"HARRELL OFF TO SLUGGISH START "

[KYPack]

We've had discussions on Southern Kentucky and the state parks there....

Well, get ready to feel real tortured.

My neighbor is one of the top fishing guides in the state. His wife made him give up guiding. Next week he's taking me down to the headwaters of the Cumberland River. He assures me we will have our limit of 10 Rainbow and Brown Trout by 11 AM or so.

[MJZiggy]

Can I come?

[vince]

It seems like a lot of people are concluding that Harrell's injury will take him another year to overcome. From where is this conclusion being drawn?

Here's an excerpt from the following site about rehabilitating a surgically repaired biceps tendon: Internet Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Trauma

Immediately after surgery, your surgeon may cast your elbow for up to six weeks. Some surgeons prefer to use a special range-of-motion brace with careful elbow motion starting within one to two weeks. When you start therapy, your first few sessions may involve ice and electrical stimulation treatments to help control pain and swelling from the surgery. Your therapist may also use massage and other types of hands-on treatments to ease muscle spasm and pain.

You will gradually start exercises to improvement movement in the forearm, elbow, and shoulder. You need to be careful to avoid doing too much, too quickly.

Exercises for the biceps muscle are avoided until at least four to six weeks after surgery. Your therapist may begin with light isometric strengthening exercises. These exercises work the biceps muscle without straining the healing tendon.

At about six weeks, you start doing more active strengthening. As you progress, your therapist will teach you exercises to strengthen and stabilize the muscles and joints of the wrist and hand, elbow, and shoulder. Other exercises will work your elbow in ways that are similar to your work tasks and sport activities. Your therapist will help you find ways to do your tasks that don't put too much stress on your elbow.

You may require therapy for two to three months. It generally takes four to six months to safely begin doing forceful biceps activity. Before your therapy sessions end, your therapist will teach you a number of ways to avoid future problems.

I see no reason to believe Harrell can't/won't be 100% effective this year. This is also an injury that has zero increased chance of reoccurring after successful repair and rehab. What don't I know about this situation?

[RashanGary]

Justin Harrell is going to take a year to develop becuase he's a college DT heading into the NFL. No DT's that I am aware of in the last 10 years came out of the gates as probowlers or even close. He's going to need a year like every other rookie DT. I'll bet Amobe Okoye, a top 10 pick, doesn't set the NFL on fire either.

[Packnut]

Bet

Justin Harrell is going to take a year to develop becuase he's a college DT heading into the NFL. No DT's that I am aware of in the last 10 years came out of the gates as probowlers or even close. He's going to need a year like every other rookie DT. I'll bet Amobe Okoye, a top 10 pick, doesn't set the NFL on fire either.

And you would win that bet.

[vince]

I don't think anyone's expecting him to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and obviously, he'll become more effective as he gains experience playing against the stronger and faster NFL linemen. That goes without saying. And given that he'll rotate with the deepest group on the team, he'll likely have relatively low stat production. My question is about his health.

Last year, Corey Williams, a 4th year pro, who played in all 16 games, and the player with whom he's expected to share time and rotate, had 34 total tackles last year, according to NFL.com. That's the kind of production that I think we should expect from a first round draft choice with the skills, size and strength of Justin Harrell.

If he's on the field and healthy, he has the ability to contribute to the team's run-stopping effectiveness - rookie or not. Plugging holes, attracting double teams, opening up the linebackers, and getting some stops up the middle. If he's effective, teams may find they have a hard time running up the middle on Harrell and Pickett.

Again, I don't expect him to be a pro bowler, but I do expect him to contribute to the team's success, predominantly against the run this year- again, if he's healthy - which as far as I can tell, he should be.

If he does that, he'll serve an important role on this team.

[Lurker64]

Last year, Corey Williams, a 4th year pro, who played in all 16 games, and the player with whom he's expected to share time and rotate, had 34 total tackles last year, according to NFL.com. That's the kind of production that I think we should expect from a first round draft choice with the skills, size and strength of Justin Harrell.

Similarly, last year's highest drafted DT, (Haloti Ngata who went 12th to Baltimore), managed 13 tackles, 18 assists, 1 sack, and 1 INT. Expecting dramatically more from Harell who was drafted 4 spots lower and is recovering from an injury, is probably unreasonable.

On the other hand, we judge DTs less on their ability to rack up stats, and more on their abilities to enable the defense. If Harrell can hold the point, and keep blockers off of LBs, he'll be a success no matter how few tackles he gets.

On the third hand, didn't the kerfluffle with A.J. last year teach us to not get too worked up about what out number one draft picks do in training camp anyway?

[red]

I don't think anyone's expecting him to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie

my expectations of him are so low that i would just be happy if he isn't a complete bust and out of the league in 4 years

didn't big gil play a year with that same injury

and didn't that same injury have something to do with his career ending?

[woodbuck27]

I don't think anyone's expecting him to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and obviously, he'll become more effective as he gains experience playing against the stronger and faster NFL linemen. That goes without saying. And given that he'll rotate with the deepest group on the team, he'll likely have relatively low stat production. My question is about his health.

Last year, Corey Williams, a 4th year pro, who played in all 16 games, and the player with whom he's expected to share time and rotate, had 34 total tackles last year, according to NFL.com. That's the kind of production that I think we should expect from a first round draft choice with the skills, size and strength of Justin Harrell.

If he's on the field and healthy, he has the ability to contribute to the team's run-stopping effectiveness - rookie or not. Plugging holes, attracting double teams, opening up the linebackers, and getting some stops up the middle. If he's effective, teams may find they have a hard time running up the middle on Harrell and Pickett.

Again, I don't expect him to be a pro bowler, but I do expect him to contribute to the team's success, predominantly against the run this year- again, if he's healthy - which as far as I can tell, he should be.

If he does that, he'll serve an important role on this team.

It's incumbant being a first round pick that Justin Harrerll gets lots of rep's.

We'll get an ample opportunity to see what he brings to the table this season.

We all surely hope he will be a valuable piece of our 'D' this season and in the future. It's all up to Justin Harrell, provided the HC and coaching staff use some common sense with this young DT.

[RashanGary]

Last year, Corey Williams, a 4th year pro, who played in all 16 games, and the player with whom he's expected to share time and rotate, had 34 total tackles last year, according to NFL.com. That's the kind of production that I think we should expect from a first round draft choice with the skills, size and strength of Justin Harrell.

Similarly, last year's highest drafted DT, (Haloti Ngata who went 12th to Baltimore), managed 13 tackles, 18 assists, 1 sack, and 1 INT. Expecting dramatically more from Harell who was drafted 4 spots lower and is recovering from an injury, is probably unreasonable.

On the other hand, we judge DTs less on their ability to rack up stats, and more on their abilities to enable the defense. If Harrell can hold the point, and keep blockers off of LBs, he'll be a success no matter how few tackles he gets.

On the third hand, didn't the kerfluffle with A.J. last year teach us to not get too worked up about what out number one draft picks do in training camp anyway?

Nice comparison. I like Ngata a lot but I know DT's just take time to adjust. It's the way has been, the way it is and the way it will but until drugs come out that allow 21 and 22 year olds to be as strong as 26 and 27 year olds.

[Terry]

They don't throw compliments like that loosely down there so I kept watching. Then they ran 4 or 5 minute of Harrell highlights. I really couldn't believe how eye popping a player he was. I basically had never heard of the guy til we drafted him. He absolutely destroyed anyone he was singeled up against. Both a run stuffer and a pass rusher, he dominated the OLines he played. Most of the time they double him with the center, but he's so active, he can split 'en pretty easy

Unfortunately, those highlights don't seem to be on YouTube, or at least I can't find them. If anyone knows where those clips can be seen on the internet, please post a link. Thanks in advance.

[TennesseePackerBacker]

I don't think anyone's expecting him to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie

my expectations of him are so low that i would just be happy if he isn't a complete bust and out of the league in 4 years

didn't big gil play a year with that same injury

and didn't that same injury have something to do with his career ending?

wow, how can your expectations be so low? Maybe because you didn't read about him being picked much in every draft mag? or it could be that you don't watch much SEC football(such a shame).

They don't just give out the #92 at the University of Tennessee, as it's been stated a hundred times on this board, Harrell was and is probably the last player to wear #92 there. He was a complete team leader, workout warrior, etc. Had he had a full senior year he would've been a top 10 pick.

Maybe my expectations are just too high, but with the kind of heart this kid has shown(played the florida game with a torn biceps muscle), combined with his work ethic, size, strength, I don't see how we missed. At the very least we have a #2/#3 6'4" 310lb. tackle who is known for both run stopping and getting effective pass rush.

[Freak Out]

It is nice to hear some comments from the Tennessee Volunteers who post here at PackerRats as to what we can expect from our #1 pick.

[KYPack]

They don't throw compliments like that loosely down there so I kept watching. Then they ran 4 or 5 minute of Harrell highlights. I really couldn't believe how eye popping a player he was. I basically had never heard of the guy til we drafted him. He absolutely destroyed anyone he was singeled up against. Both a run stuffer and a pass rusher, he dominated the OLines he played. Most of the time they double him with the center, but he's so active, he can split 'en pretty easy

Unfortunately, those highlights don't seem to be on YouTube, or at least I can't find them. If anyone knows where those clips can be seen on the internet, please post a link. Thanks in advance.

They put local yokel college football shows on YouTube?

I just watch what I see come across the tube, meself.

[RashanGary]

If you go down to the draft board and across from each players name you'll see a little camera. Click on the camera across from Harrells name and you have a decent little video.

http://sports.yahoo.com/s/nfldraft