Why is Bituli not projected as a 1-2 round pick???

[savannahfan]

Bituli struggles in pass coverage. Those 2 good games you mentioned were against poor QBs. I hope he gets drafted, but he will be a liability in the modern NFL. He could definitely carve out a spot on special teams.

I agree with you. He seems to be a little slow in coverage. I wonder if his injuries have had an impact on his quickness. He seems to be plenty smart enough to know coverage. Just not quick enough.

 

[savannahfan]

Al Wilson struggled in pass coverage, early on. But, he improved, immensely. I'll never forget him running step for step with Marshall Faulk, and picking the pass, on Monday night football. AW was a freak! Injuries cut his possible HOF career short. In the end, he was his body's own worst enemy. He played at 110%, on every down. He knew no other way to play. DB is alot like AW. Size, speed, and arriving with evil intentions.

I disagree with you on some levels. The big difference in the two guys is speed and quickness. I think Wilson was much better in both departments. These two elements of the game make the difference in being fair as a player and being good as a player. Now the best (the guys you find on top in the NFL) are both fast and quick. Years ago, at linebacker it was expectable to just be quick. This day and time it requires a great player to be both. Their is nothing more disheartening than to see a LB 3-4 steps behind a receiver when the guy catches a pass and takes off toward a DB who makes the tackle 10-15 yds. down field and you see the LB come bounding up to stand and watch everyone start getting up or just pile on.

 

[savannahfan]

GMs are so enamored with measurables. They seem to value that over production. Best of my recollection Bituli's measurables shouldn't be an issue. As cliche as it sounds, he's going to make someone sorry they passed on Him. I wouldn't be surprised if he had an Al Wilson type NFL career. The same for Jennings. Just go watch the tape on these guys.

Hope you are right.

 

[savannahfan]

Yes, I do think Bituli will be drafted and play for several years in NFL.

I was trying to help explain to the guy why he's not going in Rounds 1 or 2.

Very likely you are butting your head against a wall. Some folks can't be splained nothing!!!

 

[savannahfan]

I'm really not trying to be facetious. And I'm not really taking exception to your point as your probably right as to why sportswriters dont have him projected high... I'm not gonna go back and look at other top ILBs combine 40 speed as I'm sure he hes a bit slower. I cant imagine him being that much slower than guys like Hightower, Neimann, etc.....

My main point in the post is saying while 40 time is and should be a factor, dont you think most coaches and GMs put the game tape on and watch him making 20 tackles a game sideline to sideline against SEC opponents, blocking punts (even when punt block is not on), completely taking over the South Carolina game?

What you say here is true. But for every great play he has made, there are as many or more not so good plays and many just poor plays. Not that he didn't see the bad play coming, just to slow the make it a good or great play. The key word here is slow. Be it speed or quickness, whichever, these observations by the people that count will hurt or kill his chances to be drafted very high if at all.

 

[savannahfan]

I'm not interested in your interpretation on what 40 time makes a ILB fast or not fast....You and I both know there are countless examples of players at every position that end up being great players without prototypical combine stats....This debate doesn't matter enough for me to visit the combine archives......

The core of the disagreement lies in the evaluation we each have given the player we're talking about by watching the games.....1-2 round I may concede being too high bc of how the league offenses have changed, but I'll bet there will be a team that prioritizes how he plays football on draft day more than how fast he runs a 40 yd dash and he'll be a productive NFL starter in less than 3 years...

Like what you are saying, just have a hard time believing....

 

[1974Vol]

Yep. A 4.84 40 and 16 bench press reps at the combine surely didn’t turn heads. He’s probably looking at trying to make a practice squad.

Not surprised at the 4.84 as that's electronically timed. A lot of “4.5 guys” end up running 4.7 – 4.8 when electronically timed. But 16 reps is a surprise. Would have thought 22-24 at the minimum. I could do 12 back in the day at 5’9” and 170 lbs. If you could run a sub 4.5 and had a great shuttle time you might get by on 16 reps as a true cover guy. But if you ain’t fast you better be strong.

 

[GAVol]

Not surprised at the 4.84 as that's electronically timed. A lot of “4.5 guys” end up running 4.7 – 4.8 when electronically timed. But 16 reps is a surprise. Would have thought 22-24 at the minimum. I could do 12 back in the day at 5’9” and 170 lbs. If you could run a sub 4.5 and had a great shuttle time you might get by on 16 reps as a true cover guy. But if you ain’t fast you better be strong.

The bench definitely surprised me a lot more than the 40. Hopefully he can get in somebody’s camp and be productive in preseason and show that he’s just a gamer. I can see why he’s not thought of all that highly, but at the same time - you can’t ignore those tackle stats he put up.

 

[1974Vol]

The bench definitely surprised me a lot more than the 40. Hopefully he can get in somebody’s camp and be productive in preseason and show that he’s just a gamer. I can see why he’s not thought of all that highly, but at the same time - you can’t ignore those tackle stats he put up.

He's a player for sure and a VFL. On another note you watch a lot of rerun TV while in "Stay at Home" mode. So I'm watching 14-15 year old girls in the drive chip and putt 2019 Master's contest out drive me...I mean these kids hitting it 245+ lol

 

[butchna]

Hopefully whichever franchise that gives him an opportunity won’t require him to do bench press reps and run the 40 during actual games.

 

[Ashevillevol]

He’s definitely going to end up signed and in a training camp somewhere. He will get the opportunity to prove himself and he will get everything he deserves. What more could anyone ask? He had a good run here. I hope he does well going forward.

 

[UTK]

Bituli is a good player and I do think he's been underrated as a prospect this year. But he's not a round 1-2 talent. Sorry, hate to say it.

 

[GAVol]

He's a player for sure and a VFL. On another note you watch a lot of rerun TV while in "Stay at Home" mode. So I'm watching 14-15 year old girls in the drive chip and putt 2019 Master's contest out drive me...I mean these kids hitting it 245+ lol

I sat there yesterday and watched the women’s amateur from last year just to see Augusta National.

 

[Bennessee01]

He’s a little slow and not great in coverage. Those two factors would be my guess.

I have no doubts about his tackling, leadership and work ethic. If he gets a shot with a team I think he’s capable of making a roster.

where you from in MI? I live in the hometown of General Custer, Whoopee.

 

[Pappy]

i don't know but i'm gonna make some dang phone calls

 

[VolinMichigan]

where you from in MI? I live in the hometown of General Custer, Whoopee.

Used to live there. Clawson next to Royal Oak. I learned the lesson of never putting current locations as a screen name.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

Bituli is a good player and I do think he's been underrated as a prospect this year. But he's not a round 1-2 talent. Sorry, hate to say it.

Don't have to go in rounds 1-2 in order to have a good career in the NFL.

 

[Vol423]

Don't have to go in rounds 1-2 in order to have a good career in the NFL.

That’s great news for all Vols entering this year’s draft because none of them has any shot whatsoever of being drafted in the first 2 rounds ( or the first 4 rounds for that matter). Pruitt has added true talent to the roster. We will have players drafted early in the future.

 

[BackwoodsMan]

2 games: KY and SC, 34 tackles, block punt, touchdown, game saving stop on one yd line....

There are some great players in this draft....but I'll challenge anyone to watch those games and show me a better ILB

My guess is that most NFL teams are much better than KY and SC.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

My guess is that most NFL teams are much better than KY and SC.

If only he had done something against teams like Alabama, such as, oh i don't know, making 8 tackles in one half of play, his junior year. Or maybe picking off Tua and returning it 97 yds for a TD as a sophomore. Oh well.

 

[TNnative]

Just rewatched a few games from this season. Two conclusions:

1) if you're an NFL scout and Daniel Bituli isn't one of the top ILBs on your board, your an idiot.. I'd be real interested in hearing the thoughts of any GM when they compare some of the top ILB prospects to Bituli after watching the SC and KY games.....can anyone explain why he's not projected 1st round?

Legit Question: Al Wison is the greatest vol LB of my generation (born in 80'). Where is Bituli?

2) Jennings is capable of having a long NFL career.....probably with a franchise that prioritizes "football players" over 40 yd dash times....There are a few...Pittsburgh, NE, Baltimore come to mind..

History of injury for Bituli. As to Jennings? I hope he goes to Green Bay.

 

[Boston Vol]

Those negatives outweigh the positives in my opinion

Yeah, “big but slow” doesn’t seems like it translates well to the NFL.

 

[sechamp2012]

Colton Jumpers in his 2nd year with New Orleans , Bituli may end up on a team as a FA like Jumper, about the same 40 time.

I was wrong on this, Jumper ran a sub 4.6 Forty and 20 reps @ 225 bench...weighing in at 235 lbs.
were Bituli ran a 4.84 forty and 18 reps @225. bench So maybe Bituli may be too slow for coverage since Jumper seem to barely make it.
Wish he could have had Vol Pro day to better his combine numbers.

 

[GAVol]

I was wrong on this, Jumper ran a sub 4.6 Forty and 20 reps @ 225 bench...weighing in at 235 lbs.
were Bituli ran a 4.84 forty and 18 reps @225. bench So maybe Bituli may be too slow for coverage since Jumper seem to barely make it.
Wish he could have had Vol Pro day to better his combine numbers.

Jumper ran 4.65 at his pro day.

 

[sechamp2012]

Jumper ran 4.65 at his pro day.

Well I was told by a guy that follows Jumper as we were talking about Bituli he said I was wrong on his Forty time
So I googled it 247 May be wrong