Justin Harrell-good bad indifferent?

[oregonpackfan]

Yep, ok, I was mistaken about Mike Hass. He is still on the Bears' roster as far as I know. Mistakes about successful college players about potential NFL careers are made by many people

Let's talk about another couple of young "Big Bodies" who needed to grow and develop into successful NFL careers.

The Packers made their number one pick a few years ago in Jamaal Reynolds. He is another promising young college player who flopped in the NFL. The Packers hung onto him for at least two years before finally admitting their mistake.

A few years ago, the Packers made a fifth round choice in James Lee, a defensive lineman for Oregon State. If you read the records on my views on him, I was shocked at the selection as well as Oregon State coaches, fans, ans sportswriters! The guy did not even start his senior year in a conference(Pac-10) not known for defense. Had the Packers not drafted him, he likely would have gone undrafted

Lee showed up for training camp out of shape. He was injured the very first day of camp, and sat out the year on IR. The Packers brought him back for another year using the philosophy of his needing to "Grow into his gifted big body." Realizing Lee was a bust in his second year, he was cut.

Move the page ahead to Justin Harrell. Like Lee, he showed up at camp out of shape. Not making the effort and commitment to even be in shape, sends up a huge "Red Flag" for me. Yes, he did have the biceps injury. But he could have done many other alternative forms of exercise to work himself into condition.

If Harrell turns out to have a successful career with the Packers, I will be more than happy to admit my mistake on him. Based on his lack of preparedness in becoming a pro and the lack of play on the field, I for now, do not feel he will make it in the NFL.

[ZachMN]

Well I guess I have a feel for not only how he played but how the board feels about him as well. I am supposedly going to get a tape of the game and will be able to watch him closely. I am optimistic about his upside and am not as bothered by his lack of big plays. DT is a position that takes a lot of skill as well as strength and like some of the bothers have pointed out most of our guys have gotten better with more experience.

Oregon I'm gonna hold you to that date of his geting cut too!! LOL I'm just busting balls now LOL love the attitude and that someone called you out on a past prediction was classic!!!

[RashanGary]

If Harrell turns out to have a successful career with the Packers, I will be more than happy to admit my mistake on him. Based on his lack of preparedness in becoming a pro and the lack of play on the field, I for now, do not feel he will make it in the NFL.

Hahaha, you have no clue how prepared he was. Pickett and Jolly didn't pass the conditioning tests either, does that mean they won't make it?

He's a very big man. Maybe he wasn't training the right way, but he wasn't fat and completely out of shape like you suggest. Harrell was regarded as the ulitmate team player at Tennessee. They gave him Reggie's number for the first time since Reggie left and now that Reggie passed it will be the last time. They claim he honored it with the way he practiced, played and lead his team. The Packers have a high ranking official (Reggie McKenzie) who is very close with the Tennessee program. There are absolutely no red flags about his effort and determination. You are just connecting dots that you think make sense, but by I think are premature, and that is being kind.

As far as his lack of play, he's behind a bunch of good NFL players who are in thier primes (Jolly is just entering his). If Harrell came in as a rookie and outplayed these guys, it would be down right shocking. They are all good NFL players in the best years of their careers. Harrell is just getting started.

The only think Harrell and Reynolds have in common is that they were drafted by the Packers to play DL. Harrell is doing a good job. He's just not seeing the field as much because we had a bunch of good guys already on the roster and his effect doesn't show up as much in the stat line. Pickett never has a big stat line but he plays well. Harrell is the same way. He's good run stopper now with potential to be a distruptive force.

[cheesner]

. . .

Lee showed up for training camp out of shape. He was injured the very first day of camp, and sat out the year on IR. The Packers brought him back for another year using the philosophy of his needing to "Grow into his gifted big body." Realizing Lee was a bust in his second year, he was cut.

Move the page ahead to Justin Harrell. Like Lee, he showed up at camp out of shape. Not making the effort and commitment to even be in shape, sends up a huge "Red Flag" for me. Yes, he did have the biceps injury. But he could have done many other alternative forms of exercise to work himself into condition.
. . .

I think everyone was a bit surprised by the pick of Lee. To compare him to Harrell is ridiculous. As you say, Lee couldn't even start for the Beavers, while Harrell was a fantastic impact player for a major university. You have given up, way to early on a potential difference maker.

[oregonpackfan]

As far as the differing viewpoints on the future of Harrell's success goes, I guess the adage of "Time will tell..." has to apply.

Let us see what his impact on the team will be by the end of his second season.

[Freak Out]

One thing I can say for sure...Harrell was huffing the salts big time right before kick off. Standing right behind M3 just going at it. I've never figured out why some players do it (I've seen Favre do it as well) and others never touch the stuff.

[Bretsky]

Justin Harrell is a bust--plain and simple. Despite all the smokescreens the Harell apologists claim, he is a #1 draft choice failure and will continue to be through his sophomore season.

Yes, feel free to quote me. By the end of training camp for his third season, Justin Harrell will be cut.

Hey Rumor had it you were the politically correct one

[Bretsky]

Justin Harrell is a bust--plain and simple. Despite all the smokescreens the Harell apologists claim, he is a #1 draft choice failure and will continue to be through his sophomore season.

Yes, feel free to quote me. By the end of training camp for his third season, Justin Harrell will be cut.

Harrell impresses

Nunn said a bright spot for the line was the play of first-round draft pick Justin Harrell, who was active for the first time since Oct. 14 and played close to 20 snaps, his most extended action in three games this season.

“He didn’t get washed around in there,” Nunn said. “A couple times, held double teams and then come off and separate and make plays, made a tackle and assist, and was running to the ball. He’s got something to build on, and we’re going to. He’s going to get more reps.”

Everyone here said he held his own after the game as far as not getting pushed around. Corey Williams was acctually shoved around at will for the whole game. He played a good game, even better in the run aspect than a guy everyone is in love with here. Not only did he play well, but he's only a rookie. Then Robert Nunn comes out and says the same thing we all saw, the guy held his own. He did his job. I just don't see why you make this claim, esspecially now.

DLineman who depend on that quick burst to the QB seem to do well early. Burst is a young mans trait. Lineman that depend on stregth tend to get better with time. Harrell is one of those guys that depends on stregth. Take away his first two preseason games and he's acctually played solid with every chance he's gotten (and that's understandable considering his conditioning). There is a lot of reason to believe he'll grow on his already decent performances. There is very little reason to think he'll get worse or stay the same considering his age and experience.

Him not getting PT over Pickett, Jolly, Williams and Cole in their primes is not really evidence that he sucks. It's evidence that we had some good players developed in front of him. I really don't understand the rush to judgment. Why not just let it develop. Harrell was a dominate college player. Give him a chance to adjust to the NFL and grow into his rare big body.

I don't think he played well. McCarrein certainly wasnt' impressed. I didn't tape the game so that was my see it once perception. He was invisible. Besides Pickett there wasn't a lot of good defensive play. Hawk played decent I think.

Nunn, he's just pumping the guy up for the furture. Good coaches do that all the time.

I hope he turns out OK; but as for this year I look forward to getting the starters back so he learns in street clothes

[RashanGary]

He belonged out there. He didn't dominate by any stretch and his pass rush was non existant, but he held his own in the run game. He never got shoved out the way Williams did.

I'd rather have Jolly back too. Jolly, Pickett and Williams are a pretty good threesome. I still think we'll see Harrell in stretches because with Cole gone, someone has to take those 10-15 snaps per game. For now, I'd acctually rather see Harrell start over Williams because Williams is really valuable in his pass rush role and he's not very valuable as a starter because he can't stop the run. It was hard for teams to convert 3rd and 6 or longer becuase they had to get rid of the ball so quickly with KGB and Kamp coming of the edge and Williams coming up the middle. Let's just get back to that. It worked.

[KYPack]

OPF, yer a good poster & all, but you are sucking canal water on this prediction.

Harrell draws a lot of criticism because other would've liked to see others picked instead of him.

So what. Does anybody watch him play?

He's a kid, but a good kid. He might bomb because he gets injured, but he can play. He always gets good push and has great instincts. he didn't show up in shape and had no clue what it takes to be an NFL DLineman, but the kid has talent and will help the team. He won't be cut in '09, barring injury.

[oregonpackfan]

OPF, yer a good poster & all, but you are sucking canal water on this prediction.

Harrell draws a lot of criticism because other would've liked to see others picked instead of him.

So what. Does anybody watch him play?

He's a kid, but a good kid. He might bomb because he gets injured, but he can play. He always gets good push and has great instincts. he didn't show up in shape and had no clue what it takes to be an NFL DLineman, but the kid has talent and will help the team. He won't be cut in '09, barring injury.

KY,

Please let me emphasize I don't have anything personally against this Harrell. From what I have read about him, he seems like a fine young man.
He will probably be successful in whatever endeavor he chooses after his NFL career--be it one year from now or ten years from now.

My main beef is that he is a #1 draft choice who has made minimal contributions to this team. Thus far, his skills are so marginal, he has been placed on the inactive list a number of times this season.

Though the Packers do have solid talent on the D-line ahead of him, they are not outstanding. A rookie D-lineman, worthy of a #1 draft pick, should be making more of a difference with the team than he is now.

[Bretsky]

Justin Harrell is a bust--plain and simple. Despite all the smokescreens the Harell apologists claim, he is a #1 draft choice failure and will continue to be through his sophomore season.

Yes, feel free to quote me. By the end of training camp for his third season, Justin Harrell will be cut.

Feel free to quote you? Okay. I won't limit myself to your comments above. Here is a nice prophetic quote:

. . . .

When the Packers let go of Antonio Chatman and Andrae Thurman they said they wanted to go with the "Bigger and stronger" prototype of receivers who had the build of a Terrell Owens.

Immediately, I thought to myself, "Well that shoots down the possiblity of the Packers choosing WR Mike Hass of Oregon State. He is only 6' 1" tall, and 208 lbs."

For his many receiving accomplishments this past year, Hass won the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football.

Then what do the Packers do instead of drafting Hass and a "Bigger and stronger" WR? They draft 5'11" Greg Jennings out of Western Michegan in the third round and 6'0" Cory Rodgers from TCU in the fourth round! They could have had Hass.

The New Orleans Saints took him in the 6th round.

Despite his fine hands, his record achievements, the Packers ignorned Hass because his best 40 yard recorded speed is 4.55 seconds. Hass did record the fifth fastest time in the 20 yard shuffle--which measures explosiveness off the snap and lateral movement.

A lot of pro teams several years from now(including the Packers) are going to be scratching their heads saying, "Why didn't we take this guy when we had the chance?"

Oregonpackfan

Hass was cut. Now with the bears. Career stats?

Mike Hass: 0 rec 0 yds 0 tds
Jennnings : 89 rec 1,344 yds 13 tds


http://www.packerrats.com/ratchat/vi...ight=jennings]

I commend OPF for voicing an opinion. May not be a popular one, and he may be 100% on or 100% off but that's what forums are for.

OPF thinking Haas was going to be better than he is has absolutely nothing to do with his view of JH. Pretty apparent he was giving anybody the opportunity to quote him about Harrell down the road; not Mike Haas

Those who voice their views will be right or wrong a lot more than those that don't; nothing wrong with doing the mojo either way.

[Bretsky]

If Harrell turns out to have a successful career with the Packers, I will be more than happy to admit my mistake on him. Based on his lack of preparedness in becoming a pro and the lack of play on the field, I for now, do not feel he will make it in the NFL.

Hahaha, you have no clue how prepared he was. Pickett and Jolly didn't pass the conditioning tests either, does that mean they won't make it?

He's a very big man. Maybe he wasn't training the right way, but he wasn't fat and completely out of shape like you suggest. Harrell was regarded as the ulitmate team player at Tennessee. They gave him Reggie's number for the first time since Reggie left and now that Reggie passed it will be the last time. They claim he honored it with the way he practiced, played and lead his team. The Packers have a high ranking official (Reggie McKenzie) who is very close with the Tennessee program. There are absolutely no red flags about his effort and determination. You are just connecting dots that you think make sense, but by I think are premature, and that is being kind.

As far as his lack of play, he's behind a bunch of good NFL players who are in thier primes (Jolly is just entering his). If Harrell came in as a rookie and outplayed these guys, it would be down right shocking. They are all good NFL players in the best years of their careers. Harrell is just getting started.

The only think Harrell and Reynolds have in common is that they were drafted by the Packers to play DL. Harrell is doing a good job. He's just not seeing the field as much because we had a bunch of good guys already on the roster and his effect doesn't show up as much in the stat line. Pickett never has a big stat line but he plays well. Harrell is the same way. He's good run stopper now with potential to be a distruptive force.

It's alright to shift the focus about his current impact......and I agree that he might not be expected to outplay key starters right away

HOWEVER

Can I assume you did expect him to outplay Colin Cole and be on the field before a guy most regard as a end of the roster or last DL player

[Bretsky]

OPF, yer a good poster & all, but you are sucking canal water on this prediction.

Harrell draws a lot of criticism because other would've liked to see others picked instead of him.

So what. Does anybody watch him play?

He's a kid, but a good kid. He might bomb because he gets injured, but he can play. He always gets good push and has great instincts. he didn't show up in shape and had no clue what it takes to be an NFL DLineman, but the kid has talent and will help the team. He won't be cut in '09, barring injury.

I agree that he won't be cut by 2009.