Thread: LRtagger Mock v2

Nice job. I agree w/ the D to O ratio. My mocks also have a RB, WR and OL to go w/ all the defenders we need.

Originally Posted by Ziggy

I like the mock Tagger, even though I'm very weary of drafting Orapko at 12. I love the Terrence Taylor pick. I think he's the 'diamond in the rough' of NT's in this draft. Brinkley's stock has been fallingfast over the last year. I hope it's because of the injury and not other factors. He can be a 2 down LBer to start. Good job.

I'll try to give it to you the best i can Ziggy. There are some other factors, but not because he's a thug or anything. He's a model citizen. If that's along the line you were thinking, if not, i apologize.

First off on his injury. Jasper tore his LCL (ligament on the outside of the knee) from the fibula. Rehab took 8 weeks. There was no other structural damage to his knee. No ACL tear, no MCL tear, no PCL tear. Some folks may have already known this, some may not have.

I say this because alot of the media, especially outside of South Carolina, speculated right away after hearing Jasper hurt his knee, needed surgery and was out for the remainder of the season that he blew out his knee or tore his ACL. When that was not the case. You can google it and numerous sites will pop up "Jasper Brinkley tears ACL...."

Casper Brinkley and USC defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix said the injury is to Jasper Brinkley’s lateral collateral ligament, a thin band along the outside of the knee that connects the thighbone to the fibula.

Casper Brinkley said his brother’s LCL tore away from the fibula.

"My knee hyperextended and with the force it snapped my LCL," Jasper Brinkley said.

Moving on...

In 06' and 07', Tyrone Nix was South Carolina's D-Coord. He ran a base 4-3-4. Jasper played a true MLB position. He was allowed alot of freedom to just roam around and make plays. Which is exactly what he was doing up until the injury.

This past season, Ellis Johnson was the new D-Coord. and he brought in a new scheme because of the personnel he inherited. He ran a 4-2-5 with only 2 LBs. A very strict defense for LBs (5th secondary player played a LB/S role called a 'spur', Emanual Cook). Jasper's role changed alot from what he played under Nix. He had to be more disciplined in his assignment in Johnson's scheme.

To start the 08' season off, for spring practice, he was held out by the coaches just as a precautionary measure because of his knee. Then early in pre-season camp he sprained his ankle, which included a strained ligament in his heel. So he missed more practices and did'nt get much on-the-feild time to start to learn Johnson's scheme early on.

Then to top that off, the USC football program has a policy that prohibits players from taking classes that started after 2 p.m., unless a player is within a year of graduating, as Brinkley was, and the class isn't available any other time.

Brinkley was taking such a class. It forced him to miss two defensive meetings per week, including film sessions and pre-practice meetings. The coaches tryed to make up for it by arranging for Brinkley to meet individually with Johnson in the mornings. But you can only teach and learn so much like that. Johnson said it helped, but only to a point.

He got behind learning Johnson's new scheme and it showed early in the season. But as the season went on, especially by mid-season, you could see him getting more and more comfortable in the new scheme and making more plays. That was the biggest factor on his low #s, which has ultimately caused his draft status to drop IMO.

I think alot of people are real curious to see what he runs at the combine. To see if he is in fact fully recovered from the injury and that it's not a hinder on his performance any.

I love me some Brinkley, but the injury does concern me. Great size for a 3-4 ILB. Gotta Levon Kirkland thing goin on. He or Worrell Willams in round 4 please!!!

good info skinny. . .


i like brinkley a lot as a 3-4 ILB. . . he has the requisite size, strength and physicality, and should be at least a solid interior run plugger-- i think that if he does indeed slip to the later rounds he'll bring good value to somebody. . .

I have my fingers crossed that he slips and we can grab him in the later rounds...use our #1 for something else and let Spencer and Jasper compete to play next to DJ.

Good mock!