Future Packer Jabaal Sheard?
Sheard's frame and tenacity in getting after the quarterback make him an intriguing 3-4 outside linebacker prospect at the NFL level.
Saturdays are made for college football. So here at Cheesehead TV we try to honor that tradition while keeping an eye toward the future and look at some of the players who will eventually be playing on Sundays.
Will the players featured in this series really become Green Bay Packers? It's a long shot. Instead, consider it more of an NFL Draft preview.
Today's future Packer...
Pittsburgh defensive end Jabaal Sheard
Pittsburgh enters the day with a chance to win a share of the Big East title with a win against Cincinnati (11 a.m. Central time on ESPN). However, they'll only be able to win their conference's automatic bid with a win and losses by both Connecticut and West Virginia, a tough task.
The Panthers have largely underachieved this year, but there's still something honorable about winning at least a share of your conference title. But in order to do that, they'll need to get by the Bearcats. And a pass pass rush on Cincy quarterback Zach Collaros would help.
Recall one of the best games in all of college football last season when Cincinnati beat Pittsburgh 45-44 while coming back from a 21-point defecit.
It didn't help Pitt that they were too tired to get a pass rush in the second half of last year's thriller, according to Ralph N. Paulk of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
"Pitt defensive end Jabaal Sheard simply ran out of gas trying to track down Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike last year," writes Paulk.
Generating a pass rush hasn't been a problem for Sheard this season, recently named an AFCA first-team All-American and one of six finalists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award.
"He has 45 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Sheard leads the Big East in forced fumbles, ranks second in tackles for loss and is third in sacks," writes Big East blogger Brian Bennett of ESPN.com, who also reports that Pitt coaches estimate Sheard has been double teamed on 70 percent of all passing downs this season.
At 6-4 and 260 pounds, Sheard could be a 3-4 outside linebacker at the professional level, where the Packers have a definite need for depth and a possible starter opposite Clay Matthews next season.
As a defensive end, the Pitt senior is ranked 7th overall by NFLDraftScout.com and 10th by NFL Draft Countdown more than likely placing him outside the first round of next year's NFL Draft.
A reason for concern regarding Sheard was an incident this offseason in which he threw a man through a glass door, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and agreed to pay the man's medical bills.
Sheard was briefly suspended by the team but didn't miss any games. As bad as that situation sounds, however, note that Sheard was still named a captain of this year's Pitt team following the incident, which came as a shock even to Sheard.
Comments (22)
December 04, 2010 at 10:30 am
We could use a little more nasty on this defense. I say bring him aboard.
December 04, 2010 at 11:54 am
"ranked 7th overall by NFLDraftScout.com ...he threw a man through a glass door"
Dare I ask how six other players received their higher ranking ?
December 04, 2010 at 02:01 pm
Nice to see pitt getting some love.
December 04, 2010 at 02:02 pm
Here is my updated "dream draft" for 2011:
1. Justin Houstin OLB Georgia
(bookend for CM3; could be Von Miller or Jeremy Beal or Ryan Kerrigan or Akeem Ayers -- justt please give me another pass rusher!)
2. Shane Vereen RB California
(complement to the Grant/Starks/Nance physical style)
3. Marcus Gilbert RT Florida
(steps in at RT whenever Clifton hangs 'em up and Bulaga moves to LT)
3. COMP FOR KAMPMAN -- Niles Paul WR Nebraska
(replaces James Jones at WR and Tramon at PR)
4. Jalil Brown CB Colorado
(Shields wil be a great nickel, but Lee and Underwood don't provide dime depth)
5. Josh Bynes ILB Auburn
(Hawk's salary gets him cut and Barnett's injury history is getting long)
6. John Graves DL Virginia Tech
(you can never have too many big guys)
7. Nathan Enderle QB
(a developmental type with more potential than Graham Harrell)
This is assuming that the Pack re-sign Bishop. If not, ILB would become a more pressing need. DL might also become more urgent if they let Jenkins walk, but I think Mike Neal will pick up most of that slack.
Your thoughts?
December 04, 2010 at 02:27 pm
You know, TT tends to stick by his own picks to a fault, Hawk's play is picking up a bit, and better the devil you know. I wouldn't be shocked if Hawk sticks around. It's not like the Packers are banging against the salary cap.
December 04, 2010 at 02:37 pm
That wouldn't surprise me, either. I just hope we can re-sign Bishop. I want him to be our guy on the inside for the foreseeable future. I'd be sad to see a young talent like that leave.
December 05, 2010 at 01:52 am
#7 Enderle! I watched him live today. Most of the time we want him benched, but it was senior day so that wasn't going to happen. He did make a very Rodgers like throw when he rolled out left then threw a dart while mid stride feet in the air.
And he threw a game winning TD pass on 3rd and 8 in OT from the 25 yard line. Definitely needs work but I guess he's your typical NFL pocket passer. Although I suspect he will be gone by the 7th round.
I watch a lot of WAC football So I may have some favoritism, but Colin Kapernik and Dontay Moch in Nevada are studs. Id def. take Kapernik over Enderle if both were available.
Now we all want a pass rushing OLB to compliment CM3 right. I say it should be Dontay Moch from NV. 6'1, 242lb. but the key here is he ran the 40 for some scouts at 4.08. they had him run it 3 more times and each one was sub 4.2. Now you can say that speed doesn't matter but I can tell you what i don't want. a DE such as Sheard who runs a 4.9 40. I bet Howard green runs faster than that. There's no magic bean to make these guys shave .8 seconds off their 40 time. Now I'm sure Von Miller has a great motor, but he's not very quick either. Give me at least a 4.45 40 for goodness sake or I'll keep my brad jones and frank zombo thank you very much.
On your other picks, I hope Starks is the answer to #2, I'd like to see us get a Mauler OG so we can run the ball and a fast+talented ILB so we can let hawk go/ and incase barnett can't go.
Brian Carriveau
December 04, 2010 at 02:35 pm
Interesting mock, but just a warning that there's no guarantee Aaron Kampman's comp pick will be a 3rd rounder. In fact, that's the ceiling, and a more conservative estimate might be the fourth or fifth round.
December 04, 2010 at 02:38 pm
What were the terms of the Kampman deal?
December 04, 2010 at 06:51 pm
Yep -- that's why I call it a "dream draft" (dreaming within reason though, with just a little too much optimism instead of going crazy).
But if it's a 4th-rounder, I can live without Niles Paul. Maybe go for someone like Stanley Havili or Owen Maricic, since Quinn the Eskimo is a bust and both Hall and Kuhn are free agents?
December 04, 2010 at 03:39 pm
I think we should go and try get after Casey Matthews. Complete the blood line. Who know he might be what we need at ILB. Since hawk has such a big contract and Barnett has a new MO for getting injured. Who know he might play like his brother??
December 04, 2010 at 03:45 pm
or not he possible be there later in draft
December 05, 2010 at 01:54 am
He's not very fast. You know me all about speed! I dont see how he's better than chillar or Hawk.
December 04, 2010 at 04:20 pm
Anyone just see the start of the Oregon game? Matthews destroyed O.S.U's qb. I think he's still down. Please draft Casey Matthews Ted.
December 04, 2010 at 07:39 pm
I love the nastiness!!
December 04, 2010 at 10:41 pm
For what it's worth here's a mock I like (subject to change w/o notice)
1. Gabe Carimi
2. Jeremy Beal
3. Orlando Franklin
4. Roy Helu
5.1.Mark Herzlich
5.2.Jarvis Jenkins
6.James Rodgers
We don't have a 7th b/c of Anthony Smith...
December 04, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Carimi and Moffet would be nice. Two guys who understand what run blocking means.
December 05, 2010 at 12:16 am
Run blocking gets you to fifth. Be ready for the 2010 offensive master plan to be revealed.
December 05, 2010 at 01:59 am
I absolutely LOVE the Carimi/Beal combo. That would be killer. But the rest I'm not sold on. Helu seems too similar to what we already have, Carimi would make Franklin superfluous, and Rodgers is like a 5'6" guy who just blew out his knew. But Herzlich would also be a great pick -- I feel like we could hop on him earlier, just to be sure...
December 05, 2010 at 03:35 am
Thanks for the comments Tim. No mock at this point should be set in stone anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if Beal in the 2nd reqd a trade up. 4-6 were just names that came to me. The reason I went with Franklin and Carimi is so we help both our inside and outside run games. This was also on the assumption that Lang won't work at either position, which seems unlikely to me. I was thinking worst case scenario. I'm intrigued by Franklin in particular b/c he's got exp at both T/G. I also like Pouncey too--probably better prospect altogether--but the versatility along the line isn't there.
The real question for me is how to do rds. 1-2. Assuming Miller/Carimi (just to use two) is available in Rd. 1, which do you take? It seems like there's more quality RT/LG prospects later than there are quality OLB. In light of that, it might be better for something like this
1.Von Miller
2.Aaron Williams
3.Daniel Thomas
4.John Moffitt
5.1.Mark Herzlich
5.2.Jarvis Jenkins
6.Dane Sanzenbacher (?)
Brian Carriveau
December 05, 2010 at 08:48 am
But they more than likely do have a seventh because of the trade of JJ Jansen two years ago.
December 05, 2010 at 12:11 am
A friend of a guy I work with was there when he "threw a man thew a glass door." FIrst, it was a not a "glass" door it was a synthetic polymer/glass blend. Second it's an ongoing separate debate on the "he" portion. Third,,,,he didn't throw that "person" through that "door" he tackled that "person" through that "door"- with no penalty at the time, but was fined later.
Just want to keep accuracy a priority regarding potential future Packers.