MLB prospects

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Re: MLB prospects

Post by Mothman »

VikingLord wrote:Spielman has already extolled the virtues of Ogletree IIRC, so if he's still there at #23 I'd be shocked if the Vikes pass on him.

Hopefully, that was a smokescreen.
His character concerns are a big deal, and I hope if the Vikes do take him they find a way to bring him along slowly rather than quickly. That's hard to do when you spend a 1st on a guy and you have no incumbent, but maybe the Vikes can shuffle things around or find a vet in FA that can help bring him along.
I imagine that would help, although as you say, it could be hard to bring a 1st round pick drafted to play a position without an incumbent starter along slowly. I wish it was just the character concerns that worried me about Ogletree but there are aspects of his game that concern me too. It would be easier to consider the latter worth the risk if not for the former. As it is, I really hope he's either gone when they pick or that they go in another direction, although if they draft him I'll hope for the best.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by MrPurplenGold »

VikingLord wrote: Spielman has already extolled the virtues of Ogletree IIRC, so if he's still there at #23 I'd be shocked if the Vikes pass on him.

His character concerns are a big deal, and I hope if the Vikes do take him they find a way to bring him along slowly rather than quickly. That's hard to do when you spend a 1st on a guy and you have no incumbent, but maybe the Vikes can shuffle things around or find a vet in FA that can help bring him along.
Because they did such a great job dealing with Percy Harvin and his issues. I dont think they are going to even look at ogletree, now thats not to say they are going to look at teo either
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by saint33 »

Just my 2 cents about each MLB rumored to go around our 1st round picks. I'll rank them here:

1. Manti Te'o - I know a lot of people will disagree with this, and that's fine. I don't remember where I read it, but somewhere on this board I think someone put it perfectly... Te'o was an extremely over-hyped player in college, ridiculously over-hyped. From the Heisman nomination to being ranked in the top 5 in a lot of mock drafts, to even being rumored to go #1 overall at one point I remember. All of this was way overkill and it all suddenly crashed around the BCS Championship game and fake girlfriend scandal. And all of a sudden people began to realize that the hype was far too much for him, and as people really started to analyze and criticize his game, they realized where his value really should have been all along, which is the 2nd half of the 1st round. But all the over-hyping, followed by such negative attention and what was a pedestrian combine, people have really started to over analyze him, becoming overly critical, and in actuality, he's become undervalued as a result of it.

So here's my honest evaluation of him. First of all, I'd like to address the prevailing belief that he's a liability in coverage. This is not true, and I laugh every time I see a comparison to Jasper Brinkley. Is it true that Te'o, like Brinkley, is better in run support than pass coverage? Absolutely. But that's where the comparison ends. Just because they are both better at one aspect of the game then the other aspect, does not mean they are identical players. Brinkley is horrible in pass coverage, and while he's a solid thumper in run support, he's all around a lesser LB today than Te'o, and I truly believe that.

Te'o is not only a "thumper" or a "run-stuffer". He is a downhill LB, but he is also a 3 down LB in the NFL. His 40 time was poor, but there are reports that his 1st 20 yards were on par with a player who runs a 4.6 40. With the publicity now that surrounds the combine, people can get far too engulfed in relatively unimportant numbers like a 40 time. It's probably the most overrated "statistic" in all of football, especially in regards to certain positions, like LB. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that Te'o is not an elite athlete at his position, he is a bit tighter in the hips and not as explosive an athlete as a guy like Ogletree. But he's more physical then Ogletree, and he's far more instinctive, and that's what separates Te'o in my mind from all the other MLBs we'll potentially be drafting. Te'o's instincts are the best in the draft and he reads plays the best as well. And that's where his coverage skills have largely improved to the point where he was able to get 7 INTs in his senior year. He makes up for a lack of fluidity in his hips with knowledge and instincts. He knows where he needs to be on the field and he has a feel for adjusting to the play to put himself in around the ball.

As for the BCS Championship game, I think what get's underlooked is how much Notre Dame's defensive line was overmatched in that game. Te'o had a bad game, but his defensive line was dominated and allowed those dominant Alabama olineman to get to Te'o.

Anyways, I think out of all the MLBs, I feel the most comfortable with Te'o. I think what he brings in intangibles, leadership, football knowledge and instincts far out weighs the athleticism that the other LBs bring. I think Te'o is the best football player of the bunch, but is getting overlooked because he's not the best athlete.


2. Arthur Brown - This a fast riser, so I've tried to find all the video of him as I can, and I have to admit, he's very impressive. He's undersized, or at least he was in game shape. Since then he's put on weight, he's right around 240 which isn't bad for a MLB. But he was listed in the 220s in college and he certainly looked it. But he's an explosive player, he's all over the field. I haven't seen quite enough of him to anoint him ahead of Te'o yet, but we ended up passing on Te'o and taking Brown instead, I would not be disappointed, because this kid appears to be very impressive, and could be something special.

3. Kevin Minter - Similar to Te'o, better in run support than pass coverage. A downhill LB, solid in his reads and his instincts. Solid tackler, is good and shedding blocks and getting to the ball carrier. Really, there's a lot of similarities between Te'o and Minter's games. The thing that separates them to me though is that Te'o has more of a knack for game changing plays, and his on field leadership and presence is felt more than Minter. I have no problems with drafting Minter, he'll end up being a solid starting LB in the NFL. But I'd prefer them to trade down and grab him if they target him, and I'd be disappointed if we picked him over Te'o or Brown.

4. Alec Ogletree - I really don't want anything to do with Ogletree. He is a boom or bust type of player. His talent is undeniable, he's the best athlete of the LB prospects and is strong in pass coverage. However, as has been mentioned, he's not nearly as physical a LB to play the Mike in our scheme. Honestly, I think if he were to go to a 4-3 team, he would be better off at WLB where he can use his range and athleticism better on the perimeter, working off the edge rather than in the middle, where I feel like he'd get washed away far too often. And then you add the off field issues into the mix, I think there's a lot of risk invovled in drafting Ogletree.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by Texas Vike »

saint33 wrote:Just my 2 cents about each MLB rumored to go around our 1st round picks. I'll rank them here:

1. Manti Te'o - I know a lot of people will disagree with this, and that's fine. I don't remember where I read it, but somewhere on this board I think someone put it perfectly... Te'o was an extremely over-hyped player in college, ridiculously over-hyped. From the Heisman nomination to being ranked in the top 5 in a lot of mock drafts, to even being rumored to go #1 overall at one point I remember. All of this was way overkill and it all suddenly crashed around the BCS Championship game and fake girlfriend scandal. And all of a sudden people began to realize that the hype was far too much for him, and as people really started to analyze and criticize his game, they realized where his value really should have been all along, which is the 2nd half of the 1st round. But all the over-hyping, followed by such negative attention and what was a pedestrian combine, people have really started to over analyze him, becoming overly critical, and in actuality, he's become undervalued as a result of it.

So here's my honest evaluation of him. First of all, I'd like to address the prevailing belief that he's a liability in coverage. This is not true, and I laugh every time I see a comparison to Jasper Brinkley. Is it true that Te'o, like Brinkley, is better in run support than pass coverage? Absolutely. But that's where the comparison ends. Just because they are both better at one aspect of the game then the other aspect, does not mean they are identical players. Brinkley is horrible in pass coverage, and while he's a solid thumper in run support, he's all around a lesser LB today than Te'o, and I truly believe that.

Te'o is not only a "thumper" or a "run-stuffer". He is a downhill LB, but he is also a 3 down LB in the NFL. His 40 time was poor, but there are reports that his 1st 20 yards were on par with a player who runs a 4.6 40. With the publicity now that surrounds the combine, people can get far too engulfed in relatively unimportant numbers like a 40 time. It's probably the most overrated "statistic" in all of football, especially in regards to certain positions, like LB. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that Te'o is not an elite athlete at his position, he is a bit tighter in the hips and not as explosive an athlete as a guy like Ogletree. But he's more physical then Ogletree, and he's far more instinctive, and that's what separates Te'o in my mind from all the other MLBs we'll potentially be drafting. Te'o's instincts are the best in the draft and he reads plays the best as well. And that's where his coverage skills have largely improved to the point where he was able to get 7 INTs in his senior year. He makes up for a lack of fluidity in his hips with knowledge and instincts. He knows where he needs to be on the field and he has a feel for adjusting to the play to put himself in around the ball.

As for the BCS Championship game, I think what get's underlooked is how much Notre Dame's defensive line was overmatched in that game. Te'o had a bad game, but his defensive line was dominated and allowed those dominant Alabama olineman to get to Te'o.

Anyways, I think out of all the MLBs, I feel the most comfortable with Te'o. I think what he brings in intangibles, leadership, football knowledge and instincts far out weighs the athleticism that the other LBs bring. I think Te'o is the best football player of the bunch, but is getting overlooked because he's not the best athlete.


2. Arthur Brown - This a fast riser, so I've tried to find all the video of him as I can, and I have to admit, he's very impressive. He's undersized, or at least he was in game shape. Since then he's put on weight, he's right around 240 which isn't bad for a MLB. But he was listed in the 220s in college and he certainly looked it. But he's an explosive player, he's all over the field. I haven't seen quite enough of him to anoint him ahead of Te'o yet, but we ended up passing on Te'o and taking Brown instead, I would not be disappointed, because this kid appears to be very impressive, and could be something special.

3. Kevin Minter - Similar to Te'o, better in run support than pass coverage. A downhill LB, solid in his reads and his instincts. Solid tackler, is good and shedding blocks and getting to the ball carrier. Really, there's a lot of similarities between Te'o and Minter's games. The thing that separates them to me though is that Te'o has more of a knack for game changing plays, and his on field leadership and presence is felt more than Minter. I have no problems with drafting Minter, he'll end up being a solid starting LB in the NFL. But I'd prefer them to trade down and grab him if they target him, and I'd be disappointed if we picked him over Te'o or Brown.

4. Alec Ogletree - I really don't want anything to do with Ogletree. He is a boom or bust type of player. His talent is undeniable, he's the best athlete of the LB prospects and is strong in pass coverage. However, as has been mentioned, he's not nearly as physical a LB to play the Mike in our scheme. Honestly, I think if he were to go to a 4-3 team, he would be better off at WLB where he can use his range and athleticism better on the perimeter, working off the edge rather than in the middle, where I feel like he'd get washed away far too often. And then you add the off field issues into the mix, I think there's a lot of risk invovled in drafting Ogletree.
I like your thoughts on Te'o. I definitely agree that his play on the field was exceptional and should be weighed much more heavily than his poor combine performance. His case is very illustrative of how "market value" on a particular player can fluctuate wildly based on a myriad of (subjective) factors. Like you, I like to take the "zoomed out" perspective, thinking about his overall production at the collegiate level and not let his bowl game performance or the fake girlfriend media whirlwind influence my take as much. After all, just a year ago many were hoping he'd be our LB and that was BEFORE he had a huge year as the heart and soul of ND's D and a rather impressive year. I think we may be fortunate to get him at our spot in the 1st round.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I have a couple of minor reservations with him, though. I watched the Heisman interviews on ESPN and a couple of things about Te'o seemed off to me. I sensed something was up with the girlfriend story and that later blew up (he showed very little emotion and seemed awkward speaking about it (Of course, ESPN was trying to sap every possible ounce out of the emotional, fairy tale-like story). He also said some things about loving the college game, where it wasn't about the money, etc. When he said it, I thought that it kind of sounded like a guy who was not looking forward to the next step in his career (NFL) but who was lamenting his departure from what he viewed as a more authentic version of football. I wouldn't want to hear that as a GM. Will he have trouble adjusting to the NFL emotionally and mentally? He's a guy that can elevate his play based on spiritual/emotional elements of his being. All of that extra energy can also be deflated quickly, as I think it was in the Bowl game with hoax about to be discovered nationally and already discovered by him. In the right situation I think he'll be great. But part of me wonders if NFL players will have trouble looking to him as their leader-- will they rally around him? For example, what will Jared Allen think of him?

I have a strong feeling that he'll be a Viking.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by VikingLord »

saint33 wrote:I laugh every time I see a comparison to Jasper Brinkley.
Manti Teo Combine Results:

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 255 lbs
4.82 second 40 yard dash
33 inch vertical jump
7.13 second 3 cone drill
4.27 second 20 yard shuttle

Jasper Brinkley Combine Results:

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 270 lbs
4.72 second 40 yard dash
35.5 inch vertical jump
7.03 second 3 cone drill
4.32 second 20 yard shuttle

What is laughable about that? Brinkley performed better in almost every drill, and he did it lugging an extra 15 pounds around. Brinkley also did 26 reps on the bench. Teo didn't do the bench, which was odd among his LB peers at the Combine.

And before anyone gets into stats, Brinkley had 107 tackles (85 solo) his first year at South Carolina before he got hurt, and totaled 3 INTs during his career. Granted, not Teo's 7, but he did manage to space them out over a few seasons versus Teo's single season of 7.

Anyway, the only way this comparison is laughable is if you overweight Teo's magical leadership qualities. Then again, Brinkley managed to come back and play after a serious knee injury, so I would guess he might have had a few of those qualities as well. Brinkley was taken with a 5th rounder IIRC. Teo played on a very good defense and a very good team, but his Combine results suggest he projects similar to Brinkley as a pro. IMHO, the tape on both does nothing to change that assessment.
saint33 wrote: 4. Alec Ogletree - I really don't want anything to do with Ogletree. He is a boom or bust type of player. His talent is undeniable, he's the best athlete of the LB prospects and is strong in pass coverage. However, as has been mentioned, he's not nearly as physical a LB to play the Mike in our scheme. Honestly, I think if he were to go to a 4-3 team, he would be better off at WLB where he can use his range and athleticism better on the perimeter, working off the edge rather than in the middle, where I feel like he'd get washed away far too often. And then you add the off field issues into the mix, I think there's a lot of risk invovled in drafting Ogletree.
I have yet to see any evaluator suggest Ogletree be moved to the outside in the pros. I think he could play there, but he projects as a MLB in the Derrick Brooks or Brian Urlacher mold in the pros. He'll get into an NFL strength program and he'll get bigger. As far as the physicality goes, the criticism of Ogletree that he's not physical enough is questionable IMHO. Could he use his hands better to shed and attack? Yes. But watch his highlight videos. Ogletree will chase guys down ala Joey Browner and rip them violently to the ground. This guy is a vicious tackler and clearly doesn't shy away from contact. If anything, he needs solid coaching and probably a mentor to help him learn the nuances of the game.

Ogletree's character concerns are legit. The guy has a history there and that does make spending a high pick on him very risky. I think a lot will come down to the Vikes doing their homework on the guy and making sure they are comfortable with that aspect of this player. If it doesn't look good there is no way they should spend a 1st on him, but if they think they can work with him I'd feel very good about them taking Ogletree at either #23 or #25.
Last edited by VikingLord on Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by VikingLord »

Texas Vike wrote: Like you, I like to take the "zoomed out" perspective, thinking about his overall production at the collegiate level and not let his bowl game performance or the fake girlfriend media whirlwind influence my take as much.
In other words, discount the facts that don't support your conclusion.
Texas Vike wrote: I have a strong feeling that he'll be a Viking.
I don't necessarily care if he's a Viking per se, but I do care if the Vikings use a 1st rounder to draft him. Heck, if you look at Teo's Combine results rating him as a 3rd might be generous.

Most mocks I've seen now have Teo going in the 2nd round. I even saw one that had him "drop" to the Vikings in the 2nd round. We'll see where he goes, but at this point I will be surprised if it's in the 1st.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by Mothman »

VikingLord wrote:I don't necessarily care if he's a Viking per se, but I do care if the Vikings use a 1st rounder to draft him. Heck, if you look at Teo's Combine results rating him as a 3rd might be generous.
But they're combine results and combine results aren't football results. Paying too much attention to measurables is a sucker's game because it's performance on the field that matters and overall Te'o has performed very well.
Most mocks I've seen now have Teo going in the 2nd round. I even saw one that had him "drop" to the Vikings in the 2nd round. We'll see where he goes, but at this point I will be surprised if it's in the 1st.
I'll be surprised if it isn't. Mock drafts are notoriously reactionary. The people putting them together get caught up in the minutiae of offseason, pre-draft analysis and news and they tend to overreact to things like combine numbers (which, among other things, leads to fans freaking out about draft day "reaches" that may not be reaches at all). I think smart teams are more inclined to take a "big picture" view and prioritize interviews, scouting, tape and individual workouts over that stuff. Te'o had a "first round" college career and with at least 3 teams in the first round that may want a new MLB, there's a good chance he'll still be a first round pick.
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Re: MLB prospects

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VikingLord wrote:I have yet to see any evaluator suggest Ogletree be moved to the outside in the pros.
That really surprises me. I've seen it everywhere. Cbssportsline.com (and thus NFLDraftScout.com) don't even list him as an ILB. They list him as an OLB.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/pros ... s/2013/OLB

In his draft profile at NFL.com, they say:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/profiles/ ... id=2540143
It is tough to question Ogletree's athleticism at the linebacker position. Just watching him close on runs or swing passes on the edge is worth the price of admission. Despite playing the last two years at inside linebacker in the Bulldogs 3-4 defense, it would not be surprising to see Ogletree make the switch to weakside linebacker in a defense that uses a four man front. The reason being is the junior struggles to get over top of blocks but does his best work chasing and closing. Expect the Bulldog to be a three down player if he cuts down on wasted steps. Since Ogletree is expected to impress in workouts, expect him to be a top-50 selection.
Here's another:

http://www.optimumscouting.com/draft/ar ... class.html
Moving forward, Ogletree’s questionable interior run fits lead me to believe that his best fit in the NFL will be at the weakside linebacker position. An exceptional athlete as described early and throughout this report, Ogletree has the ability to hold up in extended coverage and make a play on the throw. Beyond simply his size and speed, Ogletree possesses great vertical skills and can attack throwing lanes with his length.
I think he could play there, but he projects as a MLB in the Derrick Brooks or Brian Urlacher mold in the pros. He'll get into an NFL strength program and he'll get bigger. As far as the physicality goes, the criticism of Ogletree that he's not physical enough is questionable IMHO. Could he use his hands better to shed and attack? Yes. But watch his highlight videos. Ogletree will chase guys down ala Joey Browner and rip them violently to the ground. This guy is a vicious tackler and clearly doesn't shy away from contact. If anything, he needs solid coaching and probably a mentor to help him learn the nuances of the game.
From what I've seen, the criticism is legit. He'll chase runners down and lay a big hit on them but he's reluctant to take on the lead blocker in the hole and do the dirty work that is essential for an NFL MLB. He's more of a "chase" player.
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Re: MLB prospects

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VikingLord wrote: In other words, discount the facts that don't support your conclusion.

No.

I meant exactly what I wrote. Apparently, the only facts that matter to you are combine stats. My take is that his bowl game performance was one game over several years of impressive ON-FIELD production. I care about how a guy plays, not how he performs at a track and field meet. Nor did I write that I discount what happened in that game against Alabama or the entire fake girlfriend situation. But they are a minuscule part of the big picture.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by saint33 »

Mike Mayock also said Ogletree is more of a Will then a Mike this week on Path to the Draft when discussing the Georgia pro day
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Re: MLB prospects

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Mothman wrote: That really surprises me. I've seen it everywhere. Cbssportsline.com (and thus NFLDraftScout.com) don't even list him as an ILB. They list him as an OLB.
I meant to say I haven't seen any evaluator say that Ogletree must be moved outside in the pros. This is similar to the offensive lineman who played left tackle in college but projects to a right tackle in the pros, for example. I've stated I see him as a MLB in the pros and I stick by that, but he could move outside. Heck, he could in theory move back to safety if a defensive coordinator were so inclined.
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Re: MLB prospects

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Texas Vike wrote:
No.

I meant exactly what I wrote. Apparently, the only facts that matter to you are combine stats. My take is that his bowl game performance was one game over several years of impressive ON-FIELD production. I care about how a guy plays, not how he performs at a track and field meet. Nor did I write that I discount what happened in that game against Alabama or the entire fake girlfriend situation. But they are a minuscule part of the big picture.
The combine is the only neutral direct comparison between Teo and Brinkley that we have since they played at different times on different college teams. These aren't the only facts that matter to me when discussing Teo, but they do matter when comparing Teo and Brinkley, which is what I was trying to do in response to the claim that the comparison was "laughable". It's clearly not laughable, at least on that basis.

I just think looking at the big picture in regards to Teo can lead to some false conclusions about his relative worth. Tim Tebow's "big picture" in college suggested he had something special too, wouldn't you say? That emotion you referred to, that "intangible" leadership quality. That was there with Tebow too, and the Broncos went for that bait hook, line, and sinker despite indications that maybe Tebow's game wouldn't translate to the pros, at least not as an impact player. I see Teo as the MLB version of Tebow. Yes, he can play, and he will make his share of plays in the pros, but worth a 1st rounder? Not in my view.
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Re: MLB prospects

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Mothman wrote: But they're combine results and combine results aren't football results. Paying too much attention to measurables is a sucker's game because it's performance on the field that matters and overall Te'o has performed very well.
So if paying too much attention to combine results is a sucker's game, what would you call paying too little to them?

Teo performed well in college, that's true. I think he'll be a serviceable pro. But he's not worth a 1st round pick based on his measureables. You can turn it over any way you want, but as I stated to another poster, I think Teo is the MLB version of Tebow. I see lots of the same types of reasoning being given as to why Teo merits a 1st round grade.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by saint33 »

VikingLord wrote:
Manti Teo Combine Results:

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 255 lbs
4.82 second 40 yard dash
33 inch vertical jump
7.13 second 3 cone drill
4.27 second 20 yard shuttle

Jasper Brinkley Combine Results:

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 270 lbs
4.72 second 40 yard dash
35.5 inch vertical jump
7.03 second 3 cone drill
4.32 second 20 yard shuttle

What is laughable about that? Brinkley performed better in almost every drill, and he did it lugging an extra 15 pounds around. Brinkley also did 26 reps on the bench. Teo didn't do the bench, which was odd among his LB peers at the Combine.

And before anyone gets into stats, Brinkley had 107 tackles (85 solo) his first year at South Carolina before he got hurt, and totaled 3 INTs during his career. Granted, not Teo's 7, but he did manage to space them out over a few seasons versus Teo's single season of 7.

Anyway, the only way this comparison is laughable is if you overweight Teo's magical leadership qualities. Then again, Brinkley managed to come back and play after a serious knee injury, so I would guess he might have had a few of those qualities as well. Brinkley was taken with a 5th rounder IIRC. Teo played on a very good defense and a very good team, but his Combine results suggest he projects similar to Brinkley as a pro. IMHO, the tape on both does nothing to change that assessment.

Notice in my quote where I say the publicity of the combine has made people focus far too much on relatively meaningless numbers..... This is a great example of that. I honestly don't care how the two player's combine numbers match up. They are meaningless, all the combine is for is to see how player's athleticism matches up to their game tape. Stats, while a lot more viable an argument then combine numbers, are also of relatively little value, especially when comparing a position like LB. But when you factor scheme and level of competition, it really waters down the impact of comparing stats between two prospect.

Watching both players, that's what's important, not all these numbers you produce. Leadership is not a "magical" or "mythical" thing. It is a very, very real thing that you can witness on the field. I don't know how much Notre Dame football you watched, but he was very clearly the leader of that defense, and that defense was one of the best in the country.

IYO the tape doesn't separate them. I think your WAY off base here. The thing that separates the two is instincts and knowledge and that is very evident on tape. In these two facets of the game, Te'o is light years ahead of Brinkley. That's where I laugh at the comparison, because Te'o is a far more gifted football player. And I bolded those two words for a reason. Not athlete, but football player. Brinkley was a late round prospect, Te'o is a top 3 prospect at his position, how you can not grasp the difference is beyond me. Put aside the numbers and simply watch the two players, and it's night and day. Te'o understanding of the game, the way he commands the position, and he overall feel for the game is what makes him so good.
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Re: MLB prospects

Post by saint33 »

VikingLord wrote:

Your opinion of Te'o is obviously very low. I can't say why you so strongly seem to dislike him, but that's your prerogative. I think you are way off base, especially with the comparison to Tebow. Manti Te'o is not an unorthodox MLB. His skill set is very much what you see with a typical MLB. When you break down his game, he is not severely lacking in the most crucial aspect of what's expected out of him. THE ONLY comparison I see between Te'o and Tebow is the media attention they've garnered. Maybe you could compare the leadership ability, but is that something we have to take into account now with every prospect who is considered a very strong leader? That Tebow was as well, thus this other player is going to be an utter failure? That's ridiculous. Te'o wasn't a gimmicky player, and doesn't sufficiently lack ability at the position. Is he an elite athlete at his position? No, he's not. Many, many successful LBs have not be elite athletes. His ability as a football player is what separates him and warrants a 1st round pick.

If you don't agree, and believe he is a late round pick, be my guest, you are entitled to your opinion. But I think time will prove that not only will he be drafted in the first round, but that Te'o will ultimately prove to be a solid starting LB in the NFL.
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