There are 288 users in the forums
Originally posted by teylo31:
Originally posted by SofaKing:
He was mocked in the 1st round quite a bit actually. Universally projected as a late 1st- early 2nd pick. He played at Northern Illinois, not Illinois. Two different schools.
I was talking about the state. Should have clarified. I know nit picking but a similarity none the less
Originally posted by bleedredandgold:Disappointed . In a year where the talent was deep enough to move up and get an impact player in the teens we did nothing . In a year when half of our draft picks cant have roster spots .. we did nothing . It was the wrong draft to sit . I watched the jimmy ward highlite reels . My opionion is he will be a fair player at best and will be a weakness agianst size in the redzone . Imagine the huge tight ends lining up agianst this guy lol . There were 3 other players available that id have taken and could have been ok with . Not a fan of this pick at all .. grade D .
Originally posted by SofaKing:Originally posted by teylo31:Originally posted by SofaKing:He was mocked in the 1st round quite a bit actually. Universally projected as a late 1st- early 2nd pick. He played at Northern Illinois, not Illinois. Two different schools.
I was talking about the state. Should have clarified. I know nit picking but a similarity none the less
Ahh Ok. I lived in Illinois for a long time, so don't knock Illinois!!!
Originally posted by teylo31:
I was talking about the state. Should have clarified. I know nit picking but a similarity none the less
The value of the rangy safety in the NFL has gone up like a good tech stock on Wall Street in recent years.
And now with the Seahawks winning a Super Bowl because of their defense, which is keyed by free safety Earl Thomas, the league of copycats is now putting even more of a premium on cover safeties.
For years, I've thought the free safety would be the bigger corner moving inside and the strong safety would be the free safety moving over, which is what we are seeing in some situations. Teams are also interchanging their safeties more than in the past.
Seattle still plays the old strong safety and free safety looks, with strong safety Kam Chancellor playing more like a linebacker and Thomas taking on the role of center fielder with the responsibility of covering a ton of ground.
Now comes the hard part for teams looking to replicate that style, which is finding a player who can cover that type of ground.
I think I found one.
It's Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward, who is this year's captain of my annual Better-Than team, which is a group of players I think are better than the scouts think they are right now -- and moving forward.
Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward plays much bigger than he's listed. (USATSI) Ward is a 5-10, 193-pound safety who plays much bigger than he's listed. He is a willing tackler in the run game, and played up near the line a lot at NIU. But he's more than capable of playing deep.
He is a smooth player in coverage, who turns and runs like a corner when he's asked to do so. I watched several of Ward's games, and really thought he competed on every play, which is something I like to see.
While he didn't spend a ton of time playing deep, when he did, he made the most of it with his instincts and his range. He might not be a burner, but he plays fast enough.
Half the battle of playing the single-high safety is reading and then reacting to the ball. You can have all the speed in the world, but if you lack recognition skills, you'll still struggle in the deep middle.
I think Ward will be able to play up near the line and in the deep middle on the next level. In fact, even though he throws his body around when up near the line of scrimmage, I think his best football will come playing deep.
Originally posted by SofaKing:Ahh Ok. I lived in Illinois for a long time, so don't knock Illinois!!!
Originally posted by Psinex:
Sports Illustrated:
Grade: A+.
In Super Bowl XLVIII, Seattle's Kam Chancellor re-established the value of the safety who could play in lurk (midfield) coverage against slot receivers and tight ends, adding an important element to a team's overall defensive concepts. Ward has already done a lot of lurking, and he'll be a great asset when the 49ers move to their nickel and dime coverages, because he covers so much ground, and in so many different ways.
Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:LOL, that's like comparing Marqise Lee with some guy out of Sacramento State because the two are from California. Not the same thing at all. Weeks has no similarity to Jenkins. A very hard-nosed, tenacious player who fits the new definition of NFL safeties with coverage skills.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/24552469/the-better-than-team-nius-ward-is-cover-safety-modern-defenses-need
The value of the rangy safety in the NFL has gone up like a good tech stock on Wall Street in recent years.
And now with the Seahawks winning a Super Bowl because of their defense, which is keyed by free safety Earl Thomas, the league of copycats is now putting even more of a premium on cover safeties.
For years, I've thought the free safety would be the bigger corner moving inside and the strong safety would be the free safety moving over, which is what we are seeing in some situations. Teams are also interchanging their safeties more than in the past.
Seattle still plays the old strong safety and free safety looks, with strong safety Kam Chancellor playing more like a linebacker and Thomas taking on the role of center fielder with the responsibility of covering a ton of ground.
Now comes the hard part for teams looking to replicate that style, which is finding a player who can cover that type of ground.
I think I found one.
It's Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward, who is this year's captain of my annual Better-Than team, which is a group of players I think are better than the scouts think they are right now -- and moving forward.
Northern Illinois safety Jimmie Ward plays much bigger than he's listed. (USATSI) Ward is a 5-10, 193-pound safety who plays much bigger than he's listed. He is a willing tackler in the run game, and played up near the line a lot at NIU. But he's more than capable of playing deep.
He is a smooth player in coverage, who turns and runs like a corner when he's asked to do so. I watched several of Ward's games, and really thought he competed on every play, which is something I like to see.
While he didn't spend a ton of time playing deep, when he did, he made the most of it with his instincts and his range. He might not be a burner, but he plays fast enough.
Half the battle of playing the single-high safety is reading and then reacting to the ball. You can have all the speed in the world, but if you lack recognition skills, you'll still struggle in the deep middle.
I think Ward will be able to play up near the line and in the deep middle on the next level. In fact, even though he throws his body around when up near the line of scrimmage, I think his best football will come playing deep.
Originally posted by teylo31:
Originally posted by SofaKing:
Ahh Ok. I lived in Illinois for a long time, so don't knock Illinois!!!
I dont remember knocking Illinois but what does that have to do with it. You obviously moved sonit could have not been that great
Originally posted by DonnieDarko:i dont understand what all the fuss is over this pick
i had us taking ward in my all my mocks, starting back in january
Originally posted by teylo31:
Welk of course you would like the pick bro.
Originally posted by SofaKing:LOL. Wasn't being entirely serious, man. Of course it's way better out here in Cali
Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:It seems people familiar with the player like the pick, people who have no idea who he is and who never watched him are now crying about it because Baalke didn't pick from among the handful of guys they had actually heard about from Mel Kiper.
Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
It seems people familiar with the player like the pick, people who have no idea who he is and who never watched him are now crying about it because Baalke didn't pick from among the handful of guys they had actually heard about from Mel Kiper.