The Jets play a 3-4 now. www.metrowestdailynews.com Patriots Beat: A sneak peek at future LB? By Albert Breer/ Daily News Staff Thursday, June 22, 2006 Today, on a manicured field in Charlottesville, Va., a player so unique, so fast for his size, so big for his position, so nimble and quick and instinctive, will take the field. And a particularly poignant moment will take place. Ahmad Brooks, four months ago banished from the University of Virginia's football program, will be back. It's a sign that, perhaps, the intriguing prospect has paid his penance and is returning into the Cavalier family. Which, of course, may open quite a few more doors for him with the July 13 supplemental draft looming. See, Brooks is a perfect fit for the rugged, two-gap 3-4 system that Al Groh runs at Virginia. The system is very much like the ones deployed in Cleveland, Dallas and, yes, Foxboro. If, in fact, Brooks is best suited to play in those locales, it'd be in his best interest to get back in Groh's good graces, since the powers-that-be in those places -- Romeo Crennel, Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick -- are closely connected to the Virginia coach. And indications are the linebacker's taken all the steps to do just that. "I think (the Virginia staff) was disappointed things didn't work out better," said Brooks' agent, Greg Williams. "But I do think things are fine now, and it was the right decision for both sides. It gave him a reality check -- Ahmad's a good kid who's made some bad choices -- and he's rededicated himself and has gotten in the best shape he's been in in two years." The process started with Brooks' ouster in February. By then, it was already too late to get in on the April draft. And if he'd been able to crash that party, it may not have been in his own best interest, anyway. Reports had him weighing 290 pounds, spread over his 6-foot-4 frame, at that point. Which is 30 pounds heavier than the weight at which he was listed as a Cavalier junior. "When he first got down here, to be honest, he was a lot bigger than any linebacker I've worked with," said Atlanta-based trainer Chip Smith, enlisted by Brooks and Williams at the start of the process. "And to see the man move, it was just incredible. He wasn't in shape...probably up at 285, and he could really haul." Smith isn't exactly one to be wowed either. He and Competitive Edge Sports have trained dozens and dozens of players preparing for the draft in years past, and, from an athletic standpoint, Smith puts Brooks up there with any of them. One, in particular, to whom Smith compares Brooks is Bears' Pro Bowler Brian Urlacher, although Brooks carries an even-larger frame and may be even more explosive. The problem, until now, came in maturity, according to those around Brooks. And they'll also tell you he's been working on it. "I really think Ahmad can be a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker, he has a first-step explosion that few guys can match," said Smith, who also counts Sox catcher Jason Varitek among his clients. "We put him in there with veterans like Hannibal Navies (Bengals) and Nate Wayne (Lions), and I think they've made him more accountable." Since being thrown off the Cavaliers' roster, accountability has meant five-hour workouts five times a week. Speed work, position work, strength work, film work, diet work, interview work. Work, work, work. According to Williams, the result is that Brooks tipped the scales at 261 pounds earlier in the week and burned a low-4.5 in the 40-yard dash. Add that to the fact he was a Butkus Award finalist and first-team All-American as a college sophomore, before an injury-plagued junior season, and you have the same guy who was expected to be among the top five prospects in the 2007 draft. In fact, according to Williams, one team told the agent that had Brooks declared for the 2006 draft, he would've been right behind Mario Williams and Reggie Bush as the third-ranked player on its board. As such, 13 teams have contacted the Brooks camp and more than that will be in Charlottesville this afternoon. Another 15 are thought to be seriously interested. The Patriots, for now, are in the latter group. In any case, those who attend today will be interested in the times and weights and jumps Brooks posts. But maybe more than that, they'll be interested in the man he is. "I think the issue with Ahmad is that he needed to grow up a little," said Williams. "It's a matter of realizing you're not a kid anymore and you have to take responsibilities for your actions. To his credit, he never blamed anyone else. "He said, 'The things that happened to me were my fault and I have to fix them.' And that's what he's done." In New England's case, it may be a matter of whether Groh -- a man who presided over a program stung by many of Brooks' wrongs -- believes that. Last week, the Virginia coach visited Foxboro and paced the practice field with Belichick. It's a safe bet that Brooks' name came up, with the linebacker fitting the Patriots system like a glove. And it's also safe to say -- since the player is holding his pro workout in the coach's house -- that the player-coach relationship between Brooks and Groh has been repaired. To what degree? Come up with that answer, and you may have a better idea of just how interested the Patriots really are. (Albert Breer is a Daily News staff writer. He can be reached at abreer@cnc.com or 508-626-3872.)
Dont start this sh*t again about using a conditional pick on him. Brooks is not the type of player that Mangini has been bringing in. Any college player that has been thrown of his team for some kind of violation will not be a Jet.
You can't deny he's intriguing. the good thing is this: if we go after him its because Groh has given us the inside scoop (he ebtter give us the inside scoop) and we're ok with whatever it is.
ive watched him play, hes no joke, 1st rd talent, hes well worth taking in this supplemental draft. if the jets got him they could plug him in immediately in the 3-4. i really hope they take at least a crack at bringing him to NY.
We've discussed this several times. Mangini will not bring a player in w/ this type of rep. End of story.
Brooks would've been the first linebacker taken in the draft if he wasn't so screwed up. I've got $5 dollars that the Bengals pick him up. Any takers?
The Jets don't have anything close to a starting caliber OLB. While Brooks has some problems he would be a big upgrade and most likely would be an immediate starter letting Thomas, Chatham and Hobson battle for the other spot.. If we used a 3rd or 4th round supplemental pick on Brooks it would be a steal for us especially considering the new FO's penchant for wasting draft picks from the third round on. Instead of reaching for players 3-4 rounds early next year we could just reach for them only 2-3 rounds early by taking Brooks with a 3rd round supplemental.
i just felt like adding intrigue the the thread.:breakdance: ?-Vilma-Schelgal,brooks (would be nice young core at lb.we could be like the steelers depending how they would progress.)
i think he'll be gone by the 3rd or 4th Round. as far as needing LB's goes, I think we could deffinitely use him. if anyone read the Cimini chat that was posted on here, he said that both Barton and Hobson may be in the doghouse. i don't know how credible Cimini is, but acquiring Brooks would really (a) create competition and (b) add depth. the only obvious question mark is his character, but according to this article, that may not be as big of a concern as it was several months ago. cheers
Hold up here. How many posters(and I'm not saying you are one of them) have said that Mangini will approach the building of this team the same way Bellicheck did? Didn't the article mention a possible Pats interest? That being said, why is it so out of the question that we, too, are interested in the guy. I know it didn't state we were but if we weren't then I don't understand the coaching comparisons. They both have certain things that they and only they know what they are looking for and maybe this guy has some of those things. I'm interested in winning and I'm sure the CS is too.
Don't we have an extra 2nd round pick next year? Hmmm.... Either way, I have NO problem with the Jets taking Brooks as high as a second or third round pick. He's the type of insurance needed as Thomas is being counted on to play OLB this year. If it's a bust, Brooks steps right in next year for either Thomas or Barton (who might be in the doghouse, right?) The advantage the Jets have is we can pick before any of those Parcells/Belichek inspired defenses (Dallas, Cleveland, Pats etc.) Admit it... Vilma, Brooks, Schlegel, Thomas/Barton sounds mighty good talent wise.
Patriots arent interested, which probably means...... Pats miss Brooks’ workout By Albert Breer/ MetroWest Daily News Friday, June 23, 2006 - Updated: 06:35 AM EST If the Patriots have a serious interest in former Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks, an entrant in the July 13 supplemental draft, they’re holding their cards awfully close to the vest. According to agent Greg Williams, approximately 40 officials representing 22 teams attended Brooks’ pro day on the Charlottesville, Va., campus yesterday. The Patriots were not among them. Had they been, the team may have had some concerns allayed, primarily with Brooks’ weight. With rumors swirling that the linebacker pushed 290 pounds over the offseason, Brooks tipped the scales at an even 260 yesterday, which is the weight UVA listed him at last fall. And he may have dropped a few more after the workout, as temperatures on the field soared to 110 degrees. Brooks - who played in a Patriots-like 3-4 as an inside linebacker under Bill Belichick’s old staffmate Al Groh - managed to clock his first 40, depending on who’s stopwatch you were eyeing, between 4.53 and 4.59. He posted his second dash at around 4.68.
The guy seems to be the type of athlete we need - but there are the questions. Al Groh has had good dialogues with our new FO and CS - witness the relationship with the drafting of D-Brick - so if he has good things to say about Brooks, and Mangini is comfortable with him... ...then I would be pleased if we chose him in the supplemental draft. It sounds like if we offer our #2 for him it's a good deal. Of course, the supplemental draft is always a crap shoot.
