Bruce Irvin vs Aaron Curry

[rightbench]

Just had a random thought and I wanted to throw it against the proverbial wall and see what sticks.

I feel like if you had taken everything that was written about Aaron Curry and Bruce Irvin predraft, and switched out all the names, that they would have been more accurate.

Curry was supposed to have phenomenal instincts and fly to the ball and be able to cover and rush and be "the most nfl ready linebacker" or whatever in the 09 draft.

Irvin was supposed to be an iffy/maybe type talent who was a 1 trick pony and probably wouldn't have much of an NFL career because he couldn't adjust to the speed of the game.

(these are all paraphrases and remembrances, not actual scouting reports, but I think the aliens bodyswitched the 2)

Just seems like Bruce has turned into what we wanted Aaron Curry to be. So glad we have Pete and John in charge and not "He who shall not be named" anymore.

 

[largenutz]

Best complement Ive ever read on here for AAron Curry.

 

[Seeker]

Irvin and Curry had totally different predraft scouting reports. Bruce was this raw project with potential. he was kind of a DE by default and had been everything from an LB to a wide receiver in the past due to his speed. Even by his own admission he didn't have the best coaching in college.

Curry on the other hand had the one plus of being labeled the most "game ready" draft pick you could get at the time and although people were overwhelmed by the pick they felt it wasn't exactly a bad one at the time (but directly after).

I agree with you in the sense that the one thing that ties them both together is their speed on the edge but bruce seems to actually act on his instincts unlike Curry.

 

[Throwdown]

Aaron Curry was so damn dumb, I don't know how that man even got through 4 years in the Wake Forest program.

Bruce I was excited for, but that was as a LEO, then the news this offseason that they were looking at him at LB made me more excited. He has history of playing Safety in college, albeit a small nothing school that I forgot the name of, he still had that and the coverage idea might come easy for him, rushing the passer? check, plus being a little farther away from the trenches as a LEO/DE he would be able to read a RB with a bit more time (I dunno just my thought process, i'm not a football guru, guys so forgive me if I'm sounding dumb), I told a few members on here that the LB switch sounded like it was gonna be MONEY to me.

I want a Bruce jersey now, but I'm afraid if I get it, it'll all go down the drain. It hasn't for Sherman... yet.

 

[rightbench]

I'm just so amazed by Bruce's ability to switch from "Go Get Quarterback Bruce" position to .... Play Linebacker Bruce, and Cover receivers and hold the edge and stop screen passes and rush the passer and do just about every dang thing on the field Bruce.

He's picking it up so well it just looks like he was meant to play there.

Love me some Bruce.

 

[Rose City Hawk]

Aaron Curry was so damn dumb, I don't know how that man even got through 4 years in the Wake Forest program.

Bruce I was excited for, but that was as a LEO, then the news this offseason that they were looking at him at LB made me more excited. He has history of playing Safety in college, albeit a small nothing school that I forgot the name of, he still had that and the coverage idea might come easy for him, rushing the passer? check, plus being a little farther away from the trenches as a LEO/DE he would be able to read a RB with a bit more time (I dunno just my thought process, i'm not a football guru, guys so forgive me if I'm sounding dumb), I told a few members on here that the LB switch sounded like it was gonna be MONEY to me.

I want a Bruce jersey now, but I'm afraid if I get it, it'll all go down the drain. It hasn't for Sherman... yet.

That's why I got RW's jersey, granted everyone will have one in time. I bought it at the Clink during the 42-13 game which makes it full of mojo and it must be worn for every game from now until it falls apart.

 

[Starrman44]

Irvin and Curry had totally different predraft scouting reports. Bruce was this raw project with potential. he was kind of a DE by default and had been everything from an LB to a wide receiver in the past due to his speed. Even by his own admission he didn't have the best coaching in college.

Curry on the other hand had the one plus of being labeled the most "game ready" draft pick you could get at the time and although people were overwhelmed by the pick they felt it wasn't exactly a bad one at the time (but directly after).

I agree with you in the sense that the one thing that ties them both together is their speed on the edge but bruce seems to actually act on his instincts unlike Curry.

I think that is what the OP was attempting to stay. Kinda short version, Curry supposedly was instinctual and Irvin was Raw, but it seems like now that Irvin is playing LBer he is a lot more instinctive than previously thought.

I agree so far, by the way.

 

[Seahwkgal]

I doubt Pete and John would have touched Aaron Curry at all in that draft. They know true potential and probably would have waited till the later rounds. lol

 

[kearly]

Aaron Curry was big, and he ran in a straight line pretty fast. A classic "missile" type LB well suited for a 4-3 OLB position. What he didn't have was any production or evident talent as a pass rusher despite four full seasons at Wake Forest. He also wasn't very good in zone coverages.

They are similar players in terms of size/speed/role, but the big difference is that Irvin has far more pass rushing talent and unlike Curry he put up big sack numbers in college. Curry was a knucklehead on the field and constantly blew assignments, whereas Irvin has been remarkably assignment correct so far despite being new to the position. Irvin also has a servant's heart and is more about the team than himself. Curry was immature and while Irvin may have a simple mind, he's far smarter than Curry, who was about as smart as a pile of rocks.

The LB who actually did remind me of Curry was Lotulelei. Lotelelei isn't a dummy and isn't immature, but he's that same kind of LB that some people fell in love with way too much because he attacked like a missile, while overlooking his massive problems with missed tackles, poor instincts, and blown assignments.

FWIW, I think Pete drafts Mark Sanchez in that draft if he had been here a year sooner.

 

[kigenzun]

IMO The difference is pretty simple.

Bruce simply wants it mo... Bigger better faster stronger. He's going for 'IT'.

Aaron Curry didn't want 'it' at all. Even at his best he was lackadaisical.


PS
If we had made the head coaching/general manager switch to PCJS one year earlier, who do you think they would have drafted in the #4slot?
(To make this simpler, say as a given, no trade downs...)

I'm gonna guess an original swing at a 'LEO'style DE in: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas.

 

[kf3339]

Aaron Curry was big, and he ran in a straight line pretty fast. A classic "missile" type LB well suited for a 4-3 OLB position. What he didn't have was any production or evident talent as a pass rusher despite four full seasons at Wake Forest. He also wasn't very good in zone coverages.

They are similar players in terms of size/speed/role, but the big difference is that Irvin has far more pass rushing talent and unlike Curry he put up big sack numbers in college. Curry was a knucklehead on the field and constantly blew assignments, whereas Irvin has been remarkably assignment correct so far despite being new to the position. Irvin also has a servant's heart and is more about the team than himself. Curry was immature and while Irvin may have a simple mind, he's far smarter than Curry, who was about as smart as a pile of rocks.

The LB who actually did remind me of Curry was Lotulelei. Lotelelei isn't a dummy and isn't immature, but he's that same kind of LB that some people fell in love with way too much because he attacked like a missile, while overlooking his massive problems with missed tackles, poor instincts, and blown assignments.

FWIW, I think Pete drafts Mark Sanchez in that draft if he had been here a year sooner.

I don't think PC would have drafted Sanchez since he was so critical of his decision to go into the draft after only one season of starting for SC. No, I think he would have traded down and either gone after one of his LB's, or perhaps known that the O-Line back then was terrible and perhaps looked at Oher as a future replacement for Jones.