PonyExpress
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
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Moss is one of the most intriguing players in this draft. He has all-pro potential as a 3-4 OLB, but carries some red flags.
Here is the official story. I am in no way saying any of this is exaggerated or untrue. At the same time it is a highly unusual story and demands scrutiny.
He was the #1 defensive line prospect in Texas, maybe in the country, coming out of high school in 2002-3. In mid senior season he sustained a pelvic injury, and received a cortisone shot apparently in his pelvic bone. He arrived at Florida in 2003 still feeling the after effects of that injury. The team thought he had a sport hernia sustained during fall practice. He played in only one game, and the injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. The next year he showed up 35 lbs under weight, at only 218 lbs, complaining of the pelvic pain. The team moved him to LB because of the weight loss. He again played in only 1 game and was sidelined the rest of the year because of pain. Ron Zook was fired. Moss couldn't even walk for a time, forced to seek help from his high school coach. Doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong and he became despondent. Urban Meyer got the Florida job. The head trainers finally discovered through blood tests that the cortisone shot Moss had received in high school had introduced bacteria into his pelvic pone, causing a staph infection, the reason for his health problems and dramatic weight loss. The team cured the infection and gave Moss nutrition intravenously to bulk him up to 240 lbs, and he reached 250 lbs by fall practice in '05. As a 3rd down contributor he led the team in sacks and tackles for loss. After extreme conditioning last offseason, he earned the starting DE job and was profootball weekly's 1st team all-american this season, dominating the SEC championship game and the National title game vs. OSU.
Questions: (1) Was the staph infection the real reason for Moss' 2 lost years? Or were there other contributing factors? (2) A long term staph infection can do significant permanent damage to cartilage and bone. Are there long-term effects from that infection? (3) How strong is Moss now, after only 2 years of conditioning? Is he such a physical freak that he can win all-american honors right out of a hospital bed? If so, imagine how good he can become... (4) Moss was suspended this year for one game, reason undisclosed. What is the reason, and is it drug related, as with Marcus Thomas? Not saying it is... but 3 memebrs of the D-line at Florida were suspended this season for at least one game at seperate times. (5) Why didn't he stay in school for another year, improve his conditioning, and make himself a top 5 pick? What is motivating him?
Bottom line: Moss is an athletic freak, with monster upside. There is a possibility he will be available at #24. However, this background is sketchy from a durability, and potentially from a character standpoint. On the other hand, if the severity of the staph infection is accurate, and Moss is actually cured with no long term effects, he could be a steal outside of the top 20.
Here is the official story. I am in no way saying any of this is exaggerated or untrue. At the same time it is a highly unusual story and demands scrutiny.
He was the #1 defensive line prospect in Texas, maybe in the country, coming out of high school in 2002-3. In mid senior season he sustained a pelvic injury, and received a cortisone shot apparently in his pelvic bone. He arrived at Florida in 2003 still feeling the after effects of that injury. The team thought he had a sport hernia sustained during fall practice. He played in only one game, and the injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. The next year he showed up 35 lbs under weight, at only 218 lbs, complaining of the pelvic pain. The team moved him to LB because of the weight loss. He again played in only 1 game and was sidelined the rest of the year because of pain. Ron Zook was fired. Moss couldn't even walk for a time, forced to seek help from his high school coach. Doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong and he became despondent. Urban Meyer got the Florida job. The head trainers finally discovered through blood tests that the cortisone shot Moss had received in high school had introduced bacteria into his pelvic pone, causing a staph infection, the reason for his health problems and dramatic weight loss. The team cured the infection and gave Moss nutrition intravenously to bulk him up to 240 lbs, and he reached 250 lbs by fall practice in '05. As a 3rd down contributor he led the team in sacks and tackles for loss. After extreme conditioning last offseason, he earned the starting DE job and was profootball weekly's 1st team all-american this season, dominating the SEC championship game and the National title game vs. OSU.
Questions: (1) Was the staph infection the real reason for Moss' 2 lost years? Or were there other contributing factors? (2) A long term staph infection can do significant permanent damage to cartilage and bone. Are there long-term effects from that infection? (3) How strong is Moss now, after only 2 years of conditioning? Is he such a physical freak that he can win all-american honors right out of a hospital bed? If so, imagine how good he can become... (4) Moss was suspended this year for one game, reason undisclosed. What is the reason, and is it drug related, as with Marcus Thomas? Not saying it is... but 3 memebrs of the D-line at Florida were suspended this season for at least one game at seperate times. (5) Why didn't he stay in school for another year, improve his conditioning, and make himself a top 5 pick? What is motivating him?
Bottom line: Moss is an athletic freak, with monster upside. There is a possibility he will be available at #24. However, this background is sketchy from a durability, and potentially from a character standpoint. On the other hand, if the severity of the staph infection is accurate, and Moss is actually cured with no long term effects, he could be a steal outside of the top 20.
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