What is the obsession with defensive tackles in this draft?

[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.

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

Well, my take on this draft is that we don;t really know who is worth taking with the 6th pick. I've heard convincing arguments for both Cox and Blackmon. Anyone who actually claims to know which is the better choice is just expressing an opinion based on the normal reading and highlight viewing. To me, that's not enough to become a big diehard advocate for either pick.

My own take is, if the Rams take Cox at 6, I am fine with it.

Same with Blackmon.

My only point in this thread is that DT has extraordinary value as a position.

Only to add here, prompted by you, that there's a lot of convincing arguments out there for seeing Cox as worth the 6th pick.

I don't know anymore than anyone else does how the RAMS rank him though.

So like I said, if they take him at 6, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

If they take someone else--same. Benefit of the doubt.

 

[Speeps]

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.

Go Youtube Dontari Poe. Watch his 350 lb frame get knocked down by RB's and OL. Poe is a project. I would not draft a project in the first round. He may develop to be an absolute monster, with that said, his current history doesn't warrant a top ten pick.

 

[Memento]

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

Go Youtube Dontari Poe. Watch his 350 lb frame get knocked down by RB's and OL. Poe is a project. I would not draft a project in the first round. He may develop to be an absolute monster, with that said, his current history doesn't warrant a top ten pick.

I've watched tape on Poe. He was unmovable at the line of scrimmage and was almost never on his back. It's not just me saying this; opposing coaches and scouts have noted the same attributes. He may not have gotten sacks (although that's more because of the read-and-react system he played in), and he is a project, but saying that he was knocked down by running backs isn't true.

He isn't worth a top ten pick. I agree with you on that. However, some team is going to take him in the top fifteen. He has far too much potential to slide out of the first round, and no other propsect in this draft has his skill-set.

Every other point you made was a good one, though.

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.

Yes. The very same. He's also the guy who played in a system where his job was to stay in position and hold off blockers so that the linebackers could make plays. Poe did that very well. If they had turned him loose, he would have been much more productive.

And he may also turn out to be one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL. That's his upside. People have compared his skill-set to Haloti Ngata's and Shaun Rogers (a motivated one). Low floor, yes, but his ceiling is practically unlimited.

I'm not saying we absolutely have to draft Poe, but if we decide to trade down, Poe has to be considered an option. He's the best player at an area of need (nose tackle), and he won't slide out of the top fifteen. Sometimes, teams take gambles on propsects in the first round; that's what the Bears did with Urlacher.

Just my two cents. Both of you have very good points, though.

 

[ramsince62]

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:

lus1: