Tribal Warfare
09-04-2009, 09:44 PM
LeGarrette Blount's NFL stock tumbles, but career remains reparable (http://blog.oregonlive.com/nfl/2009/09/nfl_stock_of_oregons_legarrett.html)
Posted by Aaron Fentress
Hey, there's always boxing.
Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount demonstrated some Golden Gloves skill Thursday night and right now he might have a better shot at a career in boxing than one in the NFL.
The Ducks suspended Blount for his senior season, ending on-field opportunities to further raise his once high stock. Now, he potentially has lowered his draft status from second-round talent to undraftable.
NFLDraftScout.com had Blount rated as the No. 3 running back in the 2010 draft class, which right now only includes seniors. The site also had Blount listed as an early second-round pick.
Site draft expert Rob Rang recently wrote an article about six seniors, including Blount, who he thought could play their way into the first round with good seasons. But now, Rang believes Blount may have punched and shoved his way out of the draft altogether.
Rang said NFLDraftScout.com could drop Blount into the fifth round or lower.
"The lack of control and the anger issue are enough that most teams could completely take them off their boards," Rang said.
Prior transgressions don't help. Blount has been suspended by Oregon before and has had issues with grades and his weight. Plus, it's not as if Blount was considered a can't-miss prospect to begin with.
Rang said that Blount (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) is not an elite talent, but is a good downhill back in the mold of the Brandon Jacobs (6-4, 264) of the New York Giants, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 draft.
"He's a big downhill back and much faster in the open field than people want to give him credit for," Rang said. "And he has the foot quickness, agility that is very rare for a guy that size."
AP Photo/Matt CilleyOregons LeGarrette Blount (9) scores on a two-point conversion against the Boise State during the second half of Thursday's game that saw Blount punch his way off the Ducks team following the game.
A good senior season for Blount could have elevated his stock. But now he most likely will be limited to predraft workouts in order to impress NFL scouts. But those opportunities could be very limited.
Senior all-star games? No way!
NFL Scouting Combine? Not a chance.
"I don't know that all could be forgiven," Rang said.
One NFL Scout, however, isn't so sure Blount is done. He said that a top three rating at his position was "real premature" and "just something to talk about," but he did compare Blount to Jacobs, saying that "his size and run skill make him unique."
"We all saw that last year (17 touchdowns)," the scout said. "But can he establish himself as the stand-out, number-one back?"
As for Thursday's incident, the scout said how it impacts Blount's draft status, "all depends on how he handles himself from here on out."
But the scout added that, "any past history could create doubt. But it only takes one buyer....its early so he can mend."
My take: He'll be in an NFL training camp next year. But getting there won't be easy.
First off, forget about the punch that
sent Boise State's Byron Hou crumbling to that ugly blue turf. What is more unsettling his the complete lack of control that followed. Players tustle everyday. But most skirmishes are quickly defused.
But Blount followed the sucker punch with shoving a teammate, attempting to go Ron Artest on some fans, chucking aside a coach and pushig a security officer.
Blount said all the right things after the game, that it would never happen again, blah, blah, blah. But the fact that he was completely out of control will raise doubts about his ability to handle the pressures of the NFL.
Especially in Roger Goodell's NFL.
The league has proven to be forgiving of player transgressions before they entered the league. But under Goodell, those days are all but over. Goodell, who has cracked down on player misconduct with harsh suspensions since taking office in 2006.
For that reason, Blount may have made it so that so many teams don't view him as being worth the risk of developing, let alone burning a draft pick on.
Still, should he show contrition over the next eight months, a team will take a chance on him. So, hope for an NFL career still remains for Blount. But with his tantrum Thursday night, Blount certainly has created a steep climb for himself.
"With each mistake you're eliminating teams that would consider him," Rang said. "I think he eliminated a lot of teams last night."
Posted by Aaron Fentress
Hey, there's always boxing.
Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount demonstrated some Golden Gloves skill Thursday night and right now he might have a better shot at a career in boxing than one in the NFL.
The Ducks suspended Blount for his senior season, ending on-field opportunities to further raise his once high stock. Now, he potentially has lowered his draft status from second-round talent to undraftable.
NFLDraftScout.com had Blount rated as the No. 3 running back in the 2010 draft class, which right now only includes seniors. The site also had Blount listed as an early second-round pick.
Site draft expert Rob Rang recently wrote an article about six seniors, including Blount, who he thought could play their way into the first round with good seasons. But now, Rang believes Blount may have punched and shoved his way out of the draft altogether.
Rang said NFLDraftScout.com could drop Blount into the fifth round or lower.
"The lack of control and the anger issue are enough that most teams could completely take them off their boards," Rang said.
Prior transgressions don't help. Blount has been suspended by Oregon before and has had issues with grades and his weight. Plus, it's not as if Blount was considered a can't-miss prospect to begin with.
Rang said that Blount (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) is not an elite talent, but is a good downhill back in the mold of the Brandon Jacobs (6-4, 264) of the New York Giants, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 draft.
"He's a big downhill back and much faster in the open field than people want to give him credit for," Rang said. "And he has the foot quickness, agility that is very rare for a guy that size."
AP Photo/Matt CilleyOregons LeGarrette Blount (9) scores on a two-point conversion against the Boise State during the second half of Thursday's game that saw Blount punch his way off the Ducks team following the game.
A good senior season for Blount could have elevated his stock. But now he most likely will be limited to predraft workouts in order to impress NFL scouts. But those opportunities could be very limited.
Senior all-star games? No way!
NFL Scouting Combine? Not a chance.
"I don't know that all could be forgiven," Rang said.
One NFL Scout, however, isn't so sure Blount is done. He said that a top three rating at his position was "real premature" and "just something to talk about," but he did compare Blount to Jacobs, saying that "his size and run skill make him unique."
"We all saw that last year (17 touchdowns)," the scout said. "But can he establish himself as the stand-out, number-one back?"
As for Thursday's incident, the scout said how it impacts Blount's draft status, "all depends on how he handles himself from here on out."
But the scout added that, "any past history could create doubt. But it only takes one buyer....its early so he can mend."
My take: He'll be in an NFL training camp next year. But getting there won't be easy.
First off, forget about the punch that
sent Boise State's Byron Hou crumbling to that ugly blue turf. What is more unsettling his the complete lack of control that followed. Players tustle everyday. But most skirmishes are quickly defused.
But Blount followed the sucker punch with shoving a teammate, attempting to go Ron Artest on some fans, chucking aside a coach and pushig a security officer.
Blount said all the right things after the game, that it would never happen again, blah, blah, blah. But the fact that he was completely out of control will raise doubts about his ability to handle the pressures of the NFL.
Especially in Roger Goodell's NFL.
The league has proven to be forgiving of player transgressions before they entered the league. But under Goodell, those days are all but over. Goodell, who has cracked down on player misconduct with harsh suspensions since taking office in 2006.
For that reason, Blount may have made it so that so many teams don't view him as being worth the risk of developing, let alone burning a draft pick on.
Still, should he show contrition over the next eight months, a team will take a chance on him. So, hope for an NFL career still remains for Blount. But with his tantrum Thursday night, Blount certainly has created a steep climb for himself.
"With each mistake you're eliminating teams that would consider him," Rang said. "I think he eliminated a lot of teams last night."