Who is your player that has low expectations that you feel may surprise?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-09-2019, 03:21 AM)Jakeypoo Wrote: Actually heard that Jefferson is having a good camp.

Really? This would be nice, love Jefferson's upside and you never know with a new LB coach.

Haslett did him nor any of our LB'ers any favors.

(08-09-2019, 09:42 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: Sample is my guy. Every expects him to come out and just be a steady blocker but I think he'll turn some heads catching passes and may push Uzomah.

Good one. This could very well happen, think Sample is all the way around our most solid TE already.

Uzi is inconsistent and Eifert cannot stay healthy and is not a good blocker. 

Sample has good hands, size and is a great blocker.

Seems like the type of player to start and make noise.

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-09-2019, 12:24 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Really? This would be nice, love Jefferson's upside and you never know with a new LB coach.

If all you have is athletic ability, but it never shows up on the field...is there really an "upside"?

[grampahol]

My gut feeling is the next big thing in Cincinnati will be someone deemed to be "athletic".  I know...how often could it even be possible for an athlete to be considered athletic? What are the odds? 

[fredtoast]

(08-09-2019, 12:28 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: If all you have is athletic ability, but it never shows up on the field...is there really an "upside"?

There is an upside if he has shown production in college.

He was just a junior his last year at Texas, but he finished #8 in the nation in solo tackles (80) and #3 in the Big 12 in total tackles (110).  He had 10.5 sacks and 19 TFL his last two seasons.  People who are talking about him sucking on film must be talking only about his NFL rookie season.

I think the problem with Jefferson is that when fans saw that he ran the forty as fast as A J Green they assumed he was a cover LB, but even though he is fast he was never a cover guy in college.

[grampahol]

Being athletic is a sure path to greatness. Just ask anyone who ever was called athletic. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-09-2019, 12:37 PM)fredtoast Wrote: There is an upside if he has shown production in college.

He was just a junior his last year at Texas, but he finished #8 in the nation in solo tackles (80) and #3 in the Big 12 in total tackles (110).  He had 10.5 sacks and 19 TFL his last two seasons.

People who are talking about him sucking on film must be talking only about his NFL rookie season.

There's that trouble comprehending again...

I posted a vid of a game with ND in '17. There are several other vids of all the defensive snaps, so anyone can watch them any time and draw their own conclusion. Or you can just go by word of mouth and a few stats in college to base your opinion. 

I feel the former is the best option. 

[fredtoast]

(08-09-2019, 12:40 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: There's that trouble comprehending again...

I posted a vid of a game with ND in '17. There are several other vids of all the defensive snaps, so anyone can watch them any time and draw their own conclusion. Or you can just go by word of mouth and a few stats in college to base your opinion. 

I feel the former is the best option. 

The "few stats" I posted covered every snap he played.

Does your video?

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-09-2019, 12:46 PM)fredtoast Wrote: The "few stats" I posted covered every snap he played.

Does your video?

Obviously, the video, as well as all the others, actually shows how many tackles he had...and you can actually watch him play and decide if he looks like a good LB or not. 

[*Synric*]

(08-09-2019, 12:37 PM)fredtoast Wrote: There is an upside if he has shown production in college.

He was just a junior his last year at Texas, but he finished #8 in the nation in solo tackles (80) and #3 in the Big 12 in total tackles (110).  He had 10.5 sacks and 19 TFL his last two seasons.  People who are talking about him sucking on film must be talking only about his NFL rookie season.

I think the problem with Jefferson is that when fans saw that he ran the forty as fast as A J Green they assumed he was a cover LB, but even though he is fast he was never a cover guy in college.

As I always say stats only tell part of the story.

Case and point David Long Jr WVU 6th round pick to the Tennessee Titans.

His last two years Long had 186 tackles 34.5 Tackles for loss 10.5 sacks and 8 Passes defensed which are insane numbers for a linebacker but if you watch the games you can tell why he was a later round guy.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-09-2019, 12:28 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: If all you have is athletic ability, but it never shows up on the field...is there really an "upside"?

I mean, it is a start if the coaches can get the rest out of him...

Must repeat that Haslett was a terrible LB coach.

(08-09-2019, 12:55 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: Obviously, the video, as well as all the others, actually shows how many tackles he had...and you can actually watch him play and decide if he looks like a good LB or not. 

I will watch the video after work Rfaulk, I haven't watched his vids for a couple years now.

But when I did watch his Junior year I didn't think Jefferson looked bad at all. Big, fast, can tackle etc.

Just needs to learn the mental part of the game better. Maybe the new coaches can help him with this who knows.

(08-09-2019, 01:02 PM)Synric Wrote: As I always say stats only tell part of the story.

Case and point David Long Jr WVU 6th round pick to the Tennessee Titans.

His last two years Long had 186 tackles 34.5 Tackles for loss 10.5 sacks and 8 Passes defensed which are insane numbers for a linebacker but if you watch the games you can tell why he was a later round guy.

True, but i liked Long too. Good pick by the Titans, Long is a little small but it seems that is the way the NFL is starting to lean instead of big thumpers.

[grampahol]

The odds that any college player actually playing against NFL locks in more than 1 or 2 games is stacked heavily against that happening and even that 1 or 2 games is a huge stretch meaning they are usually, if not always playing against inferior competition which in turns makes them appear to be superstars in the making. How many college players put up huge numbers, break records at old schools then go on to fail big time in the league?  Quite a few.. It's kind of meaningless though since we also see the occasional player who just sort of muddles through college at small schools and becomes a big star at the pro level.. Even though there's no real stat to back up this it means young people tend to be unpredictable more often than not. The light comes on for some and never comes on for others. Heck, there's probably even more who never play the game, but could have been great stars had they not found something else to do for a living. 

[*rfaulk34*]

(08-09-2019, 01:18 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I mean, it is a start if the coaches can get the rest out of him...

Must repeat that Haslett was a terrible LB coach.



I will watch the video after work Rfaulk, I haven't watched his vids for a couple years now.

But when I did watch his Junior year I didn't think Jefferson looked bad at all. Big, fast, can tackle etc.

Just needs to learn the mental part of the game better. Maybe the new coaches can help him with this who knows.

It would definitely be nice to see that we have coaches that are able to get a players athletic ability to translate on the field, no doubt. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-09-2019, 02:33 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: It would definitely be nice to see that we have coaches that are able to get a players athletic ability to translate on the field, no doubt. 

Yes sir. 

[XenoMorph]

(08-09-2019, 12:28 PM)rfaulk34 Wrote: If all you have is athletic ability, but it never shows up on the field...is there really an "upside"?

hes been making plays in camp I hear...

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-09-2019, 09:42 AM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: Sample is my guy. Every expects him to come out and just be a steady blocker but I think he'll turn some heads catching passes and may push Uzomah.

I think a lot of folks here, myself included, were saying how consistent he was catching the ball on 3rd and 4th downs and also how he wasn't really utilized as a receiver in their scheme.  Their QB play was also horrible. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(08-09-2019, 11:31 AM)Whatever Wrote: You know Orlando Brown failed his conditioning test at Ravens camp and is in Harbaugh's doghouse,right?  He was even briefly demoted to 2nd team.  I realize T depth is a need, but we can really do without a lazy bum like Brown. The Ravens are counting on him to start and dude can't even pass a condition test?  That's pathetic.

In his rookie season, he was a 65 on PFF rankings, with 3 penalties in 760 snaps.  This, with a QB that would hold the ball a very long time.  

Whether he was in shape coming in to this season or not, I thought it actually made SENSE for him not to keep working at the same (or harder) pace after his last season in Oklahoma in preparation for the draft.  Now, most people would take about how much money he would lose, but I look at how many guys are DEAD when their rookie season rolls around (Jonah Williams?) from the lack of a break between senior (or junior) season, the draft, and OTAs.  

Brown was a starter on the Raven's offensive line and I would have taken in a heartbeat over Hart.  I am giving Hart every chance, but even if Hart beat him out here, I would feel a LOT better having Brown on our roster than Malik Jefferson who might not even make the team.  

[Luvnit2]

(08-10-2019, 08:12 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: In his rookie season, he was a 65 on PFF rankings, with 3 penalties in 760 snaps.  This, with a QB that would hold the ball a very long time.  

Whether he was in shape coming in to this season or not, I thought it actually made SENSE for him not to keep working at the same (or harder) pace after his last season in Oklahoma in preparation for the draft.  Now, most people would take about how much money he would lose, but I look at how many guys are DEAD when their rookie season rolls around (Jonah Williams?) from the lack of a break between senior (or junior) season, the draft, and OTAs.  

Brown was a starter on the Raven's offensive line and I would have taken in a heartbeat over Hart.  I am giving Hart every chance, but even if Hart beat him out here, I would feel a LOT better having Brown on our roster than Malik Jefferson who might not even make the team.  

A lot of us wanted Brown and the double whammy was the Ravens got him. But, too late now so let's hope Jefferson grows and make us all look bad for wanting Brown over him. Maybe Hart will progress as well. That is my hope, we are due for some good luck in 2019.

[phil413]

I feel like I put more stock into opportunity (how bad the position is) vs actual growth.

I don't think many actually expect John Ross to be consistent, but I believe the staff will put him in the right situations. The other one is Malik Jefferson. We hope for the Pratt hype, but desperation to keep his job and performing well vs backups may get him in the mix in the LB rotation.