Elvis Dumerville

[Stripes]

I was looking around at some ESPN statistics on a list of Heisman Trophy candidates. Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumerville made the list, and the numbers below are out of this world. If he keeps this up, I am sure he will be out of the Bengals' reach in the draft, but wow.

Last Game Stats -- Dumervil notched six tackles, including 2½ sacks and a forced fumble in the Cardinals 46-22 win over Cincinnati.

Season Stats -- Dumervil has 46 tackles (27 solo), including 18 sacks, 8 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 2 pass breakups and 1 fumble recovery.

[alleycat]

Don't be so sure that he won't be available. He's tiny for the position, and will get that "can't play in the NFL knock." I've seen him play and his motor and speed are impressive. A little more speed off the edge than David Pollack, but seems like the same type of deal. I'm not sure we'd take a risk on someone like that, though, until our current experiment works out.

[Stripes]

Yeah I just realized how small he is. I don't think that would be all that big a deal, but he is not what we need anyways. Ngata and Blue need to be Bengals next season.

[alleycat]

Blue's been getting knocked on a bit for his coverage ability. He seems to be athletic enough that he could be coached up. I'm the least worried about the safety position in the draft, because I know that even if we have to take one in the third round, Marvin will find another Madieu. I more concerned about the other two players in those first few.

[bengalindian]

What's his size? And I'd rather them take a sure guy at his respective position than someone who may be a experiment (again), not to knock on Pollack, but I want someone who's gonna make a difference right away.

[schweinhart]

I'm kinda psyched about watching Dumervil some.

U of L plays Pitt on ESPN Thursday night, then has Rutgers at night on Nov. 11 on ESPN2.

Those are just hellacious numbers he has. Got to be something to him.

[alleycat]

I'm kinda psyched about watching Dumervil some.

U of L plays Pitt on ESPN Thursday night, then has Rutgers at night on Nov. 11 on ESPN2.

Those are just hellacious numbers he has. Got to be something to him.

Oh, there's definately something to him. His speed is unreal, and he actually has a portfolio of moves to go with it. He's also got a real low center of gravity and get under people and really move them at times when he's got them off balance (though I don't know if he can do this to the giants in the NFL).

[buck3y3d]

We need a big DT first. Our outside run is porous, but the inside is absolutely awful. I think he is a great player, and i love to watch him play, but he shouldn't be our 1st round pick unless the scouts think he will be pro bowl.

[alleycat]

I'd say unless we get Haloti Ngata from Oregon coming our way, we don't even go DT in the first. Make that our big ticket item for Free Agency. None of the other DT's in the draft are dominant, and as we wouldn't be getting an big difference making anyway, we could probably get good value in the second or third. In the first we should either go for a DE (although Mario Williams from NC State is the only one that looks like a sure thing - Kiwanuka has some motor questions) or a SS (there look to be a couple of first round worthy picks), or Oline (again, decent first round quality). The only other wild card for me would be if we pick low (I think we will) and get some BPA who's just too hard to pass up. Even though I'm not an Ohio State homer, Bobby Carpenter might fit that bill (unbelievable speed and a helluva rusher off the edge).

[schweinhart]

Dumervil was pretty impressive for the most part in the 2nd half vs. Pitt. Nice speed rush with really excellent balance and strength to get the block off him.

He only had the one sack at the end of the game (and forced the fumble for a college record 9 in a season) but the combination of speed, power, and balance are all there to make teams look at him early.

What I thought was most impressive vs. Pitt was how quick he pursues the run down the line away from his position. He gets through the heavy trash up front and tackles through the runner with power.

The only down side I saw is his frame is maxed, so he'd be a very, very short and light DE -- which given his attributes won't be a deterrent to the right 4-3 team. I didn't see him in any coverage, so that variable could be a factor for 3-4 teams that look at him as an OLB where I think he'd be most productive because of his ability to play the run and the pass rush advantage he'd have lined up even wider at the line than a 4-3 DE. Of course, he could also be looked at as a SSLB for a 4-3 like Pollack was.

I think mainly both 4-3 teams look at him at end and 3-4 teams look at him at OLB, which will boost his prospects to go early. He could wind up valued like Demarcus Ware was last year.

As a DE, he's not gonna face RTs as slow as the #75 he faced vs. Pitt. The TE Erik Gill handled Dumervil pretty easily when he faced him and when Dumervil lined up vs. LT, they had some success cut blocking against him.

But Dumervil is an excellent prospect, who should go in the 1st day if not the 1st round. As a DE/LB tweener, he looks like a solid prospect to make the transition.

DE wise, I'd say he pops up after the likes of Kiwi, Mario Williams (if he enters early), and Eric Henderson (if he's healthy), but he looks like a better DE prospect than slower squat guys like Darryl Tapp and Tamba Hali.

[alleycat]

Good insights. I was wondering what you'd think. He's only an inch shorter than Dwight Freeney, so I suppose it wouldn't be unheard of for someone his size to play DE. My only concern is that Pollack, who had amazing lateral speed and explosion, hasn't had much success against the bigger quicker NFL tackles, and you worry about similar problems. But I think his play agains the run is overlooked and can't be argued with. If we went Linebacker or DE in the first, I actually wouldn't be upset with him or Bobby Carpenter. Of course, if Mario Williams, Haloti Ngata, Jimmy Williams, or Mercedes Lewis fell to us I'd be pretty happy with any of those.

[schweinhart]

I'm still not sold on Ngata but haven't watched him since 1st game of year. Great bullrusher at NT but I noticed he gets knocked off balance when hit from side, largely because he's extremely a$$ heavy. I thought he's a junior so he may not come out anyway unless the NFL draft service bumps him as 1st rounder then he'd be foolish not to. The DT prospects don't look too good to me -- not good enough to burn a 1st rounder on. Gabe Watson and Rod Wright both have looked not worth it to me when I've watched them this year. Watching Miami-Va Tech last night, Orien Harris would be a waste IMO.

I'm gonna have to say Claude Wroten LSU or Jesse Mahelona Tenn if Bengals go w/ DT in 1st, though that seems kinda high to me for either. I'd really rather see them pick Michael Huff S from Texas, Bobby Carpenter if they think he can play weakside, Charles Davis TE maybe, or a legit LT prospect since tackle looks like the best position of the class (there could be 6 go in 1st round).

It looks to me like Marcedes Lewis and Jimmy Williams will be long gone by time Bengals pick unless they want to trade up. Mario Williams, too, if he enters early. I wouldn't mind serious consideration of Dumervil or Eric Henderson DE from Ga Tech in 1st. Henderson looks to me like the closest DE to Erasmus James from last year and Dumervil has got some serious goods.