Ahmad Wagner article
- Thread starter lonestar50
- Start date
Yeah, I was hoping he would play too. I think they're already deep with WR's.
I'm not sure why folks think Ahmad must be a TE to have success at this level or the next? He isn't 6'7 despite what basketball programs suggested, more like 6'4 or 6'5. Additionally, he seemed to perform just fine at WR in his only season of competitive football, earning all state honors in a talent rich state like Ohio. KF has always stated its easier for young/inexperienced players to find their way to the field the further they are from the ball, so that too would support the argument of Ahmad staying at WR versus converting to TE. Wagner just switched to football in the past six months, its hardly surprising he didn't play week 1 whether that is at Kentucky, Iowa or lower division school had he gone that route. This is a redshirt year for him, whether he is eligible for one or not.
Realize everything you said. His agility, speed, explosiveness (or lack of I should say) speaks TE not WR to me. He has the frame, quickness, and agility of a TE to me. For example I see him more similar to George Kittle (another all State HS WR) or even Noah Fant than Marvin McNutt.
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I can't imagine anyone thinking he was going to play this year regardless of where he went.
That's not how it works.
Around this time next year we'll know what he is.
Huh? Marvin 6'2'' 220 Ahmed listed on KY's roster at 6'5'' 238lb. Fant is 6'5' 241 Kitltle is 6'5'' 247lb and ran 4.52 at combine. I would expect Fant to run around that or better. That was Marvin's problem, he really only had TE speed. I'd be a bit shocked if Ahmed is any faster than the average receiving TE's in the NFL. Can he play WR at D1 level? Probably........ NFL? NO WAY.. NFL TE? Possibly I see more Noah Fant than Devin Funchess (who by the way did the even more rare college TE to NFL WR)
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Your moving the goal post.
College receiver is what was being talked about. Theres lots of good college receivers who can't make the nfl. Theres also good nfl receivers that only run a 4.5 ish.
Okay, he’s closer in size and athleticism to Fant, Kittle, Ray Hamilton, or Brandon Meyers than Marvin McNutt. Again Kittle a perfect comparison as an All State WR in Oklahoma. I watched Marvin play HS basketball and his body control and athleticism surpassed Ahmed. Ahmed is an extremely hard worker and I shouldn’t bet against him. As a strength coach I tested HS and college athletes in summer programs similar to combine protocol. I just think he’s a better fit at TE. Poster above couldn’t believe ANYBODY could believe he was more of TE than my WR. I just gave my opinion why. I may be wrong but certainly don’t think TE is “crazy”. He is prototypical TE.
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That's fine as an opinion. But it's all just speculation at this point.
I would speculate that the fact that Wagner was an all state receiver in Ohio and received scholarships to play two different high D1 sports would indicate hes probably more athletic than McNutt.
But that's just my guess.
I agree hes probably more of a "tight end" at most places.
McNutt received D1 offers in basketball and football as well.
I don’t think you realize what kind of high school athlete McNutt was. Accomplished QB who made the transition to D1 WR. In a dunk contest McNutt at 6’2’’ wins over Ahmed and it’s not even close (not to mention McNutt was athletic enough to make a free throw). Southern Illinois, Missouri State, Indiana State were among his D1 basketball offers. Not to mention he also played HS baseball. I’m not trying to knock Ahmed, he’s a high character, hard working kid but I don’t think he belonged on the D1 basketball court.
You're right, I have no idea what type of basketball player McNutt was, just that he didn't get high major offers.
And honestly I don't care. Its all just speculation.
We'll find out what becomes of Wagner.
No, because he was undersized for his limited skill set.
His athleticism was fine though. He was able to hang in the paint defensively against much bigger players. He played the 5 as a freshman.
Ill say this, Iowa would have been allot better off going with the players that could defend last year to compliment Cook and JBO vs pairing them with other terrible defenders.
For the sake of Wagner, I hope he can find he way onto the football field this fall. Obviously college basketball didn't go his way in Iowa City.
The Hawkeye MBB team won't miss him, so there is really no use bashing him for trying something different while he still can.
The Hawkeye MBB team won't miss him, so there is really no use bashing him for trying something different while he still can.
He had no business playing anything but the 5. You cant have him standing around the 3 point line, it destroys an offense.
I think we can all agree Wagner was not much of a B-ball player, though he tried hard.
I see McNutt was 6'3 at NFL combine and 4.54 forty. My guess is Wagner is close to McNutt speed, but bigger and I could see Wagner making it at WR in college if he can catch the ball.
I see McNutt was 6'3 at NFL combine and 4.54 forty. My guess is Wagner is close to McNutt speed, but bigger and I could see Wagner making it at WR in college if he can catch the ball.
for those interested hawk central has a new(er) article on Ahmad:
“We thought he had to come in, sit out, get ready. You guys probably saying, ‘Why isn’t he in the two-deep (depth chart)?’ His situation is a little different. … You see glimpses of it right now. He had a hamstring thing, and I think his body had to get used to being in football. Dude, some of the stuff you’ve see already from him, write this down: He will help us sometime this year.”
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...boosts-iowa-transfer-ahmad-wagner/1180418002/
“We thought he had to come in, sit out, get ready. You guys probably saying, ‘Why isn’t he in the two-deep (depth chart)?’ His situation is a little different. … You see glimpses of it right now. He had a hamstring thing, and I think his body had to get used to being in football. Dude, some of the stuff you’ve see already from him, write this down: He will help us sometime this year.”
https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/s...boosts-iowa-transfer-ahmad-wagner/1180418002/
Not for anyone that's seen him play. He's not a TE, he's a WR. He was Iowa's quickest player on the basketball team last year, his 1st step is explosive. Now, his time will come, as he has a lot to learn to play WR at this level... plus he has some stiff competition there. To bad Iowa couldn't have traded him to Kentucky for some WR's, cash, and a future draft pick
Personally, I would have loved for Ahmad to stay and play FB for Hawks.
Not for anyone that's seen him play. He's not a TE, he's a WR. He was Iowa's quickest player on the basketball team last year, his 1st step is explosive. Now, his time will come, as he has a lot to learn to play WR at this level... plus he has some stiff competition there. To bad Iowa couldn't have traded him to Kentucky for some WR's, cash, and a future draft pick
Personally, I would have loved for Ahmad to stay and play FB for Hawks.
I HAVE seen him play.
I only think we can all agree that Wagner wasn’t much of a basketball player if being a basketball player means scoring points. He was a solid rebounder and arguably our best defender last year.
This after losing Christian Williams, one of our better defenders, the year before. And people wonder why we are so terrible on defense. Wagner should have gotten more minutes last year imo. We played some of our best basketball when he was guarding other teams’ scorers
Agree. Playing all the best scorers who were also the worst defenders produced awful results.
