Cromartie

[Badger]

I have seen a lot of people clamoring to pick Cromartie with our #1 pick this year. Yet I continue to see people saying we shouldn't spend much to get Walker because he is coming of an ACL injury. Isn't Cromartie coming off the same injury?

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I don't expect Cromartie to be the pick but he has tested well in the offseason so his health seems like a good risk at this point. As the #21 pick in the draft, he would cost a lot less than Walker, anyway.

 

[Flying Fungi]

I have seen a lot of people clamoring to pick Cromartie with our #1 pick this year. Yet I continue to see people saying we shouldn't spend much to get Walker because he is coming of an ACL injury. Isn't Cromartie coming off the same injury?

Nobody round these parts seems to feel that way about Cromartie...

...I think consensus has generally been a LB prospect such as Lawson, Creenway, Carpenter, Sims, etc...

 

[primetime]

I think alot of people would be upset with a Cromartie pick as he's damaged goods and an unknown quantity. He's a boom or bust pick with a good chance of busting. The Pats don't usually swing for the fences like that.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I'm guilty as charged, but only in the discussion of cornerbacks... and even in that discussion, I'm starting to drift back Hill-ward. Marshall doesn't float my boat - even though he gets to the play and ends up with a hit, he doesn't wrap up. I've seen both Hill and Cromartie wrap up. I know these are corners but sometimes people do catch the ball.

 

[SamBamsFan]

When the talk goes toward Cromartie, I have two words. One Start.

 

[CrazyDave]

When the talk goes toward Cromartie, I have two words. One Start.

This says it all for me. Good potential though.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

I could see Cromartie, I could see Hill, I could see Marshall but only because so many people say there's some Pats affinity for Fresno State. Cromartie is a "played well when he played guy," but point well taken. It's pretty much my own argument against Hill back at me. At this point I'm falling down off the cb bandwagon completely, and am wondering who slips to the late second from that crop.

PFnV

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

FWIW Pro Football Weekly is saying that Cromartie is moving up fast and may be the top DB taken after Huff.

 

[Remix 6]

Cromartie suffered an ACL like Walker but he proved hes rehabbed by running a 4.39 and having good broad or verticle jump and at 6"2 ..4.39 is very fast

 

[maverick4]

re

Cromartie suffered an ACL like Walker but he proved hes rehabbed by running a 4.39 and having good broad or verticle jump and at 6"2 ..4.39 is very fast

I do not understand the interest for this guy. He calls himself a football player, but he has started one game in college. I don't care if the guy is superman or a mutant alien - football requires experience, instinct, and intelligence that can only be learned through hard work, games, and film.

Cromartie reminds me of Michael Olowakandi, of the NBA. That guy picked up basketball just a few years before the draft, but he was selected #1 several years ago due to his height, athleticism, and "upside potential". Obviously, he has done nothing since he's entered the NBA.

 

[Remix 6]

yeah but Cromartie played a lot of nickel and rotated in a lot at CB and hes made plays when he was in..many say he was a top 10 lock if he didnt get hurt

 

[mgteich]

me too .

When the talk goes toward Cromartie, I have two words. One Start.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Yep, played in 25 games, started one. Big difference between that and "played in 1 game."

But to the ACL tear:

1) we've seen the 40 times since then, and behold, they are good - not 4.39, but 4.51.
2) the Pats have worked him out. If they do pick him, behold, those workouts have been judged as good. (Hopefully they would not pick him on straight line speed and long arms.)
3) behold, he's a bloody fetus. You heal quicker and more completely the younger you are.

Of course, it's also possible that Cromartie will never learn to backpedal right... but I'd rather not think of that.

The thing with Walker is his injury progress has not be guaged (at least to my knowledge - maybe that's out of date.) You can bet BB/SP are guaging it pretty extensively before offering him anything though.

PFnV

 

[Remix 6]

4.51 is false..it was estimation and his first run unoffical

http://www.kffl.com/article.php/47886
go to positives and says 4.36

they say 4.39
http://nfldraft.rivals.com/cviewplayer.asp?Player=325&PT=7&PR=2&type=scoutingreport

 

[maverick4]

re

Of course, it's also possible that Cromartie will never learn to backpedal right... but I'd rather not think of that.

The guy has an amazing ceiling - he could be like Deion Sanders. But it's more likely that he'll be at best a nickelback. He has several problems, including not enough experience, a major injury, and serious problems with footwork and backpedaling.

A cornerback who can't backpedal correctly is like:
- A quarterback who can't 5-step drop
- A running back who can't set up his holes and lanes
- A linebacker who can't move side to side
- A lineman who can't get push at the line

Backpedaling is required on every down. It's a major problem.

As for 40-time... Could someone answer this question: are players timed with electronic, machine devices, or still by the scout's hand and eye?

 

[VJCPatriot]

You don't draft a CB in the 1st round if a fundamental mechanic like backpedalling is a problem area. Of course I don't know if these rumors are true, because I have not seen film on Cromartie, but if they are I wouldn't touch the guy.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

On the 40 times, I can take the 4.44 combine number they quoted, although I wonder why nfl.com posts 4.51, being the league's official page.

Of course I have to add, I saw that number in Brandt's writeup, rather than any posted "combine results" list.

So his speed increases again, if this site is any more reliable than Brandt's writeup... but not to sub-4.44, which requires he always run in perfect doctored conditions (don't trust pro days as far as I can throw them.)

Agreed, re: backpedaling. It's what the scouts are saying though. This is why I'm starting to fall off the CB wagon entirely, though everything else w/Cromartie looks so good I like to think teams are seeing a "fixable" problem, rather than an unfixable one.

One guy can't backpedal (unless he can), one guy is a midget converted runningback (but he hits and wraps up,) one guy does WWF moves instead of tackles... makes you want to pick a tight end.

PFnV

 

[mgteich]

Sounds like a reasonable pick to me.
1) he's had a very serious injury
2) he's played 40 games, rising to starter once
3) he's fast and a workout warrior

This sounds a like a reasonable risk, one that the patriots might take in the 5th round.