2013 commit: Jerome Lane

[kreed5120]

5 minutes ago, UAZippers said:

Ok, lets use a more apt comparision. Tajae Sharpe was a receiver at UMASS last year that broke multiple school records. PFF gave him their 4th highest grade for a receiver. He went in the 5th round about thirty spots above Jatavis. He had a much more productive career and at 6'4" was certainly not undersized. He has gone on to be one of the Titans top targets in his rookie year.

 

Again, I want Jerome to be drafted and be successful, I just think that people underestimate the challenge of being drafted to the NFL.

 

Whether he gets drafted in the 6th round or signs as an undrafted rookie really isn't what matters. The real challenge will be him making an NFL roster and sticking 2+ seasons.

[Captain Kangaroo]

His dad was a pro athlete, so I have to believe he's getting good advice. His dad also left after 3 seasons at Pitt.

 

Jerome has the size and skill set to be an NFL WR. His life goal is to be an NFL WR.

 

If he wants to attain his professional goal he's much better served being on an NFL practice squad honing his football skills 24/7, than taking Eastern Civilization and Western Cult at UA and running college WR drills with Freshman in the Stiles Center. If it doesn't work out, he can always return to college. But he can never turn back the clock to being a 22 year old athlete.

 

Due to our QB situation he rarely got to strut his stuff in 2016. It was pretty obvious it wore on him.

 

Thanks, Jerome. Wish you well. Make us proud.

[skip-zip]

10 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Whether he gets drafted in the 6th round or signs as an undrafted rookie really isn't what matters. The real challenge will be him making an NFL roster

 

But your chances, and the time you are going to get to prove yourself, are dramatically reduced if you're simply just picked up after the draft to catch a few passes during a spring trial camp.  Plus, that scenario makes it pretty unlikely that another team has/will ever hear of you after you get cut.  So....where you get drafted DOES matter.  

 

In evaluating our own players, I think that we sometimes look for those longshot/undrafted success stories as a comparison.  Those are the rare instances.  I wouldn't think it's wise to rest your hopes on those uncommon occurrences.  

 

 

[kreed5120]

5 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

But your chances, and the time you are going to get to prove yourself, are dramatically reduced if you're simply just picked up after the draft to catch a few passes during a spring trial camp.  Plus, that scenario makes it pretty unlikely that another team has/will ever hear of you after you get cut.  So....where you get drafted DOES matter.  

 

In evaluating our own players, I think that we sometimes look for those longshot/undrafted success stories as a comparison.  Those are the rare instances.  I wouldn't think it's wise to rest your hopes on those uncommon occurrences.  

 

 

 

What I was getting at is the average NFL career is 3.3 years. Many 6th and 7th rounders don't even make the roster of the team that drafted them. Being able to make a roster as a rookie isn't necessarily the most challenging part. Being able to fight off incoming rookies year after year and turning it into a legitimate career is what the challenging part is.

[Dr Z]

20 hours ago, UAZippers said:

Wow, I was not expecting this. He certainly has the talent, but I have heard no buzz about his draft prospects. 

I posted draft analysts recognizing him last January. This should surprise nobody that watched him when he didn't get the ball. Good luck to him. The more Zips in the NFL, the less difficult it becomes to sell a prospect on the progrum. I'll be interested to see who, and where he trains. Another fun pro day in Akron. 

 

1 hour ago, kreed5120 said:

Whether he gets drafted in the 6th round or signs as an undrafted rookie really isn't what matters. 

If you are undrafted, you get to select from a list of teams that are (hopefully) interested that gives you the best chance to make a roster. I would rather be undrafted then be drafted late by some clueless team with no direction or process/staff in place. Getting a shot with a team that has a history of success would be a dream scenario. I hope he gets drafted by "that" team, but if he doesn't, it doesn't mean he can't make a squad. We will get a better indication after his pro day numbers, and if he gets official pre draft visits (30 per team). Jatavis had several.