Patrick Willis runs a 4.37, and 4.38!!!!!

[RamsFan16]

http://www.nfl.com/draft/analysis/in...rkouts#olemiss

Patrick Willis LB Willis (6-1, 237 pounds) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 and 4.38. He also had a 4.37 short shuttle and 7.10 three-cone drill. He stood on his numbers from the Combine for the rest.

Oh my god, if he's there at Pick #13 how the h*** do you pass on this specimen?

[BigDaddyPace]

He sucks in coverage.

[RamsFan16]

How often is a SAM in coverage? He doesn't 'suck' in coverage he's average in coverage. He's a run stopper, a hard hitter, athletic and physical Linebacker who could play SAM at the next level.

[general counsel]

We can pass on him because its not anywhere near as big a need as defensive tackle. With the draft signing, we have four functioning linebackers. Would i like to have willis? Sure i would. I dont see how he helps us as much as okoye, branch or carriker. He isnt going to help us in pass rush which is the other critical area other than defensive tackle.

I will say this, if okoye, branch, carriker, jamal anderson, adams, landry are all gone, you could make a case for willis over hall, but its a tough call. What do we need more another corner or another linebacker.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[txramsfan]

Well, if both stud DT's are gone....why not snag him? If we can't build the D line like we hoped, what's the next best thing? A snarly LB corp. With Pisa, Spoon and Willis (who hits like a freight train), that would be one snarly LB corp.

[general counsel]

TX, would you take willis over carriker?

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[txramsfan]

Yep....sure would. There is a reason. We need another starting LB; we have two starting DE's right now. I don't think a rookie DT is going to make that much of an impact this year.

Honestly, I'm willing to take Willis over any DT out there and go after a DT in NEXT years FA market. However, this is the new Rams and they don't spend money on anything in the FA market except offense.

[MauiRam]

We can pass on him because its not anywhere near as big a need as defensive tackle. With the draft signing, we have four functioning linebackers. Would i like to have willis? Sure i would. I dont see how he helps us as much as okoye, branch or carriker. He isnt going to help us in pass rush which is the other critical area other than defensive tackle.

I will say this, if okoye, branch, carriker, jamal anderson, adams, landry are all gone, you could make a case for willis over hall, but its a tough call. What do we need more another corner or another linebacker.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

If we can't keep opposing lineman off our linebackers, how is Willis going to make much of a difference. He may have run in the 4.3's but I don't see that helping him much fighting off guards, centers etc. What's he gonna do -- try and run around blockers? I agree completely GC that we don't take Willis before adressing our most pressing needs first!

[general counsel]

just out of curiosity, how is it that we have two starting ends but we dont have three starting linebackers. Draft had 111 tackles last year. Hall is injured and we dont know what we have with him. I would argue that chillar is as good as hall anyway. Right now, i dont think we have a starter caliber healthy defensive end on the roster, hall and victor together, if both healthy, might make a decent pair, but decent is about it.

Again, i am a big willis fan and have no problem with him, but have a hard time seeing how he helps us more than carriker.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[txramsfan]

I would take Carriker over both DT's right now. Honestly, as much as we have burned at that position in round 1 I hope we stay away from it and draft someone at DT later. I would think someone at a small school like Sam Houston State or something like that has a 390 lb DT that could be had later.

If all they are there for is to really plug a hole, what about Ruben Studdard from American Idol a few years ago?

[itsguud]

I'll be honest, I don't like our current LB or DL situation. I think that addressing both of these areas is huge for us. Personally I don't see the draft fix our DL. DL's take so long to establish themselves. I think we'd be better off trading for a good DT. Even if it ment trading our 1st round pick. I mean seriously, why not do that, we haven't drafted a good DL in a while, I'd say stop trying and go with proven talent.

[rampete]

short shuttle and cone skills are the ideal measurements which may
indicate agility, change of direction and short area burst.

willis- 4.37/7.10

carriker- 4.18/7.06

straight line speed is great for wrs and dbs but for linemen and lbs i'd go with the cone and short shuttle numbers.

[Country]

NIce we spend a 13th pick on a guy that will spend half the game on the bench watching the nickle back play.

DL,DL and then DL again.

[txramsfan]

Country, that would only happen if we could stop the run. Teams ran on the Rams last year when it was 3rd and 8.

Willis is a stud. With him, Spoon and Pisa, the Rams would have one of the most formidible LB's in the NFL.

[jkramsfan]

this is a good debate,i was all for drafting a d-lineman but the more i think about it,maybe Willis should be the choice because that would give us one pretty damn good LB corp.we have spent enough #1 picks on d-lineman to know that nothing is a sure thing and i know either is Willis,but given our past history maybe we wait until the 2nd or 3rd round and get a 390 lb giant from a smaller college to plug the middle as someone said earlier or we could just say the hell with it and draft a punter.