Two drafts ago, we had a chance to draft Heath Miller at 26. Instead, we traded down to 47, and got "Ugh" Jolley from the Raiders (and a 6th rounder as well, I think), apparently because Terry Bradway, at the time, didn't feel that Heath was worth drafting at that pick (he didn't believe there was anyone in around that pick worth drafting with 26). Now let's say we get Greg Olsen with our 25th pick. What outcome would you have perferred? Scenario 1 (what actually happened): Jolley (trade), Nugent(2nd), (Justin) Miller(2nd), Houston(6th), then Greg Olsen with our current 25th Scenario 2 (what-if): (Heath) Miller (25), Nugent OR Miller (2nd - probably Miller, since it was rumored that the Vikes wanted Nugent) So, the question is, would you rather have Nugent, Miller, Houston and Olsen, or, Heath Miller, Nugent/J Miller, and whoever else we take with our 25th? Who's the better prospect coming out of college? Miller or Olsen? Is this year's weak TE draft class overinflating Olsen's value?
I would have never given up a #1 for Jolley and then taken a kicker with our highest pick. Obviously scenario 2 is better because of the bust Jolley is. Nobody says Olsen is overvalued. They say there isn't much else in TEs after him. I don't think he will even be there at #25 which will make a lot of people happy here.
We also got a 4th round pick that we used on Kerry Rhodes. So you have to take him out in your first scenario.
not even questionable for me, Nuge is not worth his draft spot, we would have had Miller anyway, Houston is good for a 3rd back but not worth the need for Olsen, yeh and I was also really against Miller, hindsight is 20-20, I was wrong
Heath Miller has been very average his 1st 2 years in the league. He is nothing special. Olsen has the deep speed that Miller doesnt. Olsen has the ability to be more explosive than Miller. I hope we draft Olsen at 25. He would make our offense very tough to stop.
Actually, the whole idea of this is rather sparse. We are comparing known busts (Jolley), bad picks(Nugent) and marginal players to someone who has never played a down in the NFL. What if Olsen turns out to better then Shockey and Gates combined? Whatever is said here at this point would obviously change a year from now when this opinion poll would make more sense.
Agreed, but Olsen has high bust potential, with Miller it was more known he would not be a gamebreaker but be solid and a good supportive player
And then we have Colston who was drafted in the 7th round and Gates who was a walk on. So I'm not sure anybody knows anything about TEs until after the fact.
Heath Miller is a better two-way player than Olsen. He blocks well and his offensive output is about what you're going to get out of Olsen. The thing that people need to realize is that we already know what a good offensive tightend coming out of Miami did while he was there. Kellen Winslow Jr - 57 catches for 726 yards in 2002 and 60 for 605 in 2003. Jeremy Shockey - 45 catches for 604 yards and 8 TD's in 2001 When you put the fact that Olsen got nowhere near those numbers in 3 seasons at Miami and that he actually stuck around until he was a senior to try you realize that he's just not the same caliber player. The 3 player's junior seasons: Winslow - 60 catches, 605 yards, 1 TD (was an All-American as a sophomore with 57, 726 and 8) Shockey - 45 catches, 604 yards, 8 TD Olsen - 31 catches, 451 yards, 4 TD Olsen had fewer TD's in his 3 year career at Miami than Winslow and Shockey had in their best single season.
So no taking into account Olsen's crappy QB/O-line while he was at Miami? Not that I think he's anywhere near as good as Winslow or Shockey.
Generally, the TE is the #1 outlet for QBs with a crappy offensive line and TE routes (short flat or right over the middle) are the easiest throw to make for crappy QBs. Those are not valid excuses for his poor production and drafting him #1. He's a workout warrior/combine-fabrication.
This point is immaterial according to most... because if he was that good he's able to take the snap and throw the ball to himself!!! <MUCH SARCASM>
We got Kerry Rhodes in a tarde for a pick we acquired in the Jolley trade, there's no way it would have been better for us to get the vastly overrated(so far)heath Miller.
Totally agree! Olsen is as fast as half the top WRs that will be selected in the first round of the draft, but BIGGER. Greg Olsen 6-6, 255 4.50 Miami Dwayne Bowe 6-2, 221 4.51 LSU Dwayne Jarrett 6-4, 220 4.55 Southern California Sidney Rice 6-3, 200 4.51 South Carolina
True, that's why my main question is who's the better prospect (ignoring what Miller has accomplished post-draft) - Miller pre-draft, or Olsen pre-draft? If I remember correctly, Miller was projected to go early in the 2nd round, whereas Olsen is considered a top 15-20 pick by many. Also, if this year's TE draft class wasn't so weak, where would Olsen rank? Where would he have ranked in previous drafts? etc.
I'm voting for neither. Although unexpected, we got Rhodes out of the Jolley deal and also got a fixture at PK and the best returner in the league, who may yet develop into a decent CB. However, I'm not a fan of Olsen, he doesn't play up to his measurables and potential and he's got alligator arms at points.
So you are saying we should draft players based on their physical attributes and not their ability? We should draft olsen because he ran a quick 40 yard dash? Last time I watched football I dont see any players, especially te's run in a straight line as fast as they can for 40 yards straight.
