4.110 Vikings select OL- TJ Clemmings Pittsburgh

[dead_poet]

Do you guys see any chance of Tiny Richardson emerging as a competitor at Tackle?

He'll compete but I think his odds were already long. They just got longer.

[fiestavike]

He'll compete but I think his odds were already long. They just got longer.

I wish the local press would pursue these stories more. Richardson was red flagged because of injury but was given draft grades of 1st and 2nd rounder. I'd love to know how he is progressing after surgery. These are the kinds of stories that could make great serials over at Vikings.com or in the local paper. You know there won't be an immediate conclusion, but you can build up the story and in the end it will be dramatic one way or the other. The death of a dream or an immediate fan favorite should he ever fulfill his potential. Would have made for a much more interesting story this offseason than the never ending "reports" about "no new developments" on the Adrian Peterson situation.

[dead_poet]

I wish the local press would pursue these stories more. Richardson was red flagged because of injury but was given draft grades of 1st and 2nd rounder. I'd love to know how he is progressing after surgery. These are the kinds of stories that could make great serials over at Vikings.com or in the local paper. You know there won't be an immediate conclusion, but you can build up the story and in the end it will be dramatic one way or the other. The death of a dream or an immediate fan favorite should he ever fulfill his potential. Would have made for a much more interesting story this offseason than the never ending "reports" about "no new developments" on the Adrian Peterson situation.

I recall it was than injury with Richardson. Scouting reports on him coming out used phrases like "underachiever", "sloppy technique", "unpredictable effort", "lacks athleticism", "inconsistent toughness". That's in addition to confusing knee issues that have been reported as either arthritic knees or cartilage degeneration. Some sources have said he's needed microfracture knee surgery. Last I heard Richardson had some kind surgery on both knees and was injured against the Tennessee Titans. I'm not looking at him as any kind of answer with all those question marks.

[jackal]

I think the Vikings sent a clear message to the O line

we drafted what four guys at OT and two of them can play inside ...

plus some free agents like Babs... MY guess is Loadholt and Kalil could
both be unemployed in a season or two...

[Pondering Her Percy]

I think the Vikings sent a clear message to the O line

we drafted what four guys at OT and two of them can play inside ...

plus some free agents like Babs... MY guess is Loadholt and Kalil could
both be unemployed in a season or two...

I understand why Kalil get brought up in these instances but I don't understand the Loadholt talk. Granted, he's getting a little older but he hasn't shown any sort of decline. He's a top 5 run blocker in the NFL and an average pass blocker. Loadholt is the least of my worries.

[Pseudo Everything]

Re: Tiny Richardson

Nolan Nawrocki of nfl.com and Rob Rang of CBS sports both had Richardson projected in Rounds 2-3.

Walter Football: If you want to watch a tape of a blocker having success against Jadeveon Clowney, put on the games between Tennessee and South Carolina from the past two seasons. Volunteers left tackle Antonio Richardson had as much success against Clowney as any offensive lineman in college football. ... Sources have told WalterFootball.com that Richardson is getting dinged by some teams for the surgery and how that impacted his play last year. As a result, he could go as high as late in the first round or fall as low as the third round. Read more at http://walterfootball.com/scoutingrepor ... zgGwetZ.99

Richardson went undrafted because he failed his physicals due to an arthritic condition in both knees. Teams were concerned he would need surgery and be a medical redshirt his first year. They were right. At the end of pre-season we placed him on IR and he had micro-fracture surgery on both knees last fall.

If Tiny can get his knees healed-up he'll be as good a prospect as Clemmings and might have a better chance at playing LT than Clemmings would. And if his knees are shredded ... well ... we aren't out anything as he was an UDFA.

[fiestavike]

Re: Tiny Richardson

Nolan Nawrocki of nfl.com and Rob Rang of CBS sports both had Richardson projected in Rounds 2-3.

Walter Football: If you want to watch a tape of a blocker having success against Jadeveon Clowney, put on the games between Tennessee and South Carolina from the past two seasons. Volunteers left tackle Antonio Richardson had as much success against Clowney as any offensive lineman in college football. ... Sources have told WalterFootball.com that Richardson is getting dinged by some teams for the surgery and how that impacted his play last year. As a result, he could go as high as late in the first round or fall as low as the third round. Read more at http://walterfootball.com/scoutingrepor ... zgGwetZ.99

Richardson went undrafted because he failed his physicals due to an arthritic condition in both knees. Teams were concerned he would need surgery and be a medical redshirt his first year. They were right. At the end of pre-season we placed him on IR and he had micro-fracture surgery on both knees last fall.

If Tiny can get his knees healed-up he'll be as good a prospect as Clemmings and might have a better chance at playing LT than Clemmings would. And if his knees are shredded ... well ... we aren't out anything as he was an UDFA.

Thanks PE. I'm interested in following him this preseason. Like Babs, he's a longshot, but if the surgery was successful and he pans out it would be such an awesome story and a HUGE addition to the team.

Just for fun imagine if Babs, Tiny or TJ pan out this year. Imagine if Yankey, Thompson or Shepherd pan out this year. Suddenly we've got a pretty good offensive line, and in my mind the major question mark coming into this season becomes a strength.

[dead_poet]

10 Biggest Draft Steals

T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
#110 Overall to Minnesota

Clemmings’ foot could very well be a serious issue that scared off NFL teams, but we can’t speak to that. If you look at his physical traits alone he would have been a first round pick. The more I watch Clemmings, the more difficult it becomes to discern the gap between him and Brandon Scherff in terms of draft position. Both are likely guards to start off with in the NFL and both have freakish qualities against the run. No tackle was better last season at finding linebackers in space and engaging. Clemmings’ long 35 1/8” arms might as well be Inspector Gadget’s the way he latches on and stops defenders in their tracks.

The Pittsburgh tackle finished with the highest run blocking grade among all tackles last season. His pass protection issues, especially at the Senior Bowl, kept him out of the first round, but Clemmings potential is so high that he shouldn’t have made it past the second day of the draft.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... ft-steals/

[dead_poet]

CFF All-America Team

Right Tackle: T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh

You can only beat what is in front of you and Clemmings really beat what was in front of him in the ACC. The level of opposition helped him somewhat in pass protection, but there’s no escaping that in the run game he was something else altogether. A complete bully, he punished anyone he got his hands on.

Key Stat: Highest graded run blocking tackles in FBS competition.

2015 Draft in Review: Minnesota Vikings

Round 4: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pitt

The Vikings struck value gold with Clemmings in the fourth round. He was the highest-graded run-blocking tackle all season by some distance, and allowed just 10 total pressures on the year, one more than Andrus Peat who went mid-way through the first round. Clemmings is already a monster in the run game, but despite those pretty pass-protection metrics he didn’t really face anybody of note this year, and will take more work there to be successful.

Depth Chart Fit: Is too raw as a pass-protector to start early at tackle, but has the power in the run game to potentially get on the field at guard if the Vikings want him on the field.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... a-vikings/

CFF Overview: OT – Buyer Beware

T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh

CFF-profiles-inset-clemmingsAll you need to do is watch the Senior Bowl to understand why Clemmings makes this list. In Mobile he gave up five pressures in 28 pass blocking snaps playing left and right tackle. Even with his 35 1/8” arms he almost never got first contact and looked like he’d never had to deliver a punch in pass protection before. Basically, his pass set is broken and he’ll need an overhaul in that area by whatever team drafts him.

The intriguing thing about Clemmings is that for how poor his pass blocking form was, his work in the run game was the exact opposite. Explosive and fluid in space, Clemmings showed the ability to execute any run block asked of him in Pittsburgh’s varied attack. I could see Clemmings being a guy who starts off as a guard to protect him in pass pro and makes his way out to tackle after he gets more technically sound.

Signature Stat: Was beaten in pass pro four separate times against Virginia. Not by Max Valles or Eli Harold, but by Mike Moore.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... er-beware/

[The Breeze]

The story about Clemmings path to the o-line from the basketball court and everything talent scouts have said about his abilities suggest that he is an incredible athlete for his size. That's what I want on the line....guys who can move their bulk and do dynamic things.
Provided his foot issue doesn't become a serious chronic thing, he should be able to learn the craft in due time. Since he hasn't played long at all he is less likely to have any ingrained bad habits to break. He sounds very motivated and coachable.

The foot issue is huge IMO....Greg Childs Huge, potentially, and common for big guys who played basketball. Really hope he works out

[mondry]

For a second there I thought we were talking about Loadholt! So another beast in the run game but weak pass blocker. I guess if he was the total package we wouldn't get him in the 4th round. Hopefully he can improve and the coaches can fix some of his technique issues. Being that dominate in the run game though he might be even better than Phil in that regard, sounds like he pretty much took whoever they wanted out of the play. Excited to see how this guy develops.

[Purple bruise]

The Vikes "struck gold" with Fusco and Sullivan in the later rounds and there is no reason that Clemmings can't/won't follow that same path. At least I am hoping so.

[Pondering Her Percy]

The Vikes "struck gold" with Fusco and Sullivan in the later rounds and there is no reason that Clemmings can't/won't follow that same path. At least I am hoping so.

[Norv Zimmer]

Any chance Clemmings will play guard? Not sure if he has the correct size

[Pondering Her Percy]

Any chance Clemmings will play guard? Not sure if he has the correct size

He's 6'4 3/4. That's definitely ok size for a guard. I would like to see him there because of his athleticism and he is our best "non-starting" lineman but who knows what their plan is