Post by whoskmoon on Dec 31, 2020 14:09:30 GMT -6
A lot of pundits and fans are now claiming we had a great draft class, which I find weird because a lot of our rookies are playing on defense right now, and our defense is terrible. Seems like our rookies couldn't possibly be playing well on a terrible defense, so maybe these people just think the Viking's rookies are playing well for rookies?
Well, that isn't necessarily true either. Let's explore how our rookies are performing compared to other rookies playing the same positions on other teams.
JJ - By far the best rookie WR this season and a great pick. Don't really need to say a lot more about him.
Gladney - Arguably playing the 3rd worst of any CB drafted with qualifying snaps. He is #16 of 18 CBs in yards per coverage snap given up among rookies and has given up the most TDs of any rookie corner. He also leads all rookies in yards given up at 867. So far he is not living up to where he was drafted.
Cleveland - Cleveland is playing poorly in pass protection, even for a rookie. There have been 10 rookie guards who have played qualifying snaps this year, and Cleveland is 8th in pressures given up per pass protection snap. He is the 2nd best run blocking rookie guard according to PFF, but he is run blocking for the best RB in the NFL so take that with a grain of salt.
Dantzler - 9th among 18 qualifying CBs in yards per coverage snap. Very average for a rookie, but I wonder what his number is like if he wasn't playing CB with arguably the worst full time starting CB? A QB only throws the ball once per snap (unless he is Brady who gets to throw it twice), and if Gladney's guy is always open first, that just means Dantzler is better than Gladney.
Wonnum - Tied for 5th among 10 qualifying rookie edge rushers in pressure percentage. Again average, however, it turns out this was a bad year for rookie pass rushers. Last year he would have been 11th of 14 in that category. In 2018 he would have been 13th of 16th. Nothing special so far at all. Oh, he is also 9th in overall pff grade among rookie edge defenders for what it is worth. Apparently he can't tackle, and is bad against the run.
Troy Dye - 15th of 15 qualifying rookie LBers in overall PFF grade. 14th against the run, 11th in coverage. 9th in tackling efficiency, so he has that going for him.
Osborne - A whopping 21.6 YPR on kickoffs, and 3.9 YPR on punt returns. I believe he was replaced on both of those duties.
Hand - As the dime corner he has played well, but it is too small of a sample size to project anything, and he can't beat out some pretty lousy players ahead of him, so I assume he does in fact suck atm.
The rest haven't really played significant snaps, but you get the idea. JJ was an elite pick, Dantzler MIGHT be playing okay, but the rest are a liability on the field. In a draft where we had 2 1st round picks. That doesn't mean they can't get better, it does mean writing this draft off as a great one is a bit premature.
Well, that isn't necessarily true either. Let's explore how our rookies are performing compared to other rookies playing the same positions on other teams.
JJ - By far the best rookie WR this season and a great pick. Don't really need to say a lot more about him.
Gladney - Arguably playing the 3rd worst of any CB drafted with qualifying snaps. He is #16 of 18 CBs in yards per coverage snap given up among rookies and has given up the most TDs of any rookie corner. He also leads all rookies in yards given up at 867. So far he is not living up to where he was drafted.
Cleveland - Cleveland is playing poorly in pass protection, even for a rookie. There have been 10 rookie guards who have played qualifying snaps this year, and Cleveland is 8th in pressures given up per pass protection snap. He is the 2nd best run blocking rookie guard according to PFF, but he is run blocking for the best RB in the NFL so take that with a grain of salt.
Dantzler - 9th among 18 qualifying CBs in yards per coverage snap. Very average for a rookie, but I wonder what his number is like if he wasn't playing CB with arguably the worst full time starting CB? A QB only throws the ball once per snap (unless he is Brady who gets to throw it twice), and if Gladney's guy is always open first, that just means Dantzler is better than Gladney.
Wonnum - Tied for 5th among 10 qualifying rookie edge rushers in pressure percentage. Again average, however, it turns out this was a bad year for rookie pass rushers. Last year he would have been 11th of 14 in that category. In 2018 he would have been 13th of 16th. Nothing special so far at all. Oh, he is also 9th in overall pff grade among rookie edge defenders for what it is worth. Apparently he can't tackle, and is bad against the run.
Troy Dye - 15th of 15 qualifying rookie LBers in overall PFF grade. 14th against the run, 11th in coverage. 9th in tackling efficiency, so he has that going for him.
Osborne - A whopping 21.6 YPR on kickoffs, and 3.9 YPR on punt returns. I believe he was replaced on both of those duties.
Hand - As the dime corner he has played well, but it is too small of a sample size to project anything, and he can't beat out some pretty lousy players ahead of him, so I assume he does in fact suck atm.
The rest haven't really played significant snaps, but you get the idea. JJ was an elite pick, Dantzler MIGHT be playing okay, but the rest are a liability on the field. In a draft where we had 2 1st round picks. That doesn't mean they can't get better, it does mean writing this draft off as a great one is a bit premature.
... and neither is this Chris guy.