Insight to drafting Davis
 

I was thinking ever since we drafted Fred Davis in the second round why!! I know that he is very talented but we already had Cooley. Sellers is like 35 years old and is not going to be around that much longer. I believe that Davis will actually be our fullback eventually playing the H-back role. He has speed, size and great hands (essentials of west coast offense). I'm not saying that he will be fullback for years but I wouldn't be surprised if he started at fullback for a couple of years until his career picks up at tightend. Davis will have to become a better blocker like Sellers. Guys give me some feedback on this!!

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

Sellers turns 33 on Monday.

No, I don't see Davis moving to FB. He's not a great blocker and he's too athletic to waste in the backfield.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

He may become our next fullback, but I am not sold on that. Think about this, first game of the season and Cooley tears an ACL or breaks his arm, leg, or wahtever. Where does that leave the offense? Who is our next talented TE that can do or even be close to Cooley? Todd Yoder? I don't think so. Yoder is ok but lets face facts he is no Cooley. I am not saying that Davis is as good as Cooley but is much more athletic than Yoder is...

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=Mattyk72;457595]Sellers turns 33 on Monday.

No, I don't see Davis moving to FB. He's not a great blocker and he's too athletic to waste in the backfield.[/quote]

What he said.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

This isn't the Gibbs offense anymore where TE=FB=HBack... this is the west coast. TE=TE.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

I love Yoder, but we need a great second option at TE in this WC offense... that fits Davis more then anyone else after Cooley. no chance he becomes a FB

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

He's a TE they will create mismatches for him

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

We're running a new offense this year. This offense requires the use of two receiving TE's. Zorn knows what it takes to run his offense so that is the main reason why we got Davis.

Davis isn't that proficient in blocking so that would preclude him from blocking as a FB. He is going to open the field up on formation that he is involved.


On a side note, the season is basically here. Once the hall of fame game is played there will be a NFL football game played every week until FEB...It's almost here.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

I think the team feels that Davis is very proficient in blocking as well as receiving: I'd imagine that's why we drafted him so high.

The draft analysts definately disagree with the team on this one, but they also thought that Antrel Rolle was better than Carlos Rogers, and that both Alex Smith AND Aaron Rodgers were better than Jason Campbell, so the score is 2-0 in favor of the Redskins' college scouting department right now.

Maybe Fred Davis IS a great blocker? I think i'll trust the guys right now.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=GTripp0012;457640]I think the team feels that Davis is very proficient in blocking as well as receiving: I'd imagine that's why we drafted him so high.

Maybe Fred Davis IS a great blocker? I think i'll trust the guys right now.[/quote]

I trust the scouting department but his scouting reports clearly states that he is not a great in-line blocker. He had the most receptions on his team this year, even more than WRs at USC. He didn't get those receptions by staying back and blocking.

The team knows he's an atheltic receiver and that's how they want to use him. I'm fine with that, but he is not going to sprout a blocking prowess out of thin air.

Never the less I'm excited to see how all of our rookies turn out this year.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=Skinny Tee;457650]I trust the scouting department but his scouting reports clearly states that he is not a great in-line blocker. He had the most receptions on his team this year, even more than WRs at USC. [B]He didn't get those receptions by staying back and blocking. [/B]

The team knows he's an atheltic receiver and that's how they want to use him. I'm fine with that, but he is not going to sprout a blocking prowess out of thin air.

Never the less I'm excited to see how all of our rookies turn out this year.[/quote]Right, and that's a reason to think that the scouts might be wrong on his blocking ability.

I actually have no recollection of Davis ever blocking in college. When I did my pre-draft reports, I went 100% off what the experts said, that he's weak at the point of attack.

Of course, that's assuming that my sources were valid: the Skins clearly dispute this fact so there's legitimate reason to be hopeful that the team is correct.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=GTripp0012;457654]Right, and that's a reason to think that the scouts might be wrong on his blocking ability.

Of course, that's assuming that my sources were valid: the Skins clearly dispute this fact so there's legitimate reason to be hopeful that the team is correct.[/quote]

So you are supporting the idea that we are going to use him as a FB becasue of his underlying blocking ability.

With all the stats and awards that he's gotten as a recieving TE we are going to end up using him to block when he comes in...allright, fair enough, I guess we'll agree to disagree on this.

Hope he does well this year, at least we can agree on that.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=Skinny Tee;457655]So you are supporting the idea that we are going to use him as a FB becasue of his underlying blocking ability.

With all the stats and awards that he's gotten as a recieving TE we are going to end up using him to block when he comes in...allright, fair enough, I guess we'll agree to disagree on this.

Hope he does well this year, at least we can agree on that.[/quote]Actually, I said nothing about him being a FB at all.

Zorn is probably going to faze the FB position out of the offense as Sellers gets closer to retirement.

I simply remain optimistic that Davis can be the better blocker of our two TE's: him and Cooley. Cooley has definately improved his blocking since he came into the league, and is probably a bit above average as a blocker. I'm hoping Davis can be even better than this.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

I go to wonder how much of it was just plan best overall player at on the Redskins draft board.

Im not thrilled overall with the pick, but if it was solely based on who they truely thought was the best avialable player im 100% happy with it.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=mlmpetert;457663][B]I go to wonder how much of it was just plan best overall player at on the Redskins draft board. [/B]

Im not thrilled overall with the pick, but if it was solely based on who they truely thought was the best avialable player im 100% happy with it.[/quote]

According to Vinny that was it exactly

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

Bottom line, Davis is going to work out good for the team, and will be invaluable if cooley goes down. Look for more from this guy as the season goes down

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=Mattyk72;457666]According to Vinny that was it exactly[/quote]

I get the feeling there is more to it then that. Echer or whatever his name was is not all that great and has been injury prone. If I'm not mistaken we keep asking Yodder to come back every year to help us out. We needed someone young and talented at this position.

I also get the sneeky feeling Coach Buges will teach him how to block just fine when he is on the line. Honestly....Buges could teach a garilla how to block. they must have taken him to compliment Cooley and cause match up problems with other teams. and of course because he was the best prospect still on the board at the time.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[QUOTE=SBXVII;457677]I get the feeling there is more to it then that. Echer or whatever his name was is not all that great and has been injury prone. If I'm not mistaken we keep asking Yodder to come back every year to help us out. We needed someone young and talented at this position.

[B]I also get the sneeky feeling Coach Buges will teach him how to block just fine when he is on the line.[/B] Honestly....Buges could teach a garilla how to block. they must have taken him to compliment Cooley and cause match up problems with other teams. and of course because he was the best prospect still on the board at the time.[/QUOTE]

That's definitely key IMO. The scouting staff, FO, and coach Zorn especially saw this kid as a bigtime talent w/ huge upside for the WC offense. Whatever their concerns about Davis' ability to block in this league may have been the fact that Buges is there to coach him up meant Davis was too good an opportunity to pass on. I bet we see him make as many clutch catches, including red zone, as Thomas or Kelly will (not combined but individually). I can see us in the red zone, w/ defensive coordinators focusing on Cooley and then we see Davis free himself from the LOS and grab a 5 or 7 yard dunk. I'm pumped to see what he does w/ the ball in his hands.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[QUOTE=The Goat;457680]That's definitely key IMO. The scouting staff, FO, and coach Zorn especially saw this kid as a bigtime talent w/ huge upside for the WC offense. Whatever their concerns about Davis' ability to block in this league may have been the fact that Buges is there to coach him up meant Davis was too good an opportunity to pass on. I bet we see him make as many clutch catches, including red zone, as Thomas or Kelly will (not combined but individually). I can see us in the red zone, w/ defensive coordinators focusing on Cooley and then we see Davis free himself from the LOS and grab a 5 or 7 yard dunk. I'm pumped to see what he does w/ the ball in his hands.[/QUOTE]

I think it was more the FO sticking to their board. He's here, and he's got talent, which will primarily be used to spell Cooley occasionally. I see Davis having a pretty respectable preseason, more because he's behind two veteran tight ends and the roster limit is 80. He's definitely got talent, I think the biggest struggle will be him dealing with the frustration that comes from being a rookie TE behind a Pro Bowler (Cooley) and an established vet (Yoder). I would love to see him with 20 catches, but more so for the numbers that projects to our main pass catchers.

I actually think the person who will benefit the most is Sellers. The FB gets a lot of checkdowns in the WCO, the 2nd TE gets blocking duty.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[quote=memphisskin;457692]I think it was more the FO sticking to their board. He's here, and he's got talent, which will primarily be used to spell Cooley occasionally. I see Davis having a pretty respectable preseason, more because he's behind two veteran tight ends and the roster limit is 80. He's definitely got talent, I think the biggest struggle will be him dealing with the frustration that comes from being a rookie TE behind a Pro Bowler (Cooley) and an established vet (Yoder). I would love to see him with 20 catches, but more so for the numbers that projects to our main pass catchers.

I actually think the person who will benefit the most is Sellers. The FB gets a lot of checkdowns in the WCO, the 2nd TE gets blocking duty.[/quote]

Your probably correct about Seller's however if they wanted a blocking TE I think they could have picked up someone else other then a pass catching TE who is supposed to be equal to or better then Cooley at pass catching. Cooley's blocking is way better.

Honestly all that's needed is someone to chip the DE or pass rusher and then get open to catch a pass. Cooley and Davis will be a monster problem for opposing teams.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

I felt that teams who utilized two tight ends well succeeded offensively as of recent years. Dallas did it last year, the colts did it last year, the chargers did it well a couple of years ago the giants didn't really utilize two tight ends, but did well with their backup as a sub. This is just said from me watching the nfl on sundays, and of course I didn't watch every single game, so this is only accurate according to my experiences of watching, but it seemed to me that the offenses with two quality tight ends did better. Maybe we just saw that trend and are going to try and replicate it. Other teams seem to be doing it also...Dallas and GB also both drafted TE's high despite being solid at that position.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

Every team needs 3 TEs. We have 3 good ones.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

I hated this pick at first, because I saw a glaring need for a two way DE to complement Andre Carter. Now that we've addressed that need trading for Jason Taylor, I'm really looking forward to seeing what Davis adds to the offense. I definitely don't see him as a fullback - that would be a total waste of his athletic ability. Cooley, Davis, Malcolm Kelly, and Devin Thomas give Campbell many big targets to choose from in the red-zone passing game. Before, it was Cooley or bust. We have to trust that Zorn has a plan for Davis in this offense.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

[QUOTE=SouperMeister;458131]I hated this pick at first, because I saw a glaring need for a two way DE to complement Andre Carter. Now that we've addressed that need trading for Jason Taylor, I'm really looking forward to seeing what Davis adds to the offense. I definitely don't see him as a fullback - that would be a total waste of his athletic ability. Cooley, Davis, Malcolm Kelly, and Devin Thomas give Campbell many big targets to choose from in the red-zone passing game. Before, it was Cooley or bust. We have to trust that Zorn has a plan for Davis in this offense.[/QUOTE]This is exactly what I would have said if I had tried to respond faster and if I was smarter.

If anything, I could see Yoder playing fullback at times for the next season or two.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

Cooley or bust, but also Sellers was a big time option in the red zone and phasing out the FB in the offense may lead to more oppurtunity to go double tight and have Davis and Cooley as options. Cooley still has tons of gas in the tank, but maybe in a few years his trade value is high and we get a return 2nd rd pick for him from another team similar to what we just saw with Shockey, who knows. I was taken back by the selection at first, but it seems like JC going forward has many weapons to grow with as he masters the new offense.

Re: Insight to drafting Davis
 

Davis is no threat to Cooley. He is only going to be a compliment to him. Look what Cooley has done as a Redskin...I saw him on a flash ad today for a Reebok shirt that has built in odor protection!...you think that guy is going somewhere?

Cooley is not going to be surpassed as a starter. Davis is going to help create a mismatch when him and Cooley are in. He'll also give us some additional formations to run.