Foster

Please don't take this the wrong way, but have you honestly watched Merriman or are you going strictly by his weight? The reason I ask is because Maryland uses the 3-4, and Merriman played OLB there. That seems like something you would have mentioned given that it has enormous relevance when it comes to what he can play at the next level, especially considering that Ware (who I have not seen) strictly played DE. In fact, by all accounts, Merriman is better suited to play linebacker than defensive end. You wouldn't expect someone weighing 272 to have quickness and explosiveness, but he does. Furthermore, he bulked up to that size after the season from his more natural playing weight of around 255, perhaps to make himself more attractive to teams running the 4-3. From what I've seen by watching Maryland and what I've read in pretty much every scouting report, the guy isn't stiff, has excellent mobility, and is actually much better in space than grasping with an offensive lineman.

Whether Ware or Merriman can play OLB in the 4-3 is up for debate, but there's little question that Merriman is an absolutely perfect fit for Cleveland's 3-4 defense, much moreso than Ware, not only for the experience factor but the total skills set as well.

NFL.com Reports:
Shawne Merriman
Demarcus Ware

As mentioned, I haven't see Ware play, but from what highlights I've seen on film, the comments regarding Ware's total inability to drop into coverage and the idea that he might only be able to play weak-side OLB in the 3-4 are pretty significant. He's an intriguing guy due to his tremendous athleticism, but there seem to be a lot of limitations on how you can use him. Meanwhile there are no such questions regarding Merriman. Given that Ware's the slightly better athlete, he might better suit a 3-4 team with just a rush-need, but he seems to have a lot of questions marks if you're looking for anything more than that.

 

We (or more precisely I) have already covered the fact that Davis cannot play FS at the next level, and some are questioning whether or not he can play SS. Most seem to think that in order for him to play SS, he's going to need to be in the box with a wide-ranging FS over the top. We don't have that guy to compensate, and in our scheme we give the SS a fair amount of coverage responsibilities anyway. If Davis comes here (which is a possibility because he is talented enough), it would strictly be as a weakside linebacker, not a safety.

 

I'm going more by what I'm reading, because I didn't get a good feel for him in the games I saw. I don't remember seeing him drop whatsoever. He has quickness and explosiveness, but it's all suited to getting into the backfield, and that's not going to work here at all. We don't send our guys every down. Ware would have to make leaps in his development to be a guy here, but he could be a SLB here (with patience, as I noted). Merriman is an end, IMO, nothing else. That's where he's best, that's where he's least likely to have trouble adjusting, he's suited for it, teams need ends. That's wher ehe's going to end up.
Whether Ware is a linebacker? That depends on his instincts. Is he physically suited for it? Yes.

 

I think this is one of those cases where, since you didn't really formulate your opinion based on your own observation, you ought to read more sources and really reconsider. Seriously, I haven't seen a single site or person on television, in print, or on the internet who said that Merriman should only be an end. As mentioned above, the overwhelming consensus is that he's actually better suited to being a linebacker. The idea that he shouldn't play OLB even in the 3-4 seems pretty darn odd considering the fact that he played that in college. Again, don't take it the wrong way, but did you even know that Maryland used the 3-4? I ask because they only switched to it recently, so it would be understandable if you didn't and had simply assumed that Merriman played end in college, which he did not.

And for the record, most scouting reports say that Ware is the one who has few skills beside coming forward. Merriman actually gets plus marks in coverage and reading laterally, although he is also known for blowing plays up at the point of attack.

 

I'm just of that opinion, regardless of why you want to say that I disagree. It doesn't change that I've put out my opinion and stand behind it. Stick to the opinion.
He doesn't have to be in a 3-4, shouldn't be in the 4-3 whatsoever, so I feel he's an end. Least path of resistance, greatest point of value. Ware will probably have to be fit in a specialized scheme to succeed, but Merriman won't. That he absolutely couldn't drop back into coverage? No, didn't say that. But I feel he's an end, would play him as an end, and don't see him making the same impact at linebacker in the NFL. The few sites I do look at, to fill in a blank or two, have him as an end. I don't think you're going to be happy whatsoever trying to force Merriman into trying to be a Julian Peterson.

 

That may be in dispute. I saw those comments too, but I also saw that Ware excelled at the LB drills, which I assume included coverage, at the combine. Remember that he comes from a small school, and that he may not have been taught coverage. I know he got something like a 16 on the Wonderlic, but he's said to be a smart player.

He would be a risk. If he can't cover, we shouldnt take him. At DE he'd only be a part time player. But if they think they can teach him, he might be fantastic. All of the players available have alot of risk to them this year.

 

Did they actually play games at the combine? It's pretty easy to cover a cone.