What does “Generational Talent” mean to you?

[manxman2601]

None of those guys were considered generational propsects either, very interesting

Since I've been following the draft since 2013, I think Trevor Lawrence was really the only generational prospect to come out and obviously he has failed to live up to that....Perhaps Clowney was considered one as well

Was Andrew Luck 2012?

 

[mgteich]

I do think that we usually use the phase to refer to a generational talent at a particular position.
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And just BTW, consider the after contact yards by Jeanty. I think that he qualifies as the best RB prospect coming out in a long time.

To put it another way, had we signed one of the top free agent LT's, we would/should be drafting Jeanty.

IMO, he is much more a generation talent than Carter or even Hunter if he only played one position.

Last year, it was indeed Jaden, but so many refused to see it.

 

[JerseyShore99]

Was Andrew Luck 2012?

Yes...Him too

 

[captain stone]

I think one of the most overused phrases around draft time is “Generational Talent”. To me, the meaning should be self evident- you are All Decade team type player- one of the top 2-3 players at your position for a decade.

I started having this debate last year with local friends about Marvin Harrison Jr.- who was the generational talent flavor of the day. I was saying, I am not sure how much better he is than Odunze or Nabers. I don’t see a world where he is better than Jefferson or Chase. If he flourishes and equals Nakua or AJ Btown, that makes him a great player, but like the 3rd-5th best receiver in the league.

So, I can see looking at Travis Hunter and if you believe he can dominate on both sides of the ball- that would be generational. But I don’t see him as generational on offense or defense. Excellent, yes, but not generational. I think he is only generational if he excels on both sides.

I can see if you really think that Abdul Carter is like Micah Parsons or prime Von Miller, that is generational.

To me, if you think a QB prospect is generational, you should be slotting them between Mahomes and Allen/Lamar Jackson. Those are the current generational talents.
Matt Stafford is not and never was. Big Ben was not- he was behind Brady and Manning. Joe Burrow is not, to me. He is very good, but he does not stand above others in his generation. He is an All Pro talent- but not generational.

But, I realize, I might just be old and cranky. I ask you, wise Draft Forum, what does generational talent mean to you.

It sure as **** does NOT mean Stumpy Campbell.

 

[manxman2601]

It sure as **** does NOT mean Stumpy Campbell.

Nor limpy Simmons.

 

[reflexblue]

Tom Brady, L Taylor, Dwight White, to name a few

 

[NFL Mystique]

Generational talents coming out: Elway, Manning and Luck. Elway & Manning lived up to the hype. Luck did not due to some factors that were out of his control.

Brady, Mahomes, Gronk, Kelce, Donald etc were not looked at as Generational talents coming out. No scouting report or analyst said they were. The fact they turned into Generational talents shows that the draft is a crapshoot.

 

[patman52]

I think it is an overused term if it is in ref to Carter. I would say a generation is about a ten year span in athletics. If there has not been a similar talented player at that positon in 10 years

 

[PancakeBlockPaul]

I feel like them saying someone is a “generational talent” before they’re even in the league is crap. They may be one in their college, h.s., pee freakin wee years but not the nfl. It should only be used when they’ve in fact proven they’re one in the nfl. The term stinks of an agent using it to get more $/ blow up teams interest.

 

[State]

Ashton Jeanty

 

[Thelonious]

The underlying bit of boilerplate, I assume, would be something like,"That sort of talent comes along once in a generation." In practice, it is just another bit of jargon the meaning of which has grown to so broad that the the term is meaningless. You know, just like such terms as "racism" and "sexist" and "journalism" or "bro." (I ain't your brother. "bro.")