Popeyejones":1wx8pw8d said:
Not a Hawks fan obviously, but I'm unimpressed by Penny because of what I've actually seen on the field. Of all the positions in the NFL save for punter and kicker, I also think RB isn't really a position in which NFL players "develop" -- if you've got it, you've already got it.
The only RBs I can think of who took big leaps in their careers (Marshall Faulk and Priest Holmes) didn't "develop", they both just went from really bad to really good scheme fits after changing teams.
Shaquem Griffin was just overhyped (and IMO overdrafted) -- plenty of people had him pegged as a lifelong special teams contributor, which would be a perfectly fine career for him, and there's a lot of those guys who have long careers. Maybe he ends up being more than that, but expecting more than that was always a mistake, IMO.
Shaquill Griffin gets grief because from his first year to his second year his play regressed. If he had never shown the potential to be a #1 CB people wouldn't criticize him for maybe not being that. It's the same deal with 9ers fans and Akhello Witherspoon -- they hate the guy for not being what they entirely iimagined he was supposed to become.
Lol wait what?
RB is a position that can develop like any position. If it wasn't, then late round or undrafted picks would never flourish into top 5 running backs.
In the NFL, it's as much about the opportunities you get, as it is your skillset. How well would Jerome Bettis do in a pass happy offense, for example? Where he's asked to run routes and catch deep balls down field?
I can also provide a few examples of RBs who didn't truly break out until they got the reps, or who took a few years to evolve. Ahman Green, Brian Westbrook, and Derrick Henry comes to mind.
Shaquem Griffin was never "overhyped." There's a difference between arguing a player was overrated, and that a player got extensive media coverage. And he deserved it, to make it this far given his limitations IS impressive. In reality, the only thing Shaquem is missing is the mental knowledge and instincts. He has the motor and athleticism otherwise.
Shaquill went from a number 2 to a number 1. That's tough for any 2nd year player. That isn't exactly "regression," that's logical. Shaquill has had some really good performances, and has played mostly at a B+ level. Which isn't out of the ordinary for most corners. Are you sure you actually watch our games?