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Overrated / Underrated

ge99

By ge99
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ge99 Newbie

ge99

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by Tommy Lawlor, http://www.scoutsnotebook.com

Overrated & Underrated

Just because a guy is overrated does not mean he isn't a good player or won't pan out in the NFL. It simply means he's not worth the hype he's getting from some fans and the media. Just the same, underrated players have no guarantee that they will make it in the NFL. They are simply guys who are being overlooked. A lot of times this is because of the school they go to. Occasionally even players from good football schools get lost in the shuffle.

Here is a list of overrated players:

1. Chad Henne QB Michigan --- He s got size, experience and talent, but I do not see him as being nearly the prospect that others do. Chad really struggles with pressure. All QBs do to a certain extent, but Henne more so than others. Chad really needs a clean pocket to be effective. I do think he can be a starter in the NFL, but will need a good line and strong supporting cast. I don t see him as the kind of player who will elevate a team with his presence. I hear him talked about as an early 2nd round pick. I see him more as an early 4th.

2. Kenny Phillips SS Miami --- Good player, but not nearly the prospect that some make him out to be. Kenny never became a player the caliber of Sean Taylor or Brandon Meriweather. Those guys were very productive. Taylor was a freak in terms of size/speed/skill. Meriweather played some CB at the Senior Bowl and looked good. Kenny went to the Combine and looked awkward in drills. He s nothing special in coverage. He had 7 career picks& 5 came against Florida Intl and Duke, hardly football schools. Kenny can be a solid starter, but I don t see him ever being a star player or anything special.

3. Martin Rucker TE Missouri --- Extremely productive at Mizzou. Caught 203 passes in his career. He has some athletic ability. They actually lined him up at QB at times. Rucker almost never lined up tight to the formation at UM so his blocking was a question, but then he went to the Senior Bowl and did okay as a blocker. As much as I want to like this kid, there is just something weird about watching him play. He looks a bit stiff. Some people consider him a top 5 TE. I see him as a 5th round player.

4. Anthony Collins LT Kansas --- I see where some people have him going early in the 2nd round. Huh? Anthony played LT for one year at Kansas, and was up and down. He s not a natural pass protector. He s not some crazy good athlete. He came out as a Junior, so teams didn t get to see him at an all star game in a conventional offense. I think he is more of a RT or even a G. I could see someone taking a chance on him as early as the mid-3rd, but I don t see him as top 75 material, let alone top 40.

5. Justin King CB Penn State --- He ran a 4.31 at the Combine. That is literally his resume. Justin got some postseason honors for his 2007 play, but that was a complete joke. Anyone who watched the Indiana or Buffalo games saw King getting beaten left and right. He does have talent, but rarely plays up to that level. I would not spend a pick on him in the 1st or 2nd round, but teams do fall in love with speed.

Here is a list of underrated players:

1. Eddie Royal WR/RS Virginia Tech --- We have Eddie ranked as a top 50 prospect. I can t see him getting out of the 2nd round. And I keep hearing from other people that some see him as a 3rd or even 4th round player. Wow. Eddie didn t put up great numbers. Did you happen to notice Va Tech s QB play the last few years? Eddie went to the Senior Bowl and looked as good as any WR there. He went to the Combine and looked as good as any WR there. Add in his return ability and you have a player that people will regret passing on.

2. Steve Slaton RB West Virginia --- He should not have come out early. Steve either got bad info or ignored good info. He s not a top 75 player. There isn t much reason to come out if you aren t up in that area. Still, people now act as if Steve is already an NFL bust. That is crazy. He had a great Sophomore year. His numbers came down in 2007, but he still ran for over 1,000 yards, averaged 5 yards per carry, and scored 18 TDs. Not bad for an off year. Steve has good vision, makes great cuts, and is a gifted receiver. One of the things that hurts him is that he plays better than he tests. Take a chance on him in the late 3rd or early 4th and you might find yourself a heck of a playmaker.

3. Jack Williams CB Kent --- Cover 2 teams should be drooling over this guy. Jack is a great tackler. Brandon Flowers has nothing on him. Prior to getting hurt, he was leading the MAC in tackles. He had 19 against Central Michigan. 19? Not bad for a CB. He can also cover. Jack had 13 career INTs. He s only 5 9, 180, but he had a terrific showing at his Pro Day. So you ve got an athletic corner who can hit, tackle, and cover. Those guys are not easy to find.

4. Martail Burnett DE Utah --- Athletic LDE. Had 15 TFLs, including 7 sacks, in 2007. Not the greatest pass rusher, but a disruptive player off the edge. At 6 3, 260 he s got an interesting frame. Martail could add weight and play LDE in the NFL. He s athletic enough to drop a few pounds and shift to LB, either in a 3-4 or 4-3. He s not just a workout warrior either. Put on the tape and you can see Martail s athleticism. Likely a late pick, but has potential.

5. Darrell Blackman RS/WR NC State --- I was not his biggest fan in the past. Darrell acted like a punk at times. He seemed to clean up his act under new coach Tom O Brien. The one thing that stayed constant was his production. Darrell had a solid year on punts and kickoffs. He ran back one KOR for a TD. He played in the Texas vs Nation all-star game and ran a KO back for a score. He almost busted another for a TD. He started his career at RB before moving to WR. Darrell is strictly a role player on offense, but he could step right in and handle the return duties for an NFL team.

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MidWest Falcon Newbie

MidWest Falcon

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Man I completely agree with Anthony Collins being overated.  I watched a lot of KU football this year and he never impressed me.  A lot of their pass plays were designed to get Reising out of the pocket anyway so how can he be judged as a good LT?  I think Collins will be a bust.

The other 4 on the overated list I don't agree with though ;)

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nick h Newbie

nick h

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i really like how you put henne in there although i think flacco deserves a spot as well. both of them have shot up from 3rd-4th round status to the second possibly first round because of needs not talent. henne will be okay but not much more, flacco is a complete question mark

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pured-hallfan Newbie

pured-hallfan

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ge99 (4/18/2008)
by Tommy Lawlor, http://www.scoutsnotebook.com

Overrated & Underrated

Just because a guy is overrated does not mean he isn't a good player or won't pan out in the NFL. It simply means he's not worth the hype he's getting from some fans and the media. Just the same, underrated players have no guarantee that they will make it in the NFL. They are simply guys who are being overlooked. A lot of times this is because of the school they go to. Occasionally even players from good football schools get lost in the shuffle.

Here is a list of overrated players:

1. Chad Henne QB Michigan --- He s got size, experience and talent, but I do not see him as being nearly the prospect that others do. Chad really struggles with pressure. All QBs do to a certain extent, but Henne more so than others. Chad really needs a clean pocket to be effective. I do think he can be a starter in the NFL, but will need a good line and strong supporting cast. I don t see him as the kind of player who will elevate a team with his presence. I hear him talked about as an early 2nd round pick. I see him more as an early 4th.

2. Kenny Phillips SS Miami --- Good player, but not nearly the prospect that some make him out to be. Kenny never became a player the caliber of Sean Taylor or Brandon Meriweather. Those guys were very productive. Taylor was a freak in terms of size/speed/skill. Meriweather played some CB at the Senior Bowl and looked good. Kenny went to the Combine and looked awkward in drills. He s nothing special in coverage. He had 7 career picks& 5 came against Florida Intl and Duke, hardly football schools. Kenny can be a solid starter, but I don t see him ever being a star player or anything special.

3. Martin Rucker TE Missouri --- Extremely productive at Mizzou. Caught 203 passes in his career. He has some athletic ability. They actually lined him up at QB at times. Rucker almost never lined up tight to the formation at UM so his blocking was a question, but then he went to the Senior Bowl and did okay as a blocker. As much as I want to like this kid, there is just something weird about watching him play. He looks a bit stiff. Some people consider him a top 5 TE. I see him as a 5th round player.

4. Anthony Collins LT Kansas --- I see where some people have him going early in the 2nd round. Huh? Anthony played LT for one year at Kansas, and was up and down. He s not a natural pass protector. He s not some crazy good athlete. He came out as a Junior, so teams didn t get to see him at an all star game in a conventional offense. I think he is more of a RT or even a G. I could see someone taking a chance on him as early as the mid-3rd, but I don t see him as top 75 material, let alone top 40.

5. Justin King CB Penn State --- He ran a 4.31 at the Combine. That is literally his resume. Justin got some postseason honors for his 2007 play, but that was a complete joke. Anyone who watched the Indiana or Buffalo games saw King getting beaten left and right. He does have talent, but rarely plays up to that level. I would not spend a pick on him in the 1st or 2nd round, but teams do fall in love with speed.

Here is a list of underrated players:

1. Eddie Royal WR/RS Virginia Tech --- We have Eddie ranked as a top 50 prospect. I can t see him getting out of the 2nd round. And I keep hearing from other people that some see him as a 3rd or even 4th round player. Wow. Eddie didn t put up great numbers. Did you happen to notice Va Tech s QB play the last few years? Eddie went to the Senior Bowl and looked as good as any WR there. He went to the Combine and looked as good as any WR there. Add in his return ability and you have a player that people will regret passing on.

2. Steve Slaton RB West Virginia --- He should not have come out early. Steve either got bad info or ignored good info. He s not a top 75 player. There isn t much reason to come out if you aren t up in that area. Still, people now act as if Steve is already an NFL bust. That is crazy. He had a great Sophomore year. His numbers came down in 2007, but he still ran for over 1,000 yards, averaged 5 yards per carry, and scored 18 TDs. Not bad for an off year. Steve has good vision, makes great cuts, and is a gifted receiver. One of the things that hurts him is that he plays better than he tests. Take a chance on him in the late 3rd or early 4th and you might find yourself a heck of a playmaker.

3. Jack Williams CB Kent --- Cover 2 teams should be drooling over this guy. Jack is a great tackler. Brandon Flowers has nothing on him. Prior to getting hurt, he was leading the MAC in tackles. He had 19 against Central Michigan. 19? Not bad for a CB. He can also cover. Jack had 13 career INTs. He s only 5 9, 180, but he had a terrific showing at his Pro Day. So you ve got an athletic corner who can hit, tackle, and cover. Those guys are not easy to find.

4. Martail Burnett DE Utah --- Athletic LDE. Had 15 TFLs, including 7 sacks, in 2007. Not the greatest pass rusher, but a disruptive player off the edge. At 6 3, 260 he s got an interesting frame. Martail could add weight and play LDE in the NFL. He s athletic enough to drop a few pounds and shift to LB, either in a 3-4 or 4-3. He s not just a workout warrior either. Put on the tape and you can see Martail s athleticism. Likely a late pick, but has potential.

5. Darrell Blackman RS/WR NC State --- I was not his biggest fan in the past. Darrell acted like a punk at times. He seemed to clean up his act under new coach Tom O Brien. The one thing that stayed constant was his production. Darrell had a solid year on punts and kickoffs. He ran back one KOR for a TD. He played in the Texas vs Nation all-star game and ran a KO back for a score. He almost busted another for a TD. He started his career at RB before moving to WR. Darrell is strictly a role player on offense, but he could step right in and handle the return duties for an NFL team.

good list

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Mr. Offseason Newbie

Mr. Offseason

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Matthew Pritts (4/18/2008)
I stopped reading when it said Henne was overrated.

i know, we all know.

you have formed your opinion, and over and over again you post it. you dont ever seem to discuss, you just tell what you think as if it is fact.

you say henne is consistent, when it is borderline a factual statement to say that he is NOT, in fact, consistent. you say henne is a franchise qb, which is your opinion. however, his lack of consistency, his problems when facing pressure, his less than ideal release/fundamentals and his overall streakiness indicate something significantly different. however, instead of discussing these things you either ignore them or say the opposite because you have either convinced yourself that henne is so good that he only has one or two minor and very correctable flaws... or you just dont want to admit that there is more to his list of negatives than you have been letting on.

honestly, i think he and flacco are both overrated. in the middle of the 2nd round they would make more sense, but as the draft hype builds and people start talking about how we might have to TRADE BACK INTO THE FIRST for either one of them i just shake my head laughing. i will sit here laughing histerically if either of them is drafted in the 1st round, because that gm will be fired for 1. trading up for them and 2. for them not panning out because they would likely be forced in prematurely because of the 1st round pick label. meanwhile we will have hopefully gotten brohm at #34 and have our qb of the future.

all anyone talks about on this board is ryans negatives, which i am in no way refuting, i am as firm a believer in them as any, or henne and flaccos positives. i have to say that i have not been involved in many discussions (if any) about either of their negatives on a regular basis, especially about henne. just as ryan has been deemed the devil on this board it is almost as if henne has become an angel and no negative things can be said or believed, and it i find it hilarious yet a bit ridiculous, because there are some things that really bother me about him that are rarely if ever mentioned.

and a lot of it has to do with pritts spouting this garbage about him being consistent and a future franchise qb. i can understand your opinion of him being a future franchise qb, that is what you think. however i dont understand how you can over and over again say he is consistent when you have never once told me if you have watched him play a significant amount to get a feel for his consistency (or lack there-of) nor have you ever refuted my educated guess that you base your argument of him being consistent off his numbers being similar in each of the 4 years he started at michigan.

it drives me NUTS that there are so many people on this board and hardly anyone feels like discussing hennes downside, only his arm strength, his experience and his toughness. i like henne, but not enough that i can just pretend that his negatives will just work themselves out and years from now all the teams that passed on him will weep because they passed on him.

yeah, that was a pretty big rant. hope i didnt make anyone mad, this just really bothers me.

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dizzee rascal Newbie

dizzee rascal

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Kiper keeps saying John David Booty is underrated. I don't know.

I'm surprised that we don't hear much about Early Doucet. I know he's had some injury issues, but he's a **** of a football player. The difference in the LSU offense when he was on the sideline was remarkable. Yeah, their other recievers tended to drop some balls but the opposing teams keyed on Doucet and he still imposed his will.

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Matthew Pritts Newbie

Matthew Pritts

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Mr. Offseason (4/19/2008)
Matthew Pritts (4/18/2008)
I stopped reading when it said Henne was overrated.

i know, we all know.

you have formed your opinion, and over and over again you post it. you dont ever seem to discuss, you just tell what you think as if it is fact.

you say henne is consistent, when it is borderline a factual statement to say that he is NOT, in fact, consistent. you say henne is a franchise qb, which is your opinion. however, his lack of consistency, his problems when facing pressure, his less than ideal release/fundamentals and his overall streakiness indicate something significantly different. however, instead of discussing these things you either ignore them or say the opposite because you have either convinced yourself that henne is so good that he only has one or two minor and very correctable flaws... or you just dont want to admit that there is more to his list of negatives than you have been letting on.

honestly, i think he and flacco are both overrated. in the middle of the 2nd round they would make more sense, but as the draft hype builds and people start talking about how we might have to TRADE BACK INTO THE FIRST for either one of them i just shake my head laughing. i will sit here laughing histerically if either of them is drafted in the 1st round, because that gm will be fired for 1. trading up for them and 2. for them not panning out because they would likely be forced in prematurely because of the 1st round pick label. meanwhile we will have hopefully gotten brohm at #34 and have our qb of the future.

all anyone talks about on this board is ryans negatives, which i am in no way refuting, i am as firm a believer in them as any, or henne and flaccos positives. i have to say that i have not been involved in many discussions (if any) about either of their negatives on a regular basis, especially about henne. just as ryan has been deemed the devil on this board it is almost as if henne has become an angel and no negative things can be said or believed, and it i find it hilarious yet a bit ridiculous, because there are some things that really bother me about him that are rarely if ever mentioned.

and a lot of it has to do with pritts spouting this garbage about him being consistent and a future franchise qb. i can understand your opinion of him being a future franchise qb, that is what you think. however i dont understand how you can over and over again say he is consistent when you have never once told me if you have watched him play a significant amount to get a feel for his consistency (or lack there-of) nor have you ever refuted my educated guess that you base your argument of him being consistent off his numbers being similar in each of the 4 years he started at michigan.

it drives me NUTS that there are so many people on this board and hardly anyone feels like discussing hennes downside, only his arm strength, his experience and his toughness. i like henne, but not enough that i can just pretend that his negatives will just work themselves out and years from now all the teams that passed on him will weep because they passed on him.

yeah, that was a pretty big rant. hope i didnt make anyone mad, this just really bothers me.

I'll give you this, you are consistent.

But you're not gonna break me. ;)

Henne's offense held him back more then anything. He can't help that he played in a conservative passing offesne at Michigan. And if you look at his stat line Offseason, you'll notice that his attempts went down every season. And his TD's went from 23 his freshman year, but stayed at 22 his soph and junior years, even w/the drop in attempts. Now I know about the 17 TD's last year, but he missed 2 games. And his attempts went down again. But if had played those 2 games, he'd of been been in the 22 TD range yet again. But he never had below a 58% compl. rate in any year in college, had a 62% comp.rate his Junior year, and ended w/a 60% career compl.rate. So I don't see where all the "inconsistent" talk is coming from. People just wanna see what they wanna see I guess. Henne is a lot better the what you, Scott, and others are giving him credit for.

SO how's that explanation in defense of Henne, Offseason? ;) 

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Matthew Pritts Newbie

Matthew Pritts

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Scott24Falcons (4/19/2008)
Matthew Pritts (4/19/2008)
Scott24Falcons (4/19/2008)
Flacco > Henne

But I wouldn't touch either before #48.

I'd take Henne at the top of the 2nd.

Why take a future clipboard-holder in the second round?

He won't be.

Look at my post before this. Henne was very consistent in college, just played in a very conservative offense where his attempts went down every year but never had less then a 58% comp.rate in any year.

Not too good at diganosing QB's are you? :P It's one of my strengths.

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Scott24Falcons Newbie

Scott24Falcons

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Matthew Pritts (4/19/2008)
Scott24Falcons (4/19/2008)
Matthew Pritts (4/19/2008)
Scott24Falcons (4/19/2008)
Flacco > Henne

But I wouldn't touch either before #48.

I'd take Henne at the top of the 2nd.

Why take a future clipboard-holder in the second round?

Not too good at diganosing QB's are you? :P It's one of my strengths.

****, I can continuously ignore factual evidence, only to say "He's gonna be good" or "He's a bust waiting to happen."  More often that not, I'll be right too.

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