Here's all about Tra Battle ...

[igtmfo]

Tra Battle. Too small for anything at 5-11, 175. A practice squad guy in SD. Has a stout Web site for kids, cancer, and other good causes. http://www.afefoundation.org/tra-battle.html

Here's his googleable scouting remarks from various sources ..

"College: A walk-on at Georgia. Intelligent and competitive, Battle’s lack of size is a limiting factor. Could find a place on a roster as a dime back/special-teams player.

Biography:
Two-year starter and All-Conference selection as a senior after totaling 58/6/7. Junior numbers were 71/2/4.

Pos:

Competitive defensive back who gives effort in his all-around game. Remains disciplined with assignments, plays a physical brand of football and works to get involved. Fast to the sidelines, has a straight-line closing burst of speed and plays with a good degree of suddenness. Possesses better-than-average ball skills.

Neg:

Undersized, struggles with large opponents and has tackles broken.

....


Georgia Pro Day ..

Tra Battle: 4.5 and 4.62 in the 40. 36-inch vertical. 10-foot broad jump. 4.11 short shuttle, 6.87 three-cone drill and 9 bench reps.

 

[Deefens]

he looked like 4.2 on that ko cover

 

[tomson75]

he looked like 4.2 on that ko cover

He sure did. I wasn't impressed by this signing at all...then I watched our first coverage play. I like it now.

 

[zeroburrito]

4.5 and 4.62 40 while weighing 170? what the hell?

 

[theogt]

6.8 three cone is impressive, but 9 bench reps?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

dude likes to mix it up, he got bounced around on one attempted tackle, but it was against a LB that outweighs him by like 80 pounds

like the spirit though

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Weird post. He plays very well for us 48 hours after being signed, and you claim that he's "too small for anything" plus some college stats and innerweb scouting guru guesses on his pro ability after he's been in the league two years?

 

[igtmfo]

Poster on DNM blog: "Excellent individual and a great player. Had two interceptions in the final preseason game in San Diego."

Dam right .. 4.2 at least .. ! ... Was on the right-side kickoff/punt? responsibilities, but flew around to the left, came around the corner like a shot to apply the embarassing tackle around the 15 yard line .. (I don't think he was credited in the nfl.com stats, I wonder why ..?)

Wade must have remembered Tre Battle talked about in SD before he was hired here .. Carlos Polk he knew about already in SD ...

I hope Wade pulls another couple more of these of rabbits out of his hat/*** as injuries present themselves .

 

[igtmfo]

Hey Choclab ... you are superb poster here, sorry to rise your ire ..

But what would you do with a a little dude, 4.7/4.8 DB at 5-11, 175 (Jacques Reeves, Alan Ball, these guys were small, but fast or faster ..)

So why would we sign him? .... Because he was running an authentic 4.0 on the punt (?) return or was it kickoff, to destroy the return today. Pretty stout.

Note: Battle had THREE INTs in Georgia's game against Auburn his senior year (hell yeah!) ... (Nov. 11, 2006) .. Nice ..

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Hey Choclab ... you are superb poster here, sorry to rise your ire ..

But what would you do with a a little dude, 4.7/4.8 DB at 5-11, 175 (Jacques Reeves, Alan Ball, these guys were small, but fast or faster ..)

So why would we sign him? .... Because he was running an authentic 4.0 on the punt (?) return or was it kickoff, to destroy the return today. Pretty stout.

Note: Battle had THREE INTs in Georgia's game against Auburn his senior year (hell yeah!) ... (Nov. 11, 2006) .. Nice ..

Thanks for the compliment. And it didn't raise my ire, it just seemed to me that the timing was odd. Maybe I didn't understand what you were getting at.

FWIW, I found a San Diego board the other day, and they all seemed happy when he was promoted to the team because they said that even though he was small, he threw his body around, got his hands on the ball, and made plays in preseason. Looks like the only thing holding him back was his size, but he seems to overcome it with effort and speed. Like you said, he didn't look like a 4.7 guy on that first KO return.

I'm about to the point of wanting him to get some snaps on D, at least ahead of Courtney Brown. Being in basically Wade's system for two years at SD, he should know the calls.