Alex the Mack

[CalBear03]

http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2009/...2008-highlights

 

Enjoy the vid. Nice pickup by the Browns.

[calfoxwc]

GREAT VIDEO !

 

Mack is a powerhouse. We've been needing a center that can dominate.

 

His outstanding power, and surprising quick feet and balance, enables him

 

to knock his guy all the way back 4 yds into the end zone, or shove his guy

 

into the turf and then block another guy...

 

He will be to the center position that Joe Thomas is to the LT position.

 

Butt-kickin.

[G_Man]

WOW ! Forget "Mack the Knife" How about:

 

MACK THE HAMMER !!

 

 

I can,t wait for Howie Dawg and my annual pilgrimage to see the Chargers game in December.

 

GO BROWNS !!

[Guest Aloysius]

Only one highlight from the USC game. Unfortunately, he had more than one "lowlight" during that game.

 

Still think he was a great pick, but - like all players - he's not as good as his highlights.

[Tobalaz]

Before the draft I would have been thrilled if you would have told me we were getting Mac or Wood, so in my mind this was a great pick.

[YtownBrownsBacker]

Highlight reels are for highlights and that was very impressive. Fast off the snap, gets to the second level, pulls well, quick feet and pancake blocks from a center.

 

Yep, I think he's a bit of an upgrade.

[Guest Aloysius]

Yes, highlight reels are for highlights...but my concerns about Mack's strength developed based on what I saw in the USC game & at the Senior Bowl. So I thought it was interesting that he didn't have many highlight plays in that game.

 

Still think he could be a good to great center, but the meager 20 reps he put up at his pro day didn't dispel those doubts. That, along with being in a pissy mood, resulted in what I posted above.

[Riffer X]

Mack 'n Squash

 

 

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

he's the best run blocker out of any lineman coming out of the draft but struggles at times in pass protection. It seems like when in pass protection he takes a step back and gets to high, if they can teach him to keep the same leverage pass blocking as he does run blocking he'll be ok

[Riffer X]

This may be a surprise to some, but don't be shocked if he starts at guard this year.

 

I'd prefer he step right in and play center, but if the brass thinks it is better for Fraley to mentor him for a year while he gets acclimated at guard they'll do it.

 

Also, since it's that time of year for combine numbers, keep in mind that while bench pressing is a barometer of a guy's overall strength, it is not a total depiction of one's power and leverage.

[Guest Aloysius]

Also, since it's that time of year for combine numbers, keep in mind that while bench pressing is a barometer of a guy's overall strength, it is not a total depiction of one's power and leverage.

Yes, it's not a total depiction. For that, you go to the film and scouting reports like this one:

 

Run Blocking: Mack generates adequate power to drive and stay on a defender. When he stays on his feet, he can consistently work to finish. He shows inconsistency with his redirection skills and needs to develop better hip snap working in space, as this is where he will revert to bending at the waist and this allows defenders to get into his body and knock him off stride too often (see 2008 Maryland and Southern California games). He is a much better blocker in closed quarters, as he will get a bit "antsy" trying to make contact against second-level defenders, where he is more prone to over-extend and get washed out of the play. His low center of gravity has seen him have great success rooting out the defender, as tailback Jahvid Best made a very nice living of hitting the inside rush lanes between center and guard for long gains on the ground in 2008 (see 2008 Michigan State, Arizona, Washington State and Arizona State games), thanks to Mack's ability to keep his pads down and leverage. What separates him from most centers is his good understanding of angles and positioning. He is a productive blocker in-line whose balance and leverage allows him to quickly get in the way of a defender. The only time he struggles is when he has to stand up and face up to the larger defensive tackle, due to his lack of lower body strength (good, just not great). When he stays at a low pad level and delivers his strong hand punch, he will consistently gain leverage. Even though he does not have the brute power to get movement vs. the bigger defenders, he uses his hand placement and base to maintain position and sustain: GRADE: 7.4

Mack's said to have vastly improved his playing strength by putting in a lot of work in the weight room between his junior and senior seasons. Hopefully, he'll only continue to improve at the next level.

[Riffer X]

I always take the defensive when bench pressing is used because the bench is one of my weakest areas in strength. I know it's a different level but in HS I used to throw around a ton of guys bigger and better at the bench. I got into this discussion big time when Lendale White came out and guys proclaimed him as weak based on his bench. Different position to be sure, but my point is some guys' core strength greatly supersedes their bench. The fact that Mack can only get stronger can only enhance his ability to take on the Hampton and Ngata's of the league.

 

Really, I don't expect anybody to throw around those kind of guys, ya just can't get caved into the backfield like Faine and Fraley and even Fowler have (hey that's 3 F's WTF?) If you're a good all around player and can stand your ground that's all you can ask for in a center, basically a guy who doesn't always have to have help doubling. Oh, and IQ can't hurt.

 

Great scouting report Alo.

[Oldcrow1945]

This may have been mentioned and I apologize to any one who did, But my brother told me tonight that he won the Draddy.

I had no idea. That's impressive.

[Riffer X]

This may have been mentioned and I apologize to any one who did, But my brother told me tonight that he won the Draddy.

I had no idea. That's impressive.

 

No offense Crow but how the hell did you miss that tidbit with all your scouting reports? Hell yeah the kid's smart, and outside of QB the center should be the smartest guy on the team IMO.

[OconRecon]

How do you embed these vimeo vids?

[Dan in Florida]

How do you embed these vimeo vids?

 

I would assume like you embed the youtube video (check the pinned thread on it).

 

So here is the example:

 

[ vimeo] 4397805 [ /vimeo]

 

I added spaces so you could see it...just don't have the extra spaces.

 

Youtube is done like:

 

[ youtube] 34534534 [ /youtube] and without the spaces.

[Guest 88fingerslewy]

This may have been mentioned and I apologize to any one who did, But my brother told me tonight that he won the Draddy.

I had no idea. That's impressive.

BTW Crow, the runner-up of the Draddy? A certain Buck-eye wide-out we drafted. Smart crop this year, no doubt.

 

 

[PB&J]

How can you not like this guy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldcrow1945]

BTW Crow, the runner-up of the Draddy? A certain Buck-eye wide-out we drafted. Smart crop this year, no doubt.

 

Wow.....Didn't know that either. I think I have to start expanding my horizons.

[daddybull1]

Living here in Western Pennsylvania I listen to talk shows, read the local print media and get my dose of "bar room" wisdom from the Steeler faithful... Prior to the draft it was widely predicted that the Steelers would draft Mack.....

 

He was #1 on their draft board and the talking heads were really pissed and ranted on & on when we drafted him...

 

You have to give kudo's to Fraley when you look at how he became our starter once LeCharles went down....

 

He went from our 4th or 5th choice to being voted a team captain... Fraley survived on technique and veteran savy last year because physically he was over matched by the new breed of nose tackles and quite truthfully he's getting a bit long in the tooth....

 

A tremendous upgrade in my opinion....

 

T.Dawg

[Guest Aloysius]

I always take the defensive when bench pressing is used because the bench is one of my weakest areas in strength. I know it's a different level but in HS I used to throw around a ton of guys bigger and better at the bench.

Not surprised you outplayed your measurables, Russ. High character players tend to do that.

 

I think the same will happen with Mack, especially once he gets in an NFL weight room. I too would like to see him start out at guard, like Ryan Kalil did when the Panthers drafted him two years ago. But considering how bad Fraley was last year, I'd imagine the team wants him to start at center right away. He may struggle a little bit early on, but he should develop into a solid pro, as well as a good leader in the locker room.

 

Really, I don't expect anybody to throw around those kind of guys, ya just can't get caved into the backfield like Faine and Fraley and even Fowler have (hey that's 3 F's WTF?) If you're a good all around player and can stand your ground that's all you can ask for in a center, basically a guy who doesn't always have to have help doubling. Oh, and IQ can't hurt.

Good point. Inasmuch as I liked Eric Wood's ability to toss around undersized college d-linemen, he too wouldn't get any push on the Hampton, Ngata, and Gregg's of our division. So if Mack can hold his ground, all you're losing is a little added pop and gaining a lot of smarts & athleticism.

 

Sounds like a good trade.

[Guest 88fingerslewy]

Wow.....Didn't know that either. I think I have to start expanding my horizons.

I found it in an article through PFT. It also said:

 

Massaqoui: SEC honour roll

 

Veikune: Graduated with honours

 

Carey: offered an academic scholarship to Yale, Colgate among others.

 

Rookie camp's gonna look like a frickin M.E.N.S.A convention. With less pocket protectors.

[Canton Mike]

I am very pleased with the Brown's drafting highly intelligent players. My take has always been they will "anticipate" & "react" much faster due to better game knowledge, & tend to be leaders on the field. We'll see, but my opinion is that the Brown's have been significantly upgraded this off season.

Mike

[Mr. T]

I found it in an article through PFT. It also said:

 

Massaqoui: SEC honour roll

 

Veikune: Graduated with honours

 

Carey: offered an academic scholarship to Yale, Colgate among others.

 

Rookie camp's gonna look like a frickin M.E.N.S.A convention. With less pocket protectors.

 

 

Under Mankock, character matters.

 

They are looking for the bright/smartest players, not just meat.

[ballpeen]

It's a common trait in almost all the guys we drafted except for maybe davis.....all did well in the classroom.

 

Not to say Davis did poorly...just haven't seen academic awards tagged to him.

 

In the future we will know where to look when we start thinking about who we are going to draft....look for guys who do at least reasonably well in the classroom.

 

Dim players are going to be rare on this team.

 

It might be a good way to gauge who will make the team....go back and look at how some of these past players did in that area. It might not tell you who is dumb as a stump, but it will tell you who did well in school and who you might be able to pull off the potential cut list.

[Guest 88fingerslewy]

Another thing I read somewhere about Mack is how he insisted on playing some guard during senior bowl week. He wanted to show some versatility to help his cause.

 

One of the other things Mangini said when he first got to Cleveland was that he wanted players that football matters to them. Singletary said the same thing in SF. Not paycheck collectors.

 

Mack is definitely a Mangini type guy

[calfoxwc]

I'm still lol at the Steelers/ratbirds/Falcons' draft room folks shaking their heads.

 

In the case of the Steelers, really being screwed. That is GREAT. LOL

[George]

Yes, highlight reels are for highlights...but my concerns about Mack's strength developed based on what I saw in the USC game & at the Senior Bowl. So I thought it was interesting that he didn't have many highlight plays in that game.

 

Still think he could be a good to great center, but the meager 20 reps he put up at his pro day didn't dispel those doubts. That, along with being in a pissy mood, resulted in what I posted above.

 

 

To address your concerns, yes, the Cal O-line couldn't do a thing against USC's front 7, especially run-blocking. Here's the thing, though: Cal was forced to play rookie O-linemen that day due to injuries. I'm talking about guys at right guard and right tackle making their 2nd career starts. I'm talking about a walk-on at left guard. O-lines, especially, benefit from cohesion. Don't think Mack got dominated; he held his own at center. Did he get beat several times? Sure. But overall, he played well against the Trojans. Judge for yourself...

 

 

Regarding the Senior Bowl, take a look at this quote from the Sacramento Bee:

 

Everyone is talking about Boston College's B.J. Raji, and for good reason. Raji measured 6 ½ feet today and weighed 334 pounds. He's built like an oak stump, but he has excellent quickness for a guy that size. He typically had his way with offensive linemen today. The only guy who was able to handle Raji was Cal center Alex Mack, who was easily the best offensive linemen on the North squad and who was considerably better than Oregon's Max Unger, whom many publications have rated higher than Mack. Mack got the better of Raji during team drills, at one point standing him up and driving him backward.

 

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/49ers...ves/018719.html

 

Mack is a leader. His work ethic is unmatched, and he is relentless. He may not be able to beat Hampton or Ngata 1-on-1 just yet, but he will attack and attack until he feels he's taken them out of the play.

[Guest Aloysius]

Thanks for the links & response, George.

 

As to the Senior Bowl, I'd agree that Mack fared best against Raji of all the North squad centers, but he wasn't great. Unger's a finesse, zone blocking center, so it wasn't a surprise that Raji & Brace destroyed him. Unfortunately, Eric Wood was on the South squad, so we didn't get to see him battle BC's big men all week in practice.

 

Here's an longer report on Mack's performance during Senior Bowl week:

 

Alex Mack OL California 6041 312 10 5/8 33 1/4

 

Monday Practice Notes: At center with the first unit, but then moved around some to guard as well. The pivot showed nice knee bend and a good pass set often moving well throughout the day. An area of concern was his inability to finish blocks on this day.

 

Tuesday Practice Notes: This pivot continues to not practice at his level of talent would indicate. He continued to be overpowered by the big North defensive tackles. Mack struggled when asked to move and block laterally. He was able to get downfield and makes a few nice blocks.

 

Wednesday Practice Notes: Mack asked to play to guard this week when he initially excepted his invitation, and he has gotten more comfortable at the position as the days have passed. Another prospect who has been asked to work on his hand play and gradually he has improved. The pivot mirrored well in his pass set but at times can be overwhelmed by bigger defensive linemen.

 

Thursday Practice Notes: Arguably his best day of the week as he has become more and more comfortable in his situation down here in Mobile. Showed a nice pass set with great knee bend. Was much better mirroring in his pass blocking against the big defensive tackles. And he successfully got to the second level on a few occasions while run blocking.

 

Analysis: High expectations proceeded the arrival of arguably the draft’s top center prospect. Those expectations fell somewhat flat as Mack was not the force in the middle he was deemed. Part of the problem was learning the new position of guard throughout the week which prevented any ability to build continuity. His play certainly improved during the process. He is a natural knee bender who moved well. While Mack did not play to the possible first round status some expected, his play was solid enough not to have hurt his overall standing.

[CLEVELandMILIDH]

This guy's a stud in the run game.