Ras-I Dowling CB Virginia 6'1 198

It's hard to tell with Steelers, Ziggy wasn't 1 of the 30 draft prospect visits last year.

 

I've read several places that the Steelers have taken him off their draft boards because of the character issues. Of course it's all rumors and hearsay...

 

Dont be shocked if Okoye is Phillips NT

I like Dowling as a FS in that scheme more then a CB. Phillips likes to disguise coverages and a player like Dowling could play Man or Zone as a FS

 

Phillips as your Dcoordinator is a great thing for Okoye he will be used like Ratliff and Okoye is more athletic then Ratliff i think you will see a different Okoye this year also remember it takes several years for DL to come to their potential and for him it may be longer because he came into the league at 19

 

can't see Okoye being successful in a 3-4. He is all about explosion, speed, and pass rushing. Playing NT he wouldn't really use those gifts instead being forced to rely on strength (arguably his biggest weakness) and ability to hold up blockers. Now I know Phillips has had success with lighter NT's before but come on there are limits. At the end of the day A NT has to stop the run and that's not Okoye's strength.

 

Thats a traditional 3-4 Dallas and what wade phillips run is not a traditional 3-4 Phillips likes his NT to create pressure and the explosion speed and pass rushing is exactly what phillips wants. I think he can work as that type of NT but we will see

 

i realize that and I mentioned that in the post that Phillips 3-4 is a little different. However, I'm sure he also likes his NT to make plays in the running game, tie up blockers, and be an asset at all in the run game, something Okoye is not. He needs a trade badly.

 

ratliff was barely average in the run game this year i also think they are going to try him at NT if it fails he could still be a 3-4 DE

 

Jamal Williams was hardly a quick little NT and was a beast in Phillips' crazy SD 34 a few years ago. I think Phillips will adjust to whoever he has to work with. One thing he almost always had though was big 300+ DE's, which Houstons sorely lacking in right now.

 

this year his play dropped but in years past he was great. I think he will rebound.

Okoye is way too short to be a 3-4 DE.

 

Cullen jenkins is 6'2
Ryan Pickett is 6'2
louis castillo is 6'3
Jacquis cesaire is 6'2
Ziggy hood is 6'3
Issac Sopoaga is 6'2

those are some of the starters for 3-4 defenses that are under 6'4 i highly doubt the reason he would fail is because hes 6'2 not 6'4

 

glenn dorsey is barely 6-0....hes not playing to his strengths but hes the best DE on the KC roster

 

Okoye is more 6'1 than 6'2 but ok.

I just don't think he can succeed in a 3-4. If he does I think it will be a DE not NT.

 

doesn't say much.

 

maybe not, but he actually had a good year last season despite playing out of position

 

agreed. He is getting better despite as you said, playing out of position. I

 

Amobi looked really good last year in training camp, he had gotten a lot stronger and was playing faster. He also had a few impressive games during the season that showed what he was capable of doing.

He's actually really good at stopping the run but he has a hard time rushing the passer, he is an extremely smart dude that I believe is slowly developing into a good player. But he has to play NT or he will get cut, he has no chance at DE.

 

Okoye did a very good job this season against the run if you actually turned on a Texans game(although I don't blame you for not).

And at the end of the day, a Bum Phillips' NG has to penetrate, not stop the run. He's not playing over the center, he's playing the gap between the the Guard and the Center...

He was measured at exactly 6-2 at the Combine and Pro Day, he's not "more 6-1"...