I could see Jeff Ireland liking Margus Hunt and I could even see Kevin Coyle liking him too if he really does like Jared Odrick at end. But I still feel there's something missing. Hunt had an extraordinary game in the Hawaii Bowl...against 6'4" and 290 lbs FRESHMAN Alex Fifita (recognize the name?). Fifita's not just a freshman, he's a small-ish freshman that wasn't even on many teams' radar as a recruit. MaxPreps had him as the 735th ranked recruit...in California. Hunt's frame, athletic ability and strength give him the promise of dominating like a J.J. Watt dominates. You watch J.J. Watt look like a man among boys out there, how big and strong he is, what a great frame, etc...and then you watch Margus Hunt, and even if they weren't the same skin color you'd see resemblance in the frame and potential for physical dominance. But Watt has, and always did have, so much better flexibility, balance, pad level, awareness...all the things that make you not just Ivan Drago trying to play defensive end, but actually a great football player. I get genuinely worried about Margus Hunt because he's not very good against the run. You get worried he's going to be some kind of contradiction as a player. With his size a Kevin Coyle (and just about every other GM) is going to look at him and say OK, he's a defensive end that reduces to the inside on pass rush downs. But that means he's a run stopper for at least half the time. Being so big and strong that should be fine. But being so aggressive, off-balance, not wholly aware, inflexible and raw...maybe that's not fine after all because I don't really consider him good against the run even in college. And at the same time, what if that combo size/athleticism isn't enough to make him a compelling pass rusher against NFL left and right tackles as opposed to freshman 290 lbs no-star prospects like Alex Fifita? Your backup plan is to put him at defensive tackle. But oh wait, bad pad level, awareness, flexibility, bad run stopper...just a pure gap penetrating tackle prone to ending up on the carpet. What use is that? In short, I get worried that at the NFL level you've got a rotational defensive lineman whose largest impact comes on special teams as a kick blocker.
..... and ditto for if he happens to be a slot guy, with his versatility allowing you move him around (to the perimeter) to create a favorable mismatch for your perimeter guy moving to the slot like many teams do (Calvin in Detroit comes to mind). At least you'd know Bailey can play on the perimeter and do so with some ability, so defenses would still have to respect more so than Bess sliding over.
Very good points. My worry is that he won't develop quick enough to prevent himself from getting cut (in similar fashion to Gates), but then at the same time I look at him and think, "man if this kid can offer just enough to warrant keeping around he could become quite a versatile and solid SDE/nickel pass rusher." Plus if you look at the type of guys Coyle at SDE rotation in Cincy- lot of big guys. Jonathan Fanene 6'4 285. Geathers 6'3 280. Dunlap 6'6 280.
There's a certain point in the draft you'd take him because you're comfortable he's physically impressive enough to make an impact. But I mean...Ikaika Alama-Francis was huge and a physical marvel. That didn't help him much.
definitely agree. What's your "point"? Mine's the second 3rd rounder, perhaps even 4th. Chris Jones is playing right now (DT, #91 Bowling Green). You watching him?
Still at work. But I think we agree on Margus. Plan on lightly watching the Cincy game later for their tight end Kelce whom I've always liked, and then watching more heavily the UCLA-Baylor game for the same names everyone else has...Datone Jones, Johnathan Franklin, Joseph Fauria, Terrance Williams, etc. Not that I hope Lache Seastrunk takes an injury or anything, but I wouldn't mind seeing Jarred Salubi get a little more work. Intrigued me before he got benched.
Not that Lache Seastrunk himself isn't a joy to watch, but he's a redshirt sophomore and I doubt he comes out.
Nice to get a final look at Travis Kelce, Connor Vernon and Sean Renfree tonight. Think Camerron Cheatham may be worth keeping an eye on although he appears to not be covering Vernon.
I'm not as sold as him as everyone seems to be, when you consider he is being slated for the #1 overall pick.
Lower than Russell Wilson. I know that's a 'duh' statement now in hindsight but I was in a slim minority that liked Wilson as high as the high 2nd round. He'd be at least #6 and maybe lower.
Vernon's a good player. Seems like a poor man's Quinton Patton. Might be too much of a possession receiver at the next level for my taste, but if we happen to be short Hartline I'd give him some consideration. Would rather have Swope though if we're adding another mid round white receiver. lol.
Wow. I was just thinking that about Vernon...poor man's Quinton Patton. Nice call. That kid Gordon is pretty interesting. Camerron Cheatham has had his hands full there.
IMO Margus Hunt is just raw against the run. He struggles with his pad level so he gets pushed back. But he's very strong when he bends his knees. You have to remember that he was a track guy from a foreign country who didn't even know the game of football. He was here on a track scholarship b/c he's a phenomenal athlete. (I expect him to shine at the combine and subsequently move up the boards). He's only played football for a few years. I think that with coaching he can easily develop agains the run. Until then you have a superb pass rusher with a superior ability to "get skinny" and split the D.
He's what, 26 years old? He's admittedly behind other guys at his position coming out yet he's older than them, isn't he? Or am I remembering wrong.
I keep saying Gordon where I mean Scott. Desmond Scott. Good receiver, tough cover for Cam Cheatham but he's done well. Feisty.
Stedman tells me Jason Verrett is the best corner he faced this year. Real solid. I knew he was good but I'm going to have to take some second and third looks. I do know Stedman beat him for a touchdown though.
Man, it's amazing Cincy was a Louisville loss to Rutgers away from playing Florida in a BCS game. What a sucky Sugar Bowl that would've been.
Cincy vs. Florida in the Sugar Bowl WAS a sucky game a few years ago. Wasn't it like 41-7 or something lopsided? I know Tebow blew them out after Brian Kelly left. My roommate, a UC student, claims he saw Mardy Gilyard dressed up as the Ninja Turtle Michaelangelo on Bourbon Street at 2am the day of the game because the coaching staff had no control over the team after Kelly was gone. Edit - "day of" meaning the early hours of the morning, as in less than 20 hours prior to kickoff.
Yet you continued your nightly 'Pearl Dives'. You have excellent lung capacity. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH0MRFovynQ&sns=em
I believe they already had it, as a matter of fact. Probably one reason he's leaving school early. I merely mentioned his name during a Twitter rant about Draftek's having him in the 5th round, and so he came and found me and tweeted back at me. I didn't even realize he was on Twitter but evidently he's a Twitter addict. If you look at his timeline, he posted a picture of his face next to a newborn baby's face last night. That's how I found out he thinks Jason Verrett is the best corner he faced this year.
Pretty cool. I like that the disrespect bothers him. oh man, if he drops to us he will have so much to prove. I want him even more now.
Williams is a guy I want to study a bit more. Based on sheer numbers, he may be the most dominant receiver in college football this year.
I've heard so much about him that I sat down and went through his targets in a bunch of games tonight and came away thinking, yes, he's good... but not a 1st round guy. To me, he's a more physically impressive version of Brian Hartline and as such merits a 2nd round consideration. I may very well be blind, or wrong. I just see a pretty good #2 receiver, or great #3 receiver when I watch him. And you don't draft those in the 1st round, usually. (Well, not on purpose.) Anyways, it feels like Terrance Williams warrants some discussion so I started a thread solely about him so we can keep each WR's info in one place (as per CK's idea for threads).
Stedman Bailey takes the field in about 3 hours. Chances of Geno Smith NOT being the best quarterback on the field today? Mmm? (Edit: He'll be the most productive almost assuredly, just saying not necessarily the best)
Stedman already got his FIRST ridiculous touchdown of the day. I have a feeling there will be more than one.
a nice inside the hash TD. One of the reasons I'd personally like him in the slot more often than on the perimeter.
