill. Why would you spend a #3 pick on an ILB, when you can easily find a solid starter in the 3rd or 4th round?

In a 3-4 defense, the areas of priority are probably... Nose Tackle, CBs, Pass rushing OLBs, Safety, DE, ILB. So from a pure positional value standpoint, you'd much rather have a nose tackle or an OLB than an ILB. I've heard people say Curry will do fine as a pass rusher. He can't do just "fine" as a pass rusher as a 3-4 OLB. He has to be very good, and he has to be better than guys like Everett Brown or Robert Ayers, who have been doing it and training for it in college. That's unlikely. I'd rather have a good, solid player at a position of high positional value than an outstanding player in a position of low positional value. Therefore, Raji, Brown, Ayers, maybe Maybin all jump on the board over Curry for any team in a 3-4.

So there's your argument against Curry. In a 3-4, he would play a position with very low positional value. And those who claim he can play OLB are underestimating how much different pass rushing as a 3-4 OLB is than as a blitzer in a 4-3.

Come on, use your head. The DROY was a non-pass rusher. Re-Stack last year's draft and he goes top 5, in all likelihood while Gholston doesn't go in the first round. It's just another example of why having fixed notions about where to take positions in the draft is idiotic.

Redraft my ass if ILB was worth anything they would be taken every year in the top 5. History proves that.

And he plays a position that is very easy to learn. He got DROY because he had a ton of tackles. But the 3-4 puts ILBs in a position to make plays. It's the least important position in a 3-4.

In the first place, LBs have to be exceptional to be in the top 5. I've seen evidence that Mayo and Rivers were worth first round picks, but I haven't seen any evidence thusfar that they can play to the same level as say a Ray Lewis. Because that's how good you need to be to warrant a top 5 pick at LB. Especially an OLB in a 4-3. That's years of draft history, not just my personal opinion.

More nonsense. When was Marino drafted? How about Randy Moss? How about Jerry Rice? Joe Montana? You're confusing positional picking in a normal year with talent aquisition.

AJ Hawk was a top 5 pick. That alone kills your argument.

Your dense aren't you?

Grab a mirror and take a good long look....


When you're insulting someone's intelligence, botching your post with "your" instead of "you're" is probably not the best way to go.

But they play positions that have high positional value. WRs and QBs are drafted in the top 5 every year. Even LBs that are very highly touted like Derrick Johnson and Patrick Willis barely crack the top 10 if at all.

Let me refer you back to post #299, because this has now become a circular argument.

Alex Smith going #1 proves that Urban Meyer's spread QB's are the bomb.

2 LB was drafted in the top 5 over the last 10 years (Arrington, AJ Hawk). That means that 4% of first round picks are LBs.

I'm glad that 4% kills my argument.

On a team with precious few holes.

Come on, use your head.

One has nothing to do with the other. This is a terrible year for top prospects outside of the left tackle position. While Smith may be a cautionary tale regarding Sanchez or Stafford, that's not the point I'm trying to make. What I'm trying to get across is that, even if you generally don't believe that a linebacker should go in the top 5, this year that sort of thinking doesn't apply. Unless you need a left tackle, there is no 'typical' top 5 prospect in this draft. This draft is great for first and second round depth, but it's terrible for prospects at the very top.