Bernard Pollard, team leader?
 

Did anybody else hear the interview on WHB this morning?

I was pleasantly surprised out how much he seems to have matured over the last year. He really sounds grounded and ready to go. He seems to have a really good grasp on the team concept and what it means to be a leader on the field and off.

I did not catch that. Why were you not transcribing for us? You slacker.

Too young and inexperienced to be a team leader.

disagree...it's a young team.
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It would help if he was a starter. I guess he could be a special teams leader.

He'll be the starter.

It's a young team. 41 other players on the team have been there less, or just as long, as he has.

Despite his age, i think he will be a great example for his teammates.

I remember reading an article last year that talked about how he & Page basically attached themselves to Herms hip, trying to glean as much info as possible.

Both of those guys seem to be taking their roles VERY seriously & are taking advantage of every opportunity.

I CANT WAIT to see them play this year, its gonna be exciting.

He hasnt even started a game yet.

I heard him on 610 a couple of weeks ago and thought the same thing.

He should have started last year, and every one knows it.

And every one knows he will be the starter.

Who is supposed to be faster between Page and Pollard?

Lead by example the rest will come.

he can be a leader if he plays well, otherwise he's just yapping....we'll see

I'm liking the Pollard/Page combo more and more. These kids are gonna be something special.

I'm still very puzzled as to why Pollard didn't get more playing time on D last year...

I don't know, I heard an interview with him a few weeks ago, and while he did seem grounded and said all the right things, but you can't be a leader until you show it on the field as a starter. I guess I don't even think of someone as a leader anymore until they can actually show me something.

I know this is bad, but I hope we don't take him off of special teams, he was easily one of the best ST players I have seen from the Chiefs in a long time.

Because it is a very risky move to play two rookie safeties simultaneously. Big risk, especially with a struggling offense.

It will be nice to see atleast one person on the field that could stick hims helmet right into someones guts and hit them so hard their insides come out like a damn jack in the box.

They didn't have to play simultaneously... Play one at a time and leave Knight or Wesley on the field, but give them equal time.

All I can think is that Pollards coverage skills needed much more work than Page....

Well, playing Knight could be a bit difficult at this time...

Could have.... as in last year....

I'm pretty confident Pollard and Page will start opening day...

Pollard

I saw an interview toward the end of last season where he was asked about being on special teams and starting. You could tell that he wasn't satisfied but was playing his position the best he could, trying to earn a starting job. He sounded like he had a real good grasp of how things worked and what he needed to do. It doesn't hurt that he looked real good more than once on ST last year.

I can't even see Pollard as a leader of the secondary, much less the team with veterans like Law and Surtain playing back there.

There is a lot of veteran leadership on the defense, especially with the additions at linebacker. I thought I read an interview with Nap a while back in which he proclaimed he would be a team leader.

The nice thing about this type of interview is we can get a sense that the players really care and the apathy shown on Vermeil's defense has been flushed away.

I don't see why we would. Anybody can play ST, starter or not, correct?

I would have actually guessed Page.

I would of as well. If Pollard is going to be the SS and Page the FS. Aren't the FS's suppose to be the faster safety?

Man, I wish I could hear these broadcasts. Good to know about Pollard, though. Thanks, Mr. htismaqe.

FAX

A little bit of googling reveals that their 40 times were very similar (low 4.6 to high 4.5s). Based on 40 times I don't think you could say one was quicker than the other. Page seemed to do a little better in the short shuttle and cone drills, so he might be a little more quick with respect to cutting and start-stops.

In the interview a couple weeks ago Pollard was talking about how much he had learned last year from Knight, Wesley and even Page. He said of course with all the years that Knight and Wesley have been playing that he was able to pick up a lot of things from them of course, then sort of laughed and commented on the fact that Page is just a ball hawk.

I was wrong - they did run at the combine.

Here was Gil Brandt's analysis last year - safeties ranked 10 - 14.

10. Bernard Pollard, Purdue (6-1 5/8, 224, 4.61)
Pollard worked out at the Combine, but didn't lift or do the shuttles. He ran his 40s in 4.57 and 4.63, had a 361/2-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-11 long jump. At Purdue's Pro Day on March 10, Pollard had a 4.11 short shuttle, 6.88 three-cone drill, and did 18 lifts. He was a defensive back and wide receiver in high school that also played basketball and ran track. Pollard played as a true freshman for the Boilermakers in 2003 and started 12 games. Started 12 games in 2004 and 11 in 2005. Pollard, and most of the Purdue defense, didn't play well this past season, but he has the size needed for the position. He is a very good hitter that will punish people, but not all the time (inconsistent). He was suspended for three days prior to the first game in 2005, but still has a lot of talent. Could even be a weakside linebacker for some teams that run a 4-3 defense.

11. Eric Smith, Michigan State (6-1, 209, 4.64)
Smith had a complete workout at the Combine. He ran his 40s in 4.57 and 4.69, had a 40-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-6 long jump, 4.10 short shuttle, 6.89 three-cone drill, and had 21 lifts. He turned in a 3.97 short shuttle at the Michigan State Pro Day on March 18. Did it all in high school, playing defensive back, quarterback, running back and wide receiver. Was a medical redshirt in 2001 with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Started five games at free safety in 2002, and nine games in 2003 at strong safety. Started 22 games over the past two years. Smith has good size for the position. He is a smart player with good instincts and good, but not great, athletic ability. Has had a lot of injuries and will have trouble keeping up with speedy players.

12. Greg Blue, Georgia (6-21/4, 215, 4.65)
Blue had a complete workout at the Combine. Ran his 40s in 4.61 and 4.70, had a 371/2inch vertical jump, 10-foot long jump, 4.28 short shuttle, 7.09 three-cone drill, and did 16 lifts. He played defensive back and returned kicks in high school. Also played on the basketball team. Redshirted in 2001 at Georgia, played, but did not start in 2002, and became a part-time starter in 2003 at free safety. Started every game in 2004 and '05. Blue has the size you want for the position. He is a good tackler, but only has average hands. Not a real instinctive player and has average coverage skills. Some question his ability to play in the NFL, but he could contribute on special teams.

13. Antwan Marsh, Pikeville (6-13/4, 216, 4.51)
Marsh was not invited to the Combine, but he worked out March 8 on campus. He ran his 40s in 4.50 and 4.51, had a 31-inch vertical jump, 9-foot-11 long jump, 4.28 short shuttle, 6.97 three-cone drill, and did 11 lifts. Started school at a junior college in Mississippi, playing outside linebacker. Spent the last two seasons at Pikeville in Kentucky as both a wide receiver and a defensive back. Marsh is an outstanding athlete at this level with nine interceptions the past two years. Caught 18 passes for four touchdowns in 2005. Some teams might want to take a chance on this guy.

14. Jarrad Page, UCLA (6-0 3/8, 239, 4.65)
Page had a complete workout at the Combine. He ran his 40s in 4.63 and 4.67, had a 38-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-7 long jump, 4.14 short shuttle, 6.68 three-cone drill, and put up 14 lifts. At 239 pounds, he is actually 14 pounds lighter now than from the Combine. Page was drafted in the fifth round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002. He started 10 games as a true freshman, which was the most starts for a freshman safety in 25 years at the school. Started a total of 46 games in his four-year career for a good program. The former minor league baseball player definitely has the athletic ability. Totaled nine interceptions at UCLA.

They were both projected SS's.

Beat me to it.

Damn either that's wrong or Page was a BIG safety during his collegiate career. I mean both him and Pollard are playing at 220-225 right now, correct?

Hence the reason the title of the thread ends with a question mark.

Alot of the discussion in this thread seems to be centered around the idea that Pollard IS a leader, which I never suggested.

I was pondering the idea, aloud, of whether or not he COULD BE a leader.

I'm gonna go ahead and say no, just to throw it out there.