JJ Watt vs Marcell Dareus

[Jim in Anchorage]

I know this has been covered but I thought I would freshen it up. Do you at this time feel it was wise for the Bills to pick Marcell Dareus over JJ? I watched the HOU-DET game and JJ was in the QBs face or batting down balls all game.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Jim in Anchorage

[stony]

I dont think anyone realized how good he was going to be so I dont blame the Bills. And Marcell has been turning it up of late.

[boyst]

MD will be cranking it up each game here out, Jim. Mark my words, he will be a force tomorrow up the middle. Rookie QB's hate good DT's.

[mrags]

At the time out run D was so bad it was more of a need to have a huge monstrous man in the middle eating up OLmen. Now, is another question. I'd prolly still rather have MD but I also think he's better than what were seeing this year. At least I hope.

[PromoTheRobot]

JJ Watt would have been considered a colossal reach at the time.

[H2o]

He's a great fit for the Texans D and a good player in general. I don't believe anyone had him projected as a top 5 pick while Dareus was a consensus top 5 pick. I truly believe the FO wanted Von Miller, but took the next highest rated player they had on their board which was Dareus. I'm not mad. I still think Dareus is going to turn out to be a great player for us. Every single team that didn't draft these players if they had the opportunity has fans that probably talk about the same things on their own respective message boards and in the end 99% of us never knew how these players would truly round out, minus the 80% of us here that knew drafting Whitner over Ngata and Maybin over Orakpo were monumental mistakes.

[BillsObserver]

If there was a re-draft, it's pretty obvious who the Bills would take of the 2 players mentioned.

[NoSaint]

At the time out run D was so bad it was more of a need to have a huge monstrous man in the middle eating up OLmen. Now, is another question. I'd prolly still rather have MD but I also think he's better than what were seeing this year. At least I hope.

 

In foresight, no one had watt over md. Really the only debate was green or maybe Peterson as BPA.

 

Also note, it's a different scheme being run by us vs Houston.

[Bangarang]

JJ Watt would have been considered a colossal reach at the time.

 

Seriously. Nobody was even considering taking Watt with the 3rd overall pick and were happy Dareus was available. But now that he could be a great player people want to crap on the front office as if everyone saw this coming? Give me a break.

[NoSaint]

You also have to remember, this is MDs first year in a 4-3 full time.

 

Doesn't explain the weight gain, but may me part of the equation on him getting a slow start.

[aristocrat]

the deal to be made would have been with atlanta for all their picks so they get aj green.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Seems like a question for good old Cap'n Hindsight.

[Webster Guy]

So far from what I've seen, I would rank BPA like this.

 

AJ Green

JJ Watt

Von Miller

 

All three of these guys are elite players, game changers. All three might be the best at their position in the NFL already.

 

I was still jumping up and down that we got Marcel on draft day though. He's got the physical tools and surrounding cast to be a monster, and he's certainly been showing up as a force the last few weeks.

Edited November 24, 2012 by Webster Guy

[bananathumb]

Just another big drafting mistake, like Whitner. That's why we never play in January.

[Hater]

I don't think it was a mistake picking Dareus, Watts was Projected a Top 25th pick but know where near a Top 10 & Dareus isn't a bust he a good rookie year this 2nd he has struggled but that to be expected & his brother was murdered at the start of the season I liked to see anyone who had a family member murder be able to concentrate on a their job after something like that

[Saint Doug]

JJ Watt is playing for one of the best defensive minds in football. He certainly wouldn't be a bust, but I don't think he would be blowing it up on the Bills. As for MD blowing it up if he was on Houston, I guess we'll never know.

[NoSaint]

I don't think it was a mistake picking Dareus, Watts was Projected a Top 25th pick but know where near a Top 10 & Dareus isn't a bust he a good rookie year this 2nd he has struggled but that to be expected & his brother was murdered at the start of the season I liked to see anyone who had a family member murder be able to concentrate on a their job after something like that

 

Ill disagree again. That may be effecting him, as is likely the scheme change (played 34, drafted for 34) but primarily the weight gained in the spring is the number 1 reason for his lack of explosion. There are times he beats his block and looks like he's just running in sand when trying to cut and close. Hopefully the last few months open his eyes to what being a professional is all about and he kills it this offseason

[jr1]

I'd rather have Watt but he's performing a lot better than anyone thought he would

[JM57]

JJ Watt would have been considered a colossal reach at the time.

[Ennjay]

Two observations:

 

1. In April 2011 we needed a big body badly. MD was the answer. Remember that freak performance on ESPN Sport Science? Don't overwhelm it with hindsight.

 

2. I'm still giving the kid a break. He's a big ol' country boy from Alabama living in the Northeast. His brother got killed at season's start and he's playing through it. Geez, give him a little time before you throw him overboard.