Mike Lombardi: Evaluating all of last year's first-round picks

I think the analysis is right on except for the hands part, i still think hes fast enough to overcome, but he needs to train his body more. he can get better but i admit thinking the exact same thing last year.

 

Exactly.

 

What does Michael Lombardi know? he used to work for the Raiders a few years back and as I recall, couldn't Draft worth a darn. the guy is just a talking head with no clue!!!

 

Well, I do note some WR's come charging straight out of the gate (i.e. Bowe, Colston, Fitzgerald, Boldin) and some in their 2nd year (Marshall, CJ). But in Ginn's case, I think 3 years should be it. Somewhat raw as a receiver so probably still needs refinement on route-running and continued improvement with his hands.

 

Yes the guy is a moron.


This guy


=

 

Sports media organizations should really stop employing poor ex-GMs just on a quality control basis. The point is to give insightful and accurate analysis, not to just attach a name to an opinion pulled from one's backside.

Get me a guy like Mike Mayock, and I'll listen, particularly after his startlingly accurate draft predictions this year.

 

what a jerk...

how efn stupid is THAT statement.. it tells us everything we need to know about how much he has actually watched Teddy.. idiot

 

Actually, I think Ginn has been quite a surprise to alot this camp. His hands have improved, his route running has improved, the catches he made against Jacksonville were solid plays. (I only saw the highlights) The one he had great separation and was an easy throw and catch, the second he made a nice catch and eluded the big hit. Overall, our WR's are probably better then I thought they would be at this point, and Chad throwing accurate passes will make them even better.

 

I think it's critical to his career as Parcells and Co. have shown no hesitation to get rid of anyone that doesn't fit their mold. He has to impress the new boss.

 

I think hes improving at a nice pace but noone can me tell that they didnt think he would be much more explosive on the field, he does lack lateral quickness and explosion, its why he got tripped up 100 times last year from behind and the side, listen i love tedd ginn, i predicted us picking him and was happy we did, but i would be lying to myself if i didnt say i was dissapointed in his play last year. once again i feel with training of his body and maturity itself will do him so much good, i expect a solid year from tedd, eventually becoming a legit number one.

 

He's also put on about 10-15 lbs of muscle and has worked hard on escaping the DB's jam at the line of scrimmage.

 

I don't have the slightest clue how you could watch Ginn last year and come away thinking he needed to improve his pass catching ability. I haven't seen him in camp, where its been said the WRs are dropping a lot of passes. But I haven't heard Ginn singled out often and he has caught just about everything in the two preseason games. Either I'm watching something different or I agree with you guys that he is just making this stuff up.

 

This may have been a somewhat accurate assessment at the end of last season...Ginn has made some adjustments and improvements to his technique and has shown that off for most of OTAs and camp. So it's probably not an accurate assessment right now....sure, with a new regime, he may have to "show more", but that goes for just about everyone on the roster doesn't it ??

 

This is just one mans attempt to sell a paper. His opinion is just his. It did start a topic in this forum, so you could say it worked.

 

Lombardi is one of the brightest minds in the sport and was an integral part of the 49ers when Bill Walsh was winning SB after SB.

So to your question, 'what does he know'.......the answer is a lot more than you.

 

Thing is, he HAS been inconsistent catching the ball in camp and Lombardi is a very well liked 'insider'. He worked a long time with Belichick and knows Parcells very, very well.

 

How about when Lombardi says this:

""If I were any team playing the Miami Dolphins late in the year, I would be worried. The Dolphins will be a fundamental team, sound in their technique and less scheme driven. Teams driven by fundamentals improve week in and week out in the NFL and are the most difficult to play in November and December. Remember, Miami lost six games by three points or fewer in 2007."

Is he still a 'douchebag trying to sell magazines who got fired from the Raiders'?

 

even if Lombardie is an NFL genius does it amount to a hill of beans when it comes to Ginn, his ability, and what he will and can do for us this season?

one man's opinion does not have an impact to on field performance.

 

Lombardi is legit, I dont know what everyones fussing about.

 

Why do we have a fan forum for discussion if we aren't giving opinions?

And you're presuming Ginn will be all that and a bag of chips this year.

 

He once got fired by the Raiders you know.

 

Yea, because Al Davis knows so much about running a football team so well. :

 

i didnt say we cant discuss, obviously we are, but regardless of anyones opinion, its just guess work and predictions. so how can Lombardies opinion be a kiss of death when in reality he is guessing.

whether you or i or others agree or disagree with this opinion it does not equal what can happen and ginn's role and potential.

Pennington and the Oline plus play calling will have a far greater and direct impact then his opinion.

 

Shut the thread after this:

"Back in '86 with the 49ers, when there was no free agency, we entered the draft with many Team Needs. However, on April 29 -- draft day -- we crossed off many from our list and set the franchise in a Super Bowl direction for years to come.

We held the 18th pick in the first round that year. We desperately needed a pass rusher and wanted to add a new dimension to our running back group. At the 12th pick in the draft, Walsh instructed me to go to the blackboard (remember, this is '86, all there were were blackboards) and write down these three names in the following order.

Gerald Robinson, Defensive End, Auburn

John L. Williams, Running Back, Florida

Ronnie Harmon, Running Back, Iowa.

The Vikings, picking 14th, snared Robinson, and I erased his name from he board. The Seahawks, picking 15th, grabbed Williams, and another one went off the board, and then the last bomb hit at 16 when the Bills grabbed Harmon. The blackboard was empty. Walsh, being a creative genius, had to determine what we would do next.

As we waited, we had offers from Buffalo to move to the 29th pick, which we accepted, and then had another offer to move all the way down to the 39th pick from Detroit -- which also seem to fit our new trade down plans. Before we finally selected a player, we had collected three third-round picks, three fourth-round picks and a first round pick for the '87 draft. (We traded one of the second-round picks we collected to Washington for its first-round pick in the next year).

It was like Walsh conducted a draft day clinic moving around the draft, but the real success came in the players we finally selected. At 39 we selected a very good defensive tackle, Larry Roberts, from Alabama. At the 56th pick to start the third round we selected fullback Tom Rathman from Nebraska; at 64 we selected defensive back Tim McKyer from Texas Arlington, and we closed out the third round selecting a wide receiver from Delaware State named John Taylor at 76. So with the third round completed, we had added three starters and crossed three needs off our list.

We started off the fourth round with the 96th pick and selected defensive end Charles Haley from James Madison, then offensive tackle Steve Wallace from Auburn at 101, and finally at 102 we closed out the fourth round by selecting an injured but soon-to-be-healthy defensive end from Miami named Kevin Fagan. Another round completed and another three starters added to our team.

In the fifth round we were running out of quality players to select and someone in the room was pushing for linebacker Pat Miller from Florida. Walsh was reluctant to select Miller because of some off-the-field information, but nevertheless, Miller became a 49er. But as the sixth-round began, Walsh was disgusted and determined to not have someone force a player upon him. He walked over to the defensive backs board for his own review. "Michael, what about this kid Don Griffin from Middle Tennessee State," he asked.

"Coach, I replied, he is the Ohio Valley defensive player of the year and we have some excellent grades on his play." Walsh then told me he is the next pick and to get him on the phone. Another round passes -- another need solved and yet another starter for the 49ers championship teams."

That's why Michael Lombardi can say what he wants about Ted Ginn, as he was one of the architects of the greatest draft of the modern era. End of discussion.

 

He's all over the people that are running the Miami Dolphins. If anything, I'd trust Lombardie's opinion over ANYONE working the league.

 

wait a second, he can write about 1986 after the fact to recap success in hindsight and in your mind that means he can predict the future?

ok, close thread!

 

He could be right about this year being critical to Ginn, he wasn't drafted by parcells and we all know he does not have loyalty to people he does not draft.

 

fair enough, but what is your opinion on Ginn and how do you see his 2008 shaping honestly?

 

NO! NO! The good stuff WE LIKE and revel in. He sounds extensive in the ways of wisdom here. A veritable football sage!

It's just... if we hear something bad... whatever the source... the namecalling HAS to come out. Can anyone really blame us? What else would you have us do?

 

wouldnt disagree with that at all.

 

Steve Wallace and I played on an intramural church softball team in college my freshman year. Suffice it to say, he was a much better offensive tackle than he was a softball player. Don't quote me on this, but I think he may have even struck out once, if memory serves.

And... it's tough to strike out in slow pitch softball. Not much you can say when you trod back into the dugout. Whew, mean curve ball. Uh, yeah, right.

Of course, if memory serves, no one laughed at him.

 

He was one of the main people behind drafting Larry Roberts, Tom Rathman, Tim McKyer, John Taylor, Charles Haley, Steve Wallace, Kevin Fagan and Don Griffin in the same draft.

I'm not sure what your point is.

 

I think he has the ability to have 75 catches, 800+ yards and 8 touchdowns as well as 6 return touchdowns. Can he do it?

Different story.

I know that he's had trouble creating seperation in camp and has been a little up and down. But the weight thing is better and he DOES have good hands. We'll see. We are a little impotent on offense, so teams will gang up on him.

 

Hehehe.

 

he's still an idiot for saying Ginn can't catch, and that it is a "concern", I don't care what his credentials are..

 

That would depend on the question!! thanks for the personal attack... hope you feel better!!

 

Marty - I don't think he said "Ginn can't catch" and what he wrote would ONLY have come from someone at Miami. Lombardi isn't Salguero. He doesn't do throwaway comments. He deals in fact.

 

Do you consider that a personal attack?

I consider it fact. On this subject, Lombardi knows more than you. If that's hurting your feelings, then so be it. But the fact remains.