Why TJ Clemmings slipped in the draft

[jackal]

So, the guy excels over a long period of time playing a position he hadn't played before (suggesting he is likely to get a lot better), but then he comes into a contrived situation and struggles, causing teams to downgrade him based his performance in the brief, contrived situation and discount the larger, "media-driven" evidence.

Clemmings may very well end up failing at the pro level, and he may even be a guy who has to bake for a season or two before we see what he can really do, but what the article describes to me is more a characteristic of how teams evaluate talent and fail than evidence Clemmings actually merited a 3rd or 4th round grade.

Good for the Vikings.. when other teams don't do there homework...

We finally have a good coach and good GM working together....

We keep being smart and working hard and the Championship will be where it belongs. SKOL

[IIsweet]

I have been critical of Spielman in the past. He's definitely had a couple decent drafts, but still misses too regularly for me, Gerhardt Carlson Jennings TWill and so forth just to name a few.... Granted I would have missed as well on numerous picks over the years as these guys didn't pan out like I had envisioned, but I am a casual observer compared to them.
I am hoping Clemmings works out. the OL could be dominant if he can figure it out and Fusco plays the LG as well as the right side.
Thus, he may have gotten this right ! I sure hope so.

[808vikingsfan]

Old article but breaks down Clemmings with video.

For the purposes of this breakdown, I went over to Draft Breakdown and watched Clemmings play against Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke and Miami. Those represented the sixth, seventh, ninth and 12th games of Pittsburgh's season, respectively.

This Clemmings fella not only racked up a slew of pancakes in the four games I watched, there were also several other plays where he blocked opposing defensive players on the second level and sent them flying backwards.

T. J. Clemmings is the nastiest offensive lineman in the NFL Draft

[jackal]

I have been critical of Spielman in the past. He's definitely had a couple decent drafts, but still misses too regularly for me, Gerhardt Carlson Jennings TWill and so forth just to name a few.... Granted I would have missed as well on numerous picks over the years as these guys didn't pan out like I had envisioned, but I am a casual observer compared to them.
I am hoping Clemmings works out. the OL could be dominant if he can figure it out and Fusco plays the LG as well as the right side.
Thus, he may have gotten this right ! I sure hope so.

Im not so sure a lot of the bad picks were Spielman's fault .. when he started we still had the triangle or Authority thing going on.

He became General Manager only a year or so ago. I know Zimmer was hired with Spielman's input.
Spielman didn't want to hire Frasier, it was a Wilf call.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I have been critical of Spielman in the past. He's definitely had a couple decent drafts, but still misses too regularly for me, Gerhardt Carlson Jennings TWill and so forth just to name a few.... Granted I would have missed as well on numerous picks over the years as these guys didn't pan out like I had envisioned, but I am a casual observer compared to them.
I am hoping Clemmings works out. the OL could be dominant if he can figure it out and Fusco plays the LG as well as the right side.
Thus, he may have gotten this right ! I sure hope so.

You named 2 draft picks that were years ago and two free agents that we at least 2-3 years ago?? I have always judged Spielman since 2012. That is when he completely took over and that's when everyone knew he was calling the shots. Look how many holes we had in 2012. It was terrible. Now look how many we have as long as guys like Waynes, Kendricks and Clemmings pan out. Safety maybe? WLB? DE? None of which have downright awful players at them. Just players that could eventually be replaced. Chances are, the starters will be Blanton, Greenway/Hodges, and Robison. Personally, I love Hodges, Robison is probably done after this year, however, we have good depth in Hunter and Crichton and Blanton isn't all that bad.

Rick Spielman has filled MANY holes on this team in a good way. Of course he has missed on a few picks, name me a GM that hasn't? Overall, I think he has done an excellent job getting talent in here and rebuilding this team. His drafts since 2012 have been pretty darn good. To say he "misses too regularly" and going back to use Troy Williamson as an example just doesnt hold any kind of validity IMO.

[Mothman]

Rick Spielman wasn't employed by the Vikings when troy Williamson was drafted.

[Mothman]

This sums up why I think most teams make huge mistakes when it comes to the draft:
So, the guy excels over a long period of time playing a position he hadn't played before (suggesting he is likely to get a lot better), but then he comes into a contrived situation and struggles, causing teams to downgrade him based his performance in the brief, contrived situation and discount the larger, "media-driven" evidence.

The article specifies that he excelled as a run-blocker. It was well-known prior to the Senior Bowl that he still had a lot of work to do as a pass protector. Walter Football says teams downgraded him based on the Senior Bowl, and they may have, but I have no doubt they were well aware of his issues in pass protection before that week in Mobile. It even says right in the article that "Sources with NFL teams were never as high on Clemmings as the draft media, so they weren't surprised by his draft-day fall."

I don't think most teams make huge draft mistakes by not following the media's lead. They should value the reports of their own scouts and their own assessment of film over the media and mock-drafter takes on players.

[IIsweet]

Fellas, I had been critical of him in the past ! The past.... Settle down, call off the dogs, whoa.
I think that he is getting it and improving with each move. Spielman is getting better with every move because he learns from them. I am pleased with this. I think that he does a pretty good job.

As for Clemmings he has only played OL for 2 years. Has had a foot injury and was beaten badly at Senior Bowl in pass protection. Hard to take a projected player in early rounds. Not sure if he will pan out as opposed to a long time time starter who has practiced and learned tricks of the trade. Clemmings is raw for the position and is up against seasoned veterans in the draft game. Hard to take him high when so unproven. Gotta remember that a high draft pick basically replaces an established player. It worked beautifully for us a couple times in this draft. Clemmings replaces Johnson. Also, Hunter could replace Robison in a year, but replaces the void left at DE in Corey Wooten. High upside guys, but raw guys.
We got talent but not polished yet. Enter the coaching staff and we are fortunate to get talent in available positions.

[Norv Zimmer]

Fellas, I had been critical of him in the past ! The past.... Settle down, call off the dogs, whoa.
I think that he is getting it and improving with each move. Spielman is getting better with every move because he learns from them. I am pleased with this. I think that he does a pretty good job.

As for Clemmings he has only played OL for 2 years. Has had a foot injury and was beaten badly at Senior Bowl in pass protection. Hard to take a projected player in early rounds. Not sure if he will pan out as opposed to a long time time starter who has practiced and learned tricks of the trade. Clemmings is raw for the position and is up against seasoned veterans in the draft game. Hard to take him high when so unproven. Gotta remember that a high draft pick basically replaces an established player. It worked beautifully for us a couple times in this draft. Clemmings replaces Johnson. Also, Hunter could replace Robison in a year, but replaces the void left at DE in Corey Wooten. High upside guys, but raw guys.
We got talent but not polished yet. Enter the coaching staff and we are fortunate to get talent in available positions.

The hole left by Wooten isn't that big in my opinion. I also believe with kendricks they will line up Barr at DE more.

[jackal]

I'm hoping Clemmings is a monster, and knocks players backwards .... I love those kind of lineman

As of Right now it appears Kalil LT Fusco LG Sullivan C Clemmings RG Loadholt RT

I'm guessing Asiata or Line will be FB if we have one in the game....

[DK Sweets]

I'd love to see Asiata and Ellison split time in the backfield.

I could see Ellison/Peterson being a nice grouping with Ellison being able to move between FB and TE to keep defenses on their toes, and if Asiata and McKinnon were on the field at the same time there could be similar versatility. Asiata can run and block, and McKinnon can run and catch.

Fan theories like this tend to sound a lot better in theory than in practice, but it seems to me like it would offer a lot of versatility and keep legs fresh.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I'm hoping Clemmings is a monster, and knocks players backwards .... I love those kind of lineman

As of Right now it appears Kalil LT Fusco LG Sullivan C Clemmings RG Loadholt RT

I'm guessing Asiata or Line will be FB if we have one in the game....

I would love to see Asiata there. Much more than Line. I know Asiata has experience at the position and has a lot of experience running the ball. He would be much more useful at the position that Line.

[Mothman]

I would love to see Asiata there. Much more than Line. I know Asiata has experience at the position and has a lot of experience running the ball. He would be much more useful at the position that Line.

Perhaps but I don't think we've really seen enough of Line to know that. They've been grooming him to play FB for 2 years now and he showed in college that he has the skills to be a versatile FB, not just a blocker. I'm actually pretty interested in seeing what he might be able to bring to the offense.

[jackal]

I would love to see Asiata there. Much more than Line. I know Asiata has experience at the position and has a lot of experience running the ball. He would be much more useful at the position that Line.

Its going to be interesting because we have a strong core group at Wide out now. Wallace, Johnson, Patterson, Wright will all make the team Adam Thielen
will make it on special teams(pretty sure. Norv likes his TE's a lot Rudolf, Ford, Pruitt, Bostick, Ellison

Then you have Peterson, Mckinnon, Harris Asiata, Line

Not to mention Diggs and some other guys ... I can't see us keeping 5 RB 6 TE and 6 WR's

I know Ellison is a dominant blocker now...He seems to improving in short pass ...

I am guessing he is a better blocker than asiata is. Asiata is a better runner and about equal pass catcher...

[Pondering Her Percy]

Its going to be interesting because we have a strong core group at Wide out now. Wallace, Johnson, Patterson, Wright will all make the team Adam Thielen
will make it on special teams(pretty sure. Norv likes his TE's a lot Rudolf, Ford, Pruitt, Bostick, Ellison

Then you have Peterson, Mckinnon, Harris Asiata, Line

Not to mention Diggs and some other guys ... I can't see us keeping 5 RB 6 TE and 6 WR's

I know Ellison is a dominant blocker now...He seems to improving in short pass ...

I am guessing he is a better blocker than asiata is. Asiata is a better runner and about equal pass catcher...

Don't forget about Stefon Diggs. He's more likely to make the team than Thielen IMO. Diggs is a big time sleeper that I could see taking over if Wallace doesnt pan out for some reason. I could see him sharing some time with Wright as well.