Some thoughts going into camp | Page 8 | Syracusefan.com

Some thoughts going into camp

We have had to play them on the road 3 years in a row. All in November, when our lack of depth historically kicks in and we go from a good team to a bad team.

UL is one of those teams that plays a lot better at home than on the road. They are 4-14 on the road in the past 4 years. And 1-3 vs Virginia. Let’s see how they do on the road against a healthy Syracuse team. UL fans expecting an easy win are going to be disappointed.
 
At a glance, it's all about containing Malik Cunningham. If you hold him to 200 yards passing/ under 100 yards rushing; you have a template for success against Louisville. For us; I think that means, blitz if needed to pressure him, then spy him with 1, 2, 3 players, whatever it takes to contain his scramble to a short gain.
I think the formula is: (a) balanced offense that is opportunistic and doesn’t leave points on the field; (b) a defense that doesn’t give up big plays, and (c) win the turnover battle.

There. I could be a TV sports commentator.
 
That didn't work so well last year. He only had 7 rushes for 19 yards. But was 13-18 passing for 209 yards and 4 TDs. All but 35 yards of that in the 1st half, his day ended after one 2nd half drive.

Our offense needs to help dictate this game. Last two years we've done nothing against them offensively. And they were the 83rd ranked D last year.

Tyler Harrell was lured to Alabama. He "only" averaged 29 yards per catch (!!). He had 18 receptions for 523 yards and a team-high six touchdowns. The other WR who left, Jordan Watkins, is off to Ole Miss. He had 35 catches and 4 touchdowns. These were likely starters.

They were replaced by a transfer from Central Arkansas, and another from Miami, Dee Wiggins. He's probably the one to watch. Their O line is very good at pass protection. We'll see about their wide-outs.
 
I strongly disagree with your assessment of Sean Tucker and only being a “one burst” kinda guy….

But hey maybe I’m wrong…

Tucker if fast, but IMO, he lacks truly top end speed, that extra gear where nobody is going to catch him. I've seen guys run him down last year. That's why I kind of compare him to Thurman Thomas. Thomas was a bit shiftier with his inside cuts. Sean makes 1 or 2, whereas Thomas could string together 2 or 3 moves on an inside handoff. but otherwise I see some similarities.
 
Yeah his vision is easily next level.

That’s what I see when I see Tucker run.

Perhaps that’s why upperdeck says he’s just a single burst.

Generally he is because he sees the holes beautifully and is incredibly elusive in the backfield.

I see Tucker right now as 2nd round draft pick and with a good enough season, will go mid to late first round
Love that Tucker is Orange, but few RB's are first rounder these days. He would have to have a special season and kill it at the combine.
 
Yeah his vision is easily next level.

That’s what I see when I see Tucker run.

Perhaps that’s why upperdeck says he’s just a single burst.

Generally he is because he sees the holes beautifully and is incredibly elusive in the backfield.

I see Tucker right now as 2nd round draft pick and with a good enough season, will go mid to late first round

IMO, not so many RBs go that high in the draft these days. Some positions GMs feel are easier to fill with nearly comparable talent, plus RBs only typically last 3-4 years in the league.

It's like in the NBA, it's easier to get a SF than it is to get a really good PG or a C. You have to be elite talent to get drafted really high if you are a RB or a WR, in my opinion.

There were only 4 RBs taken in the first 3 rounds in the 2021 draft, for instance, whereas you had 6 DE's taken in the 1st round alone (!) and 14 DE's by the end of Round 3.
 
Love that Tucker is Orange, but few RB's are first rounder these days. He would have to have a special season and kill it at the combine.

I agree. It would take a "Travis Etienne" type of season (which was really a couple seasons of him being a top talent who helps take his team to the Playoff).

It helps, of course, to be on a very good (not mediocre) team. Tucker was having a great year last year, but our relative lack of success limited his exposure.

If we catch fire and win 9 games this year, after the numbers Tucker put up last year, there would be an awful lot of buzz about him.

But we have to win games first.
 
Tucker if fast, but IMO, he lacks truly top end speed, that extra gear where nobody is going to catch him. I've seen guys run him down last year. That's why I kind of compare him to Thurman Thomas. Thomas was a bit shiftier with his inside cuts. Sean makes 1 or 2, whereas Thomas could string together 2 or 3 moves on an inside handoff. but otherwise I see some similarities.
Tucker is a burner, ACC Track guy. Thurman picked his way through the line like Emmett Smith. Would compare Tucker to Barkley, Taylor or McCaffrey. Not a skinny guy, being fast for the first 50 yards is different than a 80 yard run.
 
Tucker is a burner, ACC Track guy. Thurman picked his way through the line like Emmett Smith. Would compare Tucker to Barkley, Taylor or McCaffrey. Not a skinny guy, being fast for the first 50 yards is different than a 80 yard run.

Tucker's best track time over 60 meters for SU track (6.88) correlates to roughly a 4.2 40 yard time. However, Tucker is running faster over the last 20 meters than the first 20 meters, because he is already in motion at that point, as opposed to starting from a standstill.

To make this clear, Usain Bolt ran an electronic timed 40 yard dash at the NFL combine a few years ago, and recorded a 4.22. Fastest combine 40 ever was Bo Jackson (I saw a chart of times probably in this thread above ...) who ran a 4.14 or something insane like that. Deon Sanders ran about the same time as Bolt at his combine. And Deon Sanders is one of the fastest players most of us have ever seen in football.

So what's the right amount of time to add to a purely "proportional comparision", since you are accelerating for your first 10-15 yards, and not already at top speed?

I would say (also taking into account that Tucker placed 13th at the Va. Tech Relays last winter), that his true 40 time is around 4.5 seconds. Very good, but not truly elite.

Thurman Thomas, by the way, ran a 4.47 at his combine.
 
ok so lets review the RBs drafted in 2021 and where Tucker would slot. Would he be in this group
they were all 4-5th rounders. It would take a great year I think to get into this level of drafting. And thats around where a top 7-10 RB can go.. Sean has some nice talent. But he also has yet to show anything more than a 1 burst type runner ability. kind of like Reyes was years ago but he has a bit more wiggle.

6) Kene Nwangwu, Iowa State | R4-P119 | Minnesota Vikings
7) Rhamondre Stevenson, Oklahoma | R4-P120 | New England Patriots
8) Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State | R4-P126 | Carolina Panthers
9) Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis | R5-P150 | Philadelphia Eagles
10) Ben Mason (FB), Michigan | R5-P184 | Baltimore Ravens

then look at 2022


Round 4​

7) Dameon Pierce, Florida
R4-P107 | Texans

8) Zamir White, Georgia
R4-P122 | Raiders

9) Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
R4-P123 | Chargers

10) Pierre Strong, SDSU
R4-P127 | Patriots

11) Hassan Haskins, Michigan
R4-P131 | Titans

‘Tucker has exceptional balance. Great lean and runs with an excellent pad level. He’s got power and speed and vision. He’s as good at inside zone as he is outside. What are looking for, Barry sanders?
 
‘Tucker has exceptional balance. Great lean and runs with an excellent pad level. He’s got power and speed and vision. He’s as good at inside zone as he is outside. What are looking for, Barry sanders?

Literally don’t know what more they want

The guy just set the single season rushing yard record as a sophomore at Syracuse….

The school with some of the greatest running backs of all time.

Mind blowing really
 
It's his burst and vision that is elite, with his speed and strength being above average too. He's complete... outside of blocking which he noted as something he's working on. With most players, I might not believe them. With him? I think we'll all be pl34sed
 
These days I would only ever draft a RB 20+ overall in the draft. Probably not until the 2nd round. The size and speed combination of defenders is just way off the charts. It's incredible. The risk outweighs the reward, IMO. Look at Barkley for the NYG. Case in point.
 
Literally don’t know what more they want

The guy just set the single season rushing yard record as a sophomore at Syracuse….

The school with some of the greatest running backs of all time.

Mind blowing really
honestly I would rather have an elite WR talent and just avg RBs than a real good RB and avg WR talent.

The question was how high he would be drafted in the NFL and his talent level, not how good a college RB he is. there are only a handful of Rbs drafted 1-4rds in the nfl now.. If he gets drafted there he had a greate year for SU.. But he could also have a great yr and get drafted 5-6-7rd just because the NFL doesnt value RBs as much anymore.
 

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