OK fellas, here are my two cents on today's scrimmage in Hialeah. ABizzle and jmhcane had great takes in the Scrimmage Thread which I recommend you check out, if you haven't already.
Somewhat disappointing crowd at Ted Hendricks Stadium. We Cubans don't do 10 AM Saturday scrimmages, so a later start may have been better. Much of the crowd trickled in late.
Overall, it was a lot like last year. Talented players on offense, not enough talent on defense. And for those who say these scrimmages don't mean anything, think about what you heard this time last year. Miller and Streeter making huge plays, Walford emerging as the starting TE, Jacory playing more efficient and the defense looking like crap.
QB
Ryan Williams brings a lot to the table. First, he is tall and plays tall. He can see over the defense and has a clean, high release. Second, he's accurate. He doesn't throw spirals, but his passes go where he wants them to go. His ball placement is excellent and allows his receivers to run after the catch. The long TD catch-and-run on a slant by Rashawn Scott is just one example.
Another thing, which AlexCane kept harping on when we met after the game, is his anticipation. Williams is able to fit the ball into tight windows despite average arm strength because he gets the ball out so early. Two throws that stand out were corner routes to Thompkins and Dorsett-- Morris sticks those throws, but Williams is also able to fit them in because of his touch. The only throw he missed was a sure TD to Walford in the flats, and it seemed like a timing issue.
The most surprising element of his game is his athleticism. He's slow-- like 5.25 slow. But he's coordinated. I was very impressed by his ability to make subtle movements in the pocket, reset his feet and throw with balance. The pass rush wasn't full-contact, but even if it was he still wouldn't have been sacked much. Fisch called quite a few naked bootlegs today, and Williams (all 6'5 of him) looked the most comfortable of the three on the run.
The main thing about Williams is that he's consistent. Practice to practice, throw to throw, drive to drive, he's the same guy. If he ends up as the backup this year, I believe he'll be the best backup we've had in a long while.
The young quarterbacks struggled, to put it mildly. These guys should be in high school, so it's unfair to judge them. Gray Crow has a pretty good arm and hit a nice out to Dallas Crawford on the sideline. But his accuracy is extremely inconsistent, which I'd attribute to choppy footwork. Some of his throws were nowhere near the mark. Again, it's very very early. Preston Dewey reminds me of Greg McElroy physically. He had some real rough patches but it is still very early in his development.
RB
The team did a lot of 4th and short work, and it's clear that Eduardo Clements is the best short-yardage runner out there. He reminds me of Damien Berry with the way he hits the hole. He doesn't have the patience to break the really big runs, but he will not get caught pitter-pattering in the backfield. Good day for him overall. Mike James broke a 55-yard TD run and showed some nice long speed. IMO, he looks slower than he is because of his tendency to dance through the hole. Once he gets going, he can scoot pretty good.
Maurice Hagens got reps as a one-back and I-formation tailback and looked OK. He hurt his knee adjusting to a Dewey misfire in the flats, but he walked off the field on his own power. CJ Holton was a nice surprise-- he busted a couple nice runs and showed some cutback ability.
TE
Clive Walford looks like he will our main target in the red zone. He caught a few TDs during drill work and lined up wide to catch fades. I'd like to see him take it to another level. Asante Cleveland has bulked up on top and looks real solid. He caught a few passes over the middle and should be a well-rounded TE for us. After that there aren't any pass catchers. Dyron Dye looked, shall we say, uncomfortable with the ball in the air and David Perry fumbled his only catch. Corey White was on the sideline rehabbing but he could play a role when August comes.
OL
This is still the most talented unit on the team. I think they'll be better this year, and one reason for that is because guys are not out of position. We had a glut of talented guards last year, so we ended up having three guards (BWash, Figueroa and Feliciano) getting starts at tackle. This year it's more spread out.
Jermaine Johnson was singled out by Golden after the scrimmage, and with good reason. Several long runs (including MJ's) were over him at right tackle, and when Feliciano got dinged JJ slid over to left guard and sprung a few more solid gains. When he gets into someone and extends those long arms, it's a wrap. He buried Jalen Grimble at one point in embarrassing fashion. Another block that stands out at guard is when JJ got out in space, squared up with a linebacker and set up Eduardo Clements for a long run near the goalline.
I am just a big fan of this guy-- he is too physical to waste on the bench, and he is starting to do the little things right. JJ looked slightly uncomfortable pulling, but it's nothing that some reps can't fix. I hope we give him some more looks inside, because a Bunche/JJ/Linder/Feliciano/Seantrel offensive line is intriguing. Seantrel Henderson looked lean and athletic. He got dinged early and sat a few series out. With Seantrel missing much of the scrimmage, Taylor Gadbois got a lot more reps than he was expecting. Gadbois looks the part, but his head was spinning out there. That's what Golden calls "survival mode." He'll get better with time.
Ereck Flowers, on the other hand, looks ready physically and mentally. He is lean and flexible (definitely a LT) and plays with the same edge you see in his highlights. He had a vicious pancake on Ricardo Williams and does not carry himself like a freshman. I could see him playing an Orlando Franklin-type role this year. Jared Wheeler got the second team reps at center, but I'd be more comfortable if Linder got at least some of those reps. Malcolm Bunche is an intense player-- he flipped out when Gray Crow couldn't get a snap off.
WR
Rashawn Scott is having a spring to remember. He brings an element we haven't had in a while-- the ability to run after the catch. As Scott showed in his high school clips, he has great moves for a bigger guy and is very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He's still raw as a receiver, but Fisch put him in a position to do what he does well. There were a lot of short, quick hitting routes that got him the ball in space.
People have been questioning his speed, but he had no problem dusting our defense for a 65-yard touchdown. I'd guess he runs somewhere in the 4.4s. Very excited about this guy's upside. Phillip Dorsett looked OK, dropped a couple and caught a couple. He, more than anyone else, will benefit from Morris's arm strength.
I love Dallas Crawford in the slot. He's not fast (I'd guess 4.7) but he's quick as **** and catches with his hands. Most important, he is a football player. Two plays stick out. On a key third down, he found the soft spot in the zone, waited for a Williams pass and held on while getting crushed by a backer and safety. On another play, Kendall Thompkins caught a little swing pass and Crawford came all the way across and sprung him for a TD with a huge block. This guy brings an attitude to the offense and gives us the pure slot guy we haven't had since Pimp Collier.
DL
Bottom-line: there is not enough talent here. With Chickillo out, it was glaring. Olsen Pierre, Jalen Grimble and Ricardo Williams have not impressed me. Curtis Porter and Darius Smith are stout in the middle, but they weren't exactly making plays in the backfield.
One guy who I've always liked is Kelvin Cain. I wasn't sure about using him as a hand-in-the-ground defensive end, but he really looked good. Made a couple sacks and was fairly strong at the point of attack. Cain played there in high school, so it's not foreign territory for him. He is developing a complete skill set-- this morning, he played as a down lineman, a stand-up rusher, and dropped into coverage occasionally from both positions. If he can progress, his versatility will allow D'Onfrio to be more creative in the zone blitz game.
LB
Denzel Perryman was Denzel Perryman-- keeps to himself, doesn't say much and flies to the ball. Gionni Paul got a lot of first-team reps at MIKE and was active. Jimmy Gaines made a couple plays and showed his characteristic hustle.
S
Oh boy. Not a good day for these guys. On the two big plays (James TD run and Scott TD catch) the starting safeties looked like they were standing in cement. The backups weren't any better. AJ Highsmith had a couple nice tackles but dropped a sure Dewey INT in his hands. Unlike every other position, help isn't on the way. This position needs an infusion of speed, so color me concerned.
CB
I'm a Thomas Finnie fan. He's as fast as anyone on the team and he's a kamikaze in the run game. Just his presence adds to the personality of the defense. Brandon McGee, was, well, McGee. He had an open-field tackle opportunity against Rashawn Scott that ended up looking a lot like the Tebow/Revis showdown last year. Larry Hope caught my eye. Nice burst and feistiness. I'm actually less concerned about this position than safety.
Duke, Malcolm Lewis, Tracy Howard and a few others were all sitting together watching the scrimmage. Lamar Miller and Tommy Streeter were out there too. Overall, this is a team that could really use the infusion of 30-odd freshmen. Too many walk-ons got snaps today. Long, long way to go, but seeing Ryan Williams perform like he did is an encouraging sign.
Somewhat disappointing crowd at Ted Hendricks Stadium. We Cubans don't do 10 AM Saturday scrimmages, so a later start may have been better. Much of the crowd trickled in late.
Overall, it was a lot like last year. Talented players on offense, not enough talent on defense. And for those who say these scrimmages don't mean anything, think about what you heard this time last year. Miller and Streeter making huge plays, Walford emerging as the starting TE, Jacory playing more efficient and the defense looking like crap.
QB
Ryan Williams brings a lot to the table. First, he is tall and plays tall. He can see over the defense and has a clean, high release. Second, he's accurate. He doesn't throw spirals, but his passes go where he wants them to go. His ball placement is excellent and allows his receivers to run after the catch. The long TD catch-and-run on a slant by Rashawn Scott is just one example.
Another thing, which AlexCane kept harping on when we met after the game, is his anticipation. Williams is able to fit the ball into tight windows despite average arm strength because he gets the ball out so early. Two throws that stand out were corner routes to Thompkins and Dorsett-- Morris sticks those throws, but Williams is also able to fit them in because of his touch. The only throw he missed was a sure TD to Walford in the flats, and it seemed like a timing issue.
The most surprising element of his game is his athleticism. He's slow-- like 5.25 slow. But he's coordinated. I was very impressed by his ability to make subtle movements in the pocket, reset his feet and throw with balance. The pass rush wasn't full-contact, but even if it was he still wouldn't have been sacked much. Fisch called quite a few naked bootlegs today, and Williams (all 6'5 of him) looked the most comfortable of the three on the run.
The main thing about Williams is that he's consistent. Practice to practice, throw to throw, drive to drive, he's the same guy. If he ends up as the backup this year, I believe he'll be the best backup we've had in a long while.
The young quarterbacks struggled, to put it mildly. These guys should be in high school, so it's unfair to judge them. Gray Crow has a pretty good arm and hit a nice out to Dallas Crawford on the sideline. But his accuracy is extremely inconsistent, which I'd attribute to choppy footwork. Some of his throws were nowhere near the mark. Again, it's very very early. Preston Dewey reminds me of Greg McElroy physically. He had some real rough patches but it is still very early in his development.
RB
The team did a lot of 4th and short work, and it's clear that Eduardo Clements is the best short-yardage runner out there. He reminds me of Damien Berry with the way he hits the hole. He doesn't have the patience to break the really big runs, but he will not get caught pitter-pattering in the backfield. Good day for him overall. Mike James broke a 55-yard TD run and showed some nice long speed. IMO, he looks slower than he is because of his tendency to dance through the hole. Once he gets going, he can scoot pretty good.
Maurice Hagens got reps as a one-back and I-formation tailback and looked OK. He hurt his knee adjusting to a Dewey misfire in the flats, but he walked off the field on his own power. CJ Holton was a nice surprise-- he busted a couple nice runs and showed some cutback ability.
TE
Clive Walford looks like he will our main target in the red zone. He caught a few TDs during drill work and lined up wide to catch fades. I'd like to see him take it to another level. Asante Cleveland has bulked up on top and looks real solid. He caught a few passes over the middle and should be a well-rounded TE for us. After that there aren't any pass catchers. Dyron Dye looked, shall we say, uncomfortable with the ball in the air and David Perry fumbled his only catch. Corey White was on the sideline rehabbing but he could play a role when August comes.
OL
This is still the most talented unit on the team. I think they'll be better this year, and one reason for that is because guys are not out of position. We had a glut of talented guards last year, so we ended up having three guards (BWash, Figueroa and Feliciano) getting starts at tackle. This year it's more spread out.
Jermaine Johnson was singled out by Golden after the scrimmage, and with good reason. Several long runs (including MJ's) were over him at right tackle, and when Feliciano got dinged JJ slid over to left guard and sprung a few more solid gains. When he gets into someone and extends those long arms, it's a wrap. He buried Jalen Grimble at one point in embarrassing fashion. Another block that stands out at guard is when JJ got out in space, squared up with a linebacker and set up Eduardo Clements for a long run near the goalline.
I am just a big fan of this guy-- he is too physical to waste on the bench, and he is starting to do the little things right. JJ looked slightly uncomfortable pulling, but it's nothing that some reps can't fix. I hope we give him some more looks inside, because a Bunche/JJ/Linder/Feliciano/Seantrel offensive line is intriguing. Seantrel Henderson looked lean and athletic. He got dinged early and sat a few series out. With Seantrel missing much of the scrimmage, Taylor Gadbois got a lot more reps than he was expecting. Gadbois looks the part, but his head was spinning out there. That's what Golden calls "survival mode." He'll get better with time.
Ereck Flowers, on the other hand, looks ready physically and mentally. He is lean and flexible (definitely a LT) and plays with the same edge you see in his highlights. He had a vicious pancake on Ricardo Williams and does not carry himself like a freshman. I could see him playing an Orlando Franklin-type role this year. Jared Wheeler got the second team reps at center, but I'd be more comfortable if Linder got at least some of those reps. Malcolm Bunche is an intense player-- he flipped out when Gray Crow couldn't get a snap off.
WR
Rashawn Scott is having a spring to remember. He brings an element we haven't had in a while-- the ability to run after the catch. As Scott showed in his high school clips, he has great moves for a bigger guy and is very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He's still raw as a receiver, but Fisch put him in a position to do what he does well. There were a lot of short, quick hitting routes that got him the ball in space.
People have been questioning his speed, but he had no problem dusting our defense for a 65-yard touchdown. I'd guess he runs somewhere in the 4.4s. Very excited about this guy's upside. Phillip Dorsett looked OK, dropped a couple and caught a couple. He, more than anyone else, will benefit from Morris's arm strength.
I love Dallas Crawford in the slot. He's not fast (I'd guess 4.7) but he's quick as **** and catches with his hands. Most important, he is a football player. Two plays stick out. On a key third down, he found the soft spot in the zone, waited for a Williams pass and held on while getting crushed by a backer and safety. On another play, Kendall Thompkins caught a little swing pass and Crawford came all the way across and sprung him for a TD with a huge block. This guy brings an attitude to the offense and gives us the pure slot guy we haven't had since Pimp Collier.
DL
Bottom-line: there is not enough talent here. With Chickillo out, it was glaring. Olsen Pierre, Jalen Grimble and Ricardo Williams have not impressed me. Curtis Porter and Darius Smith are stout in the middle, but they weren't exactly making plays in the backfield.
One guy who I've always liked is Kelvin Cain. I wasn't sure about using him as a hand-in-the-ground defensive end, but he really looked good. Made a couple sacks and was fairly strong at the point of attack. Cain played there in high school, so it's not foreign territory for him. He is developing a complete skill set-- this morning, he played as a down lineman, a stand-up rusher, and dropped into coverage occasionally from both positions. If he can progress, his versatility will allow D'Onfrio to be more creative in the zone blitz game.
LB
Denzel Perryman was Denzel Perryman-- keeps to himself, doesn't say much and flies to the ball. Gionni Paul got a lot of first-team reps at MIKE and was active. Jimmy Gaines made a couple plays and showed his characteristic hustle.
S
Oh boy. Not a good day for these guys. On the two big plays (James TD run and Scott TD catch) the starting safeties looked like they were standing in cement. The backups weren't any better. AJ Highsmith had a couple nice tackles but dropped a sure Dewey INT in his hands. Unlike every other position, help isn't on the way. This position needs an infusion of speed, so color me concerned.
CB
I'm a Thomas Finnie fan. He's as fast as anyone on the team and he's a kamikaze in the run game. Just his presence adds to the personality of the defense. Brandon McGee, was, well, McGee. He had an open-field tackle opportunity against Rashawn Scott that ended up looking a lot like the Tebow/Revis showdown last year. Larry Hope caught my eye. Nice burst and feistiness. I'm actually less concerned about this position than safety.
Duke, Malcolm Lewis, Tracy Howard and a few others were all sitting together watching the scrimmage. Lamar Miller and Tommy Streeter were out there too. Overall, this is a team that could really use the infusion of 30-odd freshmen. Too many walk-ons got snaps today. Long, long way to go, but seeing Ryan Williams perform like he did is an encouraging sign.
