Excited for Darrell Taylor

Although the guy has spent pretty much the whole year rehabbing and due to that it’s unfair to have high expectations of him this year, for some reason I am really excited about him. It just feels like he’s going to surprise us. Even Carroll today said something like “wait till we get Taylor”. From watching his highlights he just seems to have an edge and swag to him and although he’s in the NFL now, that confidence is key for great players. We’ll see maybe he has no impact at all and it’s another disappointment like collier but if he ends up being a descent compliment to Dunlap it could be huge for the defense.

Did they give any timeline on Taylor’s debut?

I am shocked we are going to see him this year, and excited too. Even if he gives us a little bit of spot duty here and there. Really excited to see Parkinson as well. Feel bad for Olsen but think it may even be a bit of addition by subtraction.

I wouldn't call Collier a "disappointment" at all. Injury wrecked his rookie season. Add to that that not that many DL draft picks really excel in their first year or so, I'd say Collier is right on track to be a serviceable D-lineman, perhaps even good-to-great. He made a couple of great plays Thurs night, including drawing the holding call for a safety. That play just about sealed the deal for us, getting the ball back and the O tacking on 3 points that made the game a full TD spread. Remember, we were up by 2 at the time. Safety + FG meant that AZ couldn't win with just a FG.

Collier is coming around. Let's hope Taylor follows a similar track, coming off injury and contributing. People have been complaining about our D-line when some of the pieces we need have been on the team all along.

I have big expectations for Taylor... I think this guys is a really good DE and he is going to help this D line ...I don't see this as being the same as Collier...even though I have no problem with Collier...

LTH

sutz":14xvkme8 said:

I wouldn't call Collier a "disappointment" at all. Injury wrecked his rookie season. Add to that that not that many DL draft picks really excel in their first year or so, I'd say Collier is right on track to be a serviceable D-lineman, perhaps even good-to-great. He made a couple of great plays Thurs night, including drawing the holding call for a safety. That play just about sealed the deal for us, getting the ball back and the O tacking on 3 points that made the game a full TD spread. Remember, we were up by 2 at the time. Safety + FG meant that AZ couldn't win with just a FG.

Collier is coming around. Let's hope Taylor follows a similar track, coming off injury and contributing. People have been complaining about our D-line when some of the pieces we need have been on the team all along.

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Ditto, Collier was a disappointment last year, really due to injury, but this year he's been steady and improving.

Collier has WON two games for us!! Who'd a thunk it last year??!! So in the Patriots game, Collier made a key play to help stop Cam Newton on that game deciding run. Against the Cardinals, Collier drawing the holding penalty in the end zone to get a safety was a huge play, meant AZ had to get a TD not just a FG.

Sure, it wasn't just Collier who won either of those games, it's more like Collier made key plays at key times without which we would not have won the game.

Anyway, back on topic. 5th rounder Alton Robinson had a game-clinching sack a few weeks ago, and Darrell Taylor was drafted several rounds earlier, so the Hawks are obviously high on Taylor's talent. I just hope the Hawks have been able to work with him enough to get his body ready for the demands of the NFL.

With his injury, Taylor might not be an impactful player until the 2022 season. I am caustiously optmistic about him.

If nothing else if he can take meaningful reps later in the year it can help keep our starting ends fresh when we need them the most in the 4th

I'm expecting his reps to be underwhelming initially due to his acclimation to game speed, and for him to be labeled a bust like Collier only to moderately "break out" in 2021 and show consistent improvement, which people will not recognize until at least halfway through the year.

If he see's the field at all it will be a win for us and John, getting him spot duty say on passing situations opposite Dunlap should cause fits if he lives up to his hype, 4 man rush and no doubles will let the D line accel even more .

PNW":32jrzh3o said:

Did they give any timeline on Taylor’s debut?

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Pete hinted that he’s expected Taylor to practice next week.

Remember though, he can’t play in a game until he’s elevated to the active roster. That hasn’t happened yet so don’t give your hopes up.

Isn't Taylor supposed to be a LEO? He might get some snaps by the end of the year, but I don't see him doing much behind Dunlap, Robinson, and Mayowa.

Maelstrom787":1hqc87rd said:

I'm expecting his reps to be underwhelming initially due to his acclimation to game speed, and for him to be labeled a bust like Collier only to moderately "break out" in 2021 and show consistent improvement, which people will not recognize until at least halfway through the year.

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Can you be a bust in the 5th round? Unless you are that WR we released a year or two back I have few expectations for 5th rounds and later.

JayhawkMike":1ttet8mi said:

Maelstrom787":1ttet8mi said:

I'm expecting his reps to be underwhelming initially due to his acclimation to game speed, and for him to be labeled a bust like Collier only to moderately "break out" in 2021 and show consistent improvement, which people will not recognize until at least halfway through the year.

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Can you be a bust in the 5th round? Unless you are that WR we released a year or two back I have few expectations for 5th rounds and later.

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Darrell Taylor was a mid-second rounder that they traded up for.

I was thinking Alton sorry. LOL. Yes, you can bust in the 2nd but I usually don’t start writing players off until year 3.

Don't expect Taylor to set the world on fire, he may get a few splash plays but like all our D lineman he will get limited snaps for a while as he acclimates, it's how we introduce rookies seemingly almost in all positions.

Getting on the field is just the first step, learning how physical and the speed the NFL Game is on game day is the next step and stepping up to adjust to it.

The outlier is if he is special and makes impact plays every time he see's the field you then have to keep him going since he showed he belongs.

JayhawkMike":2bkcqdh8 said:

I was thinking Alton sorry. LOL. Yes, you can bust in the 2nd but I usually don’t start writing players off until year 3.

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Don't blame you. Easy to switch them when Alton is the one contributing and Taylor still hasn't been seen in uniform yet

I see Taylor as a long-term Hawk, with a higher ceiling. I would not be at all disappointed if he is never placed on the active roster this year. I do like how the Hawks seem to be drafting for the future, and slowly bringing their rookies along.

I see the defense of the future being built around Brooks, Taylor, and Adams.

bigskydoc":ijyg296g said:

I see Taylor as a long-term Hawk, with a higher ceiling. I would not be at all disappointed if he is never placed on the active roster this year. I do like how the Hawks seem to be drafting for the future, and slowly bringing their rookies along.

I see the defense of the future being built around Brooks, Taylor, and Adams.

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I like that. I might add Marquise Blair to that threesome.

The Hawks kind of threw LJ Collier into the action unprepared last season after a similar situation and Collier was very ineffective. However, he's certainly playing better this season and so that early experience probably helped.

One reason to be more optimistic about Taylor is that we're likely going to start him out at LEO in obvious passing situations. Collier had to pick up 5T as a rookie with minimal practice, and so there was probably a bit too much to think about for him to really be able to play at NFL speed.