Micheal Johnson as TE/DE/OLB hybrid

supertech1984

supertech1984

Flats Noob
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
828
I think the problem most draft analyst are having with Johnson is not his talent, but how to best use it. I think, and this is just personal, uneducated guess that he could be used on both sides of the ball in obvious situations. For instance, we know he is a great special teams player, no doubt I would not want a 285 lbs man running a 4.55 into me head on. But he seems like he would be a great TE, especially in the enzone where few LB'ers could climb the ladder against him to catch a loft pass. Put him on the outside and the CB could only pray, even with safety help, which would open up the run. Using him here would take up energy which you could save by using him only on 3rd and long and 4th and long situations, where his pass rush abilities are most accliable. Now you have a player who could be very effectly playing all sides of the ball in critical situations. I know he is smart enough, I took CS with him and was very tempted to glance at his paper (cause more of his answers tended to be right than mine, not that i looked, just speculation...really...). Anyone have any thoughts on this? I wouldn't really bring it up if I wasn't so desperate for football.

Also, I met a pre-schooler the other day and I was like, how do you spell 'dog' and he said D-O-G. Is that really something that adults should be struggling with?
 
I just don't think you're going to see something like that in the NFL.

He's going to be effective at DE and probably a beast on special teams for a year or two. I think he could be a killer TE, but just dont see it happening.
 
RamblinPeck said:
I just don't think you're going to see something like that in the NFL.

He's going to be effective at DE and probably a beast on special teams for a year or two. I think he could be a killer TE, but just dont see it happening.
Click to expand...

This is actually done in the NFL. Granted, it's rare, but it is done. Mike Vrabal plays TE and FB in goal situations...I think the Giants did the same thing with a LB or DE a year ago...It's rare, but happens.
 
It would be a great thing to do, exactly as you described it. I wanted us to do the same thing here at Tech while he was a Frosh-Junior when we had Oliver and Robertson.
 
I think the biggest issue most pundits have with MJ is his productivity doesn't match his measurables. His numbers were solid in his senior year, but they didn't measure up to his considerable hype coming into 2008, which is where the beef seems to come from.

I'm a HUGE MJ fan, I mean HUGE, but if I take off the rose colored glasses and be objective, I think some of criticism is warranted. He would make a splash play and then disappear for a quarter or two. He needs to be a consistent force to make it at the next level.
 
TampaBayJacket said:
I think the biggest issue most pundits have with MJ is his productivity doesn't match his measurables. His numbers were solid in his senior year, but they didn't measure up to his considerable hype coming into 2008, which is where the beef seems to come from.

I'm a HUGE MJ fan, I mean HUGE, but if I take off the rose colored glasses and be objective, I think some of criticism is warranted. He would make a splash play and then disappear for a quarter or two. He needs to be a consistent force to make it at the next level.
Click to expand...


I really think he'll be drafted by a team that throws players all over the field. The Ravens near the bottom of the draft is perfect for him. Adalius Thomas became a star doing special teams, LB, and DE, etc.

Remember that a player in college with tremendous upside has a lot more time on his hands to develop in the pros. There are lots of first rounds busts, but MJ will always be AS A MINIMUM a great special teams player and good rush end for 3rd down. That's not a bad guarantee and still have huge upside.
 
But MJ wasn't a pure down, rush the passer kind of DE this year, either. He was dropping into coverage and doing other things that are rare for a starting DE. I think the coaches using him in a multi-purpose role actually hurt him because on tape, sometimes it looks like he's not giving it his all when all he's really just doing what was asked of him.

He has the potential to do well in the pros and i would LOVE to see him in Atlanta working with Ray Hamilton.
 
TampaBayJacket said:
I think the biggest issue most pundits have with MJ is his productivity doesn't match his measurables. His numbers were solid in his senior year, but they didn't measure up to his considerable hype coming into 2008, which is where the beef seems to come from.

I'm a HUGE MJ fan, I mean HUGE, but if I take off the rose colored glasses and be objective, I think some of criticism is warranted. He would make a splash play and then disappear for a quarter or two. He needs to be a consistent force to make it at the next level.
Click to expand...
I think a big part of MJ's issue is that he wasn't expected to do what we as fans think he should have been doing. He dropped into coverage quite a bit, he was the guy spying on the draw/screen, etc. We think he should have been after the QB every play, but that's not how he was used. I think a lot of what you hear from pro scouts is blowing smoke. They never talk about how good a player is unless they don't want him. What pundits think is meaningless.
 
I think he'd make an excellent wideout. See that touchdown pass that he caught from Marve against Miami. Pitch and catch at its finest.
 
You know in Tenuta's scheme, the DL were often asked to occupy folks and create lanes for the blitzing linebackers. Maybe some of the film was of that.
 
I think the only people who are not high on Michael are the "pundits" like Mayock. My response to him would be, "If you're so damn good at evaluating talent, why are you a talking head on the NFL Network instead of sitting in a draft room for a team?" People who are as good at evaluating NFL potential as he THINKS he is are usually getting paid by a team to do it. But, since the teams aren't exactly beating down the doors to get him to work for them, maybe we should all realize that he is what he is....a guy with an opinion. And opinions are like excuses and buttholes...everyone has them and most of them stink.
 
MJ's number, IMO, reflect the issues we had at LB last year, both in coverage and blitzing. MJ was spread out more than needed to compensate for swiss-cheese pass coverage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top