Eagles should draft Dont'a Hightower with the #15 overall pick

Here we go. Now that Burfict has been thoroughly debunked all the “WE WANT TO BE BIGZ” guys are shifting their attention to Dont’a Hightower. I’ll say it now, Hightower is far too slow to be a MLB in a 4-3 defense. Also, I love how these Kuechly critics are now saying “he’ll probably be gone”. They’ll say anything so long as they can convince themselves that Kuechly won’t be an Eagle.

Oh and you’re wrong about block shedding too, we don’t need a guy who can shed blocks just for the sake of shedding blocks. We need a guy who can recognize what is happening in front of him, get to his spot/gap and make the play. Dont’a Hightower is not that guy, Luke Kuechly is.

The Eagles are not going to be selecting a LB with their 15th pick, no matter who it is. They’ll probably go o-line or d-line tackle, or wr (if they trade Desean) or even cb (with DRC in his final year). They’ll probably try to get a decent MLB in free agency this year and that will be that, they’ll probably pick up Stew when he gets cut by the Cards and try to plug him back in there. I won’t believe all this LB talk until I see it. And none of these guys are proven in the NFL, and you want to stick them in their rookie years to start and be in charge of the defense ?? I can’t imagine that they go into this year with the same strategy as last year. Think free agency, I’d rather see more talk about who is available in free agency that the Eagles will likely try to get to be the MLB than this talk.

Hightower isn’t a tackling machine. He finished his career with just 101 solo stops. However, that number must be put into proper context. First, Bama had a great defense and that meant fewer chances for tackles. If the opponent goes 3 and out you just aren’t going to pile up big numbers. Also, Donta played 3-4 ILB. That means sharing tackles with the other ILB. MLBs are going to have more tackles. Finally, Donta played DE in a lot of Nickel and Dime sets. That took away more chances for tackles (and INTs).

Hightower is special in some ways. I think he’s the best hitter in the whole draft. He can just devastate guys with big hits. Hightower has the burst and skills to be an effective pass rusher. Hightower is also a huge ILB. He lists at 6’4, 260. Might actually be heavier than that.

Donta got his while being the key figure on a defense that finished 1st in the nation vs the run, pass, overall, and in points allowed. I think Brent Musburger said the other night that Bama gave up just 9 TDs all year long. That’s not good defense. It is dominant, stifling defense.

While there are similarities between the two players, Hightower is much more NFL ready. He’s got the size and strength for the NFL right now. Hightower is much more of a physical LB than Matthews was. Hightower’s used to playing in a complex defensive scheme. He’s used to having multiple roles. Hightower would have some definite adjustments to make if the Eagles took him, but the transition would be less than what it was for Matthews.

However, he does mention previously in the article that he would prefer Kuechly and that Hightower would be an experiment. Worth a read.

http://igglesblitz.com/philadelphia-eagles-2/trusting-the-eagles/#disqus_thread

I think that you need to not say nigga. It’s almost MLK day. ffs

What more clue do you need?

Most people see him going late first/early second though. Even though it can happen, i dont see Kuechly getting drafted before 15. Looking at teams that needs linebackers (Minnesota, Buffalo, Tampa Bay), Kuechly may be considered as a reach and the teams may look at other needs and/or take the best player available.

“Youtube gametape” = Highlight video’s from Youtube meant to make the player you searched for look good through means of editing out all the fuck ups, normal hits and anything that doesn’t stand out and putting what’s left to music which is often times some sorta rap that involves “nigga’s” fucking other “nigga’s” up.

Youtube “gamefilm” is a joke… Look up actual game footage and watch what he needs to work on as well as what he’s good at then make an assessment.

As for Hightower, using the 15th pick on him is a major reach in my eyes, I like the kid but he seems like a 2nd-3rd rounder to me because from everything I’ve watched of him he has issues in coverage… Honestly if we’re going for a guy like Hightower I’d say just take the chance on Burfict, take Trevathan later in the draft and fill other needs.

I’m not sure Hightower has the speed to work inside a 4-3. I like him, not at #15, but I like the guy. I just worry that he’s not going to be to get to the edges as the MIKE in a 4-3. It seems like his perfect position is inside a 3-4.

I’ve watched clips on Luke Kuechly, that kid is a leopard stalking it’s prey, that attacks the flank side. He’s well-oiled in bouncing and back-pedaling from blockers, and pouncing into the ball carrier, either taking him or slowing him down for the next 1 or 2 defenders to make the stop. He can dive between blockers and grab/stop ball carriers legs from making another step. Here the best part, got me speechless, a running ball carrier with most of his linemen in front of him….Kuechly took to flight over a couple of linemen and flipped the ball carrier on his back, on his way down with gravity. The ball carrier looked at Kuechly, then to his linemen and tried assess how the hell did this guy come from behind. Kuechly may be light in the things he does, he makes play in the most unusual way. He’s a thinker, a stalker and above all, he’s a blind side flanker, he gets you withhout you knowing that he’s there. The thing about Kuechly, he is definitely versatile in the Mike, Will, as well as Sam. He has all the tools to be instinctive, something that isn’t easy to teach, he just needs to be primed and conditioned into an NFL top player. We definitely have the lockeroom, players and coaches, to do that. Finally, I believe he fits into any defensive schemes, thing is he’s not pound for pound type of stud, because of his instinctive nature he’s lightfooted, yet maintains his control of the situation. Nobody’s perfect in any schemes, can’t predict a player to make it in the top 20’s before or during the next season. A lot of responsibilities begins in the lockeroom, existing players, and all the coaches involved. As for the FO, what will they do with their first and 2 of their second rounders, when the drafts arrives. It remains to be seen, and it starts to get very interesting, either they blow it with too much considerations, or attuned for reasonable attempts to being creative. Whatever the reasons, we all know FO has the last say, then onto training camp.