I almost like this guy more than Upshaw. And its not that I do not like Upshaw just think Hightower is the real deal. The guy can play coverage, rush the passer on third downs and is a complete player not some one who is a tweener and not sure where he will fit in the defense. I would love Hightower and Kendricks to b our future starting linebackers. Love what Nick Saban is doing with Alabama and competition, reminds me of Pete Caroll at USC. Thanks for the video, keep up the good work.
MJ
Huge fan of Hightower. The guy is so physical. I love a couple of the plays where he doesn’t make the tackle, but just blows up a lineman and kills the RB hole. Give me front 7 Bama guys all day, I’d just avoid the secondary.
Agree with you all the way MJ Alabama guys are legit and well coached. Looking at other LB prospects and do you have any tape on Lavonte David? If a prospect like that falls to the 3rd round it may be a good pick up, I see a lot of 2nd round LB’s in this draft that could fall to the third round.
Chris
Like the kid a lot. I definitely prefer this style of LB over a Keuchly, someone that’s moving forward and putting the pain on people. There did seem to be quite a few communication issues they were having from time to time though.
Jon
Please get Upshaw and Hightower. That’s all.
Doug
I loved the hit on the Tenn QB on the dumpoff pass. Absolutely buried him.. Sweet.
I need a FA pick-up or something…I’m getting tired of rehashing every last possibility.
Since the last thred is buried, I wanted to recall Jarheads comment about his newfound support of TJack, and total dismissal of Flynn. I think it was tied to the possibility of drafing T Richardson, and having huge rushing stats and situational QB play.
What I don’t understand is how you think TJack would be better than Flynn in that scenario. Hasn’t it been well established that TJack isn’t a quick read? Isn’t that Flynns forte?
I dunno, I just found your pledge to TJack unusual I guess..
John
TJack is a joke but I also have minimal faith in Flynn. I want a rookie who comes into OUR system not some retread. Flynn may be OK, but all OK does is keep us in mediocrity. Maybe Flynn turns out to be a bad ass, but I don’t see it.
The bright side to this is that HOPEFULLY, its just one more year of uncertainty at QB.
For the record, I’m all for throwing Flynn and seeing what he’s got. I know TJack’s skill set and he’s not going to get any better. We paid for Flynn so lets see if he’s possibly a diamond in the rough. Doubt it, but I’m down to give it a try… anything but TJack.
Darnell
TJack isn’t a joke, he just isn’t a very good starting NFL QB. Anyone that can get to this level of this profession is far from a joke. Hell, the guys that barely get a sniff like Mike Teel and Jeff Rowe are successes and 1 percenters.
AlaskaHawk
If we still pick a QB next year = pray for Gino Smith or Barkley.
Jake
Finally – Hightower love! Thanks Rob – As you know I’v been advocating this dude for the past month… I absolutely love his game and ability to stay on the field for all 3 downs filling multiple roles. He is the epitome of physical and was consistent for 3 seasons, starting at MLB & rushing as a DE on 3rd downs. In my dream scenario, we move KJ over to MLB and Donta’ becomes the best SLB in the NFL where his attack and destroy mentality can really shine. His potential as a pass rusher is what sets him apart from other LBs and why he’s the rare LB worthy of top-15 consideration IMO. Simply, my favorite player in this draft (not named Griffin or Luck).
D
Bad ass, that’s his biggest asset. That is a great attribute to have as a LB and one that Keuchly doesn’t show that often. Especially nasty when he has the opportunity to plugg a hole. He goes in with a vengence.
Stuttersteps a lot in coverage and doesn’t really close in very fast once the pass is in the air. I know that that’s a lot to ask from a MLB but if we are going to pick him early he better be a man among boys.
Can get some pass rush as a blitzing MLB, not so much as an DE or 3-4 OLB.
Gets the job done on inside runs, most of the times on outside runs but not always. Doesn’t really go low when taking on blocks in space but extends well, very strong.
Sometimes plays down hill but sometimes it looks as if he has problems reading the plays even on dives. Again, that asking a lot but we are taking a 2nd round pick here I suppose? Keuchly is waaaaaaaaaaay better in this aspect.
Darin
Hightower is the best MLB in the draft, Kuechly is a solid, but unspectacular and yeah he makes a ton of tackles, but isn’t that big thumper at MLB I want in the middle of the Hawks defense.
Hightower, might not be as athletic, but he brings the wood, stop running backs cold and can get after the quarterback when asked to. Kuechly is going to make tackles, but doesn’t stop the running back dead in his tracks, and is good in coverage, but not he isn’t going to be a Brian Urlacher type in coverage.
Upshaw and Hightower, sounds like a perfect draft.
Doug
Boy, I hope Flynn makes yall eat your words.
I think LB’s are a dime a dozen personally… But I do love the way Hightower thumps people.
David
I want Hightower. Hope we trade back for him or he falls to our second round pick.
Hightower and Upshaw are both beasts. I just wonder if Hightower would be an instant upgrade over Hawthorne? If Hightower is questionable in coverage then we pretty much have the same issues that we have now. I love big hitters but we got torched by TEs last year and need LBs with better cover skills especially with tight ends beginning to play a larger role throughout the league.
Jim
Upshaw is #21-overall, Hightower is #39-overall currently at cbssports.com
Looks pretty close to the Seahawks picks at 12 & 43, so, there’s always the possibility that the Seahawks draft BOTH? The Seahawks could do a lot worse.
Misfit74
I don’t care for Hightower at all. The guys is HUGE like Levon Kirkland was. He’d get abused in coverage and believe me teams would scheme to get him in coverage. He’d be a two-down run plugger and that’s just not very attractive when you can find an everydown LB or OLB with pass-rushing skills instead. His blown-out knee in the past scares me a bit, too. No Hightower.
Doug
A stronger pass rush will alleviate some coverage problems
genax
i agree with misfit.i think if we draft upshaw and hightower together it goes against what john and pete have been saying.
if we draft both of these guys, it makes us predictable. teams will expose our ability to rush the qb by extending the field east and west or expose the middle of the field where hightower will struggle to maintain.
Barry
Wouldnt draft Hightower in the first
seanmatt
Kip or Rob,
Could you see Hightower playing SAM and moving K.J Wright over to MIKE if we draft him?
Micah
I’m with misfit, but I’ll add that I think Hightower looks slow on a lot of plays and doesn’t have anywhere near the hand-fighting ability of Upshaw. I would take Kendricks in the second over Hightower. I think Hightower is a late second to early third talent.
David
I think Upshaw and Hightower almost would save the same purpose in our defense if we drafted them. While not the most agile they both show explosive power and a knack for the big play. I don’t think it would be a bad thing to have both of them but I don’t worry about them getting exposed in the passing game as much as other people. We have Nickel and other packages in those instances and I would like seeing Upshaw and Hightower at both ends or a triple package with Clemons all stunting. I think you have to use you’re imagination a little but I would be happy with both of those players. Hightower is only slow when he is trying to make a decision about what angle to take sometimes but when he is closing out on a qb he is explosive.
David
save= serve
Jarhead
Doug see my post on the last thread for a more in depth take. Honestly- I don’t think flynn is a quick read at all. I think the GB Offense is so well oiled that he isn’t making any reads. But he is nailing timing throws without thinking too much. He doesn’t scramble well and has a small time arm. He has only played against Detroit and NE, and brother, those two teams have ZERO pass rush. We all know that. I don’t give a hill of beans for TJack as a QB, I just want discord. Because as you know, I really don’t like Flynn or Cousins. Those are the tweo people I wanted to avoid. No more sissy douchie back up guys, at least TJack is tough and doesn’t have that stupid Ryan Fitzpatrick beard. Jeepers… Flynn, in my eyes, is the classic product of the system, and he will be exposed as the featured player in our offense. I honestly don’t know anyone of this as fact, but I certainly believe I will see it play out on the field. No one would have been a better option than flynn. Once again I will use my South Park presidential allegory- Turd Sandwich or Giant Douche? I’m just choosing the Douche on this one.
Jarhead
Hmmm My sentence structure is contradictory. A better way to put it would have been- “In my opinion, a better option to choosing Flynn would have been signing no one.” That’s better
FryMeat
LOL. Nice southpark ref. I have to add however that you wouldn’t want to choose either one, the douche nor the turdsand because either way you are stuck choosing something horrible (as Stan struggled with in the episode). One is shit and the other is a flowery (i suppose?) smell to cover up the disgusting stink. So, I choose neither!
All kidding aside. I will remain hopeful and I do see Flynn at a min a better option than Charlie. I just hope they go all in next year and get the QBOTF. Period.
Regarding Hightower. He plays great against the run but he stutters in coverage and lacks explosiveness. I wouldn’t be totally upset if he was drafted, but I see other LB’s that I would rather see before Hightower.
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I almost like this guy more than Upshaw. And its not that I do not like Upshaw just think Hightower is the real deal. The guy can play coverage, rush the passer on third downs and is a complete player not some one who is a tweener and not sure where he will fit in the defense. I would love Hightower and Kendricks to b our future starting linebackers. Love what Nick Saban is doing with Alabama and competition, reminds me of Pete Caroll at USC. Thanks for the video, keep up the good work.
Huge fan of Hightower. The guy is so physical. I love a couple of the plays where he doesn’t make the tackle, but just blows up a lineman and kills the RB hole. Give me front 7 Bama guys all day, I’d just avoid the secondary.
Agree with you all the way MJ Alabama guys are legit and well coached. Looking at other LB prospects and do you have any tape on Lavonte David? If a prospect like that falls to the 3rd round it may be a good pick up, I see a lot of 2nd round LB’s in this draft that could fall to the third round.
Like the kid a lot. I definitely prefer this style of LB over a Keuchly, someone that’s moving forward and putting the pain on people. There did seem to be quite a few communication issues they were having from time to time though.
Please get Upshaw and Hightower. That’s all.
I loved the hit on the Tenn QB on the dumpoff pass. Absolutely buried him.. Sweet.
I need a FA pick-up or something…I’m getting tired of rehashing every last possibility.
Since the last thred is buried, I wanted to recall Jarheads comment about his newfound support of TJack, and total dismissal of Flynn. I think it was tied to the possibility of drafing T Richardson, and having huge rushing stats and situational QB play.
What I don’t understand is how you think TJack would be better than Flynn in that scenario. Hasn’t it been well established that TJack isn’t a quick read? Isn’t that Flynns forte?
I dunno, I just found your pledge to TJack unusual I guess..
TJack is a joke but I also have minimal faith in Flynn. I want a rookie who comes into OUR system not some retread. Flynn may be OK, but all OK does is keep us in mediocrity. Maybe Flynn turns out to be a bad ass, but I don’t see it.
The bright side to this is that HOPEFULLY, its just one more year of uncertainty at QB.
For the record, I’m all for throwing Flynn and seeing what he’s got. I know TJack’s skill set and he’s not going to get any better. We paid for Flynn so lets see if he’s possibly a diamond in the rough. Doubt it, but I’m down to give it a try… anything but TJack.
TJack isn’t a joke, he just isn’t a very good starting NFL QB. Anyone that can get to this level of this profession is far from a joke. Hell, the guys that barely get a sniff like Mike Teel and Jeff Rowe are successes and 1 percenters.
If we still pick a QB next year = pray for Gino Smith or Barkley.
Finally – Hightower love! Thanks Rob – As you know I’v been advocating this dude for the past month… I absolutely love his game and ability to stay on the field for all 3 downs filling multiple roles. He is the epitome of physical and was consistent for 3 seasons, starting at MLB & rushing as a DE on 3rd downs. In my dream scenario, we move KJ over to MLB and Donta’ becomes the best SLB in the NFL where his attack and destroy mentality can really shine. His potential as a pass rusher is what sets him apart from other LBs and why he’s the rare LB worthy of top-15 consideration IMO. Simply, my favorite player in this draft (not named Griffin or Luck).
Bad ass, that’s his biggest asset. That is a great attribute to have as a LB and one that Keuchly doesn’t show that often. Especially nasty when he has the opportunity to plugg a hole. He goes in with a vengence.
Stuttersteps a lot in coverage and doesn’t really close in very fast once the pass is in the air. I know that that’s a lot to ask from a MLB but if we are going to pick him early he better be a man among boys.
Can get some pass rush as a blitzing MLB, not so much as an DE or 3-4 OLB.
Gets the job done on inside runs, most of the times on outside runs but not always. Doesn’t really go low when taking on blocks in space but extends well, very strong.
Sometimes plays down hill but sometimes it looks as if he has problems reading the plays even on dives. Again, that asking a lot but we are taking a 2nd round pick here I suppose? Keuchly is waaaaaaaaaaay better in this aspect.
Hightower is the best MLB in the draft, Kuechly is a solid, but unspectacular and yeah he makes a ton of tackles, but isn’t that big thumper at MLB I want in the middle of the Hawks defense.
Hightower, might not be as athletic, but he brings the wood, stop running backs cold and can get after the quarterback when asked to. Kuechly is going to make tackles, but doesn’t stop the running back dead in his tracks, and is good in coverage, but not he isn’t going to be a Brian Urlacher type in coverage.
Upshaw and Hightower, sounds like a perfect draft.
Boy, I hope Flynn makes yall eat your words.
I think LB’s are a dime a dozen personally… But I do love the way Hightower thumps people.
I want Hightower. Hope we trade back for him or he falls to our second round pick.
Hightower and Upshaw are both beasts. I just wonder if Hightower would be an instant upgrade over Hawthorne? If Hightower is questionable in coverage then we pretty much have the same issues that we have now. I love big hitters but we got torched by TEs last year and need LBs with better cover skills especially with tight ends beginning to play a larger role throughout the league.
Upshaw is #21-overall, Hightower is #39-overall currently at cbssports.com
Looks pretty close to the Seahawks picks at 12 & 43, so, there’s always the possibility that the Seahawks draft BOTH? The Seahawks could do a lot worse.
I don’t care for Hightower at all. The guys is HUGE like Levon Kirkland was. He’d get abused in coverage and believe me teams would scheme to get him in coverage. He’d be a two-down run plugger and that’s just not very attractive when you can find an everydown LB or OLB with pass-rushing skills instead. His blown-out knee in the past scares me a bit, too. No Hightower.
A stronger pass rush will alleviate some coverage problems
i agree with misfit.i think if we draft upshaw and hightower together it goes against what john and pete have been saying.
if we draft both of these guys, it makes us predictable. teams will expose our ability to rush the qb by extending the field east and west or expose the middle of the field where hightower will struggle to maintain.
Wouldnt draft Hightower in the first
Kip or Rob,
Could you see Hightower playing SAM and moving K.J Wright over to MIKE if we draft him?
I’m with misfit, but I’ll add that I think Hightower looks slow on a lot of plays and doesn’t have anywhere near the hand-fighting ability of Upshaw. I would take Kendricks in the second over Hightower. I think Hightower is a late second to early third talent.
I think Upshaw and Hightower almost would save the same purpose in our defense if we drafted them. While not the most agile they both show explosive power and a knack for the big play. I don’t think it would be a bad thing to have both of them but I don’t worry about them getting exposed in the passing game as much as other people. We have Nickel and other packages in those instances and I would like seeing Upshaw and Hightower at both ends or a triple package with Clemons all stunting. I think you have to use you’re imagination a little but I would be happy with both of those players. Hightower is only slow when he is trying to make a decision about what angle to take sometimes but when he is closing out on a qb he is explosive.
save= serve
Doug see my post on the last thread for a more in depth take. Honestly- I don’t think flynn is a quick read at all. I think the GB Offense is so well oiled that he isn’t making any reads. But he is nailing timing throws without thinking too much. He doesn’t scramble well and has a small time arm. He has only played against Detroit and NE, and brother, those two teams have ZERO pass rush. We all know that. I don’t give a hill of beans for TJack as a QB, I just want discord. Because as you know, I really don’t like Flynn or Cousins. Those are the tweo people I wanted to avoid. No more sissy douchie back up guys, at least TJack is tough and doesn’t have that stupid Ryan Fitzpatrick beard. Jeepers… Flynn, in my eyes, is the classic product of the system, and he will be exposed as the featured player in our offense. I honestly don’t know anyone of this as fact, but I certainly believe I will see it play out on the field. No one would have been a better option than flynn. Once again I will use my South Park presidential allegory- Turd Sandwich or Giant Douche? I’m just choosing the Douche on this one.
Hmmm My sentence structure is contradictory. A better way to put it would have been- “In my opinion, a better option to choosing Flynn would have been signing no one.” That’s better
LOL. Nice southpark ref. I have to add however that you wouldn’t want to choose either one, the douche nor the turdsand because either way you are stuck choosing something horrible (as Stan struggled with in the episode). One is shit and the other is a flowery (i suppose?) smell to cover up the disgusting stink. So, I choose neither!
All kidding aside. I will remain hopeful and I do see Flynn at a min a better option than Charlie. I just hope they go all in next year and get the QBOTF. Period.
Regarding Hightower. He plays great against the run but he stutters in coverage and lacks explosiveness. I wouldn’t be totally upset if he was drafted, but I see other LB’s that I would rather see before Hightower.