HtownBillsFan Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Per ESPN: He isn't the most heralded defensive line prospect at North Carolina State, but tackle John McCargo, often overshadowed by the Wolfpack's heralded end tandem of Mario Williams and Manny Lawson, isn't quite an unknown, either, to NFL scouts. McCargo's ascent up draft boards continued this week with a strong performance at the school's pro day workouts, and his audition certainly enhanced the chances that North Carolina State will have three defensive linemen selected in the first round next month. Williams, of course, is a sure bet, an edge player and upfield rusher regarded by many scouts as the premier defensive player in the draft. Lawson is also a pass-rush threat, an outside defender with great explosiveness and closing speed who might best project to linebacker in a 3-4 front. But the hard-working McCargo, who has fully recovered from a stress fracture in his left foot that sidelined him for five games in 2005, is definitely on the rise. Several scouts now list him as the third-best prospect at tackle, behind only Haloti Ngata of Oregon and Florida State's Brodrick Bunkley. And unlike those two, McCargo is more a one-gap player, capable of compressing the pocket from the inside. "My game has always been about quickness," McCargo said shortly after a pro day workout in which he clocked a 4.94 in the 40. "I really didn't start playing football until the ninth grade and didn't get serious about it until around my junior year [in high school]. But I was a good baseball player and a pretty good basketball player, and some of the traits from those sports, like hand-eye coordination, things like that, kind of carried over onto the football field and helped me a lot." Scouts agree that one of McCargo's strong suits is his effective use of his hands, often an oversight by young defenders. Watch him on tape, though, and McCargo's hand speed, and ability to get into a blocker's body, is nearly as impressive as his first step forward. That said, McCargo, an underclass prospect, still is very quick off the ball and keeps his feet moving nicely, even when engaged with an opponent. At a shade under 6-foot-2 and 305 pounds, McCargo isn't as bulky as some of the other tackle prospects in the 2006 draft class. But several franchises, particularly those seeking a one-gap tackle, have now moved him ahead of players such as Michigan's Gabe Watson, Miami's Orien Harris and Texas' Rodrique Wright. Two general managers asked this week about McCargo had him graded in the lower third of the first round, and acknowledged his stock is rising. "He's a little different than most of the other [tackles]," one general manager said. "Different in a good sort of way because, if you want the upfield guy and not just the run stuffer, there aren't many tackles like him in this year's draft." An Academic All-American, and an avid but late-blooming student of the game who is now trying to make up for lost time, McCargo understands that Williams and Lawson, flashier players who merit attention by putting the quarterback on the ground, are going to garner most of the headlines. But he understands, too, that there is a place in the NFL for a guy like himself, a hard-working tackle who has made himself into a player and who will soon reap the rewards. "It never bothered me that people talked so much about Mario and Manny because, I mean, those guys are incredible players," McCargo said. "Playing out on the edge, making big plays in space, you're naturally going to be drawn to those guys. But I was doing some good things, too, inside, and I think the scouts who have done their homework understand that."
buffalo mike2 Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Looks great. Maybe worth trading down for in 1st.
pdh1 Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Good pick. I have NC state season tickets, and their "D" line was wrecking crew the past couple of years.
The Jokeman Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Just remember that McCargo played with a dominating DE by the name of Mario Williams. Much like a DT that The Wall was enamored with us drafting a few years ago named Ryan Sims played with a dominating DE named Julius Peppers. Peppers went 2nd overall to the Panthers and went onto great fame. Sims went 6th overall to the Chiefs and hasn't lived up to is predraft hype. I'm not saying McCargo will be another Sims but one has to be careful in determining just how good he really is.
BUFFALOTONE Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Just remember that McCargo played with a dominating DE by the name of Mario Williams. Much like a DT that The Wall was enamored with us drafting a few years ago named Ryan Sims played with a dominating DE named Julius Peppers. Peppers went 2nd overall to the Panthers and went onto great fame. Sims went 6th overall to the Chiefs and hasn't lived up to is predraft hype. I'm not saying McCargo will be another Sims but one has to be careful in determining just how good he really is. 643437[/snapback] Agree, Mcargo has some talent but he played behind a very good LB crew also. He has good size and is an ox, but not worth a first round grade.
Beerball Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Agree, Mcargo has some talent but he played behind a very good LB crew also. He has good size and is an ox, but not worth a first round grade. 643511[/snapback] Actually he played in front of them. I haven't heard of him, and his name conjurs up a marriage between McDonalds and FedEx. I'll pass.
BUFFALOTONE Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Actually he played in front of them. I haven't heard of him, and his name conjurs up a marriage between McDonalds and FedEx. I'll pass. 643513[/snapback] Ahahahah. Thats not funny.
BillsGuyInMalta Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Bills could EASILY get McCargo in the 2nd round, I've even seen him slipping to the late 3rd, which is where I honestly where I would draft him.
gonzo1105 Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 I'm gonna say the same thing that i said on nfl draft countdown about him. He didn't benefit from Williams and Lawson none of them benefitted from each other. I'm an FSU fan and i've seen a ton of their games and most of the time it was McCargo getting double teamed letting Mario and Lawson go one on one with the tackles. I'm not saying Williams and Lawson never got doubled but there is a lot of times where they are one on one while McCargo gets doubled. They are all very talented and if McCargo had stayed in school another year he would have been a sure fire 1st rounder next year.
apuszczalowski Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Well if his name isn't Hutchinson, Bentley, or Ngata, he isn't good enough for this team and probably won't amount to anything, and Ralph and Marv are too senile and cheap to do anything about it, Doom and Gloom
Like A Mofo Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 Just remember that McCargo played with a dominating DE by the name of Mario Williams. Much like a DT that The Wall was enamored with us drafting a few years ago named Ryan Sims played with a dominating DE named Julius Peppers. Peppers went 2nd overall to the Panthers and went onto great fame. Sims went 6th overall to the Chiefs and hasn't lived up to is predraft hype. I'm not saying McCargo will be another Sims but one has to be careful in determining just how good he really is. 643437[/snapback] Excellent post and I agree with your thought process
apuszczalowski Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 I'm gonna say the same thing that i said on nfl draft countdown about him. He didn't benefit from Williams and Lawson none of them benefitted from each other. I'm an FSU fan and i've seen a ton of their games and most of the time it was McCargo getting double teamed letting Mario and Lawson go one on one with the tackles. I'm not saying Williams and Lawson never got doubled but there is a lot of times where they are one on one while McCargo gets doubled. They are all very talented and if McCargo had stayed in school another year he would have been a sure fire 1st rounder next year. 643602[/snapback] Doesn't that refer to any player though? Maybe a QB is ranked so high cause of the WR he throws to or a superb Oline infront of him. Maybe a LB looks good cause his Dline is so much better. The key to this is, who makes who look better? Maybe he is making Williams and Lawson look better then they really are and is just not playing in a position that makes him the star.
Astrobot Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 McCargo is seen more as the Larry Tripplett type, the quick penetrator rather than the behemoth DT that gums up the gap. While I'd certainly take McCargo in the top of the 3rd, I think we're still looking for The Gap Gummer.
The Jokeman Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 McCargo is seen more as the Larry Tripplett type, the quick penetrator rather than the behemoth DT that gums up the gap. While I'd certainly take McCargo in the top of the 3rd, I think we're still looking for The Gap Gummer. 643764[/snapback] As Kollar mentions in his interview at BB.com, size alone doesn't determine if a guy is a two gap player or not. It's all about controlling gaps or players in front of him. As guys like Babatunde Oshinowo and Barry Cofield are only 304 lbs (like Ian Scott) but considered a two gap D-linemen and could be had in the 3rd or 4th Round of the draft as well.
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