Waldman on Akers & Jefferson & (added) Hopkins

This topic has 6 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 6 months ago by Billy_T.

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May 2, 2020 at 2:27 am #114499

zn
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May 2, 2020 at 2:42 am #114500

zn
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May 2, 2020 at 10:53 am #114504

zn
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I thought this was interesting even if picky. The things he criticizes are coachable.

May 2, 2020 at 11:34 am #114506

Billy_T
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Akers and Jefferson offer another interesting aspect/advantage/difference, etc. . . . at least to me:

All things being equal, it’s better to draft younger players (IMO) — and 21 is pretty much as young as they get. Akers will be 21 (like Gurley) as a rook. Jefferson will be 24 (like Kupp).

All kinds of other factors kick in, obviously. Injuries, playing time, maturity, ability to pick up plays, schemes, etc. etc. But, on balance, if I’m a coach/scout/trainer, I’d rather have a younger player to work with, coach up, build up, etc. Akers is young enough that he hasn’t even fully grown into his body. He’s a likely candidate for “natural” weight gain. Jefferson? Not so much. He’s likely where he’s supposed to be, sans additional weight training. Akers also likely has more years of peak physical performance ahead of him than Jefferson. But the latter’s age may well be seen (by the Rams) as a major advantage. I think they drafted Kupp in large part because they saw him as already mature, NFL-ready, and their passing game needs that. They may not think the same thing is as necessary for their running game.

Thoughts?

May 2, 2020 at 12:14 pm #114508

zn
Moderator

Billy_T wrote:

Akers and Jefferson offer another interesting aspect/advantage/difference, etc. . . . at least to me:

All things being equal, it’s better to draft younger players (IMO) — and 21 is pretty much as young as they get. Akers will be 21 (like Gurley) as a rook. Jefferson will be 24 (like Kupp).

All kinds of other factors kick in, obviously. Injuries, playing time, maturity, ability to pick up plays, schemes, etc. etc. But, on balance, if I’m a coach/scout/trainer, I’d rather have a younger player to work with, coach up, build up, etc. Akers is young enough that he hasn’t even fully grown into his body. He’s a likely candidate for “natural” weight gain. Jefferson? Not so much. He’s likely where he’s supposed to be, sans additional weight training. Akers also likely has more years of peak physical performance ahead of him than Jefferson. But the latter’s age may well be seen (by the Rams) as a major advantage. I think they drafted Kupp in large part because they saw him as already mature, NFL-ready, and their passing game needs that. They may not think the same thing is as necessary for their running game.

Thoughts?

I agree with all that.

Jefferson guarantees them to have a Woods/Kupp -like factor no matter what. He’s like a somewhat taller Isaac.

Akers is just physically so dynamic. Crazy feet. Very good contact balance. Aggressive.

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May 2, 2020 at 2:35 pm #114519

zn
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Matt Waldman@MattWaldman
#Rams get an H-Back with excellent quickness and growth potential in the mold of Gerald Everett/Dustin Keller. The Rookie Scouting Portfolio (RSP)Matt Waldman’s RSP Boiler Room TE Brycen Hopkins (Purdue): Awareness, Body Control, and Toughness https://buff.ly/35vt08u

Toughness. It’s a prerequisite for consistent tight end performance in the NFL. Brycen Hopkins has demonstrated this toughness at the catch point as a shallow-zone receiver. If he can produce this way in the NFL, he’ll at least earn an H-Back role in two-tight end sets.

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May 2, 2020 at 3:17 pm #114523

Billy_T
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I know that testing isn’t playing the game on Sundays. The NFL is littered with examples of great athletes (and/or great testers) who just never developed into good football players.

That said, it’s interesting to compare Hopkins — and I liked the pick — to another recent draftee, Mike Gesicki . . .

If a mad-scientist could create a TE in a lab, I’d bet he or she would want the end result to be this guy:

Height Weight Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 5 1⁄2 in
(1.97 m) 247 lb
(112 kg) 34 1⁄8 in
(0.87 m) 10 1⁄4 in
(0.26 m) 4.54 s 1.56 s 2.65 s 4.10 s 6.76 s 41 1⁄2 in
(1.05 m) 10 ft 9 in
(3.28 m) 22 reps

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gesicki
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