One mock draft has Hockenson and Fant going in the 1st rd
- Thread starter lightning1
- Start date
While it is true you can always come back and finish up your degree, you CANNOT come back and get to play your senior (or in Hockenson's case, junior and senior) year of college FB. I think we have seen more and more lately, the college FB experience matters a ton to these guys. It is still a game at that point, it is not yet a job, and you have a team that has grown together through your time on campus. That is special.
It is different in the NFL. How many early, surprise retirements have we seen lately? That is driven mostly by CTE concerns, but many players are willing to take those risks in college (Chris Borland, John Urschel), and then decide they just are not worth it in the NFL. That could be maturation, the effect of accumulated risk, or simply the fact that college FB matters to them more.
The financial aspect has to be considered, but I think many of us on here have enough life experience to realize that money does not equate to happiness. That is a lot easier to say if you are currently financially stable; for those in lower socio-economic classes, a change in status might make a huge difference in life quality both for the player and for their extended family.
But for those who come from a place of financial stability to begin with, is an extra season fighting with your brothers worth sacrificing a few million? Brandon Scherff and Desmond King basically said so. Sean Welsh probably gave up substantial money by not pursuing the NFL. He fought through Hell to play and contribute at Iowa, but he was not willing to do the same for a substantial payday in the NFL.
In short, this decision is about a lot more than what makes the most sense financially. For those that decide to jump early, there are a ton of reasons to go that route (the ticking clock of your FB career and achieving the lifelong dream of being an NFL player foremost among them), and best of luck to them. For those that decide to come back, just keep in mind that there are a lot more ways to measure success in life than just money.
It is different in the NFL. How many early, surprise retirements have we seen lately? That is driven mostly by CTE concerns, but many players are willing to take those risks in college (Chris Borland, John Urschel), and then decide they just are not worth it in the NFL. That could be maturation, the effect of accumulated risk, or simply the fact that college FB matters to them more.
The financial aspect has to be considered, but I think many of us on here have enough life experience to realize that money does not equate to happiness. That is a lot easier to say if you are currently financially stable; for those in lower socio-economic classes, a change in status might make a huge difference in life quality both for the player and for their extended family.
But for those who come from a place of financial stability to begin with, is an extra season fighting with your brothers worth sacrificing a few million? Brandon Scherff and Desmond King basically said so. Sean Welsh probably gave up substantial money by not pursuing the NFL. He fought through Hell to play and contribute at Iowa, but he was not willing to do the same for a substantial payday in the NFL.
In short, this decision is about a lot more than what makes the most sense financially. For those that decide to jump early, there are a ton of reasons to go that route (the ticking clock of your FB career and achieving the lifelong dream of being an NFL player foremost among them), and best of luck to them. For those that decide to come back, just keep in mind that there are a lot more ways to measure success in life than just money.
99topdawg
Well-Known Member
Yep. My Browns need another TE to pair with Njoku. Baker needs weapons.
Those teams, like Goff and Mahomes are going to need to decide whether or not to sign those QB's to mega contracts or get a huge haul in a trade and try to develop another QB.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
You have to sign up the mega contract and hope those guys stay as top 5 QBs when the talent around them dries up. There are basically only two ways to win now. One is to have a stud QB who is playing hot in the playoffs and the other is to have a QB on a rookie deal with a totally sick team around him like the Seahawks and Eagles did (even though Foles ended up being the Eagles QB during the playoff run). If I were a GM sitting on Mahomes, I would need a more lopsided trade than what Dallas got for Herschel Walker.
iloveyoularrystation
Well-Known Member
When Fant goes, and he will, he will be a first rounder. He's the most talented and naturally gifted tight end to come out in a very long time. He will be 1-3rd round on mock drafts till the combine, then he will destroy that, and be an automatic 1st rounder. Lock it down. Hockenson is more like your brent jones type of tight end, Jason witten type of guy. Less likely to be a first rounder grade wise even though his skill set maybe all around be better. Way more likely to stay. I think Hawks have a chance here. I also think however, with fant taking a lot of his double teams away, he'll never be more marketable then right now. To be honest, they both made each other better by making sure each consistently got single coverage, although Noah usually got the extra shader over the top because of his speed, which is why hock was open on pretty much every play this year. My bet is Noah goes in First Round. Hock gets a 2nd round grade and stays.
Fryowa
Administrator
Fants biggest mistake of his life is playing TE.
He is a literal carbon copy of Calvin Johnson who tore the NFL up and down as a WR. He’s not a blocking type of guy like Weiri g or Hockenson, and if Brian would have turned him into a WR I think we’d have had a shot at winning at least three of the ones we lost.
Can you imagine a 6’5”, 240 lb receiver with ridiculous speed and a 40” vertical playing against college DBs? All Stanley would have had to do was toss him jump balls out in front of the cornerbacks a la Randy Moss and goodnight. He did it to ISM and Brandon Smith and they aren’t as big and can’t jump like Fant.
If Fant played wideout these past two years he’s a potential top 3 overall and a first team All Pro at a position that pays better. He’s a case where freak athleticism can overcome some weakness with brute force and speed.
He is a literal carbon copy of Calvin Johnson who tore the NFL up and down as a WR. He’s not a blocking type of guy like Weiri g or Hockenson, and if Brian would have turned him into a WR I think we’d have had a shot at winning at least three of the ones we lost.
Can you imagine a 6’5”, 240 lb receiver with ridiculous speed and a 40” vertical playing against college DBs? All Stanley would have had to do was toss him jump balls out in front of the cornerbacks a la Randy Moss and goodnight. He did it to ISM and Brandon Smith and they aren’t as big and can’t jump like Fant.
If Fant played wideout these past two years he’s a potential top 3 overall and a first team All Pro at a position that pays better. He’s a case where freak athleticism can overcome some weakness with brute force and speed.
Fryowa
Administrator
As a GM I would do my damndest to grab them both this year and no I’m not kidding. Gronk and Hernandez were so unstoppable it was almost like cheating.
iloveyoularrystation
Well-Known Member
agreed
I am a fan of Walterfootball.com. They have 2 former scouts picking and Charlie has 2 TEs going in round 1, but it is the other 2 guys: Okwuegbunan from Mizzou and Smith from Bama. Fant is next off of the board at #48 which is halfway through round 2.
The other guy, Walt, doesn’t have any TEs in round 1. Noah is first TE taken at #59 to the Patriots. Fyi
The other guy, Walt, doesn’t have any TEs in round 1. Noah is first TE taken at #59 to the Patriots. Fyi
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Agreed. His combine numbers will blow scouts away. He's Ricky Dudley except he can catch a football.
Stanley shits his pants when facing a West division defense, and we all know how daunting they are. Could you imagine him facing an NFL defense?
He plays skeerd...not a good thing.
Ree4
Well-Known Member
Calvin was faster, better body control/more agile and had much better hands. I don't think I've ever seen Noah break a tackle either unfortunately, and I'm not sure why, he is not good at making people miss and isn't powerful enough tro run somebody over like Hock
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Please go ahead and pay them cash and gift them each a Rolex before the bowl game. Nothing gets this board worked up like some pre-bowl drama like the DJK arrest or the mystery surrounding Marcus Coker.
I know you guys think I am kidding, but I set up the deal that got Frank Thomas on all those Nugenix commercials that run on every channel on every commercial break. Well, maybe "set up" isn't the right way to describe it, but I totally made those things happen. I can get these guys more exposure than The Big Hurt is getting right now.
HungryHawk
Active Member
I wouldn't say I don't believe you, I just don't think I care enough to form an opinion one way or the other.
