Daily Short #136, January 31st, 2017: Around the Board
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
This a new style of column I'm going to try out called "Around the Board." I'll scan some of the posts on Orangebloods this morning and give my thoughts on them here in the column. Thanks to the original posters of these threads for helping me write the Daily Short today.
From @danlaw08 - Thread Title: Ingram Better than Porter?
I can understand where someone who feels this way comes from. For those not fluent in OB shorthand, the original poster is asking "an honest question" about whether 2018 RB commit Keaontay Ingram is better than junior-to-be Kyle Porter. So ... to be quite honest, I was pretty underwhelemed with Keaontay Ingram's film upon first watching it as well. However, those worries melted away after getting to see Ingram live last summer at state 7v7. I also find solace in knowing that personnel men from state of Texas D1 staffs view Ingram as the top in-state RB option in the class as does Jason Howell of TexAgs.
From my writeup of Ingram's commitment:
Texas' 9th commitment of the 2018 class is a game-breaker with a skillset and physical profile that is not really that similar to any RB the team has on the roster. The closest might be Toneil Carter. However, Ingram's mix of suddenness, size, power, wiggle and full-field, game-breaking vision remind me most of class of 2016 stud Devwah Whaley who averaged 5.5 yards a carry as a freshman in the SEC playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
I spoke with members of a two recruiting staffs in the state of Texas, both of whom had offered Ingram, and the consensus among them is that Ingram is the best RB in the state for the 2018 class. He's also ranked as the No. 1 RB in the class in Ketchum's most recent LSR Top 100 - and by virtually every other outlet.
I texted with current TexAgs recruiting analyst and former OB staffer Jason Howell about Ingram, who has had the opportunity to see live and speak with frequently as a creepy stocker of young boys:
From Howell:
"He's a big-bodied, all-around back -- an every down contributor."
"Really a big fan, good, hard-nosed kid with some shake. He's not a pounder but he's plenty big."
I texted back that he's definitely a tall kid, probably over six feet and asked if he's gotten a recent weight on him:
"He may be 200 pounds now, and he's got room to add some good weight from there."
I said that with that kind of height, he looks like a guy who can certainly fill out as his arms look kind of lanky almost like a WR and he's slender:
"Yep, he runs real upright"
"But he does a good job getting his pad-level down when getting through the hole."
"A really good get."
Then, he echoed the sentiment I'd heard from the only opinions who really matter in the grand scheme of things: the scouting staffs who give offers:
"Best RB in Texas."
So ... my answer to the original post is that, yes, Ingram is better than Porter. Or at least Texas fans should hope so because Porter has had virtually nonexistent impact with the football in his hands since Tom Herman came to town and it's awfully hard to predict that turning around based on what the eyeballs have shown over the course of 2017.
From @Rotarran9116 - Thread Title: Mel Kiper's Latest 1st Round Projection
I know that some people think Mel Kiper Jr. is a hack and I sort of get it. I even personally find it a little bit offensive that, since he reportedly refuses to fly, he rarely gets to get out and see any of these guys live. Whether it's in a college football game, at events like the Senior Bowl or combine, or even a pro day, seeing a prospect live and in-person is just a kind of critical piece in the evaluation puzzle. Does it necessarily change your views of what you've observed on tape? Well, it technically shouldn't, but it does serve as confirmation in some ways of your evaluation and is also just part of the process to be around these players and allow the experience of being around them to become part of your collective memory for comparison-sake. If my job depends on getting these things right -- as it technically does to some degree in my case as someone who earns a vital part of my income creating draft and player-evaluation content -- I think the responsible thing is to get on the road and go see these guys.
All that aside, I can't stand the #DraftTwitter contingent of animals who consistently call for Kiper's head painting him as irrelevant and a dinosaur, etc. This is because #DraftTwitter and the legions of maniacal fans who treat the NFL draft process like an annual three-month holiday wouldn't have all this fun without guys like Kiper paving the way. It reminds me of fantasy analysts who crap on Matthew Berry for giving what they view as mediocre analysis compared to what is available out there today. To those people I say that you don't have a job or a platform to talk about this stuff without Matt Berry.
As for the actual mock draft, I don't put much stock in these early ones and threw big-time fits at my old employer when they asked me to make them before free agency. However, as pointed out in the OP, it is interesting to see Williams "fall" to the Vikes at 31. It would be a good fit -- and the slotting makes sense to me as my final evaluation on Williams was a late-first to second-round prospect. As for Jefferson, I think it will take a MONSTER combine performance to elevate his status to first-round. Teams know he's fast, but he's going to have to show he's lightning fast.
Also, just as far as Marcus Davenport (the UTSA kid) - I wouldn't call him a guy Texas lost out on in recruiting. He told us last week that he put on like 65 pounds in college to get to his current size. A longshot project all the way who actually hit. Big programs will miss on those types every time as they don't need to take those sorts of risks betting on crazy physical development.
From @Don Brodka - Thread Title: James Harden has 60/11/10 tonight
There's nothing like waking up in the morning and seeing a notification on your phone that your DraftKings account has been credited with winnings. I almost fell off the bed when I saw that James Harden put up the mythical, magical and ever-so-elusive 100-plus-point fantasy basketball performance. 60 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 block while also managing to drain five from downtown. Rockets fans will disagree, but as a fantasy player, I say let CP3 sit out more often!
From @cs1327 - Thread Title: Illinois Proposes Ban on Tackle Football
I think the writing is on the wall that participation in youth football will continue to drop, but I'm not as much of a "doomsday'-type in regards to football's future as many are. I'll never understand the folks who point to declining television ratings as any real indicator of anything. The fact is that television as a whole is dying. The ratings for everything suck compared to recent history. It's because everyone can now watch whatever they want on demand -- everything except sports which, to have any real utility and appeal, need to be watched live. It's the reason all the most-watched television programs are always sporting events. Nothing comes close. Sports are basically the reason for television as we know it to even exist in the future, and football is America's sport. To think it will be overtaken by baseball, basketball, or more hilariously, soccer (just because youth soccer numbers are up) is unabashedly cockamamie and laugh-out-loud-level B.S.
I played tackle football starting in sixth grade. Some of my friends started earlier than me, maybe 4th and 5th grade. Now, as a dude in his late 30s, when I hold my son and think about his little brain and what we know right now about concussions, etc. I know for sure I'd not want him playing as early as my friends and I all started. Heck, I'd be worried as hell as a Daddy even letting him loose on a 7th grade football team, but it's probably the same fear my parents always had for me.
Here's where I'm conflicted: I personally don't think it would hurt the game of football for it to be disallowed until you were a freshman in high school for tackle.
You could play 7v7 in middle school and pick up 95% of the basics. Linemen could get up to speed on everything they need to know in their first full-contact camp of freshman ball. I truly wouldn't mind that one bit.
HOWEVER, I think the state of Illinois is one of the more crony-filled bureaucracies in our nation with a state house filled with so many problems and money coming in from so many outside interests (see the Rivers Casino and Gaming Group for just one of many examples) that this legislation just feels like something that should be 1000th on the list behind ... oh I don't know ... the 31 people shot and killed and the 159 shot and wounded just this month in the city of Chicago. While I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment of this legislation, Illinois lawmakers need to focus on more pressing issues than trying to tell citizens how they can and can't allow their own children to participate in youth sports.
presented by the Dental Offices of Wendy Swantkowski, DDS
The Absolute BEST in family and cosmetic dentistry for the Houston-Memorial Area
Now Accepting New Patients --- 281-293-9140
This a new style of column I'm going to try out called "Around the Board." I'll scan some of the posts on Orangebloods this morning and give my thoughts on them here in the column. Thanks to the original posters of these threads for helping me write the Daily Short today.
From @danlaw08 - Thread Title: Ingram Better than Porter?
I can understand where someone who feels this way comes from. For those not fluent in OB shorthand, the original poster is asking "an honest question" about whether 2018 RB commit Keaontay Ingram is better than junior-to-be Kyle Porter. So ... to be quite honest, I was pretty underwhelemed with Keaontay Ingram's film upon first watching it as well. However, those worries melted away after getting to see Ingram live last summer at state 7v7. I also find solace in knowing that personnel men from state of Texas D1 staffs view Ingram as the top in-state RB option in the class as does Jason Howell of TexAgs.
From my writeup of Ingram's commitment:
Texas' 9th commitment of the 2018 class is a game-breaker with a skillset and physical profile that is not really that similar to any RB the team has on the roster. The closest might be Toneil Carter. However, Ingram's mix of suddenness, size, power, wiggle and full-field, game-breaking vision remind me most of class of 2016 stud Devwah Whaley who averaged 5.5 yards a carry as a freshman in the SEC playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
I spoke with members of a two recruiting staffs in the state of Texas, both of whom had offered Ingram, and the consensus among them is that Ingram is the best RB in the state for the 2018 class. He's also ranked as the No. 1 RB in the class in Ketchum's most recent LSR Top 100 - and by virtually every other outlet.
I texted with current TexAgs recruiting analyst and former OB staffer Jason Howell about Ingram, who has had the opportunity to see live and speak with frequently as a creepy stocker of young boys:
From Howell:
"He's a big-bodied, all-around back -- an every down contributor."
"Really a big fan, good, hard-nosed kid with some shake. He's not a pounder but he's plenty big."
I texted back that he's definitely a tall kid, probably over six feet and asked if he's gotten a recent weight on him:
"He may be 200 pounds now, and he's got room to add some good weight from there."
I said that with that kind of height, he looks like a guy who can certainly fill out as his arms look kind of lanky almost like a WR and he's slender:
"Yep, he runs real upright"
"But he does a good job getting his pad-level down when getting through the hole."
"A really good get."
Then, he echoed the sentiment I'd heard from the only opinions who really matter in the grand scheme of things: the scouting staffs who give offers:
"Best RB in Texas."
So ... my answer to the original post is that, yes, Ingram is better than Porter. Or at least Texas fans should hope so because Porter has had virtually nonexistent impact with the football in his hands since Tom Herman came to town and it's awfully hard to predict that turning around based on what the eyeballs have shown over the course of 2017.
From @Rotarran9116 - Thread Title: Mel Kiper's Latest 1st Round Projection
I know that some people think Mel Kiper Jr. is a hack and I sort of get it. I even personally find it a little bit offensive that, since he reportedly refuses to fly, he rarely gets to get out and see any of these guys live. Whether it's in a college football game, at events like the Senior Bowl or combine, or even a pro day, seeing a prospect live and in-person is just a kind of critical piece in the evaluation puzzle. Does it necessarily change your views of what you've observed on tape? Well, it technically shouldn't, but it does serve as confirmation in some ways of your evaluation and is also just part of the process to be around these players and allow the experience of being around them to become part of your collective memory for comparison-sake. If my job depends on getting these things right -- as it technically does to some degree in my case as someone who earns a vital part of my income creating draft and player-evaluation content -- I think the responsible thing is to get on the road and go see these guys.
All that aside, I can't stand the #DraftTwitter contingent of animals who consistently call for Kiper's head painting him as irrelevant and a dinosaur, etc. This is because #DraftTwitter and the legions of maniacal fans who treat the NFL draft process like an annual three-month holiday wouldn't have all this fun without guys like Kiper paving the way. It reminds me of fantasy analysts who crap on Matthew Berry for giving what they view as mediocre analysis compared to what is available out there today. To those people I say that you don't have a job or a platform to talk about this stuff without Matt Berry.
As for the actual mock draft, I don't put much stock in these early ones and threw big-time fits at my old employer when they asked me to make them before free agency. However, as pointed out in the OP, it is interesting to see Williams "fall" to the Vikes at 31. It would be a good fit -- and the slotting makes sense to me as my final evaluation on Williams was a late-first to second-round prospect. As for Jefferson, I think it will take a MONSTER combine performance to elevate his status to first-round. Teams know he's fast, but he's going to have to show he's lightning fast.
Also, just as far as Marcus Davenport (the UTSA kid) - I wouldn't call him a guy Texas lost out on in recruiting. He told us last week that he put on like 65 pounds in college to get to his current size. A longshot project all the way who actually hit. Big programs will miss on those types every time as they don't need to take those sorts of risks betting on crazy physical development.
From @Don Brodka - Thread Title: James Harden has 60/11/10 tonight
There's nothing like waking up in the morning and seeing a notification on your phone that your DraftKings account has been credited with winnings. I almost fell off the bed when I saw that James Harden put up the mythical, magical and ever-so-elusive 100-plus-point fantasy basketball performance. 60 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 block while also managing to drain five from downtown. Rockets fans will disagree, but as a fantasy player, I say let CP3 sit out more often!
From @cs1327 - Thread Title: Illinois Proposes Ban on Tackle Football
I think the writing is on the wall that participation in youth football will continue to drop, but I'm not as much of a "doomsday'-type in regards to football's future as many are. I'll never understand the folks who point to declining television ratings as any real indicator of anything. The fact is that television as a whole is dying. The ratings for everything suck compared to recent history. It's because everyone can now watch whatever they want on demand -- everything except sports which, to have any real utility and appeal, need to be watched live. It's the reason all the most-watched television programs are always sporting events. Nothing comes close. Sports are basically the reason for television as we know it to even exist in the future, and football is America's sport. To think it will be overtaken by baseball, basketball, or more hilariously, soccer (just because youth soccer numbers are up) is unabashedly cockamamie and laugh-out-loud-level B.S.
I played tackle football starting in sixth grade. Some of my friends started earlier than me, maybe 4th and 5th grade. Now, as a dude in his late 30s, when I hold my son and think about his little brain and what we know right now about concussions, etc. I know for sure I'd not want him playing as early as my friends and I all started. Heck, I'd be worried as hell as a Daddy even letting him loose on a 7th grade football team, but it's probably the same fear my parents always had for me.
Here's where I'm conflicted: I personally don't think it would hurt the game of football for it to be disallowed until you were a freshman in high school for tackle.
You could play 7v7 in middle school and pick up 95% of the basics. Linemen could get up to speed on everything they need to know in their first full-contact camp of freshman ball. I truly wouldn't mind that one bit.
HOWEVER, I think the state of Illinois is one of the more crony-filled bureaucracies in our nation with a state house filled with so many problems and money coming in from so many outside interests (see the Rivers Casino and Gaming Group for just one of many examples) that this legislation just feels like something that should be 1000th on the list behind ... oh I don't know ... the 31 people shot and killed and the 159 shot and wounded just this month in the city of Chicago. While I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment of this legislation, Illinois lawmakers need to focus on more pressing issues than trying to tell citizens how they can and can't allow their own children to participate in youth sports.
