There were three no-brainer choices who left early (Sam Darnold, Ronald Jones, Rasheem Green), one mild surprise (Deontay Burnett) and then those who wisely decided to return (Porter Gustin, Iman Marshall, Cameron Smith).
So really only Burnett might be the mistake. He was often a quiet player from the media’s perspective but sources tell me he wasn’t happy with some things the coaches told him during the season. Perhaps Clay Helton telling him that he was a fifth-round pick.
Burnett probably figured he wouldn’t get any better next season and his weight (around 175 pounds) wouldn’t change much. So might as well leave since maybe his best feature was a special relationship with Darnold.
NFL likes receivers who know how to get open and can catch,he does those things quite regularly and usually hangs on when hit. Ohio St game was a bad start but he finished well. I remember Unitas to Berry…do you?. Raymond Berry was no speed merchant, but executed routes, always got open and held on…
This ain’t 1960 anymore
and…receivers don’t need to get open and have good hands??? I am sure your point will be of great value to me, can you elucidate?
Show me a slow WR in the NFL today, TE’s run faster than Berry did
ok, I disagree ,but that is part of life… people disagree often….
Hey, it’s OK to live in the past, not my deal but if it works for you
learning from the past is not living in the past…what are you so angry about??? do people have to agree 100% all the time? I enjoyed a lot in the past like going to SC games in the early 50’s…even Rams games…sorry you don’t have those memories…and I still live now, and both are enjoyable aspects.
I’m not angry.
You cite a time in the NFL when OL were 240 lbs, players were no where near as fast as they are today, players back then were not in the physical shape they are today ( smoking cigarettes at halftime back then was common place ). Learning from the past is not what you cite either, WR”s today are not slow and small, Burnett is both, he’s made a major mistake in coming out early, hopefully he’ll go back and get his degree because his career in the NFL ain’t happening.
And I have plenty of memories from USC games of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s etc, but that was then, you can’t get buried in the past.
we will see…happy new year…
I have that guy blocked, but Julian Edelman, TY Hilton, Antonio Brown, DeSean Jackson, and a whole bunch of other guys built just like Deontay will agree with you. Fight on Yale!!
LOL, all of them are fast you moron
Leather helmets is a different type of football…..just saying
Lance Alworth comes to mind, not super fast but always could get open and leap to grab the ball. Good is just good iregardless of which time they played. Burnett will be fine on the next level. He will excel.
Alworth was a track star in college, they called him Bambi, guy was fast. Burnett will not get drafted
True yes L.A. ran track.
Burnett has hands. He catches the ball. He will be open in the slot. He will be a consistent NFL player and have a nice time play big boy football and make a little bit of money. All pro probably not but maybe… Consistant “hands guy” on the next level…I say Yes!
Enjoy your day, time for church…
Blessings to you sir!
Barely 6 foot, 175 lbs, 4.69 40, no way he makes it on an NFL roster
He would fit well in the Patriots style of offense.
Relax,
Burnett will be fine…
I choose the The positive and the up side. Have a nice day.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
1 Cor 1:27
🙂
I went yesterday at 5 pm Mass
Steve largent
The honorable Mr. Largent…
🙂
Gary Garrison played for chargers too and was a similar talent…we agree
Yes sir. Astute observation.
His durability was a liability and he needed to get paid if he was risking further injury.
Blintenkoff, the d raider receiver was slow, but he did okay
He used more glue from his socks than most woodmakers use in their shops. Great precision, possession guy who got the NFL to outlaw glue. So now the players just use special stick-em gloves. Funny how things change but stay the same,
Creating separation against College DB’s is one thing, but the NFL is a whole different level. What advantage would he have?
Personally, I see lots of upside with Deontay Burnett, because he already has heart, and you can’t teach that, plus he’ll be in the hands of good coaching
Heart only gets you so far, he’s small and slow.
Exactly!
Fred, you’re smarter than that. Guys like Burnett are a dime a dozen. Cross your fingers that he even gets draft. Looks more like undrafted free agent material….just saying
Kind of a nothing post by Wolf. What does Burnetts relationship with Darnold have to do with turning pro. Does the writer think the next qb will ignore him? More like St. Brown may take his spot.
Wolf feels the only reason Burnett had some success was because of Sam. And any other QB would make Burnett look average, at best……..more wolf logic
I would love to see Burnett play in the league, but there’s nothing special about that would separate him from the rest
,
6 foot, 175 pounds and ran 4.69 40 in high school. No NFL team with a GM that isn’t insane will draft this kid. He might be a FA but he’s small and slow, not exactly what the NFL is looking for in a WR.
Wait, I was recently told by “Inside” sources that Burnett wanted to turn pro to receive NBA-level coaching, but now he’s resigned himself to the fact that he can’t improve? I guess his agent boasting of his “special relationship” as his “best feature” will bear fruit. If the NFL is about anything its “special relationships”.
175- 170 way to small for the NFL, wait until these Beast get a hold of him, one more year in the weight room, and adding some body weight, in the USC program would have helped
He was 150 coming out of high school, he’s ain’t getting much bigger.
The key is adding weight without losing speed
The Rams had two small WRs in the 70’s .. Ron Jessie and Harold Jackson.. Great speed and hands.. Ron had to be 5’11 and Harold 5’9.. And yes Im still sticking to my JDR intel.
In 1970 you could get away with that, not today. Yes, you have some small guys who are making plays, but they aren’t small AND slow, neither of the guys you mentioned were slow
They were fun to watch..
The bigger question is, WHY ISN’T GOMER GOING AFTER KRIS RICHARD FOR HIS DC ??????????????
Clancy is fine!
(Clueless)
Kevin Sumlin to coach ARIZ.
That’s what the PAC 12 is all about, hiring coaches, that other schools kick to the curb .
ARIZ is the only school to have resorted to a fired coach and was all know Sumlin was gonna land somewhere decent.
The Wildcats have never done anything and I’m sure you agree, they did okay for themselves here. They’ll be competitive and cause a few problems, just never upper echelon.
Other than his offensive scheme, I would have lobbied for him real hard to come to USC.
That’s the problem though. USC is the land of the Heisman QBs and #1 draft picks. Just not a fit. USC needs a star too, and that’s one of Helton’s problems. He’s not a star.
I had a dream that PC returned to USC and took Saban down in the title game……LOL!
AZ hired Sumlin because of Khalil Tate. With a different QB, I’m thinking AZ looks around a little more.
Maybe they’re hoping Sumlin can bring some of that Manziel explosiveness to Tucson with the skills that Tate has.
If true, the inmates are really running the asylum in Tucson. That’s a real bad sign. Kind of makes me laugh, that Tate controlled the future of Wildcat football with one tweet.
Would it have come into play in Niumatalolo not taking the job?
You mean he turned down an offer? But I surely doubt it. He could have brought Tate around, no doubt. Niu is a quality guy. Sumlin is sketchy and mediocre and could never have coached NAVY to any success IMO. Sumlin’s all flash, as ARIZ will discover just like A&M did.
I thought Jones would stay if Darnold went early. Seems like a perfect scenario for a RB. Deep, experienced OL, good blocking TEs, more physical WRs. Burnett really didn’t stand to move up. With a new QB, Vaughns and Pittman will be the top 2 targets, plus Carr out of the backfield, wouldn’t be surprised to see him catch 50+ passes. Throw in the incoming freshmen and TEs. It’s too bad Green left early. The defense will still be the best in a decade. Hopefully, Marshall works on his weight this offseason or at least leans out some, might could see shifting him to safety.