Drake Nevis

[hockey878]

Everything i have heard is that this guy has been amazing in camp so far. Seems like every day someone is posting about him getting in the backfield and being disruptive. This guy could potentially become a huge steal, and the DT we have needed for so long. If costanzo and nevis pan out and we dont get hit with injuries too bad we have a very serious shot of winning a superbowl this year or in the near future.

Hearing all the great things with nevis combined with the signings of anderson, harris and sims (for depth if nothing else, we can now sustain a few injuries and not be totally screwed at those positions). Also, word from camp is that jerry hughes has been looking really good, which is also very encouraging. I dont have any links, but this is just what i have repetitively seen on websites.

Lastly, (this post got way off topic and got much larger than i thought) if our WR's can stay healthy and peyton recovers fine this team is scary. Even if we can just keep 3 of the main 4 (gonzo, collie, garcon and wayne) on the field we have tons of weapons on offense, and potential for the best pass rush we have seen in years from the D.

Im Excited :FBtongue:

[Warhawk]

Well we already knew he was probably a steal, considering most draft sites had him in the second, some even in the late first.

[OLD FAN MAN]

maybe with drake in there our tiny linebackers can stop the runners who get away from him but we might get a big tough free agent linebacker i hope

[coltsfanej]

I agree that Nevis could end up being an added boom we've needed inside. Dont count out Harris just yet, hes played injured the last couple years. If he can return to form hes a stud. Those added with the improving Moala should really bolster up our interior D-line. Along with AJ and young Mathews. Our interior pass rush should be much improved.

We need last years first round pick (Hughes) to improve and play. He can really help keep our book ends rested. If he doesnt do some big leaps forward, he will be our newest first round pick to do little to nothing and join the last 4 or 5 years worth.

I think were good at Wide out. Just gotta stay healthy!!

[coltsfanej]

maybe with drake in there our tiny linebackers can stop the runners who get away from him but we might get a big tough free agent linebacker i hope

Even though I'd also like to see a big dominating linebacker our our D, that just doesnt fit our scheme. Were all about speed and tackling on D. I do like the Sims pick up tho, he fits our scheme to a T. Especially if he is back to 07 and 08 form

[BOTT]

Even though I'd also like to see a big dominating linebacker our our D, that just doesnt fit our scheme. Were all about speed and tackling on D. I do like the Sims pick up tho, he fits our scheme to a T. Especially if he is back to 07 and 08 form

yeah, that scheme has worked out sooooo well.

[natelombardi]

i dont get why it matters if the LB is big or small as long as he is fast for our system i always wanted to know why is this.

[Warhawk]

The issue is more with the players I think. Letting Thornton go was a mistake, obviously. Gardner sucked. Keiaho was very mediocre. Session was fine, but not worth that kind of cash. Brackett has been the only real constant.

To be honest, I like the group of Sims/Angerer/Connor more than I've liked most of our OLB sets the last few years.

Additionally, the issue with small LBs is that problems on the D-line carry over to them. A smaller linebacking corps is fine if the D-line has better gap integrity and disrupts the blocking scheme. If the D-line allows the O-line to establish their blocks, the LBs can't penetrate to stop the run. Ideally, guys like Harris and Nevis will be able to disrupt the opposing O-lines and do a better job dictating the path the RB takes, allowing the LBs to meet the back in the gaps.

[coltsfanej]

yeah, that scheme has worked out sooooo well.

I didnt say that it is my choice for a scheme. I would much rather have a ray lewis or patrick willis type of LB tearin it up inside. I would love to have a more dominating LB corps, but I think with the scheme that we run this years group of LBs should be the best weve had for the last few years.

[coltsfanej]

To be honest, I like the group of Sims/Angerer/Connor more than I've liked most of our OLB sets the last few years.

Additionally, the issue with small LBs is that problems on the D-line carry over to them. A smaller linebacking corps is fine if the D-line has better gap integrity and disrupts the blocking scheme. If the D-line allows the O-line to establish their blocks, the LBs can't penetrate to stop the run. Ideally, guys like Harris and Nevis will be able to disrupt the opposing O-lines and do a better job dictating the path the RB takes, allowing the LBs to meet the back in the gaps.

I agree totally. A good LB corps starts with the D-Line.

[Jason_]

I'll be the first to admit that I've never been a fan of Dungy's "small but fast" defense because the small defense is going to get run-over by a power running game. However, one also must take into consideration that guys who have the speed to be effective in our system, but also have good size are few and far between, and they're usually going to be drafted early and demand higher money that the Colts are willing to spend for a LB. Guys like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Derrick Brooks were beasts in a Dungy-style defense because they had speed and size, but they also each got paid big bucks.

A few years back there were a couple LB's coming out of college that had good size and also posted pretty quick 40 times for a LB that I wished we'd have had a chance at but they both went too high (which wasn't a surprise...it was more wishful thinking than anything) and those guys were Quincy Black (ironically drafted by the Bucs) and Prescott Burgess (drafted by the Ravens...a team that knows good LB's). Black is 6'2 and 240 lbs while Burgess is 6'3 and 253 lbs but these 2 guys were in like the top 5 for fastest 40 times among all LB's in their draft class.

But the bottom line is, like I said, these guys that possess the size, speed and talent are going to earn a lot more money than a Colts LB typically gets paid. With all of the money spent on the offense and Freeney/Mathis, there's only so much to go around to fill in the rest of the wholes.

I still (said this in other threads and I'm gonna say it again) would prefer to see Brackett moved to the outside. I haven't always been much of a fan of his but I will say that I saw a pretty big improvement from him last year. That being said, however, I still think he's better suited on the outside, probably the WILL side, with someone like Angerer in the middle.

[Andy]

he's a steal, he was projected to go in the 2nd round, and Delone Carter was a steal too, he was suppose to go in the 2nd-3rd round.

[Smitto]

Well yea all we're waiting for is a game to see how he really plays against players from another team, then we can consider if he's actually a steal or not.

[unvrsty07]

Saw Nevis blow an offensive lineman up today, sick, my new favorite rookie in a couple years.

[OLD FAN MAN]

time to move past the dungy system it could never stop the run we nee big overpowering linebackers

[OnlyUtahColtsFan]

Saw Nevis blow an offensive lineman up today, sick, my new favorite rookie in a couple years.

Well, that's good or bad depending on the way you look at it...Which lineman? :o

[21isSuperman]

I'm really excited for this dude. I've heard lots of good things about him and I can't wait to see how he does in pre-season action

[John Waylon]

With all the positive talk about this kid just from these past few days in camp I am really, really excited to see him in action.

Haven't been this excited about a rookie in years.

[OLD FAN MAN]

for once waylon is right i agree with him i tell it like it is

[hockey878]

With all the positive talk about this kid just from these past few days in camp I am really, really excited to see him in action.

Haven't been this excited about a rookie in years.

Thats what i mean. I know he has been projected as a steal. Maybe its just overly high expectations, but i dont know if ive ever been more excited about what a rookie could bring to the table... especially a third round pick.

He doesnt even have to get sacks. Just getting a nice push up the middle will do the job for us to get freeney and mathis (and even maybe hughes) some nice sacks!

[John Waylon]

for once waylon is right i agree with him i tell it like it is

You mean he shouldn't be doing some menial job elsewhere because he isn't talented enough to play for us?

Now THATS shocking. :topic:

[OLD FAN MAN]

if some one is good i wont say they are not, polian made a good draft choice here but i will be the first to say if a player is not up to colts standards' which means the best' there is not room for average players on the colts as a fan i expect them to spend the money and get the best

[EdBriggs]

With all the positive talk about this kid just from these past few days in camp I am really, really excited to see him in action.

Haven't been this excited about a rookie in years.

You actually get excited about the colts? Well gosh darned......

[WoolMagnet]

if some one is good i wont say they are not, polian made a good draft choice here but i will be the first to say if a player is not up to colts standards' which means the best' there is not room for average players on the colts as a fan i expect them to spend the money and get the best

............. he yells as he squeals away in his '74 Gremlin.

[John Waylon]

You actually get excited about the colts? Well gosh darned......

:rolleyes2:

[John Waylon]

I guess I should be honored that so many troll me...

I just wish one of them had an IQ above freezing temperature... Maybe some day...

Doubt it, though. :rolleyes2:

[Colts20593]

Go look at him at LSU. How he fell to 3rd, I don't know.

[John Waylon]

Go look at him at LSU. How he fell to 3rd, I don't know.

He's a cover 2 DT. A lot of teams were leery of him for that reason... Not sure he would transition well. From what I've watched, it seems the guy could be successful no matter what kind of 4-3 defense he's in.

Since we run a C2 defense it's just icing on the cake for us.

[Colts20593]

I kind of wonder if the league is also a bit leery because he was from LSU after what happened with Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey. Neither have performed as expected. That may not be the case, but just a thought.

[John Waylon]

I kind of wonder if the league is also a bit leery because he was from LSU after what happened with Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey. Neither have performed as expected. That may not be the case, but just a thought.

I don't want to say that's not the case, because it could be possible, but I think that any teams that passed on him for that reason really had to stretch to reach that excuse...

[Colts20593]

I don't want to say that's not the case, because it could be possible, but I think that any teams that passed on him for that reason really had to stretch to reach that excuse...

Just a thought. I'm just glad we got him

[Mouthfire]

IMO, Nevis got overlooked in the SEC because he was overshadowed by Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus, especially with their respective teams being highly ranked. Any other year, all the talk would've been about him. There was also always talk of him being undersized, which I don't think is all that accurate.

[Mouthfire]

IMO, Nevis got overlooked in the SEC because he was overshadowed by Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus, especially with their respective teams being highly ranked. Any other year, all the talk would've been about him. There was also always talk of him being undersized, which I don't think is all that accurate.

[bayone]

The issue is more with the players I think. Letting Thornton go was a mistake, obviously. Gardner sucked. Keiaho was very mediocre. Session was fine, but not worth that kind of cash. Brackett has been the only real constant.

To be honest, I like the group of Sims/Angerer/Connor more than I've liked most of our OLB sets the last few years.

Additionally, the issue with small LBs is that problems on the D-line carry over to them. A smaller linebacking corps is fine if the D-line has better gap integrity and disrupts the blocking scheme. If the D-line allows the O-line to establish their blocks, the LBs can't penetrate to stop the run. Ideally, guys like Harris and Nevis will be able to disrupt the opposing O-lines and do a better job dictating the path the RB takes, allowing the LBs to meet the back in the gaps.

Exactly, LBs arent even needed to stop the run , nor is 8 in the box if the D line can do it , Our LBs havent been the best at tackling once the runner gets to their level, esp if a big back, Here size may play a role

[ArmyRecon]

I think he slipped because a lot of teams are going or are playing the 3-4...I think chicago,minnesota, and us are really only cover2 teams left(am i leaving any teams out?)....cleveland may run it with jauron as dc..plus he only started his senior year...I was happy when we picked costonzo but was stoked when we picked nevis..first time I seen his highlight video first name that I thought of was warren sapp ..I have a feeling our dline is going to be one of the most exciting,aggressive and top units in the nfl...

[Coffeedrinker]

I guess I should be honored that so many troll me...

I just wish one of them had an IQ above freezing temperature... Maybe some day...

Doubt it, though. :rolleyes2:

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

[Smonroe]

IMO, Nevis got overlooked in the SEC because he was overshadowed by Nick Fairley and Marcell Dareus, especially with their respective teams being highly ranked. Any other year, all the talk would've been about him. There was also always talk of him being undersized, which I don't think is all that accurate.

They were the cream of the crop but Nevis was also very disruptive in the SEC. The knock on him was his size and speed in drills. As others have pointed out, he really only fit a limited number of teams. He's a perfect fit for us.

I don't know about him being a steal, I just hope he can contribute right away. The DT rotation could be the best in the last 5 or so years.

[OLD FAN MAN]

nevis is good too short to bat down over the middle passes but he may get to the qb before he can throw

[The Peytonator]

Well to be honest...I thought last year Eldridge was going to be the solution to our run game woes. He still needs to prove he can stay healthy. I've got my fingers crossed that Nevis can become the next Warren Sapp, but we just can't know until we see him in action. I do like what I'm hearing about him though, even if it is against our interior line.

[Balzer40]

nevis is good too short to bat down over the middle passes but he may get to the qb before he can throw

Being short and undersized may have been the knock on him, but its not really accurate. He was standing next to Tommie Harris yesterday(and I was 10 ft. away from them) and he was every bit as tall as him and looked much bulkier than Harris. I don't know if he spent all summer gaining size but he is bigger than his listed size.