Just a quick rundown of the main cogs (not counting UDFAs, a couple of other bottom of the roster guys or more picks in day 3): C - Pouncey, Brenner G - Smith, Brenner, Garner, Thomas T - Albert, James, Fox It would seem we are solid at OT if everyone stays healthy. James should start at RT if he's what they expect. Which would mean - if we want Turner competing for a starting role - he'd be put at OG. He's long enough (6'4 3/4 and 35 arms) to play OT but we still need OG help. I like the pick but hope they don't create a tweener out of him by shifting him around too much. Let him settle in at a spot and see what happens. I don't think Turner will start right away unless there are some weaknesses and injuries on the interior - but he may surprise.
Last year : McKinnie-Incognito(Brenner)-Pouncey-Jerry-Clabo This year projected: Albert-Turner-Pouncey-Smith-James with the depth of Sam Brenner, Nate Garner and Dallas Thomas and Jason Fox.....yeah that looks much better
damn exciting right now Good job Hickey. We can argue about losing a little value in the 1st round, but by seasons start, I think we'll be psyched with our first 3 picks.
Should add - listened to Turner's interview this morning. Very articulate and dedicated young man! Really quite impressive. Also thought that James was very humble and a kid who wants to grow and learn and put in the hard work to be great along with Turner. Good start to rebuilding the team. If only the Martin kid on USC had lasted longer and we had been able to land him and plug him in as a starting center Maybe we can make a straight up swap for a center for center with another team? (sorry, I'll drop the Pouncey stuff).
Well, our most dire needs were at OG and OT before the draft. They no longer are needs. Job well done. I think Turner is plugged in at LG and Smith at RG to start. I still hold out some hope that Thomas can show something, but we've got the makings of a solid OL. This is the first time since...forever...that I feel the OL issues have been solved going into the season. I mean, last year at this time we were relying on reclamation projects in Clabo and McKinnie at Tackles. Personally, I'm pretty excited right now...
My hope is that their attitude and work ethic rubs off on Pouncey. Can you imagine what a totally dedicated Pouncey would be like, scary to even think about.
Call me on it later if you want.............but I'm damn sure in my mind that Turner will start at LG when the season begins. He's the guy who was picked to be the insurance for Albert's usual yearly missed games and Hickey has already stated he'll slide in at guard and get time at tackle. You guys may have been asleep on him early but a lot of us in Club Level were all over this guy long before he was drafted. He will take some lumps early but you don't sit this guy at all. Check his determination: [video=youtube;mDLFElGFtGc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDLFElGFtGc#t=200[/video]
Left tackle - Albert - 4 sacks allowed in 2013 (probowler) Left guard - Turner - 0 sacks allowed in 2013 (2 time All American) Center - Pouncey - PFF gave him a pass blocking grade of +7.6 (best pass blocking center) Right guard - Smith - 5 sacks allowed in last 731 snaps Right tackle - James - 2 sacks allowed in last 29 starts in SEC Yeah, I think Tannehill is sleeping really well at night right now. Hickey just gave him all the protection he needs.
I'm sure every fan of every team finds a reason to fall in love with their draft picks. When I first heard his name called, I was like WTF. The more I read about him, hear about him and after watching that video, I really like him. I love people who have something to prove. It's a tremendous motivator not to mention being articulate, a hard worker and coming from a winning tradition.
You didn't have to be in Club to be on him. He was also discussed in the draft forum. And, on several other sites. CK has been talking him up for quite a while.
Well, four factors point pretty clearly to his competing inside: 1) Hickey talked about him at OG as a possibility; 2) Several have had him projected as a guard possibility given his pulling ability and size at 6-4.5. 3) We are set with Albert at LT and James will almost surely get every chance to lose the RT slot. So the odds of his being put at OT are lessened - as a 3rd round pick. 4) the OG slot is the area of weakness now. We have Shelley Smith who should start at one OG spot but the other spot is wide open and no one is there who has a great rep. I suspect he will compete at OG and it will come down to he and Dallas Thomas for the starting spot. It could well be if Thomas improves (no idea if he will or not) that eventually - after a year - Smith will be gone and we'd have Turner and Thomas starting at OG. But, Thomas does have to improve significantly, imo.
I agree that it looks a Hell of a lot better than what we had! And very little, in the macro sense, is more important than giving Tennehill every opprotunity to suceed and show everything that he has to offer, both to WIN in 2014 and to make 2015 and beyond a lot less murky. Right now, I think that Turner will be thrown into the mix to start at guard with the others who aren't obvious starters and the best man will be in the lineup in September, while the rest provide good depth. For the most part, its also cheap depth, which is what good teams do.
i just love watching how aggressive turner is on his blocks. he will chase the defender to the ends of the earth to finish the block
Billy Turner is my favorite pick here. Long arms with left tackle feet. He can start straight away at RT but I think Philbin will plug him at LG. He has the ability to spot Branden Albert at LT when Albert misses games due to injuries. Turner can slowly be a future starting LT.