Top College Defensive Players Stats 2008

[WPB Dawg Fan]

Here are our top defensive players considered for the Browns (I couldn't get Selvie's stats)

DEFENSIVE LEADERS      GP  Solo  Ast  Total  TFL/Yds  Sacks-Yds  Int-Yds  BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds FF Kick
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LB Maualuga, Rey       11   45   28     73    2.5-11       .      2-48      3    1     .    .   . 
LB Cushing, Brian      12   40   26     66   10.0-47    2.5-19    1-0       6    1     .    1   .
LB Laurinaitis, J      12   46   75    121    5.5-32    4.0-28    2-0       4    1     .    1   .
LB Curry, Aaron        12   63   38    101   15.0-47    2.5-16    1-22      3    2    3-3   1   .
LB Spikes, B           12   48   39     87    8.0-29    2.0-13    4-93      2    4     .    .   . 
DE Orakpo, Brian       11   29   11     40   18.0-102  10.5-90      .       2   27     .    4   .
DE Tyson Jackson       12   15   19     34    8.5-33    4.5-27      .       8    7    1-18  .   .
DE Michael Johnson     12   26   17     43   15.0-84    7.0-70    1-26     15    .    1-0   2   1 
SS Mays, Taylor        12   35   14     49    2.0-7        .        .       8    .     .    .   .
CB Davis, Vontae       12   53   25     78    7.0-18       .      2-12     18    1    1-0   3   .
CB Jenkins, Malc       12   32   22     54    3.5-23    1.0-8     3-7       9    .     .    3   2

 

I found it interesting that Maualuga had ZERO sacks...and only 2.5 tackles for loss. It was also interesting that Mays has ZERO INT's.

[Guest Aloysius]

Rey only having 2.5 TFL's is a shocker to me. But he did have 10.5 TFL's last year, as well as 6 sacks.

 

Last year, Aaron Curry had 13.5 TFL's and 3 sacks. What truly got people's attention, though, was that he returned 3 picks for TD's.

[JewDago]

for a guy as fast as mays to not have any INTs in the past two years is ridiculous. either dude has hands like michael jackson/dyson or he's not being put in a position where he can make great plays on the ball.

 

from what i've seen, he's constantly playing a deep, deep zone over the middle, so the only chances he would have are on deep overthrows or tipped balls, and i've mostly seen people throw short against USC. it's like they don't want to give him a chance to make a play on the ball.

 

i like curry's insane number of solo tackles, but i also like spikes' picks. we haven't talked a lot about spikes. he shows up every time florida plays in a big, big way. he only weighs 243, but he could add weight. plus, if he's strong enough, i don't care how much he weighs. i wouldn't want to have two ted LBs in a 3-4, though. you definitely need a mike in there.

 

it seems like the three best all-around LBs are cushing, spikes and curry, and i think an all-around defender is what we need the most.

 

we should all hope that jackson slides to round 2, though. he will likely be a good addition on the D-line.

[lemosley01]

Orakpo is no slouch either - the number of sacks and TFLs is pretty - he's definitely getting pentration and is hugely strong. Not sure how he fits in for the Browns though.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

As much as Ohio State used Laurinaitis dropping back into coverage, his stats are way better then Maualuga's.

 

I made a point in another thread that sometimes playersare overevaluated because of the talent around them. Rey was surrounded by great talent at LB and SS.

 

Maybe a DE from Texas or a LB from Wake Forest excelled not because of the talent around them, but inspite of it. Once they get away from their teams and start playing on a equal playing field the cream will come to the top and some will be exposed.

 

That's what makes the draft such a crap shoot.

[Riffer X]

As much as Ohio State used Laurinaitis dropping back into coverage, his stats are way better then Maualuga's.

 

I made a point in another thread that sometimes playersare overevaluated because of the talent around them. Rey was surrounded by great talent at LB and SS.

 

Maybe a DE from Texas or a LB from Wake Forest excelled not because of the talent around them, but inspite of it. Once they get away from their teams and start playing on a equal playing field the cream will come to the top and some will be exposed.

 

That's what makes the draft such a crap shoot.

 

I'll say it again, people are underestimating Laurinaitis.

 

I can't wait to see his combine numbers. If he does what I think, his stock will skyrocket.

 

[JewDago]

he needs to destroy the bench press.

[Guest Aloysius]

for a guy as fast as mays to not have any INTs in the past two years is ridiculous. either dude has hands like michael jackson/dyson or he's not being put in a position where he can make great plays on the ball.

 

from what i've seen, he's constantly playing a deep, deep zone over the middle, so the only chances he would have are on deep overthrows or tipped balls, and i've mostly seen people throw short against USC. it's like they don't want to give him a chance to make a play on the ball.

That's my sense as well, though I did see him drop a not too difficult INT opportunity during the first half of the UCLA game.

[BigBrownsFan]

I'll say it again, people are underestimating Laurinaitis.

 

Yeah, he has never been overhyped.

 

[Flugel]

Weird about Rey and Mays' numbers on THE best defense in the nation (and maybe in recent years). Maybe just too many great players for one to pile up numbers? Can't say.

 

I'm betting Rey, Curry, Mays, and Beanie are all excellent pros.

 

 

When you got the next generation of Clay Matthews running 4.5s pressuring passers off the edge - you don't need to waste Rey on inside blitzes very often.

 

In reviewing Rey's All American highlights yesterday - they showed him intercepting passes and scoring a TD on one of them. Our defense has 1 TD in 2008 so I like the way Rey can make plays in the passing game when teams are shying away from him in other areas. One of the things you gotta also look at is how often was USC playing with leads where the opponent wasn't going to be running the ball as well as how frequently they get off the field after 3 downs.

 

I look at Lauranitis and then I look at Rey - I don't care HOW MANY tackles Lauranitis makes because opponents don't shy away from him. When Ohio State played LSU - how many times did Lauranitis impact the game to OSU's benefit? I remembered Katzenmoyer scaring the crap out of people that played OSU. There was a Bowl Game either against Texas A&M or ASU where Katzenmoyer lit some kid up so bad the kid's helmet flew about 15 yards. You better BELIEVE they wanted to know where he was the rest of the game. Unfortunately the Big Kat had the same cervical disc problems as a pro that cut short Spielman's career. That said, Pioli and BB loved him enough to draft him at the "gotta have" draft location.

 

When teams play USC and they're scared to test the middle which features Rey and Taylor Mays so it explains why they don't rack up the Wali Rainer tackle volumes. I've never once seen Lauranitis lay someone out where the opponent needs to worry about him. Doesn't mean he can't be a solid pro - I just wouldn't want him where we are picking in round 1. We need a difference maker that changes opponent's game plans.

 

Curry also looks like that difference maker type we need. Our coach always used to tell us that tackle stats don't always tell the whole story. Anyone can sneak into a pile and wrap their arms around the ballcarriers ankles. He told our team captain who was expecting praise after he made 20 tackles that he would have rather seen half the tackles and our defense off the field after 3 plays instead of extended scoring drives. That infuriorated our captain BUT it also made sense that we weren't having guys making plays close enough to the line of scrimmage to make the tackle volumes significant. USC's defense gets off the field so that shouldn't penalize their playmakers.

- Tom F.

[WPB Dawg Fan]

Here are our top defensive players considered for the Browns (I couldn't get Selvie's stats)

DEFENSIVE LEADERS      GP  Solo  Ast  Total  TFL/Yds  Sacks-Yds  Int-Yds  BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds FF Kick
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LB Maualuga, Rey       11   45   28     73    2.5-11       .      2-48      3    1     .    .   . 
LB Cushing, Brian      12   40   26     66   10.0-47    2.5-19    1-0       6    1     .    1   .
LB Laurinaitis, J      12   46   75    121    5.5-32    4.0-28    2-0       4    1     .    1   .
LB Curry, Aaron        12   63   38    101   15.0-47    2.5-16    1-22      3    2    3-3   1   .
LB Spikes, B           12   48   39     87    8.0-29    2.0-13    4-93      2    4     .    .   . 
DE Orakpo, Brian       11   29   11     40   18.0-102  10.5-90      .       2   27     .    4   .
DE Tyson Jackson       12   15   19     34    8.5-33    4.5-27      .       8    7    1-18  .   .
DE Michael Johnson     12   26   17     43   15.0-84    7.0-70    1-26     15    .    1-0   2   1 
SS Mays, Taylor        12   35   14     49    2.0-7        .        .       8    .     .    .   .
CB Davis, Vontae       12   53   25     78    7.0-18       .      2-12     18    1    1-0   3   .
CB Jenkins, Malc       12   32   22     54    3.5-23    1.0-8     3-7       9    .     .    3   2

 

To be honest...the biggest problem I have with Maualuga is the lack of TFL combined with zero sacks. That just doesn't spell playing at the LOS like a SILB needs to be doing to me.

 

As for Laurinaitis....the vast majority of his stats are ASSISTS. I prefer a guy who is the primary tackler.

 

Out of the guys listed, I like the following:

Curry - MOST solo tackles, REAL NICE TFL stats, decent Sacks, and involved in 4 take aways

Spikes - Nice TFL, couple of sacks, but EXCELLENT pass defense numbers (4 INT's)

Orakpo - HUGE TFL numbers, HUGE SACK numbers

Johnson - Solid tackle numbers for DE, REAL NICE TFL stats, GREAT SACKS for DE

Davis - Good tackle numbers for CB, EXCELLENT TFL stats for CB, and 18 breakups

 

I understand being on an excellent defense effects the numbers for Maualuga and Mays, but like I said...his TFL and Sack numbers just don't indicate a lot of plays close to the LOS...and as for Mays...NO INT's, only 8 break ups, and only 2 TFL (zero sacks) just don't indicate the aggression I was hearing about.

 

[Flugel]

To be honest...the biggest problem I have with Maualuga is the lack of TFL combined with zero sacks. That just doesn't spell playing at the LOS like a SILB needs to be doing to me.

 

As for Laurinaitis....the vast majority of his stats are ASSISTS. I prefer a guy who is the primary tackler.

 

That's not a bad point John BUT someone else mentioned he had 6 sacks the year before. As I said before, USC gets off the field quite a bit after just 3 downs of defense so do we penalize Rey for less opportunity than he had in 2007? His All American film this year shows him taking an INT to the end zone. How many times has D'Qwell done this for us in his first 48 games with the Browns? Ray Lewis isn't really a sacker either. That said, Lewis scored on an INT vrs us in the 2nd matchup of 2007 and he scored on another INT retrun vrs us this year. I don't know about you - but I'd trade that for a sack every time.

 

Besides, when you've got backup DEs like Clay Matthews rotating in with 4.5 speed off the edge - what's the necessity to blitz Rey anyway? In addition to that, USC is loaded on defense so Rey never has to end nearly as many plays as Curry and some others might.

 

First impressions go a long way with me. Nobody ever made my jaw hit the floor like Rey did in 2007. I haven't seen USC play very much in 2008 because they usually kick everyones' tails so bad that it's hard to get excited about watching them clobber another team with one tenth of their overall talent.

 

Am I overrating Rey? It's very possible and I wouldn't have ANY complaints about Curry if he becomes our guy. The best way to explain Rey is to tell you to watch him before looking at paper. I can't tell you how many people once thought Wali Rainer should have made the Pro Bowl simply because they looked at tackle volume instead of realizing he was the bullseye for opposing game plans. The reason opponents wanted to exploit him is because he lacked instincts to make tackles where we needed him to make them. How many times did it look like Corey Dillon would rush for 200 yards on us by halftime? Wali usually tackled guys when he could read their names on the upper back. There's a reason ONLY Detroit was interested in Wali's services after we upgraded the MLB spot to Earl Holmes. Ironically, I think we made the playoffs the year Holmes started in our middle. If not, I know Tupa will be more than happy to tell me I'm wrong.

- Tom F.