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April 10, 2008
Otah's workout includes improved 40 time
The Panthers have Pitt offensive tackle Jeff Otah talking about their interest in him after they were one of only two teams to send their top front-office person and head coach to his individual workout on campus yesterday.
According to a story in today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Carolina GM Marty Hurney and head coach John Fox attended the workout and the only other team to send its two top officials was the hometown Steelers (director of football operations Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin).
Otah reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds, much better than he did at the combine, when his official time was 5.55 seconds. He was still suffering from a lingering ankle injury at the time, which caused him to sit out Pitt's regular-scheduled pro day last month.
Otah is one of several offensive tackles Carolina is considering taking in the first-round of the draft. He is bigger and more physical than the others, but his game is not as polished because he began playing football in high school.
Some mock drafts have predicted the Panthers will take Otah with their pick, 13th overall.
"It does feel good to know it's a possibility," Otah told the Tribune-Review. "You know they are interested because they came here, and that's a good thing for me to know. But you never know. There are other tackles out there who are big, and you never know what they like and what they feel best fits their system."
The other candidates are Boise State's Ryan Clady, Boston College's Gosder Cherilus and Vanderbilt's Chris Williams. Of the tackles, Williams is probably least likely to be picked by Carolina.
-- Charles Chandler
Posted by Observer Sports on April 10, 2008 at 12:28 PM | Permalink
Comments
Sounds good if ankle getting better. Maybe trade down and still pick him up along with an extra pick. Go Panthers!!
Posted by: Ben Dover | Apr 10, 2008 12:35:25 PM
I am not sure trading down will be a possibility for Otah. He is the most talented of all the tackle prospects but, as everyone knows, he is the least polished. I don't think he will be on the board late in the round, the late 20's. And trading down five picks isn't really doable, in my opinion. Also, the one thing that scares me about all these picks, and the idea of trading down to grab another, is the lack of great drafting in the Fox/Hurney era. All these picks mean nothing if we miss on 70-80%. I think we should package as many picks as we can to trade up and get concentrated talent at need positions rather than stockpiling depth and hoping one pans out.
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Apr 10, 2008 12:44:22 PM
Most trades in the first round don't involve big jumps, because so much value is required to move up. Just look at how many picks it would take to get up to Clady-range -- it might take our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounders to switch up to #9.
If Clady is truly out of reach, and the team thinks Otah will be there 2-3 picks back, and it gets an offer, I say you take the step back.
And yes, we need a DT, but you can find top-notch DTs in the second round (see Jenkins, Kris). Franchise left tackles are a lot harder to find outside the 1st.
Posted by: BullCityDog | Apr 10, 2008 12:50:45 PM
That is exactly the reason I think it is not doable to move back. A team is going to have a need on the board who would come off in the next 2-4 picks and be willing to give up a second rounder to do so. It just is very unlikely and even if a team does have a need there it is a big hit to take for just a few spots. I agree it is possible, but it isn't doable and/or likely. I also meant packaging our picks for second rounders or third rounders. There is no way we walk away with 4 first round picks, but I would much rather have 5-6 picks in rounds 1-3 than 10 picks overall. I just don't trust the drafting prowess of Fox/Hurney in the late rounds.
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Apr 10, 2008 1:11:43 PM
Otah is a value at 13. Several "experts" have him listed as the OT with the most upside in this draft class. It's unlikely the Panthers would want him to start out at LT anyway, so he might as well cut his teeth on the right side and learn the position and the NFL there.
I'd love to see Otah in Black and Blue.
Posted by: John | Apr 10, 2008 1:23:47 PM
Why not take Sam Baker from USC in the second round. The guy is moving up the charts and is a monster. He would probably work well with Ryan Kalil because they played together in college. Panthers need a power running back or defensive end in the first round.
Posted by: FranieT | Apr 10, 2008 2:01:25 PM
BCD, you're wrong. 13 and our second alone (43) would be enough to move us up to #6 based on the trade value chart. To move up to #9, all we'd need is our second pick in the 3rd (74), and we'd still be owed a mid-6th rounder to make it completely even.
And to you, 'EerDy, your concern is well-warranted. We only started seven guys last year drafted in the fifth round or later.
John, if we're going to have to shift Gross back to LT again, it's just not even worth drafting a rookie. If Otah, Clady, Williams, or any other OT can't handle the left side next year, then just keep Wharton and Gross where they're at and hope improved play on the interior of the line will solve some problems.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Apr 10, 2008 2:14:22 PM
I agree. But this raises an interesting point that I asked yesterday but nobody responded to it. What is the draft strategy for Fox/Hurney? Otah is the one who isn't ready to play LT from day one but Clady could. Otah is viewed as a prospect who could grow into a much better player though. So what do you do? Do you take the safe pick and the quick fix, or do you pick the player who would most likely help out down the road but struggle early on? With Fox under fire, supposedly, it is a huge question to raise. What does everyone think?
Posted by: mountaineerdynAsty | Apr 10, 2008 2:26:48 PM
Everyone's 40 time is better at their pro day. It is their coaches with the clock. Besides 40 time means nothing at all for lineman. The cone shuttle is what I would be interested in. I would beleive the Panthers should be able to trade back with a team 5-6 spots and still land Otah. If Glenn Dorsey is available at 7 or 8, make a trade to get him though.
Posted by: wowo | Apr 10, 2008 2:30:17 PM
I hope the Panthers grab a DE in the first. They seem to be moving Gross to LT regardless. I don't see why they would use a 1st rounder on a position like RT and then switch that guy to LT the next year? To me that is counter productive. I would rather they grab a DE who could start from day 1 at the position he will play at as long as he is with the Panthers. They could then grab a guy like Baker or Cherilus in the 2nd round. I hope they wait until the 3rd for both the DT & RB picks. Dre Moore & Choice should both be available where we pick at in the 3rd.
Posted by: Eric | Apr 10, 2008 2:40:02 PM
Jeff Otah would be a great pick. Really think about it. People continue to say he is the most unpolished OT in this draft. but he is still rated in the top 5 some say the top 3 in the draft. Thats massive potential and with the right training he can become a franchise, pro-bowl talent for yeas to come. And if we re-sign Gross, move Wharton to LG and Khalil become a good center, carolina can have a good young group on the O-line that has the potenial to be one of the best in the NFL. Carolina draft this kid.
Posted by: Jose Flored | Apr 10, 2008 3:00:00 PM
I think that there best bet, (if they plan on trading back) is to do so and take Harvey than trade back up to get Gosder Cherilus LT. Than we will have landed 2 first round talents and not lost much on the draft board. We need to stack the trenches first, where games are won and lost, cliche i know but its true. I still say Brandon Albet will be better than all these guys. Anyone know how big Sam Baker is?
Posted by: randy | Apr 10, 2008 3:09:58 PM
Sam baker is around 310-315 last time I checked.
Posted by: Jose | Apr 10, 2008 3:11:39 PM
I really believe hat Otah is one-of-a-kind. He only played I think they said a year and a half as a tackle in highschool. He goes to Pittsburgh and immediatly takes the starting job at a school known for great OT. He played everygame at that time. He helped Pittsbugh be one of the Nations best running teams. If we're serious on improving and adding a power running game, he is next most physical OT other than Jake Long.
Posted by: Jose | Apr 10, 2008 3:21:08 PM
Otah as a NFL OT maybe/maybe not here's NFL.coms analysis of Otah.You be the judge:
Positives: Has a rare-sized frame with very long arms and legs, big bubble, thick thighs and calves, wide hips and large hands...Raw talent with the frame to engulf the smaller defenders, especially when he keeps his hands inside the frame...Shows adequate competitiveness on the field to finish blocks, playing with good nastiness, as added experience has allowed him to come off the snap with better aggressiveness than he showed as a junior...Works hard to improve his blocking technique and takes to hard coaching...Has developed a strong hand punch to shock and jolt the defender, coming off the snap with arms properly extended to lock on and control with strength...Uses his lower-body power and size to move defenders off the snap...Well-liked, but quiet player who gets along with teammates...Shows adequate feet in his kick slide and uses his long arms well to hold off defensive ends on the edge...Lacks the foot speed to play on an island at left tackle, but with his ability to quickly recoil and reset his hands after initially locking on to the opponent, he could earn a starting job immediately at right tackle at the next level...Lacks explosion, but uses his size effectively to hold his ground and create movement, working hard to wall off...When he keeps his hands inside, he can generate the punch needed to stymie the defender's forward charge...Has the functional foot movement to slide and reach his set point, but needs to do it more consistently...Not an explosive hip roller, but shows good body control to generate movement...Best when driving forward to knock defenders off the ball in the ground game...When he uses his hands properly to engage, he has good success in attempts to maintain inside leverage...For a player of his size, he does not put enough force behind his hand punch at times, but he is quick to reset his hands after initially catching the defender...Because he struggles to handle the speed rush, he has learned to compensate by dropping his pads and using his size to wall off. However, he will struggle to readjust to quick counter moves.
Negatives: Has a rare-sized frame, but lacks overall muscle development and could stand to lose at least 15 pounds, as his soft midsection causes him to stay too high in his stance and struggle in attempts to keep his pad level low...Moves adequately for his size, but lacks the quick feet to recover if he gets beat off the snap...Struggles quite a bit in space (see 2007 Michigan State, Louisville and Rutgers games), as he lacks the balance to reach and cut off in the second level...Doesn't bend well at the knees and shows stiffness in his legs when trying to execute his kick slide...Has just adequate instincts on the field because of a lack of experience, but has improved as a senior...Shows an ability to learn, but will need some reps, as he is not quick to take plays from the chalkboard to the playing field -- he lacks high football intelligence because he hasn't played the game for very long...Needs to be monitored in the training room because of poor work habits and lacks the maturity needed to handle the mental aspect of playing on an island at left tackle. He might be a better fit on the right side...Has questionable toughness and plays with inconsistent aggression...Shows adequate foot quickness to get off the ball, but can be late at times and will get lazy playing on his feet and struggles to bounce back up when cut...Has good natural strength, but displays marginal pop in his punch and poor explosion, as he fails to consistently sink his weight (waist bender) and is prone to getting too high in his stance coming off the line...Has adequate feet to sustain blocks, but struggles with too much room, as he has poor slide and mirror agility...Adequate as a run blocker because of his size, but struggles to get out in front when pulling. He can get in front in the short area, but fails to keep his feet running long distances, especially when playing in space because of his lower-body stiffness...Does an adequate job of getting his hands on outside linebackers, but struggles in space on screens and draws when he fails to generate good power behind his punch...Has functional feet for a left tackle, but struggles when defensive ends cross his face and needs to be more active with his hands...Lacks the hip snap to readjust to counter moves and struggles vs. the speed rush, as he lacks the balance to mirror defenders coming off the edge.
Compares To: MAX STARKS-Pittsburgh...Otah has the frame and bulk that the football gods love in a left tackle, but with his relative inexperience and just adequate field instincts, he might be a liability as a left tackle. He needs to be more consistent shooting his hands in attempts to battle counter moves and struggles to adjust when working on the edge. He could be a better fit at right tackle or as a guard, but will need to rededicate himself in the training room, as he has good natural strength, but poor weight-room numbers. He can play like an all-world prospect one game (see 2007 vs. Chris Long-Virginia and George Selvie-South Florida), but at other times, he can self destruct when facing speedy edge rushers with an array of counter moves (see 2007 Michigan State, Louisville and Rutgers games).
Posted by: rob | Apr 10, 2008 3:33:58 PM
I do not think Harvey would be the right choice at 13 for us and so many people think so. Why do you want someone who played worse this past year then he did when the won the National Championship? Granted some players on the defense left after that year but that is not that much of a good reason to me.
Posted by: JV | Apr 10, 2008 4:03:15 PM
Any sense and the Panthers take Williams. He is ready to start and play in the NFL today. He gave up only 2 sacks last year in the SEC. He is a future pro bowl tackle. He has the talent, intelligence, and character to be huge.
Posted by: jbw | Apr 10, 2008 4:08:46 PM
Clady has gotta be the guy we're goin after. Otah wouldn't be a bad choice either, but I think Clady is the more proven talent, and he would allow Gross to stay at RT, where he is most comfortable. It's also not a guarantee that Clady will be gone before 13. These mock drafts are guesses anyways. Anybody remember a guy named Aaron Rodgers? Brady Quinn? Granted they're QBs but they go to my point that no one really knows what's gonna happen in these mock drafts. We were supposed to take Greg Olsen last year too.
Posted by: JPanther | Apr 10, 2008 4:47:08 PM
God I wish people would just let go of this Harvey crap. I will promptly turn off my TV and stop watching the draft if we take him with our first pick.
Posted by: Steve | Apr 10, 2008 4:55:44 PM
On the NFL channel they said a case could be made that 13 of the top 20 teams drafting have a real need for OTs. How many OTs do you think will be left in the draft for second round? Panthers need a OT and can't take a chance on trading down, the OT may not be there.
Posted by: tony | Apr 10, 2008 4:59:42 PM
His coach was ex NFL head coach. Said he is the real deal - he would know - and being in the NFL he is not going to ruin his reputation just to help him get drafted a little higher
Posted by: Kelso | Apr 10, 2008 5:07:46 PM
How is Clady more proven than anyone? The guy played in the WAC. If we're going to select a RT in Otah and move Gross back to LT then that just makes no sense. Pick Chris Williams. Did anyone not see this kid in the Senior Bowl (or the practices for that game)? He played in the SEC and pass blocked, and run blocked, against college football's best every single week. Drafting Otah or Clady would just put Jake back on IR. Williams is most proven and if he gets stronger his ceiling could be higher than both guys aforementioned.
1st: Chris Williams LT
2nd: Trevor Laws DT
3rd: Matt Forte RB
All these guys shined in the Senior Bowl which I think means more than the combine.
Posted by: wolfpackjj78 | Apr 10, 2008 5:36:11 PM
jose, whom are you referring to when you say Pitt Panthers noted for OT??? they had one lineman go pro in 20 years and he got booted for throwing a flag at an official while in Cleveland.
Sam Baker is fat and lazy and a fairly typical USC good in college but won't be a good Pro also is a RT NOT a LT,
Clady is weak upper body, good feet for pass pro, way better than Travelle Wharton, but run blocking? (which may be ok if he's only good pass pro first year)
Chris Williams may be the guy though, he quietly handled a lot of studs in the SEC.
2nd take best available player at either RB, DT, DE
3rd take best available again
3rd2 add S to best available list depending on previous picks.
4-6 rd. S, TE, etc
7th QB for scout team and mix
Posted by: Isaiah | Apr 10, 2008 6:30:21 PM
Kelso
You posted about Derrick Harvey:
"His coach was ex NFL head coach. Said he is the real deal - he would know - and being in the NFL he is not going to ruin his reputation just to help him get drafted a little higher."
Urban Meyer has never coached in the NFL - whoops!
Also, if you believe that ANYONE in the NCAA wouldn't say their players are the "real deal" to get them drafted higher, then you are the most naive person I have ever talked to. When a blue chip recruit sees the draft, you don't think it is going to affect his decision where to sign if one of his top schools has 3 players chosen in the first round and get paid millions and his other top school has none? You don't think coaches consider that fact? And finally, you really believe that if Derrick Harvey busts in the NFL anyone is actually going to care that Urban Meyer said he was going to be the "real deal" and his reputation will consequently be hurt? Urban Meyer is not psychic. No one is going to take his word as a guarantee. "Sure thing" players bust all the time due to being in the wrong system, clashing with coaches, letting the money go to their heads, etc. etc.
Next time you want to argue something I say, you need to get your facts straight.
Posted by: Steve | Apr 10, 2008 6:42:31 PM
Steve, he was talking about Otah's coach-Dave Whennestade(sp?)
Posted by: Jon | Apr 10, 2008 6:56:43 PM
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