Why did we pass this guy up???? (1 Viewer)

[Thunderchild]

Why did we pass this guy up????

For the same reason 31 other teams passed on him. Since Ireland has been here, we've done pretty well at drafting defensive players. Meanwhile, the Saints have been very good at identifying OL players under Payton. So I'll make 2 major points:

1. It is absolutely silly to decide if a rookie is going to make it in the NFL after just one (!) pre season game.
2. While we have had one of the best drafting systems in the league since Ireland came here, we are going to miss occasionally and while some of you guys are omniscient and can tell better than our staff who we should have taken, I'm not and don't pretend to be. I'll just roll with who we have.

I sincerely hope both Griffin and Leonard provide great value to their respective teams, but I probably won't give Griffin another thought as he doesn't wear the black and gold.

Eh.

 

[efil4stnias]

, but what do I know? I’m not a professional scout after all.

oh stop it.

yes you are.

here.

 

[dapperdan]

After last years draft no one should complain. I know Payton and Co shut me up last year.

 

[Eman5805]

Let this go. You will drive yourself crazy constantly being upset about this. Like that one guy who repeatedly mentions David Johnson.

Any one of us who followed the draft year in and out had a guy we wanted a lot but either went before we could get a shot at him or we passed them up entirely for whomever. Stop worrying yourself. What, if Leonard sucks, should Ireland or Payton be fired? What use is there to waste your energies on it? It's one pick out of several that you didn't like. Oh well. Move on, for your own sake.

 

[Ediddy7023]

That was debunked to a timing error. He runs a 4.6

Show me where it was debunked.

Let this go. You will drive yourself crazy constantly being upset about this. Like that one guy who repeatedly mentions David Johnson.

Any one of us who followed the draft year in and out had a guy we wanted a lot but either went before we could get a shot at him or we passed them up entirely for whomever. Stop worrying yourself. What, if Leonard sucks, should Ireland or Payton be fired? What use is there to waste your energies on it? It's one pick out of several that you didn't like. Oh well. Move on, for your own sake.

Fair enough.

 

[soggymoss]

There were around 300 available players who rated higher the Leonard when he was drafted.

According to who? Draft sites?

According to at least one NFL team (you know the people who's jobs depend on hitting on these draft picks?), he was rated lower than Leonard....

 

[saint_drago]

Let this go. You will drive yourself crazy constantly being upset about this. Like that one guy who repeatedly mentions David Johnson.

Any one of us who followed the draft year in and out had a guy we wanted a lot but either went before we could get a shot at him or we passed them up entirely for whomever. Stop worrying yourself. What, if Leonard sucks, should Ireland or Payton be fired? What use is there to waste your energies on it? It's one pick out of several that you didn't like. Oh well. Move on, for your own sake.

This. God god this. The "Why Did We Pass On Him" is a rabbit hole you don't want to go down. Especially after one preseason game. The same people who passed on Griffin are the same dudes who just had the best draft in team history. So personally I'm going to cut them some slack for a year or two and just assume they know what they're doing.

 

[Slaw]

Griffin would just have to beat out Calvin Klein and “ripped in the” Analzone...yes, he could start for the Saints.

He can't play SAM better than Klein, can't play WILL better than Davis, and can't play MIKE better than Te'o/Anzalone.

 

[saintbilly25]

Show me where it was debunked.


Fair enough.

Piece of an article from 247sports.com (I know it's not gospel):

Part of the reason Griffin was expected by many to be a top-100 pick? The world watched him blaze a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine. But as it turns out, looks can be deceiving.
According to NFL Draft Scout's Frank Cooney, Griffin's clock "started a little late," and the estimate for his actual time "was closer to 4.58 seconds."

While a 4.58-second 40-yard dash is a solid number for a linebacker, it's nowhere close to the 4.38 that was recorded as his unofficial time by the NFL Network telecast, which would have been faster than any linebacker has run since 2003.
When it was discovered that Griffin had run closer to 4.58 than 4.38, "many teams repositioned him on draft boards," per Cooney. That means his draft-day "slide" is less surprising than it appeared on the surface.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

How does something make you sick that you don't know will pan out?

very sensitive tummy

 

[SaintsJunkie]

I thought the same thing, and still do, but Leonard played well in the game, I remember a goal line play that he stayed on his guy even to the ground and opened a hope for Williams. He is like 3rd to 4th string but he does have two hands.

 

[sammymvpknight]

He can't play SAM better than Klein, can't play WILL better than Davis, and can't play MIKE better than Te'o/Anzalone.

Klein isn’t good at SAM, so for what reason do you think that Griffin would be worse? Because Klein is one inch taller?

Griffin has shown more in one preseason game than Anzalone in his entire NFL career. Ouch.

It’s like people want to wish something come true on this site. At the LB position you either have the instincts or you don’t. The ones that have it, they have it from the get go. The ones that don’t have never get it. One doesn’t develop instincts at the LB position.

I’m just hoping we can yet again just “get by” at the LB position...after all we did have been successful in the past with a mediocre LB Corp. But there is no wishful thinking from my side of the room. Anzalone and Klein are what they are...as painful as it is. Griffin may never be great, but at this point I’d rather go with the guy who has shown flashes and has upside at the position. The unknown may be better than Klein and Anzalone.

 

[Nightshade]

How does something make you sick that you don't know will pan out? Leonard could be a star, Griffin could be a bust. Of course, the opposite is equally possible. You also know nothing of the person and Sean Payton places emphasis on intelligence and coachability over pure talent. Leonard could have interviewed brilliantly and Coach thought he would be valuable in the locker room, in addition to on the field. Again, I'm not saying that's fact or that Griffin didn't interview great, but the point is that we simply don't know.

It's all about value and using a 4th round pick on a guy who ranked 497th in this year's draft. It's like paying a $100k for a Kia when there are a lot full of Mercedes, Audi, Lexus and so far which are not only better but could still be had for less.

 

[saintbilly25]

It's all about value and using a 4th round pick on a guy who ranked 497th in this year's draft. It's like paying a $100k for a Kia when there are a lot full of Mercedes, Audi, Lexus and so far which are not only better but could still be had for less.

I remember a very similar thing being said about David Onyemata 3 years ago. The vast majority said he would have been available way later in the draft. Payton and co. thought it was worth it and not worth the risk of another team feeling the same way about the player that he did. He's proven to be worth that pick already, with the possibility of vastly outperforming his draft slot.

 

[TribuneUK]

HA we will see who would be more valuable to our team, and we can refer back to this thread.
A back up tackle (we hope) or a rotational linebacker that would play now!

The thing is, a fair proportion of this forum spent a good few months questioning why we picked a 'back up tackle' in last year's draft, ahead of an 'impact defender'.

The back up tackle was Ryan Ramczyk. I think the team knows what it's doing.