Offensive Guard ~ Joshua Garnett ~ Stanford Cardinal ~ 6042/312
The Gutters are riddled with the Corpses of Teams that were built around so-called "skill" Players ~ teams that delighted their Fantasy FootBall Fans every Year, all the way until January...until The Only Games That Really Matter.
It is then, of course, that the Capacity ~ or lack thereof ~ to Move The Chains and protect the QuarterBack against PlayOff Caliber Defenses rears its ugly head. And another Team built for Fantasy FootBall bites the dust.
This is how I break things down, when I'm evaluating Offensive Guards:
Power: Above all: Core Power. Torso Power is important, but Core Power, from the Knees to the Ribs, is absolutely crucial. All the upper body Strength in the world will still fail if you simply can't dig in your heels. But Core Power enables an Offensive Lineman to project Power in the Running Game and to reject Power in the Passing Game.
Agility: Launch Velocity, Acceleration, and above all: Fluidity or Core Agility. Core Agility is even more essential to sustained good Health ~ and to sustained good FootBall ~ than Core Power. The ability to react with Serpentine smoothness is a tremendous asset in all Aspects of the Game, and certainly in the Hand to Hand Combat that characterizes Trench Warfare. All the Power in the World goes only so far if you're stiff and lumbering out there.
Combat Skills: Paw Power, Mechanics ~ Hand Speed & Positioning ~ and of course: Frame.
Intangibles: Processing Speed and Motor. Processing Speed or Diagnostic Velocity is about how quickly and effectively one Reads & Reacts to how the Rapidly Roiling Tactical LandScape effects Blocking Schemes, and Motor is about Endurance and Drive: How much Work has been put into Conditioning, and how it manifests itself.
Run Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Pass Blocking: Power, Agility, Combat Skills, Processing Speed, and Motor.
Broken down into SubCategories, it'd go something like this:
Power
* Core Power ~ lower body Power. Core Power trumps Torso Power. Tyrannosaurus Rex had exceptional Core Power.
* Torso Power ~ upper Body Power. Important, but not crucial. T Rex had lousy Torso Power...yet was King.
* Anchoring Strength in the Passing Game. The capacity to Stand one's Ground.
* Drive Power in the Running Game. The capacity to drive your man back.
Agility
* Fluidity, above all things: Core Agility & Flexibility makes everything possible.
* Launch Velocity ~ Speed into Contact off the Snap.
* Acceleration ~ Short Speed or Quickness.
Combat Skills
* Frame ~ Arms, Hands, and above all: WingSpan.
* Field Vision ~ Reacting to the Tactical LandScape: It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Positioning ~ It's all about Angles & Leverage.
* Paw Persistence ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
* FootWork ~ RPMs: Activity & Persistence.
Intangibles
* Processing Speed ~ Field Vision. Reading Defensive Schemes quickly and effectively, and finding 2nd Level Targets.
* Motor ~ Intensity and Endurance.
Run Blocking
* Power ~ Drive Power to project Power in the Running Game.
* Agility ~ especially Acceleration DownField or to the Flank.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Pass Blocking
* Power ~ Anchoring Strength to reject Power in the Passing Game.
* Agility ~ especially Fluidity to Mirror the Pass Rusher.
* Combat Skills
* Processing Speed
* Motor
Agility: Mediocre. Impressive Launch Velocity. Mediocre Fluidity. Marginal Acceleration.
Combat Skills: Tremendous. Outstanding WingSpan and excellent Mechanics.
Intangibles: Competitive. Adequate Processing Speed. Impressive Intensity. Mediocre Endurance.
Run Blocking: Definitely his Forte, as Garnett's tremendous Drive Power and Combat Skills render'm an outstanding fit for a Power Blocking Scheme. He'd be less effective in Zone because of his sluggish Acceleration and mediocre Endurance, but his Field Vision is better in the Open Field, so I believe that even in Zone he could compete.
Pass Blocking: Here my Expectations are not as high, for I believe that Garnett's mediocre Fluidity and Endurance could prove to be a considerable Liability against more Agile Opponents. Power certainly won't be a Problem.
The biggest Variable with him, I believe, is his Commitment to Conditioning, because the mediocre Endurance I've seen so far has translated both into sluggish FootWork and an inconsistent capacity to sustain Blocks.
I'm always leery of guys who don't emerge from College in Top Condition. It makes me wonder about their Motor, their Passion, and, in short, their likelihood of doing all the Work that Sustained Success will require.
That's Risk. And Risk reduces Value...Yet some guys forge great Careers that way.
With that Power and that WingSpan, Garnett's got tremendous Potential, so even with the Doubts I have about his Motor and his potential issues in Pass Protection, I'm in agreement with the Market's Assessment of his Value.
Grateful Thanks, as always, for the crucial Work done by the folks at Draft BreakDown!!
Market Value 2nd/3rd Round | Yankee Grade 2nd/3rd Round |
This is not is even remotely a Complaint, mind you, but rather a Warning: Caveat Emptor!!