The NFL's summer hiatus is just about to be denied. A few more days still remain for we fans to get into training camp shape. Do that extra set of situps and pushups. Lay off that donut in favor of a slice of melon.
For me it's a good time to ponder all that we have learned and accomplished as fans of the sport over the years. I think also of our victorious MACH 10 Draft Champeen in 2013, Mr. Don Pardo, and his climb to the top to join the Mt. Rushmore of previous years' winners Broz-Lion, JB Sage-Lion, Fanny Harris (twice), Leo Pizzini and the GK himself, Brizer.
I wonder how many of them predicted that tight end Zach Ertz would not only be drafted by the Eagles high in the 2nd round in 2013, but would also be projected as a "breakthrough" player in the Birds' new offense?
Being tabbed as a player on the brink of a potential breakthrough year in the NFL means dealing with more pressure and living up to higher expectations.
In a survey by team correspondents for The Sports Xchange, the label of potential breakthrough player for 2013 was placed on a variety of players in the NFC. They range from so-called can't-miss rookie wide receiver Tavon Austin of the St. Louis Rams to former sixth-round draftee Josh Morgan of the Washington Redskins, a wide receiver still trying to prove himself in his sixth season.
A lot of these types of surveys are somewhat whimsical, since you can never predict the effects of injuries or a rookie's learning curve in a training camp and a season that hasn't even begun.
But sure enough, there was Zach Ertz listed by the survey as the Eagles' projected "breakthrough" player.
Really? Ertz must be that damn good, because he hasn't even participated in an OTA or preseason workout yet!
Ertz, a consensus All-American and second-round pick, missed all OTAs and minicamps because of rules prohibiting rookies from playing until the school semester ends. But he is expected to pick up Chip Kelly's offense quickly and could be a highlight in two and three tight end alignments. Yes, I get that part.
But a breakthrough season for a rookie tight end? That's a tall order. I'd be taking the survey results more seriously if they had picked 2nd-year RB Bryce Brown or rookie OT Lane Johnson as the "breakthrough" prospect.
But I give Ertz his due. He looks like a really good quality pick out of Stanford.
I went back and dug up some of Doug Farrar's scouting reports on Ertz (Farrar writes for the Shutdown Corner.com)…
Caught behind Coby Fleener on the Cardinal depth chart in 2010 and 2011, the 6-foot-5, 249-pound Ertz became the team's full-time starter at the position just in time for Andrew Luck's departure. He caught passes from Josh Nunes and Kevin Hogan instead, and led all FBS tight ends with 69 receptions and 898 yards. He added six touchdowns to become one of the most prominent tight ends in the NCAA, just at a time when the NFL expects more from the position than ever.
For Ertz, the primary challenge will be to find a definitive place in the pros with a skill set that hearkens back to the days when tight ends weren't expected to run 4.5 40s at 250 pounds, and sear the seams of a field with dynamic explosiveness.
"Everybody talks about the speed of the game and how it changes from college to the NFL," Ertz said at the scouting combine. "I'm just looking forward to seeing how that translates … I was used all over the field at Stanford, in-line and in the slot and out wide. That versatility is going to help me at the next level."
Ertz's tape impresses in many ways, but one is left at times wanting just a bit more in certain aspects.
Pros: Experience in a power-based, pro-style offense. Big target who uses surprising short-area agility to get open in space. Good stalk blocker who will get upfield, push people back, and can get open quickly off blocks. Dynamic yards-after-catch runner who frequently forces more than one defender to take him down. Chips well to get outside quickly on fast passes. High-points the ball in traffic and goes after it with his hands — snatches the ball as opposed to letting it hit his body.
Very aware player who will change his routes to adapt to quarterbacks moving out of the pocket, and comes back out of coverage to save plays. Excellent underneath receiver who will take advantage of zone and off coverage all day. Physical player off the line who will use his arms to strike and separate from tight coverage. Good sideline and boundary receiver; understands foot placement and will use his height to his advantage. Has a good overall understanding of route concepts.
Cons: Ertz doesn't have the kind of straight-line speed or quick-twitch movement required to consistently get and stay open when running out of the flex position or outside. Needs a few steps to get up to full speed; not an explosive player at all. Can get gummed up by safeties and faster linebackers. Not a practiced or effective inline blocker — he tends to reach and flail and doesn't plant and drive. Runs drifty routes at times and lacks the ability to cut on a dime. Needs to be tougher over the middle and with potential tacklers converging; will occasionally flinch when opponents drop the hammer.
Sometimes lets his eyes get ahead of the catch — needs to look the ball in all the way before he turns and runs. Slim-legged player who could benefit from about 10 pounds more muscle. Creates separation with physicality as opposed to agility and won't beat defenders deep on a regular basis. Ran in the high 4.6 range at the combine and at his pro day, but doesn't always match that timed speed on the field.
Conclusion: Clearly, when you watch Zach Ertz and project him to an NFL future, you have to understand that he's not one of the new wave of "big receiver" tight ends who stretch defenses from multiple positions. His relatively slow foot speed and limited agility will push him closer to the line in the NFL, where he can use his size and skill in open spaces. That said, his future is not as definite as it may seem.
Farrar ultimately compares Ertz to Kyle Rudolph of the Minnesota Vikings as the player type he most resembles.
What, you were hoping for Jason Witten?
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