Quote:
Originally Posted by Chief Northman
I respect your football knowledge, but I completely disagree with any/all evaluations of Reddick that peg him as an elite player.
What is he?
4-3 DE?
3-4 ILB?
3-4 OLB?
SS?
I see poor instincts, bad pursuit angles, pile watching and slow eyes.
Tons of athleticism and some impressive splash plays, but his football iq is lacking.
I hope I'm wrong for Reddick's sake, but I see a Vernon Gholston here.
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I think Reddick's issue, at least as you see it in terms of IQ, has been that he's rarely being used in a concrete roll. He was asked to do so many things at so many different times that he never got truly comfortable doing any of them, at least not on the mental side.
So he went out there and on pure athleticism and repetition was able to make himself a credible football player pretty much anywhere he played. Now take that base and put it in a single position and you'll see it explode.
Put him at either 4-3 OLB spots and you'll get a great player; someone that can rush the passer if asked and is comfortable in space due to his time in the middle. He may be just a tick stiff for the Sam but I think he could wreck shit in the Will in a 4-3.
In a 3-4 I'd love to see him attempted as a true Mike. He could be similar to Bobby Wagner in that he'd be comfortable in coverage but has the skills and technique to provide a credible threat to rush the passer.
But it's ironic given the news today that the guy he REALLY reminds me of is Daryl Washington. Washington, before he was suspeded, really was a do-it-all linebacker. Before his suspension, I thought Washington was among the best, most versatile interior linebackers in football. There wasn't anything he couldn't do on a football field. I think Reddick, if he ends up in the interior, can build on an extremely broad foundation to become on of the best inside linebackers in the game.