Randy Gregory.

[Tibs]

And I don't see Odighizuwa as anything close to an OLB. That guy is a 4-3 DE.

deljzc, check these out and then tell me you're still convinced he can't play LOLB in our system. To me he seems to be an ideal fit in that Woodley role...

2015 Draft Prospect: Re-Evaluating Owamagbe Odighizuwa
http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...ft-prospect-re-evaluating-owamagbe-odighizuwa

Odighizuwa's play against the run speaks for itself. He is one of the few OLB prospects that could help a team from day one in this area. He will surprise with his athleticism and shows enough to say he can be a solid player as a pass rusher as well. Odighizuwa will be a better player in the NFL than he was in college as long as he can stay healthy. I expect Odighizuwa to be a first round draft pick and I wouldn't be surprised if he has the longest career of any OLB prospect in the draft.


Owamagbe Odighizuwa Is a Name to Remember in 2015 NFL Draft
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...izuwa-is-a-name-to-remember-in-2015-nfl-draft

From a measurable standpoint, Odighizuwa looks as though he could be a great fit to play outside linebacker in a 3-4. Playing from a stand-up position could actually help him as a pass-rusher, as utilizing his speed from wider angles could lessen the need to turn the corner tightly around blockers on the edge.


Steelers Draft: Breaking Down Owamagbe Odighizuwa
http://stillcurtain.com/2015/03/19/steelers-draft-breaking-down-owamagbe-odighizuwa/

Odighizuwa is far from a perfect play, and he may lack upside to become much better than he already is, but he should immediately be able to contribute to an NFL team. When combining Odighizuwa’s combination of elite talent in certain areas of his game and relatively safe profile, I think it would be unwise for a defensive end needy team to not at least consider Odighizuwa in the mid-late first round.

In terms of how he fits the Steelers, he would likely be and outside linebacker. If the top pass rushers (Dante Fowler, Alvin Dupree, and Randy Gregory) are off the board, the Steelers should certainly be considereing Odighizuwa. He compares favorably to Pernell McPhee in many aspects of his game.

The Steelers defense is struggling in many aspects. Odighizuwa would be able to immediately contribute as an strong run defending presence for an outside linebacker and a contrasting power pass rush to what many edge rushers are employing in today’s NFL.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Does anyone know that if you fail your combine drug test for pot does that automatically place you in the drug program in the NFL?

Will Gregory now get tested randomly throughout the year for pot rather than the one test in June?

Here you go del:

■ The NFL tests incoming rookies for substances and PEDs at the Indianapolis scouting combine, and the results are made available to all 32 teams. A positive test at the combine will place the player in the league’s drug program, but whatever the player did in college has no bearing on the NFL. Even though Hernandez failed at least one and perhaps several drug tests at Florida, he entered the NFL with a clean slate — the Globe reported in 2010 that Hernandez passed his drug test at the combine.

■ For substances of abuse, a player gets more or less a “free pass” for one failed test. A first positive test will enter the player into Stage 1 of the drug program, in which he will be subjected to more testing (as many as 10 per month, though rarely ever that high), but he won’t face any sort of punishment (a fine or suspension) until his second failed test. If a player stays clean in Stage 1 for 90 days, he is released from the program.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/04/04/how-did-aaron-hernandez-not-fail-nfl-drug-tests/NXI7edYeTLKFhJIyfe0s1M/story.html

So, if I'm reading this correctly, it depends on if they started his 90 day "probationary" period already or if it starts after the draft. In either event, as a first time offender who will be placed in Stage 1 of the program, if he stays clean for 90 days, he's released from the drug program entirely. Which would have him released from the program by the end of training camp at the latest.

 

[Coach]

I actually think if Gregory falls because of all this stuff he might be worth trading up for.

He's that talented.

He had a 6.80 3-cone drill at his pro day and was back above 240 lbs. That's insane for a man that size. And his effort, technique and pad level are already very, very good. So he smokes a little ganja. I think 50% of players do to tell you the truth.

Florio had an article about how easy it is to "beat the test" and players end up getting testing only once a year (and they know exactly when it is). All during the season you can smoke dope to your hearts content and I suspect many, many players do.

I agree with everything you wrote. If we draft him, I'm 2 season games away from him flashing talent to buying a new Steeler Jersey. I think this guy is going to be a star and was born to play in our system!

 

[steelerscotty]

Wasn't Suh a risk as well?

There was one car accident he was punished for, but legally he was found to be well under the impaired limit. Appraently he had some control issue in practice but i dont recall him losing it in any games like he has in the NFL. So, no, i think his anger issues were kept under control/under wraps to the point where no one really considered him a risk leading up to that draft.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/25/ndamukong-suh-out-of-control-college-teammate-says/

He turned into a thug in the NFL and is an embarrassment to Nebraska fans everywhere.

 

[Stryker]

There was one car accident he was punished for, but legally he was found to be well under the impaired limit. Appraently he had some control issue in practice but i dont recall him losing it in any games like he has in the NFL. So, no, i think his anger issues were kept under control/under wraps to the point where no one really considered him a risk leading up to that draft.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/25/ndamukong-suh-out-of-control-college-teammate-says/

He turned into a thug in the NFL and is an embarrassment to Nebraska fans everywhere.

Said the guy who forgets Lawrence Phillips...

 

[Wingman]

Said the guy who forgets Lawrence Phillips...

I suspect that if one were to actually look hard enough it would be quite possible to find an embarrassment to every fan base out there. Many of the traits that make one an athlete also translate to valuable skill sets for criminal behavior. Many of the youngsters brought in to these programs have not been trained well at home and are exposed to criminal elements at an early age. Some reject the criminal lifestyle others embrace it.

A good example of the differences that can come from the same program Hernandez and the Pouncey brothers. I'm not saying the Pounceys are ready for Saint hood or even that they are good citizens but they have not as far as we know sunk to the depths of Hernandez criminal behavior, yet they came from the same program and were friends with each other.

 

[Coach]

There was one car accident he was punished for, but legally he was found to be well under the impaired limit. Appraently he had some control issue in practice but i dont recall him losing it in any games like he has in the NFL. So, no, i think his anger issues were kept under control/under wraps to the point where no one really considered him a risk leading up to that draft.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/25/ndamukong-suh-out-of-control-college-teammate-says/

He turned into a thug in the NFL and is an embarrassment to Nebraska fans everywhere.

I'll vouch for the Nebraska fans. A buddy of mine is a booster and alumni for the University of Miami. Because of him I had a chance to meet Drew Rosenhaus, Mel Keiper and a few of the coaches. When he traveled to the Nebraska game this year he said the fans there were unbelievably nice. They told him to wear his jersey an feel free to root for his team. They had his back. In addition if a Nebraska fans does something stupid they ban him on the spot.

 

[steelerscotty]

Said the guy who forgets Lawrence Phillips...

Who said i forgot about Phillips? He wasnt even in the discussion. I wanted coach Osbourne to cut his punk *** back in the day.

 

[Wingman]

This guy sounds decent has good scores and could fall to us....Owamagbe Odighizuwa... the name would be better than jj

 

[SteelBuckeye]

This guy sounds decent has good scores and could fall to us....Owamagbe Odighizuwa... the name would be better than jj[/QUOTE

He does have good scores and could fall to us. The question with him for me is the medical red flag of having had two hip surgeries already. One on each hip if I'm not mistaken.

 

[F83]

I look Harold"s burst but he right now has the build of a well built s. Does not look much bigger than a former dud Chris carter who never got thicker if Harold falls to us in the 2nd then prey better have him ready at over 250 with a thick cut. I Think with our staff and guys like deebo as the lb leader along with lt if Gregory falls these vets will keep him check as will porter and lake.

 

[Tibs]

This guy sounds decent has good scores and could fall to us....Owamagbe Odighizuwa... the name would be better than jj

He does have good scores and could fall to us. The question with him for me is the medical red flag of having had two hip surgeries already. One on each hip if I'm not mistaken.

It seems everything is checking out ok with Diggy's medical stuff...so if you take that away, you have the makings of a beast at that LOLB spot... he's big enough, powerful enough, fast enough, smart enough to be an impact first round pick. He won't be there in the second round....along with the other top edge guys, while there should be at least a handful of CB's on the board. So if Diggy drops to 22...you gotta think they'd consider him.

 

[Wingman]

This guy sounds decent has good scores and could fall to us....Owamagbe Odighizuwa... the name would be better than jj[/QUOTE

He does have good scores and could fall to us. The question with him for me is the medical red flag of having had two hip surgeries already. One on each hip if I'm not mistaken.

That concerns me as well. At this point I am wondering if his surgeries corrected something that will likely not require anything else or if the fixed something due to injuries that were some what unusual in nature. As I understand it he is good to go, I thought he posted numbers that would indicate he was quite serviceable at this point, am I mistaken? I do agree that he would need to be examined carefully by doctors, is Maroon still doing lots of work for the Steelers?

 

[SteelBuckeye]

That concerns me as well. At this point I am wondering if his surgeries corrected something that will likely not require anything else or if the fixed something due to injuries that were some what unusual in nature. As I understand it he is good to go, I thought he posted numbers that would indicate he was quite serviceable at this point, am I mistaken? I do agree that he would need to be examined carefully by doctors, is Maroon still doing lots of work for the Steelers?

If you believe that analytics such as SPARQ scores can provide some aid in the draft, I guess you have to like Diggy at 1:22 if he's there. Doing a little more reading up on him, but I will say that I'm warming to the idea myself and may update my mock. According to one SPARQ table, his numbers at his weight make him the fourth best Edge prospect in the draft. He's rated ahead of Gregory and Harold and significantly ahead of Shane Ray and Dante Fowler.

http://www.bigblueview.com/2015-nfl-draft/2015/3/26/8296389/2015-NFL-Draft-SPARQ-Bud-Dupree-Shane-ray-vic-beasley

 

[Wingman]

If you believe that analytics such as SPARQ scores can provide some aid in the draft, I guess you have to like Diggy at 1:22 if he's there. Doing a little more reading up on him, but I will say that I'm warming to the idea myself and may update my mock. According to one SPARQ table, his numbers at his weight make him the fourth best Edge prospect in the draft. He's rated ahead of Gregory and Harold and significantly ahead of Shane Ray and Dante Fowler.

http://www.bigblueview.com/2015-nfl-draft/2015/3/26/8296389/2015-NFL-Draft-SPARQ-Bud-Dupree-Shane-ray-vic-beasley

Thanks for posting that link, it makes for some interesting reading especially if one considers that the sparq score was below the line for JJ and it matches his performance. One other thing I would look at with these guys is weight, I would like the edge rushers to be 250 or more. Those guys at 235 seem like they just get knocked around too much. If the guys are 260 or more that does a lot to allow them to hold the point of attack and not look like they are wearing roller skates when engaged with a blocker. I would stop drafting these light weights right away as it only seems like they can just get blocked faster.

 

[Tibs]

If the guys are 260 or more that does a lot to allow them to hold the point of attack and not look like they are wearing roller skates when engaged with a blocker.

That's why Owa Diggy Yo Mamma is so hard to ignore. Powerful athlete, packs a wallop and has the "heavy hands" you look for holding the edge in the run game. He comes in a bit under 270, has enough wheels to play in space. He routinely gets up and into 300+linemen no problem, at least he did in the college ranks. Diggy just looks to me like a player than can come right in and be ready to play a grown man's game. That's the type of guy the Steelers always project from D-line to LB, at least they used to. He's got thrust and power and speed at 4.6 to man that spot. That's my opinion based on what I've read and seen on the guy. If those hips check out, there may not be a better edge rusher available at #22, and frankly, I'd be loving the pick. Solid character, intelligent guy to boot. Especially cause I think we can get a real good corner in round two.

 

[Wingman]

Tibs I am not sure if we get a "good" corner in round two. We might get an OK corner in round two. The reason I say that is there from what I am hearing on here that there is a lack of real high talent this draft. Secondly there may be a run on edge rushers and corners in this draft class. Normally there are some very dominant Linemen that command high draft picks on both offense and defense and that area is not heavily populated this year, No major hype qbs in quantity either I would expect that the normal premium positions are not as heavily represented as usual and that will translate to more edge rushers and corners taken than usual early in the draft.

You may have looked at this in more detail than I did it is just a feeling that we will get one a good rusher or a good corner but not both we may be able to fill in with a couple of OK guys at corner and a second edge rusher. I do hope you are correct and we do find gold in the second round.

 

[SteelBuckeye]

Tibs I am not sure if we get a "good" corner in round two. We might get an OK corner in round two. The reason I say that is there from what I am hearing on here that there is a lack of real high talent this draft. Secondly there may be a run on edge rushers and corners in this draft class. Normally there are some very dominant Linemen that command high draft picks on both offense and defense and that area is not heavily populated this year, No major hype qbs in quantity either I would expect that the normal premium positions are not as heavily represented as usual and that will translate to more edge rushers and corners taken than usual early in the draft.

You may have looked at this in more detail than I did it is just a feeling that we will get one a good rusher or a good corner but not both we may be able to fill in with a couple of OK guys at corner and a second edge rusher. I do hope you are correct and we do find gold in the second round.

Again, depending on how you view the use of SPARQ scores, you would be surprised at the CBs who SHOULD be ranked higher in the draft than what they are. I know you have to value on field production and film, but there are some surprising SPARQ results. For example, the CB with the highest SPARQ score is Byron Jones (UConn), who is widely expected to be a 2nd round pick. Of the CBs projected to be drafted in the 1st round, only Kevin Johnson (4th) and Trae Waynes (10th) crack the top 10 SPARQ scores. I didn't even see PJ Williams on this list; for what it's worth.

http://3sigmaathlete.com/2015/04/07/post-combine-sparq-rankings-cornerbacks/

 

[Wingman]

Again, depending on how you view the use of SPARQ scores, you would be surprised at the CBs who SHOULD be ranked higher in the draft than what they are. I know you have to value on field production and film, but there are some surprising SPARQ results. For example, the CB with the highest SPARQ score is Byron Jones (UConn), who is widely expected to be a 2nd round pick. Of the CBs projected to be drafted in the 1st round, only Kevin Johnson (4th) and Trae Waynes (10th) crack the top 10 SPARQ scores. I didn't even see PJ Williams on this list; for what it's worth.

http://3sigmaathlete.com/2015/04/07/post-combine-sparq-rankings-cornerbacks/

Lets hope the sparq scores come into play for the selection and that they translate well for a corner. It would be interesting to see how well the following guys scored on the test, Rod Woodson, Mel Blount, Troy Polomolu, Ike Taylor, Carnel Lake. Now that has some hall of famers in it but it sure would be nice to see how these guys scored when they came out of college.

I suspect that if these scores are truly great indicators of ability the only reason the better players don't put up better film is poor coaching or mental capacity to play the game is lacking, and the possibility of scheme comes onto play on some of them as well.

 

[Tibs]

I do hope you are correct and we do find gold in the second round.

Wing, the guys I'd be targeting and hoping (praying?) to be there in the 2nd are:

Jalen Collins 6-1 203 LSU
Byron Jones 6-1 199 Connecticut
Eric Rowe 6-1 205 Utah
Alex Carter 6-0 196 Stanford
Ronald Darby 5-11 193 Florida State
Quinten Rollins 5-11 195 Miami (Ohio)
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu 5-9 192 Oregon

Again, we don't need all these guys to be on the board, just one will do

Funny thing is, every year the Steelers shock us with some of their picks and end up with guys none of us have talked about. So Lord knows how their board is gonna stack up, we can only guess.

 

[Tibs]

Getting back to Odighizuwa, the two things that speak against him are of course the two hip surgeries, whether or not Steelers' doctors truly feel he's worth the risk so early in the draft, and probably even moreso the fact that he's a 5th year senior. Colbert just doesn't draft guys like that (in the 1st rnd), so I think it may be time for me to lay off the Diggy koolaid.... Having said that, if they end up drafting him, that should tell us they think he's gonna be something special.

Knowing Colbert's propensity to target juniors, here's how I think their rankings may stand:

Dante Fowler .
Randy Gregory
Shane Ray
Eli Harold
Danielle Hunter

with the seniors right behind them:

Vic Beasley
Owamagbe Odighizuwa
Alvin Dupree
Nate Orchard


If we miss out on one of the top guys, a name to keep an eye on is Frank Clark out of Michigan. He's got the Sparq numbers to project to that LOLB spot in our D, though the domestic violence crap may take him off our board altogether.



FRANK CLARK

HEIGHT 6'3"
ARM LENGTH 34 3/8"
WEIGHT 271LBS.
HANDS 10 1/8"

OVERVIEW
In 2014, finished second on team with 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Dismissed from team in November after arrest on domestic violence charges. In 2013, selected second-team All-Big Ten, leading Michigan in tackles for loss (12) and finishing second on team with 4.5 sacks. In 2012, pleaded guilty to second-degree home invasion felony charge after stealing a laptop from a Michigan dormitory. Suspended from first game of season. Appeared in 11 games, starting 4 and recording 25 tackles (two sacks). In 2011, appeared in 12 games, making 10 tackles. Played high school football for Ted Ginn, Sr., finishing with 19 sacks his senior season.

PRO DAY RESULTS
40-yard dash: 4.64 and 4.68 seconds

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Downhill defensive end who can play on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Has the power to control the edge and is able to disengage and finish as a tackler. Fires out of stance with good burst upfield as pass rusher. Keeps pad level low and converts speed to power. Gets shoulders turned when he rounds corner as pass rusher, gaining leverage advantage.

WEAKNESSES Effort rusher who relies on motor and power over talent. Lacks fluidity and natural transition from move to move as pass rusher. Doesn't gain much ground with spin-move counter, often twisting in place. Lacks subtlety of movement or footwork necessary to execute consistent inside move at the next level. Marginal change-of-direction talent. Has had multiple off-field issues during his time at Michigan and was dismissed from Michigan in November after being arrested on domestic violence charges.

SOURCES TELL US "I don't think he gets past the 4th round at the latest. Our team felt like he gave honest answers regarding previous incidents and we came away feeling much better about him after speaking to him." - NFC Personnel Executive

NFL COMPARISON Scott Crichton

BOTTOM LINE Clark has some explosive qualities and power to his game, but the big question is going to be how badly his off-the-field indiscretions play with NFL teams. He's likely a strong-side 3-4 OLB, but has the ability to play end in a 4-3 as well. Some league insiders believe he could come off the board inside the top 100 picks.

 

[deljzc]

Guys with domestic abuse charges are going to be interesting to watch.

With everything that happened over the past year, are they going to be blackballed by the league and not drafted at all? Who takes the chance on them and when? I mean look at the media storm when the Cowboys signed Hardy.

We'll see.

And I still don't see an OLB in Odighizuwa. That's just my opinion. He's a nice prospect. He does play with power. He engages O-linemen very well. Not much not to like. I just think he's BETTER with his hand in the dirt and moving up and down the line to generate mismatches.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Alright, the SPARQ score is pretty new to me. I understand what it means in terms of a player's athletic abilities, but what is the history of NFL success and SPARQ score. Is there any correlation or is this just another new stat that someone is using to make a name for themselves?

 

[Tibs]

Check this out SteelerFan448 > http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2015...-defensive-ends-for-the-cowboys-in-2015-draft

It goes into a lot of detail on Sparq, analyzes this year's crop of edge rushers and also looks back on some NFL players previously to see how they measure up.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Check this out SteelerFan448 > http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2015...-defensive-ends-for-the-cowboys-in-2015-draft

It goes into a lot of detail on Sparq, analyzes this year's crop of edge rushers and also looks back on some NFL players previously to see how they measure up.

Thanks, Tibs. I'll check it out.