Once Scherff went off the board to the Redskins at the #5 spot (WOW!!) this was the presumptive pick and the Giants did not surprise anybody south of Mel Kiper. There was a mini-run on the hogs and RB's counter to Mel's wisdom.
"Who the hell is Mel Kiper anyway?"
from nfl.com
http://www.nfl.com/videos/caught-in-the-draft/0ap2000000345422/Caught-in-the-Draft-Kiper-calls-out-the-Colts "Mel Kiper doesn't know any more than Bill Tobin's postman" CLASSIC!!
Also in the classic category, Aaron Rodgers long, long, long stint in the green room
from nfl.com:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/caught-in-the-draft/0ap3000000488878/Caught-in-the-Draft-Rodgers-keeps-on-waiting
How a bout Jaworski's less than flattering analysis of Aaron Rodgers. Don't think we missed that one, Jaws!! You can't always base your opinions on those of the "expert" commentators. Sometimes they are right, sometimes they are rather famously wrong.
Anyway, as far as the Giants go, Eli should be a little happier this morning as the Giants offensively just got a little more powerful. But what do the Giants know? Get me Bill Tobin's postman!!
I like the comps to fellow Miami alumnus Bryant McKinnie. If this guy is anywhere near as good as McKinnie, this becomes a great pick. We'll see if he stays at LT where he has more value protecting Eli's blind side or moves to the RT spot due to technique concerns that seem to be more on the pass protection side rather than as a run blocker where most reports indicate he is ferocious. Those huge knee braces are a concern and he has been off the field due to injury at times, but everybody has injury risk.
Look at this from giants.com, OFFENSIVE LINEMAN HAVE STATISTICS!!! How cool is that?
BLOCKING STATISTICS...Based on review of game film by our scouting department...SGP-season grade percentage...GM-games played...PLAY-amount of snaps played in...KB-key blocks (pancake/ knockdowns)...TDB-touchdown resulting blocks... DWF-downfield blocks... PRS-pressures allowed... SKA-sacks allowed...High Grade Game-best graded game for the season. STATS GM SGP PLAYS KB TDB DWF PRS SKA High Grade Game 2014 12 84.18 700 043 10 07 1.0 4.0 94% vs. Cincinnati
from giants.com
Read rapid reactions on the Giants’ first-round selection of offensive lineman Ereck Flowers out of the University of Miami.Mike Mayock, NFL Media"Flowers is a big, strong, power man. He's a powerful run blocker and has prototypical tackle traits. He reminds me of the 49ers' Anthony Davis when he came out of Rutgers."Jay Glazer, FOX Sports“Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo wants to get the ball out of Eli Manning's hand quickly. Drafting Flowers assists the Giants in their running game as he can play right tackle and they can move Justin Pugh inside to guard.”Chris Burke and Doug Farrar, SI.com“With some technique work, Flowers could be a complete tackle, but NFL teams don't take linemen in the top 10 to let them develop.”Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com“B+ The Giants needed help up front. This is a kid scouts loved. He is tough and physical. I think he plays right tackle and moves Justin Pugh inside.”ESPN Scouts Inc. Staff“What he brings: He has outstanding size and length for the position to go with very good power along with good quickness for his size. He has some work to do on his hand placement and technique, but overall he's an effective blocker with excellent toughness and intangibles. He's most likely a right tackle in the NFL but could develop into a left.“How he fits: Second-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo's system requires a quality run/pass balance. Flowers is one of the better inline blocking tackles in this class and immediately upgrades the New York's size and power on the front line. Flowers will potentially start his career inside at guard before making the transition outside as either a right or left tackle.”Dan Graziano, ESPN.comI like the pick. In spite of the high picks of Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg the past two years, the Giants still need to build the offensive line. In Flowers, they get a huge (6-foot-6, 330-pound) offensive lineman who can start right away at guard or right tackle and help upgrade the run-blocking, which was one of their offseason priorities. But the Giants also believe that the 21-year-old Flowers has a high enough ceiling that he can eventually be a top left tackle. That makes it worth spending a top-10 pick on the guy.”Nate Davis, USA TODAY Sports“At 6-6, 329 pounds, Flowers is a huge, powerful man, if still a bit raw at age 20. But this mauler should immediately improve New York’s substandard ground attack, ranked 23rd in 2014.”Todd McShay, ESPN“Great pick for the Giants. Young prospect. Overpowering blocker. Tone setter. Great football character and best football should be ahead.”
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SCOUTING ANALYSISAfter starting four games at right tackle as a true freshman, Flowers shifted to the left side, where he started every game he’s played in for the Hurricanes during his last two seasons (sat out the 2014 North Carolina clash), despite playing most of this year with nagging knee issues.Scouts feel that the junior is developing into the finest blocker the school has produced since Bryant McKinnie in 2001. Tailback Duke Johnson’s 1,542 yards this season was a major result of Flowers clearing out the rush lanes, as he recorded eight of his ten touch-down-resulting blocks with Johnson trailing the blocker (tailback scored ten times this season).Flowers has an explosive burst off the snap and the functional speed needed to get into the second level. He is an aggressive blocker with above average strength and still developing more power. He is flexible and plays flat-footed, showing no problems redirecting. He demonstrates above average agility in his kick slide, doing a nice job of sinking his hips, dropping his weight and bending his knees while generating enough strength to anchor. His suddenness off the ball allows him to create and hold open the rush lanes.While owning the size and athleticism that scouts love to see, Flowers' inconsistency reading the snap count resulted in nine penalties during the season. While he started at left tackle the last two years, most teams feel that his impressive strength and weight may make him a better fit at right tackle or even guard - where he could excel as he matures early in his career.When lining up in a two-point stance, Flowers is difficult for isolated defenders and edge rushers to beat on the corner, as he is quick with his hands and has that reach and punch to engulf smaller opponents and stall the bigger ones. He generates good kick-slide in his retreat to seal off the edge and generates a very strong anchor, along with adjusting nicely to twists and late blitzes.Perhaps it was his knee issues that prevented Flowers from using a bit more knee bend in attempts to maintain better posture, as he tried to compensate for the injury and ended up bending from the waist and lunging too often (see battle vs. Randy Gregory in the Nebraska game). Normally his recovery speed is acceptable, but he seemed to struggle when getting his weight moving back toward the line once out of kick-slide.Flowers also compensated by using his strong arm-bar, and it seemed to buy him some time, unless he was beaten by a speed move. As a drive blocker, he has great confidence in shocking his opponent with his strong initial punch. Unless a defender escaped his hands, they found it very difficult to push him back off the line.He has the strength and footwork to seal the edge and turn his man out of the hole, but again referring to his knee injury as a reason, he was inconsistent keeping his feet moving after the initial pop in 2014, even though he showed in the past that he can dominate his man when he delivers his punch to stop the defender.As for a possible move to guard, Flowers displays the quick feet and body control to excel when pulling and trapping, often pushing his guard out of the way when both are on the move. He’s flexible and agile enough to hit his target and strong enough sustain. When healthy, he usually took out the man in front of him, but did have some trouble adjusting to plays coming from the inside.Down field, Flowers can get to linebackers, knowing his angle and he can physically dominate most second level opponents once engaged. He will bend at the waist at times, allowing better defenders to shed him to make a play as the ball carrier goes by, though. Still, you can see the urgency in his play and his desire to clean up piles and hit the moving targets.
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2429751-ereck-flowers-nfl-draft-2015-scouting-report-grade-for-giants-rookie?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-giants
PRO COMPARISON: Bryant McKinnieFlowers is a huge man with good movement skills and big upside. As a player, he reminds of Bryant McKinnie—another huge player who developed into a top-tier left tackle.FINAL GRADE: 6.00/9.00 (Future Starter)
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