The Berry vs McClain debate

[T-RICH49]

so I have been thinking about who I want KC to take should both be there at 5 so some pro's and con's on each player

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee:

Pro's: Ed Reed type balhawking skills that this secondary outside Flowers lacks.pair him with Flowers in the secondary and that is a heck of a tandem for years to come.a special talent

Con's: no con's on picking Berry however KC does need to also address ILB which was a problem.when Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays are your starting ILB's you have issues


Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama

Pro's: Smart instinctive leader on that championship Bama D.always is taking charge and lining up guys in the right spot a Pioli type of guy IMO.like Berry a special talent

con's: no con's on McClain.although KC also needs to address secondary(when you let Jabar Gaffney go Brandon Marshall on you then the secondary needs an upgrade)


overall take: I believe Eric Berry will probably be gone by 5 but if both are then the those are the only two options Pioli should consider

[zachsaints52]

McClain most def.

[nepg]

The con's with Berry are that there are tons of other really good (not on Berry's level) safeties in this draft. There aren't any half-decent options for ILB after McClain. McClain is an instant leader for the defense... He'll be their Ray Lewis.

[Splat]

In our system we rely on our LB's alot right now we are relying on Mays and Williams?

To upgrade your back field while still having a weak front seven is kinda pointless, it would be like taking a RB high in the draft when your line sucks.

[zachsaints52]

Originally Posted by nepg

The con's with Berry are that there are tons of other really good (not on Berry's level) safeties in this draft. There aren't any half-decent options for ILB after McClain. McClain is an instant leader for the defense... He'll be their Ray Lewis.

I dont see him being their Ray Lewis any time soon. Do they have a NT to help McClain like Ray had Ngate/Gregg and Sirogusa before? But I agree he should be their pick.

[vidae]

I agree with what was said.

McClain and Berry are clearly the elite players at their positions this year, but there is a much much bigger dropoff in talent from McClain to the next ILB and Berry and the next safety.

I LOVE Berry, always have, but this is a very good safety class (where 6 safeties could go in the top 2 rounds) and the ILB class isn't as good. McClain must be the pick. We can pick up a very good safety in the second round but the ILB pickings there will be slim.

Besides, we're not going to win anything if we can't stop the run.

[Splat]

I just hope if we do take one of them that we don't have to play the one we didn't take twice a year.

If we take Berry I could see Denver taking McClain and that is not something I want to see.

[Hermstheman83]

I'd like to point out one good reason to pick McClain.
Junior Seau<--HOF Linebacker retired at 42(?) but let's say he stopped being effective at 35
Ed Reed<---HOF Safety, is thinking about retiring at 32.

That's three good years we don't have to think about ILB. If they are both considered elite talent. Then this should be a difference you look at. Also safeties tend to get banged up a lot nowadays.

[Ho0k Em']

Originally Posted by Hermstheman83

I'd like to point out one good reason to pick McClain.
Junior Seau<--HOF Linebacker retired at 42(?) but let's say he stopped being effective at 35
Ed Reed<---HOF Safety, is thinking about retiring at 32.

That's three good years we don't have to think about ILB. If they are both considered elite talent. Then this should be a difference you look at. Also safeties tend to get banged up a lot nowadays.

Ed reed is still arguably the best safety in the league, and safeties aren't any more prone to injuries than linebackers. Look at Darren Sharper he had like 8 picks this year and he's like 35 I think.

[Hermstheman83]

Originally Posted by Ho0k Em'

Ed reed is still arguably the best safety in the league, and safeties aren't any more prone to injuries than linebackers. Look at Darren Sharper he had like 8 picks this year and he's like 35 I think.

I think safeties decline faster than ILB's. Yes you can look at ed reed and sharper but how many 30+ safeties are 1. starting 2. decently effective? the pats made a dynnasty off old cagey linebackers

[BPhilb]

I don't think you can draft for 10+ years in the future. The game changes to much now days. Either player would be a major upgrade for us obviously. I personally perfer Berry, but would be happy either way. I don't think we can rule out Okung though. Our line is still bad and we have focused on defense the last couple of drafts in round 1. The dropoff at Tackle in this draft is pretty bad between round 1 and below.

[TonyGfortheTD]

I kind of wonder about McClains speed, so I will be keeping a good eye on his times for drills.

My preference would be Eric Berry, but I'd be cool with either. Just please.....not another g'damn lineman please.

The worst result would be Okung.

[Hermstheman83]

Originally Posted by BPhilb

I don't think you can draft for 10+ years in the future. The game changes to much now days. Either player would be a major upgrade for us obviously. I personally perfer Berry, but would be happy either way. I don't think we can rule out Okung though. Our line is still bad and we have focused on defense the last couple of drafts in round 1. The dropoff at Tackle in this draft is pretty bad between round 1 and below.

I don't think we need a tackle. our interior o line is where our weak point(s) are at. I see us going defense. There are guys where we pick who will definately impact our defense.McClain probably doesn't have side-line to s ideline speed but that's why he's an ILB.

[nepg]

Originally Posted by Hermstheman83

I think safeties decline faster than ILB's. Yes you can look at ed reed and sharper but how many 30+ safeties are 1. starting 2. decently effective? the pats made a dynnasty off old cagey linebackers

The Pats had Rodney Harrison for a good chunk of that. Also, Brian Dawkins.

[vidae]

Originally Posted by Hermstheman83

I don't think we need a tackle. our interior o line is where our weak point(s) are at. I see us going defense. There are guys where we pick who will definately impact our defense.McClain probably doesn't have side-line to s ideline speed but that's why he's an ILB.

We definitely need a RG and C upgrade from free agency or the draft, but I'm not worried about our tackle situation at all. Branden Albert struggled a bit at the start of the season, but I attribute that to playing a new style of LT, with reduced weight. Took some getting used to, but he finished out the season strong.

Niswanger is just not a starting C in the NFL. No other way to say it. He's not good enough. Goff, who I actually thought would be a pretty good upgrade, was anything but. Both of these positions need to be addressed, but those obviously aren't first round needs.

Linebacker and Safety are, however. I'm giving the slight edge to McClain here, because the safety class is extremely deep this year while the drop off after say, Spikes in the second, is massive. He would give us a presence in the middle of the defense that we clearly lack.

That said, I wouldn't be upset if we took Berry, I just think McClain would be a much better pick.

[T-RICH49]

hahaha was scrolling through the pages and saw this thread.had to bump & say TGWTB...Thank Goodness We Took Berry

[vidae]

I liked both, but I was pretty high on McClain that year. Thank god Pioli is a billion times smarter than I am.

[villagewarrior]

I remember thinking at the time that you couldn't go wrong with either. Berry is a stud. Rolando I think got into a gun fight in Atlanta?

[vidae]

Well McClain is a Raider. That says enough.

[nepg]

I'd like to think that Rolondo would have turned out a lot different with the Chiefs than he has with the Raiders, but there's no doubt that Berry has been the ******* man (even though he really hasn't done anything, yet).