Which rookie will have the most impact in 2008?

[MTK]

Man things are slow right now... anyway here's a new poll to discuss.

[SmootSmack]

Brooks. I expect him to get the starting job and unlike other positions like OL or WR there is only one punter. Plus I think it will take a few games for the offense to get in sync so we'll be punting a lot and field position is going to be key. Especially if our defense has to be on the field a lot due to the probable early struggles of the offense.

[SC Skins Fan]

Malcolm Kelly will be an immediate red zone threat and score some TD's. Has good hands and would seemingly work well as the X in three receiver sets. He'll hopefully make some big plays catching a few touchdowns and hauling in first downs, if not stretching the field. Devin Thomas has more physical upside, but my feeling (and that's all it is since I've not watched either play much at all) is that he's more raw than Kelly (two years of DI football, only one as a starter v. 3 years of top DI experience) and will take a little longer to develop. With his athleticism he might also work well as a Z eventually taking over for Santana - though I'm basing some of this off the Gibbs/Saunders/Coryell offense since I am not all that familiar with the Zorn/Holmgren/Walsh tree.

[Schneed10]

The punter. He's going to follow a Shane Lechler career path.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

The punter. He's going to follow a Shane Lechler career path.

I could really buy this. I mean, a lot of players that have great college legs seem to lose them when they get to the NFL, but the Redskins have been very unwilling to spend a pick on a special teamer--it looks like they really honed in on this ONE guy.

I think the team feels like they've just drafted the best punter in the NFL. It's what the Chiefs felt like when they drafted Colquitt a few years back, but the Skins didn't burn a first round pick.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

I could really buy this. I mean, a lot of players that have great college legs seem to lose them when they get to the NFL, but the Redskins have been very unwilling to spend a pick on a special teamer--it looks like they really honed in on this ONE guy.

I think the team feels like they've just drafted the best punter in the NFL. It's what the Chiefs felt like when they drafted Colquitt a few years back, but the Skins didn't burn a first round pick.

My dad used to work with a guy who was the punter for Purdue when Brees was there. He tried out for a bunch of NFL team but never made it. I asked him if the fact that the ball is a slightly different shape made a difference and thought that it did. Obviously some people are better at making that adjustment than others.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I feel like we drafted guys to play in 2009 and beyond. Barring injury to one of our current starters, I don't see any of the rooks making a huge impact in 2008. Brooks could make an immediate impact, but I'm not sure that he'll even be on our roster.

[redsk1]

I'm going to go out on a little limb and say Fred Davis. With the WC offense installed, i think he could have a decent year. I'm not talking 10 TD's or anything but a decent year. He was the best TE in college last year and he's teamed up w/ good talent on O, including Cooley. CC is going to get the attention, especially in the red zone. We all know JC seems more comfortable throwing to TE's too. Since I'm bored too, i'll say 5 TD's, 500 yards. I'd say Thomas would be a close 2nd.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by redsk1

I'm going to go out on a little limb and say Fred Davis. With the WC offense installed, i think he could have a decent year. I'm not talking 10 TD's or anything but a decent year. He was the best TE in college last year and he's teamed up w/ good talent on O, including Cooley. CC is going to get the attention, especially in the red zone. We all know JC seems more comfortable throwing to TE's too. Since I'm bored too, i'll say 5 TD's, 500 yards. I'd say Thomas would be a close 2nd.

5 TDs and 500 yards is an awful lot of production for a #2 TE. Supposing Campbell throws for 3,300 yards and 20 TDs (a good year), Moss should at least put up 900 yards, ARE should at least get another 400, Cooley another 700, and Portis (who Zorn wants to get even more involved in the passing game) another 400. That leaves us with 900 yards between Thomas, Kelly and Davis. I'd be surprised if Davis had more than 250 yards and 3 TDs.

[redsk1]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

5 TDs and 500 yards is an awful lot of production for a #2 TE. Supposing Campbell throws for 3,300 yards and 20 TDs (a good year), Moss should at least put up 900 yards, ARE should at least get another 400, Cooley another 700, and Portis (who Zorn wants to get even more involved in the passing game) another 400. That leaves us with 900 yards between Thomas, Kelly and Davis. I'd be surprised if Davis had more than 250 yards and 3 TDs.

Yea, i was going to go w/ 350-450, 3-5 TD's but hey i just think w/ Cooley, Moss, Thomas/Kelly, he might see some open areas of the field. He's a talented guy. But i see where you are coming from. We can only hope.

[GMScud]

I say Durant Brooks by a hair over Devin Thomas. The guy is a 50+ yard punting machine, and with Pacman Jones and Desean Jackson new additions to division rivals and both very explosive punt returners, we need consistency in the punting game. Forgive the pun, but Frost is too hot and, ahem, cold.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by redsk1

I'm going to go out on a little limb and say Fred Davis. With the WC offense installed, i think he could have a decent year. I'm not talking 10 TD's or anything but a decent year. He was the best TE in college last year and he's teamed up w/ good talent on O, including Cooley. CC is going to get the attention, especially in the red zone. We all know JC seems more comfortable throwing to TE's too. Since I'm bored too, i'll say 5 TD's, 500 yards. I'd say Thomas would be a close 2nd.

that is out on a limb, but I feel ya, the dude is talented & could probably start if it weren't for CC. I don't know that he'll have those kind of #s, but I would love it if he made an immediate impact blocking. Cooley isn't a great blocker. He's worked on it over the years & has said as much. maybe davis could at least drive him to improve his blocking. Davis didn't do a lot of blocking at usc, but hopefully he'll develop in that role here. It might be his best chance at playing time.

[freddyg12]

I went w/Brooks, he can beat out frost if he doesn't crack in the preseason games.

The only thing I worry about w/him is his ability to drop em inside the 20. Frost got to be pretty decent at placing punts.

[SC Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by freddyg12

I went w/Brooks, he can beat out frost if he doesn't crack in the preseason games.

The only thing I worry about w/him is his ability to drop em inside the 20. Frost got to be pretty decent at placing punts.

He was pretty good and killing them inside the 20 at Georgia Tech, we'll see how that translates: "Durant's gross average of 45.1 yards per punt was fifth best in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but his 33 inside the 20 (more than half of his 65 attempts) and 21 fair catches were considerably more than the other punters ranked ahead of him."

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by SC Skins Fan

He was pretty good and killing them inside the 20 at Georgia Tech, we'll see how that translates: "Durant's gross average of 45.1 yards per punt was fifth best in the Football Bowl Subdivision, but his 33 inside the 20 (more than half of his 65 attempts) and 21 fair catches were considerably more than the other punters ranked ahead of him."

nice post, hope he can continue those no.s here.