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Rookies Around the League


Guest Aloysius

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Guest Aloysius

During the draft season, we all proclaim our undying love for at least a prospect or two, then completely forget about them if they don't become Browns. To keep the love going, I thought I'd start a thread for news about the various rookies who have stood out at minicamps and OTA's.

 

A lot more info will come in in the next week or so. For now, here are some of the more interesting tidbits I've seen:

  • During his final year at BYU, Austin Collie filled a myriad of roles: #1 wideout, kick returner, and WildDawg QB, among others. So it's not a surprise that the Colts' 4th round pick is having no trouble settling in to the slot receiver role opened up by Anthony Gonzalez's move outside.

     

    Collie's run crisp routes and displayed soft hands, all the while developing a strong rapport with Peyton Manning. Though he's said to be behind '08 6th round pick Pierre Garcon on the depth chart, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Collie get a lot of reps during his rookie year.

     

  • The Packers were said to have been very high on Clay Matthews during the draft process, to the point that they would have considered taking him with the 9th pick of the draft if Raji hadn't been available. GM Ted Thompson ended up trading back into the 1st round to pick up Matthews, but the USC product hasn't been able to showcase his skills because of a nagging hamstring injury.

     

    In his absence, '08 4th round pick Jeremy Thompson has flashed some ability playing outside linebacker in the Packers' new 3-4 defense. Before Matthews, Thompson was the only player Ted Thompson had ever traded up for, and the team likes how the Wake Forest product fits in their new scheme. If Matthews' hamstring issues persist, he could see himself limited to a special teams role during his rookie season, much like Lawrence Timmons was with the Steelers back in '07.

     

  • If DA ends up getting shipped out of Cleveland after this season, Lum should be able to transition quite smoothly to rooting for the Steelers, as 3rd round pick Keenan Lewis drew rave reviews at OTA's. The 6'0", 208 pound corner displayed great hands, as well as good recovery speed. He's currently battling for the nickel corner job but has also shown the ability to make an immediate impact as a gunner on special teams.

     

    Though the Steelers are quite pleased with how the 3rd rounder has looked, they're equally disappointed with the development of '08 3rd round pick Bruce Davis. Word is that people around the Steelers believe that Davis is destined to earn the "bust" label.

     

  • Though initially outshone by fellow rookie Juaquin Iglesias, Bears 5th round pick Johnny Knox is now the rookie receiver drawing rave reviews in Chi-Town. The speedy small school receiver has showcased good hands and legit 4.30 speed, leading some to believe that he'll start out the season as the team's slot receiver.

     

  • Last year, the Panthers successfully converted Iowa cornerback Charles Godfrey into their starting free safety. This year, they're going in the opposite direction, moving college safety Sherrod Martin to cornerback.

     

    The Troy defensive back played some nickel last year, then flashed the ability to make the switch while playing corner at the Senior Bowl. He then posted some excellent workout numbers at the Combine, including a 4.43 40 and an excellent 3.98 short shuttle time.

     

    So far, the Panthers are impressed with the smarts and aggressiveness he brings to the cornerback position. If he continues to improve, he should start out as the team's nickel corner this season.

     

  • Maryland cornerback Kevin Barnes had his senior season wrecked by a shoulder injury, but he rebooted his draft stock by putting up impressive workout numbers at the Combine. And now the Redskins' 3rd round pick is showing all the smarts his 41 Wonderlic score would indicate.

     

    After struggling early on, the 6'0", 187 pound corner steadily improved throughout OTA's, finishing with four picks on the final day of practice. His quick adjustment to the pro game could lead to a large role in his rookie season, perhaps at nickel or even in a starting role.

     

  • Niners' 6th round pick Bear Pascoe was drafted to serve as the blocking TE behind Vernon Davis, but he's also showcased soft hands during rookie minicamp and OTA's. His play has led some to predict a larger role for the Fresno State product, while his old school work ethic and no-nonsense style have turned him into a fan favorite. He's pretty much the anti-Vernon Davis, which should earn him some brownie points with Coach Singletary.
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Guest Aloysius

Here's another one:

 

Seahawks' Curry dabbles at defensive end

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

 

Aaron Curry's role as a pass-rusher will evolve depending on how well he handles those duties during training camp. As he told KJR radio's Mitch Levy, "I play linebacker and defensive end."

 

Linebacker will be Curry's primary position, but his potential emergence as a pass-rusher was one of the key story lines through minicamps and organized team activities. The usual disclaimers still apply. Players haven't put on the pads yet. But for Seahawks coach Jim Mora to single out Curry's pass-rush potential recently seemed significant.

 

Does Curry have a chance to finish his rookie season with more sacks than Julian Peterson winds up getting for the Lions? The question seems less laughable than it would have earlier in the offseason.

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Guest Aloysius

Ha. I actually put together the other stuff last night. Only spotted the Curry report on Rotoworld this afternoon.

 

Haven't seen much on Maualuga. He's been working primarily at Sam, but he's also gotten some reps inside. One report said that he's been "quiet and humble". We'll see if he impresses during training camp.

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During the draft season, we all proclaim our undying love for at least a prospect or two, then completely forget about them if they don't become Browns. To keep the love going, I thought I'd start a thread for news about the various rookies who have stood out at minicamps and OTA's.

 

[*] The Packers were said to have been very high on Clay Matthews during the draft process, to the point that they would have considered taking him with the 9th pick of the draft if Raji hadn't been available. GM Ted Thompson ended up trading back into the 1st round to pick up Matthews, but the USC product hasn't been able to showcase his skills because of a nagging hamstring injury.

 

Damn!

There was one guy I was high on, hope he doesn't turn out to be the next Stallworth.

 

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A lot more info will come in in the next week or so. For now, here are some of the more interesting tidbits I've seen:

[*] During his final year at BYU, Austin Collie filled a myriad of roles: #1 wideout, kick returner, and WildDawg QB, among others. So it's not a surprise that the Colts' 4th round pick is having no trouble settling in to the slot receiver role opened up by Anthony Gonzalez's move outside.

 

Collie's run crisp routes and displayed soft hands, all the while developing a strong rapport with Peyton Manning. Though he's said to be behind '08 6th round pick Pierre Garcon on the depth chart, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Collie get a lot of reps during his rookie year.

I am hearing good things from Peyton Manning concerning both Garcon and Collie (from what I read on SI.com and hear on NFL Sirius.) What is interesting - though not real surprising - is the fact that he is less than thrilled with Roy Hall. Hall was an overachiever at Ohio State, IMO. I liked him, but he never really had "it."

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Guest Aloysius
I am hearing good things from Peyton Manning concerning both Garcon and Collie (from what I read on SI.com and hear on NFL Sirius.) What is interesting - though not real surprising - is the fact that he is less than thrilled with Roy Hall. Hall was an overachiever at Ohio State, IMO. I liked him, but he never really had "it."

It's interesting: after building their receiving corps around a stable of 1st round wideouts (Harrison, Wayne, Gonzalez), the Colts now have a nice group of young Day 2 guys. Garcon was a guy many here wanted Phil to draft last year - he was still on the board when we drafted Hubbard. And Collie's a guy I liked as a second day option this year: though he lacks elite speed, he's got sticky hands and runs good routes. Because he's white, he gets compared to Gonzalez, Welker, Stokley, even Kevin Kasper, but I think he's a poor man's Hines Ward. If he learns to play as tough as Ward, he could turn into a pretty good receiver.

 

Hall was a workout warrior. He only had thirteen catches his senior year, but the 4.35 he ran on OSU's fast track got him drafted. Though the Colts don't seem to be too high on him, they think he can provide depth both inside and out.

 

I've also heard some good things about Taj Smith, a second year Syracuse alum who looked good playing for the Packers during last year's preseason. He could push for a roster spot.

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According to Jaguars OC Dirk Koetter, Rashad Jennings is competing for the third spot on the RB depth chart. He seems to be making a positive impression:

 

"Now Rashad Jennings was a guy we first got to look at when we were coaching the Senior Bowl and he's really flashed in OTAs. He's smooth, he's fast, he's a good learner and he's been real impressive catching the ball -- I didn't realize at the Senior Bowl that he could run and catch like that. So that's going to be a nice competition, and for a guy that we took in the seventh round, I was surprised he was still there and I am glad that he was."

And here's some good stuff on the Jaguars' rookie receivers:

 

"The rookies have all had their moments and they all have different strengths.

 

Mike Thomas is the compact, strong, explosive in a short field type. I think his effectiveness will carry over into pads.

 

Tiquan Underwood, I had him graded as a fourth- or fifth-round receiver, so when he was still there in the seventh, it was great. Everybody was watching Rutgers film because they had some other players like Kenny Britt, but Tiquan stood out. I like him a lot, and Tiquan has legitimate speed. He looks skinny, but not in his uniform. I mean, you look at his body weight and you go 'Man, this guy's got to be tiny.' But he plays strong and he plays fast. He tweaked his ankle on the last day of our OTAs, so he might be on the shelf for these last few practices, but he's really stood out and flashed here.

 

Jarett Dillard has really impressed me. I watched his college film; you have to love what Rice University does on offense throwing it all over the yard, but you have to wonder how it would translate over to the NFL. He has surprised me every day. He has a real natural feel for football. His timing, getting in seams, running option routes, showing great hands. He's exceeded my personal expectations after his college film. He's been working in the slot. Personally, I was somewhat leery because Underwood and Thomas played a lot more slot in college, so I was not necessarily envisioning Dillard there, but some other people in our organization were, and they were right -- he's looked good in the slot.

 

The great thing about all three of them is that they have great attitudes. They all have come in here and just worked their tails off."

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I've also heard some good things about Taj Smith, a second year Syracuse alum who looked good playing for the Packers during last year's preseason. He could push for a roster spot.

 

I loved Taj Smith at SU and am glad he's getting a chance. I was sad to see him leave early, but he was a 25 year old JUCO transfer and was from a poor family, so I understand his hand was kinda forced.

 

Here's some of his story, in case anyone's interested. (EDIT: don't bother registering to read this).

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Guest Aloysius

Wow. Didn't know that Smith scored a 37 on the Wonderlic. No wonder Manning likes him: you can never have too many smart, speedy receivers.

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I am hearing good things from Peyton Manning concerning both Garcon and Collie (from what I read on SI.com and hear on NFL Sirius.) What is interesting - though not real surprising - is the fact that he is less than thrilled with Roy Hall. Hall was an overachiever at Ohio State, IMO. I liked him, but he never really had "it."

 

Gotta disagree with that Dawg. He came in pretty highly thought of from Brush I believe. He lacked the intangibles to get on the field until late in his career there. I remember the Scarlet and Gray writers being beset with his physical gifts coming in. Alo was right, his fast track time got him drafted along with his size. Overall, I say he was a big time under achiever.

 

Oh, and who can forget his biggest claim to fame of taking Ginn out of the National Champ game?

 

Also, Jennings doesn't surprise me a bit. It's going to be interesting for me to follow Davis and his careers.

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Wow. Didn't know that Smith scored a 37 on the Wonderlic. No wonder Manning likes him: you can never have too many smart, speedy receivers.

 

 

Aloy...what has become of Mike Walker from Usf since he was let go of by Jags? any news on him?

 

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Aloy...what has become of Mike Walker from Usf since he was let go of by Jags? any news on him?

I think he's still with the Jags (link). They did cut Reggie Williams; he's got drug issues, so it's unlikely that he'll get signed by anyone.

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Here's a good article on the Lions' 2nd round pick:

 

Early indications are that Louis Delmas is even better than Lions imagined

 

The key graf:

 

What nobody knew - or could know - before the draft is how good his football instincts really were and how they would translate so smoothly to the NFL level. They couldn't know how seamlessly he would fit the locker room chemistry and the energy he brings to the football field and the workout room every single day. They couldn't know how rapidly he would pick up the defense and understand the concepts of what they're doing and why. They couldn't know his true maturity level as a ballplayer until they spent days, not hours, around him.
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I went to Mount Union college where Pierre Garcon was drafted from. He was an absolute beast and look like lebron on the basketball court. Granted it's D3 College ball but he just did what he wanted to on the football field. Outjump, outrun and just outhustle the db's. I really wish him well and hope he lasts in NFL.

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Bolts' rookies Vasquez, Ellison have shot to start

 

Posted June 18, 2009 @ 12:48 p.m.

By Michael Blunda

 

The Chargers have never shied away from playing rookies. In fact, just last season CB Antoine Cason and FBs Jacob Hester and Mike Tolbert all saw significant field time in their first campaign. The story could wind up being the same in 2009, as minicamps showed that San Diego has at least a couple rookies ready to step in and contribute. From what we hear, both OG Louis Vasquez and SS Kevin Ellison have impressed enough that they could be given a chance to start. Vasquez, a third-round pick out of Texas Tech, has grasped the offense quickly and looked like a very effective blocker this spring. He’ll be provided a legitimate opportunity to compete with the established but uninspiring Kynan Forney for the starting right guard spot in training camp. Ellison, meanwhile, looked very polished in practices, working hard and always managing to be around the ball. A sixth-rounder from USC, he might be the Bolts’ preferred choice at strong safety after Clinton Hart struggled frequently in ’08. This pair, along with first-round LB Larry English, gives the Chargers reason to be excited about their youth.

Browns OL coach George Warhop reportedly loved Vasquez.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Aloysius

Some good info from PFW:

 

• The competition for the Bengals’ SLB job promises to be one of the most intriguing of training camp, with veteran Rashad Jeanty and rookie Rey Maualuga vying for the position. In a recent interview with PFW, Jeanty, who started 15 games last season on the strong side, praised Maualuga, who starred in the middle for USC, noting the rookie’s progress throughout offseason workouts. “You can tell he’s a middle linebacker,” Jeanty said, “but he’s playing like a strong-side linebacker’s supposed to. He’s tough. He’s sticking his head in there. He’s a guy who reminds me a little of myself.” Jeanty acknowledged the competition will be tough, but he sees nothing wrong with that. “Whoever is not the starter, I’ll tell you, he’s going to be a hell of a backup,” Jeanty said.

 

• The way we hear it, undrafted free-agent RB Marlon Lucky flashed some playmaking ability in the Bengals’ offseason workouts after overcoming a hamstring injury. Lucky may still be in a fight to make the team, but the former Nebraska back has nonetheless fared well when he’s been on the field.

Also worth checking out:

 

Expectations soaring for Jaguars rookies

 

Seahawks' Curry as good as advertised

 

Lions delay depth chart, but Stafford could open as starter

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Aloysius

With training camps across the league now open, more rookie news is starting to trickle in. Here's a very interesting report on Osackpo:

 

» Rookie linebacker/end Brian Orakpo just planted Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels. Talking to people at camp here, I’m told that hasn’t been uncommon, with the speedy but raw rookie having success rushing from the weak side when he flops with linebacker Rocky McIntosh.

Jeremy Jarmon's also been impressive working on the strongside.

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