CCBoy
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Do The Cowboys Have A True Prototype Blocking Tight End?
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017...boys-have-a-true-prototype-blocking-tight-end
We recently received an astute request for an article here at BTB. A reader asked about the purpose of a blocking TE, specifically why a blocking TE was better than an extra tackle, and, finally if the Dallas Cowboys (or other teams) had a particular prototype set of measurables for the position. Being a long-time fan of the position (going back to my early days of pretending to be Jay Saldi in my backyard football endeavors), I wanted to take a look at this myself.
The reader actually answered his own question about why teams don’t often use an extra tackle. As the reader put it, "Obviously...they want someone a bit more agile and ideally a threat to catch the ball." That’s basically it, but perhaps I can add another layer to this. A tight end requires someone on defense with at least linebacker-grade speed and agility to run with them, and more likely a safety. Very few defensive line type players have that kind of agility and almost none of them will have the long speed to run downfield with even the slowest tight ends
Leonard Floyd is extremely young, agile, and explosive, which led to his selection as the ninth-overall pick in the 2016 draft. He ran a 4.60 forty and posted a massive 39.5" vertical at 244 lbs. And this is what happens when he’s left in man coverage with the "aging", "slow", "unathletic" Jason Witten...
http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2017...boys-have-a-true-prototype-blocking-tight-end
We recently received an astute request for an article here at BTB. A reader asked about the purpose of a blocking TE, specifically why a blocking TE was better than an extra tackle, and, finally if the Dallas Cowboys (or other teams) had a particular prototype set of measurables for the position. Being a long-time fan of the position (going back to my early days of pretending to be Jay Saldi in my backyard football endeavors), I wanted to take a look at this myself.
The reader actually answered his own question about why teams don’t often use an extra tackle. As the reader put it, "Obviously...they want someone a bit more agile and ideally a threat to catch the ball." That’s basically it, but perhaps I can add another layer to this. A tight end requires someone on defense with at least linebacker-grade speed and agility to run with them, and more likely a safety. Very few defensive line type players have that kind of agility and almost none of them will have the long speed to run downfield with even the slowest tight ends
Leonard Floyd is extremely young, agile, and explosive, which led to his selection as the ninth-overall pick in the 2016 draft. He ran a 4.60 forty and posted a massive 39.5" vertical at 244 lbs. And this is what happens when he’s left in man coverage with the "aging", "slow", "unathletic" Jason Witten...