Article Rookie Saints offensive linemen Will Clapp, Rick Leonard in different places at this point in camp (1 Viewer)

[Nightshade]

Rookie Saints offensive linemen Will Clapp, Rick Leonard in different places at this point in camp

On Clapp

He brings a work ethic to practice every day," Roushar said. "He gets probably more snaps than anybody else out there when you start looking at roles and numbers, and he never misses a beat. He just keeps coming."

Clapp's stamina and consistency have made a key impression.

Clapp will step into Kelemete spot at least in the interior, smart high work ethic. He what we want as a backup.

On Leonard

Leonard is also learning what it takes to be a part of the Saints' offensive line culture.

"His work ethic is improving, yet that again is still too inconsistent for our standard in that room," Roushar said. "Yesterday, we soaked him with a ton of reps. We oversoaked him, just trying to see, mentally, how he'd respond, and felt like he was hanging in there pretty good, and just at the end, we wanted to see him fight through it better than he did."

On top of him being raw, he's having to work on his "work ethic" ugh

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Leonard:
Very much hope I’m wrong and he’s the next Evans or Nicks type talent but it baffles my mind we took him so early. Seems he could have been had as a 7th or an UDFA.

 

[Saint Floyd]

I wouldn’t sweat this too much. Mind games like these are rather common with rookies. Leonard might need that open challenge to light a bonfire under his keester.

It is great to read that about Clapp, though. Young, developmental depth on the line is always welcome.

 

[St.Fury]

Clapp is showing exactly what he showed at LSU. He’s not the most athletic guy. But he will work hard and he’s pretty consistsnt.

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

Not surprising. Clapp has the experience, Leonard doesn't. Sounded like a good progress report on both.

And before the sea of "why didn't we wait to draft Leonard later" posts, I believe it was mentioned that another team had an interest in him so the Saints pulled the trigger. It's done. Now, we'll see if the pick pans out.

 

[JvilleJoe]

I just don't see Leonard making the final 53 this year, but do believe he should be an easy 'hide' on the practice squad. His selection, because of potential or otherwise, was frankly a surprise to me in the 4th round, but clearly the coaches saw something they liked. We are deep on the OL so keeping a guy like Leonard on the Practice Squad is not a bad thing.

 

[Outbackjack]

Any of us saying Rick at a 4th was a surprise are crazy.

We know 1/1000 what the coaches know, have access to, have participated in private workouts, interviews.

They deemed he was worthy of a 4th, and they have a track record of being very wise.

Will we miss some....of course.

It’s an inexact science.

But I promise you, Rick was picked in the 4th because deserved it, no matter what Joe the pool guy had on his “mock”

 

[watts]

"Yesterday, we soaked him with a ton of reps. We oversoaked him, just trying to see, mentally, how he'd respond, and felt like he was hanging in there pretty good, and just at the end, we wanted to see him fight through it better than he did."

That’s an odd critique. Speaks more to his mental fortitude than ability IMO. I hope he turns into a rock star for us but, man, that pick was an strange one.

 

[Nightshade]

Seeing Roushar say that his "work ethic is still too inconsistent" is troublesome.

I wish we would have let the other team that wanted him overpay for him.

 

[Outbackjack]

Reminds me of the great Jim Mora.....

You think you know, but you don’t know.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NHipzGL4dwM

 

[RetroMcBananaFace]

That’s an odd critique. Speaks more to his mental fortitude than ability IMO. I hope he turns into a rock star for us but, man, that pick was a reach.

Oh, Roushar knows exactly what he's doing with this quote, trust me. Not saying it'll work, but it's that direct for a reason.

 

[Saint Kamara]

Lack of work ethic, yikes.

By some miracle he gets drafted in the 4th round and you'd think he would work doubly hard like Clapp to prove to the saints they made a wise investment.

 

[Eman5805]

Wasting worried thoughts on him is pointless. Was there a 4th round pick that is the difference between a 2018 Super Bowl or not? No, because it's too early to tell? Then we can afford to wait a year or two to let him develop instead of taking the work ethic blurb as some horrible damnation.

 

[sammymvpknight]

Any of us saying Rick at a 4th was a surprise are crazy.

We know 1/1000 what the coaches know, have access to, have participated in private workouts, interviews.

They deemed he was worthy of a 4th, and they have a track record of being very wise.

Will we miss some....of course.

It’s an inexact science.

But I promise you, Rick was picked in the 4th because deserved it, no matter what Joe the pool guy had on his “mock”

So let me get this straight...the Saints staff had the wrong right. And Saints fans had the right wrong. And in this case the wrong right is more right than the right wrong?

Everyone saw this coming...so when it does come, you’ve got to have some balls to come in here and tell everyone that their right was wrong.

 

[bobad]

"His work ethic is improving, yet that again is still too inconsistent for our standard in that room," Roushar said. "Yesterday, we soaked him with a ton of reps. We oversoaked him, just trying to see, mentally, how he'd respond, and felt like he was hanging in there pretty good, and just at the end, we wanted to see him fight through it better than he did."

Never heard a coach get that deep and personal into a player's performance. Really, that's getting too personal, and I don't think Payton, Loomis, NFLPA, or Leonard's agent would approve. Don't get me wrong, the more I learn the more I like it. I just find it a little outside the norm.