Some people need to step back and remember what this guy was when drafted.. HE IS WHAT WE THOUGHT HE WAS........ Add in moving around, a hybrid Offense / OL and fragmented offseason last year when he should have made his biggest jump..... The NFL Scouting Combine is this weekend, and UMass offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse is receiving the kind of attention that is rare for a player coming out of Amherst. The 6-foot-5 330-pound Ducasse is a sure bet to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. The combine is his chance to move up. Many have projected him as a 2nd-round pick, and NFL Network draft analst Mike Mayock says "some have him going in the first round." Ducasse has a couple things working against him, though. He is seen as a raw talent, so he could slide down if teams view him as too risky. It's also unclear what position Ducasse would play at the NFL level — tackle or guard. And of course, there's the fact that Ducasse did not see an elite level of competition week in and week out, by NFL scouts' standards. So he has some unkowns to overcome. • USA Today ranks Ducasse as the No. 51 overall prospect in this year's draft class. There is little doubt Ducasse has rare size and skills, but there is no consensus on where his talent might be best used in pro football. At the Senior Bowl, scouts delighted in watching him line up at all of the offensive line positions and then even take a shot on the defensive side. His natural strength and athletic ability give him tremendous upside. • ESPN's Todd McShay wrote about Ducasse's appearance in the Senior Bowl: Ducasse looks dominant because he moves well for his size and simply engulfs and manhandles defenders at the FCS level. We saw at the Senior Bowl weight-in, though, that he needs to develop physically and turn some of his baby fat into muscle. The bigger issues were on the field, however. Ducasse was very inconsistent and appeared to take time to absorb what the coaches were telling him and then putting it into action. He struggled to deliver a strong punch as a run blocker and did not play with a wide base or sink his hips well. In addition, his footwork is too raw for him to hold up on the edge and we see him as a better fit at guard. Ducasse had a chance to prove himself at tackle and get into the first-round discussion, but he has so far to go that he clearly does not rank among th elite offensive line prospects and is now in the third-round range. • Draft Countdown lists Ducasse's strengths: Gets an outstanding push in the run game --- Stout at the point of attack and can anchor --- Mobile with range to pull, get out in space and reach the second level --- Is feisty and competitive with a nasty on-field demeanor --- Zealous work ethic • Writing for SI.com, Tony Pauline notes: Ducasse, mentioned by us as one of the top tackles in the nation last September, heads into the combine as the highest rated non-BCS prospect. He played well at the Senior Bowl but did not wow scouts. Ducasse's ability to turn in a good overall workout will affirm he is an offensive lineman capable of playing in a variety of systems at the next level. • National Football Post compares Ducasse to Patriots lineman Sebastian Vollmer: One guy who continues to intrigue is Massachusetts offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse. Ducasse exhibits good range off the edge for his size with the flexibility and base strength to sit into his stance and anchor. He consistently generates good power on contact and can really deliver a nasty punch at the point. He’s still raw and will struggle to stay on blocks, but the guy has the skill set to mature into a very good guard or tackle at the next level. He reminds me a bit of 2009 second-round pick Sebastian Vollmer, who was a similar type of prospect in terms of being a raw but possessing an unlimited amount of potential and overall upside. And much like Vollmer, the team that drafts Ducasse will grade him out as a potential starter who can contribute early in his NFL career, not as a developmental-type prospect. Ducasse begins his workouts at the NFL Combine Wednesday, and continues through Saturday.
Rich Cimini @RichCimini Mike Tannenbaum, on WFAN, says Wayne Hunter is starting RT. MT: "We expect Wayne back. We expect him to be our starter" #Jets
If Wayne Hunter starts next year I might have to just throw in the towel of any form of hope I had. As LTJF said, Tanny is known to say these bullshit cover ups right before the player is gone, but if he does hold true to his word... We are fucked.
Why? He was the main problem with our line last year? He's a good backup but can't handle decent pass rushers one on one. Tanny you better not ignore this position again this year. Sanchez got injured because of that.
