Marcus Cannon

[PATSNUTme]

I was watching a replay of the TCU Air Force for a little while. I focused on Cannon only. He does not look like a 358lb fatty, I'll tell you that. he moved very well.

He has very quick feet and gets to the second level very quickly. He is a very good run blocker and although there were not very many passing downs he seem to pickup stuns and held AF's best pass rusher at bay. Seems to have a sudden and powerful hand punch.

He should be a natural at RG, if he get's healthy.

 

[PatsFan37]

The knock on him (just from reading, not from seeing) is that his football intelligence is not the best and he struggles with picking up stunts. So it's good to hear you state the opposite. Once his health is good enough that he can play, I'll be fascinated to see what he can do. I don't want to prejudge a guy by the words of some media scout who is trying to review 300 players.

With Cannon and Solder and Vollmer and assuming they sign Mankins, that's a lot of high-speed tonnage. A lot of big men with little feet. You'd never see a guy like Woodhead coming from behind them.

 

[PatsChamp88]

He'll probably land on the PUP or IR list this year but I'm very excited to see him compete although that shouldn't happen until next year.

 

[PATSNUTme]

When watching, I was not concerned anything other than watching him move and if he played with a good base. I was very pleased to see that he played every down and never gave up on a play.

Also, he quickness to the second level surprised me. Although he was playing left tackle I don't think he could in the NFL. Maybe that is why some guides downgraded him. Not seeing him play Guard, leaves some unanswered questions.

But I liked what I saw and did not expect to see a player that quick with such good feet movement.

 

[Gwedd]

Good to hear. I am looking forward to seeing him on the field, though that probably won't happen until the 2nd half of the year, if that. He's certainly a bargain and I am very content to see him go on PUP or IR if needs be to fully regain his health and get into solid football shape * conditioning.

 

[s3antana5757]

He played T at TCU correct? I would really like to see an update on him, other than "Cannon was in shorts."

 

[Sciz]

He played T at TCU correct? I would really like to see an update on him, other than "Cannon was in shorts."

Yes, he was their left tackle as a senior. In fact, I believe Light, Mankins, Connolly, Kaczur, Vollmer, Solder, and Cannon were all college left tackles.

 

[s3antana5757]

Yes, he was their left tackle as a senior. In fact, I believe Light, Mankins, Connolly, Kaczur, Vollmer, Solder, and Cannon were all college left tackles.

I like this fact. I think it's alot easier to move inside. Most college guards are guys who aren't athletic or quick enough to play T, so they move inside. With the exception of a few obviously(Mike Brewster and the Pouncey's come to mind), college interior offensive lineman aren't NFL material.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

I like this fact. I think it's alot easier to move inside. Most college guards are guys who aren't athletic or quick enough to play T, so they move inside. With the exception of a few obviously(Mike Brewster and the Pouncey's come to mind), college interior offensive lineman aren't NFL material.

Mike Brewster has only played one position at Ohio State. Center. He came in as a LT but they moved him to Center (because in that recruiting class, OSU had two 5 star top 10 Tackle prospects).

 

[s3antana5757]

Mike Brewster has only played one position at Ohio State. Center. He came in as a LT but they moved him to Center (because in that recruiting class, OSU had two 5 star top 10 Tackle prospects).

I'm an OSU fan, I know this and pointed him out because of that. The point I was trying to make was that there are a few exceptions of guys who just play guard/C and make good NFL guard/C. Most OL who get drafted are T's.

 

[patchick]

I like this fact. I think it's alot easier to move inside. Most college guards are guys who aren't athletic or quick enough to play T, so they move inside. With the exception of a few obviously(Mike Brewster and the Pouncey's come to mind), college interior offensive lineman aren't NFL material.

The usual rule of thumb is that college tackles and centers become the NFL linemen. Most NFL centers -- not just the Pounceys but Mangold, Koppen, etc. etc. -- played that position in college. The idea is that the biggest/best athletes become tackles rather than guards, while the smartest leaders with the best field awareness become centers rather than guards.

There are plenty of exceptions, though. IIRC Steve Hutchinson and Chris Snee both played guard in college.

 

[s3antana5757]

The usual rule of thumb is that college tackles and centers become the NFL linemen. Most NFL centers -- not just the Pounceys but Mangold, Koppen, etc. etc. -- played that position in college. The idea is that the biggest/best athletes become tackles rather than guards, while the smartest leaders with the best field awareness become centers rather than guards.

There are plenty of exceptions, though. IIRC Steve Hutchinson and Chris Snee both played guard in college.

You named three all pro-centers. There's plenty more that aren't very good and never make it.

If you don't count Mike Pouncey as a C(I don't), the first C went in the 6th round.

Last year, 2010, there were two C drafted before the 5th round(6 overall).

2009, I count 4 centers in each of the first 4 rounds. Name one without looking. Hard right.

2008, 1 center before round round 4. 5 overall. Name the first team to take a C. Bet you can't.

2007, 7 centers, two pretty good, one pro bowler. Both went in the second round.

I don't feel like going back any further, but over the last 4 drafts prior to this one, 22 centers were selected. Of that, 2 pro bowlers(Pouncey, Kalil). I believe there's only 3 starters(Statele sp? also from 07). Not a great track record for C's. I bet if you went back and counted, there's maybe 5 starters from 4 years.

Compare that with the 08 draft(because that's the one I'm on), there's 7 OT in the FIRST round alone. There's 2 pro bowlers by themselves, 6 starters.

First team to take a C in 08, the Colts, who had Jeff Saturday. Go figure.

 

[patchick]

You named three all pro-centers. There's plenty more that aren't very good and never make it.

If you don't count Mike Pouncey as a C(I don't), the first C went in the 6th round.

Last year, 2010, there were two C drafted before the 5th round(6 overall).

2009, I count 4 centers in each of the first 4 rounds. Name one without looking. Hard right.

2008, 1 center before round round 4. 5 overall. Name the first team to take a C. Bet you can't.

2007, 7 centers, two pretty good, one pro bowler. Both went in the second round.

I don't feel like going back any further, but over the last 4 drafts prior to this one, 22 centers were selected. Of that, 2 pro bowlers(Pouncey, Kalil). I believe there's only 3 starters(Statele sp? also from 07). Not a great track record for C's. I bet if you went back and counted, there's maybe 5 starters from 4 years.

Compare that with the 08 draft(because that's the one I'm on), there's 7 OT in the FIRST round alone. There's 2 pro bowlers by themselves, 6 starters.

First team to take a C in 08, the Colts, who had Jeff Saturday. Go figure.

OK...but the question wasn't which college OL position gets drafted the highest, that's obviously LT. The question was which college position NFL linemen come from.

I agreed that most NFL tackles and guards come from the ranks of college tackles. I just pointed out that NFL centers almost always come from college centers. (Can you name a single NFL center who played tackle in his final college year?) And since centers make up only 1/5 of an o-line, they'll naturally be drafted in much smaller numbers than tackles.

 

[s3antana5757]

OK...but the question wasn't which college OL position gets drafted the highest, that's obviously LT. The question was which college position NFL linemen come from.

I agreed that most NFL tackles and guards come from the ranks of college tackles. I just pointed out that NFL centers almost always come from college centers. (Can you name a single NFL center who played tackle in his final college year?) And since centers make up only 1/5 of an o-line, they'll naturally be drafted in much smaller numbers than tackles.

Well then I missed the point. We're in agreement then.

 

[YearbookCurfew]

I can't wait to see him play!

 

[Mark Morse]

I do a lot of research for the draft and I had Cannon possibly going in the 1st round before the discovery of cancer. I thought he could be a RT because TCU passed alot, so he had that experience. I actually liked Cannon more than Solder. I know that Solder has a high potential but is raw. Thank god we resigned Matt Light.

I was thrilled when we drafted him despite his cancer. My hope is that he continues his progress to remission and we get the steal of the draft.

 

[unoriginal]

Can you name a single NFL center who played tackle in his final college year?

Among active players, at least Hank Fraley, Matt Birk, and Jamaal Jackson did.

 

[s3antana5757]

I do a lot of research for the draft and I had Cannon possibly going in the 1st round before the discovery of cancer. I thought he could be a RT because TCU passed alot, so he had that experience. I actually liked Cannon more than Solder. I know that Solder has a high potential but is raw. Thank god we resigned Matt Light.

I was thrilled when we drafted him despite his cancer. My hope is that he continues his progress to remission and we get the steal of the draft.

I had him as first 15 in the 2nd round. Top 47. I had him strictly as a guard because I didn't think he was quick enough at T. And his size makes him great for being an interior lineman.

 

[patchick]

Among active players, at least Hank Fraley, Matt Birk, and Jamaal Jackson did.

Wow, nicely done! Maybe notable that all of them were I-AA players? Perhaps the guys who would play center at a major college program end up at LT at lower levels.

 

[Jared]

Personally I am very hopeful for Cannon. Re-sign Mankins and draft a C next year in round 2 or 3.

I am not as keen to ditch Koppen as some others here. While I acknowledge he isn't as physically gifted as we'd like, I think of him a lot like I thought of Jason Varitek for a while: A physically limited technician who can be relied on to not screw up.