Interesting Sports Illustrated Article

L

littlesparky23

Well-Known Member
I was reading through my Sports Illustrated magazine when an article caught my eye where they were listing the top players at every position. I was very pleased to see that three former Hawkeyes made the top 32 tight ends, Myers, Chandler, and Moeaki. I realize that if you are the starting tight end for one of the 32 teams you will most likely be considered to be in the "Top 32", but it still is pretty mind-blowing to me that Iowa has produced 3 of the top tight ends in the league and that Clark was a couple of unfortunate injuries to being the best tight-end pre Gronkowski.
 


littlesparky23 said:
I was reading through my Sports Illustrated magazine when an article caught my eye where they were listing the top players at every position. I was very pleased to see that three former Hawkeyes made the top 32 tight ends, Myers, Chandler, and Moeaki. I realize that if you are the starting tight end for one of the 32 teams you will most likely be considered to be in the "Top 32", but it still is pretty mind-blowing to me that Iowa has produced 3 of the top tight ends in the league and that Clark was a couple of unfortunate injuries to being the best tight-end pre Gronkowski.
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Moeaki is 3rd string in KC right now.
 




Big if but...IF moeaki can stay healthy he won't be their third te. Plus Reid has talked about using lots of 2 te sets and possibly 3 te sets. Plus Alex smith seems to like using the te...just ask Vernon Davis.
 


littlesparky23 said:
I was reading through my Sports Illustrated magazine when an article caught my eye where they were listing the top players at every position. I was very pleased to see that three former Hawkeyes made the top 32 tight ends, Myers, Chandler, and Moeaki. I realize that if you are the starting tight end for one of the 32 teams you will most likely be considered to be in the "Top 32", but it still is pretty mind-blowing to me that Iowa has produced 3 of the top tight ends in the league and that Clark was a couple of unfortunate injuries to being the best tight-end pre Gronkowski.
Click to expand...

Clark was good but he wasn't in tony Gonzalez league. I won't even give gronk or graham the nod to be on Gonzalez level until they do it for more years. Gonzalez is the guy that remade the te position.
 


Foval21 said:
Clark was good but he wasn't in tony Gonzalez league. I won't even give gronk or graham the nod to be on Gonzalez level until they do it for more years. Gonzalez is the guy that remade the te position.
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Don't forget about Kellen Winslow and Shannon Sharpe. Neither played as long as Gonzalez, but both were athletic TEs as well. Antonio Gates is another. And, don't forget about Ozzie Newsome back in his day. Longevity is what Gonzalez has over these players, but I would not say he remade the position (IMO).
 




Foval21 said:
Clark was good but he wasn't in tony Gonzalez league. I won't even give gronk or graham the nod to be on Gonzalez level until they do it for more years. Gonzalez is the guy that remade the te position.
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Gonzalez has been in the game for a long time, if Gronkowski stays healthy for much of his career his stats can be mind blowing. However, I don't think it'll happen being that Brady wont play forever.
 


Ozzie newsome - 12 yrs, 662 receptions, 7980 yds, 42 tds - 55 receptions, 665 yds, 3.5 tds

Kellen Winslow - 9 yrs, 541 receptions, 6741 yds, 45 tds - 60 receptions, 749 yds, 5 tds

shannon sharpe - 14 yrs, 815 receptions, 10,060 yds, 69 tds - 58 receptions, 718.5 yds, 5 tds

antonio gates - 10 yrs, 642 receptions, 8321 yds, 83 tds - 64 receptions, 832 yds, 8 tds

Tony Gonzalez - 16 yrs, 1242 receptions, 14,268 yds, 103 tds - 77 receptions, 892 yds, 6.5 tds

dallas Clark - 10 yrs, 474 receptions, 5322 yds, 50 tds - 47.5 receptions, 532 yds, 5 tds

Name - total stats - their average yr. I would say that only gates comes close. And longevity is something many greats have. Today's te is trying to be the new tony Gonzalez. I was a huge Shannon sharpe fan and I wouldn't put him in the class with tony. I would say at this point there is tony...then Antonio is trying to get with him...then there is Shannon, kellen, Ozzie...then there are today's star te (jimmy graham, gronk, and others not at their level). Clark was hurt and that hurts his numbers but great players are hof...he isn't that so I put him as good.
 
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Foval21 said:
Ozzie newsome - 12 yrs, 662 receptions, 7980 yds, 42 tds - 55 receptions, 665 yds, 3.5 tds

Kellen Winslow - 9 yrs, 541 receptions, 6741 yds, 45 tds - 60 receptions, 749 yds, 5 tds

shannon sharpe - 14 yrs, 815 receptions, 10,060 yds, 69 tds - 58 receptions, 718.5 yds, 5 tds

antonio gates - 10 yrs, 642 receptions, 8321 yds, 83 tds - 64 receptions, 832 yds, 8 tds

Tony Gonzalez - 16 yrs, 1242 receptions, 14,268 yds, 103 tds - 77 receptions, 892 yds, 6.5 tds

dallas Clark - 10 yrs, 474 receptions, 5322 yds, 50 tds - 47.5 receptions, 532 yds, 5 tds

Middle is their totals and right side is their average yr. I would say that only gates comes close. And longevity is something many greats have. Today's te is trying to be the new tony Gonzalez. I was a huge Shannon sharpe fan and I wouldn't put him in the class with tony. I would say at this point there is tony...then Antonio is trying to get with him...then there is Shannon, kellen, Ozzie...then there are today's star te (jimmy graham, gronk, and others not at their level).
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Good stats there. My point was you said Gonzalez remade the position. He was an athletic, former basketball player who used his athleticism to create mismatches. So did Newsome, Winslow, Sharpe, and Gates (I did not mention Clark). I would say Gonzalez has done a great job of carrying on the tradition of athletic TEs in the NFL. Heck, let's go back to John Mackey. He did the same thing and never would have the stats of the current TEs because of the way the game has changed.

But, I do agree that Gonzalez is the best TE ever.
 


Rob gronkowski - 3 yrs, 187 receptions, 2663 yds, 38 tds - 62 receptions, 888 yds, 13 tds

jimmy graham - 3 yrs, 215 receptions, 2648 yds, 25 tds - 72 receptions, 883 yds, 8 tds

great stats and compare to tony (only guys that do) but that is over 3 yrs he is over 16...plus with injuries not sure gronk will last but I think jimmy may break some of Tony's records (if he stays healthy) as he is still very raw as a football player.
 


The last 30 or so years the TE position has always been a position of strength for the Iowa program. They've had at least 1 or 2 guys from that position in the NFL as far back as I can remember. It is almost a necessity at Iowa to have good TE play with the lack of explosive offensive skill position players that are in the program most years.
 


If CJ has another year like last year with receptions he should get drafted granted he needs and Iowa needs him to catch more touchdowns.
 


Foval21 said:
Clark was good but he wasn't in tony Gonzalez league. I won't even give gronk or graham the nod to be on Gonzalez level until they do it for more years. Gonzalez is the guy that remade the te position.
Click to expand...

I will agree with your assessment for TE. What made Clark great was his ability to line up in the slot or even at WR. He was nightmare for opposing defenses. Gonzalez was a freak athlete and could have played in the NBA or in the Major leagues.
 


littlesparky23 said:
I was reading through my Sports Illustrated magazine when an article caught my eye where they were listing the top players at every position. I was very pleased to see that three former Hawkeyes made the top 32 tight ends, Myers, Chandler, and Moeaki. I realize that if you are the starting tight end for one of the 32 teams you will most likely be considered to be in the "Top 32", but it still is pretty mind-blowing to me that Iowa has produced 3 of the top tight ends in the league and that Clark was a couple of unfortunate injuries to being the best tight-end pre Gronkowski.
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Top 32 TEs? That sounds like an everyone gets a ribbon type of award. It is as ludicrous as Iowa State getting ranked 498th in some college ranking and then claiming to be a "top university." Face it, there are a handful of top TEs and ain't none of 'em Iowa guys.
 












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