by craigoscarson · 4/24/2010
snoscythe wrote:
Depends on the scheme. The tight-end is a niche position that not every team uses as a skill position. In the NFL it's become more and more of a FB on the LOS and less and less of a receiver that stretches the field. Pitta has the misfortune of being a niche player in a niche position. He had a nice combine and pro-day, but that apparently didn't overcome the paucity of run-blocking experience and film, and the pass-blocking film he had was about average for what you'd expect out of a tight end. Yeah, Chad Lewis said he could be a good blocking tight-end, but remember that Lewis was the same as Pitta--a receiver before a blocker. Not many teams field that type of TE in their scheme, so not many are looking to draft him. Low demand means he'll slide.
Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
craigoscarson wrote:Depends on the scheme. The tight-end is a niche position that not every team uses as a skill position. In the NFL it's become more and more of a FB on the LOS and less and less of a receiver that stretches the field. Pitta has the misfortune of being a niche player in a niche position. He had a nice combine and pro-day, but that apparently didn't overcome the paucity of run-blocking experience and film, and the pass-blocking film he had was about average for what you'd expect out of a tight end. Yeah, Chad Lewis said he could be a good blocking tight-end, but remember that Lewis was the same as Pitta--a receiver before a blocker. Not many teams field that type of TE in their scheme, so not many are looking to draft him. Low demand means he'll slide.
Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
I'd agree with that assessment, if Jimmy Graham, Ed Dickson, and to a lesser extent Jemaine Gresham hadn't already gone.
Gronkowski? Yes, he's more suited as a blocker... though the combine showed that athletically he's a mess and Pitta beat him in every strength exhibition and destroyed him in the speed and catching drills. Yet New England runs a spread type offense....
Jimmy Graham has literally played one season of college football (on a piss poor team) and is souly being drafted on athleticism (he played more hoops than football at Miami) with all that supposed athleticism, Pitta beat him out in the combine.
Moeaki? He's almost as injury prone as Luke Staley...and had a ton of drops for Iowa
and Kansas City (my home town team) is going to hate him; after the years with Tony Gonzalez, we've been spoiled here. (aside from Eric Berry, KC has had a horrible draft, they reached on McCluster who ran a 4.6 40 in the combine even though he weighs 172 lbs at the tailback position (he's not Darren Sproles and he's not Desean Jackson)
I think whoever gets Dennis is going to be very very happy and for the 2nd year, a Cougar might have been the steal of the draft. Niche or not, he's going to be very productive and the combine was a real eye raiser to me that indeed Dennis could be an inline blocker if trained properly.
So many of the gms have been defending their picks this week because of how "productive" the player they reached on was in college. Well, we're talking about the most productive Tight End in college football history. 4th round will be a mega steal for whatever team gets him.
At this point, I hope Minnesota, Green Bay, or Philly see his value and snatch him up. Within 2 years he'll be a fulltime starter and not a "niche" guy.
We're talking about a guy that will never get in trouble, will never miss practive, and is smart enough to pick up a playbook and learn it. A guy with possibly the best hands in college this year (of all skill positions) and the most productive tight end in college football history.
I have a hard time thinking that this isn't coming down to a racial or BCS bias. It simply makes no sense to me. Given the right environment, Dennis will not just thrive but be a probowl tight end several times this decade.
Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
craigoscarson wrote:Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
never? ;)
snoscythe wrote:Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
never? ;)
Not so long as I keep forgetting they hired Cam Cameron.....
StatsCougar wrote:
Two others TE were taken. Tony Moeaki from Iowa and Jimmy Graham of Miami. Pitta is going in the fourth round.
snoscythe wrote:
Pitta will have a career, but not with most NFL teams. He will go to a spread offense team like Indy, Atlanta, New England, New Orleans, Seattle, Cleveland, Philly. He will never go to a run-centric offense like Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
