The Precocious Gerald McCoy
by John Morgan on Mar 24, 2010 1:50 PM PDT
Email
PrintBrandon Mebane is a great single-gap defensive tackle. He is strong enough to anchor, agile enough to pursue, and quick enough to penetrate, even sack. Seattle should be in no hurry to replace Mebane. Colin Cole is a middling two-gap defensive tackle. He shows some ability to anchor, can not pursue and is not quick enough to pressure. Seattle can improve two positions and its depth by adding a starter-capable, disruptive defensive tackle. I have written this a thousand times. This is the first time Seattle has a legitimate chance to draft one of the top three most talented players in his class to fill that need.
We will revisit Eric Berry. Today I begin looking at Gerald McCoy. The number one thing to know about McCoy is that much of his value is tied to his potential. McCoy is not yet a great player. He is a good player with incredible athletic potential. He is good, amazingly athletic and just barely 22. From a pure tools standpoint, McCoy may be the best prospect in the entire draft.
Oklahoma squared off against the Stanford Cardinals in the 2009 Sun Bowl. Hardly a pushover, Stanford's offense ranks 10th overall by S&P. Of course, it did not help to lose Andrew Luck.
1. 1st and 10 at STAN 28 Toby Gerhart rush for 1 yard to the Stanf 29.
LDT, 1-tech, 4 down linemen. McCoy is double teamed, holds his ground and moves towards the ball carrier.
2. 2nd and 9 at STAN 29 Tavita Pritchard pass incomplete.
LDT, 1-tech, 4 down linemen. Stanford attempts an angle block on McCoy but he is able to outrun it, moving into the backfield before the right tackle can engage him. Unfortunately, he chases Toby Gerhart left, and the play is a play-action boot right. Does not factor.
3. 3rd and 9 at STAN 29 Tavita Pritchard pass intercepted by Travis Lewis at the Stanf 37, returned for 7 yards to the Stanf 30.
RDT, 3-tech, 2 DL. McCoy angles hard left and engages center Chase Beeler. He powers through and bulls over Beeler, but is caught and dropped and falls forward towards Pritchard's feet. He begins to pick himself up. Prtichard hurries a throw into coverage and throws a tipped-pass interception.
34 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I really hope McCoy falls to us
I’m expecting to be giddy at the thought of it after a few more scouting reports. A front line of Bane, McCoy, LoJack and Curry as the stand up DE sounds promising.
I see our chances hinging on the Lions(assuming the Rams go Bradford). If the Lions take Okung that leaves Suh and McCoy both available.
The Lions would be dumb NOT to draft a franchise LT
Considering how much they’ve invested in QB.
But I’m not holding my breath. I find it hard to believe Suh or McCoy drop that many spots.
6/14/60. Sweet.
Well, they passed on Michael Oher at #20 last year
They have very little sense of positional value, it seems. It would not surprise me at all if they passed on Okung, not that I endorse Okung.
Talents that I covet:
Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mike Iupati, Golden Tate, Earl Thomas, and Freddie Barnes
by Carl Shinyama on Mar 25, 2010 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions
I think they had a good draft last year.
They maybe could have waited on TE with Pettigrew being taken in the first, but overall I think they got some potentially great players. Levy will start at MLB this season. Stafford was a no-brainer, for the most part. Delmas is already showing more than just flashes and is leading the defense. They have 4 or 5 picks that should contribute heavily this year. If they pass on DT, it will be because of their 4th-rounder Sammie Lee Smith. I wasn’t too fond of the Derrick Williams pick, one of their 3rd-rounders.
I still think they likely will take one of the elite DTs, but OT wouldn’t exactly surprise me.
If they do indeed pass on DT in the first, I think another contributing factor would be their acquisition of Corey Williams.
But it seriously would not surprise me to see them pass on a Okung.
That said, I hope they take Okung. Based on what[’s happened with the Seahawks and throughout the NFL, and on the information of tons and tons of Mock Drafts, my heart is set on getting McCoy, Clausen, or Berry (in that order) with the #6 overall pick. For that to happen, key picks in the first 5 have to be made.
Talents that I covet:
Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mike Iupati, Golden Tate, Earl Thomas, and Freddie Barnes
by Carl Shinyama on Mar 26, 2010 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions
He would have to fall past the Lions, Bucs, and Rams.
All 3 teams it can be argued need a starting-caliber DT. There are two worth a top 5 selection.
4 and 5 both run 3-4 defense
and both already have DTs that don’t really fit the scheme, Haynesworth in WAS and Dorsey in KC.
We might have to trade up to secure one of the stud DTs
… and I would be all for it.
Supposedly Detroit is shopping their pick. Maybe they would swap with us if we sent them our 2nd rounder. Then we are guaranteed one of the two studs, and there’s a good chance we could have our choice. Detroit is in a better slot to draft for need (OT), pays a smaller salary, and picks up a 2nd round pick.
If Seattle could swing a trade up like 1997 and land two top-tier talents, I would be pretty stoked.
The cool thing about an Okung or McCoy is that they transcend scheme or coaching. Five years later, that guy is probably still going to be kicking ass no matter what is asked of him.
You mean like when they gave up a 1st, a 2nd, a 3rd, and a 4th round pick?
That’s a hefty price.
Talents that I covet:
Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mike Iupati, Golden Tate, Earl Thomas, and Freddie Barnes
by Carl Shinyama on Mar 26, 2010 5:01 PM PDT up reply actions
...aaaand, a heftier return.
Walter Jones’ career does not make any trade up this year a win, of course.
To be accurate, we swapped 1sts with the Falcons and Bucs, and then threw in a 2nd, two 3rds and a 4th, to move up and get Shawn Springs and Walt.
So we didn’t give up a 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4thto move up for Springs. We gave up a 2nd, 3rd & 4th to move up 8 spots to 3rd overall.
And a meager 3rd round pick to move up 6 spots to take Walter Jones, 6th overall.
I think John’s point in the quantity vs. quality debate is the tenacity of the quality can be overlooked. We could have had a depth player or maybe a guy fill a starting position hole, in the 3rd, and a very good RB in Warrick Dunn. Or we could have the peerless career of Walter Jones.
I really was excited about the 40th overall pick, thinking of it as a third 1st in a deep draft. I would worry about the lack of quantity, if we traded up.
But imagine if all we walked away with this year, were Ndamukong Suh and Russell Okung. Kind of makes all the hair splitting between Berry and Bulaga, and Charlie Brown and Bruce Campbell, seem so trivial, dunnit?
by jacobstevens on Mar 31, 2010 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Reminds of of the writeups about Curry.
It's Great to be a Florida Gator!
The Arizona Cardinals' plan for success:
-Lose all talent on team to retirement and free agency.
-Call it a day.
I think there is very, very little chance G.McCoy falls to us.
I would love it, though. I agree he would be the ideal 3-tech to start next to Mebane. He has the potential to be a dominant player in the mold of Randle or Kevin Williams in a 4-3 defense. His pass-rushing ability is more dynamic than Suh’s and for that reason I think he is probably the best player in the draft. The most attractive non-QB for our specific team without a doubt. Inside pressure is gold.
Oh, I think so.
I think that the Lions’ acquisition of Corey Williams has made it quite possible that they’d pass on Suh for Okung. Very few people account for this. And if Sam Bradford goes 1st overall to the Rams, well, that leaves just 1 team out of the three who drafts before Seattle who is likely to pick up either DT’s (the Bucs) — most likely Suh. I think both of the aforementioned scenarios are actually realistic, so I like the chances of McCoy falling to Seattle.
Talents that I covet:
Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mike Iupati, Golden Tate, Earl Thomas, and Freddie Barnes
by Carl Shinyama on Mar 25, 2010 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't think Corey Williams is valuable enough to prevent selecting a DT.
They also claim to be high on Sammie Lee Smith. But, I’m not sure I’m buying them being set at DT. Williams may be a deterrent or cloud the issue, but I’m not sure he’s the long-term answer. You make a valid point, though. It could happen. At least we have some hope about it. I don’t know if I could live with passing on McCoy or Suh to draft Clausen, which makes me thankful we did what we did to secure CW at QB.
I could see WAS or KC trading out of that spot for someone looking hard for a DT. I’d almost bet on it, actually.
It's simple, really...
If the Lions take Okung, We will get whichever of McCoy/Suh the Bucs don’t take.
Washington will not take a DT and neither will KC. The chances of anyone trading up to 4 or 5 to grab one out from under us is very small (for a number of reasons)…
IF somehow the Rams end up with a decent QB before the draft, and take Okung, Suh, or McCoy, then we won’t get any of them, but it increases our chances to get Clausen— who is actually my top choice. But I’m pretty sure that trade for McNabb won’t happen. The Rams would be dumber than Rothlesberger to do that deal.
Either of those teams could conceivably draft Suh and play him at DE in their 3-4.
He could evolve to a NT also. Haynesworth/Suh/any scrub would be a pretty brutal front for Washington. I think Suh can fit in a 3-4, though he may be best suited to play inside of a 4-3.
I can quickly think of three reasons that won't happen...
First, I’m pretty sure Suh will be gone and it’s McCoy who will be available;
Second, Washington has greater needs at OT and QB; and
Third, those needs are positionally more valuable than DT, where they are already invested.
Why won't KC take a DT?
Are their current starters better than Suh or McCoy? They’re rated the two best players in the draft. Why wouldn’t they snap one up at 5. I would if I were them. Same goes for Washington. We’re talking about how great it would be to pair one up with Mebane. Why wouldn’t they think the same about Haynesworth.
They run a 3-4 and neither player would fit well in the scheme.
They’ve also drafted a DT in the top 5 the past two years.
If it's true that McCoy is clearly one of the top 2 or 3 talents in this draft...
I’m not going to hold out hope that he lasts ‘til pick 6. I think it’s wishful thinking.
Sure, he wouldn’t be an absolutely perfect fit for Washington or KC given their schemes and/or rosters, but 1) we talk all the time here about how you fit your scheme around elite talent and 2) if by some chance the consensus second-best player is still there at 4 and 5, somebody is going to seize the value and trade up and grab him. If it’s the ’Hawks, fantastic. But I think another team that had more 2nd- and 3rd-round ammo to play with would be more likely to make a deal.
Anyway, I will be surprise-faced if the first three players taken are not Bradford/McCoy/Suh in some order, at least given what we know now about the perceived value in this draft.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Field Gulls
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- NFLPA files collusion claim against NFL, claiming salary cap arrangement in uncapped year
- Donald Driver compared winning ‘Dancing With The Stars’ to winning Super Bowl
- Report: Most NFL players would have no problem with an openly gay teammate
- Donald Driver wins ‘Dancing With the Stars’
- Student has diploma withheld after Tebowing at graduation
