Its funny. People just hate the players before they suit up but when they begin to show promise and play well, the same people are either never heard of again or continue to nitpick.
Are you kidding? Every draft board looks different for every team... And ESPN's is irrelevant since ESPN doesn't have a Pro Football team last I checked... I'll trust our Jets scouts first....
Eighteen knockdowns -- that was a new one on me as well, and I got a big kick out of it. It came out of an "official bio" from the Univ. of Arkansas public affairs folks at the end of the year. They seemed to be impressed with the precedent of 18 knockdowns in one game at Arkansas. They like those snot knockers down there. I also think that anybody that was blocking so much for Mr. McFadden can't be so bad, since he has been sold at a very high price because of this blocking. The fact that there is so little information among the so-called Draft "Experts" is pretty bizarre since he was instrumental in helping to create one of the biggest offensive success stories in the U.S. this past year. It appears to be a pretty stupid oversight, in my view. The guy looks very polite, as well, in his rimless glasses. 6' 7", 319 lbs.... Soooey!
I very much like Garner as a prospect, but I was just amused that anyone can gain ANY meaning from "18 knockdowns," let alone emphasize it at the end of his post...
He seems to be a good late round pick, but I understand your skepticism at "18 knockdowns in one game..." Which game was it, and how do we know he wasnt playing against some weak substitute scrub that day?
From Jets Confidential: Just a one-year starter for the Razorbacks, Garner is a still a work-in-progress. But he displayed some very good characteristics during his one year as a starter. He has very good strength and has a terrific motor. On the downside, the right tackle prospect isn't particularly mobile and is a little stiff athletically. He is definitely a project, but with offensive line guru Bill Calahan on board, this kid could turn into a decent player. This is a good chance Garner could end up on the practice squad.
Offensive line coaches do keep track of knockdowns. Have you ever heard of "grading out"? It means he knocked a guy on his ass on 18 plays. That's what it means. It might be a defensive end, or a linebacker, or a defensive back -- but at least he's blocking/doing his job.
It's not an official stat, and it's kept by the teams. Everyone has his own definition. Is it just right off the line? Can it be down the field? Do successful cut or scramble blocks count? Do blocks on DBs down field count? What about combination/double team blocks? Or what about when a defender dives at the blocker's legs to take away his ability to pull or block downfield? It's completely ambiguous.... There's no way of knowing what 18 knockdowns, in any context means, and there's no way of comparing it to other players. Unless of course, you're the guy who keeps the "stats"... Keep in mind, the "stat" was taken from an Arkansas website...
Actually, (I love to repeat it) Brady was officially sacked five (5) times, but he was smashed by the NYG defense at least 23 times. It was a lot of fun.
It was so awesome it didnt even get mentioned. In a game where DMC only had 88 yds. Hmmm... Dick throws 4 TDs to lead Arkansas over Mississippi St. 45-31Preview | Box Score | Recap By NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer Nov 17, 5:38 pm EST PrintLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP)?Casey Dick threw a career-high four touchdown passes to help Arkansas give embattled coach Houston Nutt a win Saturday, 45-31 over Mississippi State. Darren McFadden ran for 88 yards and threw for a touchdown in what might have been his last home game as a Razorback. There?s a good chance McFadden, a junior, will turn pro after this season. Nutt improved to 22-2 at Little Rock?s War Memorial Stadium since becoming Arkansas? coach before the 1998 season. This game was a brief respite from constant speculation about his job status. The university strongly denied published reports that any decision has been made on Nutt?s future. Arkansas (7-4, 3-4 SEC) and Mississippi State (6-5, 3-4) are both bowl eligible, but the seventh win was a boost to the Razorbacks? resume. Dick, who was pulled during a 34-13 loss at Tennessee last weekend, started against Mississippi State and was 14-of-17 for 199 yards. His longest pass was a 57-yard touchdown to McFadden in the third quarter that gave the Razorbacks a 31-10 advantage. Mississippi State pulled to 38-24 in the fourth on Wesley Carroll?s 80-yard touchdown pass to Jamayel Smith. The Bulldogs then got the ball back, but defensive lineman Antwain Robinson intercepted a pass from just in front of Carroll and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 6:48 to play. Carroll found Jason Husband for a 19-yard touchdown on fourth down with 5 minutes left. Mississippi State then tried an onside kick, but Arkansas recovered. Carroll went 29-of-51 for 421 yards and four touchdowns, but he also threw four interceptions. Smith caught 10 passes for 208 yards. The Bulldogs took a 7-0 lead on Carroll?s 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith. The two also hooked up for a 19-yard gain earlier in the drive on fourth-and-5 from the Arkansas 30. The Razorbacks answered with 24 straight points in the second quarter. Trailing 7-3, Dick dumped the ball off to a wide open Farod Jackson, who raced all the way to the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Dick later added a 35-yard touchdown pass to Robert Johnson and a 19-yarder to Marcus Monk on third-and-16. The pass to Monk was thrown up for grabs, and the 6-foot-6 receiver outjumped two defenders for the ball. Dick was 9-of-10 for 131 yards in the first half, then found McFadden for another touchdown early in the third quarter. Dick moved away from the rush and dumped the ball off to the star running back near midfield. Linebacker Dominic Douglas was nearby, but once McFadden outran him, nobody else had a chance. Carroll threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tony Burks late in the third quarter, but McFadden?who occasionally lines up at quarterback for Arkansas? answered with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Johnson. The Bulldogs have never won at Arkansas. They are 0-4 at Fayetteville and 0-3-1 in Little Rock.
