The Tens

[Guest Aloysius]

When evaluating pass-rushers, it's always a good idea to check out how quickly they ran the first ten yards of their 40 yard dashes. Though an imperfect indicator, it usually gives you a good sense of how quick and explosive they are off the snap.

 

With that in mind, here's how some of the top 3-4 OLB prospects ran their 10's at the Combine:

• Clay Matthews - 1.49
• Lawrence Sidbury - 1.53
• Michael Johnson - 1.56
• Aaron Maybin - 1.57
• Connor Barwin - 1.58
• Brian Cushing - 1.58
• Brian Orakpo - 1.58
• Clint Sintim - 1.58
• David Veikune - 1.58
• Everette Brown - 1.59
• Orion Martin - 1.59
• Paul Kruger - 1.60
• Cody Brown - 1.63
• Larry English - 1.64
• Robert Ayers - 1.66
• Will Davis - 1.67
• Brandon Williams - 1.69
• Maurice Evans - 1.73
• Tim Jamison - 1.75

There aren't really any big surprises here, but I would have expected Sintim to be lower and Cody Brown to be a little bit higher on the list.

[JewDago]

looks like matthews is definitely gonna go in the first, probably from 18 on. his rise from midseason through the combine has been insane.

[Guest Aloysius]

I'm guessing ManKok would rather not have to face the PR disaster of passing on Matthews at the top of the 2nd. They've already begun telling reporters that he's not a scheme fit, which is a simpler way of saying he'd be an undersized WOLB in our system, and we're not yet looking to replace Kam Wimbley.

[JewDago]

they can say anything they want to. if matthews is available in the top of the second and the browns pass on him, there'll be a massive shitstorm.

 

his name is exactly the same as an old browns great and he'll likely be a decent player. that's all most fans will see.

[Gips]

I havent heard mankok say anything about it but if they feel matthews is a no fit we dont take him mankok is going to be a 2 headed bear about the fit thing thats why we dont have 50 FAs beating our FO doors down...i love clay too and would love to see us get him and make him fit but im guessing mangini knows exactly what he is looking for...

 

Mankok is building their own original monster from scratch and its hard for us to evaluate what they are looking for until they have actually built the prototype we cant base it off of the jets or ravens they have said all along it will be the cleveland browns own thing..so we wait and guess some more.. hehehehe

[Guest mz.]

if matthews is available in the top of the second and the browns pass on him, there'll be a massive shitstorm.

 

Yeah, and it's quite unfortunate. If Bernie Kosar had a kid who ran the forty in 25 seconds most "Browns fans" would create the same shitstorm if we didn't draft him. "They"'ll get over it.

 

[Tobalaz]

I'm sorry.

I just don't see how Matthews "doesn't fit" somewhere.

He's played ILB, OLB and DE.

He's explosive off the ball.

He's got a nose for the ball and is a team first kind of guy with strong character.

 

You FIND a place for a kid like that on your team.

He's going to be the next Vrable (without the dirty play).

[Geech]

I'm sorry.

I just don't see how Matthews "doesn't fit" somewhere.

He's played ILB, OLB and DE.

He's explosive off the ball.

 

CM3 is 6'3" 240. That 240 might be what is scaring Kokingina. At 6'3", he has the frame to add some bulk, but what will that do to his "explosive(ness) off the ball?"

 

Clay Matthews III

 

Negatives:

Has less than a full season as a starter and only 10 career starts -- all in 2008. Surrounded by so much talent at USC that holes in his game could have been disguised. Lacks the bulk to remain at defensive end. Prefers to run around blocks rather than take them on. While he improved as the year went on, remains a work in progress in disengaging from blocks. Suffered broken left thumb against Nebraska, then fractured a metacarpal later in season, then had to have surgery after the bowl game as it did not heal properly.

 

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/clay-m...le-tab-analysis

 

I must admit that personally, I would find it tough to pass on his versatility. As nfldraftscout.com states in their positive section on CM3, he "may be just scratching the surface of his potential."

 

-Al

[Guest Aloysius]

I'm sorry.

I just don't see how Matthews "doesn't fit" somewhere.

He's played ILB, OLB and DE.

He's explosive off the ball.

He's got a nose for the ball and is a team first kind of guy with strong character.

Not sure he's ever played ILB. And from what I hear, he had DE responsibilities even when he was in a two point stance last year, meaning that he hasn't really played OLB.

 

In the end, that's doesn't really matter much. Based on his size and athleticism, he could actually be a good outside linebacker in a 4-3 (it may be his ideal position). But the adjustment from playing DE to ILB would be a big one; I wouldn't draft him to play inside in a 3-4.

 

And Al makes a great point about size. All of Mangini's OLB's last year were 6'2"-6'4", 265-270 lbs. Matthews doesn't fit that mold; he's more of a fit for a Rex Ryan or Wade Phillips-style 3-4, in which the OLB's aren't asked as much to be forces in the run game.

 

Matthews definitely has immense potential, but I'm not sure he's a good fit for us. He could be a Lawrence Timmons-type weapon for us, but I think ManKok will be looking to fill more conventional roster holes before they bring in a specialty guy.

[Mr. T]

Matthews is an old school guy who loves football, what he lacks in what consider the NFL mold he makes up 10 times with the size of his heart and his play. He would be a solid pick anywhere.

[Guest Aloysius]

One other small bit of info to consider: in his breakout senior year, Matthews only notched 4.5 sacks. That's pretty low for a guy many are expecting to be a top-flight pass rusher.

 

It's another way in which he's similar to Lawrence Timmons, who declared after notching five sacks his junior year. If you look at the guys' workout numbers, they're nearly identical (though Matthews is 2" taller and 10 lbs. heavier).

[Mr. T]

One other small bit of info to consider: in his breakout senior year, Matthews only notched 4.5 sacks. That's pretty low for a guy many are expecting to be a top-flight pass rusher.

 

It's another way in which he's similar to Lawrence Timmons, who declared after notching five sacks his junior year. If you look at the guys' workout numbers, they're nearly identical (though Matthews is 2" taller and 10 lbs. heavier).

 

 

We do need a pass rusher in a bad way. Matthews played many positions on defense. Im not sure if he was always in pass rush mode on 3rd downs. One thing I like about USC Defensive players are they wont need a ton of work to start in the pros. the groundwork has allready been laid.

[Legacy Fan]

I think NFL strength & conditioning coaches can easily add 10-15 to Clay 3 without him falling past the middle of that pack.

 

Hell, I had the owner of some small-time gym add 10 lbs to me and I didn't lose a step (it was HS so it could have been a physiological difference between a 17 yr-old and a 22 yr-old). He was good, but he wasn't employed by an NFL team.

[Guest AdaM]

Seriously fellas, C3 has the pedigree to be an excellent player for a looooong time in this league. Look at his old man and his uncle. The genetics in that family is specifically made for playing football at a high level.

 

It would be a colossal bungle by our FO if we were to pass on this kid.

 

I agree.

If he's available and we pass... ugh.

[WPB Dawg Fan]

I'm guessing ManKok would rather not have to face the PR disaster of passing on Matthews at the top of the 2nd. They've already begun telling reporters that he's not a scheme fit, which is a simpler way of saying he'd be an undersized WOLB in our system, and we're not yet looking to replace Kam Wimbley.

I don't know Alo...I mean...considering the plethora of information coming out of our FO...I can't be sure if this is defusing the public or setting a smoke screen so we can sneak in and swoop him up.

 

I kind of like this FO secrecy stuff. It lets us...the AMATEURS...have a lot of leeway as to what we think will happen.