Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Now that the first BA&SK Draft is in the books, here are some of the eye-opening themes and objectives that the team hoped to accomplish:
* become more physical everywhere across the board
* draft high character leaders, self-starters who have a passion for the game
* be flexible enough to move down in order to acquire extra picks
* stay true to the 120 player draft board
* take advantage of the team's scouting reports
Allow me to elaborate on each point:
Become More Physical:
a). Cooper and Watford---not only are they tough and physical, they both possess outstanding feet, which enables the staff to run the type of pulling and trapping running attack they like, in addition to being able to get great push and quick downfield blocks on zone plays, stretch plays and bubble screens.
b). Minter---best fill and tackle inside LB in the draft---highly accountable and reliable---consistent---not a finesse LB in the least, which fits the new style to a tee, as Minter will be given gap and hole responsibilities when DD and CC are firing gaps and attacking upfield---downhill tackling from the LBs is a must in this system.
c). Honey Badger---you look at him run around in shorts and you forget that he is actually a highly physical player---he sticks his nose in there with the best of them, always ripping away at the ball---he's tenacious and pesky---always looking to create turnovers.
d). Okafor---may not have the edge speed and quickness that would have made him a sure-fire 1st round pick, but he's very physical and strong.
e). Taylor and Ellington---fit BA's 3 Down RB mold because they are hard, tough runners who are passionate about pass protection and can catch the ball when needed to---Taylor is all meat and potatoes, Ellington adds a little shake and spice. BA got very good production from a 6th round rookie in Vic Ballard last year (800+ yards), who is a non-flashy, meat and potatoes RB---and you think of what Mike Shanahan got from his meat and potatoes 6th rounder, Alfred Morris and realize that sure, tough and steady RB play works very well as a compliment to an upscale passing attack.
f.) Swope---tough as nails, goes all out, holds nothing back, plays WR with a running back's mentality.
g.) Jefferson---a physical specimen at TE who blocks hard on the edge and shows excellent size and hands in the passing game.
Character and Leadership:
One of the reasons why these players are so tough, passionate and physical, because they are the types that coaches and players vote for as captains.
Honey Badger has shown his character in the ways in which he has stared down his problems and aggressively acted to ameliorate them. He could have gone off the deep end and wallowed in self-pity. Instead, he asked for help and surrounded himself with the right support team.
Draft Flexibility:
Steve Keim gambled and could have miscalculated the risk of losing his targeted player, but on both occasions, he still got the player he wanted and was able to add G Earl Watford and RB Andre Ellington.
Staying True to the Draft Board:
BA said that he had rarely seen a draft fall right into place the way the Cardinals' draft did---he said that Indy's draft was the same last year, as they were able to take the players they wanted where they were projecting them.
Two particular cases in point---having already taken a guard and RB, BASK stayed true to the board when they selected the two players they were able to add via the two trades: G Earl Watford and RB Andre Ellington.
What's often the case when you get an extra pick is you are tempted to reach for a player whom you think has very good potential, like a late round QB or an injured star like RB Marcus Lattimore.
BA & SK know that they don't have that luxury right now---they want to win now, so they felt they needed to take players who could help them now---and they stayed true to that commitment with each pick.
It's quite possible that all 9 of these players will make the 53 man roster---
By drafting two guards in the first and fourth rounds, that pretty much guarantees a shake up in an area that very much needs a shakeup.
By drafting two RBs, BA&SK created some insurance and potential stability at another one of the team's most unstable positions.
In a similar fashion, look at what BASK have done in the off-season to address the MOST unstable position on the team: QB.
Take a good look at how they have addressed the CB position.
BA&SK have identified the team's most imminent weaknesses and vulnerabilities and have done everything they can to clean those situations up. You have to be impressed (maybe even wowed like I am) with their tenacity.
Talk is now they would like to fortify the NT position---MJ is predicting a FA signing is imminent---
And...if they can create a little more cap space---there's a dynamic edge pass rusher they would love to sign, who just might be the missing puzzle piece that you find in the back of the couch that completes the picture.
Take Advantage of Scouting Reports:
This is something Steve Keim is already very savvy about due to his extensive work as a team scout. The East coast scouts deserve a great deal of credit for identifying Cooper, Watford, Ellington and Jefferson. Keim himself was visiting North Carolina to scout Cooper for the past two years, which speaks to the foresight and depth of Keim's work.
BA deserves some credit here too---because some of the best scouting comes from word of mouth. He said that Andrew Luck couldn't stop raving about his boy Stepfan Taylor---and interestingly BA always kept that in the back of his mind and likely beat the Colts to the pick.
When you look at the free agents and draft picks that BA&SK have added to the roster---this is going to be the most physical football team the Cardinals have ever had. BA&SK want to lay the wood to the NFC West---which will mean laying wood on wood, because those teams bring it big-time.
Here comes the teaching and the molding of the character of this team.
When you hear BA&SK---you just sense it's money in the bank---they are supremely confident in their ability to assemble, teach and inspire a team of champions.
I feel so proud to be a Cardinals' fan right now---for even as a fan, I feel like these coaches and players are speaking to all the fans and making us a part of the team right with them. It's such an incredible feeling!
* become more physical everywhere across the board
* draft high character leaders, self-starters who have a passion for the game
* be flexible enough to move down in order to acquire extra picks
* stay true to the 120 player draft board
* take advantage of the team's scouting reports
Allow me to elaborate on each point:
Become More Physical:
a). Cooper and Watford---not only are they tough and physical, they both possess outstanding feet, which enables the staff to run the type of pulling and trapping running attack they like, in addition to being able to get great push and quick downfield blocks on zone plays, stretch plays and bubble screens.
b). Minter---best fill and tackle inside LB in the draft---highly accountable and reliable---consistent---not a finesse LB in the least, which fits the new style to a tee, as Minter will be given gap and hole responsibilities when DD and CC are firing gaps and attacking upfield---downhill tackling from the LBs is a must in this system.
c). Honey Badger---you look at him run around in shorts and you forget that he is actually a highly physical player---he sticks his nose in there with the best of them, always ripping away at the ball---he's tenacious and pesky---always looking to create turnovers.
d). Okafor---may not have the edge speed and quickness that would have made him a sure-fire 1st round pick, but he's very physical and strong.
e). Taylor and Ellington---fit BA's 3 Down RB mold because they are hard, tough runners who are passionate about pass protection and can catch the ball when needed to---Taylor is all meat and potatoes, Ellington adds a little shake and spice. BA got very good production from a 6th round rookie in Vic Ballard last year (800+ yards), who is a non-flashy, meat and potatoes RB---and you think of what Mike Shanahan got from his meat and potatoes 6th rounder, Alfred Morris and realize that sure, tough and steady RB play works very well as a compliment to an upscale passing attack.
f.) Swope---tough as nails, goes all out, holds nothing back, plays WR with a running back's mentality.
g.) Jefferson---a physical specimen at TE who blocks hard on the edge and shows excellent size and hands in the passing game.
Character and Leadership:
One of the reasons why these players are so tough, passionate and physical, because they are the types that coaches and players vote for as captains.
Honey Badger has shown his character in the ways in which he has stared down his problems and aggressively acted to ameliorate them. He could have gone off the deep end and wallowed in self-pity. Instead, he asked for help and surrounded himself with the right support team.
Draft Flexibility:
Steve Keim gambled and could have miscalculated the risk of losing his targeted player, but on both occasions, he still got the player he wanted and was able to add G Earl Watford and RB Andre Ellington.
Staying True to the Draft Board:
BA said that he had rarely seen a draft fall right into place the way the Cardinals' draft did---he said that Indy's draft was the same last year, as they were able to take the players they wanted where they were projecting them.
Two particular cases in point---having already taken a guard and RB, BASK stayed true to the board when they selected the two players they were able to add via the two trades: G Earl Watford and RB Andre Ellington.
What's often the case when you get an extra pick is you are tempted to reach for a player whom you think has very good potential, like a late round QB or an injured star like RB Marcus Lattimore.
BA & SK know that they don't have that luxury right now---they want to win now, so they felt they needed to take players who could help them now---and they stayed true to that commitment with each pick.
It's quite possible that all 9 of these players will make the 53 man roster---
By drafting two guards in the first and fourth rounds, that pretty much guarantees a shake up in an area that very much needs a shakeup.
By drafting two RBs, BA&SK created some insurance and potential stability at another one of the team's most unstable positions.
In a similar fashion, look at what BASK have done in the off-season to address the MOST unstable position on the team: QB.
Take a good look at how they have addressed the CB position.
BA&SK have identified the team's most imminent weaknesses and vulnerabilities and have done everything they can to clean those situations up. You have to be impressed (maybe even wowed like I am) with their tenacity.
Talk is now they would like to fortify the NT position---MJ is predicting a FA signing is imminent---
And...if they can create a little more cap space---there's a dynamic edge pass rusher they would love to sign, who just might be the missing puzzle piece that you find in the back of the couch that completes the picture.
Take Advantage of Scouting Reports:
This is something Steve Keim is already very savvy about due to his extensive work as a team scout. The East coast scouts deserve a great deal of credit for identifying Cooper, Watford, Ellington and Jefferson. Keim himself was visiting North Carolina to scout Cooper for the past two years, which speaks to the foresight and depth of Keim's work.
BA deserves some credit here too---because some of the best scouting comes from word of mouth. He said that Andrew Luck couldn't stop raving about his boy Stepfan Taylor---and interestingly BA always kept that in the back of his mind and likely beat the Colts to the pick.
When you look at the free agents and draft picks that BA&SK have added to the roster---this is going to be the most physical football team the Cardinals have ever had. BA&SK want to lay the wood to the NFC West---which will mean laying wood on wood, because those teams bring it big-time.
Here comes the teaching and the molding of the character of this team.
When you hear BA&SK---you just sense it's money in the bank---they are supremely confident in their ability to assemble, teach and inspire a team of champions.
I feel so proud to be a Cardinals' fan right now---for even as a fan, I feel like these coaches and players are speaking to all the fans and making us a part of the team right with them. It's such an incredible feeling!
Last edited:
