Is there a higher hit rate with players like that? I feel like at this point, we'd have enough data to be able to make incredibly informed decisions about players. Not guarantees, but understanding the success percentages for players with a certain athletic profile, size, stats, and school or conference combo. Or if it really is a random walk and size/athleticism don't change success outcomes, stop paying attention to them.
Yeah, you look at old football cards from the 70's.. DT's were typically 250lbs. DEs like Alan Page & Jack Youngblood were 240 lbs. LBs 210-220 lbs.
I think there's something to it, I remember Greg Gaines and David Edwards to name a few being profootballfocus darlings despite being relative afterthoughts and I thought both well outplayed their draft positions. Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald were on top of all the analytics charts of course, but those were both more obvious dominant college players.
Greg Gaines won the Pac 12 Defensive Linemen of The Year award his last yr. So he was a known quantity and productive player.
They really seemed to focus on guys with a chip on their shoulders, or who had to fight to get where they are.
It remains to be seen if these players work out. I do like emphasizing character. However I think that can also be misleading in some cases. Most of the players drafted, care about football. It’s there lives. Snead looked hard for special cases. It may be easier just to weed out the bad ones.
That is shocking & obviously something in there The Rams use as a tool.
Yet Taylor Rapp was drafted ahead of him & The Rams number 1 pick in 2019.
I watched the Deacon play his first NFL game as a rookie. I am positive he played at 250 lbs at 6'5" tall
Based on his position I'd say he probably produces a lot of force when coming into contact with an offensive lineman.
