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I just read this piece from Carucci on NFL.com:
Increasing role of tight end reflected in 2010 NFL Draft
The title is "Increasing role of tight end reflected in 2010 NFL Draft." He states that teams "clearly are having an increasing awareness" of the pivotal role of the position, and cites a key reason as "to better handle the pressure defenses are able to apply through creative blitzing."
Yet the balance of the article shows that this draft simply had a bonanza of talent at the position, after several really crappy TE classes:
If you ask most of the men who evaluate NFL talent, they will tell you that this was an exceptionally strong draft for tight ends. We're not just talking about the ones that only excel at catching passes and are, in reality, glorified wide receivers. We're talking about complete tight ends -- those capable of blocking as well as catching.
...
Three teams (Baltimore, New England, and St. Louis) even picked two tight ends apiece. "Those clubs really took advantage of the draft," said Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik
...
"In past drafts, over the past few years, there have hardly been any (true) tight ends," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "This was a great year to get 'dual guys,' that can run block a little bit and also contribute in the passing game."
Best of all, Carucci compares the number of TEs drafted this year to 2005, to demonstrate the "trend." Why did he choose 2005? Take a look at the past decade:
2001 15
2002 23
2003 13
2004 16
2005 9
2006 16
2007 13
2008 16
2009 20
2010 19
So the first 4 years of the decade averaged 17 TEs drafted, the last 4 averaged...17 TEs drafted. Wow, it's a revolution!
This was the best TE class in ages. IMO you can see that in the fact that the Pats were willing to enter this draft with a gaping hole at the position, something they almost never do. And IMO, that's the whole story about the 19 players selected. What do you think?
Increasing role of tight end reflected in 2010 NFL Draft
The title is "Increasing role of tight end reflected in 2010 NFL Draft." He states that teams "clearly are having an increasing awareness" of the pivotal role of the position, and cites a key reason as "to better handle the pressure defenses are able to apply through creative blitzing."
Yet the balance of the article shows that this draft simply had a bonanza of talent at the position, after several really crappy TE classes:
If you ask most of the men who evaluate NFL talent, they will tell you that this was an exceptionally strong draft for tight ends. We're not just talking about the ones that only excel at catching passes and are, in reality, glorified wide receivers. We're talking about complete tight ends -- those capable of blocking as well as catching.
...
Three teams (Baltimore, New England, and St. Louis) even picked two tight ends apiece. "Those clubs really took advantage of the draft," said Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik
...
"In past drafts, over the past few years, there have hardly been any (true) tight ends," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "This was a great year to get 'dual guys,' that can run block a little bit and also contribute in the passing game."
Best of all, Carucci compares the number of TEs drafted this year to 2005, to demonstrate the "trend." Why did he choose 2005? Take a look at the past decade:
2001 15
2002 23
2003 13
2004 16
2005 9
2006 16
2007 13
2008 16
2009 20
2010 19
So the first 4 years of the decade averaged 17 TEs drafted, the last 4 averaged...17 TEs drafted. Wow, it's a revolution!
This was the best TE class in ages. IMO you can see that in the fact that the Pats were willing to enter this draft with a gaping hole at the position, something they almost never do. And IMO, that's the whole story about the 19 players selected. What do you think?
