NoSuch Dame LB Manti "Snugglebunny" Te'o (official imaginary thread)

[jlb1705]

Give me a break. There's no way Te'o lasts till the 5th.

I don't want my team to draft him, particularly, but the same sorts of things they're saying about Te'o (sans the whole catfishing thing) were said about James Laurinaitis a few years ago. He'll be an adequate pro at least, and I doubt he lasts past the 2nd.

I don't agree that he'll be an adequate pro, but I do agree that he'll probably end up getting drafted earlier than people are thinking at the moment. There's too much ego and paranoia in the NFL for it not to happen that way.

That's how Tebow got drafted in the first round - some coach or GM thinks highly enough of himself that he'll take an early flier on a mediocre but famous player with hopes that if the player becomes great somehow, people will attribute that greatness to the coach or GM that "created" it.

That's also how players like Maurice Clarett get drafted in the third round - a famous and productive college player with baggage - he's a lottery ticket that somebody will reach for early because they are paranoid that somebody else in their division will do it instead and strike it rich.

It doesn't take a consensus for a guy like Te'o to get drafted earlier than he's worth - all it takes is one guy, one idiot that thinks they can make him better than he is now or that's scared some other guy might do it.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Kid will be a 6-8 year starter in the NFL assuming he stays healthy. The MLB position is ever changing in the NFL with spread QB's but Manti is solid in traffic and a tackling machine (please disregard the abusement Eddy Lacy put on him).

It's fun to make fun of this dude, but at some point it's smart to take his actual football skills into consideration.

Chris Spielman was a tackling machine. Marcus Marek was a tackling machine.

Te'O had nothing more than a run of mill season no different than a dozen BCS linebackers have every year regarding tackling. He lucked into 7 interceptions. Had it not been for that (and who he played for and his "story"), we wouldn't even have a thread on the imbecile.

 

[Nutriaitch]

Chris Spielman was a tackling machine. Marcus Marek was a tackling machine.

Te'O had nothing more than a run of mill season no different than a dozen BCS linebackers have every year regarding tackling. He lucked into 7 interceptions. Had it not been for that (and who he played for and his "story"), we wouldn't even have a thread on the imbecile.

he was 46th in the country last year in total tackles by a linebacker.

 

[jwinslow]

he was 46th in the country last year in total tackles by a linebacker.

He was listed with zero missed tackles in his first twelve games. There were clearly some statistical shenanigans going on.

He was a good player, possibly even a butkus candidate given the stage he made plays upon, but it was absurd that he received any Heisman run. He wasn't in the same galaxy as Suh or Woodson. He was your annual very good not legendary linebacker.

 

[Nutriaitch]

He was listed with zero missed tackles in his first twelve games. There were clearly some statistical shenanigans going on.

He was a good player, possibly even a butkus candidate given the stage he made plays upon, but it was absurd that he received any Heisman run. He wasn't in the same galaxy as Suh or Woodson. He was your annual very good not legendary linebacker.

I readily admit to being biased.
but I would seriously take at least 3 linebackers from the SEC over him any day.
CJ Mosely from Bama is better
Kevin Minter from LSU is better
Jarvis Plays OLB, but is also better

that's just at his position, let alone entire defense.


as far as heisman, he never should have even been mentioned as a dark horse, let alone a finalist, much less runner up.

Tyrann Mathieu was an absolute game changer for us in 2011.
he had the most ridiculous season I've ever seen a defensive player have for us. And considering some of the guys who have come through this D, that's saying something.
It wasn't just big plays. it was the timing of his plays that just turned games around and opened the flood gates for us.
It was simply amazing to watch.

if THAT season doesn't get you higher than 5th, then Manti's season doesn't even deserve a top 10 finish.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

By "jumping drills", I meant broad jump and vertical jump.

Yeah, those drills are more indicative of game ability than are agility drills...

 

[zincfinger]

Yeah, those drills are more indicative of game ability than are agility drills...

I'm not saying they are. I don't claim to know how heavily NFL talent scouts weigh the 3-cone drill vs. the vertical jump and broad jump. Although, based on what I read (e.g.), Te'o logged a 7.13 in the 3-cone drill (whether that was a repeat performance after him falling in an earlier trial, I don't know), which isn't enormously different from what Laurinaitis logged (6.93).

I agree with you that Te'o is (or more accurately, was) overrated, and also that his personal baggage may well be a factor in lowering his draft stock. I also think it is unlikely that he will be as successful in the NFL as Laurinaitis has been. It's just not clear to me that his physical measurables from the combine are dramatically different from what Laurinaitis's were.

 

[Mike80]

I don't agree that he'll be an adequate pro, but I do agree that he'll probably end up getting drafted earlier than people are thinking at the moment. There's too much ego and paranoia in the NFL for it not to happen that way.

That's how Tebow got drafted in the first round - some coach or GM thinks highly enough of himself that he'll take an early flier on a mediocre but famous player with hopes that if the player becomes great somehow, people will attribute that greatness to the coach or GM that "created" it.

That's also how players like Maurice Clarett get drafted in the third round - a famous and productive college player with baggage - he's a lottery ticket that somebody will reach for early because they are paranoid that somebody else in their division will do it instead and strike it rich.

It doesn't take a consensus for a guy like Te'o to get drafted earlier than he's worth - all it takes is one guy, one idiot that thinks they can make him better than he is now or that's scared some other guy might do it.

It happens in the NBA draft all the time - they see some kid who can jump and has the wingspan of a B-52 and they immediately draft him in the top 10.

 

[CincyInterloper]

I don't agree that he'll be an adequate pro, but I do agree that he'll probably end up getting drafted earlier than people are thinking at the moment. There's too much ego and paranoia in the NFL for it not to happen that way.

That's how Tebow got drafted in the first round - some coach or GM thinks highly enough of himself that he'll take an early flier on a mediocre but famous player with hopes that if the player becomes great somehow, people will attribute that greatness to the coach or GM that "created" it.

That's also how players like Maurice Clarett get drafted in the third round - a famous and productive college player with baggage - he's a lottery ticket that somebody will reach for early because they are paranoid that somebody else in their division will do it instead and strike it rich.

It doesn't take a consensus for a guy like Te'o to get drafted earlier than he's worth - all it takes is one guy, one idiot that thinks they can make him better than he is now or that's scared some other guy might do it.

Paging Mike Brown. Phone call for Mr. Brown.

 

[buckeyesin07]

Ridiculous.

Actually, not. Did you see the NC game? As good as Alabama is, their guys that were making Te'o look like a junior high player are a watered down version of what Te'o will face in the NFL.

 

[Buckeye86]

It happens in the NBA draft all the time - they see some kid who can jump and has the wingspan of a B-52 and they immediately draft him in the top 10.

Sure, but Te'o not only failed to show he has a freakish frame or athleticism worth taking a risk on, he proved the exact opposite; he is below average in almost every respect from a physical standpoint.

Also, this isn't the NBA.

That's how Tebow got drafted in the first round - some coach or GM thinks highly enough of himself that he'll take an early flier on a mediocre but famous player with hopes that if the player becomes great somehow, people will attribute that greatness to the coach or GM that "created" it.

That's also how players like Maurice Clarett get drafted in the third round - a famous and productive college player with baggage - he's a lottery ticket that somebody will reach for early because they are paranoid that somebody else in their division will do it instead and strike it rich.

Tebow was an intangibles freak but had poor mechanics that could be "taught" by a guru.

Clarett was a physical freak who had terrible intangibles.

Both players were batting .500 on things that make a player desirable for a team to draft.

There are at least a dozen or more linebackers in this draft with more athletic and physical potential than Te'o.

Almost every single player in this draft has more intangibles to build upon than Te'o given that he is: a distraction, a liar, a dummy, full of excuses, and most importantly- the biggest laughing stock in college football history.

So, I ask again- what exactly is there for an egotistical coach or front office to think they can build upon?

Is it the stats (tackling machine )? The 7 interceptions?

The embarrassment against Alabama kinda slams the door shut on any glimmer of hope you could build on his "solid fundamentals" or whatever you want to argue his middle of the road college production proves.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

I'm not saying they are. I don't claim to know how heavily NFL talent scouts weigh the 3-cone drill vs. the vertical jump and broad jump. Although, based on what I read (e.g.), Te'o logged a 7.13 in the 3-cone drill (whether that was a repeat performance after him falling in an earlier trial, I don't know), which isn't enormously different from what Laurinaitis logged (6.93).

I agree with you that Te'o is (or more accurately, was) overrated, and also that his personal baggage may well be a factor in lowering his draft stock. I also think it is unlikely that he will be as successful in the NFL as Laurinaitis has been. It's just not clear to me that his physical measurables from the combine are dramatically different from what Laurinaitis's were.

Not to pile on, but .2 seconds is enormously different in these drills. In the 40, 4.3 is unheard of fast. 4.5 is a fast defensive lineman.

 

[matcar]

Sure, but Te'o not only failed to show he has a freakish frame or athleticism worth taking a risk on, he proved the exact opposite; he is below average in almost every respect from a physical standpoint.

Also, this isn't the NBA.



Tebow was an intangibles freak but had poor mechanics that could be "taught" by a guru.

Clarett was a physical freak who had terrible intangibles.

Both players were batting .500 on things that make a player desirable for a team to draft.

There are at least a dozen or more linebackers in this draft with more athletic and physical potential than Te'o.

Almost every single player in this draft has more intangibles to build upon than Te'o given that he is: a distraction, a liar, a dummy, full of excuses, and most importantly- the biggest laughing stock in college football history.

So, I ask again- what exactly is there for an egotistical coach or front office to think they can build upon?

Is it the stats (tackling machine )? The 7 interceptions?

The embarrassment against Alabama kinda slams the door shut on any glimmer of hope you could build on his "solid fundamentals" or whatever you want to argue his middle of the road college production proves.

So are you stating that you don't believe he will go in the first or second round?

 

[zincfinger]

Not to pile on, but .2 seconds is enormously different in these drills. In the 40, 4.3 is unheard of fast. 4.5 is a fast defensive lineman.

OK, but 0.2 seconds in the 3-cone is more like 0.15 seconds in the 40-yd-dash. Which is certainly a significant difference; whether it's an enormous difference is, I suppose, just a matter of definition. And I think these differences are greater at the margins than they are in the middle. In your example, the difference between a 4.3 and a 4.5 (4.45) is a big one because, as you say, almost no one runs a 4.3. But is the difference between a 4.5 and a 4.65 enormous? Again, that's a matter of definition, but I wouldn't regard it as such. For reference, in this year's combine, 6.93 would have been 3rd best among linebackers; 7.13 was 6th best.

At any rate, my original point was that Laurinaitis and Te'o did not have drastically different combine numbers, overall.

JL ------------------------- MT
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]40 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]4.76 [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]------------------40 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]4.82[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]20 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]2.75[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]------------------20 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=-2]NA[/SIZE]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]10 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]1.59[/SIZE][/FONT] ------------ [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]10 Yrd Dash:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]NA[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]225 Lb. Bench Reps:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]22[/SIZE][/FONT] ------- [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]225 Lb. Bench Reps:[/SIZE][/FONT] DNP
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Vertical Jump:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]33[/SIZE][/FONT] ------------ [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Vertical Jump:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]33[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Broad Jump:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]09'07"[/SIZE][/FONT] ---------- [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]Broad Jump:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]09'0[SIZE=-2]5[/SIZE]"[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]20 Yrd Shuttle:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]4.24[/SIZE][/FONT] ---------- [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]20 Yrd Shuttle:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]4.27[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]3-Cone Drill:[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]6.93------------------ [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-2]3-Cone Drill:[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=-2]7.13

Regardless of the arguable similarity in their physical measurables (with JL having a slight to moderate edge) I wouldn't be shocked if Te'o got drafted quite a few spots lower than JL did (in part due to the fake, dead girlfriend), and I strongly doubt Te'o will be as successful in the NFL as Laurinaitis has been.[/SIZE]

 

[jlb1705]

Tebow was an intangibles freak but had poor mechanics that could be "taught" by a guru.

Clarett was a physical freak who had terrible intangibles.

Both players were batting .500 on things that make a player desirable for a team to draft.

There are at least a dozen or more linebackers in this draft with more athletic and physical potential than Te'o.

Almost every single player in this draft has more intangibles to build upon than Te'o given that he is: a distraction, a liar, a dummy, full of excuses, and most importantly- the biggest laughing stock in college football history.

So, I ask again- what exactly is there for an egotistical coach or front office to think they can build upon?

Is it the stats (tackling machine )? The 7 interceptions?

The embarrassment against Alabama kinda slams the door shut on any glimmer of hope you could build on his "solid fundamentals" or whatever you want to argue his middle of the road college production proves.

You're looking at it rationally. All it takes is one person who doesn't. There are plenty of candidates out there. There are more bad front offices in the NFL than good ones.