LB Wesley Woodyard [Archive]

Denver27og

10-09-2008, 11:21 PM

WHo is this guy?? does anyone have info on him?

G_Money

10-09-2008, 11:51 PM

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Wesley+Woodyard&btnG=Google+Search

Also, please see the search function, in which you could type the man's name and see if we do, in fact, have any info on him.

~G

broncofaninfla

10-10-2008, 08:07 AM

I read where Shannahan expects him to compete for a starting LB role next year. The kid looked GREAT in preseason.

silkamilkamonico

10-10-2008, 10:08 AM

Good special teams player. That's about it though.

LRtagger

10-10-2008, 10:18 AM

He was flying all over the field in preseason and made some great tackles. I'm excited about seeing what he can bring to our team in the future.

Lonestar

10-10-2008, 10:58 AM

turftoad

10-10-2008, 11:14 AM

He was a safety in college before the coaches moved him to a LB spot because they were desperate.

He was one of the fastest kids in the combine at LB if not the fastest..

Everything I have seen of the kid is good and is a demon on ST..

His natural position is Safety so I'm hoping that he will eventually fill that GAPING hole we have there..

He's a tweener (S-LB). Could go either way but I think the coaching staff drafted him to play LB.
If he puts on a few pounds I think he'll be a good OLB.

Lonestar

10-10-2008, 11:28 AM

He's a tweener (S-LB). Could go either way but I think the coaching staff drafted him to play LB.
If he puts on a few pounds I think he'll be a good OLB.

I'm hoping they get their heads out of the asses and look at the clowns playing Safety and put him back where he belongs..

that would alleviate having to spend a day one choice next year and allow a great athlete to be on the field now instead of being behind 8 other LB's.. Not his natural position..

Perhaps he is not quite fast enough for safety but I bet he is faster than the two skells we have there now.

I'd rather get beat with a rookie learning the position than have the "veterans" that are not going to get better allow the passes to be completed..

I'll always take raw talent over aging vets that can't pass muster on a good team..

omac

10-10-2008, 11:42 AM

He was a safety in college before the coaches moved him to a LB spot because they were desperate.

He was one of the fastest kids in the combine at LB if not the fastest..

Everything I have seen of the kid is good and is a demon on ST..

His natural position is Safety so I'm hoping that he will eventually fill that GAPING hole we have there..

I like our safeties, McCree and Manuel. They're sometimes off, but they're usually pretty solid.

turftoad

10-10-2008, 11:45 AM

I like our safeties, McCree and Manuel. They're sometimes off, but they're usually pretty solid.

Out two journeymen safteys are weak.

We need some playmakers back there, not just average Joes who couldn't make it on the previous teams. Plus, we need some athletic youth.

omac

10-10-2008, 12:03 PM

Out two journeymen safteys are weak.

We need some playmakers back there, not just average Joes who couldn't make it on the previous teams. Plus, we need some athletic youth.

They've been pretty good, considering they have to play in a "attack them now ... no don't ... okay do ..." defense. :D Manuel has contributed well in limiting rushing plays that could have gone for more. McCree has some good aggression. I'm thinking the longer they get accustomed to this scheme, the better they'll get. I'm not against giving more playing time to our young players, though.

Denver27og

10-10-2008, 02:30 PM

I'm hoping they get their heads out of the asses and look at the clowns playing Safety and put him back where he belongs..

that would alleviate having to spend a day one choice next year and allow a great athlete to be on the field now instead of being behind 8 other LB's.. Not his natural position..

Perhaps he is not quite fast enough for safety but I bet he is faster than the two skells we have there now.

I'd rather get beat with a rookie learning the position than have the "veterans" that are not going to get better allow the passes to be completed..

I'll always take raw talent over aging vets that can't pass muster on a good team..

I would like to see some changes at safety as well... we tried payman there why not him? andi think moving Moss to OLB in the 3-4 would be a great idea... from what i remember he likes to rush while standing up and not from the 3 point stance

honz

10-10-2008, 02:49 PM

Out two journeymen safteys are weak.

We need some playmakers back there, not just average Joes who couldn't make it on the previous teams. Plus, we need some athletic youth.

Hopefully he isn't a part of our future, but I think McCree has played very well. He is a pretty solid tackler and has blown up a couple key running plays.

Manuel, on the other hand, is worthless. I haven't been impressed by his play at all.

Shananahan

10-10-2008, 03:13 PM

WHo is this guy?? does anyone have info on him?

http://www.google.com is a great way to find out about things you do not know about..

KCL

10-10-2008, 03:44 PM

but is this your first day following the .

You need to back off with the personal attacks or its bye bye for you!

DenBronx

10-10-2008, 03:47 PM

http://www.google.com is a great way find things.

look man, the dude just asked a question. did you really need to bite his head off? besides there are alot of people who followed woodyard in college and know alot about him...probablly even more than some stupid search engine. :coffee:

Denver27og

10-10-2008, 05:25 PM

look man, the dude just asked a question. did you really need to bite his head off? besides there is alot of people who followed woodyard in college and know alot about him...probablly even more than some stupid search engine. :coffee:

seriously... jeeze...

G_Money

10-10-2008, 09:18 PM

Wesley Woodyard is my adopt-a-player. I adore him. I've posted more on him than probably everyone else on the board combined.

Which is why I get bothered by thread starters like this. "WHo is this guy?? does anyone have info on him?"

What is the goal of the question?

Does he want to know about who Woodyard was, what he did in college?

What charities he's involved with, whether he's a good citizen or a screw up?

If we think he can play LB for the Broncos as a starter, or maybe safety, or if he's just a special teams woodshed guy?

All of those things have been discussed, and many of us would love to discuss them again.

But the point of the thread sure didn't seem like discussion. No info was added, nothing was brought to the table. Just a quick blurb. "I'm lazy, can someone regurgitate all the stuff I don't wanna look for right now so I don't have to find it?"

This isn't that kind of board. This is a discussion board. Not always ON TOPIC discussion, but I suck at staying on point so that's good for me anyway. :D

This is a value-added board. There are MANY people here with great football minds and sharp observations.

I'd rather people who want those observations and assessments bring some of their own to the party. Otherwise it's just like asking me to get up and change the TV channel for you because you're too lazy to reach to the other side of the couch for the remote.

Seriously, there IS a search feature. We've had GREAT discussions on Woodyard. FWIW, I like him better than Winborn and Webster, but unfortunately he's and OLB and so behind DJ especially at the Will, but can't play Sam either with Boss around (and is a little small to be playing against the TE anyway). I wanted to draft him and try him as a safety conversion a la Boulware, and now that we have him but have blocked him from getting on the field with two of the higher-paid guys on our defense I am getting interested in that idea all over again.

He reads plays really well, accelerates quickly, has a nose for the football and is a great player in space. We could do worse at safety - and currently ARE doing worse there.

But I don't expect that to happen.

Still, I highly recommend looking back at our draft reports and camp discussions for more on Woodyard. Great character kid, good talent, good leader, is gonna have trouble cracking the field for us as a starter unless we move him inside or Boss gets hurt bad, which is always a possibility every week.

That help any?

~G

honz

10-10-2008, 10:35 PM

G_Money...since you are our resident WW expert, which LB spot do you think he could start at for us? I've always viewed him as a WLB, but we have DJ locked up on the weakside since he just signed his spiffy new extension? I think he could be a very good SLB, but I'm not sure he has adequate size. Anyway, where do you see him fitting in best in the NFL with the WLB position already taken care of?

Lonestar

10-10-2008, 11:13 PM

for titles only

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=574365

for entire posts..

http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=574368

should do the trick

Superchop 7

10-11-2008, 03:06 PM

Our weakness is MLB.

Give the kid the job.

MLB is about heart and instincts.

Kid has both.

turftoad

10-11-2008, 03:10 PM

Our weakness is MLB.

Give the kid the job.

MLB is about heart and instincts.

Kid has both.

He's not near big enough. He'd get eaten alive in there.

G_Money

10-12-2008, 01:11 AM

He's not near big enough. He'd get eaten alive in there.

Warning: ramble/rant ahead.

Okay, this gets brought up a lot for any number of our linebackers. Several years ago, we had the "smallest linebackers in the league." Sure - by like 5 pounds.

The difference between Wesley Woodyard and Nate Webster is listed as 2 pounds. Nate's currently playing MLB for us. That's a pasta meal. Make Wesley carb-load before a game and they're the same playing weight. Ditto Winborn.

Even if he was "the right size" it's 10 more pounds. 230 is too light, 240 is fine. Why? Cuz DJ was 240. Al Wilson was 240. For our defense, that's a fine weight. For some others, a MLB needs to be bigger. But for our reference, this is not a "Jarvis Moss is 245 and we need defense end closer to 285" sort of problem.

If the difference is 5 or 10 pounds for him to be able to play MLB then it's no difference at all. What is the weight for? A MLB needs to be able to fight off or avoid a pulling guard, releasing center, or FB in the hole and make the tackle. He can't get caught up in the wash and be unable to fight through trash to make plays.

A 300 pound guard is still gonna outweigh him and out-muscle him, whether the MLB is 230, 235 or 240 pounds. I don't care what the guy WEIGHS, I care what he DOES. Sam Mills was 5'9, 225 and was one of the best MLB of his decade. Hardy Nickerson? 230 pounds. Vilma? 230. I wanted Jon Beason to play for us and was mocked. He's killin' it for Carolina now at 235 pounds.

Short guys, guys with less weight and strength, they'll have more trouble at Mike if they get caught out of position. Short guys can't get the arm extension to fight off blocks because the arms aren't long enough. Light guys or weak guys can't detach from blocks and get pushed out of the play.

Which is fine in theory...but in practice, you want the guy on the field who can react faster and doesn't get caught in a position to be pushed out of the play in the first place. Instincts count for a lot - A LOT - at a read-and-react position like LB. Reading the play early keeps you out of the trash that the slower-reacting players get caught in. It's easier to blow a play up by getting to the attack point before the blockers do than it is to Hulk-out and toss linemen like frisbees on your way to the ball.

Bosworth was a physical specimen who was a sucky football player. John Mobley was an undersized LB who played all 3 positions well. He was versatile. He was a football player. He wasn't a crazy all-pro football player...but then he was playing out of "position" a lot, and he was still better at it than DJ was.

Maybe Woodyard is just Ian Gold, a Will who cannot play elsewhere. That would be a problem since DJ is gonna retire a Bronco from the looks of it. I would like to find out if he's more in the Mobley mold. Because he's got a great motor, he's in on every tackle and has a nose for the football. He can cover, he can play in space. His current weaknesses are playing in amongst the trash - which would be HIS JOB as MLB so obviously we'd have to take a look at that - and his strength level.

But he's been working out as a pro, with pro strength coaches. I dunno where he's at now. He looked much bigger already in the preseason than he did in college. If his strength is good, then he's got a shot. He hasn't got experience inside, but if a guy's a player, then you find a way to let him play.

If we'd had Ray Lewis when Al Wilson was around, would we still have tried to find a way to get Al on the field?

You'd have to think so. Which means the question is whether or not Woodyard is a Somebody, not whether or not he's the right weight. I'm glad we'll get the chance to find out. I just hope if he IS a Somebody that we're not afraid of booting Webster or Winborn - or Boss - around to get the kid on the field.

Because I'd hate to not be playing a Sam Mills next year because he's "too small" to play anything but the Will.

This goes for anybody on my team, btw: Don't focus on what they can't do. Find out if there is a way for them to succeed big with what they CAN instead.

If Woodyard is one of the 3 best LBs on the team, then get him in the starting lineup. If he's not yet, then wait - he might be soon.:salute:

And our defense needs all the good players it can get on the field, no matter what they weigh.

~G

topscribe

10-12-2008, 01:59 AM

He's a tweener (S-LB). Could go either way but I think the coaching staff drafted him to play LB.
If he puts on a few pounds I think he'll be a good OLB.

He's not near big enough. He'd get eaten alive in there.

Actually, Woodyard is listed at 230 lbs. Boss is 232, Nate is 232, and Winborn is 230.

And he thoroughly impressed at LB during the preseason. I'm not sure he shouldn't stay there . . .

-----

muse

10-12-2008, 05:29 AM

Our weakness is MLB.

Give the kid the job.

MLB is about heart and instincts.

Kid has both.

I'd like them to try him out there certainly...he does seem to have those sorts of instincts. And if his read-and-react is sound, then he could be a very good option there.

WARHORSE

10-12-2008, 12:09 PM

Woodyard was one of the fastest LBs in the draft. Hes faster than DJ.

I like his style of play, and would love to see him playing the middle.

Lonestar

10-12-2008, 12:19 PM

Woodyard was one of the fastest LBs in the draft. Hes faster than DJ.

I like his style of play, and would love to see him playing the middle.

If memory serves correct he had the faster 40 times in the combine..that was when I started watching him I was amazed to see him not drafted..

I do not think he has the bulk to play MLB but he seems to be a go getter.. I see us loaded at WIL and weak everywhere else.. Especially at MLB..

I want the best 11 athletes on the field and he seems to be one of them..

Still think he would make a great FS under my definition playing deep and hitting someone over the middle like a freight train.. I think he is a better safety than the two skells we have now or could be if given the Chance to play..

topscribe

10-12-2008, 02:33 PM

If memory serves correct he had the faster 40 times in the combine..that was when I started watching him I was amazed to see him not drafted..

I do not think he has the bulk to play MLB but he seems to be a go getter.. I see us loaded at WIL and weak everywhere else.. Especially at MLB..

I want the best 11 athletes on the field and he seems to be one of them..

Still think he would make a great FS under my definition playing deep and hitting someone over the middle like a freight train.. I think he is a better safety than the two skells we have now or could be if given the Chance to play..

It's possible you're right about Woodyard's heft at MLB, but I would like to
see him there, anyway. He's the same weight as Webster, and he's an inch
taller, and Webster's problem has not been getting run over; it has been
overrunning plays and being in the wrong gaps. As aggressive as Woodyard
appears, I don't see him getting run over, either. It's a matter of shedding
blocks, and back on the second level, that involves more than bulk.

Regarding sheer speed, Woodyard ran a 4.51 at the Combine, as opposed
to D.J.'s 4.54, so the speeds are pretty comparable. Actually, the fastest
LB on the squad is probably Boss. His Combine speed was 4.58, but his
Pro Day speed was 4.35. He might have still been recovering from knee
surgery at the Combine, much like Torain improved dramatically from his
Combine to his Pro Day because of his own injury. I read somewhere,
however, that Boss ran a 4.44 after all his surgeries. This is likely where
CoachScout (http://www.couchscout.com/dnvr.htm) got that same figure for Boss.

But this is about Woodyard. He doesn't appear to be the fastest LB on the
team, but he is still very fast and should fit just fine into a very fleet LB
corps.

-----

broncosinindy

10-13-2008, 10:44 AM

one of woodyards knocks was that he was to light.. 217 lbs if i remember right. i am not convinced he is 230 with teams fibbing about weight. moss 265?.. but do aggree we need to find a way to get his guy on the field.

jrelway

10-13-2008, 10:46 AM

woodyard needs to play. cant get any worse if we throw him in there imo. btw, what happened to barrett? rookie or not, hes better than what we currently have.

HolyDiver

10-13-2008, 11:36 AM

WHo is this guy?? does anyone have info on him?

He'll make DJ Willimas expendable..............And Williams can definately get us another #1 pick in next years draft.

Npba900

10-13-2008, 11:55 AM

woodyard needs to play. cant get any worse if we throw him in there imo. btw, what happened to barrett? rookie or not, hes better than what we currently have.

It drives me crazy why Shanahan doesn't allow the development of the younger players by baptismal by fire! Allow Barrett, Crowder, Moss, and Woodyard a chance to see what they can do!

jrelway

10-13-2008, 11:59 AM

i dont know about moss and crowder, but i can sure damn bet that the speed alone that barrett and woodyard have would do us better.

MOtorboat

10-13-2008, 12:03 PM

i dont know about moss and crowder, but i can sure damn bet that the speed alone that barrett and woodyard have would do us better.

So instead of watching the starters bounce of running backs, we can watch scrubs bounce of running backs...

Yeah...sorry...just not buying the back-ups are better hype.

Lonestar

10-13-2008, 12:05 PM

It drives me crazy why Shanahan doesn't allow the development of the younger players by baptismal by fire! Allow Barrett, Crowder, Moss, and Woodyard a chance to see what they can do!

I suspect he thinks we are still in the playoff hunt.. like reloading instead of rebuilding..

Sure we may get to the playoffs by default but unless this D improves it will be just one more embarrassing ass whooping by any of the legit playoff teams..

I'd rather not go than wind up losing like we have in some of the superbowls by 30+ points..

I'd rather bite the bullet this year give all the rookies and second year guys time to find out if we are going to have to redraft their position next year again..

I have always said that this was not going to be a playoff year but was looking forward to 2009. If these kids do not get some playing time then it is looking like 2010 and beyond..

Lonestar

10-13-2008, 12:08 PM

So instead of watching the starters bounce of running backs, we can watch scrubs bounce of running backs...

Yeah...sorry...just not buying the back-ups are better hype.

Not sure if they are or not but am tried of watching "starters" make rookie plays.. lets find out IF they are keepers or not if not we know sooner what we have to get in the draft next year..

IMO the results could be better or the same as the "veterans" that are not preforming either.. could it get worse maybe but I'm not all that sure how much worse it could be..

HolyDiver

10-13-2008, 12:20 PM

So instead of watching the starters bounce of running backs, we can watch scrubs bounce of running backs...

Yeah...sorry...just not buying the back-ups are better hype.

It's the same as watching a 10 year vet throw an interception and a rookie. You expect itr from a rookie, where as a vet shoud know better..........by now.

LRtagger

10-13-2008, 12:53 PM

So instead of watching the starters bounce of running backs, we can watch scrubs bounce of running backs...

Yeah...sorry...just not buying the back-ups are better hype.

I agree. IMO if these guy's cant prove they are better than the starters in camp and during practice, I don't see any reason to play them.

At the same time, our starters are now ranked dead last in the league in defense, so I don't see how it could hurt us letting the youngers guys get some PT.

MOtorboat

10-13-2008, 01:13 PM

I agree. IMO if these guy's cant prove they are better than the starters in camp and during practice, I don't see any reason to play them.

At the same time, our starters are now ranked dead last in the league in defense, so I don't see how it could hurt us letting the youngers guys get some PT.

I think we should tank the season from here on out. I mean, if we tank the season, throw up the white flag, we could get a Top 3 pick. You have to figure KC would get at least one or two more wins, and they'd get the No. 2 pick. (they'd beat us, so there's one). The way St. Louis played yesterday, I think they can win five games. Cincinnati is a lost cause, there's no way they are getting over four, so we're looking at the No. 3 pick. Definitely a brilliant idea on my part, I think.

:vroam:

CoachChaz

10-13-2008, 01:16 PM

MOtorboat

10-13-2008, 01:17 PM

And who do we take with a top3 pick that is worthy of it?

Crap, I forgot about that part.

LRtagger

10-13-2008, 01:24 PM

I think we should tank the season from here on out. I mean, if we tank the season, throw up the white flag, we could get a Top 3 pick. You have to figure KC would get at least one or two more wins, and they'd get the No. 2 pick. (they'd beat us, so there's one). The way St. Louis played yesterday, I think they can win five games. Cincinnati is a lost cause, there's no way they are getting over four, so we're looking at the No. 3 pick. Definitely a brilliant idea on my part, I think.

I'm not sure about all that now... ;)

typically I am on your side. As a matter of fact I think in a previous thread you suggested letting Moss play to get experience, but I disagreed by saying if he cant prove himself in practice or in the weight room I dont see how he can improve himself on the field. I'm all about building a foundation in practice and using gametime to further the foundation.

But at this point none of the guys we have currently playing D (save 3, maybe 4 players) have shown they can contribute consistantly. At this point I am thinking that maybe the younger guys can give us a spark that we need to play aggressive and knock some people in the jaw. If slowik can get his act together and realize that we need to be aggressive maybe we could turn things around.

One way or another we need to do something different to try and right the ship. I would be more than happy to see Larsen at MLB, Woodyard at Safety, and JMFW at corner coming out of the bye. Maybe if those guys were drafted in the first they would get more chances (Moss). :coffee:

CoachChaz

10-13-2008, 01:25 PM

Crap, I forgot about that part.

Shanny would end up drafting another WR

LRtagger

10-13-2008, 01:26 PM

And who do we take with a top3 pick that is worthy of it?

Tim Tebow, of course.

MOtorboat

10-13-2008, 01:27 PM

Tim Tebow, of course.

6-4, 230. I bet he could play linebacker.

CoachChaz

10-13-2008, 01:30 PM

My money says Shanny would draft Crabtree or Maclin. Defense would be the last thing on his mind.

LRtagger

10-13-2008, 01:35 PM

6-4, 230. I bet he could play linebacker.

I was thinking Fullback

MOtorboat

10-13-2008, 01:36 PM

I was thinking Fullback

That would be a hell of a FB Pass Option, wouldn't it.

LRtagger

10-13-2008, 01:39 PM

That would be a hell of a FB Pass Option, wouldn't it.

Cutler could hand off to him and he could do the jump pass when he hit the LOS. Guaranteed TD everytime. Now that I think about it, we would be stupid NOT to take Tebow.

WARHORSE

10-13-2008, 02:15 PM

jrelway

10-13-2008, 04:20 PM

So instead of watching the starters bounce of running backs, we can watch scrubs bounce of running backs...

Yeah...sorry...just not buying the back-ups are better hype.

rookies get better..our veteran safeties have no excuse.

GEM

10-13-2008, 05:04 PM

And who do we take with a top3 pick that is worthy of it?

And how do we figure to pay a top3 pick...

Lonestar

10-13-2008, 07:54 PM

And how do we figure to pay a top3 pick...

think we are safe unlikely we can get there, this year.. That is unless the defense folds up even more than it has so far..

Npba900

10-13-2008, 10:37 PM

Shanny has been smoking the dafts so Im pretty sure it will be safety, DL or LBer.

I want a ball busting safety that brings wood on every play, and can still roam centerfield. A real intimidator.

I'll take Mauluga any day.:coffee:

We've gotta loose a lot of games this season inorder to be in line to get Mauluga. Are the Bronco fans willing to endure loosing their next 9 or 10 games just to draft Mauluga??? I don't think so.