Oldskool Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Go look at our run defense last year and tell me if you really want a 19 year old prospect or a true 2-gap DT/NT? Get over being enamored with players and start looking at them as pieces to the puzzle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26fan4life Posted March 24, 2007 Author Share Posted March 24, 2007 There is no way we take Branch at #6. He's Bunkley revisited. We will trade down and take Okoye. The comparison to Bunkley is quite foolish on your part. Should you choose to read the report you'll notice that Branch's playing is thought to be similar to that of John Henderson - except Branch is even more physical. Furthermore Branch was an intergral part of michigan's number 1 ranked rush defense - which held their opponents to an average of 43 rushing YPG. Bunkley never had that kind of distinction/accomplishment coming into the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siven Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Okoye is just going to be a "starter", I would really be shocked if he made the Pro Bowl. I think Branch has a more boom or bust about him. In the end, I think that none of the DE's or DT's are really quite worth a 6 pick. Maybe Jamaal Anderson. If we go DT, we should trade down, if we go DE we could sit pretty at 6 and take our pick of the defensive players. LaRon Landry is the only d player worth a 6 pick, but at this point, it's pointless to argue about which player to draft, cause we aren't going to be picking our player of choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGibson810 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 My qualms about what you say are:1. he had to add weight to get to a decent size for a pro DT 2. he is short for a DT 3. he is raw talent and not an immediate impact type DT 4. he is known for not having good speed to get to the QB according to the reports 5. he played at Louisville - and while a couple of reporters knocked Branch for the lack of competition - the Big East isn't the SEC or the Big 10 by any stretch 6. he doesn't have the versatility of Branch who has played DT, NT and De in the 3-4 Branch on the other hand: 1. Wears his weight well due to a bigger frame 2. Has been playing at a higher level longer than Okoye 3. Could very well be an immediate impact due to the competition level Michigan plays 4. has a burst that gets him in the backfield 5. has great hands 6. has the ability to pursue plays (I saw it repeatedly in films) Wow really? Better competition, Purdue? Illinois? Indiana? is that REALLY that much better, and how'd the two teams do in their bowl games? I think the whole competition level thing gets thrown out of the windom the way that both "Elite" Big Ten schools got MAN-Handled in the Bowls.. I mean seriously, how did they get a Number 1 and 2 ranking? Yes Ohio State Beat a young and inexperienced Texas and Michigan got a quality win over an overrated Notre Dame, but don't you think that WVU, as much as I hate them, was WAY underrated, and that Rutgers too was way underrated? I think that the differences between Big Ten and Big East football may be shrinking. And at the SENIOR bowl, Okoye Shined bright amongst his pro-caliber peers... I guess my main point is that the competition level argument is garbage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoEd Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 some people don't want to read all the articles before they reply....if everyone was to read the info on Branch - I think it would dispel a lot of the negative rumors that have been floated about him on here played LDT, NT and DE in the 3-4 - didn't know that about the DE... nice versatility - and can pass rush and run contain where Okoye is noted to not have the burst to get to the QB as well or to pursue the plays where Branch does have it Interesting how he noted Branch seemed to play back in run stopping mode this year but could get after the QB when he turned it on - wonder if that was Michigan's scheme to use the ends and LBs to get the QB and let Branch and the sophomore next to him - #67 (another wide body to keep an eye on in a couple of years - looked good in the films I watched) contain the runners to an average YPG of 43!!!! Wow! Now that is a lot more impressive to me than "the number 1 rush defense" - 43 yards per game average... The conference didn't have outstanding running backs to run against him and you act as if Branch alone played against the run and the rest of the team dropped back into coverage. I understand the love affair to an extent but damn. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoEd Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Wow really? Better competition, Purdue? Illinois? Indiana? is that REALLY that much better, and how'd the two teams do in their bowl games? I think the whole competition level thing gets thrown out of the windom the way that both "Elite" Big Ten schools got MAN-Handled in the Bowls.. I mean seriously, how did they get a Number 1 and 2 ranking? Yes Ohio State Beat a young and inexperienced Texas and Michigan got a quality win over an overrated Notre Dame, but don't you think that WVU, as much as I hate them, was WAY underrated, and that Rutgers too was way underrated? I think that the differences between Big Ten and Big East football may be shrinking. And at the SENIOR bowl, Okoye Shined bright amongst his pro-caliber peers... I guess my main point is that the competition level argument is garbage... :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: I'm glad someone else took the time to type this response because I've typed it so much my fingers have all but fallen off. How do you think Branch the magnificant would have faired against Slaten and White? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: I'm glad someone else took the time to type this response because I've typed it so much my fingers have all but fallen off. How do you think Branch the magnificant would have faired against Slaten and White? Again Branch anchored the top rated defensive line in the league. Nit pick all you want, it still is the truth. And in the Rose Bowl he held USC, which has arguably the best O-line in the NCAA, to under 2.0 YPC Okoye might have great upside but he's doesn't play the technique at DT we need as well as he is a gamble at only 19 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shook77 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 okoye period Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidwayMonster31 Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 I'm all for trading down and getting Okoye. He fits the 4-3 better than Branch and has all that upside. Buffalo would be an excellent trading partner because they have the extra picks from the McGahee trade and they could use Adrian Peterson, provided that he's still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 Mark me down in the DE camp. We've lacked a passrush for almost a decade. A great number of those rushes against us went around the end too. I think between Griffin, Big Joe, Goldston, Montgomery that we have sufficient girth and in the very recent past we were great against the rush. When was the last time we were great against the pass especially just rushing four? And think about this. Last year, every qb we faced had probowl statistics against us. Everyone had their best game of the year. We have to do something to prevent those 99 yard drives and make 3rd and 26 not so easy for our opponents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurd Cudins Posted March 24, 2007 Share Posted March 24, 2007 The comparison to Bunkley is quite foolish on your part. Should you choose to read the report you'll notice that Branch's playing is thought to be similar to that of John Henderson - except Branch is even more physical. Furthermore Branch was an intergral part of michigan's number 1 ranked rush defense - which held their opponents to an average of 43 rushing YPG. Bunkley never had that kind of distinction/accomplishment coming into the draft.I see you enjoy reports young Canadian. What do you say to the fact that Mel Kiper's most recent report has Branch dropping out of the Top 25 and Okoye at #7? Branch was a product of the team he was on and is getting special attention because he is far and away the biggest DT in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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