What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this draft?

[Username]

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

 

[Speeps]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

Our rushing defense was horrendous not only last year, but the year before that, and the one before that, and the one before that. You get the pattern?

At times, it appeared that we didn't have a DT on the field. While I don't think taking a DT over those prospects would be smart, I do believe this team is in need of DT's. You don't win in this league unless you can stop the run.

 

[-X-]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It all starts up front, and the Rams have a very serious need to improve the interior D line. For YEARS now. I'm not saying DT is more important than anything else, but it should absolutely be addressed early. I, for one, am sick and tired of teams running the ball down our throats anytime they damn well please. But not quite as sick as I am over the blatant disregard for legitimate playmakers on offense.

So.... yeah. Take from that what you will. :cheese:

 

[Username]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

Our rushing defense was horrendous not only last year, but the year before that, and the one before that, and the one before that. You get the pattern?

At times, it appeared that we didn't have a DT on the field. While I don't think taking a DT over those prospects would be smart, I do believe this team is in need of DT's. You don't win in this league unless you can stop the run.

That's all you have to say. The rest is mumbo jumbo because I agree with you. It's just that in this scenario it doesn't matter.

 

[Angry Ram]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

Our rushing defense was horrendous not only last year, but the year before that, and the one before that, and the one before that. You get the pattern?

At times, it appeared that we didn't have a DT on the field. While I don't think taking a DT over those prospects would be smart, I do believe this team is in need of DT's. You don't win in this league unless you can stop the run.

Can't win if you can't score, either.

 

[Username]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It all starts up front, and the Rams have a very serious need to improve the interior D line. For YEARS now. I'm not saying DT is more important than anything else, but it should absolutely be addressed early. I, for one, am sick and tired of teams running the ball down our throats anytime they damn well please. But not quite as sick as I am over the blatant disregard for legitimate playmakers on offense.

So.... yeah. Take from that what you will. :cheese:

Do you think drafting one of the defensive tackles in this draft with the #6 overall pick over one of the prospects I mentioned would be the best thing for this team? I agree with you btw. It has to be addressed, but at what cost?

 

[libertadrocks]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

I dont think any of the DT prospects are worth a top 10 pick. I cant think of a more disappointing pick, for me, than Fletcher Cox. It would be a big reach for need.

 

[DR RAM]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It all starts up front, and the Rams have a very serious need to improve the interior D line. For YEARS now. I'm not saying DT is more important than anything else, but it should absolutely be addressed early. I, for one, am sick and tired of teams running the ball down our throats anytime they damn well please. But not quite as sick as I am over the blatant disregard for legitimate playmakers on offense.

So.... yeah. Take from that what you will. :cheese:

Do you think drafting one of the defensive tackles in this draft with the #6 overall pick over one of the prospects I mentioned would be the best thing for this team? I agree with you btw. It has to be addressed, but at what cost?

For me, ONLY if he (the DT) is an impact player at that position, and I'm talking pressures and sacks. He would HAVE to be special, you can't miss.

 

[Username]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It all starts up front, and the Rams have a very serious need to improve the interior D line. For YEARS now. I'm not saying DT is more important than anything else, but it should absolutely be addressed early. I, for one, am sick and tired of teams running the ball down our throats anytime they damn well please. But not quite as sick as I am over the blatant disregard for legitimate playmakers on offense.

So.... yeah. Take from that what you will. :cheese:

Do you think drafting one of the defensive tackles in this draft with the #6 overall pick over one of the prospects I mentioned would be the best thing for this team? I agree with you btw. It has to be addressed, but at what cost?

For me, ONLY if he (the DT) is an impact player at that position, and I'm talking pressures and sacks. He would HAVE to be special, you can't miss.

Does anyone honestly think that person exist in this draft as a DT?

 

[DR RAM]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It all starts up front, and the Rams have a very serious need to improve the interior D line. For YEARS now. I'm not saying DT is more important than anything else, but it should absolutely be addressed early. I, for one, am sick and tired of teams running the ball down our throats anytime they damn well please. But not quite as sick as I am over the blatant disregard for legitimate playmakers on offense.

So.... yeah. Take from that what you will. :cheese:

Do you think drafting one of the defensive tackles in this draft with the #6 overall pick over one of the prospects I mentioned would be the best thing for this team? I agree with you btw. It has to be addressed, but at what cost?

For me, ONLY if he (the DT) is an impact player at that position, and I'm talking pressures and sacks. He would HAVE to be special, you can't miss.

Does anyone honestly think that person exist in this draft as a DT?

IMO, nobody has proven to be that this draft. There are guys with that potential, however.

 

[Memento]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

None of the defensive tackles should be taken with a top ten pick, but if we traded down to the tenth overall pick (for the sake of example), I'd love to draft Dontari Poe. He has a skill-set that I haven't seen out of any other defensive tackle in this class.

Poe would immediately make our defense better. He'd put pressure on the quarterback from the middle, which would be a tremendous help to Long, Quinn, and Langford. He's stout against the run and practically unmovable at the line of scrimmage, which would give Laurinaitis and the other linebackers room to roam, as he's taking up two blockers. Our defensive tackles were easily the weakest link in our defense. Adding a dominant one would make our defense a threat to be reckoned with.

 

[Username]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Ok, well maybe this board is a little more level headed than the rest of the world. If I read one more article about the #3,4,5,6,7,8,9 pick being a DT I'll lose my mind.

This is what happens when people who only cover the draft, and are able to write professionally on the interwebs get bored. Watching the same tape, hearing the same things from scouts, over and over and start listening to dipshits and smoke screens. Just so they have something for material. Shit sometimes they're so far out of it they start actually believing it.

"Jimmy Clausen... I can't believe he is falling... So many people were high on him... They even told me so..."

 

[Username]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

None of the defensive tackles should be taken with a top ten pick, but if we traded down to the tenth overall pick (for the sake of example), I'd love to draft Dontari Poe. He has a skill-set that I haven't seen out of any other defensive tackle in this class.

Poe would immediately make our defense better. He'd put pressure on the quarterback from the middle, which would be a tremendous help to Long, Quinn, and Langford. He's stout against the run and practically unmovable at the line of scrimmage, which would give Laurinaitis and the other linebackers room to roam, as he's taking up two blockers. Our defensive tackles were easily the weakest link in our defense. Adding a dominant one would make our defense a threat to be reckoned with.

Is that the guy who destroyed the combine? The same guy who had a single sack, and about 5 qb pressures?

He may somehow end up being a good to above average player with good coaching on a good team. That said, to say we, the RAMS should take a risk on him anywhere in the first round is crazy talk to me.

 

[had]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

I cannot convince you that the Rams should draft a DT with their first pick. I can't convince myself, either.

This draft worries me very much, because I can't see a definitive game changing talent coming to the Rams.

Richardson? Why do I feel like he's hyped to the heavens? (but that would be my pick)

I have no idea.

I am of no help here.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It's real simple. 5 easy steps.

1. The Rams have only one DT, Langford.

2. Without a DT they have no defense. No 4/3 D can cover up not having a DT. No CB will make up for that.

3. Example? Robbins played well in 2010. Robbins was done in 2011. Better defense in 2010, worse defense in 2011.

4. A young offense with a young qb is worse when it has to play from behind. No offensive rookie of any kind will make up for that.

5. The defense can't keep the score down if it has a glaring hole at DT.

 

[-X-]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It's real simple. 5 easy steps.

1. The Rams have only one DT, Langford.

2. Without a DT they have no defense. No 4/3 D can cover up not having a DT. No CB will make up for that.

3. Example? Robbins played well in 2010. Robbins was done in 2011. Better defense in 2010, worse defense in 2011.

4. A young offense with a young qb is worse when it has to play from behind. No offensive rookie of any kind will make up for that.

5. The defense can't keep the score down if it has a glaring hole at DT.

Regarding #3. It's really not that simple. 14 new guys on defense in 2011, worse defense in 2011.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It's real simple. 5 easy steps.

1. The Rams have only one DT, Langford.

2. Without a DT they have no defense. No 4/3 D can cover up not having a DT. No CB will make up for that.

3. Example? Robbins played well in 2010. Robbins was done in 2011. Better defense in 2010, worse defense in 2011.

4. A young offense with a young qb is worse when it has to play from behind. No offensive rookie of any kind will make up for that.

5. The defense can't keep the score down if it has a glaring hole at DT.

Regarding #3. It's really not that simple. 14 new guys on defense in 2011, worse defense in 2011.

Disagree.

If Robbins had been himself in 2011, they would have been much better off, even with the injuries at CB. I actually think Spags did a magificent job adjusting the D to fit the different players he had to content with at corner. What he could never do was make up for having a liability in the middle of the DL. But then no one can ever make up for that.

 

[Thordaddy]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

The rest of the story is that we have spent two top picks on DE and their effectiveness has been made impotent because we aren't collapsing the pocket from the middle.

Fletcher Cox will IMO make our middle rush enough more effective that our sack totals will leap as if we added a 16 sack DE.

AS a FAN the most thrilling plays rank like this for me,TD pass, sack,long run ,not counting turnovers.

So if a DT can make your defense 16 sacks better does the WR provide 16 TD's ? Because the percentage of times the O gets a TD after being sacked is small and it usually provides a punt which IS a turnover IMO a middle pass rush is just a must.

Looking at it another way, will a WR give you a dominant wr corps or will a DT give you a dominant DL because IMO a single dominant unit usually makes a D or an O top half of the league on either side of the ball.

We need to rush the passer better, an elite or very good DT and we dominate .
IMO Fletcher Cox has a better chance to be a top 10 DT in our conference than Blackmon has of being a top 10 rec.

MAN I've convinced myself :cheese:

 

[libertadrocks]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It's real simple. 5 easy steps.

1. The Rams have only one DT, Langford.

2. Without a DT they have no defense. No 4/3 D can cover up not having a DT. No CB will make up for that.

3. Example? Robbins played well in 2010. Robbins was done in 2011. Better defense in 2010, worse defense in 2011.

4. A young offense with a young qb is worse when it has to play from behind. No offensive rookie of any kind will make up for that.

5. The defense can't keep the score down if it has a glaring hole at DT.

Those are all reasons why we need a DT, not why we should draft one with our first pick. I dont think anyone will disagree that we really need a DT. DT is probably our biggest area of need.

However, that need doesnt justify reaching for a DT, especially when our FO has graded out 8-10 of this years prospects to be week one starters.

I dont really like the idea of composing a Dline of guys 6-3+ and sub 300lbs either.

Long is 6-3 270, Langford 6-6 294, Cox 6-4 296, Quinn 6-4 265

 

[-X-]

Re: What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this dra

Convince me that anyone of these prospects could improve our team over a kalil, richardson, claiborne, or blackmon?

Convince me any single one of them is worthy of a top ten pick outside of a team desperate for a DT?

It's real simple. 5 easy steps.

1. The Rams have only one DT, Langford.

2. Without a DT they have no defense. No 4/3 D can cover up not having a DT. No CB will make up for that.

3. Example? Robbins played well in 2010. Robbins was done in 2011. Better defense in 2010, worse defense in 2011.

4. A young offense with a young qb is worse when it has to play from behind. No offensive rookie of any kind will make up for that.

5. The defense can't keep the score down if it has a glaring hole at DT.

Regarding #3. It's really not that simple. 14 new guys on defense in 2011, worse defense in 2011.

Disagree.

If Robbins had been himself in 2011, they would have been much better off, even with the injuries at CB. I actually think Spags did a magificent job adjusting the D to fit the different players he had to content with at corner. What he could never do was make up for having a liability in the middle of the DL. But then no one can ever make up for that.

Sure, Robbins playing with a bad back much of the year was an issue. As was Long's nagging injury. But I think even moreso was the cluster fuck that was Leber and Poppinga whiffing on tackles and getting baked on misdirection and cutbacks. Also, cornerback problems led directly to a loss to Baltimore. Then there was the poor secondary play against Green Bay. And Bannan's poor start to the year. I just can't attribute a large percentage of our woes to one guy is all. Let alone sum it up like that (Robbins bad, defense bad).