Should the New Orleans Saints Start Terron Armstead At LT?
The left tackle position remains wide open between OT Charles Brown and OT Terron Armstead heading into training camp. Armstead ran the fastest time ever for an offensive lineman at the combine, but that is not why this third round pick and 75th overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft should be starting.
Terron Armstead should be starting because his analytical profile shows that he has the capacity to handle quality pass rushing defensive ends off the edge. Pressure by way of the LT has the highest overall impact on the team’s quarterback rating. Although he came out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he started 32 games and played in 37 of them and added validity to his analytic profile with a good Senior Bowl effort. The projection is that over the next 3-5 years, Armstead is going to blossom into one of the better left tackles in the league and will be a long time starter for the New Orleans Saints.
Seattle Seahawks Prey On Talent With TE Luke Willson
The Seattle Seahawks made one of the best arbitrage selections in the 2013 NFL draft when they selected TE Luke Willson out of Rice in the fifth round with pick 158 overall. What stood out to NFL Data Consultants was the comparative analysis, which brought up the name Jimmy Graham. Jimmy Graham was taken by the New Orleans Saints in the 2010 NFL draft with pick 95 overall in the third round. Jimmy Graham was a two sport athlete, playing basketball for four years before transferring his skills over the football field for a single season while at Miami.
Just like Jimmy Graham, Luke Willson is a two sport athlete. He was signed by the Toronto Blue Jay organization in 2011. Prior to his final collegiate season, he spent the offseason playing baseball. He carries himself as a professional and was noted for his blocking skills in scouting reports, an area of his game in which he has an advantage to where Jimmy Graham was entering the league. After our filter process, the analysis noted that Graham played against tougher competition than Luke Willson, but Willson had a better challenge metric score. Additionally, his reliance metric was a strong score, demonstrating that unlike some Tight Ends that have demonstrated athletic ability in physical tests alone, his analytical profile suggests he is not fool’s gold. Reliance is a metric that provides a window of what a player’s collegiate staff really thought of a player. Based on my analysis, it is my prediction that he will be the starting tight end for the Seattle Seahawks within three years.