DE Joe Kruger, Utah

[ticophin]

poor man´s Bjoern Werner?

[ckparrothead]

poor man´s Bjoern Werner?

I'd say Margus Hunt with better upside, or a poor man's J.J. Watt. Maybe a Brett Keisel or Corey Wootton?

Werner is a different creature.

[blitzhappy]

William Gholston is another kid with great measurables and moves well. He may out grow the position into a 3-4 end though.

[Twitches Brew]

Nice post, CK. Definitely a cool prospect.

I actually think the better NFL comparison is Chris Canty, who I'm a fan of. Canty is really athletic for being 6'7 310 (out of college he was listed at 6'8 290), and their frames are similar; like you said, Kruger still has some filling out and bulking up to do being 20, but he and Canty are both long and pretty lean with power, and use their hands well getting to the ball. Canty went in the 4th round and was the same roster story to me: lacked the bend/flexibility to rush the edge on 3rd downs (not to mention being on a DL with Tuck, Osi, and JPP). So he added some weight and played 1st and 2nd downs from inside or outside (Giants rotate alot), then slid inside on passing downs in that 4DE look they give. I actually think he was NY's best player during their 2011 Super Bowl run - his strength combined with that height and reach was devastating. Not sure he'd have to add as much weight as Canty (just based on team need), but I Love how Kruger compares.

(at times during those Kruger highlights my gaze drifted to big 92...couldn't help it...)

Thanks for the light-shedding!

[PhinsTD]

I always love underaged prospects who have shown growth and understanding of football already. I have Kruger on my radar in the mid-rounds depending on what we do at the top of the draft.

Both the DE and OT class is filled with great depth in this draft and that could play into our strategy.

[Awsi Dooger]

God help me when I get old enough to like the sons of guys I used to like coming out of the Draft.

It's not a pleasant feeling. At least in this era couples are having kids later in life, but that doesn't always apply to athletes. Some of the recruits next week will be bouncing sons on their lap while playing the hat game.

Stereotyping and exaggeration, so what. USC beat UCLA tonight in Pauley so I can bend some rules.

Jeez, I started following the draft as a kid in the late '60s. I can't even remember the first example of a son of a prominent player. Probably early '90s. I can think of Anthony Dorsett but that was later, mid '90s.

These days the sons have already retired or are nearing retirement. I watched the Dolphins draft Randy Crowder and Channing Crowder.

[ckparrothead]

Shaun Gayle and now his son James Gayle? Phil Simms and Chris Simms? Howie Long and Chris Long? And now Kyle Long.

I'd say Christian Fauria and Joseph Fauria but Joseph is just a nephew.

[NorFlaFin]

I can remember Mario Edwards signing with FSU and now his son is playing DE at FSU.

[j-off-her-doll]

I'd say Margus Hunt with better upside, or a poor man's J.J. Watt. Maybe a Brett Keisel or Corey Wootton?

Werner is a different creature.

Good call on Keisel. I see a more 4-3DEndy Keisel. Both play with a similar violence (for lack of a better term).

[Roman529]

this just in........

"J. Michael of CSN Baltimore says impending free agent OLB Paul Kruger "definitely" won't be re-signed by the Ravens."

That's another free agent we can look at.