[A-TowN.-]

http://walterfootbal...draft2010_1.php

19. Atlanta Falcons: Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
Mike Peterson is a nice rental at weakside linebacker, but the Falcons need a better, more permanent solution.
Travis Lewis is only a red-shirt sophomore, but he might be scared off into the NFL because of the possible rookie pay scale. He could be drafted in the top 15, so getting him here is a steal.

love it. discuss

[MSalmon]

A-TowN.-, on 05 November 2009 - 08:21 PM, said:

http://walterfootbal...draft2010_1.php

19. Atlanta Falcons: Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
Mike Peterson is a nice rental at weakside linebacker, but the Falcons need a better, more permanent solution.
Travis Lewis is only a red-shirt sophomore, but he might be scared off into the NFL because of the possible rookie pay scale. He could be drafted in the top 15, so getting him here is a steal.

love it. discuss

i think it's safe to say if he were there at #19 (which they having us picking) he'd be BPA, so i would love it. I really think that first pick is wide open and any position except QB, K and P are fair game. I think secondary is least likely (but possible) as i think we go FA to get a veteran CB after this years fiasco and plus the fact we have a lot of youth back there now.

[Jaymadd]

A-TowN.-, on 06 November 2009 - 03:21 AM, said:

http://walterfootbal...draft2010_1.php

19. Atlanta Falcons: Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
Mike Peterson is a nice rental at weakside linebacker, but the Falcons need a better, more permanent solution.
Travis Lewis is only a red-shirt sophomore, but he might be scared off into the NFL because of the possible rookie pay scale. He could be drafted in the top 15, so getting him here is a steal.

love it. discuss

I dont like the pick based on who is available after this pick. I would rather have other top talent at a position of need like Trent Williams - OT, Anthony Davis - OT, Derrick Morgan - DE, Everson Griffen - DE.

[atljbo]

Trent Williams is over-rated to me.... Dude is a RT in the NFl... Dude has been getting beat all year.


I agree tho... Its hard to say that i would pick Travis Lewis over Derrick Morgan or Everson Griffen.


Its a Hard choice tho.... I believe we could get a mid round LB to compete for Mike Peterson LB job in a year or 2 .... The thing is that Travis Lewis is going to be one of those special type LB.... Dude is a hitter.... He is a Curtis Lofton type LB but he has elite LB speed and better in coverage.... Its hard to find a special LB like that.


One the other hand... DE is the most important position on the Defense.... If you can find a Franchise DE... That trumps any other position.... You have to take them.

[Jaymadd]

atljbo, on 06 November 2009 - 12:07 PM, said:

Trent Williams is over-rated to me.... Dude is a RT in the NFl... Dude has been getting beat all year.


I agree tho... Its hard to say that i would pick Travis Lewis over Derrick Morgan or Everson Griffen.


Its a Hard choice tho.... I believe we could get a mid round LB to compete for Mike Peterson LB job in a year or 2 .... The thing is that Travis Lewis is going to be one of those special type LB.... Dude is a hitter.... He is a Curtis Lofton type LB but he has elite LB speed and better in coverage.... Its hard to find a special LB like that.


One the other hand... DE is the most important position on the Defense.... If you can find a Franchise DE... That trumps any other position.... You have to take them.

I agree, but I do like Trent Williams as a RT. The FO and the Coaching staff places importance on the OLine and Dline, being able to run the ball and stop the run. I think that an elite talent at OT and DE will trump the talent at LB, who may not get the start over a vet like Mike Peterson. Coach Smith places at lot of importance on being able to know his scheme and is showing to be conservative in putting someone with less experience into a starting postion over someone who is a rookie or has no experience in his system.

[ugadawg]

looks like a solid pick. Would love to have a Lofton type player with speed.

[The Dirty Bird]

I would absolutely love this pick.

Lewis is a game changer at LB, he's more like Patrick Willis than Curtis Lofton because of his speed and coverage/playmaking ability against the pass.

We can trade back up into the 2nd round because of the flexibility we will have with our compensatory draft selections and nab a DE or RT there.

(glimpses of my mock)

[gritzblitz]

I wouldn't mind this pick at all.

Hasn't TD referenced he would like a special player at LB or Safty. Either a big safety or a quick LB. Referring to LB, he would like one that would attack the run bit could drop back and defend the pass. It seemed Urlacher was mentioned since he played Safety in college.

This may the player TD has been looking for; he may take the chance on him if he is available.....

[Jaymadd]

gritzblitz, on 06 November 2009 - 11:08 PM, said:

I wouldn't mind this pick at all.

Hasn't TD referenced he would like a special player at LB or Safty. Either a big safety or a quick LB. Referring to LB, he would like one that would attack the run bit could drop back and defend the pass. It seemed Urlacher was mentioned since he played Safety in college.

This may the player TD has been looking for; he may take the chance on him if he is available.....

I dont remember TD saying anything about a playmaker at LB, I do know he said he wanted a playmaker at Safety, but he never said anything about a LB.

[A-TowN.-]

I agree with Dirty Bird. He really is like a Patrick Willis type of player and makes great plays. Keenan Clayton is the other good LB. But Lewis would just solidify our LB core. We would be set for years.

[gritzblitz]

Jaymadd is GreatnessŸ, on 07 November 2009 - 04:18 AM, said:

I dont remember TD saying anything about a playmaker at LB, I do know he said he wanted a playmaker at Safety, but he never said anything about a LB.

You could be right and I ceratinly don't have the interview or artcile to reference. I heard/read it somewhere but it may have been someone else speculating. Either way TD has drafted, albeit later rounds, LBs with speed in his previous two drafts...Lewis may be the LB he has been looking for.

[atljbo]

I agree with the Patrick Willis comparison.....


Here is the big question.... Which would you rather have... A Patrick Willis type LB or a Osi Umenyiora type DE ? ....

I feel like you cant go wrong with either..... Travis Lewis has top LB type talent but i also feel like Derrick Morgan has top DE type talent.

I agree with the Patrick Willis comparison.....


Here is the big question.... Which would you rather have... A Patrick Willis type LB or a Osi Umenyiora type DE ? ....

I feel like you cant go wrong with either..... Travis Lewis has top LB type talent but i also feel like Derrick Morgan has top DE type talent.

[Jaymadd]

atljbo, on 07 November 2009 - 12:47 AM, said:

I agree with the Patrick Willis comparison.....


Here is the big question.... Which would you rather have... A Patrick Willis type LB or a Osi Umenyiora type DE ? ....

I feel like you cant go wrong with either..... Travis Lewis has top LB type talent but i also feel like Derrick Morgan has top DE type talent.

I agree with the Patrick Willis comparison.....


Here is the big question.... Which would you rather have... A Patrick Willis type LB or a Osi Umenyiora type DE ? ....

I feel like you cant go wrong with either..... Travis Lewis has top LB type talent but i also feel like Derrick Morgan has top DE type talent.

I would rather have a DE, because it all starts up front, if the front 4 arent doing their job then the LB wont be able to play at their level. WE really need to upgrade our Front 4 period in order to help our entire defense vs the run and pass. The DE is able to disrupt the passing game more than a LB IMO, so therefore the value for a DE is much higher than the value for a LB, which is why you see more Dlineman drafted in the 1st than LB, especially for a 4-3 team.

[The Dirty Bird]

Jaymadd is GreatnessŸ, on 07 November 2009 - 01:58 AM, said:

I would rather have a DE, because it all starts up front, if the front 4 arent doing their job then the LB wont be able to play at their level. WE really need to upgrade our Front 4 period in order to help our entire defense vs the run and pass. The DE is able to disrupt the passing game more than a LB IMO, so therefore the value for a DE is much higher than the value for a LB, which is why you see more Dlineman drafted in the 1st than LB, especially for a 4-3 team.

I'd rather go with the LB. Special LBs only come around every so often. Derrick Morgan is good, but I would not say he has better pro potential than Greg Hardy, Carlos Dunlap, Everson Griffen, Jason Pierre-Paul, or DaQuan Bowers who are all in college. We also have Sidbury and Abe at RDE and Davis and Biermann at LDE -- I think we're fine there. We can sign a LDE this offseason (Aaron Kampman or Ray Edwards) but we can't sign an OLB because of the uncapped year (Thomas Howard, DeMeco Ryans, D'Qwell Jackson, and Thomas Davis will all be RFAs as opposed to UFAs).

This might be looking ahead a little, but I'd rather get Bowers or Pierre-Paul (both big guys that can rush the passer and stop the run) in the draft in a year or two and take a LB now. Lewis with Lofton gives us 2 studs for the present and future, and we can figure out if Stephen Nicholas can be our SLB for the future this and next season.

[Jaymadd]

The Dirty Bird, on 07 November 2009 - 01:56 PM, said:

I'd rather go with the LB. Special LBs only come around every so often. Derrick Morgan is good, but I would not say he has better pro potential than Greg Hardy, Carlos Dunlap, Everson Griffen, Jason Pierre-Paul, or DaQuan Bowers who are all in college. We also have Sidbury and Abe at RDE and Davis and Biermann at LDE -- I think we're fine there. We can sign a LDE this offseason (Aaron Kampman or Ray Edwards) but we can't sign an OLB because of the uncapped year (Thomas Howard, DeMeco Ryans, D'Qwell Jackson, and Thomas Davis will all be RFAs as opposed to UFAs).

This might be looking ahead a little, but I'd rather get Bowers or Pierre-Paul (both big guys that can rush the passer and stop the run) in the draft in a year or two and take a LB now. Lewis with Lofton gives us 2 studs for the present and future, and we can figure out if Stephen Nicholas can be our SLB for the future this and next season.

Aaron Kampman is going to be over 30, and Abe is going to be over 30 too. Sid, Beirmann are not LDE that can have an impact in both the run and pass at LDE consistently, they can at RDE. DAvis is a solid backup. WE are using more and more blitzes because we cant get consistent pressure with our front 4. WE need help up front moreso than we need at the LB positon. We are not at the point where we can draft BPA, which is what a pick like Lewis would be. I can life with getting a Top talent at DE and drafting Kelvin Sheppard LB from LSU at WLB in the 2011 draft

[atljbo]

The Dirty Bird, on 07 November 2009 - 07:56 PM, said:

I'd rather go with the LB. Special LBs only come around every so often. Derrick Morgan is good, but I would not say he has better pro potential than Greg Hardy, Carlos Dunlap, Everson Griffen, Jason Pierre-Paul, or DaQuan Bowers who are all in college. We also have Sidbury and Abe at RDE and Davis and Biermann at LDE -- I think we're fine there. We can sign a LDE this offseason (Aaron Kampman or Ray Edwards) but we can't sign an OLB because of the uncapped year (Thomas Howard, DeMeco Ryans, D'Qwell Jackson, and Thomas Davis will all be RFAs as opposed to UFAs).

This might be looking ahead a little, but I'd rather get Bowers or Pierre-Paul (both big guys that can rush the passer and stop the run) in the draft in a year or two and take a LB now. Lewis with Lofton gives us 2 studs for the present and future, and we can figure out if Stephen Nicholas can be our SLB for the future this and next season.

Derrick Morgan is def better then Carlos Dunlap

But yea... IDK.... I really like Travis Lewis and Derrick Morgan and Everson Griffin......

The thing is... you named all of our DE's... I think Kroy Beirmann and Sid will end up being good DE's but right now DE is a need...... We need a consistent impact maker at DE..... A full time impact maker at DE....

Abe is a good DE but the age and injuries will slowly catch up with him eventually ...

DE is the most important position on Defense.... A impact DE can make the whole Defense look better.



I have the reverse opinion.... Since Mike Peterson will start another year ill rather draft a Derrick Morgan or Everson Griffin this year then draft a mid-round LB this year or a Bruce Carter or Quan Sturdivant next year..... I honestly think we could find a good LB in the 3rd or 4th round.



But at the end of the day i would be amp if we got Travis Lewis or any of the other impact DE's.

[Jaymadd]

atljbo, on 07 November 2009 - 09:28 PM, said:

Derrick Morgan is def better then Carlos Dunlap

But yea... IDK.... I really like Travis Lewis and Derrick Morgan and Everson Griffin......

The thing is... you named all of our DE's... I think Kroy Beirmann and Sid will end up being good DE's but right now DE is a need...... We need a consistent impact maker at DE..... A full time impact maker at DE....

Abe is a good DE but the age and injuries will slowly catch up with him eventually ...

DE is the most important position on Defense.... A impact DE can make the whole Defense look better.

I agree a DE can make the entire Defense look better even LB. That is why DE is rated higher than LB in this draft, and usually by 4-3 teams.