ESPN on DRC last night

[Russ Smith]

I was surfing and came across NFL live. They had Eric Allen and James Hasty on talking about CB"s in the draft. They kept saying everyone is looking for the next DRC in the draft.

They showed the play from the SB where DRC jumped the route to the RB allowing Holmes to catch and run for 30+ and said that was a rookie mistake. they also blasted him for giving up on theplay, not running Holmes down trying to cause a fumble(and you could see on replay he did stop running).

So just when I think they're going to rip on DRC, both guys started raving about him, best pick of the draft, best young CB in the NFL. Not even the Cards expected him to be that good that quick considering the level he played at in college. Basically they said there is no DRC in this draft he's a pretty special kid.

It was interesting because they were both right, you could clearly see his youth but they both said what makes him special is he's so athletic he was often able to "outrun" mistakes. Gets beat deep in the Superbowl, gets back and knocks it away. Out of position against Carolina, he not only recovers, he makes the pick and was not that far from taking it all the way back for a TD.

As Allen said the big adjustment for a CB is in college you just cover your man, in the NFL you have to know a lot more, where's my help, what are my help responsibilities. Guys come in and are typically overwhelmed as rookies, so the level of play we saw from DRC the 2nd half of the season largely on talent alone was pretty impressive.

 

[the_future23]

I was surfing and came across NFL live. They had Eric Allen and James Hasty on talking about CB"s in the draft. They kept saying everyone is looking for the next DRC in the draft.

They showed the play from the SB where DRC jumped the route to the RB allowing Holmes to catch and run for 30+ and said that was a rookie mistake. they also blasted him for giving up on theplay, not running Holmes down trying to cause a fumble(and you could see on replay he did stop running).

So just when I think they're going to rip on DRC, both guys started raving about him, best pick of the draft, best young CB in the NFL. Not even the Cards expected him to be that good that quick considering the level he played at in college. Basically they said there is no DRC in this draft he's a pretty special kid.

It was interesting because they were both right, you could clearly see his youth but they both said what makes him special is he's so athletic he was often able to "outrun" mistakes. Gets beat deep in the Superbowl, gets back and knocks it away. Out of position against Carolina, he not only recovers, he makes the pick and was not that far from taking it all the way back for a TD.

As Allen said the big adjustment for a CB is in college you just cover your man, in the NFL you have to know a lot more, where's my help, what are my help responsibilities. Guys come in and are typically overwhelmed as rookies, so the level of play we saw from DRC the 2nd half of the season largely on talent alone was pretty impressive.

Didn't he only return it to like the 20 yard line? That is hardly taking it all the way for a TD.

 

[Mulli]

Didn't he only return it to like the 20 yard line? That is hardly taking it all the way for a TD.

He was only one tackler away from going all the way, if I remember correctly.

 

[Russ Smith]

Didn't he only return it to like the 20 yard line? That is hardly taking it all the way for a TD.

Because he nearly outran the containment to the corner. The guy who got him was essentially the last guy who had an angle on him before the endzone.

 

[Twist18]

The only other Cards rookie CB to make this big an impact was Lionel Washington in 1983 and had 8 picks.

 

[lauraw]

I just watched the replay of that game. Actually there were 2 other players as far as 10 yds upfield obviously with the angle, but they were OLinemen for Carolina, and its debatable as to whether he would've juked them out or not, but they definitely had containment on DRC; well he was run straight out of bounds by the first guy anyway.

 

[perivolaki]

I just watched the replay of that game. Actually there were 2 other players as far as 10 yds upfield obviously with the angle, but they were OLinemen for Carolina, and its debatable as to whether he would've juked them out or not, but they definitely had containment on DRC; well he was run straight out of bounds by the first guy anyway.

Maybe better not to fight for the extra yards anyway. Remember Aaron Francisco in the Philly game.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

that play happened right in front of me in Carolina. It was a great play by DRC. He wasn't out of position. He read Delhomme's eyes. You could see him drop off his guy and make the pick. If he didn't, it would have been six for Carolina and maybe a completely different game.

 

[Russ Smith]

that play happened right in front of me in Carolina. It was a great play by DRC. He wasn't out of position. He read Delhomme's eyes. You could see him drop off his guy and make the pick. If he didn't, it would have been six for Carolina and maybe a completely different game.

Yeah I actually thought he baited Jake into that play but Eric Allen said that he was out of position but used his speed to recover and make the play. I was just writing what he wrote.

He has that acceleration on the ball you just can't teach.

FWIW, Allen and Hasty both seemed to agree Malcolm Jenkins is the best CB in the draft but neither one felt he'd be as good as DRC they both said DRC is special.

 

[Duckjake]

The only other Cards rookie CB to make this big an impact was Lionel Washington in 1983 and had 8 picks.

Actually DRC's rookie season, 4 INTs and a fumble recovery starting 11 games, was fairly similar to a rookie picked 8 seasons after Washington.

This guy had 6 picks and a fumble recovery and started 15 games.

Some fellow named Williams.