Big names dominated among this week’s rookies with two players from
each of the first three rounds making an impact in Week 5. Just past the
one-quarter mark of the season, it’s about the time when the light goes
on for many rookies around the NFL and you can expect most of these
players to continue to play well for their teams as the season goes on.
Chris Tripodi will let you know who caught his eye from Week 5’s action.
Eddie Lacy (RB-GB)
After a concussion knocked him out early in Week 2 and allowed James
Starks and Johnathan Franklin to put up 100-yard games in his absence,
Lacy missed out on a 100-yard day of his own by just a yard in Green
Bay’s 22-9 win over Detroit on Sunday. Franklin was set to work in a
change-of-pace role until he was benched after a fumble on his third
carry. Lacy had 23 carries on the game and added a reception and looks
like the Packers’ feature back as long as he stays healthy.
Read the rest at Draft Insider
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Week 6 NCAA Scouting Notes: USF-Cincinnati
After starting the season 0-4 before AAC play, the South Florida Bulls
hosted 3-1 Cincinnati in a game they were expected to lose. Thanks to
two first half touchdowns on defense and special teams, the Bulls built
an early lead and held on despite a poor overall performance on offense.
But their defense was tenacious especially in the first half, which led
to a few big performances from their defensive stars.
Read the rest at Optimum Scouting.
Read the rest at Optimum Scouting.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Should a Return to the Yankees Be in Joe Girardi's Future?
(Originally posted at http://sports.yahoo.com/news/missing-playoffs-york-yankees-manager-joe-girardi-hot-144200661--mlb.html)
Despite fielding a starting lineup consisting of multiple
backup-caliber players for the entire season, some still considered
Girardi as good as gone when his contract expired.
After keeping the Yankees in contention until the final week of season, Girardi is a better candidate for Manager of the Year than he is to be replaced by the Yankees. The job he did to keep this team in contention without its highest-paid players on the field was remarkable and there are multiple reasons the Yankees shouldn't be blaming their manager.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
COMMENTARY | Throughout the 2013 season, the possibility of Joe Girardi not returning to the Yankees in 2014 was broached by baseball reporters and Yankees fans alike.
After keeping the Yankees in contention until the final week of season, Girardi is a better candidate for Manager of the Year than he is to be replaced by the Yankees. The job he did to keep this team in contention without its highest-paid players on the field was remarkable and there are multiple reasons the Yankees shouldn't be blaming their manager.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
Geno Smith on Film: What's Plaguing the Jets' Rookie Quarterback?
(Originally posted at http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/film-review-whats-behind-geno-smiths-down-season-161100806--nfl.html)
COMMENTARY | Rookie quarterbacks are bound to struggle in their first NFL season. The 2012 NFL draft produced three quarterbacks who led their teams to the playoffs but even Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III looked like first-year players at times.
In Luck's first career game, he barely completed 50% of his passes and was intercepted three times. Wilson didn't throw for more than 160 yards until Week 5, as Seattle protected him early with a run-heavy offensive philosophy. Griffin III threw for 300 yards twice in his first four games but as the league adjusted to him, he only cracked 250 yards passing once in his next six games.
New York Jets' quarterback Geno Smith has certainly experienced the highs and lows of rookie life in the NFL through four weeks. After starting the season with a last-second victory over Tampa Bay in Week 1, Smith failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities in Week 2 against New England and threw three fourth quarter interceptions to seal the Jets' fate.
There were many reasons behind Smith's struggles, which I noted in an in-depth two-part breakdown for Jets 101 that can be found here and here. After watching every passing play from his first two weeks as an NFL quarterback it was apparent to me that despite the mistakes, there were a lot of positives for Smith to build on.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
COMMENTARY | Rookie quarterbacks are bound to struggle in their first NFL season. The 2012 NFL draft produced three quarterbacks who led their teams to the playoffs but even Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III looked like first-year players at times.
In Luck's first career game, he barely completed 50% of his passes and was intercepted three times. Wilson didn't throw for more than 160 yards until Week 5, as Seattle protected him early with a run-heavy offensive philosophy. Griffin III threw for 300 yards twice in his first four games but as the league adjusted to him, he only cracked 250 yards passing once in his next six games.
New York Jets' quarterback Geno Smith has certainly experienced the highs and lows of rookie life in the NFL through four weeks. After starting the season with a last-second victory over Tampa Bay in Week 1, Smith failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities in Week 2 against New England and threw three fourth quarter interceptions to seal the Jets' fate.
There were many reasons behind Smith's struggles, which I noted in an in-depth two-part breakdown for Jets 101 that can be found here and here. After watching every passing play from his first two weeks as an NFL quarterback it was apparent to me that despite the mistakes, there were a lot of positives for Smith to build on.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Week 4 Rookie Report
(Originally posted at http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=7581)
The big rookie news heading into Week 4 was Mike Glennon taking over for Josh Freeman in Tampa Bay but the Steelers also debuted first-year running back Le’Veon Bell, playing his first game since suffering a foot injury before the season. Glennon’s undrafted safety valve made this week’s report as well as two other second-round picks who have had their shares of ups and downs in the early season. Chris Tripodi returns with another look at impact rookies around the league.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
The big rookie news heading into Week 4 was Mike Glennon taking over for Josh Freeman in Tampa Bay but the Steelers also debuted first-year running back Le’Veon Bell, playing his first game since suffering a foot injury before the season. Glennon’s undrafted safety valve made this week’s report as well as two other second-round picks who have had their shares of ups and downs in the early season. Chris Tripodi returns with another look at impact rookies around the league.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Training Camp Questions Abound for the New York Knicks
(Originally posted at http://sports.yahoo.com/news/five-training-camp-questions-surrounding-york-knicks-172200272--nba.html)
COMMENTARY | Fresh off their first second-round appearance since the 1999-2000 season, the cap-strapped New York Knicks still managed to add pieces to their roster this offseason by trading for Andrea Bargnani and signing Metta World Peace.
Despite adding talent and losing little from last season's roster, the prevailing opinion on the 2013-14 Knicks is that they are not one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams
The Miami Heat won their second straight NBA title. The Indiana Pacers are a young, improving team that will get Danny Granger back. The Chicago Bulls will welcome back point guard Derrick Rose, the 2011 NBA MVP, and the Brooklyn Nets added Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko
The Knicks also have a new GM as Steve Mills replaced Glen Grunwald just over a month before the start of the season. As a result of all the offseason turnover, the Knicks enter training camp with many unanswered questions for the upcoming season. What are the biggest issues facing the team leading up to its October 30 season opener?
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
COMMENTARY | Fresh off their first second-round appearance since the 1999-2000 season, the cap-strapped New York Knicks still managed to add pieces to their roster this offseason by trading for Andrea Bargnani and signing Metta World Peace.
Despite adding talent and losing little from last season's roster, the prevailing opinion on the 2013-14 Knicks is that they are not one of the Eastern Conference's elite teams
The Miami Heat won their second straight NBA title. The Indiana Pacers are a young, improving team that will get Danny Granger back. The Chicago Bulls will welcome back point guard Derrick Rose, the 2011 NBA MVP, and the Brooklyn Nets added Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko
The Knicks also have a new GM as Steve Mills replaced Glen Grunwald just over a month before the start of the season. As a result of all the offseason turnover, the Knicks enter training camp with many unanswered questions for the upcoming season. What are the biggest issues facing the team leading up to its October 30 season opener?
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Week 5 College Football Scouting Notes: UCF-South Carolina
(Originally posted at http://www.optimumscouting.com/draft/articles/2014-nfl-draft-scouting-notes-from-ucf-vs-south-carolina.html)
Junior quarterback Blake Bortles has gotten a lot of attention here at Optimum Scouting and with good reason. Bortles has everything NFL teams want in a quarterback with good size, arm strength and mobility to break the pocket. Bortles recently said he wasn’t thinking about the NFL after this season and while there were certainly scouts on hand to watch his performance against Jadeveon Clowney and South Carolina, they would probably agree that he shouldn’t be thinking about the NFL until the 2015 draft.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
Junior quarterback Blake Bortles has gotten a lot of attention here at Optimum Scouting and with good reason. Bortles has everything NFL teams want in a quarterback with good size, arm strength and mobility to break the pocket. Bortles recently said he wasn’t thinking about the NFL after this season and while there were certainly scouts on hand to watch his performance against Jadeveon Clowney and South Carolina, they would probably agree that he shouldn’t be thinking about the NFL until the 2015 draft.
(For more of this article, please visit the link above)
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