Eagles rookie comparisons
by JimmyK on Aug 24, 2010 6:31 AM EDT
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PrintEver since the Eagles drafted Brandon Graham, I've heard comparisons that he is a lot like Dwight Freeney and Elvis Dumervil, guys that are shorter than your typical DE's, that possess impressive repertoires of pass rushing moves and non-stop "motors." In fact, Graham has embraced those comparisons, as he watches tape of other pass rushers that have a similar physical stature, including Dumervil (his favorite), Freeney, LaMarr Woodley, and Trent Cole.
The comparisons that Graham has drawn got me thinking... Who do our other rookies remind me of? Obviously, we're only two preseason games, a full camp at Lehigh, and a couple OTA's deep now, and we've only gotten our first glimpses at the 13 Eagles draft picks, but just for fun I thought we could draw comparisons of our own with our other rookies.
Disclaimer - These are just fun comparisons, so take them for what they're worth (very little). I'll start it off with the following 3 rooks...
Nate Allen - Reminds me of Nick Collins, Green Bay Packers. Like Allen, Collins was a 2nd round pick (51st overall), and started from day one in the NFL, much like Nate Allen is expected to do. Collins has great range, and is known for his ability in coverage. He is an intelligent, mature player that looked like he "belonged" right away in the NFL.
Riley Cooper - Reminds me of Wes Welker, New England Patriots. Welker is a major headache for defensive coordinators league wide, as he's able to work the middle of the field...
Ha, just kidding. Let's try that again...
Riley Cooper - Reminds me of Muhsin Muhammad, retired (most notably of the Carolina Panthers). Muhammad was a huge target, and was always one of the most physical wide receivers in the league with a bit of a mean streak. He also had sneaky speed, despite his large frame. But my favorite aspect of his game was his blocking. Hines Ward often got credit for being the best blocking WR in the game, but I think he was just more memorable because a lot of those blocks were dirty. For my money, give me Muhammad as the best blocker in the NFL any day of the week. I see a lot of Muhammad's traits in Cooper, except of course for the surfer look.
Keenan Clayton - Reminds me of Thomas Howard, Oakland Raiders. Howard is an undersized outside linebacker whose game is all about speed. He's very good in pass coverage, and in 2007, he picked off 6 passes and returned 2 of those for TD's. I think the Eagles are looking for Clayton to bring that kind of dynamic playmaking ability to Philly. So far Clayton has been very impressive, as he picked off a pass vs. Cincinnati and had an impressive athletic sack against the Jags.
Who do the rest of the Eagles' rooks remind you of?
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dead on.........
the moose comparsion is dead on, good shit JK. I still think Graham is a Woodley-clone and if Allen is anything like Nick Coillins were freakin set for years with this defense.
rofl
You got me with the wes welker. I was ready to scroll down and just start bashing away rofl
I’ll go with slightly older non-rookie comparisons, but man, does desean remind you guys of steve smith a lot? Not the bummy new york one, the elite one in carolina. Just speed, and big play. The only thing missing is that long-term toughness that smith has, that I think severely undersized receivers need for success. I hope he develops it
2010-11 Predictions:
Kevin Kolb will go to the probowl and complete >65% of passes.
Jeremy Maclyn will have more receptions than Miles Austin & Steve Smith
Graham will have the starting LDE spot tied up by week 5, win ROTY, and have >10 Sacks
11-5 finish.
by corn on the kolb on Aug 24, 2010 7:53 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I agree...
…the way Steve Smith goes for the ball when it is in the air is something to behold at the receiver position. Although I am kinda happy he does so he can stay on the field (the main knock on him coming out of college was his size), you would NEVER see Steve Smith slide down on plays as much as Desean does.
DJax reminds me of
Andre Rison, always has. Maybe he’s a little bit before some of you youngster’s time, but for a year or two he was one of the best in the league.
I think he ended up in the arena league. His girlfriend burned down him multi-million dollar mansion, which tells you everything you need to know about his off the field issues. But in his day, he was unstoppable.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
Hey, that’s an interesting one. There was a time in the early 90’s when it was Jerry Rice… then a big dropoff… then guys like Sterling Sharpe, Michael Irvin, and Andre Rison. I think DeSean is really his own player at this point; I can’t think of too many people that were really like him at all, but I like the Rison similarities. He’s a little smaller than Rison, and definitely has more quicks, but it’s probably as close as you can get for a comparison.
Yeah,
don’t want to stretch it too far. Hope he has a much longer career than Rison. But the whole “little guy who can score whenever he touches the ball” isn’t something you see every day in the NFL. Here’s hoping DJax can stay healthy and fast for a long time to come.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
"You youngster's time?"
Makin’ me feel old, man! I’m only 27, and I vividly remember Andre Rison’s tearing it up with the Falcons in the early ‘90s with Chris MIller. I think Jackson is shiftier than Rison, but… in terms of one-step-below the elites (Larry Fitz, Andre Johnson), I’d say he has the possibility to be right there. I agree.
by Eagle Fly Free on Aug 24, 2010 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, his last good year
was 1993, which was 17 years ago. You should feel old compared to a 10 year old…
Seriously, looking at the stats
Year 1 –
Rison 52 catch, 820 yards, 15.8 YPC, longest was 61 yards, 4 TD
DeJax 62 catch, 912 yards, 14.7 YPC, longest was 60 yards, 2TD
Year 2 -
Rison 82 catch, 1208 yards, 14.7 YPC, longest was 75 yards, 10 TD
DeJax 62 catch, 1156 yards, 18.6 YPC, longest was 71 yards, 9 TD
Pretty close. The good news was that Rison was really really good for another 4 years, averaging 85 catches for 1,106 yards and over 11 TDs each year. The bad news was that he totally fell off a cliff after that, and except for one good year in KC in 97 was never again a true #1 kind of guy.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
Tip up your cup for ol’ Left Eye Lopes….an arsonist whose time on this earth was tragically cut short.
by DLawrence55 on Aug 24, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The Nate Allen:Nick Collins comparison is SPOT ON. I can’t explain to you that when I read that I just went “wow that is so true”.
"If I can get you to think twice, I'm in your head."
-Brian Dawkins
"Yeah, I like to hit people"
-Brandon Graham
by immynimmy on Aug 24, 2010 7:58 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I think all three are spot on.
That being said, it is VERY true that just because a player resembles another player in size, stature, or even play style and technique does not mean that their careers will follow the same paths. If we end up with a Dwight Freeney, Nick Collins, and Mushin Muhammed out of this draft class, when added to the core that is already here we will be something serious to deal with for a long time.
Biggest take away
… is that I’m not a fan of sound tracking that goes on in those highlight reels. Its not that I hate the music they like… its that it never goes with the action (and I hate their music choices, hear that fresh2defdj? you are a crappy dj, probably cause you’re deaf). Most enjoyable vid of the 3 to watch was that 3rd one, game audio… was the only vid I made it past the minute mark on (I actually made it to the end). If anyone here ever makes a highlight vid, choose decent music and lower the volume to let me hear the excitement & energy in the game audio.
Anyway, good choices for player comparisons. I will take them at the value I paid for them… free.
Ha, agreed. Just leave the video alone, people – It’s football. Eminem singing about his mom isn’t going to enhance the video. I actually tried to figure out if there was a way to get the sound out before embedding it, but no luck.
It'd be cool if you could
or even replace the music.. with something better, or funnier… like Polka.
Who does Kolb remind anyone of?
I can’t think of a single person appropriate. Maybe I’ll think of someone when I see him more…
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
I'll take it!
:)
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
how about............
Bobby Hoying……LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO JK JK PEOPLE CALM DOWN.
by goldenbird09 on Aug 24, 2010 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions
Steve Young? Aside from not being lefty, mobile, accurate, accurate on the move, strong but not elite arm… certainly a lofty comparison and I’ll probably get some dissenters, but that was the first one to come to mind.
I Am Better Than Jack Who Some Fool Thinks Is Better Than Asante (IABTJWSFTIBTA)
JIBTA’s actually Jack Ikegwuonu... and he’s f***ing pissed.
36-5-20-JJ Bleeding Green Forever
I just realized how badly that sentence was worded… try this Aside from not being lefty, he is mobile… etc.
I Am Better Than Jack Who Some Fool Thinks Is Better Than Asante (IABTJWSFTIBTA)
JIBTA’s actually Jack Ikegwuonu... and he’s f***ing pissed.
36-5-20-JJ Bleeding Green Forever
Thought you were being sarcastic...
lol.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
i also think he's like a slightly less mobile young so
you’re not alone
He reminds me of Matt Hasselbeck (2003-2007)
Who's Been Eatin' Hummus?
She passed wind, excused herself, and sponged off in the corner as I sat dazed and confused...
Tom Brady
Kolb kind of reminds me of Brady, decent arm, accurate, student of the game etc. Now if he has the career that Brady has that would be great. I think if Kolb is accurate and make quick decisive decisions we will be fine as a football team on the offensive side of the ball. He has the weapons, he just has to execute and let the game flow for him.
Leigh Bodden
Who's Been Eatin' Hummus?
She passed wind, excused herself, and sponged off in the corner as I sat dazed and confused...
awesome comparisons
nate allen and nick collins are very similar in their styles and as much as i like collins i never made the connection. good stuff.
you really had me at the wes welker line too.
Ernie Sims . . .
said on Sirius NFL that Nate Allen reminded him alot of his old teammate Louis Delmas. Similar athleticism and ball hawking skills.
D Jax reminds me of . . .
Allen Iverson. Undersized, faster than everyone else out there, and a scorer.
And Danny Briere for the same reasons.
You should deff start making highlight tapes.
I remember the work you did with Kolbs tape against NO and KC. It was awesome. Im always looking for tapes of guys on youtube and can never come up with good ones.
In 20 We Trust
thanks
That’ll be a regular thing during the season. Not necessarily highlight reels, but breaking down various plays (or players) of interest. That is, assuming I can get my hands on game tape.
I was wondering how you did that. Do you have NFL Game Rewind and does it let you download the games so you can edit it and post it on youtube?
Oh snap. I signed up for that site like a year ago after you or Whodie mentioned it. Totally forgot about it. Thanks
Is it free?
"I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care. "
by midnitegreen on Aug 24, 2010 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Howard reminds me of Peters
in his history and his footwork
Kafka reminds me of Johnny Unitas!! This kid is going to be good.
Phillies in the World Series, Flyers in the Stanley Cup, now all we need is the Philadelphia Eagles in the Superbowl. Arlington, Texas 2011...
by STRAIGHTOYOURFACE on Aug 24, 2010 2:52 PM EDT reply actions
shit
i thought i was having an acid flashback watching the nick collins highlights haha
I'M GONNA TRIP BALLS!!! -Frank Reynolds
thoughts
Allen – great call, couldn’t have picked a bette player comparison, allen should be better though if he achieves his potential
Cooper – I love Muhsin the machine, but I havent seen enough of cooper to bestow him with that honour.
Lindley reminds me of Al Harris
^Nights Of Cabiria
by RadioheadbeatlesEagles on Aug 24, 2010 9:38 PM EDT reply actions
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