-The Glove-
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Very good article by *gasp* Pete Prisco comparing the 2 incredible LB'ers. I read the article before scrolling back up to see it was by Prisco... Anyways it's a good read and he breaks down the similarities and differences very well.
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/write...ng-nfls-top-lbs-luke-kuechly-and-bobby-wagner
http://mweb.cbssports.com/nfl/write...ng-nfls-top-lbs-luke-kuechly-and-bobby-wagner
Since their teams face off this week, I wanted to do a thorough study on the two players to see if there is much difference between their style and talent.
What I found was it isn't that much, which might surprise some.
For starters, they are both young. Kuechly turns 24 in April, while Wagner turns 25 in June. Their youth shows up in the way they play, showing up on tape making a ton of tackles, sometimes as blurs with the way they run.
Kuechly is listed at 6-3, 238 pounds, while Wagner is listed at 6-foot, 241 pounds, thicker in the lower body. Neither would be considered a power player, but Wagner is probably the stronger of the two.
While watching tape, I noticed when offensive linemen get out on Kuechly he can have trouble shedding. There were times he was engulfed, which is why keeping him clean is so key for the Panthers' defensive linemen. There were plays where Kuechly tried to jump around a block and it left a cavernous hole for a runner.
Wagner does a better job taking on centers and guards. He uses his hands better than Kuechly does to shed the blockers, and he has a stronger lower base to get off blocks.
So who's better? The logical answer, and one that would come from most, is Kuechly. But I'm not so sure. Wagner is better in the run game, and he isn't that far behind in terms of pass coverage.
Can I call it a tie? Cop-out, you say? OK, if I had to take one, I would probably take Wagner -- by a smidge. Saturday could be his coming-out party, a chance to show he's the best middle linebacker on the field that night -- and in the league right now.