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[WI wide body]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

Found it! Ok this article is written for the guys coming out of High School right now.

From ESPN.com

This class as a whole has been intriguing. Every year, one or two positions rise or fall in terms of depth and talent, and in 2008, the massive crop of wide receivers will leave just about every team in the top 25 classes with two premier playmakers on the perimeter. Conversely, this class is not strong at cornerback, which always is the toughest position to evaluate and has "converts" from other positions.


Big, tall wide receivers always have been popular choices, but the newest trend is recruiting undersized defensive ends and linebackers, with which this class is loaded. Outside linebacker Arthur Brown (Wichita, Kan./East) is 210 pounds if he is lucky, and OLB Sean Spence (Miami/Northwestern) weighs in at about 200 pounds on a good day. Florida commit defensive end William Green (Birmingham, Ala./Spain Park) is about 215 pounds, and Alabama commit DE Courtney Upshaw (Eufaula, Ala.) is about 220 pounds.


The reason for this shift in philosophy is the influence of the spread offense that dominates the college football landscape; speed, athleticism and the ability to play in space are at a premium. The offensive skill players have become so good defenses cannot afford mismatches.

Well, although this article does not actually address what we are talking about, you do make more sense than some of the others.

It surprises me that no one has mentioned that if the defences did go the bigger, stronger, taller DB's that I would like to see that it would also probably require a different defensive strategy. The big CB's certainly would be more able to play the "bump" that is allowed during the first yards. But with only a few exceptions the big CB's would probably not be able to cover downfield as well as a 5' 11" 190 pounder. So then that responsibility would have to fall to the safety's who are now almost always bigger than the CB's. It would probably dictate a switch of responsiblities where the big corners would do their "bump" thing and then drop off into a zone or play the run while the Safety's would mostly be the deep cover guys.

But it sure might stop the ridiculous ***** that I saw this year when an undersized CB was trying to match up with T.O. or Moss or any of the big receivers.

[lendaddy]

Have you ever watched Moss or Owens try to make a tackle on an INT, it's pathetic. Their long bodies can't go low. Given that a corner must also tackle RB's on a regular basis it just doesn't make sense.

And the others were correct, their legs are too long to just swivel those hips and turn with a receiver. The body just doesn't work for the position.

Maybe someday a player will prove us all wrong and have the ability and the height...but they'll probably make him a WR so it won't matter

[WI wide body]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Have you ever watched Moss or Owens try to make a tackle on an INT, it's pathetic. Their long bodies can't go low. Given that a corner must also tackle RB's on a regular basis it just doesn't make sense.

And the others were correct, their legs are too long to just swivel those hips and turn with a receiver. The body just doesn't work for the position.

Maybe someday a player will prove us all wrong and have the ability and the height...but they'll probably make him a WR so it won't matter

You might be right but those 6' 5" LB's and DE's sure don't seem to have much trouble when they have to "go low" on a tackle.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by WI wide body

You might be right but those 6' 5" LB's and DE's sure don't seem to have much trouble when they have to "go low" on a tackle.

Those guys are thick with long torsos and shorter legs. Moss and Owens are all legs hence the speed. No LBs or DE can come close to their speed.

[WI wide body]

Originally Posted by lendaddy

Those guys are thick with long torsos and shorter legs. Moss and Owens are all legs hence the speed. No LBs or DE can come close to their speed.

Have you ever actually seen Owens up close? I saw him standing next to Packer MLB Nick Barnett and Owens looked more like a LB than did Barnett!

But I do get your point so I'm gonna move on with my next and even better idea for the NFL! Stay tuned.

[Mule]

It's obvious that you have figured out something that all of the coaches in the NFL have failed to realize. Go inform them of your discovery. Millions await you!