Oliver Hoyte

[doomsday81]

There are reports floating around out there that the Cowboys signed Oliver Hoyte, although I can't confirm them. If they did, Dallas should be arrested for stealing.

We broke down about 30 MLB prospects in this draft and we actually thought Hoyte was one of the top three players at that position in this draft. We expected him to be selected in the 5th round area and were shocked when he wasn't drafted.

Here is what I know. Hoyte has great instincts on the football field and hits like a ton of bricks. I mean, he absolutely punishes people. He led NC State in tackles two years ago despite missing two games. People say he isn't fast and while he isn't a blazer, his instincts allow him to be in position to make plays. He's one of those guys who just knows how to play football and plays faster than his 40 time. Besides, MLB don't need great speed, especially in the 3-4. I would love to see every MLB in the NFL run the 40 right now including Ray Lewis and see how many of them can crack a 4.8. I bet it's a lot less than most people think.

Bottom line, Hoyte is an intelligent, productive football player. After we watched him on tape, we couldn't understand why no one else was on this guy so we started doing some research and making calls. We couldn't find anyone with a bad thing to say about him. I was so perplexed, I felt like I was in that Seinfeld episode where Jerry is dating that girl who seems perfect but everyone else thinks she's a loser and he has no idea what they are talking about.

Perhaps there is something about Hoyte that I don't know about but on tape, he was the most physical linebacker in this class. The Patriots talked with him and threw some plays at him and they were surprised how quickly he picked them up, yet they didn't touch him either.

I think I'm going crazy but if I happen to be right, Dallas just got one hell of a football player. At the very least, you'll have a player on special teams who will crack heads any time he gets a chance. Seriously, you have to see this guy take on blockers and ball carriers, he just blows them up. He loves contact and is a perfect 3-4 MLB in my opinion.

Like I said, I haven't been able to confirm his signing but if it's true, Hoyte is going to be a hard guy to cut unless I'm just seeing something that the rest of the world isn't but I think he's a player.

 

[silver]

good to know. with parhman and hoyte on board, shale is as good as gone

 

[mullet]

No way Shanle gets cut......... not after the time they have invested in him. and he is a valuable backup with good coverage ability.

 

[MiStar]

I never noticed him at NC State. Tullock was the linebacker that always stood out to me.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Yahoo Sports has highlight videos of him and Parham here.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/prospects?rank_type=16


He definitely lays the lumber on a few of the clips. My favorite is when he takes on the lead blocker on a sweep and knocks him backward into the ballcareer.

 

[InmanRoshi]

No way Shanle gets cut......... not after the time they have invested in him. and he is a valuable backup with good coverage ability.

Yeah, no way a guy who loses his starting job to Ryan Fowler could ever get cut. No way.

 

[polinskijr]

Not to upset anyone, but if I have to read MLB one more time when referring to a 3-4 defense, I will have to be commited. In a 3-4, they are ILB's!

 

[chicago JK]

There are reports floating around out there that the Cowboys signed Oliver Hoyte, although I can't confirm them. If they did, Dallas should be arrested for stealing.

We broke down about 30 MLB prospects in this draft and we actually thought Hoyte was one of the top three players at that position in this draft. We expected him to be selected in the 5th round area and were shocked when he wasn't drafted.

Here is what I know. Hoyte has great instincts on the football field and hits like a ton of bricks. I mean, he absolutely punishes people. He led NC State in tackles two years ago despite missing two games. People say he isn't fast and while he isn't a blazer, his instincts allow him to be in position to make plays. He's one of those guys who just knows how to play football and plays faster than his 40 time. Besides, MLB don't need great speed, especially in the 3-4. I would love to see every MLB in the NFL run the 40 right now including Ray Lewis and see how many of them can crack a 4.8. I bet it's a lot less than most people think.

Bottom line, Hoyte is an intelligent, productive football player. After we watched him on tape, we couldn't understand why no one else was on this guy so we started doing some research and making calls. We couldn't find anyone with a bad thing to say about him. I was so perplexed, I felt like I was in that Seinfeld episode where Jerry is dating that girl who seems perfect but everyone else thinks she's a loser and he has no idea what they are talking about.

Perhaps there is something about Hoyte that I don't know about but on tape, he was the most physical linebacker in this class. The Patriots talked with him and threw some plays at him and they were surprised how quickly he picked them up, yet they didn't touch him either.

I think I'm going crazy but if I happen to be right, Dallas just got one hell of a football player. At the very least, you'll have a player on special teams who will crack heads any time he gets a chance. Seriously, you have to see this guy take on blockers and ball carriers, he just blows them up. He loves contact and is a perfect 3-4 MLB in my opinion.

Like I said, I haven't been able to confirm his signing but if it's true, Hoyte is going to be a hard guy to cut unless I'm just seeing something that the rest of the world isn't but I think he's a player.

Did you write this or did you get it somewhere else?

 

[doomsday81]

I never noticed him at NC State. Tullock was the linebacker that always stood out to me.

What game where you watching because we thought Tulloch was awful. He was always trailing plays and standing around the pile. Did you see a lot of NC State games or just one where he may have had a good game? The reason I ask is because I don't think that guy can play in NFL Europe, where I'm sure he'll be next season.

 

[doomsday81]

Did you write this or did you get it somewhere else?

I wrote it. I work for an NFL team and that is pretty much my assessment on him. Like I said, some may not like him as much as I do but to not be drafted is amazing to me. You can't watch game tape of him and tell me there are more than 200 better players than Hoyte in the country. There has to be something else going on with him that I don't know about. I'm telling you, if he is indeed on the Cowboys, watch him closely in training camp. I wouldn't be given such a glowing review of someone that wasn't even drafted if I hadn't seen something.

And just to give you some info, we had Darnell Bing rated as a 5th round prospect, Ashton Youboty rated as a late-third and Pat Watkins as a sixth, so we had a pretty good handle on a lot of players in this draft. Either I'm just way off on Hoyte or I'm missing something. He's really the only player we really miss projected by more than two rounds that I can think of. Also, it's just not me, it's me and the guys I work with so it's not like other opinions aren't used in these evaluations and they all loved Hoyte as well.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

hello Hoyte and Parham, goodbye Shanle

 

[AbeBeta]

No way Shanle gets cut......... not after the time they have invested in him. and he is a valuable backup with good coverage ability.

Bill has brought one very important thing to this team -- he knows when to fold 'em.

Jerry is devoted to guys -- Bill isn't. Key and Campbell were his boys and he sent them packing.

 

[chicago JK]

Thanks Doomsday. Good info. BTW how did you rate Miles Austin (WR), Roland (GA) and Kai Parhman (UVA). Did you see them as draftable prospects or FA types?

 

[doomsday81]

Thanks Doomsday. Good info. BTW how did you rate Miles Austin (WR), Roland (GA) and Kai Parhman (UVA). Did you see them as draftable prospects or FA types?

I thought Austin would get drafted late but not Roland. From the people I talked to, I'm not surprised Parham dropped the way he did. I don't want to get too much into specifics but lets just say someone teams would ask info about Parham did not give him glowing reviews. I was more surprised that Hoyte and Freddie Roach didn't get drafted.

 

[bobbie brewskie]

FFL: Dallas signs OT Roland
Cowboys | Team signs UDFA Roland
Mon, 1 May 2006 18:13:30 -0700

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms with undrafted rookie free agent OL Dennis Roland (Georgia). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

just to confirm the fact that we actually signed him.

 

[OKC.DC.Fan]

i like what i seen in the vid.

 

[InmanRoshi]

Here's a 2 day old interview...

Oliver Hoyte Is Old School


By: Jonathan Comey

Date: Apr 29, 2006

Patriots Insider spoke with North Carolina State linebacker Oliver Hoyte in a pre-draft interview. Hoyte had made an impression on a number of teams, including the Patriots who are looking for linebackers in the Draft. Hoyte is a hard-hitting member of the Wolfpack defense known for stars Manny Lawson and Mario Williams. Although he knows he won't be a high draft pick, Hoyte is determined to make his mark the old fashioned way -- through hard work.

Oliver Hoyte is an old-school linebacker. Not too fast, not too flashy, not too big. But if you’re a running back squirting through the line of scrimmage, Hoyte is going to find you, wrap you up, and bring you down.

If that’s old school, well, Hoyte’s happy to be old school.

"Anyone that knows me knows how important football is to me," he said in a recent interview. "I have so much desire, so much hunger."

While top talents Mario Williams and Manny Lawson were attacking quarterbacks on the defensive line for N.C. State in 2005, Hoyte was there to punish the running backs. The three-year starter had 79 tackles as a senior for the Wolfpack after getting 93 as a junior. An unheralded member of the flashy Wolfpack defense, Hoyte was never recognized as an all-ACC player (first-, second- or third teams) despite his consistent production, mostly because he came off the field in passing situations for a talented defense.

"Go back and look at big plays per play," Hoyte suggested. "The number of plays you have vs. the big plays you make, the ratio - I was probably the best on the team. But I didn’t play every down, that’s why my numbers were probably down a little bit."

At 6-2½ and 245, with great instincts, he’s big enough and smart enough to play in the NFL – but his 5.01 time in the 40 is a major cause for concern. He was the slowest of the 37 linebackers at the combine.

"I know I didn’t run as well as I know I can, but eveything else was pretty good. I excelled in the football drills ... that’s what I am, I’m a football player."

Hoyte still enjoyed the experience of the combine, because it was a chance to impress coaches - if not with his blazing speed, with his passion for the game.

"I had a whole heap of meetings - I think I talked to every team," he said. "And any time I sit down to talk about football with a coach, Xs and Os, they walk away impressed. Because I’m a student of the game. I just wanted to show people I had nothing to hide, I was just a good football player. And I ‘m in the best shape of my life right now.

He was brought in for pre-draft meetings with New England and Cincinnati, as well as a trip to visit the Bucs in his hometown of Tampa (he went to high school with Florida State DT Brodrick Bunkley).

Hoyte will likely be a late second-day pick that’ll have to make his initial mark on the NFL on special teams – which wouldn’t be so bad.

"I love special teams," Hoyte said. "I played special teams especially much my freshman year, I was on every single one. One night, I think it was East Tennessee State, on the kickoff, I hit a guy so hard he went to the wrong sideline. And I said, OK, college is just like high school."

But the pros aren’t just like college - which is why Hoyte plans to work his way toward a dream.

"When I go into camp, I plan on making on making an impact on special teams AND defense," Hoyte said. "That’s how I’m looking at it. I’m going to continue working on my straight-line speed the rest of my career. Some people are born with it, some are not.

"But when I see the football, I’m going for it."

Patriots Insider, Jon Scott contributed to this report.

 

[cowboysfan31]

On draftdaddy.com, it is now saying that Oliver Hoyte was signed by the Vikings...sorry to burst everyone's bubble.

 

[InmanRoshi]

That's strange. The NC State scout site says the Cowboys.

http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/2/526441.html

 

[cowboysfan31]

That's strange. The NC State scout site says the Cowboys.

http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/2/526441.html

Hmm...that's interesting. I guess it will be fun to see how long this one takes to sort itself out.