(01-29-2024, 01:40 PM)jaglou53 Wrote:

(01-28-2024, 11:43 AM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: If we drafted a DT in the 1st would yall rather Jer'Zhan Newton or T'Vondre Sweat?  I think Newton has the potential to be one of the next up and coming 3 techs in a 4 man front or 5 tech in a 3 down lineman.  I also think Sweat can be one of the next up and coming great NTs like a Dexter Lawrence. Which would you guys rather if we went DT in the 1st?

I'd prefer Newton over Sweat. They are different players with Sweat more the run stuffer and Newton the inside pass rusher. I would worry about Sweat's weight and conditioning; Mehji Becton was huge when drafted high by the Jets and ballooned up to 400 pounds at one point. Even though he lost significant weight last season, he performed poorly. Newton is the much safer pick, but he'd need a bigger tackle playing next to him. Seems like finding a big run stuffing nose tackle later in the draft or free agency would be easier than finding an interior DL capable of double digit sacks as well as being adequate against the run.

In defense of Sweat, a dominant NT can certainly improve the teams pass rush without getting sacks himself.  He either eats up two OL players allowing space/mismatches for other pass rushers, or collapses the interior pocket against 1 OL player allowing your outside pass-rushers to get home.  If you think of Ted Washington and Vince Wilfork, they absolutely dominated the interior line allowing LBs (in a 3-4) to pick up those fancy sack numbers.

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