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Shaq Thompson

jdell

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Carnell Lake worked out Marcus Peters and Shaq Thompson today. Most of us are thinking corner or OLB in the first. Do you think that they will consider Thompson as Troy's replacement? Is he a SS? I hope they pass but that would be kind of like taking Shazier last year. I would like consider Peters in the first but I am hoping for Kevin Johnson.
 
I hope they don't take Thompson. Not a first-round talent that we need. I'd rather take a chance on Peters, who could be the best cornerback in this draft. Johnson's lack of bulk worries me, though I've read a lot of good things about his coverage skills.
 
I can't see taking Thompson in the first 2 rounds. It's not even certain what position he'd play. Some say LB, some say S, and some say RB.
 
I don't know why they just don't try Shazier at SS?
 
I don't know why they just don't try Shazier at SS?

Because he's not a safety! Why can't people get this? He hasn't played that position before. Just because he ran a fast forty doesn't make him a fit for the secondary. I would have a big problem with grabbing a guy in the first round and move him to entirely different position than he's never played before.
 
I personally believe the Steelers would draft Shaq Thompson over Collins. Thompson already plays a rogue safety/LB/DE position like TP and at 228lbs ran a 4.64. I feel if he dropped down to 210lbs to 215lbs he'd take a 1/10 off that time and be a more effective safety.
 
Because he's not a safety! Why can't people get this? He hasn't played that position before. Just because he ran a fast forty doesn't make him a fit for the secondary. I would have a big problem with grabbing a guy in the first round and move him to entirely different position than he's never played before.

That's the thing. Some fans believe it would perfectly easy and acceptable to take a kid in his second year, a first round pick at that, and move him from a position that he played in college yet nowhere near mastered at the NFL level, and make him a project player at another position. I mean hell, if you're looking at measurables and want to make a project out of Shazier, why not move him to WR? I mean he has the height, weight and speed to be a nightmare for DBs. Sounds stupid doesn't it? Well, it makes about as much sense as moving him to safety. Let the kid learn the position he was drafted to play.
 
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if we want a project with lots of upside, then we take Nick Marshall. Former QB (6'1", 207) switching to CB. To me, that doesn't sound intriguing. He'd have to learn lots on the go. At safety, knowing how a QB reads the defense, he would have the play in front of him and be able to make easier/better decisions than locking onto one guy and trying to not keep an eye on the backfield. If he's there in the 6th, he'd be a worthy project - at safety, but not CB.
 
The thing about Marshall that some forget is that he actually was recruited to Georgia as .... a CB. He played that position his whole Freshman year before transferring. So, at least he has experience playing the position in H.S. and had received a year of instruction at the position at the collegiate level. It's not an entirely new position for him like attempting to move Shazier to safety would be. That said, you raise an interesting possibility that with his combine results, etc. maybe he's more suited to play safety at the next level.
 
Thompson was a safety in high school at Grant in Sacramento...and a good one. Also an absolute stud RB. He is a guy Carnell might think he can mold into a current incarnation of his former self: college LB turned pro safety.
 
That's the thing. Some fans believe it would perfectly easy and acceptable to take a kid in his second year, a first round pick at that, and move him from a position that he played in college yet nowhere near mastered at the NFL level, and make him a project player at another position. I mean hell, if you're looking at measurables and want to make a project out of Shazier, why not move him to WR? I mean he has the height, weight and speed to be a nightmare for DBs. Sounds stupid doesn't it? Well, it makes about as much sense as moving him to safety. Let the kid learn the position he was drafted to play.

It doesn't sound stupid to me. I'm for anyway we can get production out of Shazier.
 
Because he's not a safety! Why can't people get this? He hasn't played that position before. Just because he ran a fast forty doesn't make him a fit for the secondary. I would have a big problem with grabbing a guy in the first round and move him to entirely different position than he's never played before.

But if it worked they would be GENIUSES. Almost Belicheat level.
 
Did Lake show them how to do it, or is he still out with a knee?
 
if we want a project with lots of upside, then we take Nick Marshall. Former QB (6'1", 207) switching to CB. To me, that doesn't sound intriguing. He'd have to learn lots on the go. At safety, knowing how a QB reads the defense, he would have the play in front of him and be able to make easier/better decisions than locking onto one guy and trying to not keep an eye on the backfield. If he's there in the 6th, he'd be a worthy project - at safety, but not CB.

I like this idea. Had the added value that we could use him as our number 3 QB also.
 
I don't know why they just don't try Shazier at SS?

We should move Suisham to ROLB. Hed be so small that wouldnt even notice him there. . . then BOOM! Hes straight to the QB . . .tho he might only bounce off and fall down.
 
Vince Williams talked about this on Twitter.. Shazier has never played in the secondary. In high School he played DE. moving him to safety is absurd.
 
Because he's not a safety! Why can't people get this? He hasn't played that position before. Just because he ran a fast forty doesn't make him a fit for the secondary. I would have a big problem with grabbing a guy in the first round and move him to entirely different position than he's never played before.

You mean like Carnell Lake, who was a linebacker in college and played both safety and corner in the nfl and did well at both?
 
The steelers have taken lots of players over the years and changed their position. We see college left tackles moved to guard, right tackle. We have had defensive tackles turned into offensive tackles, Justin Strelscik (spelling). We have had many defensive ends turned into out side line backers. One thing to remember is many of these players are very good athletes and could change positions rather easily. A good coach should be able to train them to play what ever position their athletic ability matches up well with. Obviously some things can not be taught like height for example and speed only a small amount. I would suggest that if a player has the raw athletic abilities required for a position he could likely learn it upon entering the professional ranks. Another example might be a tight end turned into star defensive lineman, see if you can come up with his name, hint he does not play for the steelers.
 
I think the most we can try Shazier asa DB is a SS in a 46 formation for coverage

DE (rookie) DT Heyward DT Mclendon De Tuitt LB Harrison LB Moats
SS Shazier LB Timmons
CB Gay CB Allen FS Mitchell
 
The steelers have taken lots of players over the years and changed their position. We see college left tackles moved to guard, right tackle. We have had defensive tackles turned into offensive tackles, Justin Strelscik (spelling). We have had many defensive ends turned into out side line backers. One thing to remember is many of these players are very good athletes and could change positions rather easily. A good coach should be able to train them to play what ever position their athletic ability matches up well with. Obviously some things can not be taught like height for example and speed only a small amount. I would suggest that if a player has the raw athletic abilities required for a position he could likely learn it upon entering the professional ranks. Another example might be a tight end turned into star defensive lineman, see if you can come up with his name, hint he does not play for the steelers.

Yes players have changed positions and succeeded at the position they change to. Carnell was drafted and changed into a DB but there were some things that were going to limit him at the next level so he switched positions. By the way he was drafted in the 2nd round and not the first. Not many players drafted in the first round change positions. When you draft in the 1st round they are supposed to be sure players at their positions and not experiments. Obviously they are athletic to a point or they wouldn't play in the NFL. To suggest they can play multiple positions doesn't mean we can try them at multiple positions. Heck if this is the case then we should have moved Troy to RB last year when Bell went down. Just because Shazier ran a fast 40 doesn't make him an NFL safety. Besides being fast nobody has ever come up with good reason to move him.
 
YES TROY is A 1 IN A MILLION BUT players like Thompson and Shazier can utilized more, with a healthy Spence we can at times run a base 4-3 of say
LE Heyward NG Mcullers DT Mclendon RE Tuitt LOLB Spence MLB Shazier ROLB Timmons and if Butler wants to put a stamp early that he will be more creative and MT will be more involved in the D then anything from 46 to a tampa could be used sparley to utlizize the current D's best assets.
 
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