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NFL Today's Charlie Casserly On Nate Solder: Best Senior Offensive Player In Draft

Tatanka™

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Did anyone else catch that on the NFL pre-game show? That would have to put him in the top 10 if that is the consensus.

This mock draft site has him going 43rd overall:
http://walterfootball.com/draft2011_2.php

19th at this one:
http://www.footballsfuture.com/2011/nflmockdraft.html

USA Today had him as the 9th best prospect before the season:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-05-05-2011-nfl-draft-prospects_N.htm

I watch the draft, but I'm not enough of a junkie to make predictions. It didn't seem to me that he was dominant enough to be rated that highly, though. Off the top of my head, I can name a lot of our OLs that impressed me more over the years. I guess it was hard for anyone to look good under the previous regime, though.
 
Although that's amazing news for CU and Solder, I just didn't see it. I for one hope the Broncos don't waste their top10 pick on him. What did I miss?

The guy is huge, strong (in a power clean kind of way), fast (in a 40 yard dash kind of way). He'll do great at the combine. But I never once thought he was dominate. We hardly ever ran behind him.

I see a passing team picking him up. Who's terrible and passes it a lot (besides Denver)....Cincy? Buffalo? Seattle?

Best of luck to Solder, tear it up at the combine!
 
He just needs some coaching

True this!

Three years ago he was a tight end coming out of small town high school. Hawkins staff was not exactly known for developing players. The team in general also lacked any kind of agression. It isn't surprising that Solder didn't dominate in the run game, nobody on the Buffs dominated in the run game even when we had a clear physical advantage.

The NFL is a pass first league, teams that win keep their QBs upright. Solder has the size, the quickness, and the good feet to handle NFL pass rushers. He will also in a decent scheme be a good run blocker.
 
Solder is everything NFL teams want in a left tackle. He needs some work, but teams will see the potential for picking up a guy that can cover their QBs blindside for a decade. I'm sure his value will skyrocket from here on out as well, teams will see his workout numbers and probably be impressed by his intelligence.
 
Solder is everything NFL teams want in a left tackle. He needs some work, but teams will see the potential for picking up a guy that can cover their QBs blindside for a decade. I'm sure his value will skyrocket from here on out as well, teams will see his workout numbers and probably be impressed by his intelligence.

Agreed :thumbsup:

He's a very bright guy as you can tell in his interviews. I could see him being drafted by a team that looks for smart players that they can move around if necessary: Cleveland, Kansas City, New England, New York (Giants), or Indianapolis.
 
Although that's amazing news for CU and Solder, I just didn't see it. I for one hope the Broncos don't waste their top10 pick on him.

10th? Try top 5. And if The Broncos don't pick a defensive player first, then McD should be fired on the spot.
 
10th? Try top 5. And if The Broncos are picking in the top 5, then McD should be fired before the draft ever gets here.

fify

As a side, no matter who the coach is I have a hard time seeing the Broncos drafting Solder. Clady has had a bad year for him but this is mostly because he is very visibly still hobbling around on his knee. Give him an offseason to recover and work himself back into shape and the Broncos will have no need for a left tackle. It may be one of the few positions that they actually don't need to look at upgrading.
 
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fify

As a side, no matter who the coach is I have a hard time seeing the Broncos drafting Solder. Clady has had a bad year for him but this is mostly because he is very visibly still hobbling around on his knee. Give him an offseason to recover and work himself back into shape and the Broncos will have no need for a left tackle. It may be one of the few positions that they actually don't need to look at upgrading.

if they do draft solder... move clady to RT or move nate to RT... and no im not advocating the donks pick up nate
 
Solder has four years of tape that scouts can look at, 3 time all big 12, will have all the numbers at the combine, is incredibly bright and has huge upside. I'd be shocked if he's not a first round pick. that said I still think he's raw and a good coach will be all he needs. Sky's the limit for Nate
 
NFL teams will look at Solder's physical traits and someone will pick him up in the 1st round, believing with some real OL coaching, he'll be an OL stalwart.

I also saw Casserly had Jimmy Smith as a potential 1st round pick on the defensive side.
 
Solder has four years of tape that scouts can look at, 3 time all big 12, will have all the numbers at the combine, is incredibly bright and has huge upside. I'd be shocked if he's not a first round pick. that said I still think he's raw and a good coach will be all he needs. Sky's the limit for Nate

Absolutely. Nate has all the measurables that NFL coaches can mold into a great player. If he even does the combine, I guarantee you scouts will look at their stop watches in disbelief. With single digit body fat Nate has a helluva lot of frame on which to put some pass blocking meat. I am exited to see his future play out wherever he goes. I hope he earns so much money he can drop seven figs on the football program without batting an eye.
 
if they do draft solder... move clady to RT or move nate to RT... and no im not advocating the donks pick up nate

I would be really surprised if they drafted Nate. Clady is going to be getting a big contract soon when his rookie contract expires. To draft another tackle in the top 5-10 picks of the draft he is going to get a big contract as well. Very few teams want to spend that kind of money on a RT.

I would like to see him playing for the Broncos but I don't see them being willing to commit that kind of money to the O-line. They also have a bunch of other areas that they have much bigger needs than OT.
 
no WAY broncos draft solder, but he will get attention from other teams. his individual stats are excellent (pancake blocks, etc.) and speedy went for over 1,000 -- as the leader of the o-line [Solder] had a role in that as well.

i think either new york giants, new england patriots or maybe indianapolis colts move up to draft him. every draft these teams look for players that fit his profile: little raw but intelligent with strong work ethic and character. i remember giants went for kiwanuka out of boston college few years ago, while some called it a reach it made sense for how they draft.
 
Of the teams picking in the top 10, the Bills and Lions have big-time needs for a tackle. The Lions have talked about moving Backus to RT for years, and the Bills desperately need a cornerstone LT.

The Panthers need tackle help, but Jordan Gross is a good LT. I would have said Bucs before this season but Donald Penn has stepped up for them.

If he were to fall into the second half of the first round I have a feeling the Chiefs would not let him get by them.
 
No way to tell where he goes until after the combine.....combine probably will help him if he can put of the "freakish" statistics all the scouts have been salivating over
 
I tend to think that with his weight (I know, he can put on some) and body-fat %, coupled with his quick footwork, that he will be prized by teams that have more sophisticated passing attacks. He'd prolly be a great fit in Indy, but I doubt he'll drop that far.
 
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