Dr. Saturday's Take on Warren
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/We-Hardly-K…-?urn=ncaaf,210186#remaining-content
Seems fair.
December 21st, 2009 at 2:46 PM ^
The tell-tale signs appeared during the season.. but alas, he could've really helped out one more year and solidified himself as a 1st rounder.
He'll be fine in the NFL though, best of luck.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:08 PM ^
Disappointing to be sure, but he gave his all the past 3 years under difficult circumstances. Would have loved to have him back for multiple reasons, but now onward to focusing on closing out the recruits and hoping Boo can turn his life and career at UM back around, getting back on the team and realizing his potential.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:46 PM ^
I'm not sold on Warren. I don't think he has top end speed for the NFL and while I think he was very good this season, he was also very lucky (Pick 6 against Iowa thrown right to him, Tate dropping long pass against ND). There were also a lot of plays where he seemed to be pointing to someone else as if it was their fault (and he may have been right). It just seems like he was gone from the day he signed. Best of luck though!
December 21st, 2009 at 3:48 PM ^
I'd go with the game-clinching interception in this year's Indiana game. Close second is the pick-six on Iowa's first pass of the game, also this year.
Thanks for those memories, Donovan. Good luck in the future.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:34 PM ^
This hits the nail on the head. He was fine player, but never became a consistent lock-down corner, let alone a dominant one. I guess you never know how much injuries had to do with that, but I honestly can't think of a game he shut down a top-flight WR.
I'm not knocking him...he just never did it for me. We could obviously use him next year, and I think that has more to do with the hoopla over him leaving than his ACTUAL contributions over the past three years.
December 21st, 2009 at 4:37 PM ^
I don't blame him one bit for leaving. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in his shoes.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:12 PM ^
The risk for a guy like Warren is that, between being injured, leaving early, and missing bowl games for 2 years, he hasn't "put it on film" against high level competition as much as scouts would like. That puts a lot more pressure on performances in all-star games and the combine. If he should get nicked up at the wrong time and not be able to perform, or run a bit slower than hoped, he could easily slide out of the top 2 rounds.
Contrast that with Brandon Graham, who enters the draft with few question marks other than his obvious lack of height. If he shows some aptitude for pass coverage as a 3-4 OLB, that might move him up a few spots, but his Senior season locked up a high pick for him in any case.
So the risk balance of staying vs. leaving early does not all fall on the side of leaving.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:19 PM ^
Do you see the size issue really affecting BG? He could easily, and i'm thinking he will, go the Woodley route and become a LB in the league. If BG isn't taken in the 1st round i'd be shocked.
DW is risking a lot here. There are just so many similarities to Shazor and Shazor IMO was a better player at this point in his career. Shazor was supposed to go in the late 1st/early 2nd and never got drafted. If DW is the ~#60 player overall, that leaves a lot of room for him to drop (hopefully he doesn't) just like Shazor. Like some fans here I just really think DW would benefit greatly from another year. He really, really needs to do well at the combine and pro day and his speed is not going to do him many favors.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:26 PM ^
If BG was 2 inches taller and 20 lb heavier, he'd be a top 10 pick, projected clearly as a RDE. As it is, he's either going to be an undersized DE, or a 3-4 rush LB who never played there in college. Not everyone will make that transition as easily as Woodley did.
But I agree, he's a likely bottom-half first rounder. Somebody is going to love that combination of talent, production, and character.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:59 PM ^
Sure size matters but I don't think that in the case of BG that it is that important of an issue. He came to UofM as an LB, just like Woodley so I think he can and will make that transition. Maybe i'm just a huge BG fan but after a horrid end of the season, my guess is that he impresses a ton of scouts at workouts and combines in the next few months.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:05 PM ^
I definitely agree with the height thing. He's listed at 6'2" but it's pretty well known he's not much taller than 6' even. However he packs a solid 265 on that frame which is perfect for RDE. I know he isn't as fast/quick as Freeney, but Freeney isn't much taller than BG. I think BG will be a huuuuge pick-up in the late first round for whomever scoops him up.
Look at guys like Kiwanuka, Umenyura, et. al. They aren't huge guys and they may only have an inch on BG. How much that inch matters...we will soon find out.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:30 PM ^
Elvis Dumervil (sp?) thinks height is overrated for a DE.
December 21st, 2009 at 7:52 PM ^
Dumveril has ridiculously long arms.
December 21st, 2009 at 7:51 PM ^
he's taller than 6'. He's legit 6'2". He can put on 10 lbs without losing much of his athleticism.