I wish Jaylon made the same decision as well. It sucks. He would have been HOF bound. One of the greats
Best safety in the last 40 years....
- Thread starter 88ND
- Start date
1974 Fourth Round NFL Draft choice, went 86th.
I’m certain he was a very good player at Notre Dame on a title team.
I will stick with Kyle Hamilton, who has a superior skill set over any safety I have ever seen play at Notre Dame.
See ..this is when nobody can believe you're older than junior high and your football knowledge seems that of pop warner... you know... watching a kid get the ball on a sweep who is just faster than everyone else and thinking he'll be playing on Sunday.
Jaylon could've been sonething truly incredible in the NFL had he stayed at his natural position of OLB.
But noooo...he insisted on moving to inside. If you understood how to properly play middle/inside linebacker you wouldn't make such a statement.
The two toughest players on any football team are the fullback and the middle linebacker. (If played properly.)
Guys that play that position properly are cement heads. Headaches are not optional. (Not joking)
Jaylon was recruited as an OLB on a team running a 3-4. Perfect.
He insisted switching to inside. Why? Ego? Nobody will know the real reason he insisted on moving positions but that was NOT a good move he insisted on making.
In college he could just out athlete a lot amid the trash unless playing a really good opponent. Then he'd get lost in the trash 3 yards down field. (Which is exactly what happened in the pro's...a lot more frequently)
In other words he allowed the blocker to engage him rather than him meeting them at the point of attack.
A middle linebacker playing properly in the box meets the blocker at the point of attack allowing the teammates free to make the tackle for no gain. That's the goal.
A future HOF middle/inside backer will meet the blocker at the point of attack, shed the block after engagement and make the actual tackle.
He was never going to be a HOF player at the Inside position in the NFL.
On the outside....HOF could've been possible but never ever on the inside!!
You're a moron because if he didn't get hurt he would have been an outside backer in the league
After his injury he was never the same. Lost his speed explosion and elite athleticism.
He clearly lost 2 steps in the nfl vecause of the injury.
Had nothing to do with position
We are talking about playing at ND,not the pros. Townsend was a 2x All-American,Captain,won a NC, 3rd all time in interceptions,and had 10 in 1973. As you say "You never saw him" , I understand.
Again, I will stick with Kyle Hamilton. CFB is far far more integrated in 2021 than 1973.
I guess he should never have played college football. Should have have just sat out 3 years and train for the NFL. He could have gotten injured during any game.
Why? Bringing you back to reality that Jaylon was NOT a good inside backer.
Would you like to see the many highlights of him shying away from a lead blocker, fullback or guard, or when he allowed the blocker to engage him 3 - 5 yards down field?
I didn't make him shy away from attacking the lead blocker and immediately filling the hole.
I like Jaylon. I told you he had the quickest first three steps I've ever seen on defense. He was a freak physically.
Inside linebacker (obviously to which you've never played the position outside of Video games) is miles from just being athletically gifted.
Jaylon was such a freak athletically he could get away with shying away from the point of attack...until he played good competition in college and all of Sunday.
He should've stayed at outside and rushed the passer in a 3-4 every down.
He was much more like Lawrence Taylor than Jack Lambert.
That's just fact
Never said he was a good inside backer
He would have played outside if he didnt get injured
Period
Been watching over 30 years. Hes the best LB I've ever seen at ND and if it wasnt for his injury hed have been in Canton
There is no way he was headed to the HOF with such a small sample size. You have no idea what your talking about. You need to learn.
I'm talking about watching him play in college before the injury. He was headed to Canton. There are certain guys you just know.
Peyton Manning Charles Woodson Adrian Peterson etc come to mind.
If he didnt get injured in college, he was headed to the Hall. He was that talented
Huge stretch, and I am a huge Jaylon Smith fan. Predicting the NFL HOF for a 19/-20 year old is damn difficult, at best.
"Two different sports." "Apples. Oranges."
Yes it is.
For some players, not so much.
Like the few examples I gave. I saw one game of Adrian Peterson and said that's going to be one of the greatest rbs to ever live.
Some guys is very easy to see
You are so full of crap. There is no way anyone would put him in the HOF based on his college career. You just sound silly.
Thats your opinion. I thought he was going to be a HOFer
If you dont look at players like that and project them on what you think they will be in the league, thats fine.
But don't tell me what I do or what I said about Adrian Peterson
Don't act like a douche because you can't project or have an opinion of your own
It is a great question, and there is no wrong answer. I did not see Duerson play. From day 1, Hamilton was the most talented and he made big plays. Harrison Smith was always just ready to be awesome. Bruton sort of came out of nowhere and was very efficient. Pat Terrell is a good choice by savvy. But, I am going to go with Zibby. Perhaps not the most prototypical but he made so many huge plays. No maybe Hamilton. It's tough,
So when you watched Quenton Nelsons college career, you never daid to yourself, if he stays healthy, he's going to the Hall.
I know I did. I know a lot of other people who did as well.
Some are easy to see. Quenton was a recent example of one who was a lock to be great. Health was the only way to stop it
Harrison didnt play safety until his 3rd year though.
Coaches played him out of position. Huge mistake on them.
His last 2 years were special though
When I watched Matt Leinart play CFB, same with Brady Quinn, I was certain each would enjoy long and productive NFL careers.
I was wrong.
Yeah you were. But those weren't no brainers. They both had major weaknesses.
I thought Brady would have been better in the pros than he was. So I was wrong.
But he was never a lock to be great in the pros.
Quenton was. That was easy to see
Major weaknesses? Matt Leinart was 6-5, 220, uncannily accurate, and had a Howitzer for a left arm.
Mel Kiper should be calling you.
