Another DE/OLB Prospect

In a piece posted today, Mike Reiss gives us some valuable quotes from some of the top pass rushing options in the draft. I have detailed most of the players here, but Vinny Curry had slipped under my radar. Wouldn't you know, he sounds like a great fit for the Patriots.

Marshall DE/OLB Vinny Curry. After posting 23 sacks over the last two seasons, Curry put himself on the NFL radar as a rising pass rusher. He measured 6-foot-3 and 266 pounds and is viewed by analysts as a likely second-round pick. Because he didn't play at a big-time college, Curry enters the NFL with a chip on his shoulder. "I like stuff like that. I love being the underdog," he said. "I feel the underdog always works harder, always has something to prove. That’s my personality. I just love to work, I love to get better. I just like the game of football. When you’re in love with this game and you’ve got a passion for it it’s a different mindset."

First of all, we will not have to take him with our first round picks. He will likely be taken in the second round, and this bodes well for the Pats because most of the other pass rush options would require them to trade up (something that I foresee as unlikely). Believe it or not, pass rush is not the most glaring need for this team. I get the feeling that one 1st round pick will be traded away for mid-round picks and a future 1st rounder. The other first round pick could be a DB, a WR, or an OL. I think that the value of players on the board will direct Belichick toward these other needs first.

Vinny Curry's status as a second round comes from his lack of time playing against top-competition. He is someone whose measurables I will examine in depth alongside his competition. He could be an excellent value pick, but he could also be a risk. I am interested in seeing more.

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