Learning Curve

[Bengalzona]

They had an interesting discussion on our local sports radio program yesterday about the learning curve between college and the NFL and the different positions. I wanted to get some thought from people on what positions they feel have the hardest or longest learning curve from college ball to pro ball.

How would you guys rate the positions?

BTW - One of the assertions in the radio program was that college is doing a worse job prepping young players on offense rather than on defense, increasingly worse with WR's and OT's (because that's what they blame on the Cardinals poor record this year).

[Bengalzona]

Clearly, QB's have the most to learn coming from college. I've always been a fan of older, more experienced QB's in the league.

[SunsetBengal]

Are we talking actual learning curve, or "living up to the hype" curve?

The reason I bring up the hype? I feel that a lot of really good ball players get their egos busted, and their confidence shot, by not being able to live up to expectations from all the hype. Too many times a team drafts an immediate need in the 1st round, and the player is expected to instantly start, and dominate at his position. When in reality, they likely need a couple years to develop into the same sort of dominating player they were in college.

As for toughest learning curve? I would agree with you on QB, but would also like to add OT,C, and DBs as next ups. In my mind, LB and RB have the shortest learning curve, as it's all pretty much instinct and athleticism at those positions.

[Bengalzona]

(12-15-2017, 06:13 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Are we talking actual learning curve, or "living up to the hype" curve?  

The reason I bring up the hype?  I feel that a lot of really good ball players get their egos busted, and their confidence shot, by not being able to live up to expectations from all the hype.  Too many times a team drafts an immediate need in the 1st round, and the player is expected to instantly start, and dominate at his position.  When in reality, they likely need a couple years to develop into the same sort of dominating player they were in college.

As for toughest learning curve?  I would agree with you on QB, but would also like to add OT,C, and DBs as next ups.  In my mind, LB and RB have the shortest learning curve, as it's all pretty much instinct and athleticism at those positions.

The hype is a good point. And it definitely effects the learning curve because of the unrealistic expectations.

But on the show, I think they meant the actual learning curve. One of their points was (something we're all probably familiar with) that the college offense schemes don't prepare the O guys for what they will see in the NFL, with the exception of RB's who they thought had the lowest learning curve on offense. Not sure if I agree about RB's, though, because a lot of those guys come in still needing to learn to block effectively.

These guys thought that college DB's had the lowest curve on either side of the ball. But they agreed with you about the O-line being second to QB's on offense.

[Bengalzona]

LB's could be tricky. It depends on whether they go to a 3-4 or 4-3 team I think and what they are used to in college.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-15-2017, 06:22 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: The hype is a good point. And it definitely effects the learning curve because of the unrealistic expectations.

But on the show, I think they meant the actual learning curve. One of their points was (something we're all probably familiar with) that the college offense schemes don't prepare the O guys for what they will see in the NFL, with the exception of RB's who they thought had the lowest learning curve on offense. Not sure if I agree about RB's, though, because a lot of those guys come in still needing to learn to block effectively.

These guys thought that college DB's had the lowest curve on either side of the ball. But they agreed with you about the O-line being second to QB's on offense.

That is interesting, as I would think that transitioning from college to Pro at Safety would take a little adjusting.  So many more decisions to make, so many quick firing QBs that were all the best in college, etc.  

I guess that's why I'm just a fan, and they are getting paid to blab about these things.

[Bengalzona]

(12-15-2017, 07:34 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That is interesting, as I would think that transitioning from college to Pro at Safety would take a little adjusting.  So many more decisions to make, so many quick firing QBs that were all the best in college, etc.  

I guess that's why I'm just a fan, and they are getting paid to blab about these things.

I can see your point about safeties, though. Maybe there is less of a curve for CB's as they do pretty much the same thing as college. But it does seem to me that, at least in some defensive schemes, safeties are required to do more in the NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-15-2017, 07:39 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: I can see your point about safeties, though. Maybe there is less of a curve for CB's as they do pretty much the same thing as college. But it does seem to me that, at least in some defensive schemes, safeties are required to do more in the NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.

In my years of observation, the draft has one thing right.  The top 2 or 3 Safeties go early, and they start and often star, for a long time.  The rest are taken in middle to late rounds, and take years to develop.