WR Jordy Nelson earning praise, laughs

[motife]

http://gnb.scout.com/2/760258.html

Nelson earning praise, laughs
By Steve Lawrence
steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com
Posted Jun 7, 2008


Intelligent and impressive rookie shows promise at OTAs as a receiver and possibly a kickoff returner.

If nothing else at this early stage of his professional career, rookie receiver Jordy Nelson is fitting in.
“He’s always laughing,” star receiver Donald Driver said on Wednesday. “The first time he met me, he was so nervous he wouldn’t speak. It was surprising he kind of had that attitude, but now he’s open and he’s laughing, and we’re making jokes all the time about each other. So, he’s getting the hang of it.”

Nelson, the Packers’ first pick this year (second round; No. 36 overall), looks every bit as talented as the player many insiders predict will be a steal of the draft. At 6-foot-3 and 217 pounds, he’s an inviting target. Plus, he’s athletic enough that he’s the early leader to join Tramon Williams as the Packers’ No. 1 kickoff returners.

“What I like about Jordy is he is a young player that continues to improve,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “You go to the first week, and he is in a bump-and-run situation against Tramon Williams and Tramon gets an excellent jam on him, and like a lot of players, they are taken aback by it. Now, you see Jordy is advancing and getting off releases. He sees the bump-and-run every day.

“He seems to be very bright and he seems to be picking things up at a fast pace, and that's important in our scheme, because our receivers play all three positions, four positions in some cases. So, I am very, very pleased with that. He has the size and speed and looks like a natural route runner.”

Nelson caught a ridiculous 122 passes last season at Kansas State. While he didn’t return kickoffs in college, he fielded five punts as a senior — and returned two of them for touchdowns.

“I definitely would like to do it," Nelson said. “It’s just another way to help out the team, and I would be able to get out on the field and play. Kickoff return is not maybe as wide open as a punt return might be, but for the most part, it’s just reading the blocks and going where you are supposed to go.”

Contributing as a kickoff returner would be nice, but the Packers are expecting him to produce as a receiver. His addition is a big reason why the Packers deemed Koren Robinson — who caught 21 passes last season — expendable, and the 33-year-old Driver can’t stay productive forever. So far, Nelson is handling the learning curve.

“His intelligence has been impressive,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “Today, I gave him an audible to see if he picked it up and he did, so that was impressive.”

Doing it in shorts in May and June and doing it on a September Sunday are two different things, of course, so Nelson has plenty to prove to everybody.

“I’m not going to guarantee that he’s one of the guys,” Driver said. “He has to still prove that he can still play. That’s what all of us (have to do). I still have to believe that I can still play before I get ran out of here.

Steve Lawrence is a frequent contributor to PackerReport.com. E-mail him at steve_lawrence_packers@yahoo.com

[mraynrand]

Any insight from Eydie Gorme?

[Scott Campbell]

Any insight from Eydie Gorme?


Boy, you really dated yourself with that one. I guess I just did too.

[MJZiggy]

Who's Eydie Gorme? :mrgreen:

[Scott Campbell]

Who's Eydie Gorme? :mrgreen:


Nobody under 30 would know.

[MJZiggy]

Now you're just sucking up...

[Scott Campbell]

Now you're just sucking up...



I was shooting for such transparency. :lol:

[MJZiggy]

And yet somehow it's still appreciated...

[Freak Out]

If Jordy is half as good on the field as Steve and Eydie were at entertaining an "older" generation he is going to the Hall.

[bobblehead]

And yet somehow it's still appreciated...

reminds me of that scene from american pie:

"all you gotta do is like...listen."

[motife]

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormet were a singing couple from the 1960's. Eydie was sort of a poor man's Doris Day or Dinah Shore type brunette and Steve was sort of a poor man's Robert Goulet or Pat Boone. They'd appear on the Ed Sullivan show, Andy Williams or other variety shows of the era probably more as a favor or a fill in, although they had very good voices, particularly Eydie. But they didn't have any big hits and were not exactly distinctive.

According to APB, Jordy Nelson is a poor man's Bill Schroeder, "if there is such a thing" as he says.

If somehow, our top 2 draft picks of the last two years, Justin Harrell and Jordy Nelson, can be referred to as "The Steve & Eydie" of the Green Bay Packers by the end of this season, Ted Thompson's spot in Canton will be assured.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZDDEW8KZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

[CaliforniaCheez]

Did they have a kid named Martin.

[oregonpackfan]

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormet were a singing couple from the 1960's. Eydie was sort of a poor man's Doris Day or Dinah Shore type brunette and Steve was sort of a poor man's Robert Goulet or Pat Boone. They'd appear on the Ed Sullivan show, Andy Williams or other variety shows of the era probably more as a favor or a fill in, although they had very good voices, particularly Eydie. But they didn't have any big hits and were not exactly distinctive.

According to APB, Jordy Nelson is a poor man's Bill Schroeder, "if there is such a thing" as he says.

If somehow, our top 2 draft picks of the last two years, Justin Harrell and Jordy Nelson, can be referred to as "The Steve & Eydie" of the Green Bay Packers by the end of this season, Ted Thompson's spot in Canton will be assured.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ZDDEW8KZL._SL500_AA240_.jpg
I too am concerned about Harrell as he had a dismal start to his rookie season. He was able to suit up and even play the second half of the season. He really needs to perform at a much higher level this season to merit his being a #1 draft pick.

It is really too early to label Nelson as a "poor man's Bill Schroeder." We have not even seen him perform in a pre-season game much less a regular season game!

As other posters have noted, rookie wide receivers rarely make a major impact. It often takes 3 years to fully evaluate the effectiveness of a young receiver.

Making a judgment on the success and/or failure of Nelson is premature, IMO.

[Packnut]

Comparing Nelson to BS is just ridiculous and very very ignorant. Nelson's hands are much better and the huge difference is Nelson made a living over the middle in college where as Billy's only route was the sideline fly pattern.

It's just amazes me how stupid some people are............. :evil:

[MJZiggy]

It was TANK, Packnut!! What do you expect? Literacy and rational thinking?

[mraynrand]

I only remember Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence from an SNL skit where they did a parody of the McLaughlin Group, called the "Sinatra Group" - Steve and Eydie played total suck ups to Frank "Absolutely Right Frank!" One of the funniest skits in the history of SNL IMO. (2 Live Crew star Luther Campbell "I don't have any talent" Frank: "You got talent, baby. You got a Ben Vereen quality I can't put my finger on. Frank Goulet, now that's not talented!!"

[Scott Campbell]

Comparing Nelson to BS is just ridiculous and very very ignorant. Nelson's hands are much better and the huge difference is Nelson made a living over the middle in college where as Billy's only route was the sideline fly pattern.

It's just amazes me how stupid some people are............. :evil:


Tank is to stupidity what the Beatles are to rock and roll. He's broken completely new ground.

[Tarlam!]

Comparing Nelson to BS is just ridiculous and very very ignorant. Nelson's hands are much better and the huge difference is Nelson made a living over the middle in college where as Billy's only route was the sideline fly pattern.

It's just amazes me how stupid some people are............. :evil:


Tank is to stupidity what the Beatles are to rock and roll. He's broken completely new ground.

Hey, SC, you put a positive spin on the worst kind of idiot poster this and other forums have ever know. Why do you feel the urge to suck up?? :shock: :D :D

[Scott Campbell]

Hey, SC, you put a positive spin on the worst kind of idiot poster this and other forums have ever know. Why do you feel the urge to suck up?? :shock: :D :D


You know me - always supportive of others.

[mission]

the guy caught _120-fakin-TWO!!!_ balls in major D1 football and plays lightning quick, not track star straight ...

schroeder had modest numbers at a school who recruited ("urged") me to play quarterback ... nuff said. i was no where close to any D1 recruiting radar ...

comparing the two makes my belly jiggle

[MJZiggy]

You gotta be kidding me...we're fighting over Tank's ideas and he's not even here to start it...he'd be so proud of himself.

[mraynrand]

the guy caught _120-fakin-TWO!!!_ balls in major D1 football and plays lightning quick, not track star straight ...

schroeder had modest numbers at a school who recruited ("urged") me to play quarterback ... nuff said. i was no where close to any D1 recruiting radar ...

comparing the two makes my belly jiggle

You must make your own belly jiggle then. Even if you compare them unfavorably (to Schroeder), you are still comparing them. You make a great point that Jordy outperformed Bill in college and at a much higher level of competition. It just seems premature to get heated up over what will happen in the pros. Lots of highly touted WRs from college went belly up in the pros. Schroeder was a marginal talent (just a guy), made to look a whole lot better given he was playing with Favre, and O-line and Ahman Green. When Sherman had a chance to revamp the offense, he was gone. I hope Nelson is a lot better, and his college creds suggest he will be. At the very least, I hope he doesn't look for a place to hook slide on the field after catching the ball, like our old pal B.S.

[POLISHHAWK]

Ever notice how a white WR can only be compared to with a white WR! Same goes with a Black QB can only be compared with a Black QB.

I never hear Jordy Nelson to be compared to an Art Monk or Jamarcus Russell being compared to Ben Rothlisberger.

[Packnut]

Ever notice how a white WR can only be compared to with a white WR! Same goes with a Black QB can only be compared with a Black QB.

I never hear Jordy Nelson to be compared to an Art Monk or Jamarcus Russell being compared to Ben Rothlisberger.


Good point.

[Freak Out]

I only remember Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence from an SNL skit where they did a parody of the McLaughlin Group, called the "Sinatra Group" - Steve and Eydie played total suck ups to Frank "Absolutely Right Frank!" One of the funniest skits in the history of SNL IMO. (2 Live Crew star Luther Campbell "I don't have any talent" Frank: "You got talent, baby. You got a Ben Vereen quality I can't put my finger on. Frank Goulet, now that's not talented!!"

:lol: I have to find that.

[sharpe1027]

You must make your own belly jiggle then. Even if you compare them unfavorably (to Schroeder), you are still comparing them. You make a great point that Jordy outperformed Bill in college and at a much higher level of competition. It just seems premature to get heated up over what will happen in the pros. Lots of highly touted WRs from college went belly up in the pros. Schroeder was a marginal talent (just a guy), made to look a whole lot better given he was playing with Favre, and O-line and Ahman Green. When Sherman had a chance to revamp the offense, he was gone. I hope Nelson is a lot better, and his college creds suggest he will be. At the very least, I hope he doesn't look for a place to hook slide on the field after catching the ball, like our old pal B.S.

In context it was pretty obviously that by "comparing" he meant pointing out their similiarities. Other than that, I agree that nobody knows how well he will do.

[Joemailman]

I only remember Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence from an SNL skit where they did a parody of the McLaughlin Group, called the "Sinatra Group" - Steve and Eydie played total suck ups to Frank "Absolutely Right Frank!" One of the funniest skits in the history of SNL IMO. (2 Live Crew star Luther Campbell "I don't have any talent" Frank: "You got talent, baby. You got a Ben Vereen quality I can't put my finger on. Frank Goulet, now that's not talented!!"

Is this the same skit where Sinatra tells Steve Lawrence to fight Billy Idol (Sting)? Maybe the greatest SNL moment ever.

[bobblehead]

Ever notice how a white WR can only be compared to with a white WR! Same goes with a Black QB can only be compared with a Black QB.

I never hear Jordy Nelson to be compared to an Art Monk or Jamarcus Russell being compared to Ben Rothlisberger.

Yea, that has always gotten on my nerves. I even read a report about jordy being on the slow side for the nfl, nevermind that nothing supports that statement.....except for one little thing.

[mission]

just for the record guys --

not gettin heated up, or anything, or at anyone ...

this is about about the most boring time that i can remember on PR ... not that it's anyone's fault, it's just the "season", but i was more just writing to the phantom in the sky -- maybe he would talk back :-)