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Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame


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Clearly Alabama was the better team last night. That in no way diminishes what Notre Dame did this year. They beat five team ranked in the pre-season top 25. They deserved to be there and just got beat by a better team last night. Manti Te'o obviously did not have his best game last night, but there are reasons for that. My guess, and it's only a guess based on what I've seen of him, is that he will be a very good NFL linebacker for many years. I understand that haters gotta hate, so hate on. It has no effect on reality.

 

Not hating really, just watching him play against the sort of O-lineman that he's going to see in the NFL and he was invisible. There are a ton of players that are exceptional in college but middling in the pros. I think people fell in love with this guy because Notre Dame and all of our sepia toned overdriven nostalgic memories of days gone by, plus he has a funny name. If he was Brian Jones playing for Rutgers with the same stats, he'd be at best a 2nd round pick

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Not hating really, just watching him play against the sort of O-lineman that he's going to see in the NFL and he was invisible. There are a ton of players that are exceptional in college but middling in the pros. I think people fell in love with this guy because Notre Dame and all of our sepia toned overdriven nostalgic memories of days gone by, plus he has a funny name. If he was Brian Jones playing for Rutgers with the same stats, he'd be at best a 2nd round pick

 

he also didnt have nfl DTs keeping him clean. if he has a guard hitting him 3 yards down field regularly, unless he guesses and tries to shoot the gap early... he likely wont look good in the nfl. thats true of any lb. he missed a couple big plays, and had a bad game for sure but i dont think the talent ration between the bama interior lineman and his DTs is indicative of a typical nfl game either.

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C'mon now - This is not a matter of "hate", it is a matter of what everyone saw on the big stage last night? A one game flop by Te'o, or perhaps something more concerning? i.e., missed tackles are missed tackles, no "hate" going on there.

 

Seriously - I tuned in hoping to see him look good and get excited about the Bills maybe getting him.

 

HE PLAYED LIKE BUTT LAST NIGHT, and he looked intrinsically small, slow, confused, and weak while doing it.

 

It makes no difference who the OL was, because even when he got to a ball-carrier unopposed, HE STILL BLEW THE TACKLES.

 

Yeah, one game is not his career, etc., but that was the biggest game of his life so far and he either sucks or he was not prepared to play - neither makes me want him as a top-10 pick.

 

he also didnt have nfl DTs keeping him clean. if he has a guard hitting him 3 yards down field regularly, unless he guesses and tries to shoot the gap early... he likely wont look good in the nfl. thats true of any lb. he missed a couple big plays, and had a bad game for sure but i dont think the talent ration between the bama interior lineman and his DTs is indicative of a typical nfl game either.

 

Where I grew up, "couple" means "two" and we might cut you slack up to "three".

 

Unless "a couple" means 10+ in your neck of the woods, you weren't watching the game very closely.

Edited by BobChalmers
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If he drops in the draft as a result of this performance, then it is even more incentive to trade down in the first for a later 1st and an extra 2nd round pick if there are any offers. While he may not be the superstud we all thought, I still think he will develop into a solid, reliable player for years to come and be a real value as a later round one pick.

 

http://sports.yahoo....338--ncaaf.html

Okay. Talent is lacking so we must trade down/up/sideways etc. But if you see that, then every NFL GM sees that too. So how does one make a trade when other GMs don't think it's worth trading up? I've always marvel at people who act like trading a pick or player is this automatic thing you get just by asking.

 

PTR

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he also didnt have nfl DTs keeping him clean. if he has a guard hitting him 3 yards down field regularly, unless he guesses and tries to shoot the gap early... he likely wont look good in the nfl. thats true of any lb. he missed a couple big plays, and had a bad game for sure but i dont think the talent ration between the bama interior lineman and his DTs is indicative of a typical nfl game either.

OK, but a truly "dominant" college player should be able to make a play or two against better competition. Otherwise, the "dominant" label seems misapplied, no? He raised some serious question marks last night.

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he also didnt have nfl DTs keeping him clean. if he has a guard hitting him 3 yards down field regularly, unless he guesses and tries to shoot the gap early... he likely wont look good in the nfl. thats true of any lb. he missed a couple big plays, and had a bad game for sure but i dont think the talent ration between the bama interior lineman and his DTs is indicative of a typical nfl game either.

 

ND's interior DL have been hyped all season. Lewis Nix III was called "the best Nose Tackle in college football" going into the game. Even when Teo was clean, he missed tackles. It was pitiful watching Teo and the rest of the ND defense taking horrible angles, and getting run right through all night.

 

Now, I'll give you that ND got out-classed first and foremost in the coaching department. Saban and staff have been here before, expect to be here every year, and know how to handle that month off. And it showed.

 

Bama coaches had their guys playing like they did all year, if not better. ND looked like they hadnt played a game in 40 days, and had a nice holiday last week.

 

But holy cow, for a kid that was hyped as a Top 10 draft pick, you better make tackles when you have a clear shot at the runner.

 

I never thought Teo was good value in the Top 10 as LBs in general disappoint when taken that high. But he isnt even in the same class as guys like Willis or even McCain. Give me LBs that regularly play and produce against the biggest, strongest, and fastest competition.

 

I'll keep Sheppard in the middle, thanks.

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he also didnt have nfl DTs keeping him clean. if he has a guard hitting him 3 yards down field regularly, unless he guesses and tries to shoot the gap early... he likely wont look good in the nfl. thats true of any lb. he missed a couple big plays, and had a bad game for sure but i dont think the talent ration between the bama interior lineman and his DTs is indicative of a typical nfl game either.

 

I guess the hype led me to believe that he was going to wear a cape and mow down lineman with his steely gaze, and what I saw was a guy who is smaller than a lot of safetys in the NFL getting manhandled by other college players, who was neither fast enough to chase plays down from behind, strong enough to shed blocks, or smart enough to be in the right position to effect a play. Also, it didn't appear to me that Saban planned around him.

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OK, but a truly "dominant" college player should be able to make a play or two against better competition. Otherwise, the "dominant" label seems misapplied, no? He raised some serious question marks last night.

 

agree I saw no "dominance" after being touted as possible Heisman winner. Looks small, color me unimpressed.

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OK, but a truly "dominant" college player should be able to make a play or two against better competition. Otherwise, the "dominant" label seems misapplied, no? He raised some serious question marks last night.

 

I agree. I watched a lot of him this year and I didn't see "dominant" very much at all. He simply lacks the explosion and athleticism to be dominant at the position. We've all seen "dominant" LBs over the years at the college level. We know what it looks like when we see it. Right now, AT BEST, he's a two down LB in this league, at least from the middle. Two-down LBs are not coveted in the NFL. Even less so when you aren't making much of an impact on the two downs you're in the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

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Monte Teo looked like Monte Meow last night.

 

Manti T'ebow?

 

I agree kuechly looked like the better physicsl specimen. But Teo may make up with it with somewhat better instincts.

 

I doubt it. Keuchly's instincts are a big part of what makes him a special player.

 

I can't really speak to T'eo's instincts because last night was the first time I tried to watch him play.

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ND's interior DL have been hyped all season. Lewis Nix III was called "the best Nose Tackle in college football" going into the game. Even when Teo was clean, he missed tackles. It was pitiful watching Teo and the rest of the ND defense taking horrible angles, and getting run right through all night.

 

Now, I'll give you that ND got out-classed first and foremost in the coaching department. Saban and staff have been here before, expect to be here every year, and know how to handle that month off. And it showed.

 

Bama coaches had their guys playing like they did all year, if not better. ND looked like they hadnt played a game in 40 days, and had a nice holiday last week.

 

But holy cow, for a kid that was hyped as a Top 10 draft pick, you better make tackles when you have a clear shot at the runner.

 

I never thought Teo was good value in the Top 10 as LBs in general disappoint when taken that high. But he isnt even in the same class as guys like Willis or even McCain. Give me LBs that regularly play and produce against the biggest, strongest, and fastest competition.

 

I'll keep Sheppard in the middle, thanks.

 

im not sure if you caught nix hobbling around out there. he definitely had his worst game of the year and im not trying to makes excuses just as much as i wasnt trying to kill him all season when i was saying lets wait on crowning him. hes a good player, hes a good kid, he played a bad game, he still has a very good resume. he got sucked into a vacuum of ND hype, and no QB in the heisman voting. a perfect storm of people that didnt watch him all year thinking he was superman because of that hype then when he played a bad game.... its oh my god hes the worst ever. he never was superman, hes not the worst ever either. hes a very good player.

 

I doubt it. Keuchly's instincts are a big part of what makes him a special player.

 

I can't really speak to T'eo's instincts because last night was the first time I tried to watch him play.

 

teo has always been very good instincts that make up for what he lacks athletically. hes a lot like LK (who also has great instincts) but a step slower.

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I agree. I watched a lot of him this year and I didn't see "dominant" very much at all. He simply lacks the explosion and athleticism to be dominant at the position. We've all seen "dominant" LBs over the years at the college level. We know what it looks like when we see it. Right now, AT BEST, he's a two down LB in this league, at least from the middle. Two-down LBs are not coveted in the NFL. Even less so when you aren't making much of an impact on the two downs you're in the game.

 

GO BILLS!!!

He looked like a Will to me, but his lack of explosion, lack of coverage, lack of tackling, inability to get off blocks, poor pursuit angles, and lack of speed ... well, I wouldn't be writing a glowing scouting report.

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im not sure if you caught nix hobbling around out there. he definitely had his worst game of the year and im not trying to makes excuses just as much as i wasnt trying to kill him all season when i was saying lets wait on crowning him. hes a good player, hes a good kid, he played a bad game, he still has a very good resume. he got sucked into a vacuum of ND hype, and no QB in the heisman voting. a perfect storm of people that didnt watch him all year thinking he was superman because of that hype then when he played a bad game.... its oh my god hes the worst ever. he never was superman, hes not the worst ever either. hes a very good player.

 

 

 

teo has always been very good instincts that make up for what he lacks athletically. hes a lot like LK (who also has great instincts) but a step slower.

 

I've seen him in previous 3 years, so when the hype machine started I didn't understand it. He's played on very average ND squads and preformed ok. This year, ND upset some preseason favorites and his stock went through the roof. At the end of the day he is what he is. He's an average LB.

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im not sure if you caught nix hobbling around out there. he definitely had his worst game of the year and im not trying to makes excuses just as much as i wasnt trying to kill him all season when i was saying lets wait on crowning him. hes a good player, hes a good kid, he played a bad game, he still has a very good resume. he got sucked into a vacuum of ND hype, and no QB in the heisman voting. a perfect storm of people that didnt watch him all year thinking he was superman because of that hype then when he played a bad game.... its oh my god hes the worst ever. he never was superman, hes not the worst ever either. hes a very good player.

 

Im with you (as usual). Im not saying he's horrible. But I never really bought the hype to begin with, and yesterday just showed a more accurate depiction.

 

I've always thought he'd best translate into an NFL OLB. Not stout enough to thump in the middle. And that he should not go in the top half of the first round.

 

I still feel that way now.

 

Considering our biggest need on D is OLB, he still may be a viable option. But not at #8 overall.

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It's wrong to judge a guy based on a single game...

 

However, in that slaughter last night, Te'O looked small, slow, and indecisive. Missed lots of tackles.

 

Along with the rest of the ND team, he seemed outclassed by Alabama!

 

This is arguably the weakest Alabama team in the last 4 years! And they don't play in the NFL.

 

I'm off Te'O big time.

 

Wikipedia lists him as 6'2" and 255 lbs, which is not really small. More like short. But he did appear small relative to the 'Bama players all around him.

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