Ravens, Pats and Jets are Interested in Michael Sam

[Rxdoxx]

Joe Barkett and Cameron Weiss "sports agents" with one client last year
Their company, Empire Athletes, is a little more than a year old.
Now they have a publicist they are collaborating with, Howard Bragman


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/sp...ther.html?_r=0

There is no secretary, no staff beyond a couple of college interns, and until last week, their office was the apartment they share about 20 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. Their only client on an N.F.L. roster last season was Xavier Proctor, a defensive lineman on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad.

Barkett did a little interning for Leigh Steinberg while in college.

So you have a very marginal NFL prospect who is the biggest client for a fledgling sports acency, expect to hear as much publicity as they can squeeze out of this.

Ravens are interested in any UDFA LB/DE until a better one comes along and knocks him off the list
(CR Michael McAdoo comes to mind quickly as does Chavis Williams, we drafted Barnes and Burgess and still signed Edgar Jones and there was a 4th who didn't make it Haley??)

Expect more Sam hype exery chance they get, pity the agency whose best prospect he is, but domn't pity them too much, at least one of the 2 drives a Porsche, they are getting themselves known as best they can in all this also.

[GOTA]

If we go by production hes completely comparable to Upshaw.

Sam
48 T 19.0 TFL 11.5 S final season

Upshaw
52 t 18.0 tfl 9.5 s final season

there was talk of Upshaw being a top 15 pick at one point because of those stats, were talking about Sam as a late rounder or UDFA. doesnt quite add up to me (drafts were completely different as well). Hes clearly not the athlete that Upshaw is, but that motor has gotten similar production in the same conference. Just seems to be a bigger gap between those two than the difference in athletic ability (neither are quick twitch). Frankly I think Upshaw should have been a lower pick so maybe thats the bigger issue i have than Sam being considered so much later. Either way, I dont see us needing another stiff LB/DE project with even less of a ceiling.

Stats only tell part of the story. Go look at Sam on youtube. His highlight reel is the same pass rush over and over again.

In 2012 Phillip Steward OLB at the University of Houston had 71 Tackles 19 TFL 2 Interceptions and 11 sacks. He went undrafted and was signed by the Rams. The guy was a great college player and had the numbers but that only means so much when evaluating a prospect.

[Ngata Da Vida]

UDFA.

If he is still on the board come rounds 6 or 7, you can bet Lord Roger will be making some "encouraging" phone calls to a few front office execs.

[JAB1985]

Stats only tell part of the story. Go look at Sam on youtube. His highlight reel is the same pass rush over and over again.

In 2012 Phillip Steward OLB at the University of Houston had 71 Tackles 19 TFL 2 Interceptions and 11 sacks. He went undrafted and was signed by the Rams. The guy was a great college player and had the numbers but that only means so much when evaluating a prospect.

Id say Upshaws was the same pass rush over and over as well. Like I said, I think it goes to show taht people including Ozzie overvalued upshaw if anything.

[GOTA]

Id say Upshaws was the same pass rush over and over as well. Like I said, I think it goes to show taht people including Ozzie overvalued upshaw if anything.

I agree that Upshaw was overvalued but there is a big difference between a player who was taken at the top of the 2nd round who now looks more like a later 2nd or early 3rd round player and a player who doesn't look like he could start on defense in the NFL.

Upshaw is still a starter. That's what you are looking for when you draft a player in round 2.

[Ravenalytics]

If he's a smart kid who doesn't commit dumb penalties, I'd have no problem taking him in the later rounds as a ST'er.

[Paintballguy]

If we go by production hes completely comparable to Upshaw.

Sam
48 T 19.0 TFL 11.5 S final season

Upshaw
52 t 18.0 tfl 9.5 s final season

there was talk of Upshaw being a top 15 pick at one point because of those stats, were talking about Sam as a late rounder or UDFA. doesnt quite add up to me (drafts were completely different as well). Hes clearly not the athlete that Upshaw is, but that motor has gotten similar production in the same conference. Just seems to be a bigger gap between those two than the difference in athletic ability (neither are quick twitch). Frankly I think Upshaw should have been a lower pick so maybe thats the bigger issue i have than Sam being considered so much later. Either way, I dont see us needing another stiff LB/DE project with even less of a ceiling.

There is no way Sam could play at the level that Upshaw plays at in the NFL. Upshaw may not be quite the pass rusher, but he's a hell of an edge defender.

Sam doesn't really have a position in the NFL. I'm not saying he can't ever be a good NFL player, but he's not a highly rated prospect. I would take a flyer on him as a late round pick.

[JAB1985]

I agree that Upshaw was overvalued but there is a big difference between a player who was taken at the top of the 2nd round who now looks more like a later 2nd or early 3rd round player and a player who doesn't look like he could start on defense in the NFL.

Upshaw is still a starter. That's what you are looking for when you draft a player in round 2.

There is no way Sam could play at the level that Upshaw plays at in the NFL. Upshaw may not be quite the pass rusher, but he's a hell of an edge defender.

Sam doesn't really have a position in the NFL. I'm not saying he can't ever be a good NFL player, but he's not a highly rated prospect. I would take a flyer on him as a late round pick.

Upshaw isnt a starter but My point being you have 2 guys that have similar production. Even their 40 times are similar with their prodays being 4.73 and 4.76. Theres a lot to compare there which to me means Upshaw isnt a 2nd rounder. Hes a 4th like Simon or beyond.

I do agree that Upshaw is better against the run. The question is why would that make him 5 rounds better vs Sam. 2 down LBs arent coveted. Neither are quick twitch, both are limited as pass rushers, both are undersized. Its just intriguing to me that we speak so negatively about Sam when Upshaw had a lot of the same issues coming out but was heralded as a great prospect, which imo, he never really was.

I do think Sam has a position in the NFL just not on our team.

[ursula]

The thing about Upshaw is that regardless of his draft position we were and still are hoping that he could fill Jarrett Johnson's shoes. And so far he hasn't. He's okay....but he didn't progress from his decent rookie season to last year. He didn't improve as a run defender where he is good but not great, certainly not as good as JJ, and he is still awful as a pass rusher. Unfortunately he's had real problems staying in shape too. The year coming up is really important for Upshaw's future in the NFL as he's got to show something more than he has. If he doesn't step up the Ravens will be thinking OLB as a top priority the next year. Suggs and Doom are already on the wrong side of 30 as it is. The position needs to be addressed.

With Michael Sam, we can't think of him as a possible Upshaw replacement cause he'd need a year or two to develop before that would be a possibility. In the meantime he'd be a special team player and a situational pass rusher when/if Doom and/or Suggs are injured. As such he'd be in competition with Simon and Hamilton to make the roster. Sam could beat out the other two if his one pass rush move proves effective and the team thinks it could teach him. He'd definitely have a couple of great mentors in Doom and Suggs.

As such, yeah, a late round pick is justified. OLB is now in a similar position as ILB was in Ray Lewis' last couple of years: needing new blood in the long run but the situation is not dire enough that the team needs to invest in a high round draft pick-yet. At ILB then the team picked up several low round picks and UDFA's in hopes of finding a steal. Eventually they did have to use a 2nd rounder last year on Brown. OLB is proceeding the same: we are in the low round/UDFA stage: Hamilton, Simon, possibly Sam and if not probably someone else. Let's hope we get lucky with one of these flyers.

[alien bird]

As such, yeah, a late round pick is justified. OLB is now in a similar position as ILB was in Ray Lewis' last couple of years: needing new blood in the long run but the situation is not dire enough that the team needs to invest in a high round draft pick-yet.

I would rather see the Ravens use the late round pick to obtain another CB. There just aren't that many on the roster, especially compared to fringe OLBs. Maybe not Sam, but a guy like him is probably available after the draft. Historically, the Ravens have done well with UDFA linebackers.

[ursula]

I would rather see the Ravens use the late round pick to obtain another CB. There just aren't that many on the roster, especially compared to fringe OLBs. Maybe not Sam, but a guy like him is probably available after the draft. Historically, the Ravens have done well with UDFA linebackers.

Definitely we need to draft a CB. In my mind said CB is penciled in to be drafted by the end of the 4th round even. But, yeah, if we don't have a CB drafted yet, then that's a priority over OLB for the 5th and 6th rounds plus look at a UDFA CB too.

[LukeDaniel]

I would rather see the Ravens use the late round pick to obtain another CB. There just aren't that many on the roster, especially compared to fringe OLBs. Maybe not Sam, but a guy like him is probably available after the draft. Historically, the Ravens have done well with UDFA linebackers.

Good points across the board.

I'll add the following thoughts.

- I think Sam will be drafted in the mid-5th round range, although he might slip into the late 5th/early 6th round. I think the odds of him going undrafted are slim.

-The only pick where I'd feel good about the Ravens drafting Sam is with that supp-6th pick. When I look at the depth of this draft, I see some very good players as candidates for our late 5th supplemental pick. I see players who can come in right away and contribute.

- Good call on the idea of a CB, Alien. I have watched a number of mock drafts and I'm seeing cornerbacks projected as going in the 5th and 6th rounds who I feel would be late 2nd through early 4th round quality in past drafts. Even if our 5th/6th round supplemental pick was a "double dip" cornerback (essentially starting off as our #6 corner) I still think that player provides more short and long term value over someone like Sam, who is likely going to offer the Ravens no value from scrimmage at any point in the near future. If you look at the compilation of OLBs who would theoretically be ahead of Sam on the depth chart (Suggs, Doom, Simon, Upshaw, Hamilton), they are all players who are highly likely to be here for 2014 and 2015. Right now, we only have 3 cornerbacks on our roster who have really ever played from scrimmage in a real NFL game. It's a heavier priority position for us.

- I'd much rather see the Ravens look at a 3-4 DE than a 3-4 OLB like Sam projects to be. Tuitt in the 2nd round (doubtful he makes it there) or in the late 1st/early 2nd round (if we trade back) would be an amazing fit. Also, I'm in love with Kareem Martin out of UNC as a target for our 3rd round pick. Both are legit NFL DEs who can contribute from day one. The only true 3-4 DE that we have on our roster right now that is sure to be back in 2015 is Kapron Lewis-Moore, who has never played a down in the NFL and is 15 months removed from a torn ACL. I just see Sam as a low-value pick. If the Ravens are truly look at this draft as a way to add a young pass rusher, I'd rather them look at DE versus OLB, and I'd rather them look at filling that need in rounds 1-3 where you are going to get a player who is much more of a certainty.