By the time a team reaches Day Three there are typically no sure things. So I try not to be too hard on reaching other than to note where I had the player. This typically translates to their odds of helping. Picking low in the rounds, like the Cards did, just makes it that much tougher. That said virtually everything except for the last pick looked like a reach.
I have never seen Gunter play and I have seen very little tape. The one guy I know who saw him thought he might be a decent anchor tackle if he adds strength. He apparently does lack confidence based on his post draft comments. That said he wasn't even JJ Watt at Delaware State. This looks like a long-term project to me. No help on special teams. For what it’s worth he’s another Florida guy and played high school basketball despite his size, so his agility should be decent.
There’s been quite a bit of Riddick buzz, so I probably had him too late. I had him as my 6th round pick in my earlier post. I don’t think he would have lasted. However, that doesn't mean I didn't have his likely degree of success estimated incorrectly. I keep hearing he went to WVU and blossomed, but that's overstated. He had 7 sacks, one came against Towson. His dominant game was against Baylor, 3 sacks. I saw that game and it was a wild game with Baylor behind late. As a result there were an unusual number of sack opportunities. Still Riddick played a nice game. That also means in the other 11 games, Riddick had 3 sacks. I worry about guys who only seem to play big on a nationally televised game.
Size-wise he is very lean and got pushed around quite a bit. He’s fast, but not blazingly so. He can add technique as he seemed to rely totally on speed. He’s another one-trick pony. He was terrible the couple of time I saw him in coverage. No one I talked to liked him as anything other than a pass rusher and then there were reservations. He is unlikely to impact a game in year one.
Jamarcus Nelson is "speed kills" type of player. It seems more like kill or be killed, as it’s hard to envision a player this small surviving the NFL. He’s the lightest player invited to the combine in 13 years. He also fumbles often; 10 times in the last 2 years. Ball security is very hard to achieve with a small frame and limited strength. He only had 35 receptions his final year, but he had 48 returns. Nelson is not the polished route-runner Brown was. He will almost surely be a return specialist. It is fun to think of him and Brown both on the field at the same time. Coverage would be an issue if they let him off the line. A great deal is being presented about his speed. Keep in mind that those speed differences are only significant if he can get out cleanly and the play lasts long enough to get separation. I’m not sure if he’s a player or just a curiosity.
Gerald Christian was not a reach. He should have been gone. The offensive coaching staff was terrible at Florida (hurt Humphries as well) and he wasted those years. He looked much better at Louisville and I think he has a chance to be a good receiving tight end down the road. He likes to mix it up and can probably help on special teams. I see him as a probable practice squad player in year one, but he could be a nice find.
I have never seen Gunter play and I have seen very little tape. The one guy I know who saw him thought he might be a decent anchor tackle if he adds strength. He apparently does lack confidence based on his post draft comments. That said he wasn't even JJ Watt at Delaware State. This looks like a long-term project to me. No help on special teams. For what it’s worth he’s another Florida guy and played high school basketball despite his size, so his agility should be decent.
There’s been quite a bit of Riddick buzz, so I probably had him too late. I had him as my 6th round pick in my earlier post. I don’t think he would have lasted. However, that doesn't mean I didn't have his likely degree of success estimated incorrectly. I keep hearing he went to WVU and blossomed, but that's overstated. He had 7 sacks, one came against Towson. His dominant game was against Baylor, 3 sacks. I saw that game and it was a wild game with Baylor behind late. As a result there were an unusual number of sack opportunities. Still Riddick played a nice game. That also means in the other 11 games, Riddick had 3 sacks. I worry about guys who only seem to play big on a nationally televised game.
Size-wise he is very lean and got pushed around quite a bit. He’s fast, but not blazingly so. He can add technique as he seemed to rely totally on speed. He’s another one-trick pony. He was terrible the couple of time I saw him in coverage. No one I talked to liked him as anything other than a pass rusher and then there were reservations. He is unlikely to impact a game in year one.
Jamarcus Nelson is "speed kills" type of player. It seems more like kill or be killed, as it’s hard to envision a player this small surviving the NFL. He’s the lightest player invited to the combine in 13 years. He also fumbles often; 10 times in the last 2 years. Ball security is very hard to achieve with a small frame and limited strength. He only had 35 receptions his final year, but he had 48 returns. Nelson is not the polished route-runner Brown was. He will almost surely be a return specialist. It is fun to think of him and Brown both on the field at the same time. Coverage would be an issue if they let him off the line. A great deal is being presented about his speed. Keep in mind that those speed differences are only significant if he can get out cleanly and the play lasts long enough to get separation. I’m not sure if he’s a player or just a curiosity.
Gerald Christian was not a reach. He should have been gone. The offensive coaching staff was terrible at Florida (hurt Humphries as well) and he wasted those years. He looked much better at Louisville and I think he has a chance to be a good receiving tight end down the road. He likes to mix it up and can probably help on special teams. I see him as a probable practice squad player in year one, but he could be a nice find.
