skinsfanjoe Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040420-114824-7765r.htm Fitzgerald should be gobbled up fast PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kevin Colbert could look out his office window the past two seasons and watch Larry Fitzgerald make the acrobatic grabs only a headed-to-the-pros receiver can. The Steelers' director of football operations also saw Fitzgerald interact with his Pitt teammates, a sophomore by grade but an adult by nature. During games, Colbert noticed how Fitzgerald routinely flipped the ball to an official after scoring rather than carrying out a choreographed celebration. Still, for all the marvelous things Colbert saw Fitzgerald do up close and personal, what impressed him most was how Fitzgerald ate lunch. He liked how Fitzgerald didn't rush through the food line, eager to eat quickly and be on his way but took time to be polite. And Fitzgerald wasn't that way only with Steelers executives and Pitt officials but also with the staff at the practice complex the two teams share. "You see a kid like Larry Fitzgerald in the cafeteria, and how he acts around people, and you are impressed," Colbert said. It was the same air of professionalism Fitzgerald invoked whenever he was in public, almost always in a neatly pressed suit and tie rather than the standard college athlete's sweat suit. It was the same demeanor Fitzgerald displayed while receiving the Pittsburgh Sportsman of the Year Award, when he asked Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg to consider him someday for the university's board of trustees. Displaying good manners and being an articulate speaker hardly are mandatory credentials for an NFL player, but they illustrate the total, polished package that is expected to make Fitzgerald one of the first three players chosen Saturday in the NFL draft. Even though Fitzgerald only went to college for two years, the NFL declared him eligible for this draft because he spent nearly 11/2 academic years at a prep school. He would have graduated from high school in 2001 had he not transferred and therefore is three years past his senior year of high school. If the Oakland Raiders don't take him at No. 2, Arizona seems all but certain to snatch him at No. 3. Fitzgerald was a ball boy when Cardinals coach Dennis Green coached the Vikings, and Fitzgerald's father, Larry Sr., was the host of Green's weekly TV show. "I think he's the No. 1 player coming out of college football," Green said. He's a smooth receiver who regularly makes difficult catches in multiple coverage. A Heisman Trophy runner-up and Walter Camp player of the year who collected 34 touchdown catches in two seasons. Perhaps the best set of hands to come out of college football in years. And there's also an inner drive that Fitzgerald credits to his father, a former college lineman and longtime sportswriter, and his late mother, Carol, who died about a year ago. Fitzgerald took his mother's death hard then and still does; tears well in his eyes whenever he speaks of her. Fitzgerald turned down the NFL's invitation to attend the draft in New York and instead will watch it on TV with his father. "It's been a tough last year, I'm not going to lie about that," the younger Fitzgerald said. "My dad has been a rock in my corner." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 i would love to see this kid in the burgandy and gold, such a Gibbs type player :point2sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsRback04 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Have to agree. There are several Gibbs type players available this year in the top picks...very unusual. When people ask 'what if Fitz is at #5' I say we take him...same with Gallery. Williams will get some more fill-ins for the D later on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinsNation Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Do you guys think if he does slip down to #5 we would take him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 no, I don't think we'd take him. WR isn't a need right now. Its a shame....but there will be another kid next year that everybody loves again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Bufford 3.0 no, I don't think we'd take him. WR isn't a need right now. Its a shame....but there will be another kid next year that everybody loves again. nah, this is one of the once in 5 year type players If he is there we draft him then trade gardner for a 2nd round pick to pick up a DT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsRback04 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I really don't see how you pass that up. Gibbs himself has said what the thinking is in regards to players. FIRST is character...and I mean his whole life history. SECOND is smarts, especially Football smarts. THIRD is talent. As I see it several of these guys fit the Gibbs mold to a tee and while selecting them might limit our draft this year, I think we were prepared for that all along with the moves we made in FA trading out picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty P For The Pulitzer Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I think we would take him if he fell to #5 and we were able to make a deal to trade Gardner in our 15 minutes. However, we should get some great trade down offers if he is there at 5. I also like the thought of Manning and Big Ben going in the top 4, because it sounds like Pittsburgh and Cleveland are going to fight over Rivers now. If we could trade for Cleveland's #7 and 2nd rounder, we'd still be able to get Taylor or Winslow, assuming Gallery and Fitz would be the other top 4 picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Bufford 3.0 no, I don't think we'd take him. WR isn't a need right now. Its a shame....but there will be another kid next year that everybody loves again. Every year theres one of those "cant miss players" or "comes once every 5 years" players. This year is KW2, Taylor and Fitzgerald Next year we will be saying that about Mike Williams, and a host of other kids... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. Huh? The kid may not run a 4.3 forty but he's far from slow. He didn't have a problem running away from almost any DB he faced in college. Furthermore, the guy plays with the best body control I've seen from a wideout in a decade... and his hands belong among the elite. I love his character... he's a true "Redskin" type player... and in the current league of me players... he's a true value and asset to the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Oldskool Every year theres one of those "cant miss players" or "comes once every 5 years" players. This year is KW2, Taylor and Fitzgerald Next year we will be saying that about Mike Williams, and a host of other kids... Yes every year we get a player that might be the best at their position :doh: This is one of the best drafts in a long time. You have 5 guys who are going to be special players, that is hard to find. Manning, Taylor, Winslow, Gallery, and Fitzgerald. You don't find that every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. you have no clue do you :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 in one season you will see how much a bust he will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galentjm Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty in one season you will see how much a bust he will be. Why don't you explain to us your reasoning behind this statement. I would LOVE to hear this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty in one season you will see how much a bust he will be. i think in one season you will see how much of a fool you are, oh i forgot you rememberd that jerry rice wasn't the fastest either did you :doh: you don't need blazing speed to be a good WR, he has all the intangibles many do not have, and a 4.5 is not to shabby now is it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galentjm Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. You know what...on second thought you're right he is too slow. I mean he ran a very pedestrian 4.47 40. Production wise he's a chump too....only 34 touchdowns in two years at college. This guys is worth a second rounder at best. :hammer: :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galentjm Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. sorry. double post by accident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mania Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. Jerry Rice wasn't a burner and he's arguably the best ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by galentjm You know what...on second thought you're right he is too slow. I mean he ran a very pedestrian 4.47 40. Production wise he's a chump too....only 34 touchdowns in two years at college. This guys is worth a second rounder at best. :hammer: :doh: never said he was a second rounder but Roy Williams would definitely make the better NFL wide receiver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashae Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by Liberty Fitzgerald is probably the most overrated WR in the draft. He is too slow, NFL DB's will eat him up. Jerry Rice ran somewhere in the neighborhood of 4.55. -s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashae Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by SkinsFanMania Jerry Rice wasn't a burner and he's arguably the best ever. Arguably? I have to assume you mean arguably the best -football player- ever, because his bonafides as a WR make him far and away the best in that category... Player speed in shorts means nothing. Speed on the football field, in pads, matters. Larry Fitzgerald, if you've watched him play, is an amazing talent. -s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I have seen Larry play and he doesn't strike me as fast enough, all of the catches that I saw him make (especially the really cool ones) were when he was right next to a DB, and I just figure that in the NFL more of the DB's will be able to match his talent. Basically I think he is a one dimensional receiver, he is not fast enough to be a serious deep threat and while he does have a lot of talen when it comes to just cathcing the ball, I dont think that he will be able to create enough seperation between him and the DB. And while he will most likely will be a very good WR, he probably won't be better than Roy Williams and IMHO he isn't worth a top 5 pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 and Jerry Rice, well he is just an exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldskool Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Originally posted by jbooma Yes every year we get a player that might be the best at their position :doh: This is one of the best drafts in a long time. You have 5 guys who are going to be special players, that is hard to find. Manning, Taylor, Winslow, Gallery, and Fitzgerald. You don't find that every year. When Roy Williams came out, everyone was on his jock saying he was the best ever. When Jeremy Shockey came out everyone said best ever…. When Courtney Brown came out… yada yada yada.. So don’t give me this “once in a lifetime draft BS. It doesn’t hold water and floats like a :pooh: If you want your guy, fine but don’t repeat what all the jabbering monkeys regurgitate in the media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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