Early entries into the NFL draft - Printable Version
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Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - Stymie - 01-06-2014
Do they still play Arena Football? If so, dat's where DAT belongs.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - OutsiderFan - 01-06-2014
It seems some people think DAT will be better in the NFL than college. Todd McShay - who I have never thought much of as an evaluator - has DAT ranked as his #2 RB in the 2014 NFL Draft, and the #38 player overall.
I think he's way over rated by McShay, but more importantly, Oregon won't miss him.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - OutsiderFan - 01-06-2014
It seems some people think DAT will be better in the NFL than college. Todd McShay - who I have never thought much of as an evaluator - has DAT ranked as his #2 RB in the 2014 NFL Draft, and the #38 player overall.
I think he's way over rated by McShay, but more importantly, Oregon won't miss him.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - Stymie - 01-06-2014
I lost all respect for DAT as a serious athlete when he helped our beloved LSJU upset the Ducks in 2012 by cheering on Mariotta's breakaway without noticing that Carrington was bearing down on his QB from behind. Even an "excuse me sir" brush block on DC would have sent Mariotta into the end zone, and I for one am not sure that our boys would have recovered from that result. I am sure, however, that it was a complete downer for OU that helped lead us to our great win. Anybody of DAT's size (regardless of ability) needs to be a completely complete player in today's NFL--fully aware and willing to sacrifice his body from play after play. DAT ain't dat.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - Stymie - 01-06-2014
I lost all respect for DAT as a serious athlete when he helped our beloved LSJU upset the Ducks in 2012 by cheering on Mariotta's breakaway without noticing that Carrington was bearing down on his QB from behind. Even an "excuse me sir" brush block on DC would have sent Mariotta into the end zone, and I for one am not sure that our boys would have recovered from that result. I am sure, however, that it was a complete downer for OU that helped lead us to our great win. Anybody of DAT's size (regardless of ability) needs to be a completely complete player in today's NFL--fully aware and willing to sacrifice his body from play after play. DAT ain't dat.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
DAT will probably go sometime in rounds 3-5, though if someone falls in love with him it's conceivable he'd go earlier (if Al Davis were alive he'd be a first rounder for sure!). I can't see any particular reason for Tavon Austin to succeed but not DAT. (Tavon is 2 inches shorter but the same weight, so maybe DAT would be less durable, but that's not clear to me.)
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
DAT will probably go sometime in rounds 3-5, though if someone falls in love with him it's conceivable he'd go earlier (if Al Davis were alive he'd be a first rounder for sure!). I can't see any particular reason for Tavon Austin to succeed but not DAT. (Tavon is 2 inches shorter but the same weight, so maybe DAT would be less durable, but that's not clear to me.)
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - pcgoode - 01-06-2014
I've only watched DAT closely in the games we played vs the Ducks in the last couple of years, but one thing I noticed was that his ball handling skills, whether it be on a punt return or carrying the ball after a catch or on a run, seem suspect. He will defintely need to improve that aspect of his game to play on Sundays.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - pcgoode - 01-06-2014
I've only watched DAT closely in the games we played vs the Ducks in the last couple of years, but one thing I noticed was that his ball handling skills, whether it be on a punt return or carrying the ball after a catch or on a run, seem suspect. He will defintely need to improve that aspect of his game to play on Sundays.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - BostonCard - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 09:30 AM)stupac2 link Wrote:DAT will probably go sometime in rounds 3-5, though if someone falls in love with him it's conceivable he'd go earlier (if Al Davis were alive he'd be a first rounder for sure!). I can't see any particular reason for Tavon Austin to succeed but not DAT. (Tavon is 2 inches shorter but the same weight, so maybe DAT would be less durable, but that's not clear to me.)I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
BC
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - BostonCard - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 09:30 AM)stupac2 link Wrote:DAT will probably go sometime in rounds 3-5, though if someone falls in love with him it's conceivable he'd go earlier (if Al Davis were alive he'd be a first rounder for sure!). I can't see any particular reason for Tavon Austin to succeed but not DAT. (Tavon is 2 inches shorter but the same weight, so maybe DAT would be less durable, but that's not clear to me.)I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
BC
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:23 PM)Boston Card link Wrote:I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:23 PM)Boston Card link Wrote:I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - BostonCard - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:26 PM)stupac2 link Wrote:[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=9338.msg80912#msg80912 date=1389036207]I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
[/quote]
Sproles is listed at 5'6" 187; DAT is listed at 5'9" 174. So Sproles has 13 lbs on DAT, despite being 3 inches shorter. But for think, you need to look at Maurice Jones-Drew, who is 5'6", 208 lbs.
BC
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - BostonCard - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:26 PM)stupac2 link Wrote:[quote author=Boston Card link=topic=9338.msg80912#msg80912 date=1389036207]I wonder if the closest (successful) NFL analogy is Darren Sproles. DAT is taller and a bit leaner than Sproles, but they are both lightning quick (Sproles had a 4.31 40 in the combine; DAT was rumored to have a 4.2 40, though I think that must have been hand-timed). Sproles has carved himself an NFL career as a returner and "3rd down back" capable of catching passes. He's second on the depth chart in NO, but has a lot of touches.
I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
[/quote]
Sproles is listed at 5'6" 187; DAT is listed at 5'9" 174. So Sproles has 13 lbs on DAT, despite being 3 inches shorter. But for think, you need to look at Maurice Jones-Drew, who is 5'6", 208 lbs.
BC
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - OutsiderFan - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:26 PM)stupac2 link Wrote:I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
It's very true. Ha anyone ever seen Thomas break tackles like Sproles?
The closest analog I find to DeAnthony Thomas is Dexter Carter, former Florida State product and 1st Round hubris pick by the 49ers after they won the 1989 Super Bowl, IIRC.Â
Both guys had/have great speed and quickness but were/are slight of build.Â
I'd say Dexter McCluster of the K.C. Chiefs is close, but McCluster was a starting RB at Ole Miss and proved to have a lot of toughness, a similar path as Sproles. Thomas isn't a between the tackles runner, and he probably gets tackled too easily in space to be all that great in the NFL. That was Carter's main problem. Fast guy, but not physically stout enough to stand up to NFL physicality week in and week out.
Thomas is faster than Lamichael James, but given how largely nondescript James' NFL career has gone to date, there is surely a lot of skepticism about Thomas as an NFL RB as a result of that fact as well. That said, Thomas is a natural receiver, so he may have more value as a slot/3rd down back in an offense that gives him no pass protection responsibility.
On another note, the CBSSportline site has Gaffney rated as a better NFL RB prospect than Thomas.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - OutsiderFan - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:26 PM)stupac2 link Wrote:I've read that Sproles is a lot thicker than DAT, though I don't really know how true it is.
It's very true. Ha anyone ever seen Thomas break tackles like Sproles?
The closest analog I find to DeAnthony Thomas is Dexter Carter, former Florida State product and 1st Round hubris pick by the 49ers after they won the 1989 Super Bowl, IIRC.Â
Both guys had/have great speed and quickness but were/are slight of build.Â
I'd say Dexter McCluster of the K.C. Chiefs is close, but McCluster was a starting RB at Ole Miss and proved to have a lot of toughness, a similar path as Sproles. Thomas isn't a between the tackles runner, and he probably gets tackled too easily in space to be all that great in the NFL. That was Carter's main problem. Fast guy, but not physically stout enough to stand up to NFL physicality week in and week out.
Thomas is faster than Lamichael James, but given how largely nondescript James' NFL career has gone to date, there is surely a lot of skepticism about Thomas as an NFL RB as a result of that fact as well. That said, Thomas is a natural receiver, so he may have more value as a slot/3rd down back in an offense that gives him no pass protection responsibility.
On another note, the CBSSportline site has Gaffney rated as a better NFL RB prospect than Thomas.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:46 PM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:On another note, the CBSSportline site has Gaffney rated as a better NFL RB prospect than Thomas.
That shouldn't surprise anyone on earth. DAT is not an NFL RB. He was hardly a CFB RB at OREGON, of all places. If he makes a team it'll be as a KR man who's occasionally in the formation for a big play. He might line up in the backfield sometimes, but as you point out there's no way in hell he'll be pass protecting, so that'll just be a gimmick to get him matched up against some slow LB/safety instead of a corner.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - stupac2 - 01-06-2014
(01-06-2014, 12:46 PM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:On another note, the CBSSportline site has Gaffney rated as a better NFL RB prospect than Thomas.
That shouldn't surprise anyone on earth. DAT is not an NFL RB. He was hardly a CFB RB at OREGON, of all places. If he makes a team it'll be as a KR man who's occasionally in the formation for a big play. He might line up in the backfield sometimes, but as you point out there's no way in hell he'll be pass protecting, so that'll just be a gimmick to get him matched up against some slow LB/safety instead of a corner.
Re: Early entries into the NFL draft - BostonCard - 01-06-2014
Looks like Kadeem Carey is entering the draft as well:
http://azstarnet.com/hansen-s-sunday-notebook-carey-likely-to-enter-draft/collection_e3975e6c-aa02-571f-8a37-de0246771bf1.html
We don't play UofA, unless it is in the P12 championship.
BC