And this has what to do with Long's playing level vs Robinson's?
Long was never considered a project like Robinson was... Matthews or Martin would easily been a better o-line pick, and that's not hindsight..Evidently the Rams thought highly of Martin when they desperately trying to trade back into the first.
Long's playing level vs. Robinson? Long merely had a better chance at an opportunity to play due to the nature of his position, the alternatives, and how piss poor the team was back then (they earned that #2 choice). BTW, coming out of college, Long was considered a pro 3-4 OLB by his own college coach and some might say he was a project at RDE where he latter proved he had no business playing.
And all Matthews and Martin have proven, to date, is that good
Senior OLinemen have more experience and are better prepared to enter the NFL than
redshirt sophomores who played within a scheme which called for small college playbooks. Not that they would have been better selections because of the impatience of some fans.
Problem is there were better options available where he was drafted, too.
None of them have to be world beaters out the gate - but if you're drafting the 2nd best player in the draft you hope you're getting one that can at least start if there's someone playing horribly in front of them.
Jags made the switch from Henne to Bortles - They should do the same with Robinson.
But the fact that the 2nd overall picks has the one of the lowest snap counts, if not the least all together, out of all players taken in the first round is a disappointment.
Hoping that the #2 overall selection can start as a rookie sounds reasonable. Expecting him to start is a bit more shaky. Especially, when the team making the selection
didn't earn such a high selection via it's record (far easier to start on horrible teams) and it apparently went with the BPA on it's draft board. Of course, the team and some fans understand that the 2014 draft isn't just about the 2014 season. We'd probably be watching Clowney come of the bench instead if he were on the board. Of course, then there would probably be less angst ala Donald due to the position's normal rotation.
Also, it was my understanding that the OG rotation last year had something to do with trying to determine the lesser of two evils. Though it could have had something to do with Williams apparent chronic bad issues. Either way, while it happened, it's still not usual. And probably a bad idea on a team that struggled to get it's 5 starters time together during the preseason.