Brian Cushing
 

In an attempt to help get the Peppers thread back on track I've decided to start a thread for Brian Cushing as it looks like, according to our very own Smootsmack, that the guy will be a player of interest from Vinny and Friends this offseason.

Highlights
[YT]-_vtDlADHJo[/YT]

Stats: Funny thing is upon looking at this I was like "Whoa, 177 tackles? Leet!" So keep in mind that 177 is his career total not his total for 2008.
[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=174146]Brian Cushing Stats, News, Photos - USC Trojans - NCAA College Football - ESPN[/url]

Overall Evaluation from Scouts Inc:
[I]Scouts Grade: 92
Overall Ranking: 20
Position Ranking: 2
[/I]
Production: 3
Height-Weight Speed: 1
Durability: 4

Instincts-Recognition: 1
Pursuit, Point of Attack: 2
Tackling: 2
Pass Rusher: 2
Pass Coverage: 2

[B]Trait Scale
1 = [B]Exceptional, 2 = Above Average, 3 = Average, 4 = Below Average, 5 = Marginal[/B]
[/B]

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I personally think Cushing is a beast, but I've heard him compared to Barbie Carpenter (aka Bobby), who can't even crack the starting lineup in Dallas.

[url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=10392&draftyear=2006&genpos=OLB]Bobby Carpenter | Ohio State, OLB : 2006 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile[/url]

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=GMScud;521791]I personally think Cushing is a beast, but I've heard him compared to Barbie Carpenter (aka Bobby), who [B]can't even crack the starting lineup in Dallas.
[/B]
[url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=10392&draftyear=2006&genpos=OLB]Bobby Carpenter*|*Ohio State,*OLB*:*2006 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile[/url][/quote]

Yeah but i bet he would start on our team over Mcintosh and Washington

Re: Brian Cushing
 

he's okay but middle linebacker Rey Maualuga is the real beast ..I know we already have London , but you just can't pass up a guy who could be there for the next 8 years.. it seems like when these type of once in a lifetime players are available we are always looking for something else... except for the case of Sean Taylor RIP..

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I like it. I like it a lot? Will it happen? We'll have to wait and see.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Every time I hear the name Cushing, I can't help but think of Jerry O'Connell playing Frank "Cush" Cushman in Jerry McGuire.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I like Cushing, but if he is as good as everyone says he is, i doubt he will be around come the 13th pick of the draft. BUt i would love to have him replace Washington

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Mike Mayock felt like Cushing easily had the best day out of USC's 3 LB's. On top of that he sees Cushing's stock continuing to go up though I don't know where he had him initially.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

As much as I think we are weak a LB, our O-line needs to be our main focus in the draft.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I'm actually more of a fan of Cush than Rey... Cush was way more consistent outside, but he can play inside or out. Rey's definitely got potential, but the question is his field smarts.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=itvnetop;521850]I'm actually more of a fan of Cush than Rey... Cush was way more consistent outside, but he can play inside or out. Rey's definitely got potential, but the question is his field smarts.[/quote]

I hear mixed things on Rey depending on who is speaking. As for Cush, I think he's got a lot of talent and potential to be a great player in the NFL but I'm not convinced that we can get him later in the first or even early in the 2nd. Of course that means someone has to trade up with us.

I think there is a concern that the Saints are eyeing him at 14, which is possible I suppose. But if you can trade down with say Detroit and get the 20th and 33rd picks and get something like Sintim and Britton out of it (just throwing two possible names out there), I would think that's better than just Cushing

Re: Brian Cushing
 

The name to remember who is just as good and will be a value pick maybe in the 3rd-4th round. [B]Zack Follett LB out of Cal Berkeley[/B], this guy is a playmaker that has a nose for the football and is playing in the Senior bowl.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

NO WAY is this guy worthy of the 13th pick. NO WAY. He's 2nd round talent.

Remember Dallas Sartz? He had better numbers than Cushin at SC. He's now selling car insurance.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I think when all is said and done and the Redskins really start doing their research, they won't take Cushing so high as 13. They'll see that there will be other BPAs at that point who also fill needs

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Ya everyone wants to drop Washington, but I think we have to keep him for another year b/c A. we need LB depth (even though he might only be able to play half the season) and 2. Our OL is a higher priority than OLB. See now if we trade down to get more picks back, then we might be able to pick up one of the low 1st round LBs like Clint Sintim from UVA and use the two 3rd round picks (from trading down) to pick up two interior lineman. But i think we could wait till the 3rd round for an OLB, and get ILB in next years draft.

If we don't trade down, use our first pick on LT Jason Smith from Baylor, or if we trade down, either OT Britton from Arizona or OT Steven Beatty from UCONN, his stock is rising to a late 1st, early 2nd round..also OT Troy Kropog from Tulane's stock is rising...those two or three could be used as a back-up this year, and be ready to start in a year or two when samuel's contract is up

on the flip side, we could draft Jason Smith if he's available at 13 and have a LT for the next 12 years, but wat would we do for this year? have him play RT? do we have him as a back-up or have him and samuels split time right down the middle? Plus we'd only have a 3rd, 5th, 6th, picks left, and we need some depth...i hope we can hit on one of the low draft picks or undrafted FAs (a la Horton) but I wouldn't count on it

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Also, whoever posted the youtube clip of Cushing....u see the teams he was wreckin' on? Oregon State won 9 games, but Michigan? and i didn't even recognize one or two of the jerseys (prolly from their lame duck non-conference schedule) and the last Michigan highlight where he rolls into the QB, that was a HORRIBLE block by RB...if that was Portis doing the blocking, Cushing would've been stopped in his tracks. I say wait till 3rd or 4th round for a OLB and get a value pick...either way he most likely will get some PT, even though Zorn don't like playing rookies, he might have to...

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=Whiteboi_J;521887]Also, whoever posted the youtube clip of Cushing....u see the teams he was wreckin' on? Oregon State won 9 games, but Michigan? and i didn't even recognize one or two of the jerseys (prolly from their lame duck non-conference schedule) and the last Michigan highlight where he rolls into the QB, that was a HORRIBLE block by RB...if that was Portis doing the blocking, Cushing would've been stopped in his tracks. I say wait till 3rd or 4th round for a OLB and get a value pick...either way he most likely will get some PT, even though Zorn don't like playing rookies, he might have to...[/quote]
One thing I noticed is that they never showed him dropping back as a defender.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

According to these list Zack Follett has a higher rating than Cushing, he ranks as the 2nd highest LB in the Pac10.

[url=http://cfn.scout.com/2/829549.html]Scout.com: 2008 CFN All-Pac 10 Team & Top 30 Players[/url]

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Redskins representatives are reportedly talking a lot to the USC guys (Rey, Clay, and Fili) at the Senior Bowl.

Cushing is reportedly doing a pretty decent job in coverage at the practices

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Alright just to be clear this thread is not an endorsement of Brian Cushing on my part. Personally I'm pro O-Line all the way. I mean I think it's easy to say that we can easily survive a year without a new OLB. It's another year with an aging O-Line that proved they can't last a whole season that scares me. If anything the front office should go after Karlos Dansby or maybe a value guy in the $1-$2 million dollar range like Channing Crowder (though he seems like he could get slightly more then $2 million).

Re: Brian Cushing
 

We need to address the Oline with the 13th pick or trade down and get more picks but still address the Oline first. Our defense can play, our offense is the big problem and it starts with the line. Once again we don't have many draft picks so we need to address our huge needs, not the nice to haves.

We also need to bring in alot of undrafted lineman and hope we get lucky and find a keeper.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=SFREDSKIN;521891]According to these list Zack Follett has a higher rating than Cushing, he ranks as the 2nd highest LB in the Pac10.

[url=http://cfn.scout.com/2/829549.html]Scout.com: 2008 CFN All-Pac 10 Team & Top 30 Players[/url][/quote]

I see wat u sayin about Zack Follett. He had 78 tackles, 19 for losses, and 8.5 sacks. He also forced four fumbles. Give or take a few numbers from each.....But from what scouts are saying he can't pass cover neither...

[url=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=24648&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfldraft%2fdraft%2ftracker%2fplayer%3fid%3d24648]NFL - National Football League - ESPN[/url]

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=Whiteboi_J;521925]I see wat u sayin about Zack Follett. He had 78 tackles, 19 for losses, and 8.5 sacks. He also forced four fumbles. Give or take a few numbers from each.....But from what scouts are saying he can't pass cover neither...

[url=http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=24648&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfldraft%2fdraft%2ftracker%2fplayer%3fid%3d24648]NFL - National Football League - ESPN[/url][/quote]

Picking him in the 3rd round (if trades are made were we acquire more picks if he's available, then in the 4th round).

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I think a lot of scouts feel Follett can be good one day, but right now he's probably a special teamer for a year or two

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I don't think we'll be able to trade down b/c i don't think anybody is gonna wanna trade up into the top 15...

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I doubt we'll trade down in the first, but I think we'll trade into the 2nd

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I think that we should just trade away all of our picks for over priced FA's and try to make a run at the Trophy over the next two years.

Then after the 2010 season when there is no CAP, the NFL should do a fantasy Draft of every player in the NFL right after the Pro Bowl. (Same rules apply, worst pick first) Then, we can pick up every player we want that is available. Then, we can draft needs in the college draft and continue to do so forever. This way we will never have the age problem we have now, and I will not die of a Redskins inflicted heart attack before I'm 40.

In all seriousness, we need to get younger and more durable in the trenches before we do anything else. Cush is a beast, but not if he has to take on lineman because our D line can't.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

If we don't address the line play early and often, it won't matter who is playing LB.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I understand we need help on both lines, but i don't like takin' DL in the 1st b/c they generally aren't productive their first year...I'm a fan of drafting a OT and having him start RT, or split time with Samules with Heyer starting at RT, but with if all the top ones are gone, and the rest are not worth picking at 13? do we jus say F it and grab the best available OT even if they are a 20-25 projection and we drafting 13???

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Is anyone watching the NFL Senior bowl practices on NFL network? Rey Mag just threw his linebacker to the ground twice and got by him with nice moves to get to the quarterback three more times. He is really impressing me with his explosion off the line. The guy came to play.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=Whiteboi_J;521959]I understand we need help on both lines, but i don't like takin' DL in the 1st b/c they generally aren't productive their first year...I'm a fan of drafting a OT and having him start RT, or split time with Samules with Heyer starting at RT, but with if all the top ones are gone, and the rest are not worth picking at 13? do we jus say F it and grab the best available OT even if they are a 20-25 projection and we drafting 13???[/quote]

Can I get an amen!!! This post just brings a tear to my eye. Though as much as I want to draft O-Line I would still want to bring in BJ Rali provided he was available at 13 and the Big 4 are gone.

On another note does anyone have any idea if Channing Crowder could end up being one of the three or four value free agents we pursue this offseason? I mean the guy would fill a need and he's definitely got the size to play SLB.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Raji may not even make it past the Bengals at #6

Lot of speculation at this point, but from all I've heard if the draft were today I could see something like

1. Lions-Andre Smith
2. Rams-Eugene Monroe
3. Chiefs-Aaron Curry
4. Seahawks-Michael Crabtree
5. Browns-Malcolm Jenkins
6. Bengals-BJ Raji
7. Raiders-Percy Harvin
8. Jaguars-Jeremy Maclin
9. Packers-Jason Smith
10. 49ers-Mark Sanchez
11. Bills-Brian Orakpo
12. Broncos-Everette Brown

Wich drops Oher into our lap, or the intriguing possibility of Stafford who we definitely don't want (I don't think) but could possibly leverage. The wildcard is that 6-8 spot, because all of those teams could be eyeing a OL there.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=SmootSmack;521981]Raji may not even make it past the Bengals at #6

Lot of speculation at this point, but from all I've heard if the draft were today I could see something like

1. Lions-Andre Smith
2. Rams-Eugene Monroe
3. Chiefs-Aaron Curry
4. Seahawks-Michael Crabtree
5. Browns-Malcolm Jenkins
6. Bengals-BJ Raji
7. Raiders-Percy Harvin
8. Jaguars-Jeremy Maclin
9. Packers-Jason Smith
10. 49ers-Mark Sanchez
11. Bills-Brian Orakpo
12. Broncos-Everette Brown

Wich drops Oher into our lap, or the intriguing possibility of Stafford who we definitely don't want (I don't think) but could possibly leverage. The wildcard is that 6-8 spot, because all of those teams could be eyeing a OL there.[/quote]

Being a Georgia Boy I'm a gonna say that that der Matt Stafford dun make it past Kansas Sity.

By the way I hate Georgia, but as we get towards the combine I think we'll see Stafford shoot back up the draft boards.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=SmootSmack;521981]Raji may not even make it past the Bengals at #6

Lot of speculation at this point, but from all I've heard if the draft were today I could see something like

1. Lions-Andre Smith
2. Rams-Eugene Monroe
3. Chiefs-Aaron Curry
4. Seahawks-Michael Crabtree
5. Browns-Malcolm Jenkins
6. Bengals-BJ Raji
7. Raiders-Percy Harvin
8. Jaguars-Jeremy Maclin
9. Packers-Jason Smith
10. 49ers-Mark Sanchez
11. Bills-Brian Orakpo
12. Broncos-Everette Brown

Wich drops Oher into our lap, or the intriguing possibility of Stafford who we definitely don't want (I don't think) but could possibly leverage. The wildcard is that 6-8 spot, because all of those teams could be eyeing a OL there.[/quote]

If it goes down down that way and we pass on Oher, I may just give up on life.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

Double post, my bad.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=GMScud;521988]If it goes down down that way and we pass on Oher, I may just give up on life.[/quote]

I'll change my name to ScudSmack for a week in your honor :)

I'm still not 100% sold on Oher. But I won't complain if we got him

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=SmootSmack;521993]I'll change my name to ScudSmack for a week in your honor :)

I'm still not 100% sold on Oher. [B]But I won't complain if we got him[/B][/quote]

In the last 8 or 9 seasons, we've only used two picks before the 5th round on lineman - Reinhart and Dockery (ZERO on D-line). That's deplorable. I'll be dancing a friggin jig if we draft him. He's projected top 15 by most "experts."

I'd probably rather have Jason Smith, but really, who are we to be picky? The fact that we're even considering lineman in the first round is just awesome.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

[quote=GMScud;521994]In the last 8 or 9 seasons, we've only used two picks before the 5th round on lineman - Reinhart and Dockery (ZERO on D-line). That's deplorable. I'll be dancing a friggin jig if we draft him. He's projected top 15 by most "experts."

I'd probably rather have Jason Smith, but really, who are we to be picky? The fact that we're even considering lineman in the first round is just awesome.[/quote]

What do you know about Jason Smith as a Run Blocker because the impression I get from reading profiles make me think that he's more of a finesse guy rather then a mauler.

Re: Brian Cushing
 

I watched all 5+ minutes of the Cushing clip and have to say I wasn't amazed. I noticed he regularly "loses" his legs when tackling, using his mass to drag down the RB. First off that won't fly in the NFL where backs are so big and strong they can run through someone dragging them down, but my 2nd concern is whether Cushing has the speed to chase down a speedy back i.e. is he losing his legs because he's forced to dive for the RB instead of running through him? Also, on the recovery vs Notre Dame it looked like Cushing was caught from behind from a guy who started far back and had to cover a lot of distance. Was the kid from ND lightning quick or again is Cushing just lacking top end speed?

Re: Brian Cushing
 

oh yeah, and his durability is rated below average. How the hell does that translate into a 13 overall pick? For one thing he'd be replacing a guy who's only real drawback is durability.

...I'm just not sold this is the guy we want @ 13. I say let somebody else take the risk on him so early but if we trade down/get more picks from trading player(s) then give him a chance in the 2nd round.