Is Ellis farther along than Asante was at this point?

[patsox23]

I think it's pretty close. What do you guys think?

 

[sebman2112]

At this point in his development Ellis Hobbs is ahead of where Asante Samuel was at this point in his development.

 

[zippo59]

I think so. At this point Samuel was just a nickelback while Hobbs has been a starter or a yeard and a half (partially due to circumstance.)

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

I think so. At this point Samuel was just a nickelback while Hobbs has been a starter or a yeard and a half (partially due to circumstance.)

Exactly what I was going to say. Asante was not called upon to start consistently at the similar point in his career, if at all.

What remains to be seen is Hobbs' ceiling. We do not know if he has yet to reach it or not. Obviously, time will tell.

 

[Danny Boy®]

Ahead at this point? Asante will never be what Ellis Hobbs is.

Asante has benefited greatly from the Pats front 7.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He was ahead of Asante to start last season, the wrist injury set him back, but he rebounded by the playoffs. Once Asante is re-signed I think he'll keep the LCB slot which is usually given to #1's since he seems to play well there. Ellis doesn't seem to have a preference from what I see (and comprehend **sigh**).

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Ahead at this point? Asante will never be what Ellis Hobbs is.

Asante has benefited greatly from the Pats front 7.

The Pats have a good front seven but they are not known for a good pass rush.

 

[Danny Boy®]

The Pats have a good front seven but they are not known for a good pass rush.

Its all about pressure....they can bring it.

 

[sebman2112]

He was ahead of Asante to start last season, the wrist injury set him back, but he rebounded by the playoffs. Once Asante is re-signed I think he'll keep the LCB slot which is usually given to #1's since he seems to play well there. Ellis doesn't seem to have a preference from what I see (and comprehend **sigh**).

Asante complained about Ellis being put on Lee Evens (the Bills number one WR) because he thought BB should have put him on Evens. Anyways, I think Hobbs would have had a few more INT's in the regular season and playoffs without the cast, and people shouldn't dismiss the effects playing with a cast for most of the season can have on a CB.

 

[bucky]

I think so. At this point Samuel was just a nickelback while Hobbs has been a starter or a yeard and a half (partially due to circumstance.)

Assante started his second year as the nickelback, but ended it as the #1 CB on a Superbowl winning team. I think it's hard to compare because the 2 of them are quite different. Hobbs is more physical and probably faster. Samuel has better ball skills and has quicker COD. You could always tell that Samuel had great ball skills, even when he was a rookie. Hobbs doesn't have that, but I think he makes a pretty darn good #2 corner.

 

[shakadave]

I know this wasn't your question, but Asante has gotten really good NOW. I recently re-watched some of the Pats-Jets playoff game. Asante's INT for a TD was a play where he pretended to run back with a receiver, then turned towards the QB to make the INT where there wasn't "supposed" to be a defender. When you can do this (Ty Law was the expert, I think) then you are playing CB at a really high level. I don't recall seeing Asante do this so much in his younger years.

 

[sebman2112]

Assante started his second year as the nickelback, but ended it as the #1 CB on a Superbowl winning team. I think it's hard to compare because the 2 of them are quite different. Hobbs is more physical and probably faster. Samuel has better ball skills and has quicker COD. You could always tell that Samuel had great ball skills, even when he was a rookie. Hobbs doesn't have that, but I think he makes a pretty darn good #2 corner.

Samuel didn't always have good ball skills. He used to knock balls down, but he wouldn't intercept them. It wasn't until he started working with a nurf ball (seriously) that his hands developed. Also, what makes you think Hobbs doesn't have good ball skills? He had some pretty good ball skills as a rookie, and he's good on kick returns. Maybe his wearing a cast might have effected his catching ability?

 

[sebman2112]

I know this wasn't your question, but Asante has gotten really good NOW. I recently re-watched some of the Pats-Jets playoff game. Asante's INT for a TD was a play where he pretended to run back with a receiver, then turned towards the QB to make the INT where there wasn't "supposed" to be a defender. When you can do this (Ty Law was the expert, I think) then you are playing CB at a really high level. I don't recall seeing Asante do this so much in his younger years.

Asante would try and take gambles like that earlier in his career, but he'd either get burned, or he'd drop the INT. He did have one pick like that against the Panthers during I believe the '05 regular season? Anways, he used to try it but didn't quite have his hands and timing right, which he worked on a lot during the '06 offseason.

 

[bucky]

Samuel didn't always have good ball skills. He used to knock balls down, but he wouldn't intercept them. It wasn't until he started working with a nurf ball (seriously) that his hands developed. Also, what makes you think Hobbs doesn't have good ball skills? He had some pretty good ball skills as a rookie, and he's good on kick returns. Maybe his wearing a cast might have effected his catching ability?

When I think of "ball skills", I don't necessarily think INTs, but the overall ability to make plays on the ball - track it, bat it down, catch it, something of that nature. Assante has always been able to get his hands on the ball, even if he didn't alway catch it. Ellis has some good skills and the cast hurt no doubt, but I still don't see him having Samuel's "ball skills".