2011 NFL Draft

[HouWarrior]

What do y'all think of DE Watt from WI, the 1st pick for Texans.
With Wade Phillips taking over the D (which was horrible), he'll likely switch us to a 3-4.
Mario Williams may shift from down lineman, to DE/OLB, edge rusher. Can Watt play this, or only DE? Can he play the nose? In AFC South, we must have a good pass rush, to compete.

[MUBurrow]

he looks okay, but i dont think you'll hear much from him just because of where he'll play.  If you go to a 3-4 I think they might have to try to stand Mario up. He'd get hidden at DE in a 3-4, which would be a shame. So I would imagine it would look something like Watt and Okoye as your down DEs, with Mario standing up opposite Cushing, and Ryans & ILB #2. I don't know enough about your roster to know who plays NT. 

I think the 3-4 switch will help Watt a lot. I'm not convinced he has the explosiveness to be an effective rusher off the edge in the NFL, and he doesnt have the size to move inside.  But that 3-4 DE spot might be great for him if he can just get push and occupy a blocker or two.

[MUBurrow]

1) even trying to compare favre to mcnabb, at any points of their career, is laughable

why? I think there are a lot of similarities. the numbers are quite different just off style of play, but I don't think its unthinkable to say they were comparable for quite a few seasons.

[whodem]

What do y'all think of DE Watt from WI, the 1st pick for Texans.
With Wade Phillips taking over the D (which was horrible), he'll likely switch us to a 3-4.
Mario Williams may shift from down lineman, to DE/OLB, edge rusher. Can Watt play this, or only DE? Can he play the nose? In AFC South, we must have a good pass rush, to compete.

He'll play DE. It's a good fit for him.

[whodem]

he looks okay, but i dont think you'll hear much from him just because of where he'll play.  If you go to a 3-4 I think they might have to try to stand Mario up. He'd get hidden at DE in a 3-4, which would be a shame. So I would imagine it would look something like Watt and Okoye as your down DEs, with Mario standing up opposite Cushing, and Ryans & ILB #2. I don't know enough about your roster to know who plays NT. 

I think the 3-4 switch will help Watt a lot. I'm not convinced he has the explosiveness to be an effective rusher off the edge in the NFL, and he doesnt have the size to move inside.  But that 3-4 DE spot might be great for him if he can just get push and occupy a blocker or two.

I couldn't disagree more. Watt is a very explosive player.

[shiloh26]

he looks okay, but i dont think you'll hear much from him just because of where he'll play.  If you go to a 3-4 I think they might have to try to stand Mario up. He'd get hidden at DE in a 3-4, which would be a shame. So I would imagine it would look something like Watt and Okoye as your down DEs, with Mario standing up opposite Cushing, and Ryans & ILB #2. I don't know enough about your roster to know who plays NT.  

I think the 3-4 switch will help Watt a lot. I'm not convinced he has the explosiveness to be an effective rusher off the edge in the NFL, and he doesnt have the size to move inside.  But that 3-4 DE spot might be great for him if he can just get push and occupy a blocker or two.

I agree. 3/4 end isn't a glamorous position, but its really important for the scheme to work. They think he can just be Aaron Smith or Ty Warren for the next 10 years, I think he can too.  He wont be making headlines there, but it looks like that D is coming together.  

I don't think he would be an above average rush end, and that's fine.  He was never not going to get drafted by a 3-4 defense anyway.  

EDIT: I also agree that there is no way he plays nose.  He's not a nose tackle at all.  He's going to be playing end. 

I'm also curious about who will be playing the nose in Houston?

[HouWarrior]

he looks okay, but i dont think you'll hear much from him just because of where he'll play.  If you go to a 3-4 I think they might have to try to stand Mario up. He'd get hidden at DE in a 3-4, which would be a shame. So I would imagine it would look something like Watt and Okoye as your down DEs, with Mario standing up opposite Cushing, and Ryans & ILB #2. I don't know enough about your roster to know who plays NT. 

I think the 3-4 switch will help Watt a lot. I'm not convinced he has the explosiveness to be an effective rusher off the edge in the NFL, and he doesnt have the size to move inside.  But that 3-4 DE spot might be great for him if he can just get push and occupy a blocker or two.

Thanks-- in 3-4 you look to have the 3 down lineman occupy space, and 1-2 men, with an edge rush coming from Mario, or Cushing, with the non rusher dropping into zone(they never know who'll rush, or drop back--Kevin Greene being the master) as you note. Watt down at DE will be fine. We'll put Antonio Smith at the other DE, down, and Okoye/Cody at the nose, with Mario standing.
Wade Phillips has his work cut out for himself, as our def backfield was horrible, ,also, and easily exposed. They drafted 2 DEs and 3 in Def backfield .
tyvm

[LON]

A really good front 7 can make even HOU's defensive backfield look good.

That's what scares me about DET this year, assuming Fairley lives up to the hype.

[HouWarrior]

As we thought Super Mario Williams is shifting to OLB, giving UWs Watt a good shot to start at DE.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6492434

I agree about a good front 7, but there's only one Suh in a generation.

[shiloh26]

A really good front 7 can make even HOU's defensive backfield look good.

That's what scares me about DET this year, assuming Fairley lives up to the hype.

Even if he does, the Lions have a good front 3, maybe 4 if you like Cliff Avril.  Name a Lions linebacker.  I can only name DeAndre Levy, and that's only because he played at UW-Madison.  They are still lacking a great front "seven", although that line will certainly help any linebacker corps.