David Veikune

[YtownBrownsBacker]

During the owners meetings Mangini went to Hawaii to work out Veikune. In their draft analysis NFL.com compares him to Tedy Bruschi as a 3-4 high motor LB.

 

6'2" and 257 lbs. benched 225 lbs 35 times and at his pro day ran a 4.76. Had 9 sacks as a senior and 25 tackles for loss his last two years.

 

NFL.com says he sheds blocks well, uses his hands well and has played with his hand down and standing up.

 

I give the FO and coaching staff kudo's for doing their homework and getting this guy. This was a guy that Mangini stole out from under percels. Mangini says he expects him to come in and compete for playing time immediately.

[mole644]

Sounds like a poor mans Barwin to me. I like it. I think.

[Oldcrow1945]

During the owners meetings Mangini went to Hawaii to work out Veikune. In their draft analysis NFL.com compares him to Tedy Bruschi as a 3-4 high motor LB.

 

6'2" and 257 lbs. benched 225 lbs 35 times and at his pro day ran a 4.76. Had 9 sacks as a senior and 25 tackles for loss his last two years.

 

NFL.com says he sheds blocks well, uses his hands well and has played with his hand down and standing up.

 

I give the FO and coaching staff kudo's for doing their homework and getting this guy. This was a guy that Mangini stole out from under percels. Mangini says he expects him to come in and compete for playing time immediately.

 

And he'll play ILB just as Teddy did. They didn't bring this guy in to play a rush OLB. Mangini will see him as a run stuffer.

 

Too bad, They could've had him at the top of the 4th.

 

Bowens and Wimbley will play the outside.

[Mr. T]

We still need some depth at OLB, but we cant fix everything in one draft. Maybe we will find a future hall of famer tomorrow.

[Oldcrow1945]

We still need some depth at OLB,

 

Brandon Long....If he's still around in the 4th. I have a feeling he'll go in the third though.

 

 

[YtownBrownsBacker]

And he'll play ILB just as Teddy did. They didn't bring this guy in to play a rush OLB. Mangini will see him as a run stuffer.

 

Too bad, They could've had him at the top of the 4th.

 

Bowens and Wimbley will play the outside.

 

He's an OLB. PLayed DE at Hawaii. Maybe when you went and worked him out he could of projected as a ILB. But Mangini stated tonight that he should come in and compete with Wimbley and Hall for playing time from day one. Since Percels said he was one that got away from him, I believe like this FO probably did, that he was going to be gone by the end of round 2.

 

If he was the top rated LB on their board they shouldn't pass on him because he has a round 3 grade. Mangini went to his pro day in Hawaii and the kid really impressed. Don't diss a guy, you knew zero about before this afternoon.

[Oldcrow1945]

He's an OLB. PLayed DE at Hawaii. Maybe when you went and worked him out he could of projected as a ILB. But Mangini stated tonight that he should come in and compete with Wimbley and Hall for playing time from day one. Since Percels said he was one that got away from him, I believe like this FO probably did, that he was going to be gone by the end of round 2.

 

If he was the top rated LB on their board they shouldn't pass on him because he has a round 3 grade. Mangini went to his pro day in Hawaii and the kid really impressed. Don't diss a guy, you knew zero about before this afternoon.

 

I want to see the quote where Mangini specifically mentioned Hall and Wimbley.

 

I read the interview. Kokinis said Coleman and Elam would come in and compete right away. Mangini nor the GM said that about Veikune.

 

Are you now making up stories to try and make your point?

 

I'll be waiting for that quote.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

I want to see the quote where Mangini specifically mentioned Hall and Wimbley.

 

I read the interview. Kokinis said Coleman and Elam would come in and compete right away. Mangini nor the GM said that about Veikune.

 

Are you now making up stories to try and make your point?

 

I'll be waiting for that quote.

 

You have been whining all day about the draft and you probably never heard of this guy. The ESPN affiliate in Youngstown had a guy in Berea and he asked about Veikune. Mangini told him about traveling to Hawaii during the Owners meeting and working him out. He also told him that he was had the highest grade on their board of any player in a need position.

 

He said that he will come to camp and compete at OLB for playing time. Mangini said they expect him to contribute this year at OLB and are very high on him.

 

Those coments were played back to our Draft Party put on by the radio station. It was when Mangini came out to the overflow room and talked to the media there and answered questions.

 

So, you can sit with your head under a rock and ignore what you don't want to hear.

 

 

 

[Guest Aloysius]

Here's a scouting report on Veikune:

 

GENERAL REPORT

GRADE: 6.54

 

Body Structure: Veikune might lack ideal height and bulk for an NFL defensive end, but if moved to linebacker, he has the physical hand use and stout frame to split double teams. He is a well-proportioned player with a thick upper body and a strong torso. He has good lower frame muscle mass and while undersized, he demonstrates excellent power and leg drive. He has a tight waist and hips, with good abdomen definition, thick thighs and calves.

 

Athletic Ability: Veikune demonstrates very good lower-body flexibility. He is able to redirect with no wasted motion and demonstrates proper knee bend and balance to be effective as a bull rusher. He lacks blazing speed, but is slippery getting through trash and has the straight-line burst to surprise a lethargic offensive tackle. He generates a quick first step to gain penetration and the agility and balance to pressure the pocket. He is relentless in pursuit and has the first step that allows him to greatly affect pass protection coverage. He is a disruptive force when given a free lane into the backfield. With his balance and strength, he is capable of working down the line and doing a nice job on stunts. GRADE: 7.2

 

Football Sense: Veikune is a quick learner who also excels in the class room. He has a good grasp of defensive coverage and offensive blocking schemes. He is a minimal rep type that takes the plays from the chalkboard to the playing field with no problems. He is a focused athlete who plays until the whistle. He can adjust on the run and has no problems executing counter moves in attempts to defeat double teams. GRADE: 6.4

 

Character: Veikune comes from a military family, so adhering to structure will never be a problem. He is well liked by his teammates and the coaching staff. He is well-mannered, getting good family support and has no known off-field issues. He is even-tempered off the field and accountable for his actions on it. He has good leadership skills and will gladly mentor the younger players. He is a good role model for the Hawaii program. GRADE: 6.3

 

Competitiveness: Veikune plays with great passion and intensity. He wears his heart on the outside of his chest. He is a fearless type who plays through injuries that would sideline most players. He is a good mentor in the training room and pushes his teammates to excel. He is tough on himself after a loss, but immediately begins preparing for his next opponent. He plays with a mean streak and will not hesitate to mix it up in the trenches. GRADE: 6.4

 

Work Habits: Veikune is the unquestioned leader in the training room and pushes others to get the best out of their ability. Despite being one of the lighter defensive linemen at the Combine, he nearly blew everyone away with his stellar performance in the bench press (35 reps). The staff says there is no better player to coach. He studies film, works hard in practice and is a regular and diligent worker in the weight room. He is a high-tempo type that never takes a play off. He stays focused on the field and you will never see him step out of line and cost the team with an unnecessary penalty. GRADE: 6.4

 

ATHLETIC REPORT

GRADE: 6.19

 

Explosion/Pursuit: Veikune lacks the ideal quickness you look for in an edge rusher, but he can generate a quick first step, demonstrating a low pad level to get off the snap and gain leverage. His lateral quickness isn't as great, but has the strong hand punch to jolt blockers when working down the line. He is sudden in his movements, easily beating a lethargic offensive tackle when coming off the edge. His initial step will generally affect the offensive protection and he is very efficient pressuring the pocket. He flies off the ball with good urgency, keeping his hands extended to fend off low blocks. GRADE: 5.6

 

Strength at Point: Veikune has excellent hand strength and keeps his pad level down to engage and shed blocks. He has no problem vs. plays directed at him, but because of size and bulk issues, he has to remain active with his hands in order to disengage from blocks. His tenacity and raw power help him beat his bigger opponent and he has developed an effective outside arm action to get across the face of the blocker quickly. He is capable of playing with leverage and controlling blockers when he keeps his pads down. When he gets too high in his stance, he is susceptible to combo blocks. GRADE: 7.2

 

Use of Hands: When Veikune comes off the snap with arms extended, he can generate a strong jolt to rock the offensive tackle back on his heels. He is quick to get rid of the blocker because of his hand strength, but will revert to exposing himself at times. When he drops his hands, he leaves his body open for the blocker to attack and he then struggles to disengage. Because of his size, he needs to be quick with his hands to get rid of blockers. He plays better on the move, as linemen have trouble containing his speed and hand jolt. He can control the lead block and drive the fullback into the rush lane, which makes me feel that he could be a very nice fit as a 3-4 alignment inside linebacker. He has the hand strength to make drag-down tackles and uses his wing span and arm strength to wrap and secure the ballcarrier. GRADE: 7.3

 

Lateral Pursuit/Effort: Veikune has an effective straight-line burst and also is effective changing direction. He has the lateral movement skills to work down the line, but must do a better job maintaining balance and body control working his way through trash and getting over the piles. He has that relentless motor that makes him run long distances in attempts to make the play. He stays on his feet well, but can be tripped up by low blocks when sliding down the line. GRADE: 5.5

 

Tackling Ability: Veikune is best when tackling on the move. He has adequate lateral agility, but his feet seem slower when he has to give the big chase, even though the effort is there. He keeps his pads down and arms extended to wrap and secure. His strength is his best asset here, as he can explode into the ball carrier, causing the opponent to lose site of the ball and create the turnover. He is effective at stopping ballcarriers at the line of scrimmage (17 tackles for losses and 11 others where the ballcarrier was stopped for no gain among Veikune's 73 tackles in 2008, as runners gained just 1.81 yards per carry vs. him in 2008). Veikune's 2008 game film shows he was making a more conscious effort to play with the correct pad level and helmet placement in order to make the tackle. GRADE: 6.4

 

Run Defense: With his knee bend and lower-body strength, Veikune generates good hip snap to get out of his stance to shock the offensive tackle. He sheds blocks adequately and can locate the ball at the point of attack. His lack of bulk hurts him when he doesn't get his hands up quick enough to prevent the blocker from attacking his body (slow to disengage). When he gets a side on a blocker, he keeps it and has the lower-body power to maintain position at the point of attack. When he gets high in his stance, he will struggle to shed. GRADE: 6.0

 

Pass Rush: While Veikune has good explosion off the edge and has become a disruptive force pressuring the pocket (11 hurries in 2008), it is rare to hear his number called on blitzes. He has the potential to be a capable pass rusher, demonstrating good knee bend with good arm under action to slip off blocks, but for some reason, he lacks consistency in keeping his balance when trying to finish with blockers all over him. He has the strength to pull and jerk down the blocker and can counter, rip and bull rush. He has experience shooting the inside gaps and a possible move to inside linebacker could see him have good success getting past the slower offensive guards. GRADE: 6.1

 

Closing on the QB: Veikune is less effective taking the long loop off the edge to pressure the pocket than when charging up the middle. He lacks blazing speed and with his size, he is susceptible to the combo blocks. He has good arm strength but will struggle to shed if he fails to keep his hands inside his frame. He has decent acceleration out of his stance, but gets much better production when he can shoot the gaps and angle to the passer rather than take the long distance run around the corner. GRADE: 5.6

 

Instincts/Recognition: Veikune is alert to pocket protection and blocking pressure. He plays better when he is standing up, can dip and slip past a slower blocker rather than wear down by having to combat the linemen on every play. He has the vicious hand swipe and enough lower-body power to split double teams, making him an interesting project for inside linebacker (he can be very good getting gap penetration). GRADE: 6.0

 

Compares To: TEDY BRUSCHI, New England -- Coming out of Arizona, Bruschi was the same type of player that Veikune is in that he made up for a lack of blazing speed with a relentless motor. With his ability to explode into bigger offensive linemen and make plays vs. action in front of him, Veikune could be a "poor man's" Bruschi in a 3-4 alignment. What better place for him to hone his skills than learning from the master himself in New England?

 

OVERALL GRADE: 6.25

[Guest Aloysius]

And he'll play ILB just as Teddy did. They didn't bring this guy in to play a rush OLB. Mangini will see him as a run stuffer.

 

Too bad, They could've had him at the top of the 4th.

 

Bowens and Wimbley will play the outside.

Funny you mentioned Bowens. It sounds like Mangini & Kokinis see him as a similar type of player: a smart, high effort guy who's versatile enough to play either inside or out.

 

[DawgTracker]

On Veikune... he came up here and he was very interesting. Great measurables, great production. Fits as an OLB in the 3-4. Obviously rated higher on our board than on others. I'm, again... intrigued.

 

But two highly rated WRs? Again... interesting. Feels like a trade waiting to happen.

 

I remember that discussion and when the Browns picked him I said "That is a guy I wanted the browns to get" If you are confident a guy will contribute it doesn't make sense to wait because the talking heads say he might have been available later. Last year I wanted the Browns to pick Gocong and he went much earlier than most expected.

[Rooster Dick]

So we lost Winslow for this guy?

 

He's no Clay 3.

[SoCalBrownsFan]

So we lost Winslow for this guy?

 

He's no Clay 3.

 

 

We draft a special team player in the second round??? That is all Veikune will be. Great second round pick.

[Guest Aloysius]

My guess is that Kokinis/Mangini don't draft Veikune in round 2 unless they really loved him and see him contributing at OLB. Just ask yourself if you really believe you know more about personnel than George Kokinis. Then wake up.

If you buy that, then you shouldn't comment on any of these picks. After all, Kokinis knows more than you.

 

Still not sure what I think of Veikune. Watched the Notre Dame game last night and am hoping to watch some more of him. But I think people here have a right to criticize the pick and where it was made. After all, we both respect Sobo's opinion a ton, and he gave Veikune a mid/late 3rd round grade.

[Oldcrow1945]

Funny you mentioned Bowens. It sounds like Mangini & Kokinis see him as a similar type of player: a smart, high effort guy who's versatile enough to play either inside or out.

 

 

It was good to hear Mangini mention him playing inside. If you look at Veikune's numbers and strengths, it screams inside LB. He's short for a OLB rush guy. One of his weakness is that he can get swallowed up by big OT's and doesn't have the elite speed for beating OT's.

 

But his strengths are his Brute strength and his abiltiy to shed blocks. If they brought him in the play the middle I like this pick much more than I thought I would. He also gives you the bulk inside that you miss with having Jackson in the middle.

 

I could very easily see a starting four of Bowens, Jackson, Veikune and Wimbley.

 

[Guest Aloysius]

Fair enough.

[NebBrownsFan]

If you buy that, then you shouldn't comment on any of these picks. After all, Kokinis knows more than you.

 

Still not sure what I think of Veikune. Watched the Notre Dame game last night and am hoping to watch some more of him. But I think people here have a right to criticize the pick and where it was made. After all, we both respect Sobo's opinion a ton, and he gave Veikune a mid/late 3rd round grade.

 

Considering they didn't have a 3rd round pick, and apparently really like the guy, they must have felt he would have gone in the 3rd.

[flipflop]

I like the pick.

 

Read somewhere he is from a military family...has excellent discipline and is first to hit the gym.

 

Rey Rey declined to meet with the browns prior to the draft. Mangini also went out to USC's pro day.

 

[Gips]

Sounds like a poor mans Barwin to me. I like it. I think.

 

The footage ive seen of Veikune is hilarious the guy is a brute as an undersized DE and he acts more like a LB you see a poor mans barwin i see a polamalu plus in this guy he will be a very solid player in our defense...

[Guest Aloysius]

Veikune exhibited exceptional special teams ability during the Senior Bowl. Two of his three tackles in the game came on specials, but his best work came as a blocker on returns. On one kickoff, I saw him take out two to three blockers, allowing the returner to cut back and gain an additional 8-10 yards. Looks like he'll be Josh Cribbs' best friend.

 

However, other aspects of his game concern me a little. As OldCrow mentioned, he's not the most fluid athlete. I saw him lose his footing twice: once changing directions while covering a punt, the other while trying to run a stunt. And while he got some pressure from the right side, he never actually beat an offensive tackle with quickness or good rush moves - his success came when he beat a TE or the TE released but pressure from elsewhere forced the QB to hold onto the ball.

 

He particularly struggled against William Beatty, a legit LT prospect with some strength/toughness issues. Veikune wasn't able to use his quick first step to beat him, and his attempts to bull rush Beatty were similarly ineffective. Of the DE group he rotated in (Robert Ayers, Kyle Moore, Lawrence Sidbury), Veikune may have been the least impressive pass rusher.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

Veikune feels like a guy we'd pass on and the Steelers would take -- high motor guy with a nasty streak -- and he'd become a star.

 

He did 35 reps.......................now that's impressive. In 3 years from now, when this draft can be rated, we will all know if he was a reach or the real thing.

[Dan in Florida]

I did read in the Miami Herald that the Dolphins (Parcells) brought him in down here and they were targeting him as one of their possible choices probably in the 3rd round.

 

Being that we had no 3rd round pick, and ManKok wanted the guy, I like the pick.

[Guest Aloysius]

Also ran a 4.6 something and jumped 35 or 36, right? That's major explosion.

4.79 40, 33" vert.

[Oldcrow1945]

Veikune exhibited exceptional special teams ability during the Senior Bowl. Two of his three tackles in the game came on specials, but his best work came as a blocker on returns. On one kickoff, I saw him take out two to three blockers, allowing the returner to cut back and gain an additional 8-10 yards. Looks like he'll be Josh Cribbs' best friend.

 

However, other aspects of his game concern me a little. As OldCrow mentioned, he's not the most fluid athlete. I saw him lose his footing twice: once changing directions while covering a punt, the other while trying to run a stunt. And while he got some pressure from the right side, he never actually beat an offensive tackle with quickness or good rush moves - his success came when he beat a TE or the TE released but pressure from elsewhere forced the QB to hold onto the ball.

 

He particularly struggled against William Beatty, a legit LT prospect with some strength/toughness issues. Veikune wasn't able to use his quick first step to beat him, and his attempts to bull rush Beatty were similarly ineffective. Of the DE group he rotated in (Robert Ayers, Kyle Moore, Lawrence Sidbury), Veikune may have been the least impressive pass rusher.

 

In the end what do you think Aloy?....Not what you are hearing but what you think. Do you see him as a better fit at OLB or ILB?

 

[Guest Aloysius]

Still need to see more of him. Hopefully, I'll get ahold of a few more games to watch in the next couple days.

[Oldcrow1945]

Still need to see more of him. Hopefully, I'll get ahold of a few more games to watch in the next couple days.

Please share when you do.

[sisky fringo]

During the owners meetings Mangini went to Hawaii to work out Veikune. In their draft analysis NFL.com compares him to Tedy Bruschi as a 3-4 high motor LB.

 

6'2" and 257 lbs. benched 225 lbs 35 times and at his pro day ran a 4.76. Had 9 sacks as a senior and 25 tackles for loss his last two years.

 

NFL.com says he sheds blocks well, uses his hands well and has played with his hand down and standing up.

 

I give the FO and coaching staff kudo's for doing their homework and getting this guy. This was a guy that Mangini stole out from under percels. Mangini says he expects him to come in and compete for playing time immediately.

don't forget the warrior blood.

 

this beast is

 

in.....tan.....gible......and seems to innately have the heart of the Pre-Browns Browns.

 

love the pick on paper so far and don't miss Clay 3 a bit.....oddly enough.

 

kok/man batted a thousand top to bottom.

 

[ndneighbor]

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/06/2...ts/story04.html

 

Found this 2008 article on Veikune. How about a 500 lb. bench press.

 

That was before his senior year. Sounds like a number we heard associated w/Arakpo.

[Guest Aloysius]

Brandon Long....If he's still around in the 4th. I have a feeling he'll go in the third though.

Per Matt Maiocco:

 

--The team has no plans to sign undrafted free agent linebacker Worrell Williams (Cal), who was unable to show his stuff at minicamp because of an injury.

 

--The 49ers are open to signing undrafted rookie defensive end Brandon Long (Michigan State) after he recovers from a stress fracture in his foot. The team agreed to terms with him last week, but he failed the physical and was sent home.

It'll be interesting to see if either of these guys get picked up. Both are talented enough to play on Sundays.

[Oldcrow1945]

Per Matt Maiocco:

 

I'm glad you pointed that out Aloy. That still shocks me. This guy had an unbelievable pro day. Ran the 40 in 4.58. 33 reps on the bench. Even with the stress fracture I would've taken a shot at him.

 

With him being a local guy I'm really, really disappointed the browns didn't sign him.