Our thoughts and prayers are with Jermichael Finley who is in ICU after neck injury suffered late in the Packers’ game against the Browns yesterday. Full story on ESPN. Good luck Jermichael, get well soon.
The NFL is now littered with former Texas players from the [tag]Mack Brown[/tag] era. It seems like every game involves a Longhorn in the starting lineup. The biggest impacts appear to be on both lines and in the secondary while linebacker is without a doubt the weakest position. Injuries affected a few of the players 2008 season, but the program should be proud of what these guys are accomplishing.
[tag]Justin Blalock[/tag] – The Atlanta Falcon’s made the playoffs behind a great running game and solid quarterback play. The unsung unit on the team was the offensive line. Blalock has cemented himself as a starter on an upcoming team by starting all 16 games after playing in 14 last season. At Texas, Blalock played tackle, but in the NFL he has been able to slide back to his natural position of tackle. Blalock was even able to score a touchdown on a fumble recovery.
[tag]Tarell Brown[/tag] – The forgotten member of the 2005 secondary has become a solid nickel corner in the NFL for the 49ers. Brown played in 15 games and started in one. He recorded 30 tackles and two interceptions.
[tag]Cedric Benson[/tag] – The beginning of the season didn’t appear good for Benson. After being cut by the Bears it appeared no one would request his services. The Cincinnati Bengals fell apart and came calling four games into the season. Benson started 10 games, gained over 700 yards, and scored two touchdowns on the ground. He also added 20 receptions. “EL Ced” finished with two huge games; making the chance he is offered a longer deal by the Bengals a real possibility.
[tag]Tim Crowder[/tag] – Crowder struggled with injuries and the depth chart all season. He played in six games, starting zero, and recording one tackle on the whole year.
[tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] – Charles had a rookie season that has to be seen as a success. Charles sits behind Larry Johnson on the depth chart, but made plays when given the opportunity. The speedster averaged 5.3 yards per carry and added 27 receptions. His only touchdown of the season came on a reception. If Johnson isn’t retained by the Chiefs, Charles may get a look as an every down back.
[tag]Leonard Davis[/tag] – The offensive line for the Cowboys underachieved this season. Davis will go to another Pro Bowl but o-line selections are based on reputation more times than not. It was not all Davis’ fault but he did not perform at the level he did the previous year.
[tag]Phil Dawson[/tag] – Dawson was once again a lone bright spot for the Cleveland Browns franchise. He went 30/36 with a long of 56. He was perfect on extra point, but the 18 attempts magnify the struggles of the Browns offense.
[tag]Derrick Dockery[/tag] – Dockery is one of the higher paid linemen in the league, but is never as dominant as his salary would warrant.
[tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] – Finley had a hard time getting started this season. He ended up playing in 14 games while starting one of them. The rookie finished with 6 receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown on the season.
[tag]Cedric Griffin[/tag] – Griffin has turned into a solid starting cornerback for the Vikings. He gets a lot of action playing opposite of Pro-Bowler Antoine Winfield but holds his own pretty well. Griffin plays with excellent enthusiasm and competitiveness which makes him an eager corner in run support. He played in all 16 games for the second straight season and recorded 91 tackles and a pick.
[tag]Mike Griffin[/tag] – Michael Griffin had the type of year that have made many hail him as the best defensive back to come out of the 2005 group. Griffin is a Pro-Bowl alternate after recording seven interceptions and a sack on the year. He is quickly becoming one of the best safeties in the league. His play has allowed the Titan defense to become one of the best in the league. Griffin also returns kicks for the #1 seeded Titans.
[tag]Ahmard Hall[/tag] – The former Marine has established himself as one of the last true fullbacks in the game. The Tennessee running game is one of the best in the league behind the duo of Chris Johnson and Lendale White. The two split carries with mirrored success, and the one constant is the presence of Hall. He has also become a weapon in the flat out of the backfield, recording two touchdown receptions this year.
[tag]Casey Hampton[/tag] – Hampton had a tough season as he struggled to get on the field with health and conditioning problems. When Hampton can play he remains the best 3-4 nose tackle in the game. He recorded one sack in 13 games that he was rarely able to make it all the way through.
[tag]Michael Huff[/tag] – The Thorpe award winner hasn’t lived up to his draft status so far in his career, but it is still early. Huff lost his starting job and didn’t record a sack, interception, or forced fumble on the year.
[tag]Quentin Jammer[/tag] – Jammer had another great year in San Diego. He is one of the most physical corners in the league and continually gets matched up with the opposing team’s biggest and best receiver. Jammer recorded 88 tackles, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles for the playoff bound Chargers. It has been amazing to watch the turnaround of Jammer’s play after struggling for the first few years in the NFL. The pressure of being a high pick has subsided and Jammer’s play has risen.
[tag]Derrick Johnson[/tag] – DJ has moved inside and performed well for the Chiefs. The knock on the former Texas star coming out was his unwillingness to take on blocks, and after a few years as a pro the criticism still exist. When playing in space he excels, but at the point of attack he has remained a liability. Johnson has been up and down, but has shown flashes of potential. He ended the year with 85 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and four forced fumbles. If/when the light turns on for DJ the sky is the limit.
[tag]Frank Okam[/tag] – Okam may have earned himself a roster spot for next year with his play down the stretch. He lacks the motor and intensity most coaches want out of an interior defensive lineman, but he has the tools to become a solid player in the league if he ever turns it on.
[tag]Cory Redding[/tag] – I feel bad for Cory Redding. I feel bad for any player, coach, trainer, and journalist (except Rob Parker) in Detroit. Redding was the heart and soul of their defense (if that is possible), and if he ever gets out of Detroit he may have a chance to make some noise. Until then, he’ll be rich in Detroit. He got three sacks on the year.
[tag]Brian Robison[/tag] – Robison plays behind Jerod Allen so his snaps are limited. When he is on the field he shows up and makes plays. He managed 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 15 games.
[tag]Shaun Rogers[/tag] – Shaun Rogers is the most disruptive interior lineman in football today. The guy is just huge and unstoppable when his motor is turned on. He took over games at points this season in spite of double and triple teams. Rogers will be in the Pro-Bowl again after turning in 76 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He has Hall of Fame type talent when it is all clicking for Rogers.
[tag]Aaron Ross[/tag] – He may not be the best athlete in his marriage, but the Thorpe award winner has become a better than average cornerback in a tough place to play. Ross started in every game he played, 15, and grabbed 3 interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown. Ross has the ability to be a shutdown corner as his technique and confidence continue to grow.
[tag]Bo Scaife[/tag] – Scaife has emerged as a very productive tight end even in the face of losing his quarterback and his team bringing in a big name free agent in Alge Crumpler. There were a few games where Kerry Collins completely forgot about Scaife, but he finished with 58 receptions and two touchdowns. Scaife has also become better as a blocker which allows him to stay on the field in all situations.
[tag]Lyle Sendlein[/tag] – People tend to forget about Sendlein when discussing the better offensive lineman Mack Brown has put into the NFL. Sendein has started every game of the season for a playoff team. Not too bad.
[tag]Chris Simms[/tag] – Simms is the number three quarterback on Tennessee’s roster.
[tag]Kasey Studdard[/tag] – Studdard remains a reserve lineman for the Houston Texans. He hasn’t been able to crack the starting lineup.
[tag]Limas Sweed[/tag] – Sweed is listed as the 4th receiver on the Steeler roster. One would think Sweed will contribute more after a full off season.
[tag]David Thomas[/tag] – The Patriots use a lot of tight ends in their offense, so none of them have numbers that are going to blow you away. Despite that Thomas has been able to get on the field a lot so far in his career. He pulled in nine receptions for 93 yards, but was never able to reach the end zone.
[tag]Nathan Vasher[/tag] – Injuries rendered the 2008 season a wasted one for Vasher. He played in eight games, recording one interception, before being placed on injured reserve.
[tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] – The former Heisman trophy winner and league pariah has made his comeback has a productive back in the Miami system. He was one of the many bright spots on a team full of them this year. Williams is able to make plays without being relied on to carry the full load because of the presence of Ronnie Brown. Ricky scored four touchdowns on 659 yards rushing. He may have made his biggest impact as a receiver out of the backfield where he averaged over seven yards a catch on 29 receptions.
[tag]Roy Williams[/tag] – The losing ways of the Lions followed Williams from Detroit to Dallas. Roy was never able to make an impact for the Cowboys for reasons that still remain unclear. He has proven to have the ability which leaves work ethic and injury as the two other reasons for his lack of production. Williams has unfortunately been criticized for both a lack of work ethic and inability to stay healthy in his career. He will need to have a huge year next year to justify the trade and contract Jerry Jones awarded him.
[tag]Selvin Young[/tag] – Young was another Longhorn that struggled with injury. Denver is notorious for alternating backs, and with the addition of injuries Young was never able to stay on the field. When he was healthy he produced so it will be interesting to see what the new coach in Denver decides to do with Selvin.
[tag]Vince Young[/tag] – 2008 was not a good year for VY. The greatest player in Longhorn history lost his job after one game and a knee injury, and never was even given the chance to win it back. It now appears Jeff Fisher made the right choice as Tennessee earned the #1 seed in the AFC. While they did it with defense and running the ball, Collins has done a good job in a Trent Dilfer type role. This season may end up being the best thing that has ever happened to Vince as a professional if he uses the experience in the right way.
Ricky Williams had his first TD of 2008
Slow week for former Longhorns in the NFL with many players on byes and several injuries as well. San Diego cornerback [tag]Quentin Jammer[/tag] and Miami running back [tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] had the best games of the weekend. Find out how the rest of the former Horns active this week performed below:
[tag]Tarell Brown[/tag] – The forgotten member of the 2005 championship secondary has found a place as the nickel back in San Francisco. Tarell had two tackles and a pass breakup this weekend versus Philadelphia.
[tag]Cedric Benson[/tag] – Benson had a slow game in his second game back in the league, only carrying the ball four times for six yards. He appears to be the most talented back in the Bengals backfield, but until he learns the playbook the snaps will be limited.
[tag]Justin Blalock[/tag] – His Falcons continue to win, this time on a late second field goal against the Chicago Bears. Blalock and his fellow lineman have protected rookie Matt Ryan and opened holes for Michael Turner consistently this year. The combination of Blalock and rookie left tackle Sam Baker makes the Falcons left side of the line one of the better young groups in the league.
[tag]Tim Crowder[/tag] – Crowder recorded no stats against Jacksonville.
[tag]Leonard Davis[/tag] – The Cowboys and their running game continue to struggle. Davis had a personal foul penalty at the end of the loss against the Cardinals. The offensive line must play better for the Cowboys to win and Davis is a huge part of that.
[tag]Phil Dawson[/tag] – Dawson went two for three on field goals with a long of 28 and three for three on extra points in the Cleveland win Monday night.
[tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] – Did not play this week for Packers.
[tag]Cedric Griffin[/tag] – The corner recorded seven tackles in the ugly win against Detroit. The Vikings secondary played well, not allowing the Lions to record a touchdown.
[tag]Michael Huff[/tag] – Huff’s Oakland secondary was torched by Drew Brees this weekend. The former Thorpe Award winner had three tackles on a day he’d like to forget.
[tag]Quentin Jammer[/tag] – Jammer had a huge day in the Charger win over the Patriots. He recoded three tackles, an interception, and five pass defended while matched up most of the night against Randy Moss. Jammer has come on in the past few years becoming one of the more physical corners in the league.
[tag]Brian Robison[/tag] – Robison didn’t record any stats in the Viking win over the Lions but he did get on the field on a good number of snaps.
[tag]Shaun Rogers[/tag] – Rogers had his best game of his young Browns career on Monday night. He only recorded two tackles but clogged up the middle and applied pressure on Eli Manning all night.
[tag]Lyle Sendlein[/tag] – Sendlein has found himself starting at center this year for the Arizona Cardinals. He had a decent day matched up against Cowboy nose tackle Jay Ratliff. His Cardinals pulled the upset in overtime on a blocked punt.
[tag]David Thomas[/tag] – Thomas caught his first ball since week three. The catch went for 13 yards.
[tag]Nathan Vasher[/tag] – Vasher missed another game with an injury.
[tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] – Ricky Williams found the end zone for the first time this year on Sunday against the Texans. Ronnie Brown has taken over the number one running back spot, but Ricky has found a niche in the offense and should continue to get 10 plus carries a game. He finished the game with 11 carries for 46 yards and two receptions.
[tag]Roy Williams[/tag] – Roy Williams and the Lions had a horrid offensive game against the Vikings. Williams had two receptions for only 23 yards. This has been a very disappointing season for Roy and the recent talk may have him being traded before the season is over.
[tag]Selvin Young[/tag] – Selvin didn’t play this week for the Broncos. It is hard to know if it was actually for injury or due to play on the field.
Great week for Duane Akina’s former proteges in the NFL as Tarell Brown, Michael Griffin, and Nathan Vasher all had interceptions in week three. Ricky Williams also had his best performance of the year as he and backfield mate Ronnie Brown ran all over the New England Patriots. Meanwhile wide receiver Limas Sweed is still waiting to see the field for the first time as a pro out in Pittsburgh. Read on to see how the rest of the Longhorns in the NFL performed last week:
[tag]Tarell Brown[/tag] – Two tackles and an interception in the loss to the Chargers.
[tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] – Seven carries for 38 yards rushing plus three catches for 24 yards. Jamaal also had his first NFL kickoff return for 21 yards.
[tag]Phil Dawson[/tag] – 1/1 on field goals and on extra points.
[tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] – Finally saw the field for the Packers against the Cowboys but had no catches. He got in on special teams and managed to pick up an unsportsmanlike penalty in a brush with Martellus Bennett.
[tag]Cedric Griffin[/tag] – Two tackles against Carolina.
[tag]Michael Griffin[/tag] – Big game against the Texans with two interceptions. Also added two tackles.
[tag]Ahmard Hall[/tag] – One carry for one yard.
[tag]Casey Hampton[/tag] – No stats against Philly. Will miss the next game against Baltimore with an injured groin.
[tag]Michael Huff[/tag] – Three tackles, two of them solos, against Buffalo.
[tag]Quentin Jammer[/tag] – Recovered a fumble and returned it 23 yards, broke up two passes, and added three tackles in the Chargers blowout of the Fightin’ Brett Favres.
[tag]Derrick Johnson[/tag] – One tackle in what may be one of 16 losses this season for the Chiefs.
[tag]Cory Redding[/tag] – Two solo tackles for the lowly Lions against the 48ers.
[tag]Shaun Rogers[/tag] – Had a solid game against Baltimore posting four tackles.
[tag]Aaron Ross[/tag] – Five solo tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage.
[tag]Bo Scaife[/tag] – Three catches for 26 yards including a touchdown.
[tag]Limas Sweed[/tag] – Still no playing time.
[tag]David Thomas[/tag] – One catch for four yards in what will hopefully be one of many losses for the Patriots.
[tag]Nathan Vasher[/tag] – Good performance for Nate versus Tampa Bay. Three passes defended including an interception, with four solo tackles added on.
[tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] – Great game for Ricky and his counterpart Ronnie Brown as the Dolphins went back to the college game to get a little offensive firepower. He had 16 carries for 98 yards (6.1 average) and two catches for 21 more yards.
[tag]Roy Williams[/tag] – Two catches for 18 yards in a loss to San Francisco. Roy has to be frustrated and already looking forward to 2009 somewhere other than Detroit.
[tag]Selvin Young[/tag] – Very efficient game against New Orleans with 11 carries for 65 yards.
With [tag]Vince Young[/tag] injured it wasn’t a very exciting week for ex-Longhorns in the NFL. Quentin Jammer and Selvin Young probably had the best weeks, while the complete absence of Jermichael Finley and Limas Sweed continues. Here’s how all the former Horns did in week two of the NFL season:
[tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag] – Less busy after a good week one, only three carries for seven yards. The Chiefs only rushed the ball 19 times all game as a team. Charles also had a 15 yard catch and hurt Larry Johnson’s feelings.
[tag]Phil Dawson[/tag] – Two of two on field goals with a long of 38 yards in a loss.
[tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] – Still looking for his first career catch. I’m not sure if he’s getting any snaps at all.
[tag]Cedric Griffin[/tag] – Six tackles and one pass breakup against Peyton Manning and the Colts.
[tag]Michael Griffin[/tag] – Picked up his first interception of the year off a tipped pass. Also added six tackles from his safety spot.
[tag]Ahmard Hall[/tag] – Three carries for nine yards.
[tag]Casey Hampton[/tag] – One tackle.
[tag]Michael Huff[/tag] – Four tackles against KC and two passes defended.
[tag]Quentin Jammer[/tag] – Posted 11 tackles and had a forced fumble in the Chargers’ controversial loss to the Broncos.
[tag]Derrick Johnson[/tag] – Eight tackles, seven of them solo.
[tag]Cullen Loeffler[/tag] – Inspired me to teach my kids to deep snap.
[tag]Cory Redding[/tag] – Three solo tackles against the Packers.
[tag]Shaun Rogers[/tag] – First sack of the 2008 season and added six tackles.
[tag]Aaron Ross[/tag] – Four tackles.
[tag]Bo Scaife[/tag] – Without Vince Young, just one catch for six yards.
[tag]Limas Sweed[/tag] – Still no catches in his NFL career. Like Finley, looking at his game logs it appears he’s not even playing.
[tag]David Thomas[/tag] – Picked up his first catch of the year against the Jets, a 14-yarder from Matt Cassel.
[tag]Nathan Vasher[/tag] – Returned punts for the first time in a long while. Had three returns for a total of 21 yards. Added two tackles.
[tag]Ricky Williams[/tag] – After an exciting preseason another ho hum game for Ricky. He had 11 rushes for 28 yards in the Dolphins’ blowout loss to Arizona.
[tag]Roy Williams[/tag] – Just about the same performance as week one: three catches for 48 yards. Looks like Calvin Johnson has become the clear number one target in Detroit, maybe Roy can head down to Tennessee next year as a free agent.
[tag]Selvin Young[/tag] – Was the Broncos’ leading rusher with eight carries for 78 yards, including a big 49-yarder. Also added one catch for eight yards.
Position Rating: C-
Starter: Blaine Irby
Reserves: Peter Ullman, Ian Harris, Greg Smith
Tight end was a position of concern headed into fall practice and Josh Marshall’s injury only makes things worse. When [tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] bolted early for the NFL it left the Longhorns without any proven pass catching threat at the position.
The top returning receiver and most important tight end this season is sophomore [tag]Blaine Irby[/tag]. Last season as a true freshman Irby caught only two passes for 29 yards but Texas fans should be expecting better total numbers by week one this year. With no proven third wide receiver, quarterback Colt McCoy will need Irby to step up to provide him another option or the offense will struggle against better defenses.
Behind Irby the Longhorns have veteran blocker [tag]Peter Ullman[/tag]. Ullman is expected to be the team’s second tight end in two tight end sets. He may accidentally find himself open and catch an important touchdown pass but mainly will be relied on as a sixth blocker on the line.
There’s not much behind the top two with Marshall out. [tag]Greg Smith[/tag] was moved back to tight end last week but as a current/former tackle you know what to expect out of him. Redshirt freshman [tag]Ian Harris[/tag] will be the first guy off the bench if the team needs a TE who can stretch the field a little. He’s 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds so he’s got prototypical size to play the position and block as well as catch the football. I don’t think you can expect much out of him this year but he’s a player to look out for in 2009.
Not much production from the starting slot and little depth make tight end one of the biggest holes going into the 2008 season. If Irby doesn’t show flashes of being the next David Thomas you’ll likely see a lot of four wide receiver and two back formations than in recent years.
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Posted August 14th, 2008 by Brian
Filed under: Football, Quick Hits
Tight ends hope to make an impact. Irby, Ullman teaming up to fill void left by departed Jermichael Finley.
Texas tight end [tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag] was picked by the Green Bay Packers with the 28th pick of the 3rd round (91st overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. This is a little higher than what most experts expected (including myself). There were thoughts that his inconsistency and poor blocking would drop him to the 4th or 5th round, but the Packers must have fallen in love with Jermichael’s great potential. In Green Bay he should be able to come in right away and compete to be the team’s second tight end.
Congrats to Jermichael, stay warm and good luck in Green Bay!
Update: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has posted Finley’s media conference call and a good discussion about him with assistant tight ends coach Ben McAdoo. Both interesting reads.
Most NFL mock drafts only include a round or maybe two, but just like last year ESPN’s Todd McShay has released his seven-round mock draft for your perusal (if you’re an ESPN Insider.) Getting one round is tough enough, but McShay actually did a decent job last year and even nailed Justin Blalock to Atlanta and Brian Robison to Minnesota last year.
Below is where McShay believes the Longhorns in the draft will go followed by my my thoughts on the picks:
Round 1
24. Tennessee Titans – [tag]Limas Sweed[/tag]
This is best possible scenario for Texas fans. Titans need wide receiver help desperately and Sweed may be the best one in the draft. Getting him at #24 would be great for the Titans VY.
Round 2
43. Carolina Panthers – [tag]Jamaal Charles[/tag]
Charles is the first running back taken in the second round. He’d actually have a chance to start for Carolina to, only has to beat out DeAngelo Williams.
Round 3
115. Philadelphia Eagles – [tag]Marcus Griffin[/tag]
Nice spot for Marcus, interesting to see him going so high. I’ll be surprised if Griffin goes before Finley and Hills, simply because I believe those two have much higher ceilings. Great to see a former walk-on work his way into a mid-round NFL Draft pick.
127. Indianapolis Colts – [tag]Jermichael Finley[/tag]
Jermichael might be a little disappointed by how far he falls but he’d be ecstatic to be picked up by the Colts. Pretty much the perfect situation for him. They use their tight end a lot, Peyton Manning to throw him the ball, they split the tight end out wide frequently, and most importantly the Colts throw work out of the shotgun a ton and Finley wouldn’t be asked to be down on the line run blocking much.
129. New England Patriots – [tag]Tony Hills[/tag]
Another good situation. Hills would be given time with New England to develop and wouldn’t be asked to start right away. At the same time, there’s no young, highly regarded tackles on their roster so he’s got a chance to compete by year two.
Round 5
154. Washington Redskins – [tag]Frank Okam[/tag]
Much lower slot than people expected out of Okam a few years ago but McShay may actually have him higher than the current opinion. I’m not sure what I think, I have a feeling he might go as early the fourth round if a team makes a pick based on potential but then I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go undrafted either.
Round 7
215. Baltimore Ravens – [tag]Derek Lokey[/tag]
Imagine if Lokey had Okam’s build, the kid would be a first round pick. But he’s 6-foot-1 and a light 290 pounds which is considered very undersized for an NFL defensive tackle. I’d love to see Derek go to a team and be utilized as a goal line fullback and deep snapper as well as a defensive tackle who can give 15 – 20 snaps a game.
Position: Tight End
Height: 6-4.5
Weight: 243 pounds
Hometown: Diboll, TX
Strengths: Size and speed causes major match-up problems if you put a linebacker on him. Great hands and can go up and grab the football in traffic, fights off defenders well. Tons of upside that may cause a team to reach for him earlier than you expect.
Weaknesses: Can’t and/or won’t block anybody. Doesn’t show much desire to get physical down with the big boys and he can’t be a number one tight end if he’s a liability pass and run blocking. Has good height but is light for an NFL tight end, should be able to add more weight to his frame. Wasn’t a consistent contributor game in and game out for the Longhorns. Needed another year of experience to realize more of his potential.
Projection: 4th or 5th round
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