SI article on opt-outs featuring Rousseau

[Poptimus]

Chise one of the key questions they ask you at the Combine is basically --- do you like football, or what football can bring you?

Because as you said, once you get millions in the bank, what will your approach to this hard game be?

to me, there's a fine line between being a solider and mercenary. I want soldiers.

I have no ill-will towards GR, it's his life, his health, etc. But I want guys who loved to be Miami Hurrricanes and laid it all on the line for us as much as they could. And yeah, to me this is different than guys who sit out relatively meaningless bowl games. That's one game after you've put in work, not a whole season

Again, his choice to make, but thats my perspective as just a random fan. But also I truly believe that the NFL guys who make decisions also look a bit negatively on this. May not be a deal breaker, but it doesn't necessarily help him, either

BTW, UM basically got 12 games out of GR, about 10 with Phillips, and if Stevenson is the guy we hope/think he can be, well, he's also a one year guy. At a certain point Miami needs to get more mileage out of his best players. I mentioned this on the show to @Canes Legacy on the show. But that's another top for another post, I get.

This may seem like hyperbole, but I would genuinely venture a guess that Miami has suffered more from attrition of its top talent than any other school in the country.

We routinely have guys declare early who completely flop in the Draft (Kaaya, Jeff Thomas, Trajan Bandy, etc etc.). Meanwhile a school like Clemson keeps 3 first round defensive linemen for an extra season. We never learn, but maybe, just maybe D’Eriq King, Amari Carter, Cam Harris, and Mike Harley start a change in culture. In prior years we’d lose 3 if not all 4 of those guys, even if they weren’t even projected to be early picks.

 

[canecrazy23]

Love GR and understand his decision to sit out, but when was the last time a guy sat out a year and went in the first or 2nd round? Unless you’re a HOF type coach or GM, you run the high risk of sinking your career by drafting a bust in the 1st round...especially a guy who sat out a year, only had a year of tape, and has some durability concerns. Not saying that GR will be a bust, I actually think the opposite, but I understand why teams are being cautious with him.

Well we have 2 for sure in GR and Chase

 

[canecrazy23]

His pro day numbers were great. That was my comment combating yours saying he wasn’t good at the pro day. You’re flat out wrong.
IMO he’s the best defensive player in the draft. IDGAF what anyone says. I know football pretty **** well playing and watching for 40 years. I especially know elite players when I see them. I remember throwing my remote and cracking my TV screen when the Jaguars traded up to get Derrick Harvey and again to get another DE from Virginia when Calais Campbell was sitting there. It’s the little things that matter too. Not just pro days. How about the fact that Calais threw his hands up in between every play to get the crowd loud. Rousseau has that type of energy and it’s contagious. Rousseau is special.

100..... There are going to be a ton of teams that kick themselves if this kid drops. He has the highest ceiling of any D player in the draft. Kid has played one full year as a DE and Dominated. Kid is just scratching the surface of what he will be come with an NFL tanner and coach. Too many butt hurt fans on here just want him to fall but in the end his film doesn't lie. I rewatched both GR and Phillips highlights and I'm sorry but GR looks better IMO.

 

[DMoney]

That's exactly right. If I'm promoting a fighter, I don't want to promote a guy who hates fights. Same with football. I ain't staking my fortune on a guy who doesn't want to play.

Too many excuses on this Rousseau situation. He decided he'd rather train for the draft than play football. First chance he had to avoid playing, he took it. What happens if you give him a big pile of money?

I agree with you in principle, but Rousseau is a high-effort guy.

He’s always worked hard and played hard on the football field. I genuinely believe he did this for his mother.

 

[canecrazy23]

True. Kaaya's junior year torpedoed that. Here is a reference to Rousseau's draft position over time from a top 5 pick to March. Not saying I agree with it, but if the Dolphins go edge at #18 I'd prefer they draft Phillips over him.

Rousseau draft position

**** NO!! If you watched Flores D you would see he uses all kinds of packages that include the DE going inside on passing downs and that's where GR excels. Dolphins would be fools to pass up GR.

 

[TrueFloridian]

**** NO!! If you watched Flores D you would see he uses all kinds of packages that include the DE going inside on passing downs and that's where GR excels. Dolphins would be fools to pass up GR.

He’s a perfect fit in a 3-4 but could do well in a 4-3,
Too. He’s the most versatile player in the draft by far. Phillips is strictly a 4-3 DE. That’s okay too as he has such a high motor he will succeed. Fins fans that want him though don’t see the big picture. Phillips is NOT a 3-4 OLB. You’ll negate his traits putting him as a 3-4 DE. I’m a Jags fan too and beat writers are mocking Phillips. Makes zero sense as they are transitioning to a 3-4 also.

 

[rsa coral gables]

Money talks...

correct. once a kid declares, agents front the kid money (plus interest of course). so upon declaring GR was able to immediately start helping his family.

 

[puertorricane]

That's exactly right. If I'm promoting a fighter, I don't want to promote a guy who hates fights. Same with football. I ain't staking my fortune on a guy who doesn't want to play.

Too many excuses on this Rousseau situation. He decided he'd rather train for the draft than play football. First chance he had to avoid playing, he took it. What happens if you give him a big pile of money?

Fighting and playing for free is different than doing it for money.

 

[GOCANES05]

Chise one of the key questions they ask you at the Combine is basically --- do you like football, or what football can bring you?

Because as you said, once you get millions in the bank, what will your approach to this hard game be?

to me, there's a fine line between being a solider and mercenary. I want soldiers.

I have no ill-will towards GR, it's his life, his health, etc. But I want guys who loved to be Miami Hurrricanes and laid it all on the line for us as much as they could. And yeah, to me this is different than guys who sit out relatively meaningless bowl games. That's one game after you've put in work, not a whole season

Again, his choice to make, but thats my perspective as just a random fan. But also I truly believe that the NFL guys who make decisions also look a bit negatively on this. May not be a deal breaker, but it doesn't necessarily help him, either

BTW, UM basically got 12 games out of GR, about 10 with Phillips, and if Stevenson is the guy we hope/think he can be, well, he's also a one year guy. At a certain point Miami needs to get more mileage out of his best players. I mentioned this on the show to @Canes Legacy on the show. But that's another top for another post, I get.

Excellent post very true GR does have a ? it showed he can’t hide it , it showed its face a retreated to show its face again down the road when his new NFL teammates will need him like his ex teammates here needed him .

As boring as this seems to some here it’s the truth and it will show its ugly face in his future.

GOCANES

 

[Poptimus]

**** NO!! If you watched Flores D you would see he uses all kinds of packages that include the DE going inside on passing downs and that's where GR excels. Dolphins would be fools to pass up GR.

I disagree. Drafting for scheme fit rather than BPA will lose over time. I don’t care if Phillips doesn’t fit the scheme, to me he’s a better player than Rousseau at the next level and they’d make it work. It’d be like passing up Ja’Marr Chase for Jaylen Waddle because you think he’s better in the slot, a bigger need for the Dolphins than the X.

 

[canecrazy23]

I disagree. Drafting for scheme fit rather than BPA will lose over time. I don’t care if Phillips doesn’t fit the scheme, to me he’s a better player than Rousseau at the next level and they’d make it work. It’d be like passing up Ja’Marr Chase for Jaylen Waddle because you think he’s better in the slot, a bigger need for the Dolphins than the X.

Uhhh That's a terrible comparison. Chase has had much bigger years than waddle and GR had the much better year than Phillips.

 

[HighSeas]

The certainty with which Canes fans talked about his draft projection - and still do, in some cases - never made sense to me. Not looking good for GR despite all the "top 5 lock, top 10 lock, top 20 lock" I heard on here.

@BoxingRobes

 

[EmCane]

Then your position really blows my mind.

It makes sense to me. Opting out of the season took him out of the safeguards and protocols put in place to protect the players. If he left his home to train, then he assumed as much risk catching Covid as if he was still with the team just without the safeguards. The doctor questioned the “safety” of that choice and suggestioned there may have been other rational used to make that decision. Seems a reasonable and straightforward opinion.

 

[JOE'CANE]

He opted out because his mom was a COVID nurse and she begged him to do it.

Obviously, it was not the best football decision. He would’ve gotten double-digit sacks in his sleep and been a lock Top 10 pick. Now he’s looking at a potential Calais Campbell situation.

Covid Nurse mom didn't "follow the science" and cost her son millions. It's sad bc the info was readily available to everyone. GR 15 would have been fine. I think more D1 athletes died of shootings and stabbings than covid. In fact I think Covid deaths are still at 0 for that demographic.

 

[BoxingRobes]

The certainty with which Canes fans talked about his draft projection - and still do, in some cases - never made sense to me. Not looking good for GR despite all the "top 5 lock, top 10 lock, top 20 lock" I heard on here.

@BoxingRobes

I don't think he'll be a first rounder at this point.

Maybe someone is in love with him...but yeah. idk. Thinking 'Cane fans going to be asking wtf on that Draft Thursday.

Maybe he ultimately proves that he should have been when he finally puts the pads on, but we'll see.

Lots of positive momentum for players at his own position...Azeez Ojulari, Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips and a few others that had tip top pro days like Ossai and Oweh are getting a lot of love late in the process. Some of those I don't agree with, but thats neither here nor there. I feel there was a little more buzz for Quincy Roche coming out Miami's pro day. We'll see.

 

[DMoney]

I don't think he'll be a first rounder at this point.

Maybe someone is in love with him...but yeah. idk. Thinking 'Cane fans going to be asking wtf on that Draft Thursday.

Maybe he ultimately proves that he should have been when he finally puts the pads on, but we'll see.

Lots of positive momentum for players at his own position...Azeez Ojulari, Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips and a few others that had tip top pro days like Ossai and Oweh are getting a lot of love late in the process. Some of those I don't agree with, but thats neither here nor there. I feel there was a little more buzz for Quincy Roche coming out Miami's pro day. We'll see.

Calais Campbell story all over again. Rousseau’s evaluation will prove even dumber because he didn’t regress.

 

[Jassid82]

GR is in a lose-lose situation with many of you. Even if he was going to be the #2 pick, you naysayers would say “Ha! If he hadn’t opted out he could have been the #1 pick!!” Smh.

Leave kid alone. He made his decision. He doesn’t regret it. And he’s going to be just fine. Amazing we have so-called UM fans being so **** negative toward this kid who has done nothing but represent the university extremely well.

 

[skyman]

Calais Campbell story all over again. Rousseau’s evaluation will prove even dumber because he didn’t regress.

All his doing, I think he was sold and told everyone would opt out or season would be cancelled midway thru (he even mentioned on his media tour when he opted out, lol) Im sure his agent told him he was a top 5 lock but we know the scouts were gonna look at everything with a skeptical eye.. He banked on his 6'7 frame because you cant take that away, when you have 6 game starting film and quit on team its gonna be looked at a certain way.. I still think he will be first round but not sure how much he lost sitting out, he would of beast mode this season..

Oh well its on him.. Hope he didnt spend too much lawyer/agent money with high interest while he hid from covid

 

[skyman]

GR is in a lose-lose situation with many of you. Even if he was going to be the #2 pick, you naysayers would say “Ha! If he hadn’t opted out he could have been the #1 pick!!” Smh.

Leave kid alone. He made his decision. He doesn’t regret it. And he’s going to be just fine. Amazing we have so-called UM fans being so **** negative toward this kid who has done nothing but represent the university extremely well.

No one would say that, lol.. wtf..

 

[Jassid82]

No one would say that, lol.. wtf..

****. I don’t know with some of the BS I’ve seen in this thread.