The worst NFL Draft for Nebraska since... ?

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

IF (very big IF) Abdullah has a monster year. Does he declare early and if so where would he go?

Id say he would be in the 4-6 rounds. He's undersized like the Oregon RB that went this year only way slower. And he went in the sixth I believe. Does anyone think Ameer can get to 210 and not lose speed. Cause I don't see many feature backs in the NFL that play at 195.

I think it all depends on how each team uses their back. C.J. Spiller/Chris Johnson/Jamaal Charles all are in the 195-200 range and each of those guys were in the top 10 rushing last season. Given each of those guys are lightening fast (all running a 4.3 or better), makes me refer to reality on this and agree, 4-6 round would be about where he could go, maybe even 7th, but he will most likely return for his Sr. season and make a case for his draft stock.

Its so hard for me to tell if Ameer has that kinda speed. He doesn't rip off big gainers as often as some of the guys you mentioned during their college careers. What was AAs 40? Not that is everything but if you're gonna be a smaller back. You better be able to hit the long ball. I do think he has the shiftiness. I'm not always in love with his vision(decision making). I thought Heard had great vision and Better instincts but that's for another thread.

 

[AllNRed]

IF (very big IF) Abdullah has a monster year. Does he declare early and if so where would he go?

Id say he would be in the 4-6 rounds. He's undersized like the Oregon RB that went this year only way slower. And he went in the sixth I believe. Does anyone think Ameer can get to 210 and not lose speed. Cause I don't see many feature backs in the NFL that play at 195.

I think it all depends on how each team uses their back. C.J. Spiller/Chris Johnson/Jamaal Charles all are in the 195-200 range and each of those guys were in the top 10 rushing last season. Given each of those guys are lightening fast (all running a 4.3 or better), makes me refer to reality on this and agree, 4-6 round would be about where he could go, maybe even 7th, but he will most likely return for his Sr. season and make a case for his draft stock.

Its so hard for me to tell if Ameer has that kinda speed. He doesn't rip off big gainers as often as some of the guys you mentioned during their college careers. What was AAs 40? Not that is everything but if you're gonna be a smaller back. You better be able to hit the long ball. I do think he has the shiftiness. I'm not always in love with his vision(decision making). I thought Heard had great vision and Better instincts but that's for another thread.

No AA is no where near that speed. His 40 has been clocked at 4.51 coming out of high school. That would be the knock against him when compared to other guys in the league at his weight. Ameer is our new version of Rex Burkhead. The vision and work ethic is there. He may get a 30+ yard gain every once in a while with some decent blocking, but we shouldn't expect him to out run a whole football team like Roy Helu vs Mizzou in 2010.

 

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

^^^ I love AA. But I'm gonna stick to my guns about how good I think Braylon could have been. I think he has it all. And I wish him well, not too well, or HB may have an aneurism.

 

[Ulty]

Won't Ameer need to fix his little fumbling problem before he gets a strong look at the NFL?

 

[AllNRed]

^^^ I love AA. But I'm gonna stick to my guns about how good I think Braylon could have been. I think he has it all. And I wish him well, not too well, or HB may have an aneurism.

IMO, of the triplets, Braylon was the better back. He had the speed (as did Aaron Green), he had the power (as Ameer Abduallah), and the vision. The only thing that kept Heard off the field was the injury late in his freshman season and the one mid way through his sophomore year accompanied with his inability to pick up a blitz consistently.

I really wish the staff would have done more to keep the young man here. He went through more than the average player to become a Husker (granted he put himself in that position by not getting the grades in school).

I heard some say, well if he is better, then how come he didn't surpass Ameer:

When he finally makes it on campus there are two other really good RB prospects he has to share back up duties with and none wanted to redshirt. After the season, the staff moved him to the defensive side of the ball, thus causing him to miss out on a chance at working with his position coach (Ron Brown), to get a better understanding of what the RB needs to do in this offense. Mainly how to pick up the blitz as protecting Martinez was a top priority being that we had no depth behind him, only RB the staff was confident in doing that consistently was Rex which is why the triplets didn't see the field as much. After Green's transfer Heard spent the summer still working out with C.Evans/SJB/etc...He was switched back to RB just before fall camp. After that season it was brought to him to possibly switch to the slot (WR) to make room for two 4* RB prospects who were promised touches as well as a young Imani Cross, and talented redshirt freshman King Frazier. That would put Heard at 3 consecutive springs away from working out at his natural position, RB (first year he sat out trying to get qualified to arrive in Lincoln). It's a slap in the face to have a young man go through so much to become apart of a program only for them to treat him as if he's disposable.

I hope the kid has a great career and prove his doubters wrong, even if those doubters are Husker fans. He was everything we could ask in a player, and he was happy when he was on campus. But you can only smile so long when you feel you aren't getting a opportunity to be great.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

In cases like this I always assume there's a clash of personalities. Player lacks a work ethic, doesn't take criticism well, or just continues to rub a coach the wrong way. Something that neither party wants to be entirely honest about, so they go their separate ways. Sometimes it works out for both sides.

 

[Enhance]

I'm typically inclined to trust the coaches in issues of playing time. If Heard didn't see the field or changed positions, there's likely a good reason. Furthermore, the coaches and players have conversations about position changes. They're not going to force a kid to do something he doesn't want to do, and likely have his best interests in mind.

 

[AllNRed]

I'm typically inclined to trust the coaches in issues of playing time. If Heard didn't see the field or changed positions, there's likely a good reason. Furthermore, the coaches and players have conversations about position changes. They're not going to force a kid to do something he doesn't want to do, and likely have his best interests in mind.

I actually agree with you for the most part but there's also those instances where as a player and coach will talk about a position change and a player agrees in order to show he is all about the team. But when you have been asked to move 3 times in two seasons, that could create quite some frustration in a player who already spent a year off since high school just working to just have the opportunity to be apart of the program. Braylon Heard would have entered the fall as a Jr who has never spent extensive time with a position coach in the offseason for a position he is going to be playing in the fall. How can you expect a kid to succeed if he is playing musical chairs with his position. This past fall he played RB but spend the off season working with Coach Joseph.

He would have been further behind moving to WR because who's position would he be taking.......K.Bell? J.Turner? Q.Eunuwa?...........I don't think so...He would have been battling it out with some redshirts who have spent a year learning the position and plays. Most likely requiring him to redshirt, which he didn't want to do in the first place. On top of that, he was being moved to make room for 3 guys whom haven't taken a snap for the Huskers yet, 2 having even participated in a practice yet.

 

[Enhance]

I agree with your concerns. In Heard's case, it looks like a mishandling. That said, it's very difficult for me to personally offer an opinion on situations like this because these conversations happen between player and coach behind closed doors. We don't know what was said, and outside word-of-mouth, it's all speculation. For all we know, Heard may have been open to the position changes, possibly even approached the coaches about it.

I didn't follow this case very closely so I don't know what all was said and wasn't said. I haven't had much time to keep up with the program the last year. But, speaking in generalities, I just don't like to speculate too much on these types of issues.

That said, I understand your concerns and believe there's validity to them.

 

[skersfan]

I think we have a coach that is still learning his trade, he has to be. One of his biggest shortfalls in my opinion is roster management. We have lost kids that could have helped. We have hurt kids by moving them from their god given position. Taking a 5 star offensive lineman and moving him to defense, was not in the best interest of the kid's future, but for the team. Now that is what team sports are about. But I wonder if Bo had that to do again, would he do it. He learned a lot last year it seems to me, by his admitting he should not have red shirted all the DL recruits.

He really does not nor did he have the training to be a head coach, not really a DCord. He was second at Oklahoma and LSU, so some that were expecting more from him, were expecting too much. I am looking forward to this year to see how he develops, this is a very important year for Bo I think. He loses his QB that has carried this program on his back. Bo needs to develop a lites out defense this year. I think he is moving forward, but it takes time.

 

[Enhance]

I tend to agree, skersfan. It goes without saying every head coach is different and has different levels of experience. I think we set ourselves back with rough recruiting from the beginning, 2008 being a particularly rough class (I don't blame Pelini at all for that class).

But, he's still learning and hasn't had the best talent to work with in his time. There needs to be a combination of the two - talent and good coaching - and with Pelini we signed up for the long haul.

 

[Count 'Bility]

I think we have a coach that is still learning his trade, he has to be. One of his biggest shortfalls in my opinion is roster management. We have lost kids that could have helped. We have hurt kids by moving them from their god given position. Taking a 5 star offensive lineman and moving him to defense, was not in the best interest of the kid's future, but for the team. Now that is what team sports are about. But I wonder if Bo had that to do again, would he do it. He learned a lot last year it seems to me, by his admitting he should not have red shirted all the DL recruits.

He really does not nor did he have the training to be a head coach, not really a DCord. He was second at Oklahoma and LSU, so some that were expecting more from him, were expecting too much. I am looking forward to this year to see how he develops, this is a very important year for Bo I think. He loses his QB that has carried this program on his back. Bo needs to develop a lites out defense this year. I think he is moving forward, but it takes time.

Bo Pelini was THE DCoordinator for Nebraska in 2003. He shared the job with Mike Stoops at OU in 2004. He probably didnt do anything there. That was just a friendly favor on the part of the Stoops by throwing their old friend a bone. I dont recall any co-coordinators with him at LSU from '05-'07. Unless i'm reading it wrong.

 

[Stumpy1]

IF (very big IF) Abdullah has a monster year. Does he declare early and if so where would he go?

First of all, for him to go he would have to be unconcious all year and end up with 1800+ yards and 25+ TD's. Even then it depends on what they did in the post season. If they make it to the CCG and lose, i'd have to think he would be back...

Not necessarily...Look at Giovanni Benard from UNC, he was a redshirt sophmore and was drafted. He started both years and ran for 1200 yards both seasons and had 33 total tds. Ameer will be a Jr and has only started 1 yr and has 1200 yards with 15 total tds. If he duplicates his previous years numbers, he could go early.

 

[Husker from Kansas]

IF (very big IF) Abdullah has a monster year. Does he declare early and if so where would he go?

First of all, for him to go he would have to be unconcious all year and end up with 1800+ yards and 25+ TD's. Even then it depends on what they did in the post season. If they make it to the CCG and lose, i'd have to think he would be back...

Not necessarily...Look at Giovanni Benard from UNC, he was a redshirt sophmore and was drafted. He started both years and ran for 1200 yards both seasons and had 33 total tds. Ameer will be a Jr and has only started 1 yr and has 1200 yards with 15 total tds. If he duplicates his previous years numbers, he could go early.

Benard also missed a couple of games last season which makes his 1200 yards more impressive. However if Ameer has another good season next year then him going pro is a legit possibility as next year doesnt look to be a super strong rb draft.

 

[whateveritis1224]

I agree with your concerns. In Heard's case, it looks like a mishandling. That said, it's very difficult for me to personally offer an opinion on situations like this because these conversations happen between player and coach behind closed doors. We don't know what was said, and outside word-of-mouth, it's all speculation. For all we know, Heard may have been open to the position changes, possibly even approached the coaches about it.

I didn't follow this case very closely so I don't know what all was said and wasn't said. I haven't had much time to keep up with the program the last year. But, speaking in generalities, I just don't like to speculate too much on these types of issues.

That said, I understand your concerns and believe there's validity to them.

Something I heard, maybe something that was posted on this board, was that Heard was asked to learn the slot position to get him on the field and that was the final straw for him. Heard wanted to be THE guy, but with Abdullah in front of him since they got to Nebraska, he wasn't going to get that chance. So he left.