|
04-26-2006, 09:53 AM | |
avatar down for remodel
Join Date: Jul 2001
Casino cash: $10004900
|
Teicher NFL draft 4/26
NFL draft
Tough to turn a corner Rookie DBs don’t become stars right away By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/14428378.htm As accomplished as he is today — two career Pro Bowl appearances and the fattest contract in Chiefs history — time was when cornerback Patrick Surtain survived on physical skills alone. He eventually acquired the know-how that allowed him to become one of the best at his craft. He sure didn’t arrive in the NFL with it. Like most young cornerbacks, he took awhile to learn the nuances of playing the position. “It’s the receivers,” Surtain said. “In college you might go against one or two elite receivers a year, and maybe they’re not even elite. In the NFL, there are no slouches. You’ve got to come every single weekend. And you probably get scrutinized more than any other player on the field except the quarterback.” The Chiefs appear intent not only on selecting at least one cornerback in this weekend’s draft, but playing him right away. They have a void in their starting lineup at cornerback opposite Surtain, and new coach Herm Edwards brings with him from Tampa Bay and the New York Jets a history of playing rookie defensive backs. The Chiefs interviewed several potential first-round cornerbacks last week, including Florida State’s Antonio Cromartie, South Carolina’s Johnathan Joseph, Virginia Tech’s Jimmy Williams and Fresno State’s Richard Marshall. Pat Dennis in 2000 was the last rookie cornerback to be a regular starter for the Chiefs. Before that, they had to go back to Kevin Ross in 1984. Dennis didn’t last and was soon out of the league, while Ross eventually became among the best corners ever to play for the Chiefs. The Chiefs suffered through growing pains with both. That’s the norm for rookie cornerbacks. Sometimes teams reap the eventual rewards for playing a rookie, but seldom does it pay immediate rewards. It apparently won’t stop the Chiefs. “We’d like to think that is a position that has some depth and quality this year,” Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson said. “There are going to be some good cornerbacks, whether it’s the first or second round, that you would hope if not immediately would be able to start and contribute for you pretty quickly.” Edwards as secondary coach with Tampa Bay started a rookie cornerback named Donnie Abraham. As head coach with the Jets, he started one rookie corner, Justin Miller, and two first-year safeties, Erik Coleman and Kerry Rhodes. None was drafted in the first round, but Edwards lived to tell about the experience. “For the most part, I’ve been very fortunate,” Edwards said. “The guys we’ve picked kind of worked out. But I also knew the system we were in. That’s very, very important, to understand your system and understand what you’re going to ask this player to do. “If you’re a talented guy, you can almost play in (any system).” Left unsaid by Edwards is that lower-round cornerbacks are usually only successful in a defensive system right for their particular talents. Teams often make mistakes by trying to force a cornerback without the proper skills into a certain system. Judging a cornerback’s ability in college also can be difficult. “The problem you have in college football when you try to view a corner is that if he’s a good player and he has a (positive) reputation … first of all, how many good receivers is he going to play against?” Edwards said. “How many (good) quarterbacks is he going to play (against)? The next problem you have is that they’re really not going to throw the ball to him a lot, so all you really see is him move and turn. You can see him move and that he’s fast and that he can cover a (slow) receiver … “You can get (high-) quality defensive backs without always going to the first pick. I’m not saying there are not some available guys in the first round. I’m just saying if you don’t get one in the first round, I don’t panic and say, ‘Now we can’t play.’ I’m smarter than that. I’ve been in the league too long for that.” Among this year’s cornerbacks, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper ranked Miami’s Kelly Jennings as the most polished and most likely to start immediately. “He’s so experienced,” Kiper said. “He’s worked against some (high-) quality wide receivers at Miami and against the opposition. He’s a very fundamentally sound corner.” Otherwise, cornerbacks who are first-round candidates carry some risk, as they usually do. Cromartie missed all of the 2005 season with a knee injury. Though his knee may be sound, he has much less experience than some of his counterparts. Other risky cornerbacks include Joseph (“You either think he’s going to be the best corner in the draft or you can’t stand him,” NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said) and Williams (“He’s a boom or bust, either an All-Pro or a washout,” Mayock said). The Chiefs, given their recent trials at cornerback, might tend toward the safer pick — if there were such a thing. Surtain, who didn’t establish himself as a regular and one of the league’s best cornerbacks until his third NFL season with Miami, can speak for that. “I can’t say I really knew what I needed to know as a player until my third season,” he said. He mentioned the skills of the opposing receivers as one reason for the tough transition from college to pro. He didn’t mention those of the opposing quarterback, though he could have. Rare is the college quarterback who can make all of the throws, but they’re everywhere in the NFL. Pro corners who sleep on certain routes quickly wind up on the bench or in another line of work. “It’s tough to do, play corner as a rookie,” Surtain said. “It’s a big adjustment. I think besides quarterback, corner is probably the hardest position to make that jump. “The defensive systems teams are running today are so elaborate. There’s a lot more studying you have to do than in college.” |
Posts: 6,009
|
04-26-2006, 10:01 AM | #2 |
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Rapid City, SD
Casino cash: $10004900
|
draft Cromartie plz
__________________
For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who don't believe, no explanation will do. |
Posts: 1,089
|
04-26-2006, 10:06 AM | #3 |
MVP
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: In the Top 10
Casino cash: $9924205
|
The Chiefs are laying the ground work for not drafting a corner in the 1st round. They are so transparent.
__________________
A 35 year drought can make you thirsty. |
Posts: 15,777
|
04-26-2006, 10:08 AM | #4 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2004
Casino cash: $5533149
|
Quote:
Gonna be a DE. |
|
Posts: 4,562
|
04-26-2006, 10:11 AM | #5 |
Learn it. Know it. Live it.
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Casino cash: $10004900
|
I think Edwards and Surtain are a match made in heaven.
__________________
- * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - * - Four blessings upon my fellow planeteers: Older whiskey, younger women, faster horses, and more money. |
Posts: 10,840
|
04-26-2006, 10:12 AM | #6 | |
The Collective Unconscious
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: The OP
Casino cash: $9520422
|
Quote:
|
|
Posts: 10,425
|
04-26-2006, 10:19 AM | #7 |
thick as a brick
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: alpha centauri
Casino cash: $10004925
|
Agree with DE. We need more help on the line creating pressure on the QB than we need secondary coverage.
|
Posts: 964
|
04-26-2006, 10:37 AM | #8 |
'Tis my eye!
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Chiefsplanet
Casino cash: $10269900
|
We have much bigger needs at DE, DT, and S.
I hope this article is accurate. |
Posts: 100,022
|
04-26-2006, 10:48 AM | #9 | |
Hockey Town
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Casino cash: $2627050
|
Quote:
|
|
Posts: 110,935
|
04-26-2006, 10:48 AM | #10 |
"F_ck Family Fun Night"
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: York, PA
Casino cash: $10005025
|
This article is accurate in part, because I can name at least two corners who did make very good contributions as rookies. But I will agree that our needs are more serious at DE or any of those line positions. I still beleive that our secondary isn't that bad IF we got more pressure on the QB. I can not think of one good defensive team with a good secondary that has a terrible front four like ours. If you give the QB all day to make a completion, you could have Law, Surtain, Polamolua(sp) and Hope back there, someone will eventually get open enough to hurt you.
|
Posts: 2,373
|
04-26-2006, 10:54 AM | #11 |
GO CHIEFS!!!!!!
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Kansas City
Casino cash: $7918717
|
I think the first pick is going to be a Dlineman. Herm knows that's where it starts, or else he wouldn't be so easy to put in a rookie DB, IMO. He knows if you have a good dline, your secondary is that much better. So I see a Dlineman with the 20th pick, although, it could be best player available or trade down, depending on how the picks are being layed out before the Chiefs.
__________________
Don't be fooled by my username, I'm white. |
Posts: 26,630
|
04-26-2006, 10:54 AM | #12 |
Hockey Town
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Casino cash: $2627050
|
Thing is though, what if the available corner is much better than the Dlineman left? You don't just not take the corner cause you must have Dline when the corner is better.
|
Posts: 110,935
|
04-26-2006, 10:55 AM | #13 | |
The Dude Abides
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Dakota Country
Casino cash: $5885285
|
Quote:
Can we request a brick wall? Will you provide pictures, please? Actually, Jason Allen or Jimmy Williams, I could see. they will probably be moved to saftey early in their carreers.....
__________________
"I've always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment...We see what's going on around the league, but at the same time, I'll never do anything that's going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me.” |
|
Posts: 46,350
|
04-26-2006, 11:03 AM | #14 | |
Dumbass!
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Leading the Marty bashing
Casino cash: $10029395
|
Quote:
__________________
|
|
Posts: 70,769
|
04-26-2006, 11:05 AM | #15 | |
Dumbass!
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Leading the Marty bashing
Casino cash: $10029395
|
Quote:
__________________
|
|
Posts: 70,769
|
|
|