Iupati vs Albert

Question for OTC, MD, and others who really like Iupati-how does he compare as aprospect to Brandon Albert when he was coming out? And if Albert has been so unsuccessful in his transition to OT, why do you assume Iupati can have success (given Iupati is being mentioned as an RT and Albert now plays OT)?

Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

Albert was criticized for lack of speed and agility though he had lots of power. That speed and agility is important for left tackle. Iupati has lots of speed and agility. Iupati also has great technique and has already developed a "punch" on pass protection something that you don't see often in college linemen.

Iupati was an Outland Trophy finalist. Coming from a small school in a small conference that's very impressive. Albert wasn't.

Originally posted by smileyman:
Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

Albert was criticized for lack of speed and agility though he had lots of power. That speed and agility is important for left tackle. Iupati has lots of speed and agility. Iupati also has great technique and has already developed a "punch" on pass protection something that you don't see often in college linemen.

Iupati was an Outland Trophy finalist. Coming from a small school in a small conference that's very impressive. Albert wasn't.

Do I need to even say anything else? To put it in simple terms, Iupati is simply a more talented offensive lineman all around.

I dont know if Haden or Iupati is my favorite prospect to draft this year. I'd take both and take RT Fox in the 2nd round.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by smileyman:
Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

Albert was criticized for lack of speed and agility though he had lots of power. That speed and agility is important for left tackle. Iupati has lots of speed and agility. Iupati also has great technique and has already developed a "punch" on pass protection something that you don't see often in college linemen.

Iupati was an Outland Trophy finalist. Coming from a small school in a small conference that's very impressive. Albert wasn't.

Do I need to even say anything else? To put it in simple terms, Iupati is simply a more talented offensive lineman all around.

Thanks guys. How effective of a RT do you think he can be? Are we talking about a potential perrenial pro-bowl guard and an avg RT? Or pehaps a very good RT as well?

Originally posted by kronik:
I dont know if Haden or Iupati is my favorite prospect to draft this year. I'd take both and take RT Fox in the 2nd round.

I really don't like Haden. I think his coverage skills are overrated and he's awful in run support.

Originally posted by RollinWith21n52:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Originally posted by smileyman:
Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

Albert was criticized for lack of speed and agility though he had lots of power. That speed and agility is important for left tackle. Iupati has lots of speed and agility. Iupati also has great technique and has already developed a "punch" on pass protection something that you don't see often in college linemen.

Iupati was an Outland Trophy finalist. Coming from a small school in a small conference that's very impressive. Albert wasn't.

Do I need to even say anything else? To put it in simple terms, Iupati is simply a more talented offensive lineman all around.

Thanks guys. How effective of a RT do you think he can be? Are we talking about a potential perrenial pro-bowl guard and an avg RT? Or pehaps a very good RT as well?

If anything it would be LT. He currently plays LG. I'd like to see him take snaps at LT during the Senior Bowl.

Iupati is an unknown at OT, but Senior Bowl week hopefully will answer some questions whether he can play that position. What I do know is that he appears to be a major long-term upgrade over Baas and Rachal at guard, even if he does not project well at OT.

I was big fan of Joe Staley well before he was nationally known in college, simply due to his footwork. While their body types are very different at this stage of their college career, I do see excellent movement for an OL. He already has the size and strength and length to move to the outside.

Albert is smaller-framed, and left college after his junior year. So, teams never had the chance to evaluate him at the Senior Bowl at the tackle position. Iupati probably will be closely examined at that spot.

Originally posted by MadDog49er:
Iupati is an unknown at OT, but Senior Bowl week hopefully will answer some questions whether he can play that position. What I do know is that he appears to be a major long-term upgrade over Baas and Rachal at guard, even if he does not project well at OT.

I was big fan of Joe Staley well before he was nationally known in college, simply due to his footwork. While their body types are very different at this stage of their college career, I do see excellent movement for an OL. He already has the size and strength and length to move to the outside.

Albert is smaller-framed, and left college after his junior year. So, teams never had the chance to evaluate him at the Senior Bowl at the tackle position. Iupati probably will be closely examined at that spot.

MD, how do you evaluate our current lineman, and do you think they have a pretty good ceiling. Specifically Staley and Rachal. What's Iupati's ceiling, and how do you rate the other linemen in the draft. I've noticed you're notvery high on Fox or Bulauga

Originally posted by smileyman:
Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

iupati does not look like he's 330. He looked like he was more 280 in the game yesterday.

Originally posted by smileyman:

Originally posted by kronik:
I dont know if Haden or Iupati is my favorite prospect to draft this year. I'd take both and take RT Fox in the 2nd round.

I really don't like Haden. I think his coverage skills are overrated and he's awful in run support.

yeah i'm not sold on him either

Originally posted by darkknight49:

Originally posted by smileyman:
Couple of things are different.

Branden Albert is 6'7 and 315 lbs. Means he's tall but a bit undersized to play LT. Iupati is 6'5" and 330 lbs.

iupati does not look like he's 330. He looked like he was more 280 in the game yesterday.

It's because he's not fat like so many offensive linemen are. Look at him here compared to the other Vandal linemen

Originally posted by smileyman:

Originally posted by kronik:
I dont know if Haden or Iupati is my favorite prospect to draft this year. I'd take both and take RT Fox in the 2nd round.

I really don't like Haden. I think his coverage skills are overrated and he's awful in run support.

thank you, I couldnt agree with you more about Haden.

LOL at this blog entry:



'For starters, Idaho senior OLG Mike Iupati was outstanding. What's beast times infinity? What happens when you mix a dinosaur and a cheetah? You get a really big, really mean, fast thing. That's Iupati. And it was all on display Wednesday night — the seal blocks, the combination blocks, the pulling and setting the edge. His speed out of his stance and his mobility is terrific. I can hear former NBA great Bill Walton now, "Throw it down big man. Throw it down."
link

So could the Niners draft the BPA at RT with their 1st pick, and then trade down lower in the 1st or early second and still draft Iupati with a later pick?