Holy shit... Cleveland is a world champion!!!!!!
TOUGH BUT FAIR TAKE. Y'all know I love prediction season. The air is fresh, the faces are new, and the sky is the limit. But I also like fair takes, which is the fairway when it comes to predicting Torrance Gibson's 2016 production.
From landgrantholyland.com:
Gibson combined this beautiful over the shoulder touchdown catch with a short touchdown run off of a pop pass, and had several other nice catches that displayed his speed and smooth ability to make defenders miss. Even with such limited film on Gibson playing receiver, it's clear Gibson has the tools to be a big-time playmaker in the Buckeyes' offense.
The problem is, nearly every year another newcomer is pushed as the next great playmaker in Urban Meyer's offense. Curtis Samuel has a very promising outlook for his 2016 campaign, but last season saw Samuel’s total touches reach just 39 (30 less than his Freshman total) even after being dubbed a "Top 5 playmaker" on an already loaded Ohio State offense by Meyer in spring ball. Before Samuel, consistently great spring game performances weren't enough to land Michael Thomas on the field on Saturdays.
I actually don't see Gibson becoming the next Samuel or Thomas, the tantalizingly talented player who still fails to receive the type of touches they almost assuredly warrant. I also don't see Gibson coming close to touching his sky high ceiling as a receiver this early on in his career. What the hell do I see then? I see the second coming of 2014 Jalin Marshall.
Agreed. Gibson is a freak athlete, but it takes more than that to get on the field under Urban Meyer. He will undoubtedly be a favorite dark horse pick, but a leap like that would be unprecedented, even for Ohio State receivers. Plus, there's only one ball to go around.
Would love for Gibson to prove me wrong, but I think 2017 is the better gamble for his breakout year.
KING SLOB AWAITS A NEW TEST. The Detroit Lions drafted Taylor Decker with the hope he'd be their eventual left tackle, but they were more than willing to play him at right tackle until he got his sea legs under him. Through minicamp and organized team activities, Decker is still the Lions' left tackle.
From detroitlions.com:
Decker played left tackle in all three open OTA practices to the media over the last few weeks. He was there again during two open minicamp practices this week.
“He’s playing more left tackle than anything else at this point,” Caldwell admitted. “So, you know, pads go on when we come back, alright? So, we’ll see what’s happening.”
All indications are that the left tackle spot is Decker’s to lose at this point, but the Lions’ first-round pick (No. 16 overall) says that he still has a lot to learn, especially when it comes to picking up the offense.
Things go to a new level when they put the pads on, but it's not like Decker lacks for toughness. And he doesn't need toughness to learn the playbook between now and fall camp, so bet on Decker being the Lions' Day 1 left tackle.
APPLE WANTS TO BE A CORE DEFENSIVE COG. The New York Giants went into the 2016 draft targeting Michigan State OT Jack Conklin and DE/OLB Leonard Floyd. They got ended up drafting Eli Apple with the No. 10 pick. Some considered it a reach, but the Giants' faith remained steadfast in their pick.
Apple's work has only solidified that.
From sny.com:
The Giants did not flinch in taking Apple and they have defended the pick all spring. After Apple's performance at organized team activities and at minicamp, that has come to an end. Apple continued to impress on Wednesday, defending a number passes, including one against All-World WR Odell Beckham Jr.
He is still a rookie, so there has been a bit of a learning curve here, but I will say this, I do see a competitive guy there," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said on Wednesday. "I think that if you are going to play that position in this league, that is the first thing you have got to have, and I think that some of the guys around him have gotten confident in him. He has made a lot of plays here. He has gone against Odell a couple times, and I guess the interesting question would be to ask Odell. Those guys usually have a better idea of the skills of the people they are going against, but we are pleased with his progress right now."
[...]
"I definitely feel like a different player," Apple [said]. "I have been progressing with the playbook and definitely getting better with my technique out there on the field, just getting a better feel for everybody else out there on the field and knowing where my help is -- little things like that."
If Apple already earned OBJ's respect, he should be just fine at the next level. Next year, pro teams would be wise to take the best Buckeye available.
THE CHECK, PLEASE. Jim Harbaugh launched a global satellite camp tour, which is a thing he's allowed to do in America, as long as he pays for it. That bill came due over the weekend.
From mlive.com:
ANN ARBOR -- Thirty-eight camps. Twenty-two states. One international trip.
For all that, Michigan football's blitz of summer satellite camps is expected to cost roughly $350,000, according to Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel.
[...]
"(Harbaugh is) investing so much of his time and so much of his staff's time," he said. "I fight every time I'm asked about it -- this idea that it's just about recruiting and it's just about Jim. He doesn't need that, if it was just about him. And we don't need that to know who we're going to recruit. That, I think, is an important piece to talk about as it relates to the expenditure and the investment that we're making."
That seems modest, but perhaps that says more about the state of college football that $350,000 seems like drops in a bucket of water. But hey, I didn't pay for it and neither did the team I love to know. We'll see if Harbaugh's antics pay dividends this November.
THOSE WMDs. Drunken wedding speeches of Georgia... Gambler who blew $127 million... A reporter takes on the Yakuza... My next job... Florida trying to keep people and gators apart.
