GB_Steel..please help

Hey just curious, I know you are from Wisconsin..if at 24 we had a choice between Konz or Zeitler to play LG, who is the better option?

 

sorry mrn, i don't mean to highjack your post, but i've really been leaning toward zeitler as of late. he's kind of the forgotten talent at G. i think he very well could be a first round safe pick for the o-line. he's big strong smart and pretty mobile. he's also been working at his center skills to add to his resume'. he's pretty good at both pass blocking and run blocking. he pulls well and can turn up field as he pulls. he doesn't seem like a guy that pulls and has to have the defender standing there waiting for him. that was alot of kemoeatus trouble that most didn't see in him. if that initial defender was there kemo with his girth could take him out. if he wasen't there, he couldn't turn up in the hole and lead the rb very well at all. zeitler can. he is also very good at stopping late blitzers and doesn't just concentrate on the one guy he locks up on. a big plus. this has hurt us in the past. i don't mind konz but i think zeitler brings more to the table. our o-line coach likes these types though. zeitler would be a great addition to the guard position and could help out gilbert. i think he could be a plug n play player right off the bat.

 

mac..no need to apologize..I was just curious. Given that I don't think Poe will be available at 24, I am debating on whether or not we take Zeitler over Hightower...

 

Konz disappointed at the combine, at least in the lifting. So I'd lean towards Zietler, also. But if it came down to Zietler v Hightower in the first round, take Hightower. 50/50 chance Zietler is there in round two when we pick. 0% chance Hightower is.

 

my worries about hightower are his ability to wear the green dot and his ability in pass coverage. he is a strong player when blitzing and has the ability to come up and play as an outside backer, but i think we have that spot covered. he's a very good player don't get me wrong just not the fit we need right now in the middle. i think he would take some time to grasp our defense inside. the athletic ability is there, but the mental part we need now is going to take him a long time, i think. zeitler could be playing right away at a position we need. he may not be decastro, but has some of decastros qualities about his game. it's solid. i still perfer franklin as a middle backer.

 

I thought Zietler looked surprisingly quick and well-balanced in the drills, considering he's not supposed to be the athlete Konz is. At this point I'd consider him an absolute steal in the 2nd, but I doubt he gets that far. Still not interested in the 1st.

 

Guess I don't get your concern with Hightower here. From all reports, he's highly intelligent and a born leader. He was the defensive captain and play caller for the Alabama defense. His speed may be a concern, his ability to cover out of the backfield may be a concern, but I don't think the mental part of his game should be a concern in the least.
And I'm seriously of the opinion that Zietler is a second round talent. And I think the differences as players between Hightower and Franklin vs. Zietler and Washington or any of the other second round guards is considerably wider.

 

GB prefers Konz. He wrote about it in some other threads, including the mock draft contest thread. I don't think he's particularly high on Zeitler.

 

I dont know about picking Zeitler that high....when he or another good guard could be there in the 2nd.

 

i think rating zeitler as a 2nd round guy, is all about what team needs are. same with hightower. or any other position. we need both positions filled. hightower to me is going to make a better living in the nfl at a position more like woodley is for us. an olb rushing the passer. i think thats his stregnth. we really don't need another one of those guys. we need an ilb that can cover TE's, stop the run, cover RB's out of the backfield and rush the passer up the middle, plus make the defensive calls. doing it at even alabama is a whole lot different then doing it on sundays in the nfl. maybe he can and maybe he can't. we need to protect our 102 million dollar qb more then we need another olb to rush the passer. as i said , i think thats hightowers strong suite. i've seen him play alot and that's just what i get from watching him. we need a guy that can pass block and run block effectively and not only that , he has to be good enough to take some pressure off our new LT. i think zeitler has that game about him. if it works, why would we worry about what round we get him in? we can't get them all. it also doesn't look like we are going to get the high ranked G in decastro. nor the top ranked tackles in the draft. before some of these juniors declared , zeitler was highly ranked. some guys are ranked above him because of position flexability, like glenn, osemele and washington. i think he is one of the best pure guards in the draft. thats what he played full time. we need one bad.

 

Using current players on our roster for comparison:

Zeitler is more like Essex while Konz is more like Pouncey. Z-man may not be as pedestrian as Essex, nor is Konz as good as Pouncey, but the way they play the game is pretty similar.

Watching tape I notice that the entire right side of the Wisconsin OL, starting with the C, get great push in the run game. Konz seems to be better able to lock-on to the LB's and DB's better, and is able to wall off the DL better. Zeitler does a good job getting to the second level, but doesn't do as much when he gets there. 18 reps in the bench for Konz vs 32 for Zeitler sure don't show up on tape as Konz knocks as many people to the ground as Zeitler. We'll get a solid RG in Zeitler, but a good LG in Konz.

 

And LG is the position they need to find someone for, RG is no where near as big of an issue.

 

i'm pretty sure zeitler would be head and shoulders above legursky and kemoeatu on the left side too. decastro is a right guard too. c'mon! one thing he's better at is taking out late blitzers and switching off from his initial block to do it. konz usually gets a little help from the interior guys on the big boys. it depends on who's there. there's alot of talk of dallas taking konz. i'm also not seeing konz as better on the move. he's also had some major injuries. blood clots in both lungs. badly sprained ankle. dislocated ankle. just not seeing what you are seeing on tape GB. konz does alot of take downs on guys that could get flagged. zeitler looks aweful good on the move and turning up into the hole pulling. i'd have to compare zeitlers game more like faneca and konz more like harting. either is not a bad way to go but zeitlers game looks alot better on the move and in pass protection. with konz being very solid but with the bad legs.

 

i'm pretty sure zeitler would be head and shoulders above legursky and kemoeatu on the left side too. decastro is a right guard too. c'mon! one thing he's better at is taking out late blitzers and switching off from his initial block to do it. konz usually gets a little help from the interior guys on the big boys. it depends on who's there. there's alot of talk of dallas taking konz. i'm also not seeing konz as better on the move. he's also had some major injuries. blood clots in both lungs. badly sprained ankle. dislocated ankle. just not seeing what you are seeing on tape GB. konz does alot of take downs on guys that could get flagged. zeitler looks aweful good on the move and turning up into the hole pulling. i'd have to compare zeitlers game more like faneca and konz more like harting. either is not a bad way to go but zeitlers game looks alot better on the move and in pass protection. with konz being very solid but with the bad legs. [/quote:y5msjmkw]

You bring up some great points and I agree, we woulddn't be in a bad spot if we come away with either one. Zeitler would be much better than what we have at LG and could play it in a pinch, especially considering what we've had at that position the past few years. I prefer Konz, you Zeitler, it's a win-win.

 

i'm pretty sure zeitler would be head and shoulders above legursky and kemoeatu on the left side too. decastro is a right guard too. c'mon! one thing he's better at is taking out late blitzers and switching off from his initial block to do it. konz usually gets a little help from the interior guys on the big boys. it depends on who's there. there's alot of talk of dallas taking konz. i'm also not seeing konz as better on the move. he's also had some major injuries. blood clots in both lungs. badly sprained ankle. dislocated ankle. just not seeing what you are seeing on tape GB. konz does alot of take downs on guys that could get flagged. zeitler looks aweful good on the move and turning up into the hole pulling. i'd have to compare zeitlers game more like faneca and konz more like harting. either is not a bad way to go but zeitlers game looks alot better on the move and in pass protection. with konz being very solid but with the bad legs. [/quote:2gh2qrv2]

You bring up some great points and I agree, we woulddn't be in a bad spot if we come away with either one. Zeitler would be much better than what we have at LG and could play it in a pinch, especially considering what we've had at that position the past few years. I prefer Konz, you Zeitler, it's a win-win.[/quote:2gh2qrv2]

agreed. theres nothing saying we couldn't get them 1-2 and have them both at guard. now that's a win-win. you wanna talk about going from the outhouse to the penthouse.