... allthough some stats or examples to back it up would be nice. I just ran through some of recent draftclasses, and it weren’t able to detect small-schoolers panning out with higher regularity. This doesn’t mean you theory isn’t true though.

While I agree that a DT that does it all on his own is much more likely to succeed, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the reverse is true. A DT on a good team in the SEC that dominates is probably ok, since he is playing against close to NFL caliber talent on the offense. Then the benefit of the good team is likely countered by the difficulty of playing against better competition.

I would say, however, that picking the best DT off of the Conference USA champ or something like that might be less of a good idea. Then, the competition is relatively worse, and so the team might have more impact on the DT’s performance.

Overall, I would say that you definitely have a good idea, and I’d love to see some research to determine whether or not the frequency of “busts” is more likely. You might also want to look at how frequently these picks turn into merely average contributors in the pros (not a bust but not a star), though that may be considered a “bust” for a top ten pick.

On your point about Doom, I completely agree. I’m with Shanny on the idea that you should look at results. He could do it in college, so why not give him a chance in the Pros. He seems to be proving Shanny right so far, I just can’t wait to see how much he’s improved this year.

Why is it that DL have to rotate in and out to keep from getting “worn down and gassed”? These guys are making enough to stay in peak cardiovascular condition. I know they take a beating, but so do the offensive linemen. I don’t think we want or need another Sam Adams that can’t make it to the sidelines without stopping for oxygen.

when they are facing far superior offensive lines with Olineman who bench press 600 lbs. You will not see Dorsey pushing people around like rag dolls (see that one play in the Auburn game), esp against power running teams. Although I think that players like Ellis and Dorsey will create havoc against denver’s Oline because we just arent as powerful up the middle as say the NYG/Dallas’ Oline. Nalen and Hamilton are good, but really get pushed around by bigger DT’s and they will have a heck of a time handling Dorsey.

Short replies to to a few folks:

1. Amir – I say this a lot. “One great DT is the same as two”. The idea is that one very good DT makes the other DT look just as good or better. The great DT gets a lot of double teaming, and the other DT has more chances to make tackles on RBs or to rush the QB. DTs also have more effect on DEs than vice versa. Now you have one good DT making the whole DL look good, which helps the entire defense. I’m more of a defensive backs guy myself, but the truth is that the defense is only as good as the DL.

2. Amir (again) – I don’t consider Doom to be unable to play everydown. This would be true of some positions, but in Doom’s case this isn’t a factor at DE. He is our best pass rusher, and will be considered a starter. But consider two things. One, there are better players to bring in for running downs, and two, defensive linemen wear down quickly, and we have a great set of DEs we can rotate. It’s not a knock on Doom that he won’t be in for every play. It’s NOT because he is short and can’t take the pounding. That’s more of an issue with players at RB or WR. Good call; I agree with you brother!

3. Firstfan, Mdierk, Amir – Good question Firstfan. As soon as I read it I got ready to write a response. Mdierk and Amir beat me to the punch, and both gave the right answers. The primary reason is the added physical excertion of having to react instead of pro-active execution. Most plays in the NFL are runs, and the OL, FBs, and TEs just BANG on the DL. A good power runner does even more damage. The offense sets the pace of how fast plays are ran or how much time is spent in the huddle, and the OL know the snap count in advance.

4. Firstfan – About Sam Adams. I agree that Sam was a bust and a dissapointment. However, while it is painful to see a giant DT huffing during a long drive and unable to keep up during “no huddle” offensive schemes, don’t count out the “big uglies”. Is endurance a weakness for these guys? Absolutely. But for the plays they are used (rotated in) they serve a critical purpose. My preference (if we had unlimited funds) would be to have a couple of giant DTs to use for obvious run downs, and at least one more so that they could be rotated with a couple of smaller 1 gap DTs. Every rotation would be either 2 big DTs, or a big DT and an “under tackle”, or smaller DT who gets the glory because the big DT is getting doubled. We may return to the “old days” of multiple 1 gappers, but I really hope not. It’s not a bad thing, just a matter of taste.