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Phillip Merling (DE) The Redskins pick at 21

voicekiller

By voicekiller
in The Stadium

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Dick Edds

Dick Edds

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I wouldn't mind him. I guess talking to a Clemson fan about him won't give me an unbiased view, but it seems as if he's definitely a more complete end than Gaines Adams was as Adams was more of a speed rusher, which we have in Carter.

I would love this, even though I think Gaines was the bigger play-maker, you are right, he was more of a speed rusher.

And yeah, I am a Clemson alumnus. :D

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Dick Edds

Dick Edds

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depends on which clemson fan you are talking about. if its a hardcore psycho clemson fan wearing blinders or if its a hardcore clemson fan who is realistic and realizes that even though merling is a beast for clemson, he might not be a good fit for other teams....

if you want to know any more about me, just ask. i was at or watched every clemson game except for one this year, and that was the only one not on tv.

He's definitely the first type. Bleeds CLemson left and right. I think he can be objective, but he also pretty much irritates everyone about it to the point where mostly everyone in my class, including myself, don't like Clemson much at all.

I like to think I am pretty objective. I was huge advocate of Gaines Adams if we went DE last year, not that he should have been the pick ... but that he was the best DE available in the draft. I don't think he blew anyone out of the water last year. But he seemed to start coming on towards the end of the year for the Bucs.

Once we drafted Landry I knew that was the right pick, and realized he was/is going to be a stud.

Last year the debate was about Jamaal Anderson vs. Gaines Adams ... I didn't hear much about JA this past year, but looking at the Falcons organization as a whole, it's hard to really say how good of a draft pick he will end up to be.

I watched every Clemson game, and went to 3 this past year, and to be honest Merling was not on my radar. Even though the Tigers defense was ranked fairly high and had some really good players, Merling did not have the hype or exposure that Gaines had.

Whether that translates into success at the next level is up for debate. Taking the blinders off, I still would not be disappointed with Merling at the #21 pick, because we have other "more experienced than I" talent evaluators to decide whether or not that is the right pick for us at that spot.

Honestly, the guy Campbell from Miami intrigues me a lot ... I just want us to address the DL and the OL in the draft. I do not care in which order, just get some damn youth and competition with this draft, and how about let's have every draft pick make the final roster?

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jsmith2003

jsmith2003

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I was all for Calais Campbell, and have been shouting it at the rooftops to draft him 1-21 in draft, but that's based on thinking Long Ghoulston, and Merling would be gone by #21, if we have a choice between Campbell and Merling then I think we go Merling. Campbell is a freak, and would be a GREAT pick too, but Merling has no history of injuries per that link, and seems to be more all-around and make for more of a good fit in the future replacement of Daniels.

All in all, I'd be happy with either one, and hope we follow DE (1st) with BIG DT in 2nd or BIG WR, let's just hope coach/vinny/dan see it same way

I'd love for first 3 picks to be exactly that DE/DT/WR or swap on the last 2 there, and OL/LB/Safety depth in 5/7

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jsmith2003

jsmith2003

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just get some damn youth and competition with this draft, and how about let's have every draft pick make the final roster?

AMEN - let's not waste picks, ie: Jordan Palmer in 2007

When you are limited on picks, and getting older every year, then you have to pick well.. Pick areas of need. NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND thought that Palmer was going to beat out Campbell/Collins/Brunell/Bramlet and we were'nt keeping 5 qb's on roster. That has to be one of the most boneheaded things we've done in a while

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Mr. S

Mr. S

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I like Campbell's size and all, but it just seems like he is raw talent, just like Jamaal Anderson was.

I guess it'll come down to their work ethics, Merling or Campbell. Campbell just seems like he'd be the type who won't have an immediate impact like Anderson didn't.

I don't know as much about Merling, but I'd feel safer with him. Gut feeling I guess. We'll see though.

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IronMike

IronMike

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It is all so simple. Why do you make it hard?

You win games by folloing a simple formula:

FIRST: with a good-great QB. We better have one in JC, because that is who we are betting the bank on.

SECOND: Defensive LIne. We need help here.

THIRD: Offensive line (anyone remember Timmy Smith and a Super Bowl win? Who opened the holes for this no-name RB?). We need lots of help here. We could have the best QB in the league (Manning, Brady, whomever), but when all of our over 30 OL retire or go down with injuries, like the entire right side did this year, it does not matter who your QB or RB is. You lose.

So let's draft an OL then a DL, please?

:helmet:

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voicekiller

voicekiller

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It is all so simple. Why do you make it hard?

You win games by folloing a simple formula:

FIRST: with a good-great QB. We better have one in JC, because that is who we are betting the bank on.

SECOND: Defensive LIne. We need help here.

THIRD: Offensive line (anyone remember Timmy Smith and a Super Bowl win? Who opened the holes for this no-name RB?). We need lots of help here. We could have the best QB in the league (Manning, Brady, whomever), but when all of our over 30 OL retire or go down with injuries, like the entire right side did this year, it does not matter who your QB or RB is. You lose.

So let's draft an OL then a DL, please?

:helmet:

I like your formula but i would have to change it up a little bit...you build a winning team by building from the inside out...without a great OLine and Dline you will not win...who will open up holes for the RB, who will block for the QB, who will put pressure on the opposing QB, and the first line on defense...before anything else you need good lines...but all in all i agree we need to draft DL and OL

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chaz13

chaz13

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I like your formula but i would have to change it up a little bit...you build a winning team by building from the inside out...without a great OLine and Dline you will not win...who will open up holes for the RB, who will block for the QB, who will put pressure on the opposing QB, and the first line on defense...before anything else you need good lines...but all in all i agree we need to draft DL and OL

Wasn't that the whole point of his post? He was saying QB, D-line and O-line are the most important.

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Truant

Truant

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depends on which clemson fan you are talking about. if its a hardcore psycho clemson fan wearing blinders or if its a hardcore clemson fan who is realistic and realizes that even though merling is a beast for clemson, he might not be a good fit for other teams....

if you want to know any more about me, just ask. i was at or watched every clemson game except for one this year, and that was the only one not on tv.

Dude, you can't say that without giving your opinion! ;)

I'd love to hear what you think. I don't have an opinion of him yet and I'd like to get some info from a reliable source.

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voicekiller

voicekiller

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Wasn't that the whole point of his post? He was saying QB, D-line and O-line are the most important.

yes and i was agreeing with him but i switched around the order of importance..because he had the qb as the most important factor of a team...which i feel it is important and necessary to have a good qb, but without a good line a good qb can't do squat...and without a good dline a defense usually cannot do squat either...just basically pointing out that the lines are most important...then a qb...

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Diesel Hog

Diesel Hog

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I'm a Clemson fan, and have watched the Tigers for years.

Merling is solid. I don't think he had that "playmaker" style that Gaines Adams did, but he's a very reliable player. He's bulkier than Gaines, and is probably a better run stopper.

Here's a brief write up on him from a Clemson sports site:

"CLEMSON - Clemson junior defensive end Phillip Merling has decided to enter the National Football League draft. The native of St. Matthews, SC led Clemson in tackles for loss with 17 and quarterback sacks with seven in 2007, helping the Tigers to a top 10 national ranking in scoring defense and total defense.

Merling had 78 tackles this season to rank fourth on the team, first among defensive linemen. He was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week three times, more than any other ACC player. It marked the first time since 2001 that a Clemson player was named ACC Player of the Week three times."

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kuraitengai

kuraitengai

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He's definitely the first type. Bleeds CLemson left and right. I think he can be objective, but he also pretty much irritates everyone about it to the point where mostly everyone in my class, including myself, don't like Clemson much at all.
i like those people as college fans, but they dont translate well into projecting talent for the draft. gotta have the objectivity for that.
I like to think I am pretty objective. I was huge advocate of Gaines Adams if we went DE last year, not that he should have been the pick ... but that he was the best DE available in the draft. I don't think he blew anyone out of the water last year. But he seemed to start coming on towards the end of the year for the Bucs.

Once we drafted Landry I knew that was the right pick, and realized he was/is going to be a stud.

Last year the debate was about Jamaal Anderson vs. Gaines Adams ... I didn't hear much about JA this past year, but looking at the Falcons organization as a whole, it's hard to really say how good of a draft pick he will end up to be.

I watched every Clemson game, and went to 3 this past year, and to be honest Merling was not on my radar. Even though the Tigers defense was ranked fairly high and had some really good players, Merling did not have the hype or exposure that Gaines had.

Whether that translates into success at the next level is up for debate. Taking the blinders off, I still would not be disappointed with Merling at the #21 pick, because we have other "more experienced than I" talent evaluators to decide whether or not that is the right pick for us at that spot.

Honestly, the guy Campbell from Miami intrigues me a lot ... I just want us to address the DL and the OL in the draft. I do not care in which order, just get some damn youth and competition with this draft, and how about let's have every draft pick make the final roster?

i try to be objective as well. i was big on picking up gaines last year if he was there. it seems he will be more of a mario williams type pick, potentially. didnt have a great rookie year, but has the speed to beat blockers and make a play. i didnt want jamaal at all. once we made the landry pick, i was happy. he was the best player on the board.

and youre right, merling didnt get the exposure that gaines had two years ago. he never made the game changing plays, like the muffed FG by wake forest that gaines snatched out of the air and ran back 60 yards or so for a td that changed the whole game. merling wont give a play like that. but he always seems to be around the ball. i cant count the number of times that his name was called on a play that was on the opposite side of the field. he has a knack for getting to the ball. taking a good angle. or even running down a ball carrier from behind. best one i remember is he was on one side of the field, the call was a toss to the other side, and he ran around his blocker, through the backfield, and chased down the ballcarrier before he got past the LOS near the other sideline.

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kuraitengai

kuraitengai

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Dude, you can't say that without giving your opinion! ;)

I'd love to hear what you think. I don't have an opinion of him yet and I'd like to get some info from a reliable source.

well. i was waiting for specific questions about him to come in.....i wrote a little in the post above if you want to see that.

i think that taking merling in the mid first is a bit high. i think hes more of a high second, maybe last three picks of the first. got a good motor on him. hes never going to be a game changer like gaines adams was in college. but he will be consistently around the ball to make stops. his name seemed to get called on about every running play last season.

went to check the stats. he anchored the d-line for a defense that was 9th in the country in total yards and yard per game (3989 and 306.8). they were 23rd in total rush yards (1539) and 20th in rush ypg (118.4). 14th in total pass yards (2450) and 11th in pass ypg (188.5). 9th in points per game allowed (18.7).

between his sophmore year and junior, he showed a good level of improvement. he became the stud on the line his junior year after gaines graduated.

Year GP TKL TFL SACK

2006 13 46 10.0 3.0

2007 13 78 17.0 7.0

more than 30 more tackles and 7 tackles for loss more. as well as more than doubling his sack total. he didnt put up big sack numbers, but he always managed to get good pressure on the qb, causing faster releases or throw aways.

i like him more than campbell for the fact that hes more polished, not a project like campbell. and while merling may take a play or two off on occassion, he plays all out about 98% of the time. campbell, i heard, took too many plays off and had the lack of effort.

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