Chuck 54
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What can I say about Jeff Heath that hasn't already been said with plenty of profanity all last season and this off-season? Most fans despise him for giving up so many plays when he was right there in position to make the play and didn't. Most fans seem to think he's just a slow, non-athletic JAG who took advantage of a depleted position and held it because the idiot coaches favored him for some reason.
Here's something to consider. Higher draft picks Johnson and Wilcox may have more talent on paper, and everyone is hoping these guys step up to improve what we had with Heath last year. But consider this....Heath isn't a veteran journeyman who has maxed out. He's not a guy that is what he is and you know what you have in him and just want a youngster to do better.
Last season Jeff Heath was an undrafted and underrated rookie free agent out of little Saginaw Valley State, division II. We've had plenty of draft choices over the years about whom we said, "he will need 2-3 years to catch up to the competition. This kid isn't a punk....at his pro day, he ran a 4.40 forty, bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times, had a 37 inch vertical, with 10 and 20 yard splits of 1.59 and 2.7. In high school he kicked a 49 yard FG to win a regional title; in college, he was 2nd team all conference in 2011 and first team in 2012.
In 6 starts for the Cowboys' woeful defense, he had 60 tackles, 6 passes defensed (4th on the team), and led the team with 13 special teams tackles.
Now, did Calvin Johnson and Alshon Jeffries abuse him for highlight reel receptions in close games that we lost, and did Adrienne Peterson run over him for a TD? Yes and Yes. But think about it....those players have done the same thing to pro bowl safeties, and this kid was almost always in the picture, right there, which is why we are so angry with him....he was there and just missed making the plays against the NFL's top players at crunch time. But he was also a rookie from division II who fought off all others to be a starter, and he does have speed and explosiveness as evidenced by his numbers coming out of Saginaw Valley State.
While everyone hopes that other youngsters who were drafted in the 3rd through 5th rounds and shown flashes here and there will get it and blossom as they enter their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th seasons, why not take a kid who played in front of all of them as a rookie who has ability and pull for him to blossom and take what he learned last year and build upon it.
I would love to see Wilcox or Johnson or anyone become a pro bowl caliber safety, but I think we've been a little too hard on this undrafted rookie from division II who actually competed all year as a rookie...we've bashed and ridiculed him just because he was "right there" when big plays were made against him rather than sitting on the sidelines where most rookies from Saginaw Valley State belong.
Jeff Heath just may surprise us all this year. If you aren't surprised at his athletic measurables, especially his forty, bench press, and vertical, then you go to the head of the class.
Here's something to consider. Higher draft picks Johnson and Wilcox may have more talent on paper, and everyone is hoping these guys step up to improve what we had with Heath last year. But consider this....Heath isn't a veteran journeyman who has maxed out. He's not a guy that is what he is and you know what you have in him and just want a youngster to do better.
Last season Jeff Heath was an undrafted and underrated rookie free agent out of little Saginaw Valley State, division II. We've had plenty of draft choices over the years about whom we said, "he will need 2-3 years to catch up to the competition. This kid isn't a punk....at his pro day, he ran a 4.40 forty, bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times, had a 37 inch vertical, with 10 and 20 yard splits of 1.59 and 2.7. In high school he kicked a 49 yard FG to win a regional title; in college, he was 2nd team all conference in 2011 and first team in 2012.
In 6 starts for the Cowboys' woeful defense, he had 60 tackles, 6 passes defensed (4th on the team), and led the team with 13 special teams tackles.
Now, did Calvin Johnson and Alshon Jeffries abuse him for highlight reel receptions in close games that we lost, and did Adrienne Peterson run over him for a TD? Yes and Yes. But think about it....those players have done the same thing to pro bowl safeties, and this kid was almost always in the picture, right there, which is why we are so angry with him....he was there and just missed making the plays against the NFL's top players at crunch time. But he was also a rookie from division II who fought off all others to be a starter, and he does have speed and explosiveness as evidenced by his numbers coming out of Saginaw Valley State.
While everyone hopes that other youngsters who were drafted in the 3rd through 5th rounds and shown flashes here and there will get it and blossom as they enter their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th seasons, why not take a kid who played in front of all of them as a rookie who has ability and pull for him to blossom and take what he learned last year and build upon it.
I would love to see Wilcox or Johnson or anyone become a pro bowl caliber safety, but I think we've been a little too hard on this undrafted rookie from division II who actually competed all year as a rookie...we've bashed and ridiculed him just because he was "right there" when big plays were made against him rather than sitting on the sidelines where most rookies from Saginaw Valley State belong.
Jeff Heath just may surprise us all this year. If you aren't surprised at his athletic measurables, especially his forty, bench press, and vertical, then you go to the head of the class.
