Olu Oluwatimi

[SPOHAWK]

This moving Ol to guard, center back to tackle...just draft the best guard to be a guard...problem solved!

 

[nanomoz]

Who said that Olu was anything close to being "trash"? It certainly wasn't me. You're over dramatizing the comments being made.

The OP suggested that Olu was a "steal" and the counter point being raised by some of us is that he hasn't shown, at least to Yours Truly, any evidence that he's going to develop into a reliable, solid starting center. That doesn't mean that I think he's going to be a bust, just that I don't sign onto the optimism expressed in the OP.

Fair points. You're right. I think I conflated this thread with some of the stuff I've seen said about Howell.

 

[RiverDog]

It doesn't make sense given his playstyle and his current set of strengths and weaknesses. His general problem is anchor. This isn't conductive to success at a position that requires even more anchor.

With that being said, he is a 9th overall selection and he's played generally competent football in terms of pass protection. I'd much, much, much rather stay the course and see how he develops, ESPECIALLY under Grubb with his OL-based background and record of shitting out stud tackles left and right.

I bet the Giants are glad they didn't move Thomas to guard, and he sucked a lot worse than Cross did at first.

Why are we trying to ensure the failure of Charles Cross and blow another first on his replacement instead of just continuing to develop him? Creating holes at LT and then filling them with our premier asset isn't great process.

I agree. I'm good with staying the course with Cross, at least for this season. Let's see how he performs this new offense.

But he has a long way to go before he justifies that #9 overall selection. We have yet to pick up the 5th year option on any of Pete/JS's first round picks, the only team in the league not to have exercised that option, and if we're not going to pick up Cross's, we might want to start exploring trade opportunities next year if he doesn't come to the party this season before his trade value falls even further. I'd rather trade him and start over than experiment with jacking him around the OL like we did with Ifedi, Britt, et al.

 

[SeaWolv]

An elbow injury that lingered throughout the season? Sounds about as serious as a broken fingernail. I wonder why they didn't tape an aspirin to it. Surely you can find a better excuse than that.

The comparison with Metcalf isn't relevant. Metcalf was playing in the shadow of AJ Brown on a very mundane college team in the form of the Mississippi Rebels while Olu was playing for a CFB playoff team and had garnered an armload of post season awards. Metcalf was truly a diamond in the ruff, Olu was an All-American and a first or 2nd day pick in any other circumstance.

And yes, I'm fully aware of the complexities of the center position, but thanks for reminding me.

I wasn't saying that his elbow injury was THE reason just suggesting in may have been a factor in light of your comment you weren't aware of an injury. We also don't have any clue how serious it was so way to assume it was as inconsequential as a broken fingernail, with no data.

As for Metcalf, you seem to think GM's can't see past things like AJ Brown? Really?? Metcalf was no diamond in the rough:
https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2019-nfl-draft-profile-wr-d-k-metcalf-ole-miss

I'm glad you're fully aware of the complexities of the center position cause you sure weren't talking like you did.

https://mgoblog.com/content/so-you-wanna-draft-wolverine-olu-oluwatimi

Oluwatimi graded as well as any center this site has seen in recent times, right up there with Cesar Ruiz, who was a 1st round pick. The disparity in draft slots will primarily be due to age (Oluwatimi has been in college a long time, Ruiz was three and done) and athletic upside (Oluwatimi did not test well, Ruiz was an animal athletically), but in terms of their play on the college football field, it was damn close. Oluwatimi was that good, the lynchpin in the middle of the Michigan offensive line this season.

 

[projectorfreak]

Pete always seemed to play the loyalty card way too long for a lot of years at many different positions , i get the feeling the new regime isn't going to play it like that
I sure hope so anyway
Go Hawks

 

[Bear-Hawk]

Seahawks brought in Lucas Patrick for an interview. He was horrible with the Bears last season. I guess there’s no harm, if they don’t offer him a contract.

 

[Fresno Hawk]

Being as good as Evan Brown isn't a very high bar to clear. Olu needs to be significantly better than Brown if we are to consider him the answer to what has been a revolving door at the position.

The point is, in his second year to be as good as brown this year is a good sign for the future. We don't need him to be elite. We need him to be serviceable.

 

[RiverDog]

The point is, in his second year to be as good as brown this year is a good sign for the future. We don't need him to be elite. We need him to be serviceable.

It depends on what kind of problems he has. If he struggles with line calls, it's an aspect that should improve with experience. But if he's getting man handled in the run game, one of his biggest weaknesses, then he's not likely to improve.

One thing I'll be watching closely is how we do in short yardage situations as it is a direct reflection on the blocking ability of our interior line.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

It depends on what kind of problems he has. If he struggles with line calls, it's an aspect that should improve with experience. But if he's getting man handled in the run game, one of his biggest weaknesses, then he's not likely to improve.

One thing I'll be watching closely is how we do in short yardage situations as it is a direct reflection on the blocking ability of our interior line.

This is why I like Powers-Johnson. He can really move people.

 

[nwHawk]

The point is, in his second year to be as good as brown this year is a good sign for the future. We don't need him to be elite. We need him to be serviceable.

I disagree. Brown was bad. Worse than most people remember.

I believe if Olu had started last season he would have finished better than Brown. But, last year is over. Olu needs to bring leadership and unit cohesion along with a strong physical presence. Pass protection is the area that I do worry about with him, which is why he probably dropped in the draft. Time will tell. Get better guard play and I think he will be just fine.

But to be clear, he needs to be better than Brown was last year if he is to be viewed as a long term solution.

 

[Kamcussionator]

There are two possibilities:

All the coaches, from Pete down to the OL coach collectively make a wrong judgement call by giving a very bad Evan Brown more snaps than Olu.

Or

All the coaches, based on what they saw in practice and game tapes, felt that a very bad Evan Brown still gave Hawks better chance in winning than Olu.

Or three: Olu was gaining on Brown in camp, then Olu got hurt so the job went to Brown. Though Brown struggled as the season wore on there were the risks of putting Olu back in before he was healthy, starting a rookie for the first time in the middle of the season, and breaking up the continuity of the line and making Geno adjust to a new center while we were still in contention for a playoff spot.

He's got another veteran to compete with this year in camp. We'll see if he wins the job.

 

[hawkfan68]

I disagree. Brown was bad. Worse than most people remember.

I believe if Olu had started last season he would have finished better than Brown. But, last year is over. Olu needs to bring leadership and unit cohesion along with a strong physical presence. Pass protection is the area that I do worry about with him, which is why he probably dropped in the draft. Time will tell. Get better guard play and I think he will be just fine.

But to be clear, he needs to be better than Brown was last year if he is to be viewed as a long term solution.

If the standard of serviceable play is Evan Brown and Austin Blythe, then the bar is too low.

 

[Fresno Hawk]

I disagree. Brown was bad. Worse than most people remember.

I believe if Olu had started last season he would have finished better than Brown. But, last year is over. Olu needs to bring leadership and unit cohesion along with a strong physical presence. Pass protection is the area that I do worry about with him, which is why he probably dropped in the draft. Time will tell. Get better guard play and I think he will be just fine.

But to be clear, he needs to be better than Brown was last year if he is to be viewed as a long term solution.

He didn't start last year, so this would be basically his rookie year on the field assuming he wins the job. There will be growing pains. Brown was serviceable and good at pass blocking, run blocking was his problem. So if Olu can be as good I don't see it as a negative. Strength usually comes in year 3 for NFL lineman, unless you're a genetically gifted brute.

 

[toffee]

Let's just say that Olu did not excel as a rookie, that does not Olu could not improve and be an adequate center in his year two. Some linemen simply need more time, although Olu had 5 years of college ball, one assumes that he would be more ready. Hey all of our fingers are crossed and we hope Olu becomes our starter in year 2.

 

[nwHawk]

For Olu, it was a mixed bag on the field last season. But expecting anything more from a rookie is not realistic. The good, was very promising. But he did have some bad moments. I think he will be good this season.