Some thoughts from Mayock

[D_Broncs_913]

I was on the draft countdown forums and came across this link...thought I'd share with you guys. Mike Mayock and an NFC south scout discuss some prospects. It's a long but good read.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/don_banks/01/12/2011-nfl-draft/index.html

Here's their thought on Fairley

"Before it's all said and done, I think you'll see Fairley grade out better than [Oklahoma defensive tackle] Gerald McCoy, [who went third overall last year to Tampa Bay],'' the NFC scout said. "It wouldn't shock me if he goes first overall. Bowers is good, but that kid from Auburn is special now. He's the type of guy that elevates the play of others around him, and those guys are pretty rare. He has his issues with taking cheap shots at times, but there are teams that like a little of that in their players. The Ravens look for guys like that, and they find them, too. He'd have to be a real turd to make me pass on him. We'd make a spot for him if he was somehow still there when we pick.''

[Joshecalpoly]

Hopefully Rivera is big on character and doesnt like cheap shots, because it will be hard for us to get him nw

LUCK cursed us by not coming out, but at least it ended the draft Luck threads.

[fraguela09]

It seems every draft some talented DL prospect is just out of reach. At least it feels that way ever since we jumped up to draft Cutler, and passed on Ngata.

Now we finally get #2 pick and this is the draft a DL goes first (ala Mario Williams). Great. What's next? We get #1 pick but then the top DL prospect stays in school?

Still, River's defense in SD, and to a degree in Chi, seemed to revolve around LBs. Not that there's a top one to grab... But Bowers or even a CB might be enticing. They do have Johnson is it?

Our luck they take Fairley. But we can hold out hope they want offense, or to trade down so he targets Ayers.

And, a team might trade up for anything.

Plz let us get Nick.

[berlownacyo7s]

It seems every draft some talented DL prospect is just out of reach. At least it feels that way ever since we jumped up to draft Cutler, and passed on Ngata.

Now we finally get #2 pick and this is the draft a DL goes first (ala Mario Williams). Great. What's next? We get #1 pick but then the top DL prospect stays in school?Still, River's defense in SD, and to a degree in Chi, seemed to revolve around LBs. Not that there's a top one to grab... But Bowers or even a CB might be enticing. They do have Johnson is it?

Our luck they take Fairley. But we can hold out hope they want offense, or to trade down so he targets Ayers.

And, a team might trade up for anything.

Plz let us get Nick.

Imagine how Panthers fans feel about Andrew Luck though...

It would be nice if we drafted Fairley, but we're by no means entitled to him just because we had a terrible year and need d-line help. If he gets snagged at number 1 we just have to accept that and move on.

[ERoyal248]

I agree with frag.

I think we're cursed from getting a top DL. Something goes against Denver, either someone else picks ahead of us, or they don't come out.

I hope somehow Fairley falls to us, but it doesn't look like it.

[fraguela09]

True and true. Can't argue there. Maybe they want QB so much they still draft one (Mallet) with their 1st pick.

If we miss on Fairley then we take Peterson or Watt.

[Joshecalpoly]

It seems every draft some talented DL prospect is just out of reach. At least it feels that way ever since we jumped up to draft Cutler, and passed on Ngata.

Now we finally get #2 pick and this is the draft a DL goes first (ala Mario Williams). Great. What's next? We get #1 pick but then the top DL prospect stays in school?

Still, River's defense in SD, and to a degree in Chi, seemed to revolve around LBs. Not that there's a top one to grab... But Bowers or even a CB might be enticing. They do have Johnson is it?

Our luck they take Fairley. But we can hold out hope they want offense, or to trade down so he targets Ayers.

And, a team might trade up for anything.

Plz let us get Nick.

Dont joke Short may be a top tier NT next year and if we end up choking again (god forbid) and he is high rated still but decides to stay and we need him that woould be the worst twist of fate imaginable.

[THEdraftnik]

Imagine how Panthers fans feel about Andrew Luck though...

Hahahahhahahhahahahhahahhahahahhahahahhahahahhahah ah

[Joshecalpoly]

True and true. Can't argue there. Maybe they want QB so much they still draft one (Mallet) with their 1st pick.

If we miss on Fairley then we take Peterson or Watt.

Not the brightest move with the QB class this year and Clausen with only 1 year of experience. He may stink but he needs WR's

All I can say is heres hoping Rivera is bad at making draft choices along with the Panthers GM

WR's are deeper then the DT's and they dont have a 2nd rounder. So all I can say is heres to big drafting errors.

[Kyousukeneko]

i still see them picking green as there defense was not the problum it was there offense, but thats just me

[japfaff]

The thing about fairley... he only works in a 4-3... Would be a waste of his talents putting him as a 5 in a 3-4... So if Carolina goes 3-4, and we switch to 4-3 we have a chance... All the DL talent this season is 4-3... LB are less than impressive, and there are no big bodies....We take Fairley, switch to a 4-3. Move Doom back to end, Thomas back to DT, and figure something out for the other end... and Our Dl seems pretty solid

[THEdraftnik]

The thing about fairley... he only works in a 4-3... Would be a waste of his talents putting him as a 5 in a 3-4... So if Carolina goes 3-4, and we switch to 4-3 we have a chance... All the DL talent this season is 4-3... LB are less than impressive, and there are no big bodies....We take Fairley, switch to a 4-3. Move Doom back to end, Thomas back to DT, and figure something out for the other end... and Our Dl seems pretty solid

He can work in a 3-4.
Carolina is staying with the 4-3.
Most of the DL talent this season is 3-4 defensive ends.
With Martez Wilson, Akeem Ayers, Greg Jones and others this an average draft for 3-4 needs, below average for 4-3.
Doom is a liability against the run.
Marcus Thomas was awful in a 4-3.
Nick Fairley and Thomas play the under tackle position.

[BaileyFan4ever]

He can work in a 3-4.
Carolina is staying with the 4-3.
Most of the DL talent this season is 3-4 defensive ends.
With Martez Wilson, Akeem Ayers, Greg Jones and others this an average draft for 3-4 needs, below average for 4-3.
Doom is a liability against the run.
Marcus Thomas was awful in a 4-3.
Nick Fairley and Thomas play the under tackle position.

Good points except Dummervil being a liability. He 1)hasn't played in over a year (and is better fit as 3-4 OLB due to size) and 2)he may be below average against the run but he is defineatly not a liability.

As well Thomas was bad period before. He's getting better. Something that happens for DL is they take longer to develop (which I believe is his case).

[THEdraftnik]

Good points except Dummervil being a liability. He 1)hasn't played in over a year (and is better fit as 3-4 OLB due to size) and 2)he may be below average against the run but he is defineatly not a liability.

As well Thomas was bad period before. He's getting better. Something that happens for DL is they take longer to develop (which I believe is his case).

He got better in the 3-4. He wasn't showing much progress in the 4-3.

[Touch_30_Down]

Did someone just say this was a below average draft for the 4-3?
You have to be kidding me.
A lot of extremely good 4-3 linemen coming out (particularly DTs). There are some really great ends like Aldon Smith, Adrian Clayborn, Jabal Sheards, Robert Quinn, and a bunch of others coming out. Most of the linebackers are better for a 4-3, because there aren't many linebackers that are great at getting off blocks in this draft. Lot of instinct/speed linebackers in this draft.
3-4 linemen are good in this draft (not as good as 4-3 linemen). But it is the linebackers that make the biggest difference. The linebacking class is absolutely mediocre in terms of a 3-4. There are some nice OLB prospects like Quinn/Houston/Miller but it is really bad in terms of ILB.

People need to stop lying about Dumervil. He isn't the best OLB in the NFL by far. He is a great/elite pass rusher. But he isn't good on coverage, and is decent against the run. Top 5 maybe,but he really is still one dimensional a 3-4. I'm not saying he is going to be great in a 4-3, but people are overreacting when it comes to his failings versus the run. You can have players that are bad against the run and still be good against the run in general, and lets be honest nothing is going to change pass rushing wise. He loves rushing with his hand on the ground, he gets great leverage and drives tackles outside or inside. In the 4-3, he is more likely to be doubled but if that is the case then whatever stud DT we have (I'm only for switching if we get a stud DT, or really just Nick Fairley) is going to have a lovely time.