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I agree that that is the consistent theme. I have never said that you cannot have a smaller quicker NT. Ratliff was a multiple Pro Bowl player for the Cowboys, so I know it can happen. That said, I prefer bigger NTs that clog the running lanes and can handle two-gap responsibilities. I also think that if the undersized NT cannot get regular penetration (see Lissemore, Sean) it is better to have a bigger NT (assuming a similar level of technique/skill) because the bigger NT is more difficult to move for the OL player and is more likely to clog the running lanes effectively.
You are mistaken about Ted Washington. He joined the Bills the same year Wade Phillips did (1995), but after Phillips was named DC. Phillips did not inherit him.
Except for Soliai, ATL actually had worse personnel on defense than they had in 2013 and yet they improved from #31 in YPC against to #16 in YPC against largely because of the addition of Soliai. You are so biased that I guess what the defense actually did and how the player actually performed does not matter.
Jenkins was injured and never returned to his top form (which was dominant against the run) before his injury although he did improve as the season progressed. It goes without saying that I do not want an injured player at NT. But a healthy Jenkins in top form can definitely stuff the run.
Contrary to your suggestion, I have watched Shelton. I was the one that first mentioned Shelton as a potential candidate in the draft thread. He looks very strong. I saw him one arm snap tackle a RB to the ground dead in his tracks while being double teamed. I saw him beat double teams to the point that he had to be triple teamed on occasion.
I am aware that Shelton lost weight and was dominant in Senior Bowl practices. Not that CBS is the be all end all of the discussion, but he is currently rated #7 overall on their big board and you have discussed him as if he maybe should not be drafted at all. That's quite a difference of opinion between you and just about every other mock draft analysis that has Shelton going in the first round. In fact, most of the mocks do not even have Shelton getting to us at #17. And I do think that the difference between your apparent UDFA grade on Shelton and everyone else's first round grade on him does suggest a gigantic bias against bigger NTs like Shelton.
Personally, I admit that I kind of like a guy that takes a gun away from his brother's killer and then proceeds to pistol whip the assailant with it. To me, that screams out real courage and character of a kind that can't be faked. So, I admit that I kind of like Shelton and think he just might be a very nice fit for us.
I agree that there is a chance that Shelton could fall as bigger NTs have in the last two drafts. That's why the draft strategy is so intriguing this time around. Should teams gamble that he will fall past the first round based upon recent past drafts? It makes for some interesting decision making. I doubt Telesco will be part of that kind of thinking, though, as he seems to undervalue NTs (and he makes me want to pull my hair out in the process).
Regarding Wilfork, the consensus is that he is a good player. If you do not believe that he is good, then that again demonstrates your bias. Further, SEA was the #1 YPC team in the NFL this year by a large margin (in terms of that stat's range), so they are expected to be able to run the ball some. They are the team that averaged over eight yards per carry against us. I could only imagine how bad it would have been for NE without Wilfork, their best run defender, in the game.
Finally, many 3-4 teams do have big run stuffing NTs. We drafted Carrethers. NO drafted Jenkins. KC has Poe. The Browns have Rubin. The Ravens have Brandon Williams and Ngata. The Steelers have McLendon, Thomas and McCullers. The Cardinals have Dan Williams and Ta'amu. The Colts have Chapman. The Jets have Harrison and Ellis. The Packers have Raji. The Titans have Sammie Hill. The Redskins have Chris Baker. Not a single one of those players is under 320 pounds and all but one is 325 or more pounds. The vast majority are well over 330 pounds. Three teams have NTs in the 315-318 pound range. We have the lightest starting NT in the NFL by about 12 pounds in Lissemore (303) and he is not quick enough to get the kind of regular penetration that is useful for a lighter NT.
You are mistaken about Ted Washington. He joined the Bills the same year Wade Phillips did (1995), but after Phillips was named DC. Phillips did not inherit him.
Except for Soliai, ATL actually had worse personnel on defense than they had in 2013 and yet they improved from #31 in YPC against to #16 in YPC against largely because of the addition of Soliai. You are so biased that I guess what the defense actually did and how the player actually performed does not matter.
Jenkins was injured and never returned to his top form (which was dominant against the run) before his injury although he did improve as the season progressed. It goes without saying that I do not want an injured player at NT. But a healthy Jenkins in top form can definitely stuff the run.
Contrary to your suggestion, I have watched Shelton. I was the one that first mentioned Shelton as a potential candidate in the draft thread. He looks very strong. I saw him one arm snap tackle a RB to the ground dead in his tracks while being double teamed. I saw him beat double teams to the point that he had to be triple teamed on occasion.
I am aware that Shelton lost weight and was dominant in Senior Bowl practices. Not that CBS is the be all end all of the discussion, but he is currently rated #7 overall on their big board and you have discussed him as if he maybe should not be drafted at all. That's quite a difference of opinion between you and just about every other mock draft analysis that has Shelton going in the first round. In fact, most of the mocks do not even have Shelton getting to us at #17. And I do think that the difference between your apparent UDFA grade on Shelton and everyone else's first round grade on him does suggest a gigantic bias against bigger NTs like Shelton.
Personally, I admit that I kind of like a guy that takes a gun away from his brother's killer and then proceeds to pistol whip the assailant with it. To me, that screams out real courage and character of a kind that can't be faked. So, I admit that I kind of like Shelton and think he just might be a very nice fit for us.
I agree that there is a chance that Shelton could fall as bigger NTs have in the last two drafts. That's why the draft strategy is so intriguing this time around. Should teams gamble that he will fall past the first round based upon recent past drafts? It makes for some interesting decision making. I doubt Telesco will be part of that kind of thinking, though, as he seems to undervalue NTs (and he makes me want to pull my hair out in the process).
Regarding Wilfork, the consensus is that he is a good player. If you do not believe that he is good, then that again demonstrates your bias. Further, SEA was the #1 YPC team in the NFL this year by a large margin (in terms of that stat's range), so they are expected to be able to run the ball some. They are the team that averaged over eight yards per carry against us. I could only imagine how bad it would have been for NE without Wilfork, their best run defender, in the game.
Finally, many 3-4 teams do have big run stuffing NTs. We drafted Carrethers. NO drafted Jenkins. KC has Poe. The Browns have Rubin. The Ravens have Brandon Williams and Ngata. The Steelers have McLendon, Thomas and McCullers. The Cardinals have Dan Williams and Ta'amu. The Colts have Chapman. The Jets have Harrison and Ellis. The Packers have Raji. The Titans have Sammie Hill. The Redskins have Chris Baker. Not a single one of those players is under 320 pounds and all but one is 325 or more pounds. The vast majority are well over 330 pounds. Three teams have NTs in the 315-318 pound range. We have the lightest starting NT in the NFL by about 12 pounds in Lissemore (303) and he is not quick enough to get the kind of regular penetration that is useful for a lighter NT.
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