Vontaze Burfict, ILB, Arizona St.

ChiefMojo · 05-02-2011, 07:13 PM

What do you guys think of Vontaze (Arizona State) when it comes to the 2012 NFL Draft? One would expect him to go very early in the 1st round as they guy is a athletic marvel and a physical beast!

With that said, one has to wonder if he is very similar to Lavar Arrington in the fact once he gets into the NFL they will try to reign him in? He seems to go for the kill shot a lot and teams and the NFL in general probably won't be to keen on that. Not only due to safety reasons, but the sake of his own pockets and possibly getting outside the grand scheme of the defense.

Do you guys think this is a legit worry or does his athletic/physical/production talents out weigh the concern?

bored of education · 05-02-2011, 07:14 PM

A special prospect. His tenacity on the field is unreal, he goes balls to the wall, he actually can diagnose plays, he does not over pursue. I dont know what is wrong with his game, well he is a headcase..but that is a good thing

ChiefMojo · 05-02-2011, 07:16 PM

Everything you said is true, but the possible headcase aspect probably goes hand and hand with his beastly nature. He plays one way... GO!

JustDezIT · 05-02-2011, 07:20 PM

He's an incredible player, but a little ****** in the head.

fenikz · 05-02-2011, 07:25 PM

I met him once had huge entourage, but he doesn't drink or smoke and is all intensity all the time. His on the field problems are overblown, besides the incident at Washington State(I think) where he head butted a player he really hasn't deserved the penalties he has gotten. Plenty of times it seems like refs are entirely going out of their way to flag him for very legal hits.

roscoesdad27 · 05-02-2011, 07:25 PM

LOVE him, my #1 guy early on....got a little Ray Ray in him.

ElectricEye · 05-02-2011, 07:31 PM

Closest thing to Ray Lewis we're ever going to find. Nastiness personified on the field and one of those rare ILB's who you can just build a defense around. Excellent all around athlete with a fantastic build too. True tone setter in every sense of the word with all the devastating blows he's able to deliver on the football field. I'm interested in seeing his ability to play within the context of a scheme, but aside from that this guy is pure money in the bank, even at this point. As roscoesdad said, he's an early candidate to be the top overall prospect next year even though he's only played two years, kind of like Peterson was this year.

FUNBUNCHER · 05-02-2011, 07:33 PM

Tackle numbers don't show the production I would expect from so highly regarded a prospect, can't really explain that.

But if Burfict tests well and blows up in 2011, he looks like a first round Mike, which is kinda rare nowadays.

ChiefMojo · 05-02-2011, 07:37 PM

Who was the last first round MIKE??? McClain?

descendency · 05-02-2011, 07:40 PM

If he plays up to his talent, top 10.

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 07:43 PM

He plays with so much fury and tenacity out there. He just doesn't stop going. He is the most energetic and intense player I have watched at the college level ever. He is considered a head-case because he is all pure raw emotion and acts off that emotion a little too much sometimes. I have never seen a player that can literally jump past an opposing OL to get into the backfield and make the tackle. His ability to rush off the edge, read plays to stop the run, rush up the middle is unreal and his coverage isn't weak either. This kid reminds me a lot of Ray Lewis with his emotion and love for the game and his skills are insane to go with that great emotion and non-stop motor.

ElectricEye · 05-02-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUNBUNCHER

Tackle numbers

dannyz · 05-02-2011, 07:45 PM

Probably the best LB Prospect since Patrick Willis.

fenikz · 05-02-2011, 08:12 PM

he is a better prospect than Willis imo. Prob have to go all the back to 2000 with LaVar Arrington to find a better prospect, and idk if he will even be considered better at the end of the day. Remember these last 2 season have been his true Fr. & So. years very rarely do any players make this type of impact let alone middle linebackers.

and as for his tackle stats while it's a irrelevant stat he was getting robbed, myself and boe both believe that he had around 20 tackles in the Arizona game and he credited with only 7

A perfect landing place for him would be Cleveland imo, behind Phil Taylor & Ahtyba Rubin he could put up some stupidly insane numbers

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 08:18 PM

fenikz hit the nail on the head, he is a special talent at a young age and a position where it is rare to find that ability. Because he plays with so much emotion though he has "character concerns" and may never be seen as the better prospect. He also doesn't have the stats, but the skill and intensity is still there. Simply put, he is a man among boys in college football and is only in his true Jr. year. He could go pro now if you ask me. The kid can flat out play. He is a real difference maker that you must account for on defense which is rare for a MIKE.

Complex · 05-02-2011, 08:24 PM

Future Titan

ElectricEye · 05-02-2011, 08:26 PM

There's very few linebackers you can put as the center piece of the defense and build around like a quarterback. Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis are two prominent ones. Brian Urlacher has played up to that level at times as well at different points in his career. Burfict is that kind of guy in my opinion and that's absolutely special like you guys said. He can legitimately effect a game with his presence.

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

There's very few linebackers you can put as the center piece of the defense and build around like a quarterback. Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis are two prominent ones. Brian Urlacher has played up to that level at times as well at different points in his career. Burfict is that kind of guy in my opinion and that's absolutely special like you guys said. He can legitimately effect a game with his presence.

I feel like Luke Kuechly is the same way, but he won't be nearly as talked about because of Burfict. Kuechly is a tackling machine and is similar to Urlacher and could be the leader of a defense that you build around.

ElectricEye · 05-02-2011, 08:32 PM

Kuechly is special too and a guy I love to watch every week. He's not the physical monster than Burfict is though, and you're right...he probably won't get his due because of it. I would still like to see him add some weight and get stronger, but he gets to the ball like he's shot out of a cannon and has this weird ability to drift around traffic and get in the play. If I'm being completely honest, I'm not sure how he ends up being perceived. I don't think he's a pure James Laurinaitis type, but I'm not ready to put him in that category we're talking about quite yet either.

roscoesdad27 · 05-02-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OSUGiants17

I feel like Luke Kuechly is the same way, but he won't be nearly as talked about because of Burfict. Kuechly is a tackling machine and is similar to Urlacher and could be the leader of a defense that you build around.

He's an absolute beast as well, in my top 10 overall for sure.

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

Kuechly is special too and a guy I love to watch every week. He's not the physical monster than Burfict is though, and you're right...he probably won't get his due because of it. I would still like to see him add some weight and get stronger, but he gets to the ball like he's shot out of a cannon and has this weird ability to drift around traffic and get in the play.

He isn't as physical because Burfict is just a bigger build(who still hasn't maxed out which makes him even scarier), but he is just always near the ball carrier getting in on the tackle and always finds his way to the perfect spot at the perfect time. If Kuechly adds some bulk and keeps his speed he is a top 15 talent, he is already a first round talent, but he needs to bulk up a tiny bit.

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roscoesdad27

He's an absolute beast as well, in my top 10 overall for sure.

He may be in our top ten, but not everyone else's sadly.

ElectricEye · 05-02-2011, 08:40 PM

I see him as a guy with that type of potential for sure. His instincts, agility, and end to end speed are top notch. All I'm trying to see is that he might be a little closer to Jerod Mayo than he is to Patrick Willis. I well could be wrong though, would love to see him come in and play with an extra ten to fifteen pounds of muscle.

OSUGiants17 · 05-02-2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

I see him as a guy with that type of potential for sure. His instincts, agility, and end to end speed are top notch. All I'm trying to see is that he might be a little closer to Jerod Mayo than he is to Patrick Willis. I well could be wrong though, would love to see him come in and play with an extra ten to fifteen pounds of muscle.

You talking about Kuechly or Burfict? Lol

roscoesdad27 · 05-02-2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenikz

A perfect landing place for him would be Cleveland imo, behind Phil Taylor & Ahtyba Rubin he could put up some stupidly insane numbers

That would be insane, 2000 ravens baby!!!

But that would pale in comparison to if he somehow went to the ravens to play with ray....how sick would that be?