Rookie Tandems

[PatsFan37]

I thought this might be worth a new thread, but if it's a repeat of old ideas feel free to let me know.

Picking Ryan is seen as more reasonable, Harmon as a long reach. But many rookies do better when they're paired with another rookie in the same position, both on special teams, in the same meetings, rooming together, learning together, competing and reinforcing their work ethic. Samuel/Wilson in '03 were a strong and successful DB pairing. More recently Ridley/Vereen, Jones/Hightower, Gronk/Hernandez, Kaczur/Mankins, Spikes/Cunningham, Wilhite/Wheatley (oh well!!).

Here are two rookies who may be the most natural pairing of any drafted in the BB era. They may see this as one of the most important factors in rookie success.

So let's say they'd targeted Ryan all along and decided that while Harmon might be successful in his own right, in tandem with Ryan he'd make both of them better, enough to warrant spending the pick. Plus, communication in the defensive backfield is such a critical part of success. Just a theory, but they may never have picked Harmon if they hadn't picked Ryan.

 

[Stilla]

The pairing of Ryan and Harmon from Rutgers may be in the same line of thinking when BB took Spikes and Cunningham from Florida in 2010.

When watching video of potential players, it would be hard not to notice that the strengths of one player maybe because of the play of a teammate.

So, something makes me think that BB does evaluate partnerships between player pairings. Would the strengths of 2 players from the same system be more favorable as a starting duo for the team, than to acquire 1 player to fill that bill?

So yeah the picks might not look like great players with individual accomplishments, but as a pairing they may work together as a greater force.

 

[manxman2601]

Advantage for Ryan and Harmon is that they also have a friend/mentor in McCourty who can help them both learn and avoid the mistakes.

 

[Stilla]

Add the Devon was from Rutgers, BB does feel that players who have had experience playing with each other does have an impact on the Nfl learning curve.

 

[DarrylS]

Add the Devon was from Rutgers, BB does feel that players who have had experience playing with each other does have an impact on the Nfl learning curve.

Add a healthy dose of football ability, football intelligence and football savvy, and you might have a winner...

 

[Stilla]

I guess a question could be, does BB scout dual pairings, and if he does, he has to know that both players will be available to him in the draft. So that would mean if he wants to choose dual pairings, he has to covet a school that won't have players picked early in the draft as there would be a likelihood that both players won't be available.

So it comes down to smaller schools and an evaluation of that schools coaching and philosophy.

 

[PatsFan37]

I guess a question could be, does BB scout dual pairings, and if he does, he has to know that both players will be available to him in the draft. So that would mean if he wants to choose dual pairings, he has to covet a school that won't have players picked early in the draft as there would be a likelihood that both players won't be available.

So it comes down to smaller schools and an evaluation of that schools coaching and philosophy.

Or he wangles for two picks in one round, picks the higher-ranked player first and 'reaches' for the second.

 

[Stilla]

If that line of thinking is true, then BB looks at the draft as an inconvenience.
In Baseball there is the farm system.
Rutgers may be BB's farm and the draft forces his hand to pick his players in the 2nd round where everyone is dumbfounded.