Albright on Rams

[nighttrain]

Recently our style on the O line has been old, injured and overpaid.
Which is actually my style too....minus the overpaid part.

LMAO!
train

 

[DR RAM]

And then you go back over all the busts and you realize that sort of arrogance is exactly what gets you in hot water. There are a lot of things you can teach and a lot of things you can't teach. But it's not as simple as you can teach technique. Some players just don't get "it". When a guy is a junior in college at a major university and has the sort of technique you'd expect from a high school kid, it makes it fairly hard to believe that he'll suddenly get it in the NFL.

I'm sorry but it's hard for me to believe that Flowers is going to get it. The guy doesn't use his hands. He doesn't understand how to punch or even where to hold his arms/hands. His kick-slide and pass sets are poor. His feet look uncoordinated. And about the best example of a waist bender that you can find.

I'm not betting on him learning technique. If there were some minor technical flaws or even a major one with a few minor ones, I'd be okay with taking a shot at him. Because that would indicate he can learn but just hasn't gotten there yet. That's not Flowers. His game is riddled with major technical flaws.

How do you overlook that?

And even getting past that, I think that statement is just plain bad on its face. It's why teams overdraft physical talent every year and why we continue to have 40% to 45% of first rounders end up as busts.

And that's why he was one of the top picks in the draft.

 

[DR RAM]

I actually learned a somewhat different saying. Something like technique beats size and speed. I agree that desire wins out over the others though.

That's what you teach Pop Warner players. Gives them hope to win, and sometimes it secures a win for you. Coaching up from that...size and speed matters. No getting around it, but desire still rules most.

 

[Jorgeh0605]

That's what you teach Pop Warner players. Gives them hope to win, and sometimes it secures a win for you. Coaching up from that...size and speed matters. No getting around it, but desire still rules most.

Size and speed give you better upside, but it won't matter how big you are if you haven't learned to play the position with the proper technique, especially in the Pros. Ask the raiders how drafting speed guys has helped them.

 

[jrry32]

And that's why he was one of the top picks in the draft.

And that's why we have a ton of busts every year. The kid could pan out but I won't be a bit surprised if in 3 years, he's being talked about as a major disappointment or a bust.

 

[DR RAM]

Size and speed give you better upside, but it won't matter how big you are if you haven't learned to play the position with the proper technique, especially in the Pros. Ask the raiders how drafting speed guys has helped them.

OK, but are we talking extremes? I'd agree with you. I am talking equal, or close prospects.

 

[DR RAM]

And that's why we have a ton of busts every year. The kid could pan out but I won't be a bit surprised if in 3 years, he's being talked about as a major disappointment or a bust.

Busts happen either way. A good draft percentage is just above 55%. Nobody can predict it for certain, not you, not me, and not someone who gets paid to do it. Fact.

 

[Jorgeh0605]

OK, but are we talking extremes? I'd agree with you. I am talking equal, or close prospects.

I have to side with @jrry32 on this. Realistically how much technique do you think a guy can learn that he simply hasn't learned through college? Because in the NFL technique is what wins. Everyone is strong and everyone is fast so any advantage is wiped out. A guy that is a little slower or a little smaller but has better technique can still give reliable solid play even if they never make it to Canton. When comparing these guys you have to notice they guy with bad technique and superior size and ask "Why hasn't he learned the technique in the 8 years he's been playing football?" If you can answer that question and still feel good about drafting him well then go ahead and do so.

 

[12intheBox]

Btw ... I think Les made the right move

I think it was

Winston
Mariota
Cooper
White
Flowers
Scherff
Gurley

You could swap white and cooper and Flowers and Scherff but that's how I think it broke down for the Rams.

 

[jrry32]

Busts happen either way. A good draft percentage is just above 55%. Nobody can predict it for certain, not you, not me, and not someone who gets paid to do it. Fact.

Absolutely true. But, imo, you can improve your chances by picking and choosing when to take your risks. Flowers is not a risk I'd take.

 

[DR RAM]

I have to side with @jrry32 on this. Realistically how much technique do you think a guy can learn that he simply hasn't learned through college? Because in the NFL technique is what wins. Everyone is strong and everyone is fast so any advantage is wiped out. A guy that is a little slower or a little smaller but has better technique can still give reliable solid play even if they never make it to Canton. When comparing these guys you have to notice they guy with bad technique and superior size and ask "Why hasn't he learned the technique in the 8 years he's been playing football?" If you can answer that question and still feel good about drafting him well then go ahead and do so.

With the player in question. Maturity, coordination, coaching, and time playing all come into play, as well as upside, and current ability. You have to evaluate all of them. He would be a risk I would have been willing to take, as the Giants did, as we might have. That's fine. I think he will be a good player, but I hope he sucks, because the Giants took him. I clearly had some reservations, as I had him rated in the 18 to 20th range.

 

[12intheBox]

Absolutely true. But, imo, you can improve your chances by picking and choosing when to take your risks. Flowers is not a risk I'd take.

I'll bet you would change your tune if you met him and talked football.

 

[Jorgeh0605]

With the player in question. Maturity, coordination, coaching, and time playing all come into play, as well as upside, and current ability. You have to evaluate all of them. He would be a risk I would have been willing to take, as the Giants did, as we might have. That's fine. I think he will be a good player, but I hope he sucks, because the Giants took him. I clearly had some reservations, as I had him rated in the 18 to 20th range.

Each evaluation is different, yours or mine. I can tell you that technique is more important than most people give credit for on an offensive line.

 

[jrry32]

I'll bet you would change your tune if you met him and talked football.

Change my tune on Flowers? I doubt that. But that's possible. Depends on the answers he had to the questions I'd ask.

 

[DR RAM]

Each evaluation is different, yours or mine. I can tell you that technique is more important than most people give credit for on an offensive line.

I give it tons of credit. I don't take it lightly. Doesn't matter now.

 

[smram]

I disagree with your opinion.

I disagree with him too