'11 CA ATH George Atkinson III (Signed Notre Dame LOI)

[Ironman8]

Fixed it for you.

I talked with Mariel Zagunis, I can't remember exactly, but I think she has gone to school for her undergraduate degree for over ten years. I don't think ND has a problem taking a student athlete in good standing back.

Huh? Sorry, maybe I missed something here, but what does that have to do with Torii Hunter Jr.?

 

[dublinirish]

i bet the Raiders take him as a UDFA

 

[tko]

Red Ripple

 

[Xander]

First, I don't think he's ready for the NFL, but I would love for him to prove me wrong. Second, I hope he meant what he said about coming back and finishing his degree. Good luck, George!

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

i bet the Raiders take him as a UDFA

His father probably promised they'd take him in the seventh if he wasn't already selected.
Saves some face and gives him a bit more confidence heading into the process..

 

[RDU Irish]

His draft hinges on his 40 time. Last year best RB times were

Onterio McCalebb (Auburn) at 4.34- Undrafted but he was only 5'10" 168lbs

Knile Davis (Arkansas) at 4.37, 5'10", 227lbs - 34th pick of 3rd round to Chiefs

Kerwinn Williams (Utah St) at 4.48, 5'8" 195lbs - 24th pick of the 7th round to Colts

and then a whole crap load starting at 4.49 to 4.50 that I don't have the time to pick apart.

If anyone knows GAIII's 40 time it is GAIII. I suspect his is elite, as in noticeably better than good. Good looks to be defined around 4.50 and elite would be low 4.4s or less.

Easy for me to see the combo of size and speed getting him drafted. I can see how a lot of teams would be tempted starting day two if one of the fastest RBs is on the board.

 

[PANDFAN]

"I did. I ran the fastest 40 (yard dash time)," he said almost apologetically. "40's don't really mean much if you can't put it on the field, so that's what I'm working on---bursts, and using my speed on the field."

How fast is Atkinson?

"I think I was clocked at 4.43," said Atkinson.

Atkinson Focused on Eliminating Mistakes

 

[RDU Irish]

"I did. I ran the fastest 40 (yard dash time)," he said almost apologetically. "40's don't really mean much if you can't put it on the field, so that's what I'm working on---bursts, and using my speed on the field."

How fast is Atkinson?

"I think I was clocked at 4.43," said Atkinson.

Atkinson Focused on Eliminating Mistakes

Nice find. Thanks.

That would put him at third fastest last year and meaningfully ahead of the pack.

 

[irishff1014]

Nice find. Thanks.

That would put him at third fastest last year and meaningfully ahead of the pack.

Running fast means nothing if you can't lower your shoulders and drive forwards he will get smoked if he keeps running that high at the nfl level.

 

[RDU Irish]

You have to have a chance to get smoked and his build/speed combo likely gives him that chance. Doesn't mean he will even make a roster though.

 

[palinurus]

.

 

[palinurus]

QUOTE=LoveThee;1202892]Just wondering, because people say players can always come back to finish their degree, is it guaranteed when players sign their LOI that they can come back to the school at any time? Because I could see a player who was admitted based on his football playing ability not being readmitted in a situation like this unless there is some sort of guarantee.

No, it's not even guaranteed that the signee will attend the school he signed with. See Oversigning.

Scholarships are also for 1 year and get renewed annually at most schools. If a player leaves schools for academic or other reasons, such as discipline, the school does not have to take the person back.

Players that leave for the NFL can return at the school's choice but obviously on their own dime as they forfeit their eligibility for an NCAA scholarship.

If the player was in good academic standing when they left I can't see why any school wouldn't allow them back. ND shoots for 100% graduation. They'd prefer it in 4 years but want to see the student complete their requirements regardless of interruption.

Even the football factories want them back if they can help boost the school's graduation rate which now is monitored and can result in penalties for a program.[/QUOTE]

Ah ok thanks ... that makes sense.

This. It's also a chip that schools (esp. like ND) can play with other parents during recruiting, emphasizing the 40 year decision part of recruiting, and it implies the quality of the school's degree and the importance of it, even to a professional athlete.

 

[BGIF]

Greg Grabriel review - "Should not have declared for the draft"

Greg Grabriel review - "Should not have declared for the draft"

NFL prospect focus: Saturday 3-pack | National Football Post

Atkinson has great size at approximately 6015 – 218. He has a strong-looking lower body, but is still lean in the upper body. He has great speed and if he gets invited to the Combine, Atkinson might be the fastest back in Indianapolis. He has been timed in the 10.5 area in the 100 meters. As fast as he is, however, Atkinson is not a great athlete. He has good, but not great, change of direction and body control. As a runner, he has good initial quickness, but consistently runs tall and exposes his body. While he shows he can be a hard runner, he is not very instinctive or creative. He is a one-cut guy and that one cut isn’t always the right one. He flashes as an outside runner, but isn’t as patient as he could/should be. Still, if he finds an opening, once in the open field he can take it the distance because of his speed. He is not the most elusive guy, but has gotten better at making the first man miss.

As a receiver, Atkinson has some issues. He has poor hands and struggles to adjust to the ball. He has had a number of drops and isn’t reliable. The same can be said about his blocking abilities. Atkinson doesn’t show consistent effort, lacks technique and isn’t tough. The one thing Atkinson can do well is return kickoffs. He shows more patience returning kicks and does a good job finding the open seam. He is not the type to make many miss, but with his speed all he needs is an opening. He does not return punts mainly because he doesn’t track the ball well and can’t be trusted to catch it.

Overall, Atkinson should not have declared for the draft. The problem was that he alienated the Notre Dame coaching staff and was suspended for their Bowl game. The report was that Atkinson was suspended because of texting during the team pregame meal, but according to sources, there was a lot more to it than that. If he had stayed at Notre Dame for the 2014 season, he may not been more than the fourth back. With his speed and return ability, Atkinson may get drafted, but he doesn’t have the skills to be much more than a kickoff returner. Because of his poor hands and blocking, he can’t be trusted as a running back

.


Ouch!

 

[rocket66]

Whoa. Hope daddy doesn't see that.

 

[rocket66]

Is it true he would have been the 4th or 5th back had he stayed, however. I guess if this is his dream then now is the best time to give it a shot.

 

[Irish2155]

NFL prospect focus: Saturday 3-pack | National Football Post


.


Ouch!

I think it is a fair assessment.

 

[irishff1014]

I think it is a fair assessment.

It is right on

 

[BGIF]

I think it is a fair assessment.

I thought it was brutally fair, hence the "Ouch!"

 

[phork]

 

[Irish2155]

I thought it was brutally fair, hence the "Ouch!"

I don't know about that. It was on the mark IMO. Nothing brural about it.

Ouch was appropriate...not trying to debate.

 

[BGIF]

"Oh, the humanity!"

 

[Booslum31]

You know the situation had deteriated badly at ND if choose to opt for the NFL with that kind of assessment. I know that's not the "official" assessment but it's probably pretty close to the real thing. I feel bad that this is how it turned out for him...hope he catches lightning in a bottle and takes off in the NFL but I have my doubts.

 

[phork]

"Oh, the humanity!"

 

[tko]

Better make a point of coming back and completing his degree. His time in the pros will be short lived I believe.

 

[Pachuco]

Hope you beat the odds, George. But if not, Notre Dame will welcome you back. Thanks for your contributions to the team.

 

[Irish#1]

I think it is a fair assessment.

It's nothing that nobody on this board didn't already know.

 

[military_irish]

Just curious what is the difference between catching a punt and a kickoff?

They do have a different spin to it but can it really affect a players "catch-ability" of the ball?

I know returning punts the kick coverage is on you quicker than with a kickoff. Maybe that could be it.

 

[Ironman8]

Just curious what is the difference between catching a punt and a kickoff?

They do have a different spin to it but can it really affect a players "catch-ability" of the ball?

I know returning punts the kick coverage is on you quicker than with a kickoff. Maybe that could be it.

Biggest thing for me is you are never fielding a kickoff under duress. Much harder to field a kick when there are defenders around you / trying to hit you than when you have some time to field it and then decide what you are going to do.

 

[military_irish]

Biggest thing for me is you are never fielding a kickoff under duress. Much harder to field a kick when there are defenders around you / trying to hit you than when you have some time to field it and then decide what you are going to do.

Makes sense.

In the article is said he "couldn't be trusted to catch the ball" while returning a punt.

Just didn't know the reason why a punt catch and a kickoff catch would be that different.

This makes sense, though, if you have to worry about being hit instantly or trying to make a move, a punt would be far more difficult to field.

 

[ACamp1900]

IM is right about the time factor, but KOs tend to have an end over end spin that made it more of a challenge to me... I preferred punts.