No… I’m not talking about my favorite show to watch on breaks from school when I was a kid.
I think I just have one thing to say at this time: You want to be paid what you’re worth, correct? I thought so.
I feel like we need to have this conversation about how much NFL players make every off season. And obviously, I’m not going to change too many people’s minds, but I just have to say this. It’ll make me feel better. So, please allow me to indulge selfishly for a few minutes here.
Another NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone leaving fans hungry for the Draft in April! Do these results actually affect when a player is drafted? You betcha!
But how much of an impact do they have? Frankly, it’s hard to tell. History tells us that bad results have a larger effect than any surprisingly good results. Teams largely rely on tape of a player’s actual activity in games to do the largest portion of their rankings.
However, we also know that seeing these guys perform standardized tests under pressure and intense scrutiny tells teams a lot about their character which can also factor into their decisions on Draft Day.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some top performers on the offensive side of the ball…
Editors Note: This week we are sharing an article from guest writer Alex Fleming // @AlxFlmng. He is a writer/reporter who resides in Orlando, Florida. Self employed, he created a radio show for Fantasy Football and to follow his dreams of connecting and working in the NFL.
It’s not his fault that he has athleticism. It’s not his fault that he has a 33 inch vertical. It’s not a sin to be fast on your feet in your profession. Though its understandable to wonder what one could truly do if they could broad jump 10 – 1/2 feet. At 6’1, 222 pounds, Jalen Hurts fits this mold.
At the 2020 NFL Combine, Hurts ran a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash. Arguably one of the fastest quarterbacks available in this year’s draft, he is also the most experienced. His freshmen year, he lost on the final play of the game to Deshaun Watson and Clemson. The next year, Kirby Smart and Georgia had a schemed game plan against him; considering that Kirby Smart was the former Defensive Coordinator of the Crimson Tide before accepting the head coaching position for Georgia.
But this story isn’t about analyzing Hurts’ draft stock (but I will). This is the continuing saga of Black quarterbacks and their skill set, being second-guessed, and minimized to fit the need at a position with less longevity. “Maybe running back suits you better Mr. Jackson.” “Have you ever thought of being a wide receiver or tight end Mr. Newton?” “Maybe you can come off of the bench and provide a spark, Mr. Wilson?” Or, the best one yet, a rookie quarterback with major upside being compared to a gadget player such as Taysom Hill.
The 2020 NFL combine is in full swing, and the Miami Dolphins enter this year’s draft with 3 first-round picks. Yes, I said 3. They will select picks 5, 18, and 26.
As Dolphins brass descended upon Indianapolis, the rumors have already begun to swirl. Dolphins GM Chris Grier has been linked to having several conversations with other GMs around the league about possible trades. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Grier mentioned continuing the process of rebuilding. And let’s be honest, we all know what that means. The Miami Dolphins need a franchise quarterback.
Let’s take a second and discuss the following quarterback options. I’ll start first with the 4 most popular names among Dolphins fans. I’m not going to add Joe Burrows to the list. Unless something catastrophic happens, I have the Bengals selecting him.
Alright… it’s the business and talent evaluation / acquisition part of the season for the NFL. (I love making things sound fancier than they actually are!) One of my favorite times of the year. Mostly because I enjoy watching the college kids get to move on to the next phase of their lives.
The free agency part of it is good too, but I really like the young ones coming in. Maybe it’s because of the fact that I’m a pediatric nurse practitioner and I love all things growth and development-wise. And watching the growth and development of players is always fun for me. But I digress.
It’s time for one my most favorite events in the NFL year: The Combine. This year, I want to know… who are you looking for at the combine? Some people like to watch a specific position group, and others like to watch a certain player.
The Super Bowl is officially 2 weeks old. Congratulations to Kansas City, but… the football world has already moved on. As Kate mentioned in her article about quarterbacks last week, the free agency frenzy and the trade block rumors have already started and it is at full steam.
While yes, the draft is just a few months away and we are seeing plenty of articles and mock drafts online, the focus has definitely turned to who is available via trade. We know the free agents traditionally go with who throws them the biggest amount of cash, which I’m all for, but trades are a little different. A surprising trade… now that makes a splash!
Ok ok, you’re right. Trade rumors usually start early and can often be ridiculous. I mean, it’s almost like a game to see who can come up with the most insane trade.
It was day 3 here in Mobile for me, both practice sessions were held inside at South Alabama University due to inclement weather, and it was standing room only. We were all ushered into one end zone. I decided to stay close to the goal post and pretty much made that my office for the day!
Today’s sessions consisted of watching the big boys upfront, the offensive linemen.
It was day 2 of practice for the Reese’s Senior Bowl. I was expecting the quarterbacks to have a better day than yesterday, maybe look a little more polished than day 1. Not to say that they didn’t perform well, it’s just that they should start to get better as they learn each of the new styles.
With the North starting out, I was hoping to see a Jordan Love/Michael Pittman Jr. show. During media day, Love mentioned to me that he has been working out with Pittman. The offense, unfortunately, broke off into two sections, so we didn’t get to watch them connect to often.
However, Love had one beautiful pass play down the left sidelines to Pittman, followed by a couple of great out routes. Love has a great arm with very good velocity on the ball but can get a bit too lively, however. Yet I feel with some quality coaching, I can see this kid having a very successful NFL career.
December 14, 2019, at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, the winner of the most coveted award in all of college football will be announced: the 2019 Heisman trophy.
On average, 3-4 players are typically invited as a finalist. This year, however, I believe the race comes down to two candidates.
The favorite being Joe Burrow, the outstanding Louisiana State University Tiger’s quarterback. Burrow without a doubt has been the most consistent quarterback in the country. The Ohio State transfer will take his Tigers to the SEC championship game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
On Monday, Burrow (via Teleconference) told the national media – “We’re fired up to be here. LSU hasn’t been there since 2011, so this is one of the goals we had for the season. So we’re fired up to play.”
With Heisman ballots already out. Many are said to be holding off till most of the conference games are played this weekend. If Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers play up to their expectations, there is very little doubt among experts that you will hear Joe Burrow named called December 14. Or is there?
As we are slowly approaching the 2019 NFL season, many fans and analysts are already looking ahead to the 2020 NFL draft.
With the start of a new season comes the prediction that this could be one of the best quarterback classes we have seen in quite a while. If any or all of these predictions come true come late into the 2019 college football season, I would expect to see as many as 5 teams trying to land their franchise quarterback.
Leading the list of quarterbacks that will be eligible to enter the 2020 NFL draft is Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa. If you follow any Miami Dolphins fan, you probably have seen the “Tank For Tua” posts flying around. Barring severe injury or a disastrous junior season, Tagovailoa is expected to be the first quarterback off the board. The 6’1″ dynamic dual-threat quarterback and Walter Camp Player of the Year will start his campaign out August 31st against Duke.
