For many years now, the great state of Illinois has given the game of basketball some history's greatest players and coaches on any level of all time. Some of the past names to come out of my great state and gone on to the NBA were Mark Aguirre, Maurice Cheeks, Terry Cummings, George Mikan, Tim Hardaway, Juwan Howard, Doc Rivers, Isaiah Thomas, and Dwayne Wade, and even Kevin Garnett who only had one year of high school basketball in Illinois. Some of the more current players that have come from the state of Illinois and go pro were Anthony Davis, Evan Turner, and of course Derrick Rose. Not to mention that Illinois has the honor of being the home of the No. 1 recruit in the country two straight years with Jabari Parker from 2013 and Jahlil Okafor of 2014, both of which committed to Duke University. They also had the No. 2 recruit in the country this year with Cliff Alexander, who has committed himself to the University of Kentucky. And those are just a handful of players that have been successful from this state. But my question has been, "If Illinois has so many great players in the state, then why is it that the Universities of Illinois, DePaul, and Northwestern are not basketball powerhouses?" And honestly, the answer is a hard one to find. Out of all the names I listed in bold, only Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummings, and George Mikan stayed in state to play basketball at DePaul University (Mikan played long before Aguirre and Cummings).
So, before we get into what I believe to be some of the possible issues, I wanted to give a quick comparison between Illinois Fighting Illini, DePaul Blue Demons, and NorthwesternWildcats and see just where it stands next to the University of Duke. The first is championship titles. Now, Duke basketball has always been competitive, but it really came to life when Illinois native coach Mike Krzyzewski took over the program in 1980 and has been able to capture 4 national tournament championships in his 33 years at Duke. Then there is Illinois, who has been to two championship games, but won only one championship which came in 1915 before the tournament was even created. As for DePaul and Northwestern, neither of then have yet to make it to the national championship game. Second is Final Four appearances. The Duke Blue Devils have played in 15 total Final Four games, 11 of them coming during Krzyzewski's time which includes five consecutive appearances in a row from 1988-1992. Meanwhile, the Fighting Illini have made five Final Four appearances, the Blue Demons have made two, and the Wildcats have had none. The listing could continue to go on and on, but I think anyone can clearly see that this these schools are in a desperate need for help.
So what is it that I think is causing this state to lose out on it's great basketball talent? Well, I believe the biggest problem could be that Illinois, DePaul, and Northwestern are just not pursuing these players hard enough. It probably seems easy to recruit a player in-state because of the fact they are right in the colleges' back yards. Which is basically a way of saying that the colleges do not feel they need to go above and beyond their impressing limits when in comes to players in-state, whereas if they were from California or New York, those schools would break out the water show and everything to get those kids to come to their school. But the bottom line is: In the game of recruitment, the best impression will win more often than not. Now schools like North Carolina, Duke, Kentucky, and others have such a great impression because of their ability to stay competitive, have great coaching, legendary NBA names, and many national championships. When you even try to combine the history of Illinois, DePaul, and Northwestern, they still do not stand up to being as impressive in championships and success like other schools have in the past and currently. I mean, just imagine yourself as a star basketball player in the state of Illinois. It is time for you to make a decision as to where you will play college basketball. If you are getting offers from schools like Duke, UNC, Kentucky, and Syracuse, then those schools who do not have a rich history of winning titles and having the national spotlight will look like almost nothing more than a school that you would fall back on should anything happen. And that's what Illinois and the others have become. Now mind you, DePaul did grab a top recruit from last year and they and Illinois have shown the nation these past few seasons that they can compete if the right players are in place. The biggest worry of the three big colleges in this state is Northwestern. This probably due to the fact that Northwestern has been highlighted mostly for its academics and up-and-coming football program.
Another reason why high school basketball players in the state of Illinois don't stay in-state for college is because the coaching they could receive at the big-name basketball schools is seen as a chance to have the best coaching in the country. Top schools like Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke all have a great history of coaching with legendary, Hall of Fame coaches that made the programs so great. Some of the past names have Adolph Rupp (Kentucky), John Wooden (UCLA), Phog Allen (Kansas), Dean Smith (UNC), Bob Knight (Indiana), Don Haskins (Texas Western/UTEP), Jerry Tarkanian (UNLV), and John Thompson (Georgetown). But for those that may not some sod those names, some of the more modern Hall of Fame coaches in college basketball are Rick Pitino (Louisville), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Roy Williams (UNC), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), and Jim Calhoun (UConn/retired) with only more coaches to probably come very soon. So with all these big names at these big programs (except UNLV and UTEP), it's a no brainer why these kids would want to leave home to go elsewhere. Not to mention that every coach that I mentioned in bold has one at least one national championship in their careers. The another thing to is that coaches that are at schools where NBA talent is expected to come out of, are usually in contact and/or connected with the NBA to help players have a chance at being looked at and scouted for a chance to be drafted, which is a big bonus for those kids trying to and/or are good enough to go pro.
So when looking at a school like Illinois, The coaching history, while very good, has had trouble staying consistent and finding the one that could get them to the title game. The Illini's biggest name in coaching would probably be Lou Henson, who helped them to a Final Four appearance in 1989 with his Flyin' Illini group and achieved 423 of 779 wins at the school. The coach that most U of I fans would remember is Bruce Weber. Weber was seen as a gift from God when he took the 2004-05 Illini to a 37-2 record that was highlighted with a 91-73 win over Chris Paul and #1 ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and was eventually taken all the way to the national championship game where they lost against the North Carolina Tar Heels 75-70. But Weber's national title team were not his recruits. Before Weber, there was a coach at Illinois who many are probably shocked and angered by the fact that we let him go. That coach was current Kansas Jayhawks' head coach Bill Self. Self coached from 2000-2003 where he showed that success was sure to follow him. In first year with the team, he led them to a 27-8 record and a No. 1 seed in the tournament where they went all the way to the Elite Eight. But with Self's ability to win comes his ability to recruit as well. He has always been able to grab top talent throughout his career, and he did just that when he secured current Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams along with NBA players Luther Head, Dee Brown, and James Augustine. But, Self left in 2003 to head for Kansas where he would eventually win a national title in 2008. Today, Illinois' head coach is John Groce who has shown promise, but still has a way to go and much to prove before he can be seen by players as the coach that get it done,
Then we have DePaul, whose most famous coaches are the father and son, Ray and Joey Meyer. Out of the three big colleges in the state of Illinois, DePaul's Ray Meyer is one of two coaches who is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for having a successful career in the state of Illinois. Ray Meyer coached at DePaul from 1942-1984 where his acquired 724 wins, an NIT Championship in 1945, two Final Four appearances, and coached players like George Mikan, Mark Aguirre, and Terry Cummings. After Ray Meyer retired in 1984, his son Joey took over from 1984-1997 where he took the Blue Demons to seven NCAA tournament appearances in his first eight seasons and finished with 231 wins at the school. Today, DePaul's head coach is Oliver Purnell who has be coaching the team for four years and has yet to have a winning season. However, Purnell was able 2013 recruit and Illinois native Billy Garrett Jr., who was a four star rated player and ranked 94th on ESPN's Top 100 high school basketball recruits, so it is possible that they can recruit more players like Garrett Jr. and develop them further, DePaul could be back to being a competitor.
And of course, there is Northwestern. The only coach that I could see from looking at the long coaching history of the Wildcats that had some kind of success was Arthur "Dutch" Lonborg. Lonborg is the other coach in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame who had a successful career in Illinois where he acquired 237 of 323 wins from 1927 to 1950 at Northwestern, including two Big Ten conference titles in 1931 and 1933. And honestly, that was it. Northwestern's basketball program has never truly been seen a "big time" so the coaches that came through are nothing to really brag about. Today, Northwestern's head coach is Chis Collins who is an Illinois native and former Mr. Basketball for the state. He attended Duke and was coached under Krzyzewski in the mid 90s, spent two years under Tommy Amaker at Seton Hall, and eventually came back to Duke as Coach K's assistant coach. After Bill Carmody's firing in 2013, Collins was hired as the new head coach, where he took the Wildcats to a 14-19 record this past season. Despite the losing season, hopes are still high that Collins' resume will show soon and pay off for the team in the long run.
So whatever the case maybe, it seems quite clear to me that Illinois, DePaul, Northwestern will be struggling for quite some time in recruiting the players from this great state. I mean, could you imagine how good those teams would be if all the best players in the state decided they wanted to all go to Illinois or DePaul or Northwestern? I mean, it's certainly just a dream, but it just makes me laugh at how many championships we could have and have had if that would have happened or were to happen at all. But you never know with some of these kids. Sometimes, they'll shock you with just where they choose to play for their college careers.
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Sunday, April 20, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
The 2014 NFL Draft: The First Five
As a huge fan of the amazing game of football, I cannot wait to see the most anticipated moment at the pro level next to the start of the season: the NFL Draft. Where the team with the worst record from last season gets the very first pick and the Super Bowl Champions get the very last pick known as "Mr. Irrelevant". With about 1000 college prospects entering the NFL Draft this year, only 224 of those players will be drafted between May 8th and May 10th. So one can only imagine the pressure these kids must be under to try and impress these NFL teams in order to get drafted by one of the 32 teams in the one of the 7 rounds. I know that if I was in their shoes, my nerves would be shot beyond imagination just trying to think of all the things I'd have to do and say right in order to get the attention of one of these teams. So, I was thinking that it would be something to break down just what players would fall into what pick of the first round NFL Draft to help people understand why it is what it is and also to throw in some of my own predictions.
Quick note: there are two terms I use throughout my writings when I am done describing the draft prospects from any sport. The first is when I call a player a "Fine Wine", which just a way of say that while the player may not start or become a Pro Bowler in his first year, with time and development, he could be as good as "Fine Wine". The other term I use to a when I call a player a "Win-Now", which means that the player's current set of skills seem to be best suited where he can his team "Win-Now" with a chance to possibly develop depending on the circumstance.
No. 1 Overall Pick: Houston Texans
In this year's draft, the No. 1 overall pick is held by the Houston Texans, who finished their 2013 season with a 2-14 record. Ever since the draft order was announced, experts and analysts have been speculating who the Texans will pick left, right, up, down, and every other which way you can look at it. The argument is really over who is the best player coming out of college that the Texans need to draft. Many believe that the No. 1 overall pick will be a quarterback, which was almost assured by myself and others when they traded their top QB Matt Schaub to the Oakland Raiders. So, then if it a quarterback, who would it be? Many experts say that the Texans best bet would be to draft Central Florida's QB Brain Bortles because of his physical presence and stature (6'5" 232 lbs.), his hard yet accurate throwing ability, and his tough leadership mindset.
To me, Bortles looks like, what I'd call a "Fine Wine" player, which means that whether or not a player will start his rookie year in the NFL, even if it may not be a great season, over time, he will prove to be beneficial and successful for the team. But Bortles is no the only quarterback speculated to go No. 1 overall. The "favorite" football player of many experts and analysts seems to be Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel who is also known as Johnny Football. Now, I am not a fan of Manziel's because of his off field issues and how erratic I find his style of play, but there is no doubting it that this guy can really play excitingly and find a way to get the job done. Those who have Johnny Manziel going No. 1 overall do so because of his ability to makes plays and be quick and agile with his feet, has a great sense for being able to adjust on the fly, and despite his lack of physical size (5'11" 209 lbs.), he shows immense courage and leadership. Another reason why some believe Manziel would be a good fit for the Texans is because he is a Texas native and one of the biggest names in the state which would help draw more people to games see him play. I personally see Manziel as a "Win-Now" player, which means he will most likely get a chance on a team that needs someone to start at his position in order to win right now, but there is no guarantee that he is a player to consider for the long run right away.
But as talented and necessary it is to have a good QB, it is possible that we could see the No. 1 pick be a defensive player. It seems like most are now looking at the Texans to pick South Carolina's defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. It sounds like it could be a dream come true for him, considering that many said he had the No. 1 overall pick locked up if he were able to come out of high school. That is how good this kid is... or was really. After a great freshman year and an even greater sophomore year, Clowney's numbers and playing ability dipped drastically to where many have now begun to question his work ethic, especially when he was cleared by trainers to play against Kentucky, but ultimately decided to sit out the game. Still, Clowney is in the talk for No. 1 overall because of the towering physical body he possesses (6' 6" 266 lbs.), the incredible burst of speed he has (4.53s 40 yd dash), and keen sense for pass rushing and attacking the quarterback. My thought: it'll be a close race between QB Blake Bortles and DE Jadeveon Clowney for the No. 1 overall pick.
No. 2 Overall Pick: St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams hold this year's No. 2 overall pick in the draft. The speculation for this pick is the same as the the No. 1 pick of the Texans in that it's believed they could go an assorted amount of directions. Currently, the No. 2 overall pick is where many see Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins getting drafted after the Rams had issues in finding a consistent wide receiving corp. At 6' 1" 205 lbs., Watkins looks the part of your prototypical wide out. At the combine, he proved it when he ran a 4.43s forty yard dash, had a 34 in vertical, and broad jumped 10 ft. 6 in. The experts have Watkins at No. 2 mainly because of his incredible speed and acceleration from the line of scrimmage to down the field, outstanding leaping ability, and his unbelievable ability to catch the football. So with all that, there is no doubt that if he doe not go No. 2, then he'll certainly go soon afterwards.
For Sammy Watkins, I would say that he will be a "Fine Wine" player wherever he gets drafted as I see his career having a similar start much like Chicago Bears' rising star wide out Alshon Jeffery. Another player being looked at for the No. 2 overall pick is also Auburn's offensive tackle Greg Robinson who would certainly help support an offensive line that lost some key roles over the last few seasons. Robinson's No. 2 overall status is supported by his 6' 5" 322 lbs. stature, his ability to quickly snap out of his stance and block down the field (4.92s 40 yd dash), strength (32 reps on bench press), and has a great sense for picking up important blocks. As far as I can see, Greg Robinson might be the best offensive lineman prospect in the draft.
However, the second best offensive lineman prospect in the draft, Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, is also another possible choice for the Rams. Matthews' skills go skin deep as his father is NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, who played offensive tackle for the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) in the 1980s. Matthews' No. 2 draft status is supported by his size of 6' 5" 308 lbs., his keen sense for picking up guys when pass blocking, and is versatile at playing both tackle and guard from playing both positions throughout his time in college.
For both Robinson and Matthews, I could see them both being "Fine Wine" players for whichever teams may draft them along with if they can stay healthy through their first year and play solid at the position they are placed at. At No. 2, the rams will go either Watkins or Robinson.
No. 3 Overall Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars of Jacksonville are holding the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft. In my opinion, this is the team that currently needs the most help in their overall game, especially since they lost their Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew. So to me, the Jaguars are now in an even bigger hole than they were originally. However, the team has been making big moves to improve their offensive and defensive line with the free agent signings of Denver Broncos' OG Zane Beadles, Seattle Seahawks' DEs Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, Pittsburgh Steelers' DE Ziggy Hood, and also the possible signing of Browns' Pro Bowl center Alex Mack should Cleveland decide not to match their offer on the franchise tag. So, who are the potentials for the No. 3 pick in the draft? Well, that will depend on who the Texans and Rams decide to draft.
Jacksonville has been named the landing spot for both QB prospects Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel if not drafted, but there are two players that I think make more sense to draft at that pick for the Jaguars. The first player is the Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Ever since his name came into the spotlight, Teddy Bridgewater showed off his most amazing skill, which is his ability to launch the football down the field for touchdowns on a consecutive basis. Bridgewater would be good for the Jaguars at No. 3 because of the consistent accuracy that he's shown throwing the ball, the ability to throw tight spirals even when pressure is in his face, his capability to find the open man down field, ability to read the defense, and is fairly mobile when he needs to be. There are some that believe Bridgewater should be considered the top QB prospect over Bortles and Manziel is best for the No. 1 pick, but him being a Florida native and having all the right pieces to his body of work, Jacksonville is where I think he will land. For me, Teddy Bridgewater is certainly a great QB, but I see his skills as being a "Win-Now" player for the Jaguars with a strong possibility of becoming a "Fine Wine" player and QB for the future.
But the Jaguars must also consider adding more to the defensive side of the ball, which is why some say the Buffalo's Khalil Mack would be great for the team. Now, not many know just who Khalil Mack is because of the fact that he played at Buffalo University in the MAC Conference, but there is no doubt that he is physically gifted, athletic, and mentally strong. One of Mack's biggest upsides is his versatility to play both defensive end and/or outside linebacker. His 6' 3" 250 lbs. frame makes him just in-between enough to play both positions for Jacksonville. Along with his versatile playing ability, his speed off the snap (4.65s 40 yd dash), strength (23 reps on bench press), great leaping ability (40 in. vertical), has a knack for finding the ball carrier and also for sacking the quarterback.
As for how I see Mack, he is certainly a talented defensive player, but I feel that he too will also be a "Win-Now" player until he can prove himself to me on the NFL level, that he is a guy that can hang with the best of them. For the Jaguars, I see then selecting either QB Teddy Bridgewater or LB Khalil Mack with the No. 3 overall pick.
No. 4 Overall Pick: Cleveland Browns
With the movie Draft Day now out in theaters, the Cleveland Browns have finally made it. They are finally on a big screen with people all throughout the country paying to watch them on purpose. But lets talk about the what will really happen to this team for this coming draft day. The Browns are holding onto the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and they have the ability to go anywhere they want to after the first three choices are made. Now, it again, is pretty much a decision that must be made after seeing what Houston, St. Louis, and Jacksonville do in that order exactly.
They have been predicted to take Sammy Watkins if he is still there at No. 4 in order to help add weapons to the Browns' up-and-coming receiving corp with wide out Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron. The Browns was also believed to be an ideal spot for Johnny Manziel so that the team could have dual-threat QB to take over the reigns from where former Browns QB Brandon Weeden could not get in the swing of things. Not many, but few also speculate that Teddy Bridgewater would be a nice fit in Cleveland as his deep and accurate passes would look just so pretty falling into the hands of Josh Gordon.
Now, of course there might be a chance that they do take a defensive player like Jadeveon Clowney if he is still there for some reason, but remarkably, the Cleveland defense is considered by many analysts and experts as being a solid unit with a few minor holes to fill in, but in the overall, they seem to be very healthy and strong. One big concern is in the offensive line. With Pro Bowl center Alex Mack currently being offered a contract by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns need to consider whether or not to match to offer or just let him go. If they do pass on matching the offer, this will leave the team weaken in the middle. While Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas still fighting strong on the line, Cleveland may want to consider getting another offensive lineman in order to help anchor it with Thomas.
Both Robinson and Matthews would be good picks in that case mainly because of their abilities to know how to play both offensive tackle and guard. The Browns' 4th overall pick is certainly going to be a hard on to make, but to me, I think they are probably going to lean on either a quarterback in Johnny Manziel, wide receiver Sammy Watkins, or either offensive linemen Robinson or Matthews.
No. 5 Overall Pick: Oakland Raiders
And finally, we come to the black and silver team that was once the most ferocious, nasty, and dirty teams in the NFL at one point, and is now considered a "no worries" team. With the 5th overall pick in this year's draft, the raiders are pretty much in the same boat as the Cleveland Browns in that they have to sit and wait to see who goes where. The Raiders have been said to take whoever is there that is the best to take because they are another team [like the Jaguars] that is missing a lot on both sides of the ball.
Some have said that the versatile, stand-up defensive end Khalil Mack and the defensive line phenom Jadeveon Clowney would be just what Oakland would need after losing pass rusher Lamarr Houston to the Chicago Bears. The team is also suspected to possibly take a quarterback, such as Johnny Manziel, with the 5th pick in the draft, but those rumors may have been dissipated after they traded for Matt Schaub from the Houston Texans and also have seen some good things start to come from their young QB Terrelle Pryor.
The team was thought to be a good spot for them to land wide out Sammy Watkins to help provide more weapons to the passing game for whoever the quarterback may be. The 5th pick has also been the talk of where Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews may land as the Raiders have lost their best offensive lineman, tackle Jared Veldheer to the Arizona Cardinals, and also lost offensive tackle Roger Saffold to the St. Louis Rams. In the end, the Raiders will probably hope to grab WR Watkins, OT Robinson, or OT Matthews depending on how the draft goes. They may even have a shot at taking DE Jadeveon Clowney.
So without further explanation, here is my prediction on the first 5 picks of the 2014 NFL Draft:
-No. 1) Houston Texans => Blake Bortles
-No. 2) St. Louis Rams => Glen Robinson
-No. 3) Jacksonville Jaguars => Teddy Bridgewater
-No. 4) Cleveland Browns => Sammy Watkins
-No. 5) Oakland Raiders => Jadeveon Clowney
Quick note: there are two terms I use throughout my writings when I am done describing the draft prospects from any sport. The first is when I call a player a "Fine Wine", which just a way of say that while the player may not start or become a Pro Bowler in his first year, with time and development, he could be as good as "Fine Wine". The other term I use to a when I call a player a "Win-Now", which means that the player's current set of skills seem to be best suited where he can his team "Win-Now" with a chance to possibly develop depending on the circumstance.
No. 1 Overall Pick: Houston Texans
In this year's draft, the No. 1 overall pick is held by the Houston Texans, who finished their 2013 season with a 2-14 record. Ever since the draft order was announced, experts and analysts have been speculating who the Texans will pick left, right, up, down, and every other which way you can look at it. The argument is really over who is the best player coming out of college that the Texans need to draft. Many believe that the No. 1 overall pick will be a quarterback, which was almost assured by myself and others when they traded their top QB Matt Schaub to the Oakland Raiders. So, then if it a quarterback, who would it be? Many experts say that the Texans best bet would be to draft Central Florida's QB Brain Bortles because of his physical presence and stature (6'5" 232 lbs.), his hard yet accurate throwing ability, and his tough leadership mindset.
To me, Bortles looks like, what I'd call a "Fine Wine" player, which means that whether or not a player will start his rookie year in the NFL, even if it may not be a great season, over time, he will prove to be beneficial and successful for the team. But Bortles is no the only quarterback speculated to go No. 1 overall. The "favorite" football player of many experts and analysts seems to be Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel who is also known as Johnny Football. Now, I am not a fan of Manziel's because of his off field issues and how erratic I find his style of play, but there is no doubting it that this guy can really play excitingly and find a way to get the job done. Those who have Johnny Manziel going No. 1 overall do so because of his ability to makes plays and be quick and agile with his feet, has a great sense for being able to adjust on the fly, and despite his lack of physical size (5'11" 209 lbs.), he shows immense courage and leadership. Another reason why some believe Manziel would be a good fit for the Texans is because he is a Texas native and one of the biggest names in the state which would help draw more people to games see him play. I personally see Manziel as a "Win-Now" player, which means he will most likely get a chance on a team that needs someone to start at his position in order to win right now, but there is no guarantee that he is a player to consider for the long run right away.
But as talented and necessary it is to have a good QB, it is possible that we could see the No. 1 pick be a defensive player. It seems like most are now looking at the Texans to pick South Carolina's defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. It sounds like it could be a dream come true for him, considering that many said he had the No. 1 overall pick locked up if he were able to come out of high school. That is how good this kid is... or was really. After a great freshman year and an even greater sophomore year, Clowney's numbers and playing ability dipped drastically to where many have now begun to question his work ethic, especially when he was cleared by trainers to play against Kentucky, but ultimately decided to sit out the game. Still, Clowney is in the talk for No. 1 overall because of the towering physical body he possesses (6' 6" 266 lbs.), the incredible burst of speed he has (4.53s 40 yd dash), and keen sense for pass rushing and attacking the quarterback. My thought: it'll be a close race between QB Blake Bortles and DE Jadeveon Clowney for the No. 1 overall pick.
No. 2 Overall Pick: St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams hold this year's No. 2 overall pick in the draft. The speculation for this pick is the same as the the No. 1 pick of the Texans in that it's believed they could go an assorted amount of directions. Currently, the No. 2 overall pick is where many see Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins getting drafted after the Rams had issues in finding a consistent wide receiving corp. At 6' 1" 205 lbs., Watkins looks the part of your prototypical wide out. At the combine, he proved it when he ran a 4.43s forty yard dash, had a 34 in vertical, and broad jumped 10 ft. 6 in. The experts have Watkins at No. 2 mainly because of his incredible speed and acceleration from the line of scrimmage to down the field, outstanding leaping ability, and his unbelievable ability to catch the football. So with all that, there is no doubt that if he doe not go No. 2, then he'll certainly go soon afterwards.
For Sammy Watkins, I would say that he will be a "Fine Wine" player wherever he gets drafted as I see his career having a similar start much like Chicago Bears' rising star wide out Alshon Jeffery. Another player being looked at for the No. 2 overall pick is also Auburn's offensive tackle Greg Robinson who would certainly help support an offensive line that lost some key roles over the last few seasons. Robinson's No. 2 overall status is supported by his 6' 5" 322 lbs. stature, his ability to quickly snap out of his stance and block down the field (4.92s 40 yd dash), strength (32 reps on bench press), and has a great sense for picking up important blocks. As far as I can see, Greg Robinson might be the best offensive lineman prospect in the draft.
However, the second best offensive lineman prospect in the draft, Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, is also another possible choice for the Rams. Matthews' skills go skin deep as his father is NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, who played offensive tackle for the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) in the 1980s. Matthews' No. 2 draft status is supported by his size of 6' 5" 308 lbs., his keen sense for picking up guys when pass blocking, and is versatile at playing both tackle and guard from playing both positions throughout his time in college.
For both Robinson and Matthews, I could see them both being "Fine Wine" players for whichever teams may draft them along with if they can stay healthy through their first year and play solid at the position they are placed at. At No. 2, the rams will go either Watkins or Robinson.
No. 3 Overall Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars of Jacksonville are holding the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft. In my opinion, this is the team that currently needs the most help in their overall game, especially since they lost their Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew. So to me, the Jaguars are now in an even bigger hole than they were originally. However, the team has been making big moves to improve their offensive and defensive line with the free agent signings of Denver Broncos' OG Zane Beadles, Seattle Seahawks' DEs Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, Pittsburgh Steelers' DE Ziggy Hood, and also the possible signing of Browns' Pro Bowl center Alex Mack should Cleveland decide not to match their offer on the franchise tag. So, who are the potentials for the No. 3 pick in the draft? Well, that will depend on who the Texans and Rams decide to draft.
Jacksonville has been named the landing spot for both QB prospects Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel if not drafted, but there are two players that I think make more sense to draft at that pick for the Jaguars. The first player is the Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Ever since his name came into the spotlight, Teddy Bridgewater showed off his most amazing skill, which is his ability to launch the football down the field for touchdowns on a consecutive basis. Bridgewater would be good for the Jaguars at No. 3 because of the consistent accuracy that he's shown throwing the ball, the ability to throw tight spirals even when pressure is in his face, his capability to find the open man down field, ability to read the defense, and is fairly mobile when he needs to be. There are some that believe Bridgewater should be considered the top QB prospect over Bortles and Manziel is best for the No. 1 pick, but him being a Florida native and having all the right pieces to his body of work, Jacksonville is where I think he will land. For me, Teddy Bridgewater is certainly a great QB, but I see his skills as being a "Win-Now" player for the Jaguars with a strong possibility of becoming a "Fine Wine" player and QB for the future.
But the Jaguars must also consider adding more to the defensive side of the ball, which is why some say the Buffalo's Khalil Mack would be great for the team. Now, not many know just who Khalil Mack is because of the fact that he played at Buffalo University in the MAC Conference, but there is no doubt that he is physically gifted, athletic, and mentally strong. One of Mack's biggest upsides is his versatility to play both defensive end and/or outside linebacker. His 6' 3" 250 lbs. frame makes him just in-between enough to play both positions for Jacksonville. Along with his versatile playing ability, his speed off the snap (4.65s 40 yd dash), strength (23 reps on bench press), great leaping ability (40 in. vertical), has a knack for finding the ball carrier and also for sacking the quarterback.
As for how I see Mack, he is certainly a talented defensive player, but I feel that he too will also be a "Win-Now" player until he can prove himself to me on the NFL level, that he is a guy that can hang with the best of them. For the Jaguars, I see then selecting either QB Teddy Bridgewater or LB Khalil Mack with the No. 3 overall pick.
No. 4 Overall Pick: Cleveland Browns
With the movie Draft Day now out in theaters, the Cleveland Browns have finally made it. They are finally on a big screen with people all throughout the country paying to watch them on purpose. But lets talk about the what will really happen to this team for this coming draft day. The Browns are holding onto the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and they have the ability to go anywhere they want to after the first three choices are made. Now, it again, is pretty much a decision that must be made after seeing what Houston, St. Louis, and Jacksonville do in that order exactly.
They have been predicted to take Sammy Watkins if he is still there at No. 4 in order to help add weapons to the Browns' up-and-coming receiving corp with wide out Josh Gordon and tight end Jordan Cameron. The Browns was also believed to be an ideal spot for Johnny Manziel so that the team could have dual-threat QB to take over the reigns from where former Browns QB Brandon Weeden could not get in the swing of things. Not many, but few also speculate that Teddy Bridgewater would be a nice fit in Cleveland as his deep and accurate passes would look just so pretty falling into the hands of Josh Gordon.
Now, of course there might be a chance that they do take a defensive player like Jadeveon Clowney if he is still there for some reason, but remarkably, the Cleveland defense is considered by many analysts and experts as being a solid unit with a few minor holes to fill in, but in the overall, they seem to be very healthy and strong. One big concern is in the offensive line. With Pro Bowl center Alex Mack currently being offered a contract by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Browns need to consider whether or not to match to offer or just let him go. If they do pass on matching the offer, this will leave the team weaken in the middle. While Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas still fighting strong on the line, Cleveland may want to consider getting another offensive lineman in order to help anchor it with Thomas.
Both Robinson and Matthews would be good picks in that case mainly because of their abilities to know how to play both offensive tackle and guard. The Browns' 4th overall pick is certainly going to be a hard on to make, but to me, I think they are probably going to lean on either a quarterback in Johnny Manziel, wide receiver Sammy Watkins, or either offensive linemen Robinson or Matthews.
No. 5 Overall Pick: Oakland Raiders
And finally, we come to the black and silver team that was once the most ferocious, nasty, and dirty teams in the NFL at one point, and is now considered a "no worries" team. With the 5th overall pick in this year's draft, the raiders are pretty much in the same boat as the Cleveland Browns in that they have to sit and wait to see who goes where. The Raiders have been said to take whoever is there that is the best to take because they are another team [like the Jaguars] that is missing a lot on both sides of the ball.
Some have said that the versatile, stand-up defensive end Khalil Mack and the defensive line phenom Jadeveon Clowney would be just what Oakland would need after losing pass rusher Lamarr Houston to the Chicago Bears. The team is also suspected to possibly take a quarterback, such as Johnny Manziel, with the 5th pick in the draft, but those rumors may have been dissipated after they traded for Matt Schaub from the Houston Texans and also have seen some good things start to come from their young QB Terrelle Pryor.
The team was thought to be a good spot for them to land wide out Sammy Watkins to help provide more weapons to the passing game for whoever the quarterback may be. The 5th pick has also been the talk of where Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews may land as the Raiders have lost their best offensive lineman, tackle Jared Veldheer to the Arizona Cardinals, and also lost offensive tackle Roger Saffold to the St. Louis Rams. In the end, the Raiders will probably hope to grab WR Watkins, OT Robinson, or OT Matthews depending on how the draft goes. They may even have a shot at taking DE Jadeveon Clowney.
So without further explanation, here is my prediction on the first 5 picks of the 2014 NFL Draft:
-No. 1) Houston Texans => Blake Bortles
-No. 2) St. Louis Rams => Glen Robinson
-No. 3) Jacksonville Jaguars => Teddy Bridgewater
-No. 4) Cleveland Browns => Sammy Watkins
-No. 5) Oakland Raiders => Jadeveon Clowney
The Five to Seven Longest Minutes in Baseball: Replay
Every now and then during Springtime, when the great state of Illinois has a day with a warm sun and cool breeze, you can always bet that people will be flocking to the city in order to see the Cubs play at Wrigley Field or the White Sox play at U.S. Cellular Field. I was lucky enough to go and see my team, the White Sox, play on April 2nd against the Minnesota Twins. That day was incredibly cold and windy when we got in the ball park. I believe it was in the 7th inning when a fly ball was hit toward center fielder Adam Eaton. As any player would, he centered himself to where the ball would land, caught the ball, and then dropped it as he was pulling it out. The umpire signaled that Eaton had caught it and that the hitter was out, but Twins manager Ron Gardenhire wanted to argue the call so he used his challenge on the play. We then had to sit and wait for almost five minutes for the call to be made by the officials in New York. Finally, the call came in that it was an error by Eaton and in came the booing and cursing. But despite the call, people seemed much more upset with the fact that we had to sit around and wait for five minutes for a call to be made on the play. That was when I realized the truth: MLB challenge replay is going to become a big issue.
Now this was two weeks ago, but the challenge rule has popped up in a few more games since then and has stirred up the pot for it's longevity. Actually, in the first two weeks, baseball had more than 80 replay challenges. That's about five times each week more than what officials predicted when the ruling on the challenge passed. The replay challenge are said to average a time of about 1 minute and 35 seconds. HA! Really?! Although the challenges themselves may average 1m39s, the stoppage of play that comes from it lengthens the average replays to about two to three minutes. Lucky for me, I got be apart of one that almost went five minutes on a cold and windy day with no coat on. Oh, what fun I was having at the ball park. The solution is just simple: Speed up the replay decisions. Now I don't know how this system in New York to watch the replays works, but I get the feeling it's nothing more than a few guys in front of some screens, watching the play in question on a continuous reel, and trying to vote heads or tails on the situation. But, I could be wrong and it could be a much more efficient system then that. It just seems to me that if it is taking so long to get back to the action, then something in the system just is not working and that is a problem. Another problem I see as well is that even the replays are not very accurate. Sure it helps because the umpires and officials get a second look to see if they may have mistaken something, but I've seen times where even I find it hard to tell from my TV at home on a slowed replay. But, the focus is on the length of these replays. Now yes, the game of baseball is lengthy already because there is no set time that it'll end which makes the game go very slow, but those who love and respect the game, they will stick around even through the extra innings to see a game all the way through to the end. The other issue in long replays is that sooner or later, the players will become frustrated, just as the fans and even some managers are, that it is taking so long to make a call on a play. I mean consider the situation: the pitcher for your team has struck out the last four batters and has a no hitter going in the top of the 8th, then a grounder hit to second base comes in and the throw goes to first but it seems that the runner may have beat out the throw. So the manager challenges the play and play stops for about two or three minutes. Now whatever the call may turn out to be, that pitcher of yours that what on a hot streak may find himself going cold and antsy because he had to wait all that time instead of just resetting and firing off another pitch. Now, this is just my interpretation on the rules. It could be wrong or right or whatever. The point I just want people to understand is simply that the idea to have a replay system in baseball was created for good reasons and the best intentions in order to better the game, but it seems that baseball may now have quite a predicament on their hands if they cannot find a way to make things move along a little bit faster.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Connecticut Huskies: The 2014 National Champions
Well, just as one article of mine about the championship game goes up before the game, so does one the day after it is over. And finally, the 2014 NCAA men's basketball national champions are the Connecticut Huskies. The game was set up to be considered a great matchup between Kentucky Wildcats and the Connecticut Huskies. But once the game started, the Huskies just seemed to take control of the lead and just never let go of it. The Wildcats were thought to be the favorite by many because of the team that made up the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Lead by their star freshmen lineup: forward Julius Randle, the twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, guard/forward James Young, and center Willie Cauley-Stein, the Wildcats were able able to power to show their dominating ability by beating perennial powerhouse teams such as No. 2 seeds Michigan and Wisconsin, and of course, No. 4 seed Louisville. Though maybe not considered a powerhouse, the No. 1 seed Wichita State Shockers went undefeated in the regular season, but unfortunately, they would lose to the Wildcats in the second round of tournament. As for the Huskies, they were not being looked at like underdogs, but more so as a team who could match Kentucky in their skilled quickness and teamwork. Lead by their star guards Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright and forward DeAndre Daniels, the Huskies were able the upset some of the top teams in the country such as the No. 2 seed Villanova Wildcats, the No. 3 seed Iowa State Cyclones, the No. 4 seed Michigan State Spartans, and finally upsetting the No. 1 seed Florida Gators in the Final Four to win the championship. Ironically, they had already beaten the Gators in the regular season to give them one of their just two losses. So naturally, after looking at all the upsets won by Kentucky and Connecticut, it seemed just fitting that they would both be duking it out in the championship game. But as I had stated before, once the game had tipped off, the Connecticut Huskies just seemed to take control of game and keep it underneath their foot. In fact, the Huskies held the lead in the game the entire forty minutes thanks to amazing performance by their star point guard Shabazz Napier who scored 22 points and had 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists while leading his team to a 60-54 win over the Wildcats to win the national title. As for Kentucky, they seemed to struggle in being able to grab their offensive rebounds and score with smart, clean shot taking. Star forward Julius Randle played most of the game but only scored 10 points and had 6 rebounds. Instead it was James Young, the "silent but deadly" man in the lineup scored 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in an attempt to keep Kentucky in the game, which thanks to his efforts, they were able to stay close to the Huskies but never could take over the lead. What's more impressive than just these two teams making the national title game, is that Kevin Ollie, who is in his second year as head coach of the Connecticut Huskies, was able to lead his team to a national title. Some experts and analysts believed that he did not have enough experience in order to lead the Huskies so far and win a title, but I think after yesterday's win, those theories will surely all be put to rest. Well, I guess now that the tournament has ended and people are still trying to understand how this all happened, all we can look forward to now from college basketball is to see who gets drafted by what team and how they'll play in the NBA.
Monday, April 7, 2014
2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Who Would've Thunk It?
The tournament is down to two teams... and everyone is pissed! The favorite Final Four of many people's brackets: Louisville, Arizona, Florida, and Michigan State. They were the favorite teams by many who filled out brackets to be one of the teams to win the national championship this year. So what happened? They all LOST! That's right! None of four teams previously named are in the national title game. Only one of the four teams, Florida University, made it to the Final Four only to find themselves being upset by one of two teams that gave them a loss in the regular season: Connecticut. Yeah, that's right. A No. 7 seed team that some picked to maybe make it to the second round of the tournament, has almost made it to the peak of the mountain called the National title game. And who are they about to play you might ask? Kentucky! A No. 8 seed team that has beaten the No. 1 seed and undefeated Wichita State Shockers, No. 4 seed Louisville Cardinals, and beat two No. 2 seeds in the Michigan Wolverines and the Wisconsin Badgers. Yes, this year's bracket just kept getting worse and worse as he weeks continued to progress. And honestly, it just seems fitting that these two teams would meet up in the NCAA national championship game. I just wish I had known that somehow this would happen. But surprisingly, there is a handful of people that I have seen on ESPN.com's bracket challenge leaderboard that have actually picked this matchup to occur between UConn Huskies and Kentucky Wildcats. I know what you might be thinking: WHAT??!! Seriously??!! Yes, it is true, and no I do not think they can see into the future. Hell, even fortune tellers could not have predicted this kind of stuff to happen this tournament season. But it was quite spooky when I saw that Kentucky's star forward Julius Randle had wrote on his twitter that he hoped to play and win a championship in his home state two years ago. Two years later, he is on the grand stage and about to get after it. Ladies and gentlemen: It's GAME TIME!
Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney: The NFL Draft's Biggest Question Marks
Well, its been a couple days since I last wrote a story, and it has been nothing but busy in the sports media world. One of the ingest topics being discussed is this year's NFL Draft and just who is going where. Two of the drafts most discussed players has been Texas A&M's quarterback Johnny Manziel aka Johnny Football and South Carolina's defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. For two years, the "hometown hero" Johnny Manziel excited everyone with his ability to use his quickness and agility to escape pressure that came to him in the pocket and makes plays both through the air with his air and on the ground with his legs. He played so well for the Aggies that he became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. As for Jadeveon Clowney, his three year career at South Carolina was filled with points where we were very impressed, and also very disappointed with his play. He was an astonishing football player and athlete to the entire nation before he even reached college. his size (6"6' 240 lbs.), devastating speed, immense strength, great vision, and just overall athletic skill made him the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2011. Many coaches said Clowney was one of high school football's best players in history, while NFL owners and general managers said that if they could and it was possible, they would draft Clowney out of high school as the No. 1 overall pick. Clowney then went to South Carolina where he solidified what everyone had been talking about. Yes, these two guys are truly something special in the game of football and have earned all the success they've had up to this point. However, both Manziel and Clowney have had issues and are flawed both on and off the field. Some of these issues could even be detrimental to their draft status. And yes, I happen to be one of them.
So for quarterback Johnny Manziel, I felt that one of the big issues with him was that his attitude off the field and the trouble he was in is a bad sign of things to come. Yes, I will get to his on-field play, which should be what counts, but it is an unavoidable issue that must be discussed in order to know the type of player a person is dealing with on the team. During his time in college, Manziel was arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of a fake driver's license in 2012, tweeting that he "can't wait to leave college station", getting kicked out of a fraternity party at rival school Texas, was thrown out of the Manning throwing Academy, and the biggest issue was his possible involvement in a scandal in which Johnny was reported to have signed merchandise in a hotel room and was paid $7500 for it. Now, the NCAA's investigation on the issue came up empty when no proof of payment could be found, but after such a scandal, he only got half a game suspension against Rice University (not a big name team). Yes, the tweet was probably taken out of context. The fact that he was kicked out of a party in Texas isn't an "oh my god!" moment. The Manning Academy is an iffy area, but everyone has overslept for something before I suppose. The arrest in 2012 is really what sticks as a problem. The overall issue: he has been under the microscope and is finding himself always in something it seems. The thing that really makes me crazy is that Johnny used the same old excuse over and over: "I'm just a kid". It is the lamest excuse ever used by someone ever, and yet it gets accepted as a valid excuse for him whereas if I (the average Joe schmo) were to try that excuse, there is no way it would have passed at all. To me, I just see the off-field antics to be the thing that could ruin him if it carries over to his professional career.
Now that that's out of my system, onto his on-field play. Johnny Manziel was a great football player and athlete in college, but after watching his game, I see that he lacks some of the essential skills in order to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. The first problem is that Manziel's career has been defined by his ability to scramble and use his legs to make plays. This is a useful skill for him when pressure comes and he must escape the pocket. In Manziel's freshman year of college, he ran for over 1400 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns, which helped him become the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. And seeming like this will be his style, when he enters the NFL games, I just think he will not survive. The NFL's defensive schemes are now more equipped than ever to be able to handle a QB who has the ability to take off and run. It was shown that in Johnny's sophomore year, teams were more ready for his running when he only had 759 yards with just 9 rushing touchdowns. That is quite a significant drop from over 1400 yards and 21 TDs the year before. On top of that, many of the NFL's defensive players are the best of the best (which is why they are in the NFL) which means that they will probably not be falling for all the jukes and cuts that Johnny tries to make from time to time. Another problem is his inconsistency to be able to make the right throws. His freshman year, he only had 9 interceptions all season long compared to the 26 touchdowns he scored through the air: pretty impressive. The next year he posted 13 interceptions compared to 37 touchdowns, and that's still pretty impressive. But in the game film and highlights that I've seen, he does tend to make bad decisions by trying to force the ball into areas of double coverage or even triple coverage when he should just simply through the ball away. Though the numbers were good in college, if he does not improve in making good decisions on the field, those incomplete passes will turn into INTs on the pro level. The problem that feeds some his inconsistent play is when he makes throws off is back foot, from stand still, or with his feet crossed, which then limits his ability to throw to his receiver while they are still in stride. It is just one of the things I've noticed that comes with being a mobile quarterback. In Johnny's case, it seems to be causing him to make these towering throws that cause his talented wide receivers, like 6"5' NFL prospect Mike Evans, to have to come back to the ball and allows the defensive backs a second chance at knocking the ball out of the air or intercepting it. These types of throws drops the possibility of the pass turning into a touchdown significantly, whereas if he were to throw more laser beam spirals, then he would probably have had 40+ passing touchdowns his sophomore year. But, those are just a few of the problems I see and I just hope that he will prove me wrong overall.
Now it's onto Jadeveon Clowney. Now just like Manziel, Clowney's off-field antics should not be the focus, but he did have one issue that is a huge problem with players of all levels in athletics. If you don't know, Jadeveon Clowney was ticketed twice in the month of December last year. Clowney was reportedly speeding 110 mph in a 70 mph on Dec. 7 and then again on Dec. 26 going 84 mph in a 55 mph. Now, if he really was going that fast twice in one month, then he may have an issue with speed (I do mean going fast). Everyone always hears about these players, from high school to pro level, that are either intoxicated or just have a lead foot, and eventually end up either getting pulled over with a ticket, getting arrested, and in some cases: death. Though he hasn't been arrested or had an accident (yet), it will only be a matter of time before we hear about Clowney getting arrested or worse if he does not slow it down.
Speaking of slowing it down, it's time to talk about Clowney's on-field play. So my first beef with Jadeveon Clowney's game that I have noticed is that when he uses that first explosive step and the elite speed he has, he sometimes overruns plays or has the ball carrier slip through his hands. Now, I'm not trying to hate on his speed. After all, he did run an official 4.53s 40 yard dash in the NFL combine. My deal is with his closing speed in the back field, and my advice would be simply: slow down. As a guy who played on the defensive line (I was no where near Clowney's skill and speed), I was always taught to chop your feet to control yourself and wrap up the ball carrier instead of going 100 mph into the backfield only to find yourself then knocked out of the play or missing the guy completely. Now Jadeveon Clowney has not missed many tackles. His first two years, he acquired 35.5 tackles for loss while also racking up 21 sacks. But every now-and-then (especially this past season), he would get around the offensive tackle, fly toward the ball carrier, and then... Whoops! Where'd he go? In the NFL, running backs and even some quarterbacks (like Johnny Manziel) has the ability to be elusive and escape pressure from those defenders that fly into the back field and out of control trying to land a highlight big hit, which is now being frowned upon in the league courtesy of the man Clowney himself. Probably the biggest issue I have with Clowney, although it hard to say, is whether he has the desire and passion to work hard in the NFL so that he may be successful. The issue of his work ethic was touched on this past season when he decided to take himself out of the game against Kentucky, despite getting the OK from trainers at South Carolina. Looking at his plays from this year compared to his first two, you can tell the difference in how handles offensive linemen off the snap and just jogs easily down the field. Of course, I do understand that he was injured and sick some over last season, but Jadeveon being represented as the amazingly talented "freak of nature" football player, taking himself out of a game after he was cleared to go?! It was just wrong on every level of excuses. He should already want to play because he loves the game like many already do and have, but he has the topper all football players dream of: a chance to go pro and make millions. His choice last season to take himself out of that game and not showing us the skills that we saw out of him as a kid from the state of South Carolina who shocked the nation when he was in high school as a man playing amongst boys, may just be what cost hi the No. 1 overall pick. But then again, I am no general manger and can only make my judgment as a fan and former player of the game.
So, it may seem like I was trying to slam both Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney and that I do not like them. Well... I like and respect them primarily as football players because of their great athleticism and niche for playing the game that I would love to have had in my time. My dislike beyond the on-field and off-field problems, honestly and truly, stems from the media's talk of how great and mighty these two are and that they should be considered Top 5 picks. If had control over the 2014 NFL Draft, I would say the Clowney would probably go somewhere between pick No. 10- No. 15 of the first round, while Manziel would probably not be drafted until mid to late second round into the early third round of the draft. But again, these are only my opinions on these two. See for yourself and make your own judgement. After all, we'll have to wait for August to see what these guys can really do and just how good they truly are.
So for quarterback Johnny Manziel, I felt that one of the big issues with him was that his attitude off the field and the trouble he was in is a bad sign of things to come. Yes, I will get to his on-field play, which should be what counts, but it is an unavoidable issue that must be discussed in order to know the type of player a person is dealing with on the team. During his time in college, Manziel was arrested for disorderly conduct and possession of a fake driver's license in 2012, tweeting that he "can't wait to leave college station", getting kicked out of a fraternity party at rival school Texas, was thrown out of the Manning throwing Academy, and the biggest issue was his possible involvement in a scandal in which Johnny was reported to have signed merchandise in a hotel room and was paid $7500 for it. Now, the NCAA's investigation on the issue came up empty when no proof of payment could be found, but after such a scandal, he only got half a game suspension against Rice University (not a big name team). Yes, the tweet was probably taken out of context. The fact that he was kicked out of a party in Texas isn't an "oh my god!" moment. The Manning Academy is an iffy area, but everyone has overslept for something before I suppose. The arrest in 2012 is really what sticks as a problem. The overall issue: he has been under the microscope and is finding himself always in something it seems. The thing that really makes me crazy is that Johnny used the same old excuse over and over: "I'm just a kid". It is the lamest excuse ever used by someone ever, and yet it gets accepted as a valid excuse for him whereas if I (the average Joe schmo) were to try that excuse, there is no way it would have passed at all. To me, I just see the off-field antics to be the thing that could ruin him if it carries over to his professional career.
Now that that's out of my system, onto his on-field play. Johnny Manziel was a great football player and athlete in college, but after watching his game, I see that he lacks some of the essential skills in order to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. The first problem is that Manziel's career has been defined by his ability to scramble and use his legs to make plays. This is a useful skill for him when pressure comes and he must escape the pocket. In Manziel's freshman year of college, he ran for over 1400 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns, which helped him become the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy. And seeming like this will be his style, when he enters the NFL games, I just think he will not survive. The NFL's defensive schemes are now more equipped than ever to be able to handle a QB who has the ability to take off and run. It was shown that in Johnny's sophomore year, teams were more ready for his running when he only had 759 yards with just 9 rushing touchdowns. That is quite a significant drop from over 1400 yards and 21 TDs the year before. On top of that, many of the NFL's defensive players are the best of the best (which is why they are in the NFL) which means that they will probably not be falling for all the jukes and cuts that Johnny tries to make from time to time. Another problem is his inconsistency to be able to make the right throws. His freshman year, he only had 9 interceptions all season long compared to the 26 touchdowns he scored through the air: pretty impressive. The next year he posted 13 interceptions compared to 37 touchdowns, and that's still pretty impressive. But in the game film and highlights that I've seen, he does tend to make bad decisions by trying to force the ball into areas of double coverage or even triple coverage when he should just simply through the ball away. Though the numbers were good in college, if he does not improve in making good decisions on the field, those incomplete passes will turn into INTs on the pro level. The problem that feeds some his inconsistent play is when he makes throws off is back foot, from stand still, or with his feet crossed, which then limits his ability to throw to his receiver while they are still in stride. It is just one of the things I've noticed that comes with being a mobile quarterback. In Johnny's case, it seems to be causing him to make these towering throws that cause his talented wide receivers, like 6"5' NFL prospect Mike Evans, to have to come back to the ball and allows the defensive backs a second chance at knocking the ball out of the air or intercepting it. These types of throws drops the possibility of the pass turning into a touchdown significantly, whereas if he were to throw more laser beam spirals, then he would probably have had 40+ passing touchdowns his sophomore year. But, those are just a few of the problems I see and I just hope that he will prove me wrong overall.
Now it's onto Jadeveon Clowney. Now just like Manziel, Clowney's off-field antics should not be the focus, but he did have one issue that is a huge problem with players of all levels in athletics. If you don't know, Jadeveon Clowney was ticketed twice in the month of December last year. Clowney was reportedly speeding 110 mph in a 70 mph on Dec. 7 and then again on Dec. 26 going 84 mph in a 55 mph. Now, if he really was going that fast twice in one month, then he may have an issue with speed (I do mean going fast). Everyone always hears about these players, from high school to pro level, that are either intoxicated or just have a lead foot, and eventually end up either getting pulled over with a ticket, getting arrested, and in some cases: death. Though he hasn't been arrested or had an accident (yet), it will only be a matter of time before we hear about Clowney getting arrested or worse if he does not slow it down.
Speaking of slowing it down, it's time to talk about Clowney's on-field play. So my first beef with Jadeveon Clowney's game that I have noticed is that when he uses that first explosive step and the elite speed he has, he sometimes overruns plays or has the ball carrier slip through his hands. Now, I'm not trying to hate on his speed. After all, he did run an official 4.53s 40 yard dash in the NFL combine. My deal is with his closing speed in the back field, and my advice would be simply: slow down. As a guy who played on the defensive line (I was no where near Clowney's skill and speed), I was always taught to chop your feet to control yourself and wrap up the ball carrier instead of going 100 mph into the backfield only to find yourself then knocked out of the play or missing the guy completely. Now Jadeveon Clowney has not missed many tackles. His first two years, he acquired 35.5 tackles for loss while also racking up 21 sacks. But every now-and-then (especially this past season), he would get around the offensive tackle, fly toward the ball carrier, and then... Whoops! Where'd he go? In the NFL, running backs and even some quarterbacks (like Johnny Manziel) has the ability to be elusive and escape pressure from those defenders that fly into the back field and out of control trying to land a highlight big hit, which is now being frowned upon in the league courtesy of the man Clowney himself. Probably the biggest issue I have with Clowney, although it hard to say, is whether he has the desire and passion to work hard in the NFL so that he may be successful. The issue of his work ethic was touched on this past season when he decided to take himself out of the game against Kentucky, despite getting the OK from trainers at South Carolina. Looking at his plays from this year compared to his first two, you can tell the difference in how handles offensive linemen off the snap and just jogs easily down the field. Of course, I do understand that he was injured and sick some over last season, but Jadeveon being represented as the amazingly talented "freak of nature" football player, taking himself out of a game after he was cleared to go?! It was just wrong on every level of excuses. He should already want to play because he loves the game like many already do and have, but he has the topper all football players dream of: a chance to go pro and make millions. His choice last season to take himself out of that game and not showing us the skills that we saw out of him as a kid from the state of South Carolina who shocked the nation when he was in high school as a man playing amongst boys, may just be what cost hi the No. 1 overall pick. But then again, I am no general manger and can only make my judgment as a fan and former player of the game.
So, it may seem like I was trying to slam both Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney and that I do not like them. Well... I like and respect them primarily as football players because of their great athleticism and niche for playing the game that I would love to have had in my time. My dislike beyond the on-field and off-field problems, honestly and truly, stems from the media's talk of how great and mighty these two are and that they should be considered Top 5 picks. If had control over the 2014 NFL Draft, I would say the Clowney would probably go somewhere between pick No. 10- No. 15 of the first round, while Manziel would probably not be drafted until mid to late second round into the early third round of the draft. But again, these are only my opinions on these two. See for yourself and make your own judgement. After all, we'll have to wait for August to see what these guys can really do and just how good they truly are.
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