Is it wrong to still have hope for Logan Thomas as a NFL prospect? (Photo courtesy SI)

A couple of weeks ago I gave first takes on some 2014 prospects. My post-draft apathy towards film study is finally gone, so here are more early impressions on a couple of prominent ACC quarterbacks, Logan Thomas and Tajh Boyd.

Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech:
I went into 2012 as a big advocate for Thomas as a potential #1 overall pick. He finished 2011 strongly and has the complete physical package, big and strong with a huge arm and excellent elusiveness. But from the very first game against Georgia Tech, something was clearly amiss with Logan Thomas. Really it came on the first pass, an underthrown sideline route that should have been picked. His “grip it and rip it” throwing style changed, and his ball placement suffered. The more visible change was the decline in his decision making with the football. Thomas lost the trust in what he saw, an opinion reinforced by a couple of different Hokies insiders I spoke with. His confidence in his ability to read coverages and deliver the ball with precision largely went away.

One of the Hokie backers I spoke with told me the coaching staff overinflated his ego heading into the year. They sold him so much on his lofty status that he believed it too much, and he didn’t know how to react when everything wasn’t coming up roses. The confidence was all bluster, and when the balloon popped Thomas was lost. This shows time and again on game tape, notably the Pittsburgh and Miami games. The Miami game was the most stunning because one year earlier Thomas was darn near perfect against the Hurricanes, a game that weighed heavily on my lofty expectations. Thomas misfired at wide open receivers and often failed to find the right read. He threw two INTs but it could easily have been four, and the bulk of his completions were quick dumps. Several throws came from flat feet and poor shoulder rotation in his delivery. Thomas apparently couldn’t shake it off, because when I watched the finale against Rutgers I saw many of the same problems. Inconsistent foot mechanics, aiming the ball instead of throwing it, and a relative lack of composure against the rush were all evident once again.

Yet I refuse to give up on Logan Thomas as a NFL prospect. He still shows tremendous potential with the read-option, and he can still make accurate throws with excellent touch to his primary read. The challenge for Thomas, and for Frank Beamer’s staff in Blacksburg, is to develop Thomas’s game beyond the initial read. If Thomas can regain his confidence and progress as a progressive passer, he can recapture a lot of draft stock. He’s still got his great size, plus arm strength, and ability to take off and run, though I overestimated his elusiveness and running vision. I question how successful this will be, as the Hokies staff has never been great at developing quarterback talent and they lost a lot of support around him. But don’t write Logan Thomas off just yet.

Tajh Boyd, QB Clemson:
I have much less of an opinionated background with Tajh Boyd than I do Logan Thomas. I watched a lot of Clemson football but never had any inclination that Boyd would declare early, so I haven’t scouted him up to this point.

The most notable thing I picked up right away was his delivery. Boyd keeps his arm low and releases the ball with a three-quarters delivery that occasionally slides to sidearm. He also tends to throw slew-footed when standing in the pocket. It’s more than a little reminiscent of Bernie Kosar in his Browns heyday. That is where any semblance of comparison to Bernie Kosar ends. What intrigues me is that Boyd has a more over-the-top sort of delivery while he’s on the run. That’s counterintuitive; his fundamentals actually improve when he’s on the run. He even goes more over-the-top when rolling to his left.

Another counterintuitive trait I see with Boyd: his accuracy and timing is far more developed on longer throws than shorter ones. Boyd uses his legs and hips more to generate power when he has to throw down the field, and it seems the added torque improves his ball placement. He tends to aim his shorter throws and doesn’t get his whole body into the throw. To some extent this is a necessary process, but it seems exaggerated with Boyd.

Boyd shows very good vision and elusiveness in the read option. It’s easy to see a lot of Robert Griffin III when watching Boyd run the read option plays, particularly when he does so with two backs in the backfield with him. Boyd doesn’t appear quite as big as RG3 and I don’t think he’s as explosive in the open field, but he’s definitely impressive. He can stick with the route options and deliver the ball quickly while hitting the edge. One thing I want to see him improve is his ability to look off the defense with his eyes and shoulders. I’ve watched three games now and I can count on one hand the number of times Boyd doesn’t stare at his target for a full count before delivering the ball. This is not a fatal flaw (witness Eli Manning) but it’s something he can improve. Boyd has a drool-worthy playmaking wideout in Sammy Watkins who can help his growth and make him shine in 2013. It’s certainly not out of the question that Tajh Boyd could have a RG3-like season and find himself drafted very high in 2014, but he has some work to do.

That doesn’t mean that players aren’t expected to show up and participate. The Lions, as do all teams, expect full attendance from both rookies and veterans. Full participation is generally viewed as a positive because it shows commitment to the team. Most of the time, players miss these OTAs because of either injury or contractual squabbles. The Lions only have two players with known injury issues. Rookie corner Darius Slay had recent surgery for a meniscus issue and will be excused from running in the drills, though he will be present. Running back Jahvid Best will also not participate as he remains unable to get medical clearance for his multiple concussion issues. His presence on the roster is a do-good formality at this point as he is not expected to ever play again. Also, backup QB Shaun Hill will be limited thanks to recent minor foot surgery that has him in a walking boot.
 
These activities are most important for the rookies, particularly the undrafted and later round rookies. This is their chance to show how quickly they have absorbed the playbook and how well they can fit in with the team. It’s during OTAs where the unheralded can improve their standing and climb the depth chart, much as Jonte Green did a year ago. The flip side is that this is the first real chance for players to get hurt as well, as Chris Greenwood did a year ago.
 
Detroit has closed most of the sessions from media view, but reports will trickle out anyways. Here are some story lines worth following:
-Who is getting the most first-team reps at strongside linebacker. Ashlee Palmer, Tahir Whitehead, and Cory Greenwood all have legit aspirations to win the starting job. Palmer has the early advantage and can wrap up the gig with impressive performances here and in training camp. The third-place finisher in this battle is unlikely to make the final roster, which adds a competitive imperative that definitely tickles the fancy of Coach Schwartz.
 

-The specialist battles. Detroit will have both a new punter and kicker in 2013. Sources within the team insist to me that the competition is wide open and completely 50/50 for the punting battle between 5^th round draft pick Sam Martin and free agent Blake Clingan, as well as the kicking competition between veteran David Akers and greenhorn Harvard Rugland. The return gigs are also completely up for grabs, with rookie 6^th round pick Corey Fuller auditioning with his blazing track star speed.
 
-Nate Burleson. How fully has the veteran wideout recovered from his broken leg last year? The team is counting on Burleson to step up and fill the #2 wideout role opposite Calvin Johnson, a position that could realistically see 90 or more targets this season. Burleson has really emerged as a positive leader for the team but that only goes so far if he cannot back it up with contributions on the field.
 
-Offensive tackle footwork. With Riley Reiff tentatively plugged in at left tackle and a competition between Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox at right tackle, there is uncertainty at the tackle positions for the first time in years. Because no contact is permitted, the tackles have to get by in these drills with their feet. This is an excellent opportunity to evaluate footwork and teach lower body technique. New OL Coach Jeremiah Washburn and new assistant Terry Heffernan also get a chance to ascertain which combination works best and what they have to work with in their two UDFAs, LaAdrian Waddle and Austin Holtz. One of those two has an excellent chance to make the final roster and the climb begins here.
 
-Chris Greenwood. The big corner got hurt in these very drills a year ago and missed his entire rookie campaign. He is (allegedly) 100% and ready for action now, and this is his chance to shine. In speaking with a couple of different coaches this offseason, I can tell you the team is very bullish on his potential but also not afraid to pull the plug if he doesn’t impress. The Albion product needs to make the most of his first chance to make an impression.
 
-Kellen Moore vs. Alex Carder. With Shaun Hill limited, the two youngsters battling for the third QB spot will get more reps than usual to wage their war for the precious roster spot. The team loves Moore’s command of the offense and football IQ, but Carder has a much better arm and is no slouch in the intangibles department in his own right. Moore can all but lock up the spot if he impresses here.

Chris Houston sits atop the Lions depth chart at cornerback

By: Beast

Projected CB Depth Chart

LCB: Chris Houston

RCB: Darius Slay

NB: Bill Bentley

Bench: Jonte Green, Chris Greenwood, Ron Bartell,

PS: DeQuan Menzie

Cut: Lionel Smith, Ross Weaver

Chris Houston

Chris Houston started out in his career playing for the Atlanta Falcons after getting drafted in second round.  He was placed into the starting role early on, and struggled mightily.  Falcons fans frequently complained that Houston has trouble locating the ball and doesn’t turn his head around when the ball is in the air.  He was ultimately traded to the Lions for a 6^th round pick and a swap of 5^th round picks.  Since moving to the Lions, he has blossomed into a very good starting corner.  He consistently covered WRs well and finally learned to turn his head around while the ball is in the air.  To me, he’s a solid #1 starting CB who arguably played at a Pro Bowl level in the last two seasons with the Lions.  Houston has loose hips and has the speed/athleticism to stick with fast and quick WRs.  Against the run, he is aggressive at the boundary and is willing to stick his nose against the ball carrier.  As good as Houston has been for the Lions, he struggled against a bigger and physical WRs.  He lacks the size and strength to combat against them and it shows when he got burned by Julio Jones and Roddy White.  This is part of the reason why the Lions front office is looking for a bigger, athletic and physical CB in the draft.  With that being said, Houston is firmly implanted at #1 CB position on the depth chart.

Darius Slay

Darius Slay was drafted at 2^nd round this past off-season, and the Lions staff felt comfortable that he is the CB of the future with a quick selection when they were on the clock.  Slay offers good size, physicality and athleticism that the Lions covet.  He has long arms to lock up WRs at the LOS and is very physical who is adept in man press coverage.  He has the athleticism to keep up with WRs step for step, and showed explosive burst when breaking onto the ball.  Slay displayed smooth backpedal then transition out of it quickly to run with the WRs.  He is a willing tackler and will do his best to take down ball carrier.  As a bonus, he has returning experience at Mississippi State and has run back for TDs via interceptions twice.  As good of a prospect as Slay is, he has weaknesses that the Lions staff must address at rookie camp, OTA, and mini-camp before the season starts.  The most obvious is his injury since he is coming off a torn meniscus in which he had surgery that caused him to sit out of rookie camp.  However, it shouldn’t be a big deal since it’s a meniscus repair and the expectation is he will be ready by pre-season. Slay struggles in off-man coverage, in which he has a tendency to give up too much cushions.  The Lions tend to play a lot of off-man and if Slay doesn’t fix the cushion issue, WRs will eat him alive. Because of the fact that he is relatively new to football, he is a bit slow to diagnose plays and come up a beat too late.  This is a direct result of him being new to playing CB position.  Finally, for a physical corner he struggles to get off blocks and has a tendency to dive and swipe at ball carrier’s legs.

Darius Slay fits the profile of big, physical and athletic CB that Mayhew/Schwartz have coveted after trying to trade up for a couple years to get Patrick Peterson, Stephon Gilmore, Dre Kirkpatrick, etc.  He will start immediately at #2 CB opposite Chris Houston in my opinion. Slay only played football for 5 years, but he outshined his more hyped/highly touted teammate, Johnthan Banks.  Last season, opposing QBs tried to avoid Banks and pick on Slay, but Slay more than held on his own.  Slay offers higher upside and is a better athlete than Banks which is why he was drafted ahead of him.  Expect a huge learning curve to begin the season and even with his ability to locate the ball well, most rookie CBs struggles to do so because the game is too fast for them and they’re reacting instead of relying on their instincts.  Throw in the fact that he only played for 5 years steepens the curve.  Once he gets it all together, I expect him to cover big and physical WRs while Houston gets the more shifty WRs at the end of the season or next season.

Bill Bentley

Bill Bentley has almost become a forgotten man, but people forget that he outright won the starting job and will be expected to battle for the #2 CB spot.  If he does win the job, I’d expect Lions to move him to NB when they go to 5 DBs package with Slay lining up at outside.

The Lions fans remember him mostly for the PI penalties and failing to turn his head around when the ball is in the air.  However, he showed a lot of good things during his short time as a starter before it was cut short because of his shoulder injury.  One, he is a very confident player who believes in himself which is a good thing because corner must be confident and have a short memory.  Bentley is a very physical corner who is at his best in press man coverage.  He also displayed the ability to flip his hips and run with WRs.  His aggressive style and size would dictate that his best fit is at nickel corner.  If Bentley were to win the starting job (again), he must show improvement in techniques and ball location.  In my opinion, both are fixable with coaching and experience.

Jonte Green

Jonte Green came to the Lions as a 6^th round draft pick from New Mexico State.  He wasn’t expected to see time on the field and was the 3^rd CB taken by the Lions.  Because of injuries at CB position, Green was thrust into the starting line up early on, and it wasn’t pretty with Green looking lost in coverage and getting routinely burned.  As the season progressed, Green got better and better, and showed enough that he has starting CB potential for the Lions going forward.   However, the Lions staff doesn’t seem to trust Green during the course of last season, but Green has shown enough that he can start for the Lions this season.  He should be in competition along with Bentley and Slay for the #2 CB position.

Green is a tall corner who can run.  He has a pretty good hips and can turn and run with WRs in transition.  Green is a very athletic corner who relies on being able to mirror WRs step for step.  He does give up too much cushion and WRs were able to have success in quick hitting plays.  Green isn’t a physical corner and often shies away from contact.  He isn’t an aggressive tackler which can lead to big plays if the runners are in his area.  His technique still needs work, but Green has shown the potential to be a starting CB for the Lions.

Rest of the CBs

Ron Bartell should make the 53 man roster as a reserve corner, but he only played one game a year ago after the Raiders waived him.   Then there is an unknown corner in Chris Greenwood.  He is a big corner who is very athletic, but played in a small school, Albion College.  Greenwood was injured in OTAs and had to spend the entire year on PUP list.  Apparently the Lions coaches are really high on Greenwood’s potential that he cannot be discounted from #2 CB spot competition.  For this reason, he makes the 53 man roster.

The Lions claimed DeQuan Menzie from waiver wire when he was a victim of a new regime change at Kansas City.  Menzie offers versatility at DB and can play either CB or S position, but his best fit may be at nickel corner spot and help out at S position if Delmas gets hurt.  He is a physical corner who likes to press.  Menzie has an understanding of what is expected of him and does a great job of playing within himself.  However, he lacks the speed to keep up with WRs which is why I feel he is better suited at nickel corner where it can hide his deficiencies better than at outside.  I still believe that he would be placed at PS so the Lions can develop him and the CB position may be crowded for Menzie to make the team.

I won’t pretend to know Lionel Smith and Ross Weaver and won’t go into further details on their game, but they’re the two CBs who are likely candidates to be cut by the Lions staff.

Overall Impression:

I think the Lions staff has done a great job of improving the talent level as well as the depth of the cornerback position from last year where they were plagued by injuries and had to sign street FAs to play corner for them.  The only certainty from CB position is Chris Houston who is firmly implanted as a starting CB.  The interesting camp battle would be between Bentley, Slay, Green and Greenwood for the #2 CB position.  Regardless of what happen at the #2 CB position, Bill Bentley would be the nickel corner when they go 5 DBs to combat the spread offense package. Essentially, the nickel corner is another starting spot on the defensive lineup.  The Lions have 4 legit starting corners on the roster which is more than anybody can say when you compared it from last year.  With better S behind them in Quin and Delmas, I expect Gunther Cunningham to be a bit more aggressive with how the CBs are being played in any given play call, meaning more press, press and bail, off man, zone and to name a few.

It’s pretty obvious that the Lions staff is looking for bigger and athletic CBs as evidenced with their recent signings and drafts of Darius Slay, Chris Greenwood, Jonte Green, etc.  However, Bill Bentley is the exception to the rule in terms of size, but he fits the profile of a physical and athletic CBs.

Beast is well known by Lions fans on Twitter for his poignant and forceful Lions and draft opinions. This is his first piece for DetroitLionsDraft.com. You can follow him at @Beast1530 and you won’t be sorry. 

Stephen Tulloch is the man in the middle of the Lions defense (photo courtesy prlog.org)

Notes: Suh and Fairly are the unquestioned starters and are arguably the most talented tackle tandem in the league. They will be expected to dominate inside and have the potential to raise the entire defense on their backs. Mosley was signed to replace Sammie Hill as the top reserve, primarily a run-stuffing role. He will rotate in as much as he can handle. Nwagbuo could see his role expand as the second reserve and in short-yardage situations. Saddler-McQueen and Brooks are fighting for the same gameday inactive spot, but don’t be surprised if the Lions sign a cheap veteran cut by another team later this offseason in their place.

DE: Ezekiel Ansah, Jason Jones, Willie Young, Devin Taylor, Freddie Bishop, Ronnell Lewis

Notes: Jones was a coveted free agent find and will start on the left side. First round pick Ansah will start immediately on the right side. The duo should be a big upgrade against the run, but this defense needs them to produce sacks and force turnovers as well. Jones has been very effective at sliding inside on passing downs in both Tennessee and Seattle and could do some jockeying with Suh and Fairley, both of whom could see spot duty at end as well. Young showed real flashes in 2011 but was a major disappointment in ’12, in part due to a nasty finger injury. He is on the spot in 2013. Taylor could supplant Young as the top reserve if he plays this summer the way he played in the Shrine Game, where his length and burst were incredibly disruptive. Bringing that effectiveness on a consistent basis is the challenge for Taylor, the team’s 4th round pick. Lewis was the 4th round pick a year earlier but did next to nothing as a rookie and got arrested this winter. Bishop was signed on May 15th as an undrafted free agent from Western Michigan after failing a physical with the Packers. His shot is not as long as it appears if he can generate some positive buzz early. Another street free agent or bargain-basement released veteran could be in the mix as well.

LB: Stephen Tulloch, DeAndre Levy, Ashlee Palmer, Tahir Whitehead, Travis Lewis, Carmen Messina, Cory Greenwood, Brandon Hepburn, Alex Elkins, Jon Morgan

Notes: Tulloch will start in the middle and is the main organizer of the front seven. Levy will start on the weak side after re-signing as a free agent. Both need to make more splash plays and improve against the run. They have the talent to do so. Ashlee Palmer has the early edge to replace Justin Durant on the other outside spot. He has bulked up and played fairly well as a nickel linebacker a year ago. Whitehead is bigger and faster than Palmer but only saw action on special teams as a 5th round rookie a year ago. The team traded this year’s 4th round pick to acquire him. At minimum he will be expected to fill Palmer’s role from last year as a situational sub while continuing on special teams. Lewis was also part of that trade and figures to be the primary backup to Tulloch in the middle. Greenwood and Messina will fight for the same reserve/special teams role. Give the edge to Messina, who is younger and cheaper. The Canadian-born Greenwood is probably better served making a go of it in the CFL, where he was the 3rd overall pick of the 2010 draft. Elkins is an excellent candidate for the practice squad as a raw developmental project oozing with athletic potential. Hepburn and Morgan are remote longshots as UDFAs at this point.

CB: Chris Houston, Bill Bentley, Darius Slay, Jonte Green, Chris Greenwood, Ronald Bartell, Conroy Black, Lionel Smith, DJ Johnson, Ross Weaver, DeQuan Menzie

Notes: Houston as the #1 corner is the only settled role. Other than the Falcons game last year, Houston played pretty well in matching up primarily with the other team’s top receiver. If 2nd round pick Slay gets 100% healthy in time for expanded OTAs, he has a very good chance to win the other starting outside job. The Lions drafted him for his playmaking, a huge point of emphasis for the coaching staff this offseason. Green was a pleasant development as a rookie, generally playing above his draft status and showing a quick learning curve. He and Slay will compete to see who starts. Bentley will be the primary slot corner. He was a penalty machine in his brief rookie tenure before getting hurt. The team loves his swagger and physicality but he must clean up his technique quickly. Bartell is a veteran attempting a major comeback from a serious neck injury. He played very well in the finale last season and fingers are crossed that Bartell can be one of those feel-good stories that every good team seems to unearth. Greenwood missed his entire rookie season and remains a major project, albeit one with very desirable physical attributes. If he’s not demonstrably better than Bartell or the other youngsters here, expect him to wind up as a practice squad or IR stash once again. Menzie was plucked off waivers in the course of writing this piece. The Chiefs 5th round pick in 2012 fell victim to a regime change in Kansas City after, like Greenwood, missing his entire rookie season with an injury. He figures to compete in the slot or perhaps even convert to safety, a la Amari Speivey. Injuries have been a chronic issue for Menzie. None of the rest stands much of a chance without making a huge splash on special teams. Johnson is the most likely of the longshots to stick.

Safety: Louis Delmas, Glover Quin, Amari Spievey, Ricardo Silva, John Wendling, Tyrell Johnson, Don Carey, Martavius Neloms

Notes: Delmas will start at free safety, Quin at strong safety, and neither will leave the field much if healthy. This is a critical year for Delmas, whose career has been stymied by injuries. Quin was the prized free agent signee and figures to have a major impact. He blossomed with the Texans after converting from corner to safety, and even played a de facto LB role in Houston’s nickel and dime packages at times. Spievey has battled concussion issues but played his best football last season before missing the final half of the year. Silva filled in after Spievey’s injury and was a major liability in coverage. Both he and Wendling are best served playing primarily on special teams and as the fourth safety. Don Carey was much better than both of them in 2012 and has the inside track over both for the fourth safety role because he’s competent in coverage. The camp battle between Speivey, Wendling, Silva, and Carey for the 3rd and 4th safety spots will be fierce. One of Wendling and Silva will not make the team, and if Tyrell Johnson ever lives up to his 2nd round pick expectations (by the Vikings in 2008), neither will. Newcomer Menzie could factor in here as well. Neloms can earn a practice squad spot with a strong summer.

Punter: Blake Clingan, Sam Martin

Notes: This is a camp battle heavily weighted towards Martin, the 5th round draft pick out of Appalachian State. Teams draft punters in the 5th round, or really in any round, with the expectation they will handle the job for the foreseeable future.

Kicker: David Akers, Harvard Rugland

Notes: Akers is the grizzled veteran, a 38-year old with scads of playoff experience. Rugland has never kicked in pads before, a trick-shot virtuoso with an awesome back story. If the Akers who played in San Francisco last year shows up, Rugland will win the job unless he’s absolutely incompetent. Both are lefties. If neither man proves capable, the Lions will not hesitate to bring in another leg.

Trey Millard ran around, over, and through the Longhorns (photo courtesy Bleacher Report)

Texas:
Kenny Vaccaro, S #4
-holds Stills as he makes a break, throw went to other WR
-flips hips and turns & runs with slot WR on out pattern, blanket coverage
-flows across the field with receiver on rollout pass, undercuts the route giving no angle to throw
-stops feet and gets bulled over on open field tackle attempt
-quickly recognizes route and jumps it, takes away option
-very quick to get outside from double high look, ball overthrown
-plays middle receiver in trip formation, all run flies and Vaccaro is a good four yards behind all three on deep throw as he ran at ¾ speed
-reads the pump fake and doesn’t buy it, pulls off and gets in position to clean up any missed tackles on dump off
-beaten badly on out route by Saunders, needs two extra steps to get going outside
-in lock step with Brown on crossing route, forces incompletion
-played almost exclusively in the slot after the first two drives

Carrington Byndom, CB #23 (junior)
-quickly deciphers screen and attacks under control, makes tackle for no gain
-closes edge in run support, assists on tackle
-nice open field tackle on Millard prevents 3rd down conversion
-poor effort on open field tackle gets broken, has to try again and gets called for facemask
-in outside shallow zone, steps in front of Stills and Jones throws the ball right to him for easy INT/TD

Alex Okafor, DE #80
-flows across formation, keeps feet clean and lays big hit on runner at line
-drops into shallow zone and just misses an INT on ball thrown behind his inside shoulder, turns and recovers to help on stop
-turns around edge and uses inside arm to leverage into a QB pressure from Wide 9 alignment
-loses edge contain on Bell TD run, turned inside by Johnson
-catches Johnson set too deep, crosses his face and uses up-and-under move to get pressure on throw that gets tipped
-takes strong angle from Wide 9 to crash inside and get in on tackle
-drops into zone, gets his hands up and bats away pass after reading Jones’ eyes nicely
-gets too upright and pushed back on inside run

Ashton Dorsey, DT #85 (junior)
-slashes down with hands to shed block, fills hole and stuffs run
-launches himself backwards with strong push and gets into passing lane on quick throw
-attacks Johnson’s inside shoulder and bursts past him but run goes outside
-shows good eyes to locate the ball consistently

Jackson Jeffcoat, DE #44 (junior)
-cannot disengage from Johnson and loses edge
-tries to rush wide, cannot turn the edge on Johnson; never does anything with his hands
-stands up Bell initially but cannot sustain contact and falls off
-struggled with his hand placement and narrow base all game, noted this on double digit occasions

Mike Davis, WR #1: (junior)
-had this in the notes several times, condensed it to one: really struggles to get off jam, poor hand usage and doesn’t keep feet moving quickly very well
-gets too high on a block attempt and gets quickly chucked aside by Hurst
-quick feet on inside hook, catches ball away from body and spins outside for a couple extra yards
-strong hands on high throw to the sideline

Marquise Goodwin, WR #84
-makes good effort to try and flag down tipped throw
-sells fake end around nicely, good head and shoulders fake
-no creativity on kick return, runs smack into the pile and doesn’t make the 20
-cannot decelerate to get back to an underthrown ball that gets picked off
-runs every route at the same speed, at full speed right away

CONTINUE FOR OKLAHOMA

Titus Young’s most recent mugshot (Photo courtesy diehardsport.com)

Young did flash some genuine talent in his two seasons, catching 81 passes including 10 touchdowns. That seemed to justify the second round pick in 2010, as Young was legitimately a perfect fit for what the Lions offense needed. He was a strong #2 receiver with downfield ability and yards after the catch acumen. But the problems just kept mounting. The boneheaded penalties. The deliberate sabotaging of plays. The recalcitrant attitude at practice and on the sidelines. The defiance when confronted with his own future as a Lion, which he met with truculence and arrogance.

There were warning signs with Titus Young going back to college. Scouts who traversed to Boise knew that Young had attitude issues that seemed to go beyond mere immaturity. Some teams flagged him early on because they didn’t believe Young could ever fit their team culture. Yet Young shined when given a shot at an open audition. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Young was a star. His balls-out effort on every rep, his Sharapova-like grunting every time he made a cut, his big smile and gregarious personality in interviews, it all served to raise his star high enough that he was a legit consideration in the first round. Joe Fortenbaugh wrote an excellent piece on this for National Football Post, and many of us in Mobile had a similar experience with Young; it sure appeared as if the light finally came on for Young in terms of maturity and responsibility.

Martin Mayhew and the Lions became believers in the illusion of Young. The disillusionment came swiftly, however, and Young was gone the day after his second season, one which he ended stashed on injured reserve with what might have been a knee injury, was over. St. Louis kicked the tires but scrapped Young within a fortnight, unwilling to tolerate any more of Young’s foolishness. That put him on the street.

Young hit that street hard. He spewed out some venomous, nonsensical tweets that too many, myself included, found funny. Not funny in a comedic way, but rather a condescending glee of superiority at his lowly, jester-like ways. That laughter reached raucous levels on May 5th when Young was arrested for DUI, then arrested a few hours later for trying to steal his impounded car upon his release from the drunk tank. It was something straight out of a Will Ferrell movie that’s funny for 3 minutes and agonizingly awful for the other 87, a cheap laugh that would be unbelievable if it weren’t true.

That probably should have been a deeper clue that something was amiss with Young. People who are right in the head simply don’t do things like that. Some close to Young apparently did see the signs and reached out to him to try and help, but Young turned them away. The arrest this past Friday for burglary, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer is a sign that nobody can ignore, least of all Young himself.

Titus Young needs help. I’m not going to pretend I know enough about psychology or mental illness to try and say what’s wrong with Young, but something is certainly wrong with Titus Young. He needs professional psychological help from mental health professionals. If he won’t get it on his own, someone close to him needs to force his hands. Perhaps the legal system will shuffle him into the help he desperately needs. But Titus Young needs help.

This is a tricky subject for pro sports teams and athletes. Houston Rockets draft pick Royce White has essentially thrown away a potential NBA career because of his well-chronicled mental issues. Former Bears draft pick Alonzo Spellman suffered from mental illness and wound up spending years in jail because he never got, nor accepted, the help he needed. Bengals wideout Chris Henry battled mental health issues for years before finally getting everything seemingly in order, yet he succumbed to one last bout with mental fragility. It cost Chris Henry his life. This is the path Titus Young is heading down. Enough people who care about Young need to intervene here and get him off that path, one way or another. The time for joking is over.

There are success stories that can serve as examples for Young. Brandon Marshall has had several legal brushes and admitted to a personality disorder, but he has found a way to control himself enough to be a great NFL player. Ricky Williams was an infamous free spirit with severe anxiety disorder that pushed him away from the game for a while, but he rebounded into a solid contributor for many years. Perhaps someone close to them can get close to Young, be it an agent or a therapist or a doctor, and help get his life back in order. Because the Titus Young story is no longer an amusing one, and it’s sad to see a talented young man with such potential throw it all away when he can still be helped. Get help, Titus Young, before it’s too late.