What to make of CJ?

Theres some things he needs to work on but all & all I think he is one hell of a TE. I think he will make a better pro TE than college. Hes got the size to be a very good blocking TE in the NFL. GO HAWKS!
 
I've been waiting for CJF to break out ever since he came to Iowa. I don't want to give up on him but c'mon, when's the light going to go on?
 
... Michigan 2009. My favorite TE play of the year was his second TD w/ Chandler plowing the field in front of him....
Just testing you guys <G> It was Reisner lead blocking for Moeaki. I think I had Chandler on the brain after his TD for the Bills Sunday. That and I am living on antihistamines - got a nasty little head cold going on. Antihistamines are a helluva drug.
 
I think YOU are the one who needs to rewatch the games. While I do seem to remember CJ whiffing on a block or two one game this year, what you said is simply not true. CJ is essentially an extension of the O-Line and is quite possibly the best blocking TE we have had in the Ferentz era.

I've been disappointed in CJ's performance as well. I disagree that he is the best blocking TE we have had in the Ferentz era, not even close to the best.
 
I still say stand him up like Fry would have. Such a big guy standing up surveying the field would be a major threat.
 
My observation as well. In KF's mind a TE is just an eligible lineman. In the NIU game, where he did miss an obvious assignment, I saw him on another play push a DE back, turn to the outside, and then put a CB onto the ground.

What he is not good at is stretching for balls that are thrown low. He does seem to be good at catching well placed balls when he is facing the QB. He is what he is.

When the Hawks are in the redzone and his pattern takes him to or across the goal line then opposing teams are going to have to double cover him or he will be open. He is the definition of mismatch. Watch some of Rudock's rushing TDs again note that when he is rolling out CJF is running parallel through the endzone. If there are two guys covering CJ then Rudock runs it in. If the low side coverman moves to fill the running lane then Rudock has an easy, safe, pass if he throws it at CJ and a little high. Opposing Ds seem to be staying on CJ rather than gunning for Rudock in those situations. If that changes as the year progresses then I think we will see CJ's TD numbers go up. You take what they give you.

A lot of people's expectations for CJ coming out of HS, where he was used like a WR, haven't been met. He didn't get as much playtime early on because his blocking wasn't there yet. Same thing can be said for our WRs, in KF's world you block first then you catch the ball.

CJF just isn't a big play guy, more of a possession and redzone player and that is the role he is playing.

Hamilton is looking more and more like a vertical threat TE. This is a complimentary role to CJF's. And the guys behind these two look promising too. Opposing DCs have to plan for this and I can't think of another school that has TEs like Iowa.

If he was really a possession and red zone guy he would ave more than seven catches in three games, wouldn't he? It looks to me lie the role he is playing is that of a guy that happens to get a couple of catches a game, and would maybe get four a game if he would just catch balls that are already being thrown his way. And if he were catching those he would get more targets. But he isn't catching the ones he gets now so he isn't getting more targets.

Am I missing something here?
 
Consider targeting him, just an idea. Also consider making throws that he doesn't have to completely lay out to even have a chance at grabbing.

I don't think he's the next Gronk, but I'd like to see him get a chance. Having a QB that wanted to lock onto the first read the past couple years didn't help him make an impact either.
 
One catch for 13 yards vs Minney...makes #8 in 4 games.

I think they only threw to him once.

The staff has obviously spoken and CJ is not going to be the go-to TE guy.

Too bad.
 
One catch for 13 yards vs Minney...makes #8 in 4 games.

I think they only threw to him once.

The staff has obviously spoken and CJ is not going to be the go-to TE guy.

Too bad.

For those at the game in person, was he ever open?

From what I can see, he rarely is, but you can't see every route on the telly.
 
Poor guy never turned out to be the star player as projected. Plus he gets screwed over by missing the boat on getting paid for having to toil for the Hawks. Guess he'll have to be satisfied with a free education, room and board and as much tush as he could handle. Oh, and he'll also probably still get a shot at the NFL.
 
Poor guy never turned out to be the star player as projected. Plus he gets screwed over by missing the boat on getting paid for having to toil for the Hawks. Guess he'll have to be satisfied with a free education, room and board and as much tush as he could handle. Oh, and he'll also probably still get a shot at the NFL.

Yeah, that inter-departmental studies degree will take him places.
 
From what I've seen he looks really slow off the ball which results in always being covered. If he can't get open he's not going to get the ball thrown at him.
 
Poor guy never turned out to be the star player as projected. Plus he gets screwed over by missing the boat on getting paid for having to toil for the Hawks. Guess he'll have to be satisfied with a free education, room and board and as much tush as he could handle. Oh, and he'll also probably still get a shot at the NFL.

In the sense hell be at a training camp, yes. But, iowa certainly knows how to use TEs so this is not a coaching issue. They keep playing him and are begging him to succeed. Soft TEs with effort problems don't make many nfl rosters.
 
Yeah, that inter-departmental studies degree will take him places.

Well, he had the opportunity. If he didn't make the most of it, he'll need to live with it. I hope he didn't come in planning on making an NFL check and not getting the most out of the fallback education. Best of luck to him the rest of this season and beyond.
 
In the sense hell be at a training camp, yes. But, iowa certainly knows how to use TEs so this is not a coaching issue. They keep playing him and are begging him to succeed. Soft TEs with effort problems don't make many nfl rosters.

You're correct, Iowa tight ends have a good track record. Don't know how far he'll get on the NFL train, but he'll at least get a boarding pass.
 
all pro tight end body, hands of stone, captain of the all time Iowa over rated team. That's what I make of him.
 
CJ did not get the start vs. Minnesota because of his performance in the previous week. However, he is still considered one of the top 4-5 TE's in this years class & will likely get drafted on his measurables alone, regardless of how many catches he ends up with.
 

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