Potential 2013 SAM Candidates?

[OchoCincos]

I see some people mocking Mosley to us, which is fine, but some are talking about putting him at SAM when he fits more of a MIKE and ideally a WILL in a 4-3. I think one of our biggest needs is a pure SAM linebacker, not a WILL or MIKE. Lawson is mediocre and many are talking about Burfict moving into the MIKE. Burfict is listed as our starting WILL anyway. I think WILL is our least needed LB spot in terms of drafting, but that's getting off topic.

So my question is...who are some good potential SAM candidates in the upcoming draft?

I will list the following obvious:
Jarvis Jones
Chase Thomas
Gerald Hodges

Other possibilities:
Dion Jordan- He has been called into coverage a lot, defending slot/TE in space and playing 3-4 OLB. Since he is only 242 LBs, he is too small for a conventional 4-3 DE (right now), but could be groomed into 4-3 SAM due to his practice at dropping back into pass coverage.

Please feel free to add more and provide reason(s) why they are/could be a good SAM.

[OSUfan]

Chase Thomas ......Stanford

[OchoCincos]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Chase Thomas ......Stanford

Already had him in the list. My second favorite, after Jarvis Jones.

[bfine32]

Originally Posted by OchoCincos

I see some people mocking Mosley to us, which is fine, but some are talking about putting him at SAM when he fits more of a MIKE and ideally a WILL in a 4-3. I think one of our biggest needs is a pure SAM linebacker, not a WILL or MIKE. Lawson is mediocre and many are talking about Burfict moving into the MIKE. Burfict is listed as our starting WILL anyway. I think WILL is our least needed LB spot in terms of drafting, but that's getting off topic.

So my question is...who are some good potential SAM candidates in the upcoming draft?

I will list the following obvious:
Jarvis Jones
Chase Thomas
Gerald Hodges

Other possibilities:
Dion Jordan- He has been called into coverage a lot, defending slot/TE in space and playing 3-4 OLB. Since he is only 242 LBs, he is too small for a conventional 4-3 DE (right now), but could be groomed into 4-3 SAM due to his practice at dropping back into pass coverage.

Please feel free to add more and provide reason(s) why they are/could be a good SAM.

Anthony Barr- moved from FB/HB to SAM and recorded 13.5 sacks

[OchoCincos]

Originally Posted by bfine32

Anthony Barr- moved from FB/HB to SAM and recorded 13.5 sacks

Ahh I've heard his name quite a few times while watching some PAC 12 games (mainly Stanford-UCLA) but didn't know he was projected to come out. Not showing up on cbssports prospect rankings at all. You think he comes out this year or stays in to further develop his LB skills next year as a senior?

[NATI BENGALS]

Originally Posted by OchoCincos

Ahh I've heard his name quite a few times while watching some PAC 12 games (mainly Stanford-UCLA) but didn't know he was projected to come out. Not showing up on cbssports prospect rankings at all. You think he comes out this year or stays in to further develop his LB skills next year as a senior?

He needs a lot of polish. I think he would be doing himself some favors going back to school.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by NATI BENGALS

He needs a lot of polish. I think he would be doing himself some favors going back to school.

Agreed. Potential top 15 pick if he returns.
Has Von Miller potential as a LB if he goes back.

[goalpost]

Originally Posted by OchoCincos

Ahh I've heard his name quite a few times while watching some PAC 12 games (mainly Stanford-UCLA) but didn't know he was projected to come out. Not showing up on cbssports prospect rankings at all. You think he comes out this year or stays in to further develop his LB skills next year as a senior?

He does show up at number 66 overall on CBS. Kiper has him in his top 15.

[OchoCincos]

Originally Posted by goalpost

He does show up at number 66 overall on CBS. Kiper has him in his top 15.

Must have missed him when I was looking. His name isn't a link, so I must have skipped it other times that I've looked. Good eye GP.

[Burma]

Originally Posted by OchoCincos

So my question is...who are some good potential SAM candidates in the upcoming draft?

I will list the following obvious:
Jarvis Jones
Chase Thomas
Gerald Hodges

Sean Porter, Texas A&M
Height: 6-2. Weight: 230.

Spent last season as a rush LB, with 79 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble. . This season the Aggies converted to a 4-3 and he spent all season as traditional SAM, used mostly in a coverage role. very athletic, smart, and solid fundamentals.

[OchoCincos]

Originally Posted by Burma

Sean Porter, Texas A&M
Height: 6-2. Weight: 230.

Spent last season as a rush LB, with 79 tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble. . This season the Aggies converted to a 4-3 and he spent all season as traditional SAM, used mostly in a coverage role. very athletic, smart, and solid fundamentals.

Most draft sites that I've read about Porter are saying he is projected as a much better NFL WILL, due to his pass coverage abilities. I think he would need to bulk up to the 240 range to be an NFL SAM. Currently at 230. But great coverage abilities.

[Burma]

Originally Posted by OchoCincos

Most draft sites that I've read about Porter are saying he is projected as a much better NFL WILL, due to his pass coverage abilities. I think he would need to bulk up to the 240 range to be an NFL SAM. Currently at 230. But great coverage abilities.

I don't think he would have any problen at will. He is althletic enough to play either. He shouldn't have a problem adding 15 lbs to play SAM though.

[Archer]

Originally Posted by bfine32

Anthony Barr- moved from FB/HB to SAM and recorded 13.5 sacks

I'd take a chance on him in the 2nd.

If he declares he could blow up the combine and easily go in the 1st though.

[Jasonew6]

This could be our starting SAM next year:

[goalpost]

I know very little about this guy. Plays in Conference USA but has been ranked in the 2-3 range all year.

Jamie Collins

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...rchive/1723146

[bfine32]

Originally Posted by Archer

I'd take a chance on him in the 2nd.

If he declares he could blow up the combine and easily go in the 1st though.

No doubt someone will fall in love with him and take him early. Playmaker: 74 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 2 FF and just learning the position

[mulligan]

Originally Posted by Jasonew6

This could be our starting SAM next year:

I'd appreciate any move that will result in Burfict playing less snaps in pass coverage. He struggles!

[djam]

I was so high on Dontay Moch probably adding something at SAM, but he just cant seem to stay healthy. He was beastly in preseason tho.

[pulses]

Originally Posted by goalpost

I know very little about this guy. Plays in Conference USA but has been ranked in the 2-3 range all year.

Jamie Collins

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...rchive/1723146

Jamie is a 4th year senior and three and a-half year starter on the Southern Miss defense. A versatile athlete who played “everything” in high school, he began his college career as a defensive back before moving to outside linebacker and, ultimately, ending up at the hybrid “Bandit” position in the Golden Eagles’ scheme.

He aligns as a DE in their standard 4-2-5 Even look, moves around in 2- and 3-point stances in their Nickel 3-3-5 package and stands up as a “box” linebacker in their Dime Odd 3-2-6 arrangement. He is capable of rushing or dropping and can play either on the left or right sides.

He has an angular, smooth-muscled build with long arms, athletic legs and a bubble. He has consistently gained weight during his career and should end up around 250 lbs as a pro outside linebacker. Athletically, he displays a base, balance and leverage.Could run 4.5's at the combine.


He has movement skills and gives glimpses of better-than-average burst. He is more
slippery than stout, but needs to get stronger in his upper body and more explosive
with his hands. Against the run, when he shoulders off a block, he will get washed
one way or the other. When he uses his hands, he displays the ability to shed and
then accelerate down the line-of-scrimmage. He makes a number of plays when
chasing from the backside of the formation. Jamie has a knack for avoiding
blockers in space and using his long arms to wrap tackle, even though he does not
have a ton of experience as an off-the-linedefender. Versus the pass, he is fluid in his
drops and under control in the hook and flat zones.


As a pass rusher, he has some bend to him,uses his hands well and tries to finish at
the QB.He is not overly sudden off the mark, but is active with his hands and takes advantage
of matchups with running backs and tight ends. Although he is notassigned to rush all the time,
he consistently threatens the pocket and does a good job of getting his hands up in disrupting the
quarterback’s vision and throwing lanes.He is a potential starter candidate as a flexible linebacker
who can play on all four downs in the future.

[Archer]

Originally Posted by mulligan

I'd appreciate any move that will result in Burfict playing less snaps in pass coverage. He struggles!

That sounds like all our starting LBs.

[benny44]

Chase Thomas is a personal fav.

[benny44]

Ogleetree from GA also.

[BBlesmiley]

Jamie Collins
Southern Miss

[kacymcbryant18]

In today's NFL, particularly in our 4-3 defense, unless there is a Von Miller like talent available, drafting a SAM backer in the first round (and maybe even the second round for that matter) is a waste, IMO. It's a dying breed because its become a passing league.

Go back and watch our games. We are rarely in our base defense. We are in nickel the majority of the time. And as we know, when you go to your nickel defense, the vast majority of the time the SAM is substituted for a corner.

In our defense, to justify using a first round pick on a SAM, they need to be an exceptional pass rusher, in the mold of Von Miller. And when I say exceptional, they need to be better rushers off the edge than Dunlap and Johnson because on passing downs they are always our edge rushers.

I know the plan in the coaches mind when Dunlap was drafted was to have him rush from the inside on passing downs along with Atkins but I think we'd all agree Dunlap and Johnson are best suited to rush from the edge.

So, that begs the question. Whom in this draft, that we will be in position to draft in the first round, is good enough to take pass rushing snaps away from Dunlap and Johnson? Because if they aren't, they'll barely play making the pick unjustifiable in my mind.

Now, this could all be a moot point if Johnson leaves via FA and we decide to switch up our nickel defense a bit. But that all remains to be seen.

[yellowxdiscipline]

Originally Posted by OSUfan

Chase Thomas ......Stanford

Watched him in the PAC 12 championship game and he was horrible.. Ill pass