Showing posts with label Jets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jets. Show all posts

1.15 Indianapolis Hoosier Daddy's — WR Stephen Hill

In the real world: Hill is 6'5" and 210 lb. with great athletic ability (state high school jumping record holder), but that ability and his skills were largely kept under wraps in Georgia Tech's "triple option" offense. The knocks on him were route-running (GT predecessor Demaryius Thomas had that issue, too) and inconsistent hands (NFL Network's Mike Mayock said he "watched all of Hill's film from the season and counted five or six drops with his 28 catches," calling two of them critical). But then came his epic Scouting Combine performance: A 4.36 40, an 11'2” broad jump and a 40” vertical leap. His draft stock jumped after that.

Now with the Jets, Hill should be the #2 wideout, with the mercurial Santonio Holmes as the #1. Given the rift between Holmes and Jets QB Mark Sanchez, coupled with the fact that Holmes has already worn out his welcome with another NFL team (the Steelers), there's a chance Hill could be the Jets' #1 wideout by, say, 2014. Just not this year, though: Bill Barnwell (managing editor of Football Outsiders) said in this column on Grantland.com: "As a rule, if a receiver with Hill's physical gifts isn't worth a first-round grade, his skills are years away from actually appearing at the professional level." He added that the 27 wide receivers 6'3” or taller taken in Round 2 of the NFL draft between 1970 and 2011 averaged 18 catches, 262 yards and 2 touchdowns as rookies. The "rule" makes sense to me: I drafted one of those 27 guys, Vincent Jackson (2005) and he didn't break out until his fourth season.  (The same rule also applies to Brian Quick and Reuben Randle, who went earlier in this TUFF Draft.)
In the TUFF world: I thought Indy would go with RB LaMichael James (not only to handcuff to Frank Gore, but also because he's the last of the RBs who went in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft). Hill has gone higher in most MFL 16-team drafts, is a hell of an athlete, and was certainly one of the best available players, and Indy definitely needed to improve their depth at WR, so this is a very good pick. But I would have gone with James, who ended up going with the very next pick.

3.11 New Orleans Chocolate City — RB Terrance Ganaway

In the real world: A big (241 lb.) north-south runner but with little in the way of acceleration or speed. Scouts, Inc. on February 10: "His blend of patience, burst and size jumps out on film. He can make defenders miss or run them over when he gets into space. (But he) doesn't have a lot of experience catching the football or running routes, and his technique in pass protection was inconsistent both on film and at the Senior Bowl." Steve Muench wrote on February 14: "Ganaway is the first big back on the list, measuring 5-11 and 241 pounds. He's a former Houston transfer coming off a breakout senior season, and Ganaway's blend of size, burst and lateral mobility jumps out at times on film. He's capable of running over defenders or making them miss when he gets into space, but his ability to contribute on third down is a concern." The New York Jets drafted him in Round 7 to add another bruising back to the "ground-and-pound" attack. NFLDraftScout.com compares him to Issac Redman (Steelers).
In the TUFF world: New Orleans adds yet another running back to its stable. Three picks, three running backs so far for the Chocolate City. Ganaway may not have a great job situation now—Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell are ahead of him on the Jets' roster—but if Greene gets hurt, Ganaway might get some goal-line carries.