SI.com's Take on Snake

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

So your saying he will never ever ever get better, he has topped out and will never ever improve over the stats he has right now.  Riiiiigghht.

Maybe, maybe not.

What I said in my last post was that if we can count on that from him, we should count on it from others as well.

Did you even read my last post?

Oh, vay.

I'm bowing out of this one before we go down that road of no return.

[Matt]

mid-atlantic....what you are forgetting is that we are all saying that Snake HAS all the other great things that make you a solid NFL player, instincts, heart, smarts, etc.

the only thing keeping him from being a 2nd rounder was his numbers on paper.  and we are just saying that he can improve those.

YES, so can everyone else, but not everyone can bring to the table what Snake already has

[Matt]

i hate when people say things like "green and gold goggles"

such a stupid statement.

[Bull Dozer]

mid-atlantic....what you are forgetting is that we are all saying that Snake HAS all the other great things that make you a solid NFL player, instincts, heart, smarts, etc.

the only thing keeping him from being a 2nd rounder was his numbers on paper.  and we are just saying that he can improve those.

YES, so can everyone else, but not everyone can bring to the table what Snake already has

He has trouble holding the LOS against offensive linemen and getting off blocks when engaged by offensive linemen.   Hes far from a complete player but his problems are fixable with technique work and hard work in the weightroom and on the track.  Hes a project with good but not great potential.  At the most i see him as a solid starter in the NFL but not a pro bowl or all pro player.  I hope he proves me wrong and becomes our first perrinial pro bowler and all pro though.  

[Matt]

im not saying he is going to be an all pro....how many all pro linebackers were drafted in the 4th round?

but how many starting LBs were drafted in the 4th round?

he will be a stater for a few years...enough to get paid for his lifetime.

[Bull Dozer]

im not saying he is going to be an all pro....how many all pro linebackers were drafted in the 4th round?

but how many starting LBs were drafted in the 4th round?

he will be a stater for a few years...enough to get paid for his lifetime.

my beef was with your statement that he has ALL the other tools to be great in the NFL and the only thing that kept him from being a second rounder were his numbers on paper.  Snake was a great player for our bulls but has a lot of holes for the next level.  

[Matt]

well speed is the biggest factor...ask jon beason.

he went 1st round and is 6-0 and 236

steven is 6-1 and 232.

however, beason also went to U of M and stephen went to USF.

if you dont think that makes a difference ask Mike Rumph and Ant Henry.

I'm not saying that Beason will end up like Rumph and Snake will end up like Anthony but....it is a factor to consider...without green and gold glasses...just using common sense and history.

i have watch Stephen since he was a freshman...he is an NFL player.  size dont matter.  i knew that Brandon Marshall for UCF was an NFL player.  i dont remember which round he was drafted but he is going into this season as the broncos #2 WR.

[Matt]

and if you want to get real technical.....Antwan Barnes might end up being a better LB then Stephen.

Barnes is from FIU and was drafted after Stephen.

no green and gold glasses...just callin it like i see it.

[Bull Dozer]

You've totally missed my point.  My point is there are more holes in Snakes game than what you said in your post.  He has more things he needs to improve on besides speed and size to be effective at the prolevel.  If he struggled with getting off blocks and anchoring at the LOS in college what do you think hes going to do in the NFL where the linemen are on average alot bigger and worlds better technique wise?  He has lots of work in his technique and in his physical attributes before he can reach his full potential.  just take a look at a few of the "negatives" sections of his scouting reports hes nowhere near a complete player (besides the 40 and his size) like you make him out to be

Is undersized, doesn't have the lower body strength to consistently anchor at the point of attack and creates running lanes by avoiding blockers rather than stacking them up. Hasn't show great upper body strength, doesn't always use hands well and takes too long to shed blocks. Lacks-ideal top-end speed, doesn't have sideline-to-sideline range and isn't fast enough to run with most backs. Durability isn't a substantial concern at this point, but he did redshirt with an ankle injury in 2002.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=10997

Undersized, is slow to shed blocks and can be taken from the action by opposing tight ends. Has tackles broken.

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=211&p=8&c=1&nid=2466107&yr=2007

Negatives: Gets suckered out of position at times, having problems with misdirection … Lacks the size you look for on the perimeter and might not have the read-and-diagnose ability to call defensive signals as a middle linebacker … Short arms when offensive linemen lock on to him, struggling to shed … Too stiff in his hips to redirect or change direction easily … For some reason, he will stop his legs once a blocker latches on to him, quickly getting taken out of the play … Can be engulfed by larger blockers and struggles to press the taller and more physical tight ends … Better flowing to the play-side than from behind … Does not have natural hands for the interception … Poor space tackler (better in close quarters), as he will revert to ducking his head upon contact … Gets too high in his stance when backpedaling and fails to open his hips properly to turn and go … Has a marginal feel for routes and hesitates before dropping into the throwing lane … Good blitzer, but will get caught up in inside trash.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/2007/nicholas_stephen

Now again im not saying hes a bad player but he needs alot of work before he will be effective at the next level.  

[Matt]

you can print pros and cons from guys taken in the late first round and it reads the same.

all im saying is that people want to write him off because of his size but like Bushwick Bill said "my height dont fight"

lets end the topic and let Stephen prove himself.  we all need to be in his corner cause he represents us.