Yahya Black is a Hawk!

[Harbinger273]

How do you figure that he has more pro-potential than Anthony Nelson? I'd love it if this were true ... however, it's not at all obvious at this point.

Look what Goldstein did in limited snaps. He recovered multiple fumbles and seemed like he's was always around the play when he was in. Not unreasonable to expect big things, however that does not mean it will play out that way.

 

[Hawkeyeinsoutherncalifornia]

He would make a nice target at WR ;-)

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

National championship.

 

[CP84]

I'd add ... as a redshirt freshman, Anthony Nelson experienced a tougher schedule ... and still managed to net 8 TFLs and 6 sacks. As a redshirt sophomore ... seeing a comparable number of snaps ... albeit against a lighter schedule ... Golston managed to get 9 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. Another point to notice ... Golston had the benefit of having a human wrecking ball on the right side of the D. A guy like Epenesa tends to open up opportunities for other guys.

Apples and Oranges.

Golston played almost 200 fewer snaps than Nelson did as a sophomore. Last year we had far more DE depth than we did in 2016.

As far as the tougher schedule nonsense. 2.5 of Nelson's 6 sacks came against the vaunted Miami Ohio and 1 came against a bad ISU that we beat by almost 40 points.

 

[Harbinger273]

National championship.

Multiple.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Multiple.

 

[Franisdaman]

What I like is that Iowa is starting to routinely get 6'4"+ guys at DE like Michigan and tOSU naturally do. Iowa use to take a 6'2" HS LBs and try to built a DE with quicker frames. The Nate Meier mold. Iowa sees and offers more 6'4"+ kids and Iowa is getting better starting quality Midwest kids. Iowa is not on the nationwide level as the blueblood programs are but the trend looks better. AJE's star status in the pros may reap benefits in years to come. It's helpful when key spots in the NFL are filled with former Hawkeyes and the media has to talk about them and what program they attended. Go Hawks!

I do think that recruits are paying attention to the:
* number of Iowa players getting paid in the NFL
* the Ferentz / New England Patriot connection
* analysts who rave about how Iowa players are so technically sound & ready for the NFL coming out of college

 

[grayhair81]

The NFL does prospect upon talent ... but not because they're big into player development. They expect players to ultimately add value to their organization that results in production and wins. If players don't produce ... then they're disposed like yesterdays garbage. The NFL is very much a "what have you done for me lately" sort of league (like it or not).

It benefits a player a great deal to have a high football IQ ... and for guys who aren't no-brainer draft picks ... more time learning to break down tape and prepare for games in college helps to build that IQ.

I'll reiterate ... what do folks think the net result will be of all those guys who left early? It's not near as rosy a scenario as many might wish to think ...

For the record, I don't like players leaving early. I think it diminishes the quality of play in college and the NFL. I certainly don't like dozens of players eschewing bowl games every year. I do understand why the players make these decisions, though. And in most cases, there is no evidence they would improve their value by staying another year. Des King absolutely did not improve his value-he was the same player with the same strengths and weaknesses. He may be the poster child for what the NFL does and doesn't value: a guy with a lot of tape that showed him to be a quality player but small and slow for his position. The Chargers got a steal in the fifth round. He would have been drafted just as early and had the same opportunity if he had come out a year earlier. Do you think Josh Jackson won't earn a second contract? He will, barring injury. Hooker and A Nelson were not going to improve their stock by coming back. The signing bonuses Fant and Hock got represent more money than most of us will earn in our lifetimes. Again, there are a lot of things I don't like about the current reality but I also understand that these players don't and shouldn't give a damn what I think.

 

[ICTrojans99]

For the record, I don't like players leaving early. I think it diminishes the quality of play in college and the NFL. I certainly don't like dozens of players eschewing bowl games every year. I do understand why the players make these decisions, though. And in most cases, there is no evidence they would improve their value by staying another year. Des King absolutely did not improve his value-he was the same player with the same strengths and weaknesses. He may be the poster child for what the NFL does and doesn't value: a guy with a lot of tape that showed him to be a quality player but small and slow for his position. The Chargers got a steal in the fifth round. He would have been drafted just as early and had the same opportunity if he had come out a year earlier. Do you think Josh Jackson won't earn a second contract? He will, barring injury. Hooker and A Nelson were not going to improve their stock by coming back. The signing bonuses Fant and Hock got represent more money than most of us will earn in our lifetimes. Again, there are a lot of things I don't like about the current reality but I also understand that these players don't and shouldn't give a damn what I think.

Maybe not Nelson but Hooker could have improved his stock.

 

[grayhair81]

Maybe not Nelson but Hooker could have improved his stock.

Hooker had two years of starting film for the NFL guys. He wasn't getting any taller or faster. He wasn't going earlier than the third round if he stayed at Iowa til he was 25.

 

[mazda1]

Another high potential recruit in the fold. We’re all excited about the guys who have verbaled and are looking forward to seeing them hit the field (even if it’s a couple or three years in some cases.) Yahya’s one of the guys who could be special for us down the road. The future is night for Hawkeye football. Once he has a B1G body he’ll be fun to watch.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Apples and Oranges.

Golston played almost 200 fewer snaps than Nelson did as a sophomore. Last year we had far more DE depth than we did in 2016.

As far as the tougher schedule nonsense. 2.5 of Nelson's 6 sacks came against the vaunted Miami Ohio and 1 came against a bad ISU that we beat by almost 40 points.

Where is the snap-count data coming from? That genuinely surprises me if it's true.

 

[Hawk94Mn]

I agree with you ... I was just replying to Johnsoda123's post ... wherein he was of the opinion that Golston would be gone after the '19 season too.

While I really like Golston and I think that he's a really talented player ... I also think that he needs to utilize all the college starts he can in order to continue to maximize his ability.

The NFL goal is not just to reach it and get an opportunity .... ultimately a guy wants to STICK and reach that second contract. You don't get to that position unless you've cultivated the skill-set that will permit you to stick. A lot of fans and a lot of players don't seem to realize this simple NFL equation.

A really telling stat will be the following ... how many guys left early for the '19 draft? How many of those guys went undrafted? How many of those guys even manage to ultimately make a practice squad?

A little impatience (and bad information from agents) could ultimately end up killing the NFL dream that some of these young men have.

Josh Jackson is an exception to the rule. While he only started one year he also won Big Ten DB of the year and finished second in the Thorpe.

I agree that Chauncey will likely stay another year. Most of the guys who left early started for a minimum of two years before leaving. I think Chauncey is a premiere talent but he also has the chance to take the reigns in ‘20. 1st round picks get paid far more than 4th rounders. I think he could play his way into a very high draft pick, but that’s going to take more than one year of productive play.

 

[H4wkfan4life]