How Confident are you in Fredrick?

[TheCount]

So you wait for the first reply to agree with you and then end the thread? We really have no idea as fans at this point.

lol, I was gonna say. What was that?

 

[Future]

His main job will be to not end up in Romo's lap every time he drops back to pass. He'll be just fine doing that. The guy is going to be a very good player...sooner than people think IMO.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Going into the season, are you really confident he makes us a better team?

Most sane teams would have picked him in the 3rd round.
I think Frederick the Giant will do as well as any 3rd rounder. And that is, maybe he'll be a good backup.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

If not oline, I would have gone for Eifert. Witten isn't replaceable, but we still need his replacement. If I were in charge, I would have drafted Matt Elam in a trade back scenario. It won't matter if he pans out.

It was funny when even he said he thought he was a later pick--speaking of himself.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Recall how poorly Smith played the first games of his career?

I remember Collinsworth making a remark that he was out of position a lot.

But then Collinsworth also covered a game later in the year and said Smith had made a quantum leap from his first games.

That may be the footprint here.
No one is doubting this kid is big and strong and smart.

But in this game, where the speed is so much faster than college, and he will need to see things like stunts and blitzes several times before recognition takes over.

To expect him to come rolling out of the box and make the line better is a bit hopeful and maybe naive.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He can get the weakest link of 3 positions on the floor. It's not very hard to do in there.

 

[burmafrd]

Most sane teams would have picked him in the 3rd round.
I think Frederick the Giant will do as well as any 3rd rounder. And that is, maybe he'll be a good backup.

your post makes me feel much better about us getting him in the first round

 

[Crown Royal]

The complaint about his possibly being available in the third round is tired. If he is quality then it's good to have a quality player on the team, regardless of how you got him.

 

[Crown Royal]

Larry Allen would be a HoFer if he was taken in the first round too.

 

[Idgit]

Recall how poorly Smith played the first games of his career?

I remember Collinsworth making a remark that he was out of position a lot.

But then Collinsworth also covered a game later in the year and said Smith had made a quantum leap from his first games.

That may be the footprint here.
No one is doubting this kid is big and strong and smart.

But in this game, where the speed is so much faster than college, and he will need to see things like stunts and blitzes several times before recognition takes over.

To expect him to come rolling out of the box and make the line better is a bit hopeful and maybe naive.

Smith was younger, and was switching sides, as well, and playing in space. I imagine Frederick will play like a lot of the WIS interior OLs play early, and that's he'll be able to come in and hold his own, but will take a year or so to really get the hang of things.

One thing in his favor is how smart he is. If the line calls come quickly to him, the game might slow down sooner than it would for another player.

The downside is he's limited athletically, so he's not like Smith in that he'll have that to fall back on if he gets himself in trouble early.

 

[TwoDeep3]

Smith was younger, and was switching sides, as well, and playing in space. I imagine Frederick will play like a lot of the WIS interior OLs play early, and that's he'll be able to come in and hold his own, but will take a year or so to really get the hang of things.

One thing in his favor is how smart he is. If the line calls come quickly to him, the game might slow down sooner than it would for another player.

The downside is he's limited athletically, so he's not like Smith in that he'll have that to fall back on if he gets himself in trouble early.

Ah, Smith played the right side his rookie year, which is what I was illustrating in my comments. he played that side in college, was considered the best at his position, and came in and struggled at the beginning.

And your point about over-all talent is the key to this and something that seems to be ignored.

While he is smart, and strong, he doesn't have the over-all talent Smith had.

And like you said he will not be able to fall back on talent alone to carry him. This guy may end up bring great. But he will need to use the brain to get into position that the talent ceiling won't necessarily allow.

 

[Idgit]

Ah, Smith played the right side his rookie year, which is what I was illustrating in my comments. he played that side in college, was considered the best at his position, and came in and struggled at the beginning.

And your point about over-all talent is the key to this and something that seems to be ignored.

While he is smart, and strong, he doesn't have the over-all talent Smith had.

And like you said he will not be able to fall back on talent alone to carry him. This guy may end up bring great. But he will need to use the brain to get into position that the talent ceiling won't necessarily allow.

Ah, you're right. I'd brain-farted on the RT thing.

I think Frederick has a lower-ceiling/lower-floor on him than Smith did. I think he's probably going to come in and play adequately, and just be a fixture there for years that, while he should be getting better over time, we don't really notice that much, anyway. He may struggle early with things the way Costa did with getting set in pass protection fast enough, but given the quality of coaching he had at WIS, I still think those adjustments will be relatively minor for a rookie. And, yeah, he's never going to have that much upside. As he gets more comfortable, some of his natural nastiness might become more apparent as he asserts himself more. That'll be about all we can tell without being told more, otherwise.

 

[blindzebra]

What our OL needed was someone in the middle that is big, strong, smart and mean.

Frederick fits that to a T.

 

[CyberB0b]

What our OL needed was someone in the middle that is big, strong, smart and mean.

Frederick fits that to a T.

We also need someone who can play at the NFL level. Is that Fredrick? I guess we have to wait and see. Anyone who says he is a lock to beat out even Phil Costa is kidding themselves.

 

[Prossman]

What our OL needed was someone in the middle that is big, strong, smart and mean.

Frederick fits that to a T.

agreed. He will set the pocket, improve the running game and make all the line calls. he will do fine.

 

[TwoDeep3]

agreed. He will set the pocket, improve the running game and make all the line calls. he will do fine.

Or....the defense will run twists, stunts, and blitzes over Frederick's position, and with the lack of help Bernadeau gives him the people on this board will be suggesting he is a bust about mid season.

Both observations - now and then - will be incorrect.

 

[TheCount]

Recall how poorly Smith played the first games of his career?

I remember Collinsworth making a remark that he was out of position a lot.

But then Collinsworth also covered a game later in the year and said Smith had made a quantum leap from his first games.

That may be the footprint here.
No one is doubting this kid is big and strong and smart.

But in this game, where the speed is so much faster than college, and he will need to see things like stunts and blitzes several times before recognition takes over.

To expect him to come rolling out of the box and make the line better is a bit hopeful and maybe naive.

Well thought out reply, although I do think he'll make the line better right away. I'd fine with Fred, I just don't think he's the magic elixer. Every year, fans (and staff) single out one guy to be the guy that's gonna fix this line and it doesn't quite work that way. I think we are still 1 or 2 drafts away from putting together a consistent oline.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Costa is better than people give him credit for.

Based on what?

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

i think his addition will be huge. Based on what i've heard about him, and what i've seen from his time in college, i think he'll be an instant upgrade. i was initially upset with the pick, but i've come full circle and like the pick. According to the traditional way of approaching the draft i shouldn't be happy about the pick because i think it was need over value, and i'm not excited about the T. Williams selection, but when its all said and done, i think we'll be happy w/ Frederick and the way it all plays out.

T. Williams is good insurance. He makes the roster, thus bumps off one of our "projects" and I think squeezes Cole Beasley off the roster. I like the pick. He gives me hope Austin that can be given some competition and my boy Dwayne Harris can still develop can contribute. I really like what he brings to the table as well.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

T. Williams is good insurance. He makes the roster, thus bumps off one of our "projects" and I think squeezes Cole Beasley off the roster. I like the pick. He gives me hope Austin that can be given some competition and my boy Dwayne Harris can still develop can contribute. I really like what he brings to the table as well.

Why anyone would want a guy like Beasley off the roster is beyond comprehension to me..

..also, Harris isn't your boy.