March 11th, 2010 
Jesse Bartolis 
Posted in If the Rolando McClain falls to the Giants should the Giants not pick him and pick another player instead.
It’s an interesting preposition that people would have thought you were crazy for suggesting even a month ago, but so goes it in the fickle life of a sports fan.
First is the report that Rolando McClain has Crohn’s disease, which is a treateable disease, but it can have adverse effects two of which are weight loss and fatigue. (national digestive disease information clearinghouse). Fatigue and weight loss are two things that are not great for most football players (some football players need to gain weight, but most you want them to play at their ideal weight)
Second is Rolando McClain saying I’ve seen it around a few places rotoworld.com and cbs nfl draftscout.com are two of them that he would prefer to play in a 3-4 system, or that he is more comftorable with that system I guess.
Thirdly: Rolando McClain was injured during the combine and then ran a 4.71 and a 4.74 at his Pro Day. For Reference OT Bruce Campbell ran a 4.85 at the combine (and pro day times are usually a touch faster than combine times) OT Trent Williams ran a 4.88. The top Linebacker times were 4.54 and 4.56. For a guy who had questionable speed on tape…the 40 only reinforced That. If you think a player plays fast on tape then you don’t worry about the 40 time, if you watch a player and you say, he plays a little slow it looks like…is he actually slow…you use the 40 times. That is a bit scary for Rolando McClain.
Two questions for you guys.
So Rolando McClain is sitting at #15 with the Giants on the block, Do you take him?
If CB Joe Haden (prospect profile coming), Sean Weatherspoon, Brandon Spikes, Earl Thomas, Brian Price, Bruce Campbell, Bryan Baluaga, Derrick Morgan, C.J. Spiller, Jason Pierre Paul, Anthony Davis, Dan Williams, and Carlos Dunalp are available at 15 who are you taking (basically who do you want, but not Eric Berry, Suh, Okung, or Gerald McCoy all of who won’t be available)?
Have a nice day, everyone.
i am more concerned with a natural lack of speed issue than i am the disease since weight loss is not necessarily an issue in every case.
Sean Weatherspoon or Cj Spiller!
I’ll throw up in my mouth if I here Bruce Campbell,Brandon Spikes,Jason Pierre Paul,Carlos Dunlap,or Anthony Davis
If they take an OLineman they need to take Bryan Bulaga or Trent Williams,If its a Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon,if they take a DB they need to take Earl Thomas and If none of that then they need to trade back if possible
he wouldnt fit our system period. he feels more comfortable in a 34 and hes insecure about being in a 43 well at least thats what it sounds like to me anyway. he might have fatigue issues and he might not be a 3 down linebacker. although i believe hes very talented i would pass and take the best defensive player available. we shouldnt skip out on a great player available to fill a need who might not be all that hes made out to be
I say skip we need a gap to gap middle linebacker, someone whoes fast and doesnt fatige. We need a three down line backer get best defesive player available then get spikes in the second round if hes still available and/or sign a free agent MLB
Skip we need speed, we can take a chance on another slow linebacker, Sean is the man
i agree with sam we need speed and not the drug lol
Found 1 of the Highland Mint New York Giants 24KT Gold Super Bowl 42 Champions Coin back in our warehouse. A rare treat for Giants Fans. Order today.
Order at http://www.collectibleshopping.com and click on Highland Mint than click on Super Bowl 42.
You guys are crazy, if he is there at 15 Take Him!!!
First the Crohn’s disease is not that big of an issue, he had it (or known about it since HS), and was still very productive in college.
Second, he is more comfortable in a 34 because he has been in a 34 his whole college career. Nothing more, nothing less, doesnt mean he can play in a 43.
Third: The 40 time is what people were expecting him to run, he wasnt going to blow it up with his speed. And dont get caught up in the numbers, is he a football player or not? Yes he is. Joe Haden ran a poor 40, he is a top 10 player, and will probably still be a top 10 player.
Hakeem Nicks is another one, who didnt have a great 40 time. Ask yourself would you rather have Hakeem Nicks or DHB? If you say DHB walk away right now.
Rolando McClain is basically a younger, bigger, faster version of AP. Who cares if he ran a 4.71, is he faster than Pierce? I think so. So thats an upgrade right there.
Bottom line is his draft status didnt change over the last week, he was a top 10-12 player before, and thats what he is now.
He would be great value, and fills a need.
edit
*doesnt mean he cant play in a 4-3
Lol plzz u guys are crzy if he’s on the board were taking him. Nothing slowed him down in colledge. 40 time is way over rated especialy at the mlb position. I can see it matter on an olb in a 3-4. Spikes mclain should be our pick. Spoon was an olb so he would have to transition as well as mclain would and I got my money that mclain has the better career. They say he so smart he knows where everyone is suppose to be. We need that. Also I don’t want a super fast mlb but then he can’t crash the gaps and stop the run the wayyy spikeesss cann or mclainnn can something washington and spoon struggle at. We need a beast in the middle.
Here’s part of an article from http://www.Tennessan.com
McClain ran the 40 Wednesday after pulling out at the combine with a nagging hamstring problem that he said he had quietly battled since the Tennessee game.
He was clearly hurting at the end of position drills with a flare-up of Crohn’s, a form of inflammatory bowel disease he was diagnosed with as a high school freshman.
“My Crohn’s was acting up again,” said McClain, the only one of the Tide prospects regarded as a sure first-round pick. “I’ve been struggling with it the last two or three days, but I just wanted to go out here and still run no matter what the circumstance was.”
The hamstring problem was nothing new for the Butkus Award winner, though he had kept it quiet even from his teammates.
“I’m still not quite 100 percent, but I wanted to go out and show these 32 teams that I could run,” McClain said.
The result, he said, was a 40 time “somewhere in the 4.6 range,” but he is aiming to cut it down some more in additional NFL workouts on campus this month.
“At 6-4, 259, 4.6 is fine, but I know I can run a 4.5,” McClain said. “I’ve run it before.”
So I say hold off til this kid heals up and give him another shot at the 40 and drills. The Giants will bring him in for a look when the time comes. We know how it’s goes with hamstrings. If he comes in for a visit and performes better. I think you got to pick him if he’s there a 15.
If CJ Spiller is available, they HAVE to take him, I know the problems with the defense, but think of how dangerous our offense could be with that weapon around, not to mention he can return kicks, letting Hixon stick to punt returns and 3/4 WR duty. Of course I’m speaking as if they address the MLB position in free agency, but I always liked Spikes better than McClain for this team (McClain is probably a better player, but he’s more of a 3-4 guy).
With the 15 pick, the Giants should take an offensive lineman. The draft will provide the opportunity for the G-Men to draft a MLB in the second round and defensive tackle in the third round.
[...] numbers. And, from what I saw of McClain, I saw a playmaker. Leader. Instinctive. I disagree with Bartolis on McClain looking slow in games. He’s not the fastest guy, but he gets it [...]
Why not Sergio Kindle and pick up Dexter McCluster in round 2 he will be a star in my opinion
First off, whoever typed this article, please start checking them over before publishing them. This was just painful to read.
Second off, the only real problem I see in McClain is the second one you listed; him not “clicking” in the scheme.
Adjusting from a 3-4 to a 4-3 isn’t as easy as most of the people in the comments are making, as the entire gameplan changes; and both the linebackers and d-line’s objectives are completely changed.
I still think we should draft him however. An O-lineman would be nice, but I think we can cover that in the second round. And while I think Dexter McCluster has real potential to be this year’s Percy Harvin, taking the sexy pick probably isn’t the best thing to do with an o-line as old as ours.
And Jason C., I will seriously off myself if we draft Spiller.
We need a mlb. we need a corner. we need another rb. Antrele Rolle Baby!!!