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I know we're talking about MLB in the Te'o thread but I thought this blog entry from Kevin Siefert was interesting and it seemed to create a good opportunity to discuss draft prospects at MLB that aren't named Te'o or Ogletree (although we can obviously discuss them too):

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... -prospects

If the Bears intend to find a long-term replacement for Brian Urlacher, one prospect who has caught eyes during practices this week is Florida State's Vince Williams. From the Scouts report:
"Florida State's Vince Williams (6-foot-0½, 247 pounds) is big and strong. He really shows up when they do any type of hitting and striking. He did a nice job of slipping blocks when he should slip blocks, did a good job of taking them on when he should take them on. He's playing with a chip on his shoulder.

"Sometimes guys emerge as leaders at the Senior Bowl, and this year Williams is one of those guys. The other players are rallying around him when he makes a play. You can see there's a little more emotion and fire with Williams. On Wednesday, you could see that he's a guy that everyone looks to on this defense to light a spark.

"He's not a great athlete laterally, but he ran well on a straight line, and that was surprising because we weren't sure if he could do that."

Some more info about Williams:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/ds ... genpos=ILB

If we're talking first round, I really do like Alec Ogletree, although he may not last until #23, as he may also be a good fit at 3-4 OLB due to his size and quickness.

Edit: I hadn't seen all the talk about Ogletree in the T'eo thread. I stopped reading that thread when the soap opera got to be too much. Just about when most everyone else became interested, I guess.

Eli wrote:If we're talking first round, I really do like Alec Ogletree, although he may not last until #23, as he may also be a good fit at 3-4 OLB due to his size and quickness.

The talk doesn't have to be about first round MLB prospects. Vince Williams definitely doesn't fit that description.

Pioli also notes he projects Ogletree as an every down inside or mike linebacker. I still believe he's best as a will, but can see ILB.

Josh Norris on Twitter

9. Alec Ogletree, MLB, Georgia. Tremendously talented athlete at 6-3 and 232, and should be an every-down NFL inside 'backer or middle 'backer. Has the skill and ability to contribute immediately all defenses as well as special teams. Jumps off the tape and could have the most upside of any underclassman in the draft. But some off-the-field issues will need to be studied before giving him a final grade.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/ne ... &eref=sihp

There are several that would upgrade the Vikings defense substantially. Te'o, Ogletree of course...there's also Jarvis Jones (who will probably go in the top 5 easily), Kevin Minter that make up the four I think could be pretty good and upgrade any defense. (I will ignore all of Te'o's silly drama...as far as controversies go, that's a whole lot better than if he tested positive for steroids or speed...or had a long record as an unrepentant alcoholic...and guys like that get drafted in the first/second round almost every year.)

After those four, I like Jon Bostic in the third or fourth round. I think he's probably a sleeper pick. His pass coverage skills aren't anything to brag about, though, and I don't know if he's really a huge upgrade over Audie Cole (run stuffer with some good instincts for picking off passes...but not enough speed to drop back).

Sean Porter seems like a decent fit for Alan Williams's Cover-2. Good coverage guy, people have been comparing him to Von Miller (which is a great complement). If the Vikings snag him in the second or third, I'd be pretty enthused...but I don't know if he really projects to a middle linebacker. OLB/DE crossbreed...he's a heck of an athlete but I haven't heard anything about how instinctual people say he is. I only saw Texas A&M once last year, and he seemed pretty good, but it's hard to say. You want your mike to be good at reading offenses and with very solid instincts more than just a great athlete.

Bummer for the Vikes that Anthony Barr went back for his senior year at UCLA. That guy is really good.

Brinkley really always projected to more of a strong side guy, I thought. Kevin Reddick is basically this year's Jasper Brinkley.

Linebackers are important. Too many Viking fans for way too long have kind of seemed to feel that the team could do fine by taking linebackers near the end of the draft and just rotating guys through or signing free agents. The running game and tight ends are a huge part of most modern offenses. But not only that, having guys with great instincts in the middle makes everyone around them better. It's hard to explain, but all one has to do is look at the best defenses and the worst defenses. The best defenses all have their linebackers making most of the tackles, the worst have their defensive backs making most of the tackles. If your linebackers are just that good, you can force teams to go long...and a higher percentage of those passes aren't completed. That's basic football 101.

Interesting. Throws quite a monkey wrench in preconceived notions of the nation's top LBs. Ogletree and T'eo both "Tier Three" LBs.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/4 ... cker-tiers

I disagree with @ECStoner on these rankings: http://bit.ly/UY4VT6 But he shows the work/his reasoning. Can't argue with that, good stuff.

Josh Norris on Twitter

dead_poet wrote:Interesting. Throws quite a monkey wrench in preconceived notions of the nation's top LBs. Ogletree and T'eo both "Tier Three" LBs.

http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/4 ... cker-tiers
Josh Norris on Twitter

Thanks for the link. It's definitely an interesting take but you have to wonder if an analyst who lists 6' 1", 228 Arthur Brown as his top LB and considers him a "plug and play" middle linebacker might not be trying a little too hard to set himself apart.

Overall, it was a good read.

I just want someone who can mooove. Or at least drop back without turning their back to the line of scrimmage and sprinting. Even if they are undersized and struggle to shed blocks!

Georgia LB Alec Ogletree charged with DUI

Georgia LB Alec Ogletree was recently charged with a DUI, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

"Last weekend, my client Alec Ogletree was pulled over for speeding and a lane violation in Arizona," agent Pat Dye told PFT. "After the officers smelled alcohol, they conducted tests and also cited him for DUI. Although Alec regrets this incident terribly, he is thankful that there was no accident and that no one was hurt. Because this matter is still pending, we cannot comment further publicly at this time." This is not Ogletree's first off-field incident, as he was suspended four games last season after failing a drug test. This only raises more questions the projected first-rounder will have to answer throughout the draft process.
Source: ProFootballTalk on NBC Sports Feb 16 - 10:40 PM

But... he runs a 4.45 40 at the combine and is drafted in the top 10.

Same old NFL. Nothing ever really changes.

Haven't heard much discussion about Kevin Minter or Jon Bostic. I would be very happy with either of those players in the 2nd or 3rd round.

mrc44 wrote:Hasn't he been suspended 4 games as well? Sounds like someone I don't want on our team.

Agreed. I hope the Vikes stay away from him. His history suggests he's a bad headline waiting to happen.

Not familiar with this guy. Anyone watch him play?

Kevin Minter - LB - Player

LSU ILB Kevin Minter received just a third-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board before declaring.

Keep in mind the advisory board can be very conservative with these grades. ESPN's Mel Kiper believes Minter will be a late first- to second-round pick, while NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has mocked Minter to the Steelers at No. 17. "Me and my family, we knew I had a chance to be in the first round," Minter said.
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune


http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/prof ... ct_id=3456

Alex Brown had this to say about Kevin Minter prior to the LSU's match-up against Clemson this week:

"Filling hard downhill and initiating contact with the blocker by firing his sudden, powerful hands to snap his opponent backward at the point of attack, Minter works off blockers with outstanding hand usage and shouldering technique. What enables Minter to be so productive and impactful at Mike linebacker is how quickly he reads, reacts, and steps to flow. Rarely ever taking a misstep in his run/pass read, Minter locates and tracks the football exceptionally well for an inside backer. Moreover, Minter isn’t just a hard hitting, 2-down run thumper; timing up back-to-back stunts for a sack and tackle for loss, and opening his hips to the sideline and running down throws to the perimeter, Minter showcased 3rd down ability versus the pass as a coverage defender and stunting linebacker. This game-changing backer could very well be an early declarer for the 2013 draft and top round draft choice."

http://www.optimumscouting.com/draft/ar ... draft.html

Another scouting report: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664390

dead_poet wrote:Not familiar with this guy. Anyone watch him play?

Kevin Minter - LB - Player

LSU ILB Kevin Minter received just a third-round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board before declaring.

Keep in mind the advisory board can be very conservative with these grades. ESPN's Mel Kiper believes Minter will be a late first- to second-round pick, while NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has mocked Minter to the Steelers at No. 17. "Me and my family, we knew I had a chance to be in the first round," Minter said.
Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune


http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/prof ... ct_id=3456
http://www.optimumscouting.com/draft/ar ... draft.html

Another scouting report: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1664390

I've watched him play and he was the heart and soul of that LSU defense. Now, with that said, I don't think he is a 1st round LB. He is a solid, but unspectacular MLB. He tackles well, but I think he will be a liability in coverage, he'd be an upgrade over Brinkley, but that's not saying much. I don't think I would want him on the field in nickel coverage against RB's and TE's.

Alec Ogletree - LB - Player

One NFL team's player personnel director characterized Georgia ILB Alec Ogletree as an "immature idiot."

Ogletree has a laundry list of off-the-field worries, including a DUI arrest just before the Combine. He's likely to light up drills when the linebackers work out on Saturday, but the character concerns will cost Ogletree money.
Source: CBS Sports