- Joined
- Dec 21, 2004
- Messages
- 12,463
- Reaction score
- 7,458
I think I spelled that wrong, oh well. Again he's a bit shorter than I thought. Maybe 6'1" or so. He looks a little too scrawny for me as well. If he's 230 lbs, like Penn State says, then he must be hiding rocks in his shoes or something.
He's playing the middle this year and he is not doing so well. He has a difficult time reading and reacting. It causes him to get to the correct spot late, which is not good. Don't know if he's thinking too much or if he truly lacks the instincts for the position.
People talk about the knee. From what I saw his straight line speed is impressive for a LB. However lateral cuts and change of direction, are still not 100% based on what he did last year.
Tackling - form is decent, results are not. This may be directly impacted by his getting there late. He looks to be scooping air instead of ball carrier.
Bottom line: Not the player he was last year. Not even close. If I was a GM, this guy would represent a true gamble for me. Are his problems physical (meaning the knee) or mental (meaning no instincts). If you think they are physical, then you take the gamble because once he's back to 100%, you get a great player. If you think they are mental, then you lay off unless you think he'd do better back on the outside in a pure 4-3 defense.
I need to check back on him later in the year and see if he's brought his game up about 5 levels.
He's playing the middle this year and he is not doing so well. He has a difficult time reading and reacting. It causes him to get to the correct spot late, which is not good. Don't know if he's thinking too much or if he truly lacks the instincts for the position.
People talk about the knee. From what I saw his straight line speed is impressive for a LB. However lateral cuts and change of direction, are still not 100% based on what he did last year.
Tackling - form is decent, results are not. This may be directly impacted by his getting there late. He looks to be scooping air instead of ball carrier.
Bottom line: Not the player he was last year. Not even close. If I was a GM, this guy would represent a true gamble for me. Are his problems physical (meaning the knee) or mental (meaning no instincts). If you think they are physical, then you take the gamble because once he's back to 100%, you get a great player. If you think they are mental, then you lay off unless you think he'd do better back on the outside in a pure 4-3 defense.
I need to check back on him later in the year and see if he's brought his game up about 5 levels.