Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith

**The Excellector** · 02-22-2013, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by darb72

Yep. Big difference between running fast in shorts and running fast with 30 pounds of equipment on.

Even before the weight of the equipment, the equipment itself restricts your flexibility and comfort.

**StingerNLG** · 02-22-2013, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

No first round draft pick should have had that many drops.

That alone places him in the bust category. He was a class act for sure but he was one Ozzie's very few misses.

Yep. I put him in the same category as Travis Taylor. And we all wanted both those guys to succeed. I would have loved for either of them to live up to their 1st round status. They just didn't.

**The Excellector** · 02-22-2013, 04:09 PM

When you see a WR drafted in the first round, you expect a guy that will make your QB look good, even better than he really is.

**bmoreraventerp** · 02-22-2013, 05:20 PM

I always remembered Clayton having some kind of nagging injury. I believe he had nagging minor hamstring issues early on in his NFL career that crept up a few times. If my memory is correct that could affect his ability to get separation and show his speed. As others said, 40 times are really like track running while running in a game is different especially with pads, contact, and making cuts and moves while running.

He was a bust for Ravens but Travis Taylor was a bigger bust as Taylor was selected higher and seemed to show less signs of producing versus Clayton. Also Clayton looked very good when he was with the Rams until his devastating injury.

**leachisabeast** · 02-22-2013, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by The Excellector

Even before the weight of the equipment, the equipment itself restricts your flexibility and comfort.

Like Calvin Johnson

**AirFlacco** · 02-23-2013, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by 4G63

I've always thought 40 yard dash numbers can be misleading for WR's. Jerry Rice ran a 4.71 and I don't think that ended up hurting him.

Exactly but all coaches swear by the time. Suggs dropped to us because of his poor 40 time. Phil Savage was at that workout at ASU and called Oz and said Suggs just dropped to us. Only Phil and Ozzie knew his greatness was in his first step across the line. That's where he beats everyone.

I'M A FOOTBALL PLAYER, NOT A TRACK STAR. T. SUGGS.

**Strange Bru** · 02-23-2013, 05:08 PM

I don't care how fast a WR is, I care that they can catch the football.

**RavensDomination** · 02-23-2013, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by AirFlacco

Exactly but all coaches swear by the time. Suggs dropped to us because of his poor 40 time. Phil Savage was at that workout at ASU and called Oz and said Suggs just dropped to us. Only Phil and Ozzie knew his greatness was in his first step across the line. That's where he beats everyone.

I'M A FOOTBALL PLAYER, NOT A TRACK STAR. T. SUGGS.

Well remember we ended up with Suggs by default after the Minnesota trade debacle. If things had worked out the way the Ravens wanted we would have ended up with Leftwich and not Suggs/Boller.

I do remember Terrell saying something along the lines of "I've never had to run down a QB for 40 yards."

**Paintballguy** · 02-23-2013, 07:32 PM

Billick was talking about the 40 yard dash for o-linemen today. He said something like "When QB's start dropping back 40 yards to pass, I'll worry about 40 times for o-linemen." lol

**AirFlacco** · 02-23-2013, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by RavensDomination

Well remember we ended up with Suggs by default after the Minnesota trade debacle. If things had worked out the way the Ravens wanted we would have ended up with Leftwich and not Suggs/Boller.

I do remember Terrell saying something along the lines of "I've never had to run down a QB for 40 yards."

That's if you believe Ozzie really made that 35-second call to turn the card in on Leftwich but even if he got Lefty
there wouldn't be the disastrous DWan Edwards draft the following year and we might have landed Wilfork who
went to NE with the #1 Oz gave Billicheat for Boller.

That said, both QBs were highly rated at the time with Lefty in the top 10 and Boller in the top 20. Miami and
GB offered NE their #1s for Boller but Ravens had the higher picks and don't forget, Oz lost Lefty because they kept
stalling Minn on the phone to run off the clock because they desperately wanted him.

When I asked PHil Savage at the Barn the night after the draft why didn't Ozzie trade up for Lefty the
day before the draft to secure him, Phil said Ozzie knew he was going to get either Suggs or Leftwich so he wasn't disappointed at all. Everyone in town wanted Lefty that day and many didn't like giving up the future #1 for Boller. Ozzie said he'd never do it again and he hasn't.

**bacchys** · 02-24-2013, 12:44 AM

I didn't even like the move for Flacco, to be honest. I think it's generally a waste to draft a QB in the first round, especially if you're picking late.

Both Manning and Leaf were "sure things" in their time. So were Shuler and Dilfer.

There is usually a number of quality QB's sitting on someone's bench any given year. Gino's brother, for instance, isn't a bad QB. Put him on a good team (which he hasn't experienced yet) and he'd do well, imo. Moore in Miami is another one.

I can't think of anything Flacco has done that one couldn't have hoped to get from Patrick Ramsey, for instance- and I'm a Flacco fan.

Draft for the trenches. In the modern NFL, the main thing is to dominant in one aspect of the game. Having a dominant o-line or d-line (or, even better, both) makes up for a lot when it comes to skill positions.

**PurpleApocalypse37** · 02-24-2013, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by bacchys

I didn't even like the move for Flacco, to be honest. I think it's generally a waste to draft a QB in the first round, especially if you're picking late.

Both Manning and Leaf were "sure things" in their time. So were Shuler and Dilfer.

There is usually a number of quality QB's sitting on someone's bench any given year. Gino's brother, for instance, isn't a bad QB. Put him on a good team (which he hasn't experienced yet) and he'd do well, imo. Moore in Miami is another one.

I can't think of anything Flacco has done that one couldn't have hoped to get from Patrick Ramsey, for instance- and I'm a Flacco fan.

Draft for the trenches. In the modern NFL, the main thing is to dominant in one aspect of the game. Having a dominant o-line or d-line (or, even better, both) makes up for a lot when it comes to skill positions.

...........

.................

What?

Are you.. Serious?

You've got to be joking. Right?