In defense of Drew Sample

[JaggedJimmyJay]

(04-21-2021, 11:29 AM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Really don't understand how Reggie Kelly is being brought up as a comparison.

Reggie Kelly was drafted 22 years ago.  The game and the position was completely different.

I don't think it was so fundamentally different that the comparison is invalidated. There's not much to it though beyond the basic qualities of the players:

1) Low ceiling as receivers, but generally reliable hands when called upon
2) Above average blocking tight ends. I think Kelly's blocking was more impactful for the running game and Sample's is for the passing game, but whatever.

There's a place for players in this role in 2021. It may not be a role that we'd like from the second round, but it's what we have. I think Sample does what he is asked to do well enough.

As for DK Metcalf -- complaining that the Bengals didn't take him instead is typically asinine fan whining that can be applied to exactly every other NFL team that didn't take him the first time around including Seattle.