Intelligence/character:
Despite his talent and leadership (he
was a team captain), he’s perhaps
remembered best for his starring role
in the Hurricanes’ brawl with Florida
International last season, when he
was seen kicking a player on the
ground . . . Also questioned regarding
a July 2006 incident in which he
fi red three shots (from a registered
handgun) at an assailant who had
shot teammate Willie Cooper in
the buttocks; no charges were fi led
in what police termed a case of
self-defense . . . Has good on-field
instincts and reads plays very well
. . . Football smart . . . Tireless in his
preparation, spending lots of time in
the film room.
Size/strength/durability:
Undersized for his position with a
body that could stand to pack
on some more muscle (only
benched 225 pounds 11
times at combine) . . .
Played two games as a
160-pound true freshman
in 2002 before getting a
medical redshirt with an
ankle injury . . . Hampered a bit by a
shoulder injury in 2004 . . . Suffered a
preseason hamstring injury in ’05.
Stopping the run:
His size makes it tough for him to
shed blocks . . . A willing hitter who
can make the tackle when he gets
there . . . Set a school record for
safeties with 182 career solo tackles
. . . Can get run over by bigger backs.
Defending the pass:
Has good cover skills in press
coverage . . . Has terrific range and
ball awareness . . . Can close quickly
on the ball . . . May not be able to
stay with elite receivers, but there
isn’t a tight end who can shake him,
and he’ll stay with most wideouts
. . . Reads the QB well from center
fi eld and gets over quickly to help
. . . Doesn’t get fooled by playfakes
. . . Has nose — and hands
— for interceptions (seven in his
Miami career, to go with 25 pass
defl ections) . . . Capable of playing
cornerback.
Apparently Brandon
Meriweather wasn’t the
only player to catch Bill Belichick’s
eye during the coach’s visit
to Coral Gables . . . Brown, not
Meriweather, was the Hurricanes
Defensive Player of the
Year, registering 11 sacks and
16 pressures . . . Strong and
powerful, shows surprising
speed when chasing runners
from behind . . . Frustratingly
inconsistent, he was benched at
times last season . . . Thrived as
part of a rotation, which bodes
well in New England . . . Joins
Miami D-line alums Vince Wilfork
and Santonio Thomas in
Foxborough . . . Liberal arts
major.
As you’d expect
from a coach’s son, Oldenburg is
smart and possesses a great
work ethic . . . He lacks bulk and
quickness . . . Flashes a surprisingly
powerful initial punch,
especially considering he was a
tight end until 2004 . . . Native
of Gillette, Wyo. . . . Has been
hampered by groin and neck
injuries in his career but did start
12 games at left tackle in 2006
. . . A probable long-term project,
a la Stephen Neal . . . Majored in
technical journalism.
Hard worker
played 54 career games with
Mustangs, registering 123
tackles, including 28 for losses
. . . Had 16½ sacks and five
forced fumbles . . . Played defensive
end for Mustangs . . . Led
Team Texas with seven tackles
(three for losses) in the inaugural
Texas vs. The Nation All-Star
Bowl in February . . . SMU biography
includes this nugget: An
avid hunter, he has killed and
skinned coyotes . . . Economics
major.
A very intelligent,
versatile player, he could play
corner, safety, and special teams
. . . An excellent tackler, he loves
to play run support but is only a
marginal cover guy . . . Could
develop into a solid contributor,
especially in Cover-2 . . . Was a
standout track guy (sprints and
hurdles) in high school . . . Pays
the price when he gambles too
often . . . No surprise: Earned a
marketing degree and is currently
taking graduate courses.
Rutgers
transfer dominated at 1-AA
level, rushing for Northeast
Conference season record
1,847 yards in ’06 . . . Strong
and tough, was equally effective
running inside and outside in
college . . . Tends to run upright
and will have to get lower to be
successful . . . He may lack the
speed to bounce outside at the
NFL level . . . A willing and effective
blocker . . . Not a great pass
catcher.
Massive specimen
has played left and right
tackle for the Cowboys. Started
24 games on right side the last
two seasons . . . Displays good
power and footwork . . . Strong
work ethic . . . He’ll get beaten
on double moves and by quicker
defenders . . . At his best when
bullrushing forward. Don’t expect
much pulling or trapping
. . . Will wear down late . . . Education
major.
Has a lot of Patriot
qualities: He’s tough, tenacious,
and intelligent . . . Has
been hampered by knee and
elbow injuries . . . A hard-working
ballhawk, he puts in the
hours in the weight room and
the film room . . . Lack of height
and quickness hampers coverage
skills . . . Could end up being
a special teams demon in the
mold of Larry Izzo and Tully
Banta-Cain . . . Idolizes Junior
Seau . . . Majored in public policy,
management, and planning.
Versatile player is hard
working and smart . . . Very
athletic, he lettered in basketball
and track in high school . . .
Relies on his brain more than his
braun . . . Lack of initial pop
means he often gets overpowered
at the point of attack . . .
Scouts project him more as a
center than a guard . . . Mechanical
engineering major.
Meriweather text by National Football League, Globe research, and draft analysts from Pro Football Weekly, Ourlads’, and The War Room. The rest of the player profiles by the Globe's Jim McBride.
