The next Ray Lewis

[psuasskicker]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/posluszny_paul

He's exactly like him. They say he's a bit too small (like they did about Ray), but he's fast and has unbelievable ball hawking instincts.

I want him to fall to us - and us to take him - so badly it's not even funny. He's Ray Lewis' replacement when Ray's ready to retire, and he's able to play OLB until then...

Lewis ILB, Scott and Poz OLB...that's a dominating trio.

- C -

[Sephy]

But we'd have to draft him in the first round. And that should NOT be done with the OL needs right now.

[bassgtrst]

While I think that Poz is a good LB prospect, Im inclined to think that you might be just a bit biased, PSUasskicker.

[psuasskicker]

But we'd have to draft him in the first round. And that should NOT be done with the OL needs right now.

Oh please. Never draft for need, always BPA. If he falls to us, he'll be one of if not the BPA by a mile. And you know Ozzie doesn't draft for need. Dawan Landry...


Im inclined to think that you might be just a bit biased, PSUasskicker.

Well of course I am...that's why I "want ... us to take him so badly it's not even funny." But I still think he's an awesome player. Not just a good player, an awesome one. Here's why...

- His Sr season he was slowed from recovering from a torn PCL and MCL from the FSU bowl game the season before. If you watched, he very clearly regained his dominant form as the season went on. Look on paper and he looks like he had a let-down year. Only cause Shaw and Connors stepped up, and he was recovering in the early part.
- Had he not been injured in that bowl game and had he declared after that season - which he was thinking about doing - he'd have been head to head with Hawk for who would have gone first.
- He's versatile and fits the Ravens system extremely well. He can play any LB position...inside and both outside spots. It allows the Ravens to do their typical maneuvering, shifting Suggs, Scott, and Poz all over between the 3-4 and 4-3 allignments. He can rush the passer from any spot, and can drop back as needed. He excells against the run.

Flat out, he'd be absolutely perfect as an OLB for this system for the next couple years. And when Ray's ready to retire (or goes somewhere else), he can easily make the transition to ILB/MLB. He's played all three positions in college and he dominated in all three.

This kid's going to be a beast in the pros. Three or four years from now they'll be comparing him to Lewis and Urlacher. Mark my word, it's going to happen somewhere. I want it to be here.

- C -

[Sephy]

Oh please. Never draft for need, always BPA. If he falls to us, he'll be one of if not the BPA by a mile. And you know Ozzie doesn't draft for need. Dawan Landry...


We don't know that. And BPA certainly includes need. Landry was a need.

[Art-Florida]

Poz is a talent, no question, but like others, I really really think we need a tackle in the first round. However, I would not be heartbroken if Posluszny was the choice.

The guy I have an eye on is his teammate, Tim Shaw. Shaw is a S L E E P E R for sure at tweener. (DE-LB) He is going to be an outstanding find for someone in the 4th, unless a smart G.M. grabs him earlier. Linebacker U indeed.

[52decleetzu]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/posluszny_paul

He's exactly like him. They say he's a bit too small (like they did about Ray), but he's fast and has unbelievable ball hawking instincts.

I want him to fall to us - and us to take him - so badly it's not even funny. He's Ray Lewis' replacement when Ray's ready to retire, and he's able to play OLB until then...

Lewis ILB, Scott and Poz OLB...that's a dominating trio.

- C -

Lot of varying opinion on Posluszny,some have him as high as the 15th pick,some have him as a late 1st rounder or even high 2nd.

We have other pressing needs though in the 1st.I think Ngata has extended Ray's career another 2 years,so I dont think we are looking at ILB's early on this year.If we take a LB early it will be a OLB/DE type tweener.

[UKRavenStockers]

1) Posluszny was not the same player this year after his injury IMO, was a shadow of his 2005 self this season just gone.

2) Patrick Willis is an absolute stud and is the best LB in this class by some distance IMO.

3) Errrm, actually I've said it all above. :o

[donnaj]

There seem to be many very talented players that could be tweeners or LB's in this draft. Many have been described as undersized with great speed and aggressive play, able to make things happen and cause turnovers, but IMO we will look to pick up a LB in the later rounds unless one incredible talent falls to us in the 2nd, I don't see us taking one in the 1st. Last year DT was a need and Ngata was the best player for us on the board, Landry was a need but we found him as a steal later on, I think we will take a LB but perhaps not one of the top 5 guys, we might also look for a tweener or a DE. I have heard that Fitzgerald worked out Abiamiri up at ND and with the connection to his brother being on the team, I wonder if he is a little more consideration?

[jonboy79]

1) Posluszny was not the same player this year after his injury IMO, was a shadow of his 2005 self this season just gone.

2) Patrick Willis is an absolute stud and is the best LB in this class by some distance IMO.



I want to speak on these in reverse. Absolutely 100% agree. Willis is the best ILB since Vilma, maybe even better then him. I think Willis is Hawk good. He would be an excellent fit for either SF, or BUffalo. I think Nolan may take his Ray Lewis this year. Carriker is a damn good fit for them too though.

Anyways back on Poz, He was slower this year, but what do you expect? He partially tore his knee tendons. Knee injuries have pretty reliaqbly shown it takes two full years to recover from. See Jamal Lewis, Edgerrin James, and others. But, after two years your knee is as strong if not stronger then ever. I would have no issue with Poz at 28, he presents good-great value there. There are however players that i think will be avaialable at that point that I like more.

Blalock, Revis, and Ross ar ethe three guys I think may still be available, that I think have similar value and fill more immediate needs. Levi Brown my top RT candidate will likely not be available, but I would take Poz over my 2nd favorite Ugoh, as I just feel that is a stretch for him. I'd rather pick him up if we traded back, or maybe if we see a MID -RD run on Tackles. What I mean is if we see, ARI, KC and DEN pick Thomas, Brown and Staley. This would be scary to me as OAK, HOU, MIA still both need tackles bad enough to take them in the 2nd. Ugoh and Marten would both be almost certainly gone by when we pick at 61. That would make us pick twice on the first day, and not fill our biggest need at all on day one. With a thin class at Tackle that would make us basically NEED to HIT BIG in the 4th round and get a NFL ready tackle. With over two full rounds in between 61 and when we pick again, It is almost a necessity for us to fill RT on day 1. There are plenty of assumed day 2 guys that could fill the position, but what if the ones we like go inthe 3rd and 4th??

[psuasskicker]

We don't know that. And BPA certainly includes need. Landry was a need.

Landry was a fifth rounder, and S was by a mile the most glaring need we had in the off-season. Go reread Ryan's reaction to Ozzie passing up on a S every round till the fifth.


I dont think we are looking at ILB's early on this year.If we take a LB early it will be a OLB/DE type tweener.

Poz's primary position is OLB who can move inside as needed. DE maybe, but Poz can rush the QB quite well.


Posluszny was not the same player this year after his injury IMO, was a shadow of his 2005 self this season just gone.

Did you watch them at all this year? He wasn't the same player for the first couple games cause he was still recovering and getting used to playing with the brace. He clearly went back to his old form as the season went on, to the point where he was playing as well at the end of last season as he was at the end of the '05 season.

In the Tenn bowl game, he had a mediocre statistical game, but that's only because Tenn went basically away from him every single play. They talked about it during the game...their whole strategy literally centered around finding where Poz was on the field, and sending the play the other way.


Levi Brown my top RT candidate will likely not be available

I would literally be shocked if he was. I don't think he lasts past Miami, and I can't envision a scenario in which he makes it past Houston.


I hear all this talk about drafting for need. "We need a tackle! We need someone on the line right away!" That's true, we do; but we shouldn't blow off a talent like Poz to take a guy like Blalock. I haven't seen one respectable draft with Blalock going higher than our pick. He's decent value, but he wouldn't be the steal Poz would be. And Blalock talent - a solid player that will play well for years but likely never be a stud (eg Larry Allen type) - can be found all over the draft. A Poz talent is much tougher to find like that.

If he falls to us, I want him in a big way. Needs can always be filled elsewhere...draft the best guys first.

Ngata dually filled a need and was BPA. We took Suggs when he fell to us despite the fact that he was anything but filling a need for us. We took Cody when OL was VERY clearly as big a need for us as it is this year. We go with BPA all the time and ignore need, and we've been very successful doing so. We should continue that trend, regardless of whether Poz is on the board or not.

- C -

[FadeToBlack]

I don't buy any of the "Next Ray" bullshit. There have been so many linebackers to come through this league, great ones too, and they were all great, but in their own way. Ray has his own way. Before Ray was even drafted, did Ray himself even know what he'd turn into at the next level?

All I know is, it's a safe bet betting you won't see another Ray Lewis in this year's draft.

[metro]

I would be happy if the Ravens drafted Poz in the first round. I don't think that he will be available when the Ravens draft at 29.

Another guy that I have seen available in some mock drafts is Ted Ginn Jr. If he somehow falls (I doubt he gets past 15...but stranger things have happened), I would hope that the Ravens draft him. Ginn, Clayton, Williams and Mason would be a formidable WR crew.

[sopranocorleone]

Whenever there is a player rated MUCH higher than a player who has end of the first-round value, you have to jump on the better player. Actually, organizations make sure to address their needs on the second day more so than on the first day, when they tend to stick to their board.

There will be a couple of players that slip -- it happens every year -- and I have no doubt that the Ravens will jump on one of these guys, regardless of the position; whether that is Poz or not.