what do you people think about going after a “quality” NT/DL with one of our 1st day picks?

Are you talking about a trade? If you can identify a good player that’s available, that would be a nice scenario.

Then we can get a Rookie DL or two without having to reach for a guy that is probably not going to impact our D very much this year? I also am very skeptical of Raji, after reading a bit of stuff about him. Am I off the mark a ways by thinking that there is as much potential for DL in the later (not 1st), rounds?

You can start a nice fire by stating that Raji is or is not a good prospect. Right now, whatever your opinion of him, he’s a big talent whose head may not be right. He has had issues of taking plays off and problems with motivation, but his physical talents are undeniable.
The problem that we get into is this: It does usually take a few years to develop a DL. If you don’t start now, it will be a problem for another year. As far as the later rounds – it’s guaranteed that there will be a talent in the later rounds who will do well in the NFL – we just don’t know which ones! (Well, except for styg, who has lived with his head in the draft this year…)

Maualuga seems like the type of emotional leader we need in the middle. Ala Al Wilson? I miss that guy…

 I did a little research using the ESPN depth chart for each team and one thing I noticed about the top ranked defenses (in terms of yards/game) was their average age. Tennessee, Baltimore and Pittsburg had an average age on the starting D line of about 30.
(MInnesota was about 26)
 
The bottom ranked defenses..
KC, Denver and Seattle had an average age closer to 25.

Obviously this is probably not a direct relationship, but I found it interesting. (Especially since I have been a cheerleader for an overhauled D line) And as I agree that a Dlineman takes a few years to season….maybe, just maybe, some of our current lineman just need a year or so of seasoning. With the addition of Ronald Fields (6’2" 315lbs) we have size comparable to other D lines……we are just young.

Just thought I’d add some food for thought

Can I ask what site you got that info from? I’ve been looking for age info on offensive lines as well

would be the ultimate 1st round for me.

I love Jackson at 12 and Maualuga at 18 (if he lasts that long).

I think Raji has too much liability. He’s a physical beast, but to get him to harness that by getting clean is a different story. We’ve already got one young guy with problems, and hopefully he’s gonna straighten up. We don’t need 2 trouble makers.

i think what pmac is saying is if we are indeed in a win-now mode, how can we do that with a yet-to-be-built d-line. the question i believe is: do we have 3-4 years to wait for newly drafted d-linemen to develop? hence, the trade scenario. if we do draft, say raji, or who mcd thinks is the best nt prospect out there in the first round, wouldn’t that be almost as expensive as signing, say, rogers, a proven player? and riskier? if we continue to wait for value, or a cheaper solution, when/how will a serious d-line develop? do we have what it takes in-house? i’m thinking no, not up the middle, anyway. so what’s the solution, and what will change next time?

we need better talent, an impact player or two. as far as the motivational aspect of a proposed d-lineman, isn’t that the job of the coaches? and don’t many big d-linemen possess that same problem, along with weight? i hear that about pretty much all of them, there’s not too many without that tag in the league, at the interior spots, anyway. regarding draft pick value, what is more valuable to this team right now, and in the next few seasons? nt/dt/lb, in that order, in my opinion. we need to stuff the run(look at the schedule), and collapse the pocket, or all is wasted. it’s time. 2009-Year of the Defense. no more running backs, no more waiting, no more excuses.