The Miami Dolphins are trying to tap the CFL’s talent base yet again to find a few hidden gems. According to Sportnet.ca, the Miami Dolphins have signed former Edmonton Eskimos linebacker Mark Restelli to a future’s contract. http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...lphins-sign-cfl-linebacker-mark-restelli.html
Just a highlight package: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BkGGf3hhEg I like how he squares up when he tackles, but I really don't know #!&* when it comes to the fundamentals like many of you
http://forums.thephins.com/showthre...rospects-the-2011-class&p=1402923#post1402923 In the CFL to NFL thread..
Maybe, but consider Reshad Jones was our best ST player in 2010, if he takes over the Free Safety slot, we need someone to replace him on ST's, and Ty Culver was a bad player in 2010, Restelli's path to the roster is through Culver. Does look like a ST daemon though, hard to block him on kick coverage. That and,..Sparano has to hire one Italian per offseason, or no lasagna for him when he goes home to CT.
If it were me, I'd take a page from Belicheck's book with Restelli and plug him into a number of positions, Running Back, Wr, S, OLB, ILB, maybe even DE and Corner back.
Could see more and more of this with a lockout looming. More rocks are going to have to be overturned.
Exactly, this yr Draft Choices are like Gold Sammie, with FA, happening AFTER the draft, those draft picks are the only way to land the players a team wants with any certainty, Restelli is a bit like a Mtn West Safety who would get a Camp Invite if he were drafted at all. NFL Draft Scout had the worst ranking on him of any I've ever seen, of 190 draftable Lb's..he was ranked 999th http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=80738&draftyear=2009&genpos=olb Now THAT is kicking over a rock.. Interestingly enough, Restelli worked out for the Jets as well.
i'd be happy if he could just be an Izzo type player .... our STs took a hit when he left for the PATSIES ...
We lost our best ST guys from 09 in 10, maybe thinking that the rookies would take their place. Did not hapen, and was a disaster. I hope he does well.
Well, then get him a specialized Helmet as his style of play will lead to concussions. Dude does play like his hair is on fire, I like him as a player as he does not stay blocked and maybe he can play that odd LB/S Rover role, but his recklessness will lead to injuries imho.
There is no way at 215lbs this guy is playing linebacker. No Way Period. At 6'2" and 215 what do you do with him? Does have wheels? Can he cover? Is SS material? Cause that and special teams is the only place I can see you using a guy of his size.
It appears that pipeline is still open Deej: Hmm, hopefully Manny A lands in Miami as well, just consider Ristelli a 7th rd pick, and Manny A like a 5th or 6th rd pick. As for what he can do for us, I see Special Teams and maybe providing competition for Sean Smith in that Rover role he would play on 3rd downs. Adn TY Culver was not good this yr, not in any phase of the game, Defense, Special Teams, he was just bad. BTW, Ristelli's 3 cone drill was off the chain for a 215 pd player, if you watch his highlights, notice his feet, that dude is seriously quick.
Wake was the defensive MVP for two straight years in the CFL before finally landing a job in the NFL. While he has certainly turned into a qaulity NFL linebacker. I doubt if this new CFL player, Restelli will be anything more than a special team player for the Dolphins. Of course this will only be the case if Restelli is able to make the team in the first place. There is a reason why most players go to Canada to play professional football in the first place. That is because they are not NFL quality players to begin with. While players like Warren Moon, and Cameron Wake have had success in the NFL after careers in the CFL. The fact is that these players are the major exceptions, not the rule. If Restelli is even on the team after the preseason, I for one will be totally surprised.
Interesting line of thought, to me I do not know how much longer that will remain true as at one time the CFL was indeed a repository for undersized and rather slow players, especially linemen, however that is also changing as the CIS is producing flat out better athletes. For example, the Canadian Linebacker class in the 2010 draft had measurables on par with their Southern Counterparts, 6'2ish, 4.5 to 4.6 40's, the Wr's were as well with several getting invitations to NFL training camps. The Linemen though..not so much, they have the 6'4 300 pd plus size, but their athleticism is not very good, as in bottom 15% of the players in the NCAA athleticism. As for Restilli, ST player, maybe a in the box Safety/Rover, longshot to make it.
Let me add, with FA being up in the air, and having no #2 pick, and having the following needs (imho): -another passrushing threat -a Returner type -G-C-G -special teams specialists -running back help -more explosive plays on offense and ST To me, I'd add Chad Owens, Phil Hunt, Manny Arceneuex, and some ST bodies such as Restilli, they do not cost draft choices, they all are young and they all could easily make the roster, all 4 could be signed for less than 300k easily, save for Manny A.
