Pass Rush & The Draft

[Balzer40]

"Mauler" that's what we're looking for this year in the new system isn't it?

 

 

Absolutely, at least I hope so.

[Deathiltis]

Exactly!!! You'd think playing against J.J. Watt twice a year people would realize the value here....Margus Hunt or bust..

 

The dude is almost 26 and I would not take him in the 1st round.

[TKnight24]

Absolutely, at least I hope so.

Well Pagano said the motto is "Stop the run, & run when we want to"

I think you need "maulers" on both sides of the ball for that to come true

[Luckynumber12]

Something would have to drastically change for mingo to drop even past 15  i can see us maybe drafting Margus Hunt or  Damontre Moore for pass rush

 

or CB Xavier Rhodes or Desmond Trufant 

 

or if we go OL we could think about selecting larry warford

 

most likely Margus Hunt or Xavier Rhodes  but i really like Datone Jones instead of RJF opposite of Redding

[DarkHorseColts]

26 years old? Isn't that Brandon Weeden's age? So we'll have a defensive version of Brandon Weeden on our team?

 

Weeden is 29... 26 is still older than you'd like.

 

If a team could know going in that they were getting the Margus Hunt that destroyed everyone in his last bowl game and would do the same in the pro's, I'd think they would draft him happily. My reservation is that at 25, he was already a full grown man that was playing against mainly 19-22 year olds. How will he deal with the jump in competition?

 

On the flip side, I'd hate to see him go to a team like, say, the Texans and blow things up opposite JJ Watt.

[TKnight24]

Weeden is 29... 26 is still older than you'd like.

If a team could know going in that they were getting the Margus Hunt that destroyed everyone in his last bowl game and would do the same in the pro's, I'd think they would draft him happily. My reservation is that at 25, he was already a full grown man that was playing against mainly 19-22 year olds. How will he deal with the jump in competition?

On the flip side, I'd hate to see him go to a team like, say, the Texans and blow things up opposite JJ Watt.

That's why Weeden was so good. It was like a dad playing with his Son. Shouldn't even be legal to play college football after a certain age. He wasn't doing nearly as much this year as he was in OSU

[Nobody]

17 blocked field goals...8 sacks last year and a lot of pressures and plays blown up...I've watched plenty of film on him and he causes havoc! Yes he is 26 and I am concerned about that but he only has 3 years of football on his body...If he can be a 1st rd prospect without even knowing the game 3 years ago what is possible when Pagano and manusky and others coach him up??? More than any of the measurables, when you watch him he has a motor that doesn't stop...The only players I take ahead are Datone Jones, Jarvis Jones, Or Mingo period...

Im not asking for stats or measureables. Many players with huge college sack # bust. In college against weak teams (like SMU plays) a very athletic guy can dominate easily. Which means he doesn't try to develop technique.

[TKnight24]

Im not asking for stats or measureables. Many players with huge college sack # bust. In college against weak teams (like SMU plays) a very athletic guy can dominate easily. Which means he doesn't try to develop technique.

Yep, & that's why Jerry Hughes dominated at TCU. MWC isn't exactly the best.

Sad but True. But Hughes is still pretty good. Nothing like he was at TCU, but still good

[Balzer40]

Weeden is 29... 26 is still older than you'd like.

 

If a team could know going in that they were getting the Margus Hunt that destroyed everyone in his last bowl game and would do the same in the pro's, I'd think they would draft him happily. My reservation is that at 25, he was already a full grown man that was playing against mainly 19-22 year olds. How will he deal with the jump in competition?

 

On the flip side, I'd hate to see him go to a team like, say, the Texans and blow things up opposite JJ Watt.

 

 

 

This is my concern with him too. Most NFL rookies come into the NFL and get bigger and stronger in their 1st few yrs.. Hunt is already past that stage in his late start. Sure, he can still get stronger but at 26 yrs. old he's already behind the 8 ball. By the time he gets used to playing against real men at the NFL level, he will already be in his late 20's. Teams look to start replacing defensive lineman and LBer's once they hit that magical 30 yr. old age usually. By the time his 1st contract is up, whatever team gets him will already be looking for his future replacement.

[Nobody]

Yep, & that's why Jerry Hughes dominated at TCU. MWC isn't exactly the best.

Sad but True. But Hughes is still pretty good. Nothing like he was at TCU, but still good

Yep, Hughes was great in college mostly because of his great athletic ability and weak competition.

[bahhummbug]

You're not getting that the job of a DE in a 2 gap 3-4 defense that we play, is not to rush the passer. They occupy blockers to allow the LBer's to make the plays. I really don't know how else to explain this but you don't have the right idea of what our 3-4 DE's are supposed to do. 

[SLILLINGTON10]

I true difference maker for the front seven would be nice

lets just trade for JJ Watt; guys like him are few and far between. lol  just wishful thinking

[jshipp23]

Something would have to drastically change for mingo to drop even past 15  i can see us maybe drafting Margus Hunt or  Damontre Moore for pass rush

 

or CB Xavier Rhodes or Desmond Trufant 

 

or if we go OL we could think about selecting larry warford

 

most likely Margus Hunt or Xavier Rhodes  but i really like Datone Jones instead of RJF opposite of Redding

Hunt or Jones would be great, Jones would be valuable because Redding can't stay healthy and Jones is better now anyways...Hunt is who I want though he can play rush linebacker spot or DE and has J.J. watt potential...

[jshipp23]

lets just trade for JJ Watt; guys like him are few and far between. lol  just wishful thinking

Margus Hunt could be J.J. Watt like, biggest upside in the whole draft...

[GoColts8818]

I could easily see us going with a pass rusher in the draft as two of the best sackers for the Colts back from last year in Redding and Mathis are both over 30.  The Colts could use a younger guy that could be developed a little bit. 

 

With that the real question to if the Colts NEED a pass rusher this year probably comes down to one player.  Jerry Hughes.  Depending on who you ask you are going to get a different answer.  Some will just tell you he stinks.  Others will say he's looked good in his limited reps and hasn't really been given a fair shot.  If Hughes can be the player the Colts thought they were getting when they were drafting then we might not need another pass rusher this year and there is some logic to he hasn't gotten a real chance yet being behind Mathis and Freeney other than limited action here or there.  With that said if Hughes is just so so then the Colts are going to struggle to get to the QB as teams will just double Mathis and take him out of plays. 

 

Honestly I have no idea where the Colts fall on their view point of Hughes in terms of thinking if he can produce if given a fair shot or if he's just a body at this point.  What we do or don't do in the draft will probably answer that question.  I could very easily see them giving Hughes a fair shot this year to be our second pass rusher behind Mathis and if he doesn't produce going in another direction after the season.  I could also see them grabbing a pass rusher if he's on the board when they pick in round one or three. 

 

I do think the Colts have tried to beef up the middle of the line so that Mathis and Hughes can force guys up into the pocket which should increase sacks for the 3/4 ends and DT even if they aren't "pass rushers".  We saw this at times with Redding last year. 

[Monster]

DE is our #1 need...Margus Hunt or Deonte Jones, or if rush linebacker Jarvis Jones or Mingo fall to us that would be good too....Our O-line is much improved already and if Iljilana our 2nd rd pick 2 years ago is finally healthy we could be solid at guard...If we draft o-line is should be 4th round or later as you can still find quality guards and centers then...I actually like r receiving corps especially when you factor in the TE's and we've addressed the interior D-line with Francois and Franklin and we have Chapman and McKinney coming back as well so we will be stronger there than we have ever been...DE #1, R-OLB#2, RB#3, CB#4, C#5...That is the direction we should go...If we can get Matheiu in the 3rd to play nickel corner and safety we have to , but I doubt he'll be there.....

You read my mind on Margus Hunt!!  Every time I watch this guy or see his bio I envision another JJ Watt He's another guy If he's still there especially if we're able to still trade back just a little...we snatch him up.

[jshipp23]

You read my mind on Margus Hunt!!  Every time I watch this guy or see his bio I envision another JJ Watt He's another guy If he's still there especially if we're able to still trade back just a little...we snatch him up.

I'm trying to convince these people but they want another guard in the "1st!", I can understand the 3rd, we can't trade back to far, a lot of mock's have Belichik and the Pats taking him at 26 and that would be bad for us, he can be just like Watt and can play multiple positions and is great on special teams as well....They are all traumatized from watching luck get killed last year..

[Deathiltis]

Margus Hunt could be J.J. Watt like, biggest upside in the whole draft...

 

He's a poor man's JJ Watt. We're not poor men in Indianpolis.

[BleedBlu8792]

I think Hunt could actually excel as an OLB for the Colts. He reminds me a lot of a white Julius Peppers. Just an athletic freak. He's roughly 280'ish lbs which is more of a tweener as DE for us. I'd rather see him get down to 270 and let him play the strong side spot then move him to DE when we go to our nickel packages.