2002 All-Breakout Team

[Thinking Skins]

Interesting Stuff.

From TSN

http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/dan_pompei/20020521.html

The 2002 All-Breakout Team

May 21, 2002 Print it

A breakout season can be defined as the point at which ability, preparation and opportunity merge into production. The following players, all of whom have at least one year of NFL experience, constitute The Sporting News' annual spring breakout team.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

Danny Wuerffel, Redskins. He's underrated as a player and hasn't been given the opportunity he deserves. But this is as much an endorsement of Steve Spurrier and his offense as it is of Wuerffel. If Wuerffel plays, Spurrier and he will click.

RUNNING BACK

Travis Henry, Bills. He would have had a 1,000-yard season as a rookie if he had stayed healthy. With a better line and an improved passing game to keep defenses playing the Bills more honestly, Henry should excel.

FULLBACK

Rob Konrad, Dolphins. In Chan Gailey's offense, he was a hammer. In Norv Turner's offense, he'll be a receiver. And catching passes is what Konrad does best.

RECEIVER

Koren Robinson, Seahawks. For most of last season, Robinson was impeded by a hamstring injury. If he can stay healthy, some of his incredible talent will show. It won't hurt having Trent Dilfer throwing to him all year, either.

RECEIVER

Terrence Wilkins, Rams. Being chosen to be a receiver in the Rams' offense is like being chosen as a cover girl for Glamour -- you know they're going to make you look good. Wilkins' explosiveness and elusiveness are similar to those of the player he is replacing, Az-Zahir Hakim. Plus, he's stronger to the ball.

TIGHT END

Eric Johnson, 49ers. Here is a player who weighed 221 two years ago and 245 last year. Now, he weighs 256. His blocking should improve, and he continues to develop as a receiver in a tight end-friendly offense.

LEFT TACKLE

Barry Sims, Raiders. He has yet to put together a full season, but if he does, he could emerge as one of the league's premier tackles. One of the NFL's best-kept secrets, Sims plays his best against the best.

GUARD

Cosey Coleman, Buccaneers. Coleman is ready to blossom as a second-year starter. He has all the tools and should respond well to the coaching of Bill Muir, one of the game's most respected line coaches.

CENTER

Jonas Jennings, Bills. Despite injuries last year as a rookie, he came on strong at right tackle. This year, he probably will be moved to center, a position he played at Georgia. Jennings has the intelligence and mobility to excel at that spot.

GUARD

Leonard Davis, Cardinals. He was a fantastic run blocker last year. He has spent the offseason working on his quickness and should be an improved pass blocker. He'll emerge as one of the league's best linemen this year.

RIGHT TACKLE

Todd Weiner, Falcons. After leaving the Seahawks, this hard worker should establish himself as a solid starter for the first time. He got big money and could have gotten even more if he had signed with the Browns or the Saints.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE END

Justin Smith, Bengals. Last year, he missed training camp, preseason and the first regular-season game and still had 8 1/2 sacks. Imagine what he will do when he's prepared.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Roderick Coleman, Raiders. We know he's undersized, but just remember this: The Raiders' defensive line played better with him in the lineup early last season than it did after Darrell Russell replaced him. If Coleman can stay healthy and the Raiders can keep him fresh by rotating players, he will make plays with a combination of great strength and quickness, hustle and a feel for the game.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Josh Williams, Colts. Though he didn't fit in Vic Fangio's defense anywhere near as well as he fits into Tony Dungy's, he still was productive in his first two years. Now look for Williams to take it to the next level.

DEFENSIVE END

Courtney Brown, Browns. He was streaky as a rookie and injured as a sophomore. But he's shown enough for just about everyone to agree that he is going to be an elite player.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Ian Gold, Broncos. Though Gold is undersized, he can stand up guards and run with receivers. In the Broncos' defense, all the plays are funneled to the weakside linebacker spot, where Gold will play, so he'll make a ton of plays.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER

Dan Morgan, Panthers. Moving to the middle was the best thing for Morgan, given his physical makeup and desire to be in on every play. Panthers coordinator Jack Del Rio, formerly of the Ravens, says Morgan has better straight-ahead speed than any of the linebackers he coached in Baltimore.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Adalius Thomas, Ravens. Being converted from defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker could turn him into the next Jason Gildon. Thomas will rush the passer most of the time, and running backs won't be able to block him.

CORNERBACK

Jerry Azumah, Bears. This college running back finally is ready to master his new position. In the final two games last season, Azumah had two interceptions, a forced fumble and two sacks. He makes plays on the ball and is a tremendous blitzer.

CORNERBACK

Will Allen, Giants. Early last season, this first-round pick experienced some typical rookie problems, but he came on as the season progressed. This season, he will think less and show more of his exceptional speed and quickness.

SAFETY

Deon Grant, Panthers. He is finally coming around after missing the 2000 season with a fractured hip. If Grant learns to tackle better, he could be one of the Panthers' best defenders and a big playmaker.

SAFETY

Adrian Wilson, Cardinals. He came out in 2001 after his junior year, so he's just coming into his own now. He's big and can run, and he started to show it last season, first in nickel defenses and then even more after Pat Tillman was injured.

I'm not surprised that they named Danny boy here being that they are the only paper I know that is so in love with him, but I thought that Smoot would get named over some of these corners that were named. But maybe its because they know that Smoot has already broken out.

[Blade]

Hey B211,

Can you post a link from the site that this article was taken?

Thanks!

[J33Edwards]

its from tsn.com

[indyskinsfan]

blakman211,

I think it's Matthews that's going to break out. Weurffel will have to beat out Sage Rosenfels, as he is still the incumbent until Spurrier says the party's over. I believe when the smoke clears it will be Matthews, Spiceman and Ramsey. I think that by game 8, Ramsey will unseat Spiceman as the #2 and in 2003, if not sooner, will garner the #1 spot with almost no competition. He will still be learning more about the NFL, but by then, Ramsey will have the offense down. Matthews will drive the car as far as it can take him, but the talent and abilities, even some we haven't seen in Ramsey, will begin to dominate the play calling eventually.

This will be a compliment to him, since Matthews, IMO will have a very good season, should he start ahead of the field, based on performance, not favortism. See the way it's set up, is, the player that earns that starter's spot, will be more than adequate.

He will have demonstrated his ability to read the defense and call the correct play (audible too), which is something Turner didn't allow and Raye screwed up. This then WOULD favor Wuerffel and Matthews, but necessarily lead to out performing two hard working determined young QB's breaking into the league (Spiceman and Ramsey), who could very well be leading the charge as a duo next season.

Wuerffel will have to have one hel*uva preseason to get to the #1 spot. I guess that would mean he's likely of having a breakout season.

As for Smoot not being mentioned - GREAT, because that's just more edible motivation for him to sink the opinions of others and rise like cream, to the top!

[skinsanity56]

what:jerkoff: wrote that.he sniffed to much glue.wuerrfel hahahaha:lol: