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One Word Describes Ndamukong Suh: Wow
Watching the Big 12 title game Saturday night, I was trying to think of a college defensive tackle I have seen dominate a game like Ndamukong Suh did for Nebraska. He single-handily kept his team in that game by repeatedly collapsing Texas’ offensive line in the middle.
The name that came to mind was Steve Entman, the defensive tackle at Washington in the early 1990s.
Suh has been doing this a lot late in the season. He wasn’t nearly as dominant early in the season. He has clearly separated himself from the rest of the pack to be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. And that is saying a lot because this is a deep draft for defensive players, particularly linemen.
He is a perfect fit for the Lions, who unlikely will have the first pick in the draft, though, because they beat the Browns.
Suh should come with the following warning: Defensive tackles taken first overall in the NFL Draft have generally not gone on to become dominant players in the NFL.
The last three defensive tackles selected first overall in the NFL Draft were Dan Wilkinson, Entman and Russell Maryland. Wilkinson and Maryland had long NFL careers, but were hardly dominant NFL players. Entman only had a brief NFL career because of lingering injury issues.
It’s rare the defensive lineman that can control a game from the inside. Warren Sapp was probably the best example. He provided the best of both worlds - gap control and plays. Shaun Rogers had fleeting moments doing it for the Lions.
Mostly teams want gap control. It is hard enough to find. Maryland, Entman and Wilkinson were the first overall selections in three of the first four years of the 1990s. Notice how teams haven’t gone back to that position since?
That thinking could play into the Lions’ hands on draft day. Maybe the Browns would pass on Suh?
Random Thoughts
- The Red Wings are finally showing something on the road. Big comeback to earn a point in New Jersey Saturday. Nice win last night against the Rangers in New York. Now they must take advantage of their home games this week. Jimmy Howard has played well for the Red Wings. It’s starting to look like he is a keeper. Still, if the playoffs started today, the Red Wings would not be in the field.
- Just so you know, Texas Tech, Michigan State’s opponent in the Alamo Bowl, beat Nebraska and Oklahoma by a combined score of 72-23 this season.
- I think the BCS title game will be terrific. Alabama is a slight favorite, but I see it as a pick ‘em game. And, no, I don’t think the other unbeatens are getting a raw deal. Cincinnati, TCU and Boise State would not have come close to running the table in the SEC or Big 12. I’m not sure about the Big Ten, though.
My column in Monday's Oakland Press: Stafford Must Play Better http://tinyurl.com/ygm3ady
The name that came to mind was Steve Entman, the defensive tackle at Washington in the early 1990s.
Suh has been doing this a lot late in the season. He wasn’t nearly as dominant early in the season. He has clearly separated himself from the rest of the pack to be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. And that is saying a lot because this is a deep draft for defensive players, particularly linemen.
He is a perfect fit for the Lions, who unlikely will have the first pick in the draft, though, because they beat the Browns.
Suh should come with the following warning: Defensive tackles taken first overall in the NFL Draft have generally not gone on to become dominant players in the NFL.
The last three defensive tackles selected first overall in the NFL Draft were Dan Wilkinson, Entman and Russell Maryland. Wilkinson and Maryland had long NFL careers, but were hardly dominant NFL players. Entman only had a brief NFL career because of lingering injury issues.
It’s rare the defensive lineman that can control a game from the inside. Warren Sapp was probably the best example. He provided the best of both worlds - gap control and plays. Shaun Rogers had fleeting moments doing it for the Lions.
Mostly teams want gap control. It is hard enough to find. Maryland, Entman and Wilkinson were the first overall selections in three of the first four years of the 1990s. Notice how teams haven’t gone back to that position since?
That thinking could play into the Lions’ hands on draft day. Maybe the Browns would pass on Suh?
Random Thoughts
- The Red Wings are finally showing something on the road. Big comeback to earn a point in New Jersey Saturday. Nice win last night against the Rangers in New York. Now they must take advantage of their home games this week. Jimmy Howard has played well for the Red Wings. It’s starting to look like he is a keeper. Still, if the playoffs started today, the Red Wings would not be in the field.
- Just so you know, Texas Tech, Michigan State’s opponent in the Alamo Bowl, beat Nebraska and Oklahoma by a combined score of 72-23 this season.
- I think the BCS title game will be terrific. Alabama is a slight favorite, but I see it as a pick ‘em game. And, no, I don’t think the other unbeatens are getting a raw deal. Cincinnati, TCU and Boise State would not have come close to running the table in the SEC or Big 12. I’m not sure about the Big Ten, though.
My column in Monday's Oakland Press: Stafford Must Play Better http://tinyurl.com/ygm3ady
Labels: Ndamukong Suh Steve Entman Dan Wilkinson Russell Maryland Jimmy Howard
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:03 PM
7 Comments:
Oh come on. You are definitely jumping the gun. Suh has a good 1/3of the season and he's the 1st overall pick?! Are you serious? He could have a terrible bowl, he could have a terrible combine outing.
Cleveland won't even get the 1st pick. Look at Cleveland, Tampa, and St. Louis' schedules. Cleveland has the lightest schedule of the 3. They have KC and Oakland. St. Louis most likely gets pick 1. They take Colt McCoy. Marc Bulger is a gonner.
And Jimmy Howard has not played THAT good. Did you even watch the game against Edmonton on Thursday? He is not the answer. He is a career back-up. If they can package him with someone else to get a better goalie by the deadline, do it.
Do some research. You'll get it right someday. And in regards to your column in the Oakland Press, I've said all along that Matt Stafford is wreckless and careless. If you watched him in college you would know that. Looking up his stats and checking his numbers isn't "research." His game hasn't changed one bit since he was a freshman in college to being a pro. Strong arm, bad decisions, consistently inconsistent, throws a lot of picks. That's him now, that was him then. He is just like Joey; only more expensive.
do you know anything,
Colt McCoy is very unlikely to be the first QB drafted, let alone go first overall pick in the draft. NFL people I have talked to like Locker, Bradford and Jimmy C ahead of him. Don't think you read the post about Howard too carefully. He did play well on the road at New York. Stafford needs to cut down on mistakes. He was too reckless with the ball in college and is the same in the NFL, but he has little in common with Harrington, either in skill set or demeanor.
Caputo
How much do you want to bet McCoy goes first QB? Locker comes into the draft winning what? Maybe 8 or 9 games his entire college career. All he can really do is run. Bad decison maker. Not to mention he is only a junior.
Bradford has about a good of a shoulder as a 90 year old grandmother now. And Clausen just isn't good, and anyone who thinks he is is just falling into the "well he played at Notre Dame" stereotype. Also a junior.
McCoy has been remarkable every year in college but his sophomore season. And that is coming from a Texas hater.
Stafford and Joey compare in their performance. They had similar college careers (actually Joey's was better; throwing more TDs and fewer INTs and also running for 18 TDs)and they are having similar pro careers (other than Stafford's game against CLEVELAND where even Brady Quinn had a good game).
You're just a Stafford lover. I heard you on the radio before they drafted him. You compared him to Joe Montana. Pssh!! Joe Montana was a genius on the field and didn't make idiotic mistakes every game. Stafford is far-and-away more like Jay Cutler.
And with Howard, 1 good game on the ROAD (whatever difference that really makes in AMERICAN hockey) does not denote countless bad ones. They should have addressed the position in the offseason. But they gave tons of money to a guy who tore is ACL and missed the entire season this year. They will turn into the Tigers pretty soon and make bad move after bad move.
And what's the latest on Grandy and EJ's trade status?
I think your confusing Colt McCoy with Gerald McCoy who is going to be a top 10 pick. Colt will not be the first QB taken he's not considered to be a very good NFL prospect. I doubt he goes in the first round. Clausen, Bradford and Locker will all go ahead of him 100% guaranteed.
i'm back,
I'm just telling you what I was told by a couple NFL people who actually do drafting. You can believe what you want. And you have gone out of your way to misrepresent my opinion about Stafford.
Caputo
Anonymous,
Just on the subject of Gerald McCoy. Wonder if he will be a better pro than Suh? Like Suh, he is very active. More a Warren Sapp type than a Shaun Rogers type.
Caputo
Suh was clearly the most dominant defensive player and many would argue the most dominant overall player in college football this year. I would have liked to see a defensive player get an opportunity to win the award.
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