Pitta Update from Baltimore Camp

Sounds like Pitta is impressing the players/staff at Baltimore:



http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/sports/ravens/article_1fa7127a-62ff-11df-a779-001cc4c002e0.html



It's too bad that Dickson is also impressing. Here's hoping for some separation for Pitta once they put on pads since Dickson's biggest advantage so far seems to be speed. See if the duck still flies once he's weighed down.

snoscythe wrote:
Sounds like Pitta is impressing the players/staff at Baltimore:



http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/sports/ravens/article_1fa7127a-62ff-11df-a779-001cc4c002e0.html



It's too bad that Dickson is also impressing. Here's hoping for some separation for Pitta once they put on pads since Dickson's biggest advantage so far seems to be speed. See if the duck still flies once he's weighed down.

Or when Dickson starts dropping balls in game situations.... nothing gets a receiver on the bench faster...



either way, Flacco is getting spoiled now

I think Pitta is going to be just fine. I see him beating out just about any competition. The thing that surprised me was how strong he was. So when you read how he is a "weak blocker", it would just be technique, we had George and Vic (for a time) to handle those duties. And he didn't always have to block because he could just start running and take two or three defenders out of the play because they were so worried about his receiving threat. To put his 225 into perspective he would have been tied at 16 for highest number of reps with the OL group of 41 that participated in the drill. (in other words, only 15 of 40 OL did better than him in the bench)



BTW he ran the 40 faster than Dickson at the combine.



40 Yard Dash: 4.63 Seconds, third



Bench Press: 27 Reps, second



Vertical Jump: 34", seventh



Broad Jump: 9'5", fifth



Three Cone Drill: 6.72 seconds, first



20 Yard Shuttle: 4.17 seconds, first



60 Yard Shuttle: 11.53, first

Yeah, it's funny to me that people think that Dickson is faster. I think it's only obvious that people just assume so due to the skin color factor. At the combine, Pitta ran a 4.63 (I still don't know that isn't official when a laser is being used), Dickson ran a 4.67. But in my opinion, 40 time is the one of the worst indicators of how "fast" a player is. Stripped down, no other players on the field, starting from a three/four point stance, and running in a straight line. What percentage of a football game is played in a straight line? The 3 cone drill and 20 and 60 yard shuttles are much better indicators of "football speed" and Dennis was the best TE in all three of those categories.



As for the vertical jump, they tied with 34.0" and Pitta had a two inch shorter broad jump than Dickson.



I really question why the NFL tests... ok maybe not tests but puts so much stock in these archaic numbers. A vertical jump I can see the importance of but how often does any player do standing long jump in the NFL? And Bryan Kehl has gone on the record as saying that he could bench more than any of the other LBs on the Giants roster his rookie year but he didn't hit with as much force or play with as much nastiness so that is why he wasn't starting over them. A player's game film should still be the best indicator of their talent on the football field and I just don't think they league puts near enough emphasis on it.

FYI, if you read the linked article, the speed comments I was referring to were coming from the coaches in Baltimore's camp after watching them practice.



Their in person observations were that Dickson is faster, but that Pitta is longer.



I don't think combine numbers etc. had anything to do with the comments--they were based on what the coaches have seen in camp so far. I for one am a big proponent of on the field performance over off field tests, but according to the coaches, that assessment (at least w/o pads) isn't going in Pitta's favor re: speed at this point.