A little Draft education

[VigilantZombie]

I started this thread because I know there are people more knowledgeable than I when it comes to the draft and I wanna pick your brains.

When it comes to LBs, what about them, in your eyes (or flat out factually) determines if they can be a 3-4 or 4-3 LB and what is the determining factor in whether they're an OLB or ILB?

I'm kinda wondering really, where I'm headed with this is, when you look at plays at all positions, what are the things you look for or see that determine where they're best suited? 

For me I tend to look at guys as the position they played in college. Which obviously causes distortion on some of my 'analytics'. 

[warfelg]

It's quite multi-facited.  First I try to ignore where they lined up at in college.  Shazier was an OLB in a 4-3, Timmons was an OLB in a 4-3, but Williams was an ILB in a 4-3 and Matakavitch was an ILB in a 4-3.

So I try to look at what can this player can do on his own.  Can he get off blockers is key #1 in playing in our 3-4.  Next is how well does he flow from sideline to sideline.  Then coverage.  Most 4-3 LB's in the NCAA will end up ILB's in our scheme.  Very few of them have the ability to pass rush in college, so they will get eaten up in the NFL.  Watt, the Bama guys are some of the rare exceptions because those schools play a 3-4/2-4 hybrid. 

There's much more than this, but I'll be honest I try not to divide into OLB/ILB too soon.  I keep it as just LB.  Then through my evaluation I decide what they can and can't do, and it sorts them into WILL, SAM, MACK, MIKE, BUCK.  For the most part IMO WILL/MACK/MIKE can all be interchangable.  SAM/BUCK can to some point.

[Armsteeld2]

For OLBs for the Steelers, I look for pass rushers.  Most 34 OLBs in recent drafts aren't pass rushers.  They are incorrectly labeled as such due to their size.  Bud Dupree and Lorenzo Carter.  Carter is an excellent blitzer but lacks the ability to constantly win as a rusher.  Guys who win off quickness worry me.  Once the OT is quick enough to handle speed, will the defender have the ability to win?  Aldon Smith is a perfect example of a pass rusher.  Dude is damn near unstoppable.

For ILBs in 34, first thing is toughness.  Can you handle a 330lb Guard squaring you up?  Are you quick enough to meet the FB in the hole and have the ability to get off a block and stop the RB?  ILBs are the beasts of football, you take on a 300lb OL, a 240ish pound FB, and a 220lb RB all within 2-3 seconds?  A classic example and someone with good enough ability to remember is when I said Navarro Bowman, the prospect, would thrive as an ILB for the Steelers?   Bowman had the toughness and ability to go sideline to sideline.  Ryan Anderson of the Redskins would be a great fit as an ILB in a 34.

[Steeler Hitman]

Great input from Warlfelg and Armsteeld2.   I think many people forget that the MLB is ideally supposed to be your defenses top tackler. The position was the star position of the defense in the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90'sand even early 2000's.  The names of great MLB's read like a HOF wing (Butkis, Lambert, Singletary, Nitzcke, Huff, Lanier, and now Urlacher and Lewis). Because teams are passing more, the emphasis is shifting somewhat from ILB/MLB to OLB'ers who can get after the QB.

I think Warlfelg did a solid job of describing the role and difference in the Sam, Mike, Buck and Will LB'ers.  Most ILB'ers have to have a football IQ and intelligence to set the defense, read the offense and respond and react accordingly.  Going back to football 101 a MLB's read step is going forward unlike a CB whose read step is backwards. 

After losing Timmons last year, this is why the Steelers sought to sign Hightower from the Patriots to pair with Shazier inside. You would have one guy who is strong and stout at the point of attack (on the strong side usually) and can shed blockers, identify the ball carrier, and make the tackle. This would also leave the Buck free to run downhill and make tackles with his speed and quickness flowing without having to take on C, OG's, and lead blocker regularly.

In a perfect world, the Steelers try to sign and draft players who fit this pairing since they are going to be in their 3 - 4 base at least 35% of the time. Again, I will say it doesn't work as it should without the proper NG.

I am looking at the two South Carolina products Skai Moore from South Carolina U and Darius Leonard from South Carolina State.  Both of these players could play ILB or OLB in the 4 - 3, but I see them as potential ILB for the Steelers in the 3 -4 to replace Shazier (although not nearly as fast or quick as Ryan).  I am a Dirty Red fan and think I with his football IQ (despite his lack of great speed and quickness), he could be a solid Buck. I would still like to see the team sign a player like Bowman or another player who can play the Mike. In a perfect world, Williams and Dirty Red are coming off the bench.