FR. SOURCE >>> Three-year comparison: Morgan Burnett vs. Nick Collins

[woodbuck27]

http://jerseyal.com/GBP/2013/05/11/three-year-comparison-morgan-burnett-vs-nick-collins/

Three-year comparison: Morgan Burnett vs. Nick Collins

By: AllGreenBayPackers.Com

Commentary, Opinions, History and Analysis of the Green Bay Packers

"When the Packers were forced to release Nick Collins prior to the 2012 season, they were left with a gaping hole at the most important position in the secondary.

Collins, a three-time Pro Bowler, was among the best safeties in football at the time he suffered a career-threatening neck injury in 2011, while his counterpart, Morgan Burnett, was coming off a season-ending injury of his own in his second NFL season." Please ... Hit LINK above for the entire story

GO PACK GO !

[Upnorth]

I like this Kool aid and hope it's right. Having Burnett play at close to Collins level would be amazing. My only problem is I don't remember early Collins making as many mistakes as early Burnett and I don't think Burnett has the same closing speed Collins did.

[Bretsky]

I really like Burnett as a player; really like Collins too. But IMO Collins skills were a strong step up.
They'd make a great duo. But I don't buy that Burnett has elite in him. And when you combine Bunrett with J.A.G.'s like MD Jennings we're weak at safety.
I just hope one of last years rookie draft picks can take the second safety position; otherwise we are still lacking there

[woodbuck27]

I really like Burnett as a player; really like Collins too. But IMO Collins skills were a strong step up.
They'd make a great duo. But I don't buy that Burnett has elite in him. And when you combine Bunrett with J.A.G.'s like MD Jennings we're weak at safety.
I just hope one of last years rookie draft picks can take the second safety position; otherwise we are still lacking there

I was very surprized hat TT ignored the safety need. Unless he has some surprize backup plan. I'm not comfortable with us and safety entering TC. That was nominated as a #2 priority need by analitical NFL sites prior to the draft. Something BIG has to develop there or TT will be finally getting it next year and the draft.

GO PACKERS !

[Pugger]

I was very surprized hat TT ignored the safety need. Unless he has some surprize backup plan. I'm not comfortable with us and safety entering TC. That was nominated as a #2 priority need by analitical NFL sites prior to the draft. Something BIG has to develop there or TT will be finally getting it next year and the draft.

GO PACKERS !

Collins was an exceptional player and finding another one like him will be tall order for sure. I'm wondering if Capers and company are counting on McMillian and Richardson to break out and that was why we passed on a safety in this draft?

[King Friday]

I really like Burnett. I think he's going to continue to improve, just as Collins did over his first 4-5 years. The other position is really key. If they don't have someone capable there, it will impact Burnett negatively.

[Patler]

I like this Kool aid and hope it's right. Having Burnett play at close to Collins level would be amazing. My only problem is I don't remember early Collins making as many mistakes as early Burnett and I don't think Burnett has the same closing speed Collins did.

You don't remember the Collins mistakes? To start with, the kid couldn't catch to save his life. One of the papers ran an article detailing his drops, and concluded that conservatively he should have had 10 interceptions after 3 years, but he had only 1 (I think). Seeing him run the wrong direction entirely was not uncommon. Some were beginning to wonder if he would ever put it together completely, or if he would always be a kid that had so much more potential than his performance achieved. He was better in his third year, but it still seemed like there should be so much more.

I don't know what it was, but he changed from a somewhat unsure, mistake-prone third year player to a savy, pro-bowl veteran over the one summer. I remember asking myself if this was the new Nick Collins who would play that way the rest of his career, or if he was just in a zone that wouldn't be realized anytime again. It turned out to be the first, and he made it real easy to forget how much he struggled at times those first three years.

[woodbuck27]

Collins was an exceptional player and finding another one like him will be tall order for sure. I'm wondering if Capers and company are counting on McMillian and Richardson to break out and that was why we passed on a safety in this draft?

TT and Company placed double eggs in four crates in this draft.

Add in two calls for the DL (DE and DT) and another add at CB >>> didn't leave room for a Safety.

Obviously his confidence in our status at the Safety position, trumped the NFL analysts. His 'in house' confidence should trump theirs.

Did he get it right? Time ..........the 2013 season, will tell us.

GO PACK GO !

[woodbuck27]

You don't remember the Collins mistakes? To start with, the kid couldn't catch to save his life. One of the papers ran an article detailing his drops, and concluded that conservatively he should have had 10 interceptions after 3 years, but he had only 1 (I think). Seeing him run the wrong direction entirely was not uncommon. Some were beginning to wonder if he would ever put it together completely, or if he would always be a kid that had so much more potential than his performance achieved. He was better in his third year, but it still seemed like there should be so much more.

I don't know what it was, but he changed from a somewhat unsure, mistake-prone third year player to a savy, pro-bowl veteran over the one summer. I remember asking myself if this was the new Nick Collins who would play that way the rest of his career, or if he was just in a zone that wouldn't be realized anytime again. It turned out to be the first, and he made it real easy to forget how much he struggled at times those first three years.

He had a slow start in my view throughout most of his Rookie contract. Suddenly... it all came together like he was under a spell.

PACKERS !

[RashanGary]

I really like Burnett as a player; really like Collins too. But IMO Collins skills were a strong step up.
They'd make a great duo. But I don't buy that Burnett has elite in him. And when you combine Bunrett with J.A.G.'s like MD Jennings we're weak at safety.
I just hope one of last years rookie draft picks can take the second safety position; otherwise we are still lacking there

I'll 2nd this one.

[RashanGary]

I think Collins showed special ability, early, as a tackler that Burnett has never showed. In the last 10 years of football, Collins is the best tackler I've seen with the Packers. Burnett is ho-hum.

[woodbuck27]

Nick Collins Career Stat's:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/8465/nick-collins

Morgan Burnett Career Stat's:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13264/morgan-burnett

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Collins was 100 times more athletic than Burnett and had a much higher ceiling that he reached. Even if Burnett reaches his max potential he will still be a step below Collins.

[Fritz]

You don't remember the Collins mistakes? To start with, the kid couldn't catch to save his life. One of the papers ran an article detailing his drops, and concluded that conservatively he should have had 10 interceptions after 3 years, but he had only 1 (I think). Seeing him run the wrong direction entirely was not uncommon. Some were beginning to wonder if he would ever put it together completely, or if he would always be a kid that had so much more potential than his performance achieved. He was better in his third year, but it still seemed like there should be so much more.

I don't know what it was, but he changed from a somewhat unsure, mistake-prone third year player to a savy, pro-bowl veteran over the one summer. I remember asking myself if this was the new Nick Collins who would play that way the rest of his career, or if he was just in a zone that wouldn't be realized anytime again. It turned out to be the first, and he made it real easy to forget how much he struggled at times those first three years.

This is what people are forgetting. How many times did I curse the television when Collins dropped a sure int, or was a split second late getting to the receiver?

I don't know if Burnett will be that good. But I do know that it took Collins three full years to figure it out.

I also predict that McMillan will follow that same trajectory. I think he'll be better this year, but not really good, and that next year or the year after will be his coming-out party. Then people will forget how lousy he was his first year, and Packer fans in diapers now will someday claim that everyone could see McMillan's natural athletic skills early on, and that we all knew it was just a matter of time before he put it all together.

[3irty1]

Collins was 100 times more athletic than Burnett and had a much higher ceiling that he reached. Even if Burnett reaches his max potential he will still be a step below Collins.

Disagree big time. Burnett might not catch Adrian Peterson from behind like Collins could but is an impressive combo of physical gifts in his own right. He's got the short area quickness to match up with either waterbug type receivers and yet the size and length to handle big tight ends in the slot. He's got more than enough long speed to cover a deep portion of the field as well.

I think this comparison is a little off because the two players aren't that much alike. Collins was an elite center fielder, good enough to cover up Peprah at strong safety even. Burnett has been stuck in that role with the sudden loss of Collins but other than his ball skills he doesn't offer anything special back there. Get him paired with a more versatile safety who can be trusted deep and Burnett becomes a lot more valuable IMO.

[Fritz]

Disagree big time. Burnett might not catch Adrian Peterson from behind like Collins could but is an impressive combo of physical gifts in his own right. He's got the short area quickness to match up with either waterbug type receivers and yet the size and length to handle big tight ends in the slot. He's got more than enough long speed to cover a deep portion of the field as well.

I think this comparison is a little off because the two players aren't that much alike. Collins was an elite center fielder, good enough to cover up Peprah at strong safety even. Burnett has been stuck in that role with the sudden loss of Collins but other than his ball skills he doesn't offer anything special back there. Get him paired with a more versatile safety who can be trusted deep and Burnett becomes a lot more valuable IMO.

So is McMillan, Richardson, or Doc Jennings the best fit with Burnett?

[3irty1]

So is McMillan, Richardson, or Doc Jennings the best fit with Burnett?

None of them have been good enough to completely free Burnett but I'd say Jennings has been the most able to take centerfielder snaps away from him. McMillian has a lot more upside and is the better best case scenario this year IMO but that would require some improvement in his cover skills since last year. Richardson has awesome size and speed so he could be another high upside option compared to Jennings but seems like more of a long shot especially with his back injury that put him on IR.

[Fritz]

I was asking more in the context of which one has the best skill-set to complement Burnett.

[3irty1]

I was asking more in the context of which one has the best skill-set to complement Burnett.

I'd say Jennings. He's the closest thing we have to a traditional FS and that's what I'd want to pair Burnett with. That or another Burnett.

[swede]

I'd say Jennings. He's the closest thing we have to a traditional FS and that's what I'd want to pair Burnett with. That or another Burnett.

3irty...were you the original "Piss-on-the-Wall-Happy" poster who had followed Burnett's career in college?

This particular poster had been at the urinal at the moment of hearing Burnett's name called out as the Packer's pick, and the ensuing joy dramatically disturbed the steady stream of relief.

[Joemailman]

Richardson had an interesting scouting report coming out of Vanderbilt. http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profiles/sean-richardson?id=2533333 He has some real physical ability, but there's a question whether he'll ever be as good a football player as he is an athlete.

[3irty1]

3irty...were you the original "Piss-on-the-Wall-Happy" poster who had followed Burnett's career in college?

This particular poster had been at the urinal at the moment of hearing Burnett's name called out as the Packer's pick, and the ensuing joy dramatically disturbed the steady stream of relief.

Haha I don't remember that but it could have been me. I was a very big Burnett fan watching him at GT and loved him as a draft prospect too. I also remember for that draft I was working at the time and getting ESPN updates on my phone whenever the Packers picked. There was a no phone policy so I was sneaking off to the bathroom every time the Packers picked so its entirely possible that happened but I don't remember. I'm sure I went nuts though, especially since I had figured we'd missed out on him after taking Neal in round 2.

[Brandon494]

I was so excited when we drafted Burnett, finally we were going to have a safety to pair of with Collins but then the unthinkable happened in Carolina. :sad: