the official Justin Layne 2021 season thread

You just validated my point.

 

These are my thoughts exactly. Harris runs very upright. He is a beast no doubt. But can he do that in the NFL? I worry about ball security and injuries.

Etienne on the other hand runs with such burst, and such a low center of gravity. He never seems to take a clean hit. I really think he will be a top 3 NFL back for the next 6 to 8 years.

Harris may well prove me wrong. But even if he does I still think Etienne is a better fit to run behind our sloppy Oline.

 

I don't see a rb drafted by the Steelers in the 1st round, maybe the 2nd if a good one falls that far.

 

Harris and Etienne will be gone. our backfield will be : Trey Sermon, Snell, Macfarlend maybe... Conner (if he resigns) ?... or kenneth Gainwell ?

 

Snell, Mcfarland, Ballage & ???. Could be a draft pick, who is this Sermon dude?

 

Trey Sermon Ohio State probably a 3rd or 4th round pick.

 

Who knows, here's three entirely differet draft profiles of the same guy.

https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/justin-layne

 

I'm a big Buckeye homer, but Sermon is a sleeper this draft. Probably wouldn't have beaten the Tide anyway, but his early injury in the natty championship was a dagger.

Not as powerful as Harris, but breaks tackles and is a home run threat, unlike Najee. I'd be thrilled with him in the 3rd or later rounds.

 

sometimes it takes time for players develop.

 

I agree, he still has a chance. And think about this. Nelson was almost escorted out the door. And he was a solid guy and player. So, I think the org knows they have decent depth. My takeaway from those three draft profiles of Layne is that he needs to work on his footwork and fine tune his pro game which I think watching Nelson for a few seasons will help him. Thats why I have said before that Nelson's greatest contribution to the Steelers (besides a few solid seasons) will be how he led by example to the guys behind him - Pierre, Sutton, and Layne

 

I think the org was just trying to save some cash in a down year for business.

 

Personally, I'd sacrifice the home run threat for more hammer. We need a power back to ring the bells of those fast, athletic LB's that defenses are shifting to these days. If your RB averages 4ypc and has no runs over 25 yards, you've got a keeper. Keep the opposing defense on the field, win the TOP, and make them take extra snaps each possession. When the 4th quarter rolls around, our defense is the fresh one.

 

How so? Dupree played from the start. He wasn't great, but he was on the field.

Layne never saw the field until there were injuries, and then got bumped for a UDFA.

 

Dupree wasn’t a full time starter until his 3rd year. People (fans) were already calling him a bust after year 1. Layne was a 3rd round pick and because 2020 was his 2nd year he has only had 1 training camp, 1 real offseason. This will be his 2nd off-season but his 3rd year.

I’m just saying that I have no issue with being patient for players to develop. I’m not one that thinks draft picks need to be starters by year 2.

 

This really the hill you wanna die on? Games/starts/snaps first two years:

Dupree:

16/5/563
7/4/318 (injured)

Layne:

10/0/0
16/0/117

 

Some interesting info can be found here.


All that said, backup spot to Haden is still anyone's to claim. I do believe that Sutton has Nelson's spot taken over currently. Going to be an interesting Training Camp nevertheless!!

 

One is a 1st round pick, one is a 3rd round pick.

Are we labeling a 3rd round pick that was known to be a project as a bust that has had 1 legit offseason/camp to learn the NFL?

 

Interesting, but was he offered an extension to his current contract that he did not like? I (nor any of us) know the details of any talks, we do know there was a certain point where Nelson posted he wanted out. Could be Nelson thought his value was much greater than it is, as he is yet to be signed

 

That is quite different than just the they did not offer me a pay cut, lol

 

Layne looking confused and a little lost on film while Pierre looking better, again we'll see but Pierre looks like he might contribute this year, I am pulling for Layne but that film does not bolster his case for more playing time, still a ways to go

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...be-higher-on-the-2021-depth-chart-cornerbacks

 

Walter Payton literally refused to run out of bounds. "Never die easy..." - Walter Payton.

 

I am not talking about shying away from contact, I am talking about being quick enough to dodge the direct punishing hit repeatedly, yes Payton could deliver blows he also had quickness and speed so that it was hard to get that direct big hit on him,

 

If you got it, you got it. You'll play some. Look at our 3rd round picks the last 15 years. The ones that were worth anything played as rookies (save for Mason, who was behind a HOF-er).

Highsmith, Layne, Rudolph, Sutton, Conner, Hargrave, Coates, Archer, Wheaton, Spence, C. Brown, Sanders, Wallace, B. Davis, Spaeth.