AJWatson3
June-27th-2003, 04:45 PM
Plenty of terrific tandems at linebacker
By Mel Kiper Jr.
ESPN.com
Thursday, June 26
Updated: June 27
2:29 PM ET
Q: Linebacker has always been a spotlight position for me and I get more excited watching linebackers than anyone else, so I'm wondering who rated as the top LBs in the country and why? -- Kevin Jordan, Jackson, Miss.
D.J. Williams is part of a talented, swarming Miami defense.
KIPER: If you want to watch great linebackers, keep an eye on a few teams that have terrific duos at that position.
Miami has two of the top players at that position in D.J. Williams and Jonathan Vilma, as does Auburn with Karlos Dansby and Donterrious Thomas. Oklahoma's duo of Lance Mitchell and Teddy Lehman also belong in that class along with the pairing of Darrell Smith and Keyaron Fox of Georgia Tech. Rounding out the group are Micheal Boulware and Kendall Pope at Florida State.
All of these guys can run and hit, and all have the potential to be forces everywhere on the field.
Q: Who are the top safeties in college football, and where does Keith Lewis of Oregon rank on that list? -- Jermaine, Sacramento, Calif.
KIPER: The place to start is with the Sooners, where Brandon Everage is part of a defense that has a chance to be the best in all of college football next year. Everage makes plays all over the field, and his instincts and tackling ability make him the top safety out there.
Madieu Williams of Maryland, who transferred from Towson State, is also a heck of a player. The last Maryland player to transfer in from Towson was Chad Scott, who went on to be drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Williams has the same kind of ability. North Carolina's Dexter Reed also deserves some attention as one of the most productive safeties out there, having finished second in the nation with 166 total tackles for a 13.8 per-game average on a defense that otherwise had all kinds of problems.
And don't forget about Stuart Schweigert of Purdue, who has 13 interceptions in his career. As for Lewis, he is down the line just a bit from the top guys but definitely has some potential.
Q: How do you rate this year's top offensive tackles? And do you think Michael Munoz will be a factor in how successful Tennessee is this year? -- Tom B., Philadelphia, Pa.
KIPER: Robert Gallery of Iowa is the first name that comes to mind. He checks in at 6-7 and is over 300 pounds, and as the only returning starter on the Iowa line he will have to be a leader as well. USC's Jason Rogers is also an outstanding talent at offensive tackle who is in his third year as a starter and was an All-Pac-10 selection last season.
As far as Munoz is concerned, he has the size (6-5, 320) to be effective and will have to lead the way for the Vols' young line from his left tackle spot. With UT looking to go down the field a little more this year, he will be tested in pass protection, and until the inexperienced receiving corps gets things together he will also he called upon to be a good run-blocker. There is definitely some pressure on Munoz and his mates coming into the season.
Q: Can you tell me why Eli Manning of Ole Miss is considered the best quarterback in college? If I were a general manager I would take Cody Pickett of Washington in a heartbeat. So what rates Eli over Cody? -- Tee, New York
KIPER: Simply put, Manning has the complete package. He has the arm strength, the pocket sense and the physical strength that put him a step above Pickett. Manning is 6-4¼ and has his weight up to 218 this season, and he is also helped by having four excellent receivers to throw to. Taye Biddle, Chris Collins, Mike Espy and Bill Flowers can all fly and give him prime targets.
Pickett put up gaudy numbers, and he does have Reggie Williams and Charles Frederick at wideout, but his game is not quite as polished at Manning's and is a step or two behind that of Manning and J.P. Losman of Tulane.
Q: Why is it that Los Angeles can't sustain a pro football team? -- Jorge Badillo, Los Angeles
KIPER: I think L.A. can sustain a pro football team, and the NFL has said the city is in line for a team in the next few years. The league isn't planning to expand, though, so we will likely see a team moved to Los Angeles. Whether that team is San Diego, New Orleans, Indianapolis or some other franchise is up to the powers that be, but Los Angeles deserves a team and there will be one there sometime in the near future.
There has been a lot of political wrangling about which area may get the stadium, but wherever it is they won't need 150,000 crazed fans. Half that will do. The TV market is huge, and we have all seen what sports can mean in L.A. with the Lakers and Dodgers. I don't think the league can go much longer without a team in the nation's second-lagest city, and I don't think it wants to, either.
Once there is a consensus on stadium issues and the ball gets rolling, my guess is it won't be any later than 2008 before Los Angeles once again has pro football.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nice to see them mention Georgia Tech as having a solid pair of LB's, because those kids are great... looking forward to big things from FOX especially... thankfully these two didn't fail out of school!
By Mel Kiper Jr.
ESPN.com
Thursday, June 26
Updated: June 27
2:29 PM ET
Q: Linebacker has always been a spotlight position for me and I get more excited watching linebackers than anyone else, so I'm wondering who rated as the top LBs in the country and why? -- Kevin Jordan, Jackson, Miss.
D.J. Williams is part of a talented, swarming Miami defense.
KIPER: If you want to watch great linebackers, keep an eye on a few teams that have terrific duos at that position.
Miami has two of the top players at that position in D.J. Williams and Jonathan Vilma, as does Auburn with Karlos Dansby and Donterrious Thomas. Oklahoma's duo of Lance Mitchell and Teddy Lehman also belong in that class along with the pairing of Darrell Smith and Keyaron Fox of Georgia Tech. Rounding out the group are Micheal Boulware and Kendall Pope at Florida State.
All of these guys can run and hit, and all have the potential to be forces everywhere on the field.
Q: Who are the top safeties in college football, and where does Keith Lewis of Oregon rank on that list? -- Jermaine, Sacramento, Calif.
KIPER: The place to start is with the Sooners, where Brandon Everage is part of a defense that has a chance to be the best in all of college football next year. Everage makes plays all over the field, and his instincts and tackling ability make him the top safety out there.
Madieu Williams of Maryland, who transferred from Towson State, is also a heck of a player. The last Maryland player to transfer in from Towson was Chad Scott, who went on to be drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Williams has the same kind of ability. North Carolina's Dexter Reed also deserves some attention as one of the most productive safeties out there, having finished second in the nation with 166 total tackles for a 13.8 per-game average on a defense that otherwise had all kinds of problems.
And don't forget about Stuart Schweigert of Purdue, who has 13 interceptions in his career. As for Lewis, he is down the line just a bit from the top guys but definitely has some potential.
Q: How do you rate this year's top offensive tackles? And do you think Michael Munoz will be a factor in how successful Tennessee is this year? -- Tom B., Philadelphia, Pa.
KIPER: Robert Gallery of Iowa is the first name that comes to mind. He checks in at 6-7 and is over 300 pounds, and as the only returning starter on the Iowa line he will have to be a leader as well. USC's Jason Rogers is also an outstanding talent at offensive tackle who is in his third year as a starter and was an All-Pac-10 selection last season.
As far as Munoz is concerned, he has the size (6-5, 320) to be effective and will have to lead the way for the Vols' young line from his left tackle spot. With UT looking to go down the field a little more this year, he will be tested in pass protection, and until the inexperienced receiving corps gets things together he will also he called upon to be a good run-blocker. There is definitely some pressure on Munoz and his mates coming into the season.
Q: Can you tell me why Eli Manning of Ole Miss is considered the best quarterback in college? If I were a general manager I would take Cody Pickett of Washington in a heartbeat. So what rates Eli over Cody? -- Tee, New York
KIPER: Simply put, Manning has the complete package. He has the arm strength, the pocket sense and the physical strength that put him a step above Pickett. Manning is 6-4¼ and has his weight up to 218 this season, and he is also helped by having four excellent receivers to throw to. Taye Biddle, Chris Collins, Mike Espy and Bill Flowers can all fly and give him prime targets.
Pickett put up gaudy numbers, and he does have Reggie Williams and Charles Frederick at wideout, but his game is not quite as polished at Manning's and is a step or two behind that of Manning and J.P. Losman of Tulane.
Q: Why is it that Los Angeles can't sustain a pro football team? -- Jorge Badillo, Los Angeles
KIPER: I think L.A. can sustain a pro football team, and the NFL has said the city is in line for a team in the next few years. The league isn't planning to expand, though, so we will likely see a team moved to Los Angeles. Whether that team is San Diego, New Orleans, Indianapolis or some other franchise is up to the powers that be, but Los Angeles deserves a team and there will be one there sometime in the near future.
There has been a lot of political wrangling about which area may get the stadium, but wherever it is they won't need 150,000 crazed fans. Half that will do. The TV market is huge, and we have all seen what sports can mean in L.A. with the Lakers and Dodgers. I don't think the league can go much longer without a team in the nation's second-lagest city, and I don't think it wants to, either.
Once there is a consensus on stadium issues and the ball gets rolling, my guess is it won't be any later than 2008 before Los Angeles once again has pro football.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
nice to see them mention Georgia Tech as having a solid pair of LB's, because those kids are great... looking forward to big things from FOX especially... thankfully these two didn't fail out of school!