NOTES FROM FANS ON THE RAMS 99 DRAFT PICKSAdd yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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To give us all something to think about, here are some short posts from football fans--and not just Rams fans--who saw some of the rookies play in college. As it happens, most of the writers had seen either Bly or Germaine.
Enjoy--
Zack
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HOLT
I saw Holt against Syracuse (ESPN Thursday night) and he blew them away with only an average QB throwing to him. He could get open AND elevate to catch the pass. Two of his catches were over the defender, he was actually covered OK, he just out jumped the DB for the ball.
He would have had an even bigger game if-
* The QB had hit him 1 or 2 times when he was WIDE open;
* The team wasn't ahead in the 4th qtr and so hadn't gone to the run to eat the clock (so Holt spent most if the 4th on the bench);
* Syracuse hadn't dropped a couple of TD passes-which would have made the game even and kept Holt on the field longer.
Bama Ram Fan
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I saw Torry Holt vs FSU the last two years....Holt was completely unstoppable. I think he caught over 20 passes in both games combined, had over 400 yards receiving, and scored 9 or 10 TDs receiving and returning combined. Completely torched a pretty good FSU corner named Tay Coady. The things I really love about Holt is that he runs silky smooth pass routes, plucks the ball out of the air at its highest point, and is a very dangerous runner after the catch. He is an incredibly hard worker as well. I think the Rams have an Isaac Bruce clone without the congenital leg defect.
KB, Miami Fan
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BLY
I watched Bly on tape in two different games last year, supposedly his bad year. He's one of the most physical corners you'll see at the LOS. He makes great use of his hands to keep the receiver out of his pattern and then has the speed to play tight coverage. Some folks only mean run support when they say "physical"... Bly didn't make much effort in that area, but that can be coached if he's willing.
Fast Eddie
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I saw the UNC vs. Clemson game live last year...late in the game , I think 3 or four minutes left....UNC by 7, Clemson puts together a nice drive to the UNC 4yd line...on 1st down Bly knocked down a pass...on 2nd down Bly had such tight coverage Clemson had to throw the ball away...and on 3rd down Clemson's Brandon Streeter took a pitch on a sweep and was destroyed for a loss by---Yes Bly...he hammered Streeter so hard I felt it in the stands ( which means a lot because at that time , thanks to my friend Jackie Daniels, I was feeling NO pain) ...I remember thinking "Wow , now I know why this kid is an All-American...too bad he's going to go too high in the draft for the Rams to get him "....Bly is NOT a soft player at all [as some have alleged]...and he uses his hand really well...Bly pretty much took Peter Warrick out of the UNC vs. FSU game last year...I think Warrick had 1 big TD pass ...but it was Coles that caught most of Weinke's passes.....Go Rams 99 break the mold.
Rams22
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Dre' Bly plays with great technique, one of the best if not the best college cornerbacks I've seen. He uses his hands extremely well and plays with a cocky attitude. He has good speed and plays the ball like a wide receiver. Bly is very adept at baiting quarterbacks into forced throws. The only receiver I saw him have trouble with was Torry Holt.
KB, Miami Fan
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Bly will become the Rams best corner by the end of the year. I almost think it is funny to see a player of his quality fall so much because of a bad 3-5 game stretch in his career.
He was so phenomenal during his first two years that he could do nothing but go down. As great players do, he put on weight to improve his game against the run. This backfired and he lost a couple of steps, and yes he was beaten a few times. He then lost the weight and his game reappeared. Except for a few plays here and there, he shut down Holt and Warrick at the end of last year. That is more than other corners can say. He also was given the assignment to cover the opposing team's best receiver week in and week out throughout his career.
His overall career numbers speak for themselves. He will give the Rams a corner who can take away or at least slow down the opposing teams best receiver. Great great pick in the second round.
Jeff
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Bly has a unique style at CB and will crowd right up as close as he can get to the line of scrimmage and do his level best to try and intimidate the WR right off the line. He gets this ugly glare and tries to stare the guy down. He has been criticized for not being physical versus the run (and from what I have seen it is justified) , but he is incredibly physical versus the pass. He jams very well and is swivel-hipped. He had what I thought was great anticipation and would break on the ball with above average hands 2 years ago but seemed to lose his knack last year and came up way too quick in a couple of games I saw.
He has excellent mechanics and instincts whereas everyone knows that McCleon has struggled at times with his instincts.
Jim
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Bly was the one draft choice I didn't like. Couldn't. He was just horrible his senior year. And I think the stats would show it wasn't just the first half. BUT, he's got instinct. Great instinct. I say if he can play, he should be very, very good. I just doubt him. So, boom-or-bust. And McCleon? He, in my mind, is a pigment of Rams fans' imagination or better said hopes. He's fair. Likely to be insufficient. Way below Sam Madison. So sure, Bly could beat him out.
Ram-Ble
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COADY
I only saw Rich Coady play once. I didn't really see a standout performer. Rather, I saw a very solid football player who plays with excellent technique. I have the Missouri-Texas A&M game on tape. He picked off a pass and was key in stopping Corby Jones and Devin West on a lot of option plays. Very good tackler....wraps his man up and gets him down!
KB, Miami Fan
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