[MIJB#19]

General Manager Notes: Training Camp results
Little surprises.

My staff made an assessment of our players before and after training camp and on a 1-100 scale, below is what our youngsters look like, with the progress in actual numbers and as always the overall numbers rounded to the nearest 5s.

The rookies:
+6/-2 to 35/65 G Ronald Staigvil
+5/nc to 20/55 C Rickey Mason
+4/+1 to 30/50 TE Myron Lofton
+4/+1 to 25/50 FB Damien Wanamaker
+4/+1 to 20/35 S Artie Hall
+3/nc to 15/40 DE Bruce Nekolny

A lot to like here. These numbers make me believe that Staigvil is the real deal, roughly a 60s rated guard, with 80s potential in run blocking and the endurance to still be good in the 4th quarter. Mason doesn't have endurance at all, but his run blocking potential might be closer to the 80s potential than I could have hoped for. Lofton, Wanamaker and Hall made the kind of progress that on par for a guy that floats between an active backup and a guy that starts because there's no clear cut starter. Which isn't fair, because Lofton already looks like a decent third down receiver and potentially a viable run blocker. Wanamaker will possibly be our new fullback, depending on where he stands compared to veteran Owen Johnston after pre-season, but I really like his 90s potential in run blocking. Hall looks okay, but a longshot to survive the final cuts. Ditto for Nekolny, despite his endurance and 70s potential in pass rush technique and play diagnosis.

The 2nd year players:
+7/nc to 65/70 G Nickolas Toler
+5/nc to 25/50 CB Omar Leszynski
+2/nc to 15/30 QB Kelvin Everett
+1/nc to 35/35 RB Ronnie Vanden Bosch
+1/nc to 15/15 WR/KR Darien Thompson

Toler is a true starter, very good run blocker, solid pass protection, a bit on the low side in endurance. Leszynski was +3/+1 previous camp, so another sign that he might be the run stopping, man-to-man, interceptions making defender. A very useful player on likely running downs. The Everett project might end a pre-season earlier than I'd like to, but other than his sense rush ability, scrambling and presumably a decent ability to avoid interceptions, can we really give him the active roster slot a project quarterback needs to develop? Vanden Bosch has another bad camp, we'll have to trust him by his over 4.0 yards per carry to be a worthy RB2. Thompson should hang around as the kickoff return alternative to veteran signing Malachi Pierson.

others?
+3/nc to 30/40 RT Dusty Webster
+2/nc to 30/40 G Vince Henselman
+2/nc to 30/30 TE Ike Nixon
+2/nc to 25/30 KH/QB Jon Giles

The fourth-year right tackle Webster made some progress, but is still a liability in the running game, if we'll ever field him it can only be in a game where we won't run much over his side of the line. Third-year guard Henselman looks like the prime suspect to not make our 8-men offensive line group. Fifth-year tight end Nixon may not sound like he improved a lot, but he's making a very solid case for being a suitable special teamer and a receiver that can get downfield and make a play. Kick holder Jon Giles actually sat out 2096 as we went with Efrain Batcheck in that slot, there's still no reason to think we'll ever want Giles throwing the football for us, but he's worth something as a mentoring kick holder, if we find an active roster spot for his this season.

The lineups have been set for the first two pre-season games, with a random game plan, which is usually asking for silliness. But we'll see what will happen. We'll be playing with the projected starters, hoping to give the 53-men roster making youngsters additional playing time (if the staff doesn't substitute them!) in the last two pre-season games.

Two more days and we'll know where to go with the remainder of pre-season. Can't wait to see what we'll have by then.