ClayMatthews Posts -- FanHouse

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Packers Eschew Quantity for Quality

Posted: Apr 28th 2009 3:30PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Packers, NFC North

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

By dealing up into the last part of the first round for Clay Matthews, Ted Thompson may have forever changed his image in Green Bay. He went from being consistently ripped for his trade-downs and seemingly passive nature during the draft to being branded a genius. Of course, if either of his first-round selections fail, he'll be back to being an idiot again.

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Packers Show Unusual Aggression

Posted: Apr 26th 2009 1:05PM by Bruce Ciskie (author feed)
Filed under: Packers, NFC North

1 COMMENT

Ever since Ted Thompson took over as the Packers' general manager in 2005, he has developed quite the reputation. In four drafts since he got the job, Thompson became known as the master of the trade-down.

In his defense, Mike Sherman didn't exactly leave a loaded roster behind when he got canned. Because of that, Thompson felt the need to stock up on extra picks to build depth. Now that Thompson has built some depth with the Packers, he appears to be more comfortable being aggressive in the draft.

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Does the Brian Cushing Pick Signal a Run on (USC) Linebackers?

Posted: Apr 25th 2009 5:50PM by Dan Graziano (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft

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NFL Draft Photos

Wide receiver Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech University stands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the San Francisco 49ers as the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

Reuters

New York Jets fans react after the Jets selected quarterback Mark Sanchez from the University of Southern California as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

Reuters

Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree speaks to the media after he was selected as the 10th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers during the first round of the NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall Saturday, April 25, 2009, in New York.(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

In this pool photo provided by the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano, left, general manager Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells, executive vice president of football operations, look on during NFL Draft day, Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the team's training facility in Davie Fla. (AP Photo/Miami Dolphins, Pool) ** Pool Photo **

Defensive end Brian Orakpo from the University of Texas stands with his family on stage after being selected by the Washington Redskins as the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

Reuters

Defensive end Brian Orakpo from the University of Texas reacts on stage after being selected by the Washington Redskins as the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York April 25, 2009. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

Reuters

Detroit Lions football fans had access to Ford Field while watching the NFL Draft on the big screen on Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Detroit. The Lions chose Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the draft. (AP Photo/Jerry S. Mendoza)

NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman poses with his family at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Freeman

Getty Images

NEW YORK - APRIL 25: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell poses with Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Roger Goodell;Josh Freeman

Getty Images

NEW YORK - APRIL 25: Tampa Bay Buccaneers #17 draft pick Josh Freeman poses for photographers at Radio City Music Hall for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25, 2009 in New York City (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Freeman

Getty Images

NEW YORK -- San Diego just took Larry English with the No. 16 pick. They apparently didn't get the memo. English went to Northern Illinois. Which is not USC. Which is, as everybody knows, where the linebackers come from.

When the Texans picked Brian Cushing at No. 15, it felt like there was about to be a run on USC linebackers. Cushing, as you know if you got this week's Sports Illustrated, is one of three Trojan linebackers projected to go in this year's first round. And if you think that sounds unusual, that's because it is.

Continue Reading Does the Brian Cushing Pick Signal a Run on (USC) Linebackers?

Clay Matthews Draft Profile

Posted: Apr 25th 2009 10:55AM by Chris Burke (author feed)

0 COMMENTS

Clay Matthews, LB

Selected:

College: Southern Cal.
Age: 22
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 240 lbs.
2008 Stats: 56 tackles (28 solo), 9 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks

Scouting Report: Good combine performance, great Pro Day performance. Body is NFL-ready and has room to get stronger. Solid speed to play in coverage or track down ball carriers. May not rush especially well at the next level, but should do everything else. Will use quickness to work his way around blocks. Excellent hands. Only 10 career starts.

2009 Outlook: Mathews has moved up since the combine due to his athleticism. He'll need some time to become a dominant linebacker at the next level, but he should be in the rotation by training camp.

HIGHLIGHT REEL:

Cushing Thinks He's Best of Historic Trio

Posted: Apr 25th 2009 1:00AM by Tom Herrera (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Interviews, FanHouse Exclusive

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NEW YORK -- It's not everyday you see three players from the same school taken in the first round of the NFL draft. Three linebackers? That's unprecedented territory.

The magnitude of the occasion isn't lost on Brian Cushing, who should be one of three rough-and-ready USC linebackers selected in the first round on Saturday. But that doesn't mean he's ready to concede a higher draft slot to former teammates Rey Maualuga and Clay Matthews.

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Handful of Accused 1st-Rounders Clean

Posted: Apr 20th 2009 2:35PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Media Watch

1 COMMENT

So, remember those "reports" of players who had failed drug tests at the combine? B.J. Raji (pictured), Vontae Davis, Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing had all allegedly tested positive -- Raji and Davis for marijuana, Matthews and Cushing for steroids -- according to the irresponsibly named NFLDraftBible.com (who I refuse to link to, due to the fact that they are looking increasingly like an absolute farce).

Well, the more distance we get from the faux-report, the more the facts come to the surface, and it doesn't look good for the credibility -- if they even had any in the first place -- of this supposed "bible." Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk is reporting that Raji is clean, as are the other three.

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The Perfect Draft: Houston Texans

Posted: Apr 17th 2009 2:30PM by Stephanie Stradley (author feed)
Filed under: Texans, AFC South, NFL Draft

2 COMMENTS

With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.

The Texans have been an 8-8 team for the last two years -- a record I find astonishingly good considering how terrible their defense has been.

Allegedly, this is the year that the defense gets fixed.

The Texans fired the defensive coordinator, the defensive line coach and the defensive backs coach, mostly because they can't fire all the players who aren't particularly good. (Though they did get rid of a number of them.) In short, this is a defense that needs more playmakers.

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USC Linebackers Cleared; Combine Drug-Testing Picture Still Cloudy

Posted: Apr 5th 2009 3:31PM by Dan Graziano (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Rumors

4 COMMENTS

USC linebacker Brian Cushing apparently did not test positive for steroids at the NFL scouting combine. But how do we know who did?

Jason Cole has been a respected NFL writer for well over a decade, so his Yahoo! Sports report that says the NFL has told Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews Jr. they didn't test positive for steroids at the scouting combine certainly trumps the one-sentence report by NFLDraftBible.com that says they did.

Cole cites "sources close to both players" who say the USC linebackers (both potential first-round picks) went right to Dr. John Lombardo, who administers the NFL's drug-testing policy, and were told they did not test positive for banned substances and had "nothing to worry about."

Continue Reading USC Linebackers Cleared; Combine Drug-Testing Picture Still Cloudy

NFL FanHouse Mock Draft 2.0

Posted: Feb 25th 2009 1:04PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft, NFL Fans, NFL

34 COMMENTS

The draft has become one of the biggest events of the year for NFL fans. Maybe because everybody's a winner on draft day, or maybe because hope springs eternal and all that. Whatever the reason, we're fully trying to horn in on the action. Round 2 of the FanHouse mock draft follows. And we'd like to stress "mock."

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NFL Mock Draft Wrap-Up: Who Is Your Team Going to Take?

Posted: Feb 18th 2009 11:00AM by JJ Cooper (author feed)
Filed under: NFL Draft

1 COMMENT

We've reached draft season, the time of year where Mike Mayock, Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay become you're best friends, and it's possible to spend 10 hours a day mulling over draft scenarios.

You may have your opinion on who is the best draft expert, but there's also something to be said for the wisdom of crowds. Why look at one mock draft when you can look at 10? We compiled the results from 10 of the most respected mock drafts on the Internet to see if there is agreement on who each team will pick. We'll do this several times before the draft arrives to give you an idea of what players and what positions look to be your team's best bets.

Continue Reading NFL Mock Draft Wrap-Up: Who Is Your Team Going to Take?