Ohk so before you all get mad, this Dolphins preview is an uber early draft strategy. And it's about the 'Fins cause since out of the womb I've been a Gators and Dolphins fan, a Florida homer living in Ohio if you will. But a draft preview before the 'Fins undefeated preseason is even over is quite ridiculous so I'll try and justify it by commenting on their piss poor drafts for the last decade or so. The Dolphins haven't drafted well since picking Dan The Man. a few years ago they could have had a cornerstone on that defensive line with Amobi Okoye but they decided Ted Ginn was a better fit apparently. So let's go over the main needs: Wide receiver, defensive tackle, play making linebacker.
Let's say the Dolphins go 10-6 and are picking around the 20th spot. And while I'm at it let's say Cameron Wake comes in and kills it so that they have a future replacement for Jason Taylor/Joey Porter. Brandon Spikes at linebacker seems a good, sound pick but where they will be drafting and their more important needs will probably get the better of the head honchos. Not to mention another certain athletic linebacker from Florida they drafted isn't panning out as well as many would like. Also plenty of great to good 'backers are hitting free agency this spring, a quality or even stud signing is highly likely. Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska is a pretty killer defensive tackle, he's big, gets sacks and even has a pick and seems like he'd do just fine around this pick. It isn't sexy and he isn't Amobi, but it's solid and if he pans out worth it.
Now on to the second round and the lack of quality players starts to hit the draft. Letting Wes Welker go, and to the Pats no less, was one of the biggest mistakes the Dolphins have made. Regardless this young receiving group is somewhat talented, if you like slot wide outs. Greg Camirillo is a Wes Welker-lite and Devon Bess is another decent option. Ted Ginn can become a solid number two but needs help and here's to hoping Patrick Turner is good and gives them a possession guy. I think they'll have to wait instead of reaching for a wide out here. Maybe taking offensive line or maybe a good linebacker falls to them. If not here is why drafting Pat White was a horrendous mistake: Tim Tebow. He is more than likely to fall to the second round and trading up or watching him fall to them could happen. In fact it's still my hope that they trade Pat White and picks to some stupid team to move up and snag Tebow. Considering he's a born man and winner and a better QB prospect than White was. And that he is actually big enough to play say tight end or H-Back if need be. I still think he'll be a great quarterback and he's a hometown hero and they can still run the Wildcat with him! Ugh I hate the Dolphins drafts so much (Jason Allen really?).
Some other players to look for Dezmon Briscoe the wide out from Kentucky I previously mentioned. I like Jordan Shipley for some reason, but we've got enough slot wide outs. A running back isn't out of the question, as much as I love Ronnie Brown and am still on the Ricky Williams bandwagon they aren't the two most reliable guys. And Lex Hilliard is no more than a preseason hero, I really wish that Glenn Coffee had slipped to them. However Leon Washington is a nice player and a probable free agent. A good later round safety could be Florida's Major Wright, he's a ball hawk kind of guy. Other than that I hope for a great free agency and have to wait til college football starts again to evaluate players, then wait for the NFL season to debate our needs.
posted by: Jason
EXTRA: Check out this video of 'Fins rookie stud corner Sean Smith
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
The 2 Point Conversion
Ohk it has been way to long since this bitch has been updated on a consistent basis. Luckily football is starting up so we'll have something to talk about! Anyways here are two little, original articles that probably won't make sense or have any point to them. The first one is about cornerbacks in the NFL, more specifically the development of them. and the second is about these non-position players that are supposed to come in and redefine the game, players like Percy Harvin and Anthony Randolf. Please enjoy and don't hate.
The Cornerback Store
In what seems to be one of the hardest positions to scout and honestly one of the harder positions to play in football is the cornerback. They need to be fast, they need to have enough size to cover giant receivers, they need to be able to go up and get the ball, they need good hands and smarts and to be able to hit and tackle. Basically a football player that can do everything. They are ways to help them and that's with a good pass rush or good defense period and a scheme they can handle. But for the most part a great corner is great because of himself not the defense. Likewise a corner can be bad because of themselves and that's where their development comes in to play.
Drafting a corner comes on not only their stats but how they look and play in the game. Some guys don't test well or put up amazing numbers, but are shutdown corners. So we'll have some examples, before I get in to current players I'll use a rookie for a test subject. Kevin Barnes from Maryland now competing for that nickle corner job in Washington. He has the size at 6' runs a nice 4.4 forty time and has decent hands with his 6 picks as a two year starter at Maryland and over 9 breakups. Minor worries because of his injury his senior year and while there are good wideouts in the ACC and he had to go against Darius Heyward-Bey in practice, the ACC hasn't had the best quarterbacks in recent years. And as you can tell by this hit on Javid Best of Cal, he's a pretty good hitter. Anyways he looks good on the field, has the size and stats to back it up too. So come back at the end of the season and we'll see if he steps up in the pros.
Now if you have a young corner you have to give them 3 to 4 years to develop. In most cases here is how they will develop: Year 1 - The corner gets by on his physical attributes and works in to the rotation. sometimes has a breakout type year. Year 2 - Said corner takes time to learn the defensive scheme and learn offenses. Sometimes this limits them to playing safe and having not as good years, but they still show flashes. Years 3 and 4 - These are the make and break years, your corner either puts it all together and gets it or doesn't within these years.
Perfect examples for each year you ask? Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie is the perfect year one example, expect a minor drop off for him. Brandon McDonald is a great example at year two, year one he shut down Andre Johnson and played his way in to a starting role, next year he played it safe not to mention he was always on the field. These next two years will be intriguing for him, his ceiling is Charles Tillman but I think at worst he's an amazing nickel corner starting at the second corner spot. Years three and four, try Asante Samuel or Antonio Cromartie, both of which put it together and had breakout seasons with 10 picks each. Now both are considered top corners.
There are a few types of corners in the league that they can develop in to: Flashy corners who get picks and return them, take gambles but for the most part are above average number ones (Asante Samuel), Physical corners who get matched up with the big guys and lay wood usually are great number twos and pair well with the flashy guy on the other side (Charles Tillman), the All-Pro corner who just has it all so much so they don't throw to their side of the field (Nnamdi Asomugha) and then there are the Nickel corner just a guy who plays well in short bursts but isn't a starter (Fred Smoot) and finally just a starting corner doesn't tickle the fancy at all but is a player almost like filler (Phillip Buchanon).
So that was your very own, personal cornerback developmental rundown/breakdown. Now on to those heralded athletes without real positions and how they affect their teams.
The Do Everything Players
So every year there are players who come out and are just pure athletes, can do it all, except because of their size or their teams scheme they don't have a real position. But they usually are drafted high on what's called potential, which means they could possibly re-invent the game from whatever position they end up playing. This year in football it really seems to be Percy Harvin and in basketball next year everyone is chatting it up about Anthony Randolf.
Unfortunately many of these players end up on the bench or worst in the abyss. But can stay in the league because they're just freaks athletically and every other coach thinks they can be the one to help make that leap. There really is no science to their success or failure, just some do and some don't. Reggie Bush could have became Barry Sanders 2.0 and turned the league upside down and on some plays he does. But in reality he is a change of pace back and a damn good return man. Percy Harvin seems to be headed to that say place. I think finding these players in football is harder than basketball.
Every draft in basketball has at least one player go in the lottery that is that new must have 6'10 forward who can shoot the lights out and post you up. Earl Clark being the main example for this years draft. And right now that is basically what everyone wants, at one point it was tall 6'7 point guards. For all that LeBron James is, he is not changing his position. He is a fucking freak, but at 6'8 he is the normal size and has all the normal abilities of his position. But big men aren't supposed to rain three balls and post you up the next possession. So that makes Anthony Randolf an enigma. He seems to have gotten it together and we have no real comparison for him or what he can become. You can say Rashard Lewis but for all the money he makes he only averaged 19 points last year and is only a shooter now he won't post you up.
Basically for Anthony Randolf and Percy Harvin you have the potential, can you put it together and change the game? I see the flashes in each guy, but mainly what I ask of them is to get a position or a knack so they aren't labeled as projects or potential studs.
UPDATE
Please take a second to read this story from ESPN real quick.
Finished? Alright I'll let go that it is retarded as fuck that players are getting suspended because of traffic violations, but J.R. Smith gets 7 games for reckless driving (which is actually a minor offense) yet J-Rich only gets 2 games for drunk driving! That is outstanding bullshit and if I were Smith I'd appeal that in a heartbeat. It says because of his previous driving record he got the longer suspension and the only thing it mentions is an ACCIDENT, everyone has accidents! David Stern you are a complete asshole and are on your way out of the league after the looming lock out
posted by: Jason
The Cornerback Store
In what seems to be one of the hardest positions to scout and honestly one of the harder positions to play in football is the cornerback. They need to be fast, they need to have enough size to cover giant receivers, they need to be able to go up and get the ball, they need good hands and smarts and to be able to hit and tackle. Basically a football player that can do everything. They are ways to help them and that's with a good pass rush or good defense period and a scheme they can handle. But for the most part a great corner is great because of himself not the defense. Likewise a corner can be bad because of themselves and that's where their development comes in to play.
Drafting a corner comes on not only their stats but how they look and play in the game. Some guys don't test well or put up amazing numbers, but are shutdown corners. So we'll have some examples, before I get in to current players I'll use a rookie for a test subject. Kevin Barnes from Maryland now competing for that nickle corner job in Washington. He has the size at 6' runs a nice 4.4 forty time and has decent hands with his 6 picks as a two year starter at Maryland and over 9 breakups. Minor worries because of his injury his senior year and while there are good wideouts in the ACC and he had to go against Darius Heyward-Bey in practice, the ACC hasn't had the best quarterbacks in recent years. And as you can tell by this hit on Javid Best of Cal, he's a pretty good hitter. Anyways he looks good on the field, has the size and stats to back it up too. So come back at the end of the season and we'll see if he steps up in the pros.
Now if you have a young corner you have to give them 3 to 4 years to develop. In most cases here is how they will develop: Year 1 - The corner gets by on his physical attributes and works in to the rotation. sometimes has a breakout type year. Year 2 - Said corner takes time to learn the defensive scheme and learn offenses. Sometimes this limits them to playing safe and having not as good years, but they still show flashes. Years 3 and 4 - These are the make and break years, your corner either puts it all together and gets it or doesn't within these years.
Perfect examples for each year you ask? Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie is the perfect year one example, expect a minor drop off for him. Brandon McDonald is a great example at year two, year one he shut down Andre Johnson and played his way in to a starting role, next year he played it safe not to mention he was always on the field. These next two years will be intriguing for him, his ceiling is Charles Tillman but I think at worst he's an amazing nickel corner starting at the second corner spot. Years three and four, try Asante Samuel or Antonio Cromartie, both of which put it together and had breakout seasons with 10 picks each. Now both are considered top corners.
There are a few types of corners in the league that they can develop in to: Flashy corners who get picks and return them, take gambles but for the most part are above average number ones (Asante Samuel), Physical corners who get matched up with the big guys and lay wood usually are great number twos and pair well with the flashy guy on the other side (Charles Tillman), the All-Pro corner who just has it all so much so they don't throw to their side of the field (Nnamdi Asomugha) and then there are the Nickel corner just a guy who plays well in short bursts but isn't a starter (Fred Smoot) and finally just a starting corner doesn't tickle the fancy at all but is a player almost like filler (Phillip Buchanon).
So that was your very own, personal cornerback developmental rundown/breakdown. Now on to those heralded athletes without real positions and how they affect their teams.
The Do Everything Players
So every year there are players who come out and are just pure athletes, can do it all, except because of their size or their teams scheme they don't have a real position. But they usually are drafted high on what's called potential, which means they could possibly re-invent the game from whatever position they end up playing. This year in football it really seems to be Percy Harvin and in basketball next year everyone is chatting it up about Anthony Randolf.
Unfortunately many of these players end up on the bench or worst in the abyss. But can stay in the league because they're just freaks athletically and every other coach thinks they can be the one to help make that leap. There really is no science to their success or failure, just some do and some don't. Reggie Bush could have became Barry Sanders 2.0 and turned the league upside down and on some plays he does. But in reality he is a change of pace back and a damn good return man. Percy Harvin seems to be headed to that say place. I think finding these players in football is harder than basketball.
Every draft in basketball has at least one player go in the lottery that is that new must have 6'10 forward who can shoot the lights out and post you up. Earl Clark being the main example for this years draft. And right now that is basically what everyone wants, at one point it was tall 6'7 point guards. For all that LeBron James is, he is not changing his position. He is a fucking freak, but at 6'8 he is the normal size and has all the normal abilities of his position. But big men aren't supposed to rain three balls and post you up the next possession. So that makes Anthony Randolf an enigma. He seems to have gotten it together and we have no real comparison for him or what he can become. You can say Rashard Lewis but for all the money he makes he only averaged 19 points last year and is only a shooter now he won't post you up.
Basically for Anthony Randolf and Percy Harvin you have the potential, can you put it together and change the game? I see the flashes in each guy, but mainly what I ask of them is to get a position or a knack so they aren't labeled as projects or potential studs.
UPDATE
Please take a second to read this story from ESPN real quick.
Finished? Alright I'll let go that it is retarded as fuck that players are getting suspended because of traffic violations, but J.R. Smith gets 7 games for reckless driving (which is actually a minor offense) yet J-Rich only gets 2 games for drunk driving! That is outstanding bullshit and if I were Smith I'd appeal that in a heartbeat. It says because of his previous driving record he got the longer suspension and the only thing it mentions is an ACCIDENT, everyone has accidents! David Stern you are a complete asshole and are on your way out of the league after the looming lock out
posted by: Jason
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Football Hits
Eli Manning: The 97 million dollar man. I want to write a big article on this on what the Giants options were and ultimately why they did it. But I can't, I like Eli, he isn't top-tier and not worth this much. He has the most value to the Giants, the only market for him is a shitty team signing him to a boatload of money to but people in the seats and even this is overpaying for them. This is wrong, however starting from scratch with a rookie or free agent quarterback is even worse.
A sleeper on the college football scene: Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas wideout. The kid has the size (6'3) and decent speed (4.6 40 yard dash). They showed a Kansas highlight reel on College Football Live and the only thing that I witnessed was Dezmon catching footballs. Had nearly 100 receptions last year for almost 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hopefully he ups the touchdowns and I think he is a sleeper pick for the draft either this year or next.
And one last little note, Tim Tebow will be a great NFL quarterback. I'm not saying the best, in fact I'm not even saying he will be an elite quarterback. I expect something like Matt Hasselbeck or Eli Manning from him.
posted by: Jason
A sleeper on the college football scene: Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas wideout. The kid has the size (6'3) and decent speed (4.6 40 yard dash). They showed a Kansas highlight reel on College Football Live and the only thing that I witnessed was Dezmon catching footballs. Had nearly 100 receptions last year for almost 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. Hopefully he ups the touchdowns and I think he is a sleeper pick for the draft either this year or next.And one last little note, Tim Tebow will be a great NFL quarterback. I'm not saying the best, in fact I'm not even saying he will be an elite quarterback. I expect something like Matt Hasselbeck or Eli Manning from him.
posted by: Jason
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