Combine LBs

This seems as good as any to explain a few things about the 4-3 LBs. The strong side player is the sam, while the weak is called the will, and the middle is called the mike. Now in a true tampa 2 you want your playside LB on a run play to be ahead of the RB to make him turn up or continue to string it out of bounds. You want your mike running with the RB, so when he turns up a gap he's right there for a tackle. The non play side LB trails the RB for to be ready for the cutback. The two OLB on pass need to open to a 45 degree angle towards the side line and drop into coverage. The mike should back pedal in coverage. Where they all sit in their zone. Now in Cunningham's scheme he has the DL getting the RB on their way to a QB. They are always pass rushing. Now what that means is that the LBs will have to play in the bubble. Which means they are not protected basically by a Warren Sap as much, they are going to have OL getting to them. Which means they need to shed the blocker, get up in the hole, and make a tackle. A little more different then the scheme funneling around the mike. It's basically go make a play. The LBs are still reading their keys in front of them. If you would like to go over reads of a LB let me know. Here are the notes about the LBs now that they have gone.




Martez Wilson
I have to say I had no idea this guy was that fast. He ran a 4.49. Considering I watch a lot of the big ten players during the season, that is really not a good thing. He is that fast and didn't show up fast in games you really have to question is instincts. He is 6'3 and 250 pounds. I really think he solidified himself in the first round at the combine. He is a guy that will probably play the Sam position in a 4-3, but can play inside in a 3-4. So, this a guy that most teams could use. It makes sense to me that we really target 4-3 guys, because there are so many 3-4 defenses in the league that aren't going to take 4-3 guys and we could get them at an extremely good value. To me this is a guy you trade back and you feel he is the best PLAYER available you take him.

Colin Mcarthy
Mooch really praised this guy and I just don't see it. I think a lot of times coaches get impressed with numbers too much and I should watch the film on this guy before I bash him. I will save that for a later date. He started 4 years at Miami and produced. I don't really fall in love with production and I think that has to do with Ernie Sims. Ernie was praised as a great LB because of his tackles. I wanted the Lions to trade him while the league didn't know that he wasn't that good. All his tackles came 10 yards down field or more and he had the speed to outrun RBs. He made tackles, but not where you want them to be. Colin moved well in the drills and had some good numbers with a 4.65 40, 36 and 1/2" vertical, 238 pounds, and he is 6'1.

Von Miller
I would not say he helped himself, but he don't know that he hurt himself. His 40 time is what is going to save his butt I think running a 4.53. Really kind of struggled in the drills. He tripped up on bags and what he should look good at he looked awful in space. He had trouble opening up his hips and dropping back. You have to realize these guys have been training for this and only this. Personally he solidified my thoughts about him in my mind that he is a speed rusher of the end.

Akeem Ayers
This is the guy we're looking at getting. He is probably going to be a first rounder and hopefully we can move back and help ourselves out. He is a guy that would play sam, so that fits with a need. He is 6'2, 254 pounds, and ran a 2.88. Vertical, broad jump, and bench press were mediocre. I thought he looked great in the drills.

Justin Houston
Guy that is a fringe first rounder, but can play in a 4-3 or 3-4. He is 270 pounds and ran a 4.68. He doesn't look anywhere close to 270 pounds, he is just a brick of muscle clearly. Not a guy you want to get into a fight with. He bench pressed 225 30 times. Looked good in defending the run footwork drills. He really struggled on dropping back running to a point. Twice he tripped over his feet and there was only two teams he had to change direction. This is not the safest pick for the Lions as he might be a DE kind of guy. The Lions certainly shouldn't look at him in the first round, but if he falls in the second round you start to really consider. He caught the ball well and was able to drop back.

Casey Matthews
He is really going to have a tough time moving up rounds as he didn't compete. I think he is two small to play inside LB and He is a pass rusher like his brother. He is kind of a guy where do you put him. You give consideration to him in the fourth, but you definitely take him in the 5th. The 5th round it is okay to miss on. I think at worst you get a special teams all star.

Dontay Moch
WOW. He ran a 4.44 officially and had a vertical of 42". He ran with the DL and just stuck out like a sore thump. He is an outside LB in the NFL, no doubt about it.

Lets look at he had the best numbers of the LBs
40 yard dash
Martez Wilson 4.49 (Moch would have been first with a 4.44, but he ran with the DL)
Von Miller 4.53
Brain Rolle 4.56 (He is a smaller guy and really needed to run a good number)

Would like to mention the bigger Justin Houston tied for 7th with a 4.68

Bench Press
Ross Homan 32
Justin Houston 30
Mark Herzlich 29

Would like to mention the smaller Brian Rolle came in 4th with 28 reps

Vertical
Scott Lutrus 38
Akeem Dent 37.5
Von Miller 37

Justin Houston tied with Colin McCarthy at 36.5 putting them in 4th place

Broad Jump
Von Miller 10'6"
Justin Houston 10'5"
Martez Wilson 10'4"

Greg Jones came in 9th with 9'9" and Akeem Ayers 10th with 9'8"

3 Cone Drill
Von Miller 6.7
Mike Mohamed 6.7
Scott Lutrus 6.89
Brian Rolle 6.89

Justin Houston tied for 6th with a 6.95

20 yard shuttle
Nick Bellore 4.00 (Central Michigan guy)
Mike Mohamed 4.00
Von Miller 4.06

Greg Jones 9th with 4.27 and Akeem Ayers, Kelvin Sheppard, Martez Wilson, and James Thomas 10th with 4.28

60 yard shuttle
Von Miller 11.15
Scott Lutrus 11.25
Mike Mohamed11.25

Justin Houston 6th place with 11.46 and Greg Jones tied with James Thomas with a 11.84

For you guys about to scroll up and your asking yourself as you read this or before, Von Miller did not place in the top three in the bench press and that is it. It probably didn't take you guys to long to scroll up and see that if you scrolled up immediately after it was done.

There is big guys and fast guys in this LB group. For 270 pounds, I just cannot believe the numbers Houston put up. Colin McCarthy was around 4th a lot. I don't want to say it before I watch film on him cough Teddy cough Lehman cough.