2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

Being a 2nd day pick isn't a bad thing, especially in the current draft setup and CBA.

[Jr.]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

How exactly did Marcus Lattimore lose tens of millions of dollars? He signed a contract worth 2.5 million.

Gio Bernard, the first RB taken (and Lattimore wasn't getting picked before Bernard/Lacy), signed a 5.25 million dollar deal. Both are 4 years.

Before Lattimore's first knee injury, he was the consensus most NFL ready HB. Even after that one, he was still considered a high 1st round pick. After his second, even more devastating injury, there was no chance he was going in the top 10 where he was originally projected.

I'm pretty sure a top 10 pick contract is worth more than $12.5M

[Jr.]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

Being a 2nd day pick isn't a bad thing, especially in the current draft setup and CBA.

You're right, I should re-word to 3rd day (4th round) pick.. I forget the 1st day is just the 1st round now

[kingkilla56]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

Before Lattimore's first knee injury, he was the consensus most NFL ready HB. Even after that one, he was still considered a high 1st round pick. After his second, even more devastating injury, there was no chance he was going in the top 10 where he was originally projected.

I'm pretty sure a top 10 pick contract is worth more than $12.5M

If Lattimore had the decline in play that Clowney did, he wouldn't need to worry about the top 10 anyway.

(Edit: got the wrong info on rookie scale whoops)

[TheShizNo1]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

How many of y'all knew of him before that hit in the outback bowl?

I am still a little bitter.

But I heard nothing. Then after that hit, he blows up into the next number one pick. It's like he's the top guy because people say he's the top guy. Do much first picks with these questions pan out? JaMarcus Russell immediately comes to mind.

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[Jr.]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

If Lattimore had the decline in play that Clowney did, he wouldn't need to worry about the top 10 anyway.

(Edit: got the wrong info on rookie scale whoops)

That's not the point though. Clowney saw Lattimore continue to play despite being considered a top 10 pick, then get his earning potential slashed because of a devastating injury.

I guarantee that was in the back of his mind entering this season after being considered the best player in college football. It's a horrible way of thinking, but I know after seeing a pitcher get hit in the head with a line drive, that's in the back of my mind when I have to pitch the next day.

What's better, slowing down to ensure you stay healthy and still be a top 10 pick, or go all out trying to be the #1 pick, suffer a devastating injury that risks your career, and end up being taken in the 4th round?

In my mind, if you thought Clowney was the best player in college football at the start of this season, I don't think his lack of effort this season should change that.

[TracerBullet]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

How many of y'all knew of him before that hit in the outback bowl?

I am still a little bitter.

But I heard nothing. Then after that hit, he blows up into the next number one pick. It's like he's the top guy because people say he's the top guy. Do much first picks with these questions pan out? JaMarcus Russell immediately comes to mind.

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I knew about him coming out of Rock Hill. He got just as much publicity about how great he was going to be just like Nkemdiche did last year. He always had the hype. The hit just added to it and blew it out of proportion for a DE. That's why people developed (mostly unrealistic) Heisman predictions for him.

[bigbob]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

That hit had nothing to do with me knowing who he was or not. I watch high school games, I watch National Signing Day and was a little disappointed that I had to wait to see if he'd choose Clemson or South Carolina until his birthday.

Him coming out of high school, every time you turned "Oh, he's NFL ready. If it wasn't for the rule, he'd be in the NFL today". You want to watch and see what that person does. Unfortunately, for me, he hasn't lived up to that expectation.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

That hit had nothing to do with me knowing who he was or not. I watch high school games, I watch National Signing Day and was a little disappointed that I had to wait to see if he'd choose Clemson or South Carolina until his birthday.

Him coming out of high school, every time you turned "Oh, he's NFL ready. If it wasn't for the rule, he'd be in the NFL today". You want to watch and see what that person does. Unfortunately, for me, he hasn't lived up to that expectation.

Guy was a top recruit, came in and crushed college ball, and is now going top 10 in the NFL draft. What were your expectations?

EDIT: Admittedly, I don't watch any college football so I'm just copy and pasting from the internet.

<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 25em; FONT-SIZE: 95%" class="infobox bordered vcard"><TBODY><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; BACKGROUND: #73000a; COLOR: #ffffff" colSpan=2>Career highlights and awards</TH></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>

• First-team All-American (2013)
• Hendricks Award Winner (2012)
• Unanimous All-American (2012)
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012)
• First-team All-SEC (2012, 2013)
• Second-team All-SEC (2011)
• First-team Freshman All-America (2011)
• SEC Freshman of the Year (2011)
• USA Today Defensive HS Player of the Year (2010)
• USA Today High School All-American (2010)
• South Carolina's Mr. Football (2010)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
This is the guy that didn't live up to expectations?

[TheShizNo1]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

My bad. I was wrong.

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[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

That's not the point though. Clowney saw Lattimore continue to play despite being considered a top 10 pick, then get his earning potential slashed because of a devastating injury.

I guarantee that was in the back of his mind entering this season after being considered the best player in college football. It's a horrible way of thinking, but I know after seeing a pitcher get hit in the head with a line drive, that's in the back of my mind when I have to pitch the next day.

What's better, slowing down to ensure you stay healthy and still be a top 10 pick, or go all out trying to be the #1 pick, suffer a devastating injury that risks your career, and end up being taken in the 4th round?

In my mind, if you thought Clowney was the best player in college football at the start of this season, I don't think his lack of effort this season should change that.

But him showing a lack of effort on more than one occasion doesn't necessarily help you out either. We all know that these Coaches/GMs/Owners pride themselves(among other things)on having guys with non questionable work ethic. It's why guys like Watt, Matthews, Willis, Justin Smith, Polumalu, Rodgers, Brees, Manning, etc, etc are constantly getting praised about their work ethic(mind you this was all before they got raises).

I look at it like this, the last thing any player(especially one trying to get drafted) should want is having their work ethic being questioned.

Watching him play this year, I didn't see "once in a generation" talent that every one was labeling him prior to the season. I seen someone who looked like they could be a very, very good player but not someone that made me think "Hmmm, this guy is a surefire HOFer, no questions asked.

[TracerBullet]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

My bad. I was wrong.

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Nah, you're just still mad about that hit.

[bigbob]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

Guy was a top recruit, came in and crushed college ball, and is now going top 10 in the NFL draft. What were your expectations?

EDIT: Admittedly, I don't watch any college football so I'm just copy and pasting from the internet.

<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 25em; FONT-SIZE: 95%" class="infobox bordered vcard"><TBODY><TR><TH style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; BACKGROUND: #73000a; COLOR: #ffffff" colSpan=2>Career highlights and awards</TH></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>

• First-team All-American (2013)
• Hendricks Award Winner (2012)
• Unanimous All-American (2012)
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012)
• First-team All-SEC (2012, 2013)
• Second-team All-SEC (2011)
• First-team Freshman All-America (2011)
• SEC Freshman of the Year (2011)
• USA Today Defensive HS Player of the Year (2010)
• USA Today High School All-American (2010)
• South Carolina's Mr. Football (2010)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
This is the guy that didn't live up to expectations?

If you actually read what I put, I said he didn't live up to the "Ready right out of High School" expectation.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

If you actually read what I put, I said he didn't live up to the "Ready right out of High School" expectation.

In what way did he fail to meet those expecations?

[CBoller1331]

Re: 2014 NFL Draft Discussion Thread

In what way did he fail to meet those expecations?

I'm wondering the same thing. I know he had a "bad" year, was kinda outta shape, and people at questioning his work ethic, but the guy was studly his first two years. The hit against Michigan was the scariest play I have ever seen. I seriously thought Davis' [u of m rb] head came off with his helmet!! I honestly think Clowney is a once in a generation player. Will he be a bust? He very well could be, but he has all the talent needed to be a STAR player. It's all about if he is motivated enough to become the best.

I put "bad" in quotes cause he didn't have as bad a year as you all are saying. He still impacted the game more than any other Gamecock--outside of Connor Shaw who was simply fantastic. He only had 3 sacks, but that's because teams were game planning around him. They were almost never going to leave him one on one, they would block him on zone run plays the other way. He was consistently getting double teamed--by two LINEMEN!! And teams were still leaving there backs/te's into block. Quarles, the SC DT, had a great year, but it was almost all due to Clowney. With all the attention being paid to Clowney, quarles was getting better match ups. If Clowney can get this much attention in the nfl, his team's pass rush is going to be scary.