Hope you guys watched this today. Featured probably the two best quarterbacks in college football, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy. What a battle going on here. It's still not over, Colt just brought the Longhorns back for a go-ahead score. Bradford's got 7 more minutes to do his damage. Bradford definitely has the better team around him so he has been allowed to look a lot more crisp out there, and he's definitely more physically impressive, but Colt McCoy has this offense basically all on him for most of this game, and he's going toe to toe with the best football team in the country. DeMarcus Granger is back for this game and having himself an alright day. Brian Orakpo completely owns Phil Loadholt, it's not even close...but I have felt since a year ago Loadholt is overrated. He's not an NFL left tackle prospect to me, and Orakpo is basically taking advantage of the particular weaknesses in Loadholt's game that make him unviable for the NFL. So, I'm not quite ready to pronounce Orakpo the next great OLB prospect. Jermaine Gresham is a man's man as a receiving TE, but can he block at all? I'm really genuinely not sure.
What are your thoughts on Sergio Kindle? We just saw him make a play there but I've heard he's raw. This is the first time I've gotten to see him. Seems like he needs to put on about ten to fifteen pounds of weight to be an OLB here. I've seen him in the third round on sites.
Yeah Chris, Loadholt has gone. So disappointing because at times last season, I thought he could make the jump. I'm not particularly sold on Orapko either as a prospect, certainly not the way some people are talking him up.
Yeah, it's sad. Based on Phil's reputation, with Orakpo schooling him so handily it would normally be the kind of day that vaults the guy way up...but really Orakpo was taking advantage of the weaknesses that make Loadholt a bad LT prospect for the NFL so it's still tough to tell. He does have motor and he's certainly a savvy pass rusher with the speed to go around the edge. But strength? Size? Can he be a physical dominator? Not sure.
What'd you guys think of Austin English? I've heard he's not the greatest athlete but did you like his play and is he a good OLB prospect?
He's an athlete, he's really not a football player at this point. They don't drop him in coverage at all, he simply is tasked with bringing a bit of juice off the edge. He's going to be drafted in the 3rd round on future potential if that's what you've seen. I don't see anyway, today, that that's where he ends up. He has so much to learn.
Auston's an OK player, but I'll be mildly surprised to see him come out. He's only played one season and he's coming off the leg injury which hampered him throughout the spring and summer. I think he'll develop into a serviceable NFL linebacker. He has some explosion off the edge, can drop in coverage, has good Parcells type size and is a 110% hustle player on every down. It's such a cliche, but he's a Patriots type of player. I'm not a huge fan, but it's horses for courses.
Now watched most of this game. Actually Loadholt wasn't nearly as bad as I thought he was going to be. You know, the only issue he has is with balance. He has perfect position at the snap; his feet are flat and going backwards and especially forwards in a straight line, then he's excellent. It's when he has to move laterally that he struggles, because for some reason his balance is way off. Whether he can't get his feet properly positioned underneath himself or what, but when he's pressured with moves, he just loses his balance in space. When Orakpo tries running straight at him it's over, he just engulfs the Horn. And Orakpo has a pretty decent bullrush of his own. When Loadholt gets his hands on him, then again it's over and he was consistently moving him down the field. He has great hands, good punch, but that balance.......he strikes me as a potentially very good guard. I know he's 6'8, but that's a University six eight and we KNOW how skewed that stuff is. Carl Nicks was 6'5 and 348 at the Combine and he's been very solid for the Saints at left guard next to Jammal Brown. I can't see Loadholt getting drafted as a pure tackle when he has the balance he does, but also when he can be pretty damn good using his hands in the phonebox between tackle and center. I never advocate big guards shutting down the passing lanes, but for someone like the Cowboys, this kid has to register on their board pretty highly.
He lopes. He's a loper. When he has to move laterally he practically flaps his wings like a chicken. He doesn't react quickly enough to speed or moves, he gets off balance, and the player can go around him. You never know what a player can be some time in the future, but as of right now I know he's not enough to play that position. I wouldn't want to ever pull him, as a guard, either...and that could really limit the playbook a bit. But then again I guess if Jamie Nails could do well on pulls then you never know. I see him as sort of a Moses in the desert type, trying to find his way to a spot and maybe not finding it, or at least having some trouble until he does find it.
He's just got so much natural talent. I read something Art Kehoe had written the other day about the perfect lineman and I tell you. Loadholt ticks about 8.5 of the ten boxes that Art pointed out. Admittedly, the lack of laterally sweet feet is an issue, but there's a place for this kid in a starting lineup on Sunday's of that I'm sure.
Yes but how many "close, but no cigar" prospects have we seen over the year that just have a fatal flaw that prevents them being viable? If I were an NFL team, I'd be real worried that's what I'm drafting, as I use an all-important first round pick.
Oh I'm not advocating using a 1st rounder on him, but I can't believe an NFL OL coach can't correct his flaws and turn him into a very prized run blocking OG.
I think if he learns to use his feet, then yes I do. That sounds stupid, but I know you know what I mean.
I know what you mean but it's still kind of tough to do. I guess when I see that double-stuffed tackle move laterally, flapping his wings and struggling, I see physical limitations, not technique limitations. But, I've been wrong before.
