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broncosinindy
02-04-2009, 12:19 PM
Hey guys help me find stuff on him. and "break him down"

6th Round (183): Spencer Larsen, ILB, Arizona
South Stands Junkie - Apr 27, 2008 8:17 pm
ILB | (6'1", 238, 4.94) | ARIZONA

Strengths: Locates the ball carrier quickly, has good initial quickness and can disrupt running plays in the backfield. Takes adequate pursuit angles, works from the snap until the whistle and always seems to be around the ball at the end of the play. Gets adequate depth and reads the quarterback's eyes when asked to drop into zone coverage. Excellent instincts and rarely bites on play action. Vocal, gets players lined up in the right position and is a leader on the field. Has experience lining up on the outside and is somewhat versatile. Experienced at covering punts flies around the field regardless of the situation and has the potential to develop into a valuable special teams' contributor.

Weaknesses: Absorbs the blow rather than delivering it, lacks elite size and can get engulfed by interior offensive linemen. Plays too upright, lacks ideal lower body strength and is going to have problems holding ground in short-yardage situations. Doesn't deliver explosive punch and takes too long to shed blocks. Creates running lanes by avoiding blockers rather than stacking them up, can overrun plays and occasionally gets caught out of position as a run defender. Hits too high, doesn't always square up to the ball carrier and is an inconsistent open field tackler. While jumps underneath routes at times, can be overaggressive and lacks the second gear to recover once out of position. Lacks elite closing speed and is going to have problems turning the corner if asked to rush off the edge. Opens hips fairly well but isn't fast enough to run with most NFL backs and is going to have problems holding up on an island in man coverage. Spent two years Mormon mission and will be a 24 year old rookie. Injured knee during spring of 2005, underwent knee surgery in April of that year, missed the first two games of the 2005 season and durability is somewhat of a concern.

Overall: In his first three seasons at Arizona (2002, 2005-'06), Larsen appeared in 32 games (25 starts) and compiled 181 tackles (16.5 for losses), five sacks, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. As a senior in 2007, he started all 12 games and racked up 131 tackles (15.5 for losses), four sacks, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups and an interception. He had a knack for getting his hands on the ball, turning in eight career fumble recoveries. Larsen spent 2003 and 2004 on a Mormon mission in Chile. He returned to the team the following spring and almost immediately suffered damage to the ACL in his right knee. He had surgery in March and missed the first three games of the '06 season. Bottom line: Larsen has got to improve his ability to get under blockers' pads and add some lower body strength because he struggles when teams run at him. His inconsistent open field tackling is also concerning but there's a lot to like about his ability to locate the ball and then fly to it whether it's on defense or special teams so he projects as an early second day pick.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=61460&draftyear=2008&genpos=ILB

Also take a look at his numbers. every single one of them got better at the combine.. shows me has some drive

broncosinindy
02-04-2009, 12:24 PM
i also got this little nugget.

http://www.draftstock.com/site_main/component/option,com_profiles/task,view/id,333/Itemid,32/

Which is good due to the new coaching staff putting a high emphasis on it.

G_Money
02-04-2009, 12:27 PM
Here, try this:

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/pro/83531


Sadly, the tale of Spencer Larsen and his NFL draft prospects can mostly be told in 4.9 seconds.

It should be a little more complicated than that. We hope you stick with us for a couple of minutes here.

But back to that 4.9 seconds. That time is, give or take a few hundredths of a second and depending on whose thumb was on the stopwatch, the time the former Arizona linebacker took to cover 40 yards at the NFL Combine in February.

As if that time - over an arbitrary distance established long ago - defines his entire value as a football player.

"I wish I would have done better," Larsen said of his 40 time. "Yeah, that is going to affect how high I get drafted and how much money I make right off the bat."

I like the NFL draft. Could waste a whole weekend watching it in high def. But I don't really get it.

The NFL's hyper-reliance on a 40-yard dash time is ridiculous. Fast is good. Faster is better. Everyone understands that. But the 40 time too often becomes a crutch for scouts and front office personnel to cover their butts.

If a fast guy doesn't work out, it's probably the player's fault. If a slower guy doesn't work out . . . well, the cry is more like, "What knucklehead drafted this slug?"

Larsen's stock rose during last season, held up in postseason workouts, then dropped quickly when he happened to run slowly.

"He is a good player who just doesn't have the measurable numbers that most teams look at," said analyst Rob Rang of NFLdraftscout.com

"He will have to find a team that is willing to overlook the measurables and see what he has done in games. His instincts and flair for the game make him a prospect that somebody is going to take a chance on."

Take a chance on?

Larsen seems to me more like a guy you jump on and sock away on your roster for the next several years.

Larsen might have 4.7 speed or 4.8 speed or 4.9 speed depending on the day - not a super measurable in any account. Perhaps he's one-tenth of a second slower than someone comparable on the draft board.

But what if the smart and savvy Larsen can recognize, read and react to a play four-tenths of a second faster than the other guy? Shouldn't that count for more?

"You would think," Larsen said. "You would think."

Larsen, who led the Pac-10 last season with 10.9 tackles per game, is projected anywhere from the fourth to seventh round. That could make for a long Sunday if he slides toward the bottom and waits for his phone to ring on the second day of the draft.

"The stuff to be nervous about is over," Larsen said.

"As far as getting prepared to play at the next level, I feel I did a great job. I feel I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm mentally and physically ready."

The NFL - well, at least the Tennessee Titans - thought ex-UA running back Chris Henry was ready last season. He wowed the scouts with his physical prowess and blazing speed. They blinked and overlooked his inadequate on-field résumé.

He played sparsely and unremarkably as a rookie, matching his UA career.

At least Henry had the good sense to leave school early and enter the draft in what was a weak year for running backs. The Titans picked him in the second round, the fourth running back selected.

Henry, if he had come out for this draft, loaded with running backs, would have been no better than about the 10th-rated running back.

But he had that great 40 time.

He made it work for him.

Larsen doesn't have that great 40 time.

He's going to have to work for whatever he gets.

"(The scouts) are always looking for a reason to downplay anything good you do," Larsen said.

"But that's their job. They want to make sure they don't end up getting less than they paid for. Their whole goal is to get more than they paid for."

My guess is that Larsen, wherever he is drafted, will be worth every penny . . . and then some.

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 12:30 PM
What they said about his weaknesses of absorbing hits rather delivering them, I don't think that was accurate, not from what I saw.

broncosinindy
02-04-2009, 12:33 PM
yeah he is definelty not a sprinter that is for sure. but, he did clock a high 4.82 which is not far off from Jasper Brinkly. and i think Larsen has a far superior nose for the game.

He is a football player with a great IQ. and that might be enough to see him stick around next year possibly even start at TED.

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 12:43 PM
yeah he is definelty not a sprinter that is for sure. but, he did clock a high 4.82 which is not far off from Jasper Brinkly. and i think Larsen has a far superior nose for the game.

He is a football player with a great IQ. and that might be enough to see him stick around next year possibly even start at TED.

When he was in the starting line up I thought he did a great job.

WARHORSE
02-04-2009, 01:51 PM
Not te mention that taking great angles to the ball is key in off setting speed. As well, no LB is going to run 40 yds on a play. Its the initial 10 yards that matters. Look at the time there.

WARHORSE
02-04-2009, 02:01 PM
Guess what combine event Ryan Clady made the top ten in?


None.


Not one.



But in the NFL, he made top spot at sacks allowed: Half a sack in over 600 passing attempts.

Plus, he throws cross body blocks like superman.

broncofaninfla
02-04-2009, 02:02 PM
Not te mention that taking great angles to the ball is key in off setting speed. As well, no LB is going to run 40 yds on a play. Its the initial 10 yards that matters. Look at the time there.

Good point, I wonder if they track that time as well?

fcspikeit
02-04-2009, 02:17 PM
Larson reminds me of Karl Mecklanburg, From what I seen, there should be a spot on this team for Larson. If he gets beat out, so be it, we will be all the better off.. IMO there should always be a spot for guys like him.

I didn't think he looked slow, I thought he played faster the Webster, he was damn sure faster to the ball then Webster. Very few LB's can run with RB's anyways. If he continues to be able to make the right reads and attack the ball carrier, I think he can be a solid starter for us. A guy who can make big plays game in and game out, big plays like actually tackling the ball carrier when he gets to them. Even if he don't get shown on the highlight reels of NFLN, IMO we need more unsung heroes like him on this team..

broncofaninfla
02-04-2009, 02:18 PM
I am very optimistic about Spencer Larsen at ILB for us this season. I liked what I saw of him in his limited play at MLB and Special teams. The kid can lay the wood. He really brings it and I did not see one play, not one, in which his speed was a factor. He ran sideline to sideline like a beast and seem to have the initial explosion at the beginning of the play that the good ones do. His stats in college indicate he isn't too shabby at pass coverage either. I liked his attitude and think he will continue to get better with more playing time. If there is one good thing that comes out of Shanny being fired I feel it will be Larsen being given a fair chance to compete for one of the starting ILB positions.

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 03:02 PM
Larson reminds me of Karl Mecklanburg, From what I seen, there should be a spot on this team for Larson. If he gets beat out, so be it, we will be all the better off.. IMO there should always be a spot for guys like him.

I didn't think he looked slow, I thought he played faster the Webster, he was damn sure faster to the ball then Webster. Very few LB's can run with RB's anyways. If he continues to be able to make the right reads and attack the ball carrier, I think he can be a solid starter for us. A guy who can make big plays game in and game out, big plays like actually tackling the ball carrier when he gets to them. Even if he don't get shown on the highlight reels of NFLN, IMO we need more unsung heroes like him on this team..

My thoughts exactly, he wasn't slow when he got the chance to play.

CoachChaz
02-04-2009, 03:41 PM
I think I'd be happier with him on the inside in a 3-4 than in a 4-3

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 04:35 PM
I think I'd be happier with him on the inside in a 3-4 than in a 4-3

He might be a better fit for a 3-4 than a 4-3 but either way I think he still could be a very good linebacker.

CoachChaz
02-04-2009, 04:40 PM
He might be a better fit for a 3-4 than a 4-3 but either way I think he still could be a very good linebacker.

Yeah, but I'd be more comfortable if he were supported by DJ on one side and a safety on the other

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 04:44 PM
Yeah, but I'd be more comfortable if he were supported by DJ on one side and a safety on the other

I understand.

Cugel
02-04-2009, 05:06 PM
The question is where Larsen would play. He's not a pass-rusher so OLB is probably not in the cards.

DJ will play the Weakside ILB. But, the Strong-side ILB has to be good against the run too as well as be able to rush the passer.

Is Larsen strong enough? Perhaps. He looked pretty good in the limited play he had this year. He will probably be a backup at ILB but he's a good backup. Exactly the kind of player that the Patriots always seem to find in the later rounds of the draft -- guys who don't make a lot of noise, but do their jobs and fill in when needed.

You need a roster filled with players like this backing up your starters. Even if he can't start at ILB he can back up and that's useful to have.

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 05:13 PM
The question is where Larsen would play. He's not a pass-rusher so OLB is probably not in the cards.

DJ will play the Weakside ILB. But, the Strong-side ILB has to be good against the run too as well as be able to rush the passer.

Is Larsen strong enough? Perhaps. He looked pretty good in the limited play he had this year. He will probably be a backup at ILB but he's a good backup. Exactly the kind of player that the Patriots always seem to find in the later rounds of the draft -- guys who don't make a lot of noise, but do their jobs and fill in when needed.

You need a roster filled with players like this backing up your starters. Even if he can't start at ILB he can back up and that's useful to have.

The one thing that is will help any set of ILBs is a bonafide nose tackle.

Dean
02-04-2009, 06:56 PM
The one thing that is will help any set of ILBs is a bonafide nose tackle.

Do I hear an amen for brother TX? AAAAMEN

Skinny
02-04-2009, 07:16 PM
Players of Interest #4: Spencer Larsen (http://cle.scout.com/2/744136.html)
Looking for a mid to late-round linebacker who will arrive ready to play? Look no further.

SOBO SEZ: Mature. Productive. Nasty. These are words that describe the linebacker prospect Spencer Larsen. He's a player any apiring football prospect should look up to learn how things should be done “the right way”.

Off the field, Larsen is a practicing Mormon, married, and has already started a family. On the field, he plays with mean streak and makes tackle after tackle after tackle. The 6' 1", 239-pound linebacker led the Pac 10 conference this season with 131 total tackles, 15.5 of which were for a loss, and registered 4 sacks.

Ball carriers have to be wary because the former Wildcat comes to tackle with bad intentions. The strongest part of his game is his ability to diagnose a developing play and work his way downhill.

Still, the Larsen's overall athleticism could be described generously as "limited". Recently, though, Larsen displayed a 4.29 short shuttle at the Arizona pro day. The time was as good as some cornerbacks in this draft, and it is evident Larsen is quick and explosive in small areas.

The short area quickness and physical nature of his game could make him an ideal fit as a 3-4 inside linebacker. The workouts also follow a very good performance at this year’s East/West Shrine Game where Larsen was named Most Valuable Player.

The former Arizona star is a slightly older prospect than most, and is already 24 years of age. Like recent Browns offensive lineman Kirk Chambers, Larsen spent two years away from the gridiron doing missionary work. Teams will fall in love with Larsen’s intangibles and will be pleasantly surprised by the player that completes the package even as a potential late round prospect.


Tom Marino, NFL Scout: Productive player with good instincts and playing character. Somewhat disappointed in his take on skills but has a knack for slipping blocks and getting to the football. In pass coverage, I felt he was more then adequate settling and reacting in the under zones, but has limited man cover potential. Speed and overall range will limit him to the "Mike" backer position, but looks like a solid back up and special teams contributor. Has mid0second day draft potential. Round 5 -6.

elsid13
02-04-2009, 07:23 PM
Look I have been extreme fan of Larson since his wildcats days. I think a training camp were he can play his natural position and not have all off the field problems, we will have a better nastier LB on the field. He has always remind me of Trottor on the way that he attacks the ball, so hopefully he will get a chance on the field this season.

One of the guy at the mane, that has contacts with regular media folks covering the team, say the new staff are very excited about DJ, Woodyard and Larson.

TXBRONC
02-04-2009, 09:06 PM
Do I hear an amen for brother TX? AAAAMEN

Thanks Dean. :salute: