Ok if the guy is a great OLB do you care?

[nerd]

From NFL.com:

Lacks ideal length -- plays short-armed and can be locked up by larger blockers. Short initial steps. Still crafting a wider array of counters and pass-rush moves. Still learning to convert speed to power. Work in progress as a run defender. Does not set a hard edge and can do a better job using his hands to disengage quicker. Needs to become a more violent hands fighter. Limited experience playing in reverse.

I think nfl.com ranked twatkins pretty high so...

[AnnapolisEagle]

Hey, I'd love to be wrong ... I'll even buy Howie a new X-box if I am.

It's just weird that they traded down in a talent-rich draft to get an extra pick in the third, then use that first to pick a guy who is viewed as a reach.

If he beasts out, awesome. He's got an OLB body, and that was a need.

I'm just surprised they had him rated over Lee, Benjamin, Roby and Buchanon. Especially the two receivers...Lee because he torched Oregon when Kelly was there and Benjamin because he's huge.

-AE

[Melchior]

From NFL.com:

Lacks ideal length -- plays short-armed and can be locked up by larger blockers. Short initial steps. Still crafting a wider array of counters and pass-rush moves. Still learning to convert speed to power. Work in progress as a run defender. Does not set a hard edge and can do a better job using his hands to disengage quicker. Needs to become a more violent hands fighter. Limited experience playing in reverse.

He actually has really long arms. He was one of the only true 3-4 OLBs in the draft, but at 26? Not sure about this...

6 Foot 3 | 251 Lbs | 34" Arm Length | 4.68 40 Yd | 23 Bench Reps | 35" Vertical

Positives

Smooth mover athletically and plays with terrific balance.
Significant length with large hands.
Uses length to fire his hands into blockers and control.
Has some natural burst to accelerate off the line of scrimmage.
Can flatten out on the corner with enough flexibility to dip under the hands of tackles.
Will club the shoulder of pass-blockers and use lateral quickness to work around them.
Attacks the throwing hand of quarterbacks and will rip the ball out from ball-carriers, forces fumbles frequently.
Productive blitzing from the interior when Louisville disguised looks.
Highly disruptive stunting to the inside and taking on interior pass-blockers.
Will gets his hands up with timing, deflects passes at the line of scrimmage frequently.
Light feet with comfort to drop from the line of scrimmage in zone coverage.
Plays on his toes with head on a swivel in coverage.
Rarely a match for a tight end on the edge as a run-stopper.
Will generate power and reset the line of scrimmage to set a hard edge in a contain role.
Uses length to extend hands, create space and disengage with relative ease.
Experience playing from both two- and three-point stances and from a variety of alignments.

Negatives

Doesn’t show much wiggle or short-area quickness, more of a linear athlete.
Drops his head taking on blockers and doesn’t always find the football quickly.
Inconsistent diagnosing plays and reacting quickly.
Much less productive when initial pass-rush move is handled by the tackle.
Doesn’t accomplish enough with his hands, reliant on his athleticism.
Needs to develop countermoves and set up pass-blockers more often.
Doesn’t generate a lot of power from his lower half to bull rush.
Made a number of unblocked sacks, play was elevated by scheme at times.
Not a man coverage type, struggles to plant and drive on routes.
Will come off the ball too aggressively and take himself out of run plays.
Motor to pursue the ball isn’t overly impressive, didn’t make a lot of tackles.

[royal]

Worries me is that pick has a "we're smarter than you" vibe. The safety niners drafted will prob become ronnie lott & ed reed in one: ronnie reed or ed lott. This is deja vu...coulda swore years back we reached for a shitty d-linemen with like same exact name. Something smith or bryan.

[dusty41188]

http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftgrades1.php

Pretty accurate grade. I am happy about it.

All I can say could be worse Andy Reid got a D grade

[JDuggernaut]

What's his wingspan? Wonder if he has a high motor? Does he have a really good brother?

fuck me….

He could be a player. Only problem is, picked where he was picked, he HAS to be a player. Would have preferred Nix or Jernigan there, but I'll hold out hope (for at least 1 season)