Thread: Anyone who has espn insider...Troy Williamson Article

can you post the front page article on the NFL section about Troy Williamson, please!

wurd... i wanna hear what it has to say about all of them especially troy and the Nuge.

As you wish:
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Over the next eight months, several rookies will provide compelling story lines. The intrigue of the unknown is profound. Minnesota wonders whether wide receiver Troy Williamson, the seventh overall pick in the draft, can crack the stigma that the players at his position are window dressing, not saviors, in Year 1. That's not to mention that Williamson, who left school with one year of eligibility remaining to enter the NFL draft, is being viewed by Vikings fans as the man who will replace Randy Moss. A daunting task for a 21-year-old? All Moss did as a rookie was amass 69 catches, 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns, a trampoline to his 574 catches, 9,142 yards and 90 touchdowns in seven brilliant seasons with Minnesota.

WR Troy Williamson, Minnesota Vikings
Drafted: 1st round, 7th overall pick
College: South Carolina
Numbers: 6-1 3/8, 203, 4.35
Scouts Inc. draft report

Boom: An exceptional athlete with top-end speed, big-play ability and prototypical No. 1 WR size. Can be an instant impact player as a deep threat but doesn't have to be Randy Moss, given the Vikings' depth at the position. As a rookie, pressure should be minimal as a complementary part in a breakneck offense, allowing Williamson to feel his way into an expanded role.

Bust: Is raw in several areas and needs route refinement and more upper-body strength to beat the jam at the line of scrimmage. Could be overwhelmed by sophisticated coverages that defenses will throw at Minnesota to slow down Daunte Culpepper. Pick was based more on measurables than football skills, a key in uncovering first-round busts such as Koren Robinson – once dubbed the "next Randy Moss" – and Marcus Nash (1998).

Bottom line: If he's willing to make every effort to polish his game, Williamson could become a No. 1-type receiver, especially in Minnesota's loaded offense. But if he gets lost in the shuffle and overwhelmed by NFL competition, Williamson's road to greatness may be hindered by obstacles.
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Another person's opinion. We won't know about him until the season starts. Hopefully, he will be a good, if not great receiver.

The rest of the article, minus the important guy:
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Every team will begin July with a compass pointed toward Detroit and a reasonable belief that it, too, has a chance to be on site for Super Bowl XL in February 2006.

Every club broke post-draft mini-camps this month soaked in the optimism that the fruits of the most recent draft can provide the boost the 31 teams not based in New England are after.

Over the next eight months, several rookies will provide compelling story lines. The intrigue of the unknown is profound. Minnesota wonders whether wide receiver Troy Williamson, the seventh overall pick in the draft, can crack the stigma that the players at his position are window dressing, not saviors, in Year 1. That's not to mention that Williamson, who left school with one year of eligibility remaining to enter the NFL draft, is being viewed by Vikings fans as the man who will replace Randy Moss. A daunting task for a 21-year-old? All Moss did as a rookie was amass 69 catches, 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns, a trampoline to his 574 catches, 9,142 yards and 90 touchdowns in seven brilliant seasons with Minnesota.

Speaking of filling ample shoes, what about Aaron Rodgers? The day before the draft, Rodgers was visualizing a much different NFL beginning than the one he drew. Discussed as a potential No. 1 overall selection or, at the very least, a top-10 pick, Rodgers fell to No. 24 and the Packers. The California kid, who had dreams of starting a renaissance with his beloved 49ers, might not even take a meaningful snap for two years. Instead, he likely will draw clipboard duty as Brett Favre's caddie.

Perhaps no player or pick was more intriguing than Matt Jones, who landed in Jacksonville with the 21st overall selection. Jones, a quarterback at Arkansas, shot up draft boards with eye-opening workouts at Senior Bowl practices in January and legitimized his status as a top-30 player one month later at the scouting combine, when he left vapor trails in running a 4.39 40-yard dash. In Jacksonville, Jones is being anointed as a savior for an offense that hasn't scored with ease and needed to round out its uneven wide receiver corps to further develop quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Not since Sebastian Janikowski came to Oakland in 2000 has a fan base been as excited to see a place-kicker drafted as the Jets' is about Mike Nugent's arrival. The Ohio State team captain has the leg to kick 50-yarders. And, the best part for Jets fans, he's not Doug Brien. You'll recall, painfully perhaps, that Brien missed two potential game-winning field goals in the AFC divisional playoffs at Pittsburgh.

There are 28 other teams with rookies like these who pique our interest. Somewhere among the bunch there is a bust – maybe two – and even a future Pro Bowler. Until July, when the universal game plan of reaching the postseason is set in motion, all we have is the intrigue.


QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Drafted: 1st round, 24th overall pick
College: California
Numbers: 6-foot-2, 223 pounds, 4.74 40-time
Scouts Inc. draft report

Boom: Rodgers could spend three or four years in a version of the West Coast offense before he ever starts in the NFL. His accuracy – especially in the short-to-intermediate range – quick release and mechanics are outstanding. The Packers are loaded at wide receiver, led by 26-year-old Pro Bowler Javon Walker, a driven hard worker who lives to win.

Bust: Scouts worry Rodgers could be the next in a line of Jeff Tedford-manufactured quarterbacks who have failed in the NFL. Rodgers has never faced this kind of pressure – potentially filling Favre's shoes. Not as mobile as you'd like a West Coast quarterback to be, and there are questions about his arm strength and ability to throw over the middle. The Packers might make Craig Nall the backup, meaning Rodgers, as the No. 3, would get little "live" work in practice.

Bottom line: Rodgers has clipboard duty until Favre hangs up his cleats, but first-round picks such as Chad Pennington, Steve McNair and Steve Young have taken the same route. If Rodgers proves worthy physically, he can keep the Packers out of rebuilding mode.


WR Matt Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
Drafted: 1st round, 21st overall pick
College: Arkansas
Numbers: 6-6, 242, 4.39
Scouts Inc. draft report

Boom: A terrific athlete with exceptional size and straight-line speed. Has very good hands and, in limited workouts, displayed a knack for picking up minor details and intricacies of the wide receiver position with ease. Has a reputation as a clutch performer and should help in the red zone. Knows the role of the WR position as a quarterback, which might be to his advantage. Could also grow into a premier tight end.

Bust: Is making a dramatic position switch and needs time to develop. The Jaguars assume Jones can be a very good blocker, but he has much to learn in that area. While he shows speed on long routes, Jones is not sudden, or as smooth as he could be, changing directions. He's a bit of a free spirit, and some scouts wonder whether Jones is dedicated enough to play special teams and do what it takes when football becomes a 24-7 job.

Bottom line: Depending on Jones' rate of development, the Jaguars will wind up looking like geniuses or … well, not geniuses. Jones has tremendous upside. But he's as unproven as any first-round pick could be, and if the team's projection was off, Jones will fall hard.


PK Mike Nugent, New York Jets
Drafted: 2nd round, 47th overall pick
College: Ohio State
Numbers: 5-9, 182, 4.77
Scouts Inc. draft report

Boom: Right-footed kicker who made 88 percent of his FG attempts at Ohio State, where he was a team captain and hit eight kicks of 50 or more yards. Gets good distance and hang time on kickoffs. Has been poised and clutch in pressure situations – was voted team MVP with the Buckeyes – and seems to operate without the quirks of typical place-kickers. Is very intelligent and resilient.

Bust: As a rookie, the pressure of kicking in a massive market like New York will be immense. Though this isn't expected to be an issue for Nugent, some kickers do struggle to acclimate to a new kicking tee and football.

Bottom line: Nugent was the best kicker available – in the draft or via free agency – and could prove to be a true steal for the Jets. He can avoid feeling the heat of performing in New York by hitting his kicks early, which would endear him to the fan base and make for a seamless transition into the league.

thanks

Ya, sure, ya betcha......

"The Packers are loaded at wide receiver, led by 26-year-old Pro Bowler Javon Walker, a driven hard worker who lives to win."

Was this writer smoking with Ricky and Onterrio just before he wrote this? LOL

I think that the writer meant to say that HE was loaded...when he wrote this article.

Thanks, i really wanted to know what it had to say... i hate insider...

the pack are loaded with WR's. Javon ( if he doesnt hold out ). Ferguson is pretty good. And Driver put up good numbers. And they drafted Terrance Murphy

i wouldnt say loaded. javons holding out which is effecting his team, ferguson is gonna pee in his pants next time they send him across the middle, driver is good (against nickel corners).