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LEGWOLD: Defensive tackles have draft allure

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published March 28, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Miami's Calais Campbell didn't always come away with the ball during his career, but he did have 16 1/2 sacks in his last two seasons for the Hurricanes.

Photo by Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images/2007

Miami's Calais Campbell didn't always come away with the ball during his career, but he did have 16 1/2 sacks in his last two seasons for the Hurricanes.

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First, the Broncos went big in 2007, loading up their defensive tackle spots with the biggest players they could sign.

Then the Broncos went small.

Mired in a run of dismal run defense and looking for more quickness than brawn, they sent players like Sam Adams and Amon Gordon, who had opened the season as starters, on their way.

Yet, in the end, the Broncos never quite found just right.

So, with the draft approaching, defensive tackle is certainly a position of need for the Broncos. Coach Mike Shanahan has cited the need to put a better run defense on the field as the root of the change from former defensive boss Jim Bates to the new one, Bob Slowik.

And on the inside of their defensive line the Broncos currently have only one player who has started more than five games in his career, Alvin McKinley. He has started 42 games in his time in the league, a giant step ahead of the Broncos' runner-up in that category in the defensive line, Marcus Thomas, who started five as a rookie in '07.

Sitting at No. 12 in the first round at the moment, the Broncos will be in a position to peruse most of the top players at the position.

The upper-tier rundown:

* Glenn Dorsey, Louisiana State

A pipe dream for the Broncos, unless they can move up into the draft's top five. Dorsey won the Outland and Lott trophies and the Lombardi and Nagurski awards in '07, played on a balky knee for much of the season - after an Auburn guard chop- blocked him - and still finished with 121/2 tackles for loss and seven sacks despite playing through almost constant double- and triple-teams.

Some team doctors have expressed concern about a spot on his lower right leg where he suffered a stress fracture in '06, but Dorsey says it's a calcified knot where the bone has healed.

He never missed a game at LSU, having played in all 52.

* Sedrick Ellis, Southern California

The Broncos would need plenty of good fortune for Ellis to fall to them, but stranger things have happened - Jevon Kearse was selected at No. 16 in '99.

Ellis simply dominated at the Senior Bowl. Quick off the ball, and some teams see him as a nose tackle, but he sees the play and knows how to get rid of the blocker to take care of business.

He had surgery in '06 to repair some cartilage in his right knee but started 33 games in his career on one of the deepest rosters in the nation.

* Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina

Started only one full season for the Tar Heels - he never had more than 17 tackles in any of his first three - but finished '07 with 91/2 tackles for loss and 31/2 sacks on the inside.

Expected to be a power player against the run, Balmer explodes off the ball.

* Calais Campbell, Miami

At 6-73/4, 290 pounds, some teams see the Denver South High graduate as a power (left) defensive end or an end in a 3-4 defense. However, Campbell certainly has the size and strength to drop down inside on at least passing downs.

He does play a little too upright at times, but technique can always be improved, especially with a player who has plenty to offer in his game.

Campbell had 321/2 tackles for loss and 161/2 sacks in his last two seasons combined at Miami.

After the top tier, there is a group that likely includes Florida State's Letroy Guion, Auburn's Pat Sims, Arkansas' Marcus Harrison, Iowa State's Ahtyba Rubin and Notre Dame's Trevor Laws.

Some of those players have workout issues; some, like Harrison, have had some off-the-field troubles; and then there's Sims, who simply walked away from Auburn for a year because he felt he wasn't playing enough.

But there are also some intriguing resumes, like Texas' Derek Lokey, who was one of the smaller starting defensive tackles in the Big 12 but played in 43 career games and started 21.

He benched 225 pounds 38 times at his pro day this month, which would have been the top performance at the scouting combine. Lokey is versatile enough to have played fullback in the team's short-yardage offense and can also long snap.

Lokey also has one of the quirkiest prep statistics - a 107-tackle season as a senior in Denton, Texas, with 52 tackles, or 49 percent, for loss.

And for those teams willing to take a look with an open mind, there is a player like South Florida's Richard Clebert. Clebert didn't get a combine invite - far more ends than tackles were invited - and some teams didn't think he worked out all that well at the East-West Game.

But those who would have cared to ask would have discovered he went to Houston on short notice after spending a few days at the hospital with his wife after she gave birth to the couple's first child.

He set the school record in the team's preseason testing by bench pressing 225 pounds 48 times. And at least one scout hand-timed the 317-pounder at 4.90 seconds in the 40 last year.

NUMBERS GAME

32 games apiece won by AFC teams and NFC teams in interconference meetings in 2007. It's certainly a statistic relished by those in the NFL hoping for what Atlanta general manager Rich McKay called "competitive balance."

MAKING THE MOVE

As of Wednesday, 96 players who had been unrestricted free agents had signed with new teams. By contrast, 62 players who had entered the market as unrestricted free agents signed contracts to remain with their former team.

TOLL CALL

The 49ers lost a fifth-round pick in next month's draft because commissioner Roger Goodell ruled the team had tampered with a player under contract with another team during the 2007 season. Goodell ruled the 49ers had contacted linebacker Lance Briggs' agent without the Bears' permission.

The 49ers also had to change spots with the Bears in the third round of the draft, dropping five spots in the exchange. Briggs had signed a new deal with Chicago.

HE SAID IT

"We don't deny we have issues to deal with. And we face them, head-on."

Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president/football operations, on the league's efforts to police itself.

Front of the line

Defensive tackles taken in the first two rounds of the 2007 draft:

Player Team Pick

Amobi Okoye Houston 10

Justin Harrell Green Bay 16

Alan Branch Arizona 33

Turk McBride Kansas City 54

Comments

  • March 28, 2008

    7:42 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Matadore writes:

    If Campbell is there, snag him. I heard he's more like 310lbs with tons of room to grow.

  • March 28, 2008

    7:50 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    southpaw writes:

    We need to return to the old days, where we had a top notch offensive line, and could run the ball against anyone, at any time. That hid a lot of problems we had defensively.

  • March 28, 2008

    9:44 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    r8rh8r writes:

    Calais Campbell is projected to play at DE in the NFL. At 6'7", 290 lbs is a little lanky for a DT--certainly when we need a 2NT, not a pass rush specialist. With Moss, Engleberger, and the bull-rushing Dumervil moving between the tackle and end positions, we've got plenty of depth at end and some great pass rushing ability. Marcus Thomas is more of a penetrating tackle although he is the biggest wild card heading into this season.

    DT's with two-gap potential include guys like A&M's Red Bryant and Texas's Frank Okam, both of which can be drafted in the 2nd round or later. If Ellis is there, he'd be a great pickup, but after that, I don't think there is a great fit for us in this draft class.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:48 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DenverDon writes:

    After Dorsey and Ellis, it would be a reach to take the others at the 12th pick. My guess is they will either trade down, or take a LB there and get a tackle later......Please don't reach Shanny! We need help everywhere...

  • March 28, 2008

    11:17 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GJrodburner writes:

    There is so much riding on this particular draft, and I don't believe that Mike Shanahan can produce the results all of you that are draftniks are looking for. If he can't follow informed information, then how do you expect him to produce during the draft? His track record has had some gems, but did he produce those nuggets? Who actually decided on Rod Smith (granted: undrafted), Jason Elam, and Terrell Davis during the actual draft? How much of an imprint did Mike have in finding those individuals? Given the many hats he does wear, and all that must be coordinated for day-in-day-out operations of this team, when does Mike find the time to do the in-depth break down of the players tape, follow up with in-person interviewing and in-person field testing? Obviously he can't. That's alright, it is why this team, like all the others, have a scouting department. So the question I have: can this man be trusted to do the drafting necessary for the Broncos success? That question cannot be answered now, it will have to be answered at the end of the upcoming season of '08-'09. Many times, and this has been so true for all that have tried to run an entire operation, the details are what do you in. I don't think Mike can do the details of his job when it comes to the draft. I didn't think he could when this team won back to back SB's, and given the state of affairs in regards to certain player decisions, I don't find Mike Shanahan to be coming through even now. If, and this is just pure speculation, Mike does draft for his two lines, and keeps to that approach, this team, given the reactions and comments made by players, owner, and staff, over decisions made during this off-season (including my own extreme dislike of MS) could move the needle in another direction as to how an N.F.L. team can or should operate during this current salcap and CBA situation. As much as I see the worth of keeping a 15-year vet, understanding more of the human interaction rather than the pure statistical and monetary interaction, it could be that MS has or will define how the corporate side of running a football operation can now be produced in a coaching/drafting scenario. He can relieve himself of dealing with the men drafted in an emotional context. Players are expected to know the economics of their respective contract and the environment in which that contract works. You are paid to play, and when you can't live up to the agreement, gone. I couldn't see doing that as a coach: play to live, live to play, and when you cannot do that you are not worth keeping. Maybe that's the point I'm missing when considering the draft, and MS now knows how to approach the draft in this manner to the point that the details no longer figure into the job.

  • March 28, 2008

    12:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    foreveraBroncofan writes:

    Nice post GJrodburner. Normally I don't care for the Shanahan haters as I for one would hate to see us try to start over with someone else running the show and know he would definatly be wanted somewhere else. I agree though the heat is on for him to draft well and I'm not so sure he's up to it. I hope he is, but I don't know.

  • March 28, 2008

    1:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ShowMe writes:

    It's more than just personnel...it's play calling. I haven't been impressed in that arena for a couple of years.

  • March 28, 2008

    3:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nosnivlers writes:

    Play calling was dialed down so everybody could grasp it all together.. Watch this year with cutler bm.and stokley sheffler. and dont forget jackson who was coming on very well last year untill sd ripped his groin. Who by the way has tmie at TE as well as WR.

  • March 28, 2008

    5:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AKuser writes:

    I am sure the Broncos are very concerned on random internet posters personal beliefs GJrodburner but apparently Pat Bowlen believes MS can do the job and luckily for him he owns the team and makes the decisions. Somebody in the organization has done a good job recently including probably the best draft in franchise history 2 years ago. Hopefully the person or persons responsible for those drafts are still in the building and not recently let go. It appears that the team went through a period of reaching for top ten talent by taking fliers on injured players at the end of the 1st round and then switched to taking more sure things recently. It should help that they have the 12th pick and dont need to reach this year.

  • March 28, 2008

    10:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    foreveraBroncofan writes:

    I wonder how Cutler and Williams got along at college and if he's hoping the Broncos draft him. If so, I don't really consider it a reach if they to pick him over Clady(if available) if it also makes Jay more comfortable in the pocket. Anybody know?

  • March 29, 2008

    10:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncosapian87 writes:

    To be honest...all I want to see from this draft is for us just fill the two key areas that are lacking on our team (DT & Left OT). I think if we can pick up Ryan Clady/Chris Williams in the 1st and then Kentwan Balmer/Patt Simms in the second to compliment Thomas that would be fantastic. Those would be two cornerstones that the team really could use right now. I'm a huge Glenn Dorsey fan but I think the price may be too high to get to one of those top 5 picks...I would also like to see us address WR/returner and K, obviously...Eddie Royal and Brandon Couto would look fine in Bronco uniforms

  • March 30, 2008

    6:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    GJrodburner writes:

    My personal feelings aside for MS, I want our Broncos to do as well if not better than they did with the draft two years ago too! I cannot remeber a draft that has as much weight for our franchise's future as this one coming up. If this franchise is to compete with the current salcap and CBA intact, then this draft will have to sustain us for more than five seasons. I think that is what the draft gurus are looking at for return investment on a draft, five seasons instead of ten. This upcoming draft class for Denver may have to return on dividends within two! Whatever the blueprint was for Jay, and Marshall, and the young turks on the d-line, that is the format to follow.

  • March 31, 2008

    8:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Jaeks75 writes:

    Pat, PLEASE don't let mike on the basis of NEED!!! Make him take the most talented player at that time. We will worry about filling spots later. THis is the philosophy that works in the NFL. Example- Adrian Pederson

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