I think Okereke is going to start

[Defjamz26]

I still have more film work to do but from what I’ve seen, I think he is likely going to start, and possibly at MIKE. He seems to be a perfect fit for this defense and it’s easy to see the Leonard comparisons. Walker is a good player but I feel like Okereke has a higher ceiling because of his athletic traits. 

 

He seems pretty polished too. I just have this feeling that he’ll be a day 1 starter. Him next to Leonard could be something really special. Plus you could put him at WILL and let Leonard play MIKE. 

[Fluke_33]

I really like walker and I hope he can hold him off for a while but I think you maybe right.  

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

8 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

I still have more film work to do but from what I’ve seen, I think he is likely going to start, and possibly at MIKE. He seems to be a perfect fit for this defense and it’s easy to see the Leonard comparisons. Walker is a good player but I feel like Okereke has a higher ceiling because of his athletic traits. 

 

He seems pretty polished too. I just have this feeling that he’ll be a day 1 starter. Him next to Leonard could be something really special. Plus you could put him at WILL and let Leonard play MIKE. 

 

I'm not sure you'd wanna move Leonard when he just made 300,000 tackles and an All-Pro operating as the WILL. Okereke is athletic and talented, but I think you see him and Banogu in situational packages this year, however I'd love to be wrong and they both just make All-Pro with Q and Leonard. Wouldn't that be great, have classes back to back where you just landed stud All-Pro guys everywhere haha. Ballard would become a demigod lol.

[Stephen]

6 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

I'm not sure you'd wanna move Leonard when he just made 300,000 tackles and an All-Pro operating as the WILL. Okereke is athletic and talented, but I think you see him and Banogu in situational packages this year, however I'd love to be wrong and they both just make All-Pro with Q and Leonard. Wouldn't that be great, have classes back to back where you just landed stud All-Pro guys everywhere haha. Ballard would become a demigod lol.

Well if mcgahee  is right 10 all pros lol

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

9 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Well if mcgahee  is right 10 all pros lol

McAfee lol, but yeah that cracked me up, Irsay up, and Ballard up lol

[GoColts8818]

Maybe one day but I doubt he beats Walker out for the starting job this season.  I could see him starting at the other linebacker spot.

[Scott Pennock]

There's no doubt in my mind he was drafted to "earn" that spot. If he does then having Walker as depth just makes us that much better/deeper.....

 

Having Leonard, Okereke and Wilson/Tell and their 80+ inch wingspans in the base and dime defenses would certainly close down some passing zones!

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

I still have more film work to do but from what I’ve seen, I think he is likely going to start, and possibly at MIKE. He seems to be a perfect fit for this defense and it’s easy to see the Leonard comparisons. Walker is a good player but I feel like Okereke has a higher ceiling because of his athletic traits. 

 

He seems pretty polished too. I just have this feeling that he’ll be a day 1 starter. Him next to Leonard could be something really special. Plus you could put him at WILL and let Leonard play MIKE. 

Took you less than a week to change your mind.    I’ve been complimenting you various threads on your observation that no rookie from this class will start their first year.

 

And now this?

 

I’m a Stanford guy and guessing the Bobby doesn’t start this year.  Maybe next year.    I think Walker holds his starting job, but won’t be surprised if Okereke comes in for him on passing downs.   That would be my hunch.

 

We’ll see. 

[krunk]

Im a big Walker fan Jamz but i have to say i like Okereke a lot. Walker is going to have to play damn good football to hold him off. To be honest at some point if Speed pans out like im thinking he will I could even see Speed, Okereke and Leonard starting together. I believe we are trying to build an athletic linebacking crew like Dallas has.

[krunk]

49 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

There's no doubt in my mind he was drafted to "earn" that spot. If he does then having Walker as depth just makes us that much better/deeper.....

 

Having Leonard, Okereke and Wilson/Tell and their 80+ inch wingspans in the base and dime defenses would certainly close down some passing zones!

Interested to see how we use Tell. Hes a pretty good ball player.

[indyagent17]

Well I'm still sick and tired of tight end screens and running back bubble passes that Walker seems to be oblivious to. We need somebody faster that has better football intelligence. Not that Walker is not a decent linebacker I think Oke is going to be much better

[EastStreet]

i can see him playing a lot in vs pass heavy Os, but he's a little to undersized for me to think he'll play against good running teams. IMO we'll see him in passing downs as a norm. he'll have a lot to prove before he plays early downs vs good rushing teams.

[Scott Pennock]

14 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

i can see him playing a lot in vs pass heavy Os, but he's a little to undersized for me to think he'll play against good running teams. IMO we'll see him in passing downs as a norm. he'll have a lot to prove before he plays early downs vs good rushing teams.

There isn't much difference between 6'1" and 242 and 6'1" and 239....

 

Besides the Tampa 2 was never about a thumper in the middle. Hardy Nickerson for Tampa and Urlacher were the best MIKES but even at Urlacher's size he was still more speed based than a true thumper.

 

Okereke will be just fine in the middle at 239 lbs.

[HectorRoberts]

So the linebackers line up will be Leonard/Will Okereke/Mike and Banogu/Sam? That’s so young but if those rookies are half as good as Ballard says they are this group is going to be deadly for a long time!

[Scott Pennock]

21 minutes ago, krunk said:

Interested to see how we use Tell. Hes a pretty good ball player.

I think he'll take to the challenge and respond favorably.

 

At the very least he can displace the one trick pony in Milton.

[krunk]

Just now, Scott Pennock said:

I think he'll take to the challenge and respond favorably.

 

At the very least he can displace the one trick pony in Milton.

Milton is who i think Tell will run out of here. Especially if he learns corner and core special teams. I already know he could do well at FS. Hed have more value than Milton. Quite a bit more.

[EastStreet]

31 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

There isn't much difference between 6'1" and 242 and 6'1" and 239....

 

Besides the Tampa 2 was never about a thumper in the middle. Hardy Nickerson for Tampa and Urlacher were the best MIKES but even at Urlacher's size he was still more speed based than a true thumper.

 

Okereke will be just fine in the middle at 239 lbs.

you're comparing a top 10 first round pro bowl guy to Okereke... 

[Scott Pennock]

26 minutes ago, krunk said:

Milton is who i think Tell will run out of here. Especially if he learns corner and core special teams. I already know he could do well at FS. Hed have more value than Milton. Quite a bit more.

Multiplicity always wins in the end. FS, CB, dime back and gunner should be more valuable than a gunner. Free's up a spot elsewhere too.

 

No different than finding someone who can play a position AND return both kickoffs and punts. That would free up another roster spot. 

 

I'm sure the coaching staff believes that too and is looking for someone to take the bull by the horns....

[Scott Pennock]

1 minute ago, Irish YJ said:

you're comparing a top 10 first round pro bowl guy to Okereke... 

Walker was a 5th round pick.....Okereke was a 3rd round pick.

 

Walker weighs 242

Okereke weighs 239

 

That was the comparison that you started.

 

I simply went back in history to point out speed was a bigger characteristic than size in good Tampa 2 defenses at linebacker.

[WarGhost21]

Start?? Didn't you hear McAfee?? Why would we not start a future HoFer??  

 

In all seriousness though, I hope he can start. If he does, that means he outperformed all the other competition at the position, and if he beat out Walker, that means he beat out one of the two linebackers that were a top 10, arguably top five duo in the league last year. If he starts, the only problem we have is figuring out how to split up minutes between 3-4 good to great linebackers.

[Scott Pennock]

1 hour ago, krunk said:

Im a big Walker fan Jamz but i have to say i like Okereke a lot. Walker is going to have to play damn good football to hold him off. To be honest at some point if Speed pans out like im thinking he will I could even see Speed, Okereke and Leonard starting together. I believe we are trying to build an athletic linebacking crew like Dallas has.

I second that opinion.....all three of them can play and cover just as well as a SS at their speed (4.5-4.6). Just as fast as most runningbacks and faster than most tightends too.

 

Banogu would be a fulltime DE by then as well.

[krunk]

1 minute ago, Scott Pennock said:

I second that opinion.....all three of them can play and cover just as well as a SS at their speed (4.5-4.6). Just as fast as most runningbacks and faster than most tightends too.

 

Banogu would be a fulltime DE by then as well.

I was thinking exactly the same on Banogu. Fulltime DE

[Scott Pennock]

Just now, krunk said:

I was thinking exactly the same on Banogu. Fulltime DE

They're simply 'playing' him where he is most comfortable this year while he also practices with his hand in the dirt AND learning from Houston, Sheard and Mathis (when he's around). 2020 he'll be a DE fulltime.

[EastStreet]

15 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

Walker was a 5th round pick.....Okereke was a 3rd round pick.

 

Walker weighs 242

Okereke weighs 239

 

That was the comparison that you started.

 

I simply went back in history to point out speed was a bigger characteristic than size in good Tampa 2 defenses at linebacker.

you compared okereke to  Urlacher. that's a non starter.

 

not saying waker is a long term answer, but do me a favor, compare the build of both and you'll see the difference especially in the lower body. walker has a lot of thickness that okereke does not.

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, krunk said:

Im a big Walker fan Jamz but i have to say i like Okereke a lot. Walker is going to have to play damn good football to hold him off. To be honest at some point if Speed pans out like im thinking he will I could even see Speed, Okereke and Leonard starting together. I believe we are trying to build an athletic linebacking crew like Dallas has.

 

You think Speed us going to start ahead if Banogu?   Draft night Ballard announced we will try him first at SAM.   You didn’t see that?   You haven’t read that?    You like Speed over B.B.?

[Scott Pennock]

2 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

you compared okereke to  Urlacher. that's a non starter.

 

not saying waker is a long term answer, but do me a favor, compare the build of both and you'll see the difference especially in the lower body. walker has a lot of thickness that okereke does not.

Reading is fundamental.

 

I compared Walker's size to Okereke's size since you said he was too light.....

 

I added in Nickerson and Urlacher for historical purposes about size/speed.

[Scott Pennock]

3 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

You think Speed us going to start ahead if Banogu?   Draft night Ballard announced we will try him first at SAM.   You didn’t see that?   You haven’t read that?    You like Speed over B.B.?

No....we both see Banogu at DE long term and Speed at the SAM long term - aka likely starting in 2020.

[NewColtsFan]

1 minute ago, Scott Pennock said:

No....we both see Banogu at DE long term and Speed at the SAM long term - aka likely starting in 2020.

I know...   based on opinion that has no facts to support it.    Anywhere. 

 

But there are are all sorts of stories talking about B.B. being used as a “chess piece” or wild card,  or jack of all trades and you two have chosen to ignore them for reasons I don’t understand?   

[EastStreet]

8 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

Reading is fundamental.

 

I compared Walker's size to Okereke's size since you said he was too light.....

 

I added in Nickerson and Urlacher for historical purposes about size/speed.

common sense is fundamental. don't toss out names like urlacher when talking about walker and okereke. 

 

like i said, compare their builds. 

 

and luck is 240. perhaps he can compete at MLB?

[krunk]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

You think Speed us going to start ahead if Banogu?   Draft night Ballard announced we will try him first at SAM.   You didn’t see that?   You haven’t read that?    You like Speed over B.B.?

Jumping the gun. At some point he(Speed) may. Which tbat point would be when hes(Banogu) playing full time DE. I dont think Banogu will always be Jack of all trades. At some point there wont be a need for it because weve got a number of cover guys.

[krunk]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

I know...   based on opinion that has no facts to support it.    Anywhere. 

 

But there are are all sorts of stories talking about B.B. being used as a “chess piece” or wild card,  or jack of all trades and you two have chosen to ignore them for reasons I don’t understand?   

That doesnt mean thats going to last forever. We dont think he was drafted to be a hybrid forever. They can do that with him now because he stood up at TCU and that eases his transition. The facts say hes a pass rusher. He averaged 8 sacks 2 years in a row and he runs 4.5 with decent cone times. Not as tall as Turay but they all dont have to be. 

[crazycolt1]

6 minutes ago, krunk said:

Jumping the gun. At some point he(Speed) may. Which tbat point would be when hes(Banogu) playing full time DE. I dont think Banogu will always be Jack of all trades. At some point there wont be a need for it because weve got a number of cover guys.

Other than a few spots like QB, RB, Maniac and Q there is strong competition all over the place.

I'm not going to say who is going to be a starter because I don't know yet.

That is what training camp and pre season games will sort out.

On defense we could very well see different line ups depending on what offenses we face.

[NewColtsFan]

21 minutes ago, krunk said:

That doesnt mean thats going to last forever. We dont think he was drafted to be a hybrid forever. They can do that with him now because he stood up at TCU and that eases his transition. The facts say hes a pass rusher. He averaged 8 sacks 2 years in a row and he runs 4.5 with decent cone times. Not as tall as Turay but they all dont have to be.

 

If we do it,  and it works,  why would you change?

 

Drafting a good DE is one thing.    Drafting a kid we think can play 5 different positions is quite another.    Why would you want to end that?

 

This is head scratching to me....

 

[krunk]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

If we do it,  and it works,  why would you change?

 

Drafting a good DE is one thing.    Drafting a kid we think can play 5 different positions is quite another.    Why would you want to end that?

 

This is head scratching to me....

 

Because you dont have to. Weve got plenty of speedy athletes now who can cover. At least on paper we do. You have to find ways to get your best players on the field. If you have a 6ft 4lb lb like Speed whos running 4.5/4.6 and assuming he plays well then you can let him do all that coverage stuff behind the DL while Banogu gets after the QB. If youre doing more coverage stuff with Banogu then thats one less of our best rushers being sent after the QB. 

[NewColtsFan]

5 minutes ago, krunk said:

Because you dont have to. Weve got plenty of speedy athletes now who can cover. At least on paper we do. You have to find ways to get your best players on the field. If you have a 6ft 4lb lb like Speed whos running 4.5/4.6 and assuming he plays well then you can let him do all that coverage stuff behind the DL while Banogu gets after the QB. If youre doing more coverage stuff with Banogu then thats one less of our best rushers being sent after the QB. 

 

Then why aren't we doing that now?     The Colts think they have a special weapon,  and you want to make him a more simple player.    From unique,  to a player there are several of....

 

Sorry,  but I don't get that.     

 

You may ultimately end up being right....   but I think the Colts are hoping this experimen works,  and that it will always be this way.....

 

[chrisfarley]

not gonna start, going to battle for a spot no doubt...has some learning to do , will do it. excited. 

[Scott Pennock]

3 hours ago, Irish YJ said:

common sense is fundamental. don't toss out names like urlacher when talking about walker and okereke. 

 

like i said, compare their builds. 

 

and luck is 240. perhaps he can compete at MLB?

I did compare builds - literally in all 4 responses.

 

Then used common sense in explaining the MIKE is speed based and not size based and used two of the bests names who played the Tampa 2 with speed as examples.

 

Would you have preferred that I listed Gary Brackett (5'11" & 235) or Jerrell Freeman (6'0" & 236) instead? 

 

Again, Walker is 6'1" and 242.......Okereke is 6'1" and 239. Three (3) pounds is not a huge difference. 

 

 

 

 

[Scott Pennock]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

I know...   based on opinion that has no facts to support it.    Anywhere. 

 

But there are are all sorts of stories talking about B.B. being used as a “chess piece” or wild card,  or jack of all trades and you two have chosen to ignore them for reasons I don’t understand?   

Not ignoring anything.

 

Best players play. Why draft two more linebackers with similar skill sets to your WILL if you don't intend on playing them. And if by playing them it forces an extremely talented guy like BB to line up at DE then I doubt they would even bat an eye about what was said on draft day.

 

In that regard, they also said Lewis was drafted to be an undertackle yet he played right defensive end last year because that is where he was needed AND it got the best players on the field at the time. Nobody complained or said whoa - you said he was gonna be a UT, why is he at end?

 

They've also said he's had no pass rush techniques taught, just scheme at TCU. So by keeping him in a similar scheme as a "chess piece" then he doesn't have to redshirt his rookie year while learning said techniques.

 

Just reading the tea leaves and just my opinion!

 

 

 

[Fluke_33]

7 hours ago, krunk said:

Im a big Walker fan Jamz but i have to say i like Okereke a lot. Walker is going to have to play damn good football to hold him off. To be honest at some point if Speed pans out like im thinking he will I could even see Speed, Okereke and Leonard starting together. I believe we are trying to build an athletic linebacking crew like Dallas has.

In like 2 or three years.  Speed has a big jump to make in competition.   Love walker but that would be cool too 

[Fluke_33]

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

You think Speed us going to start ahead if Banogu?   Draft night Ballard announced we will try him first at SAM.   You didn’t see that?   You haven’t read that?    You like Speed over B.B.?

I don’t think we will see speed other than special teams demon for two or three years