Yeah, his "I BELIEVE I will be back" did not sound like a ringing endorsement.
He will compare this year's RB crop with next year's. This year he is likely 10th best?
I selfishly hope he comes back.
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Yeah, his "I BELIEVE I will be back" did not sound like a ringing endorsement.
He will compare this year's RB crop with next year's. This year he is likely 10th best?
I selfishly hope he comes back.
High school coaches aren't typically good sources for NFL talk. I just don't think Dixon will be drafted this year. I could be wrong. But I'll be very disappointed to see him leave after he INSISTED he wasn't leaving immediately after the HOD Bowl game.Originally Posted by exit84
Hard to fault him if he did change his mind though. They teach you all the time that in such an emotionally charged moment it's easy to say something you think sounds good or even feel like you really mean what you say, even when you're actually unsure about your intentions.
But at the end of the day, he's 21 years old. If he thinks about it again and decides it's best for his and his family's future that he head to the NFL, I can't fault him. Obviously I hope he stays because he'll go down as one of the top 10 players to ever play at Tech, period. But I can't hold a statement made directly after a bowl game over his head.
I think it's wise to get a projection of where he might go, and make a decision with that in mind. He's improved at his receiving and pass-protection. He also looks faster. I think he could make much more (on the front end) if he shows that he can rush for significant yardage against the better defenses.
Have you considered those Dogs?
When draft day comes around, Dixon's problem will be two-fold: 1) he gets injured a lot, and 2) he fumbles a lot.
No, I'm not "picking" on Dixon...whom I admire greatly. But this will be his "NFL Draft" reality, should he try to enter the 2015 draft. IMO, Dixon needs to come back for his senior season, STAY HEALTHY, and not fumble the football for an entire season. Staying healthy for a whole season will assuage the concerns most NFL teams would have about his lack of durability this year. And playing another year of college football will give NFL scouts a whole year to forget about those 2014 fumbles.
I am fine with Kenneth doing what's best for him and his family. I do hope he makes provision for possibly coming back by taking care of his class work. If he gets a good report and declares for the draft I will wish him best of luck and be very grateful for his time at our school.
Good old Memorial Gym
Here's my advice to KD:
come back for your senior year. Rush for 2,000 yds, score 40 TDs and lead Tech into an Access Bowl, and doing so you will garner Hypesman attention and assure yourself of being a high 1st round draft choice.
Then, after a couple of years of leading the Saints to Super Bowls, you can lead a charge of other Tech football greats in contributing $millions to our football program.
Now....do it!
Best advice ever!
Oh they won't forget. Those scouts NEVER forget anything.
But I do agree that he would benefit from another year of school, plenty of guys that come out would benefit from it. I just know he's thinking about injuries as well, but in a different way than you. To a player, a season is another opportunity for injury, not health. These days, it's not if I get injured, it's when, and how bad will it be. Obviously, he's been banged up the last few years, but I think his body type and conditioning work have been what kept them as only nicks and dings.
As a RB though, it's really all about touches. That's one thing I think Holtz has done a good job of with Kenneth in managing his touches. Obviously as a coach you want to ride your best player until the wheels fall off, but if you want him to stick around for 4 years, you've got to show that you care about him as a player too, and I think Holtz has done that and that's why Kenneth is even considering coming back. If Holtz rode him for 300 touches this year over a 14 game season, I think Kenneth would be more apt to leave, especially with Sokol gone. But Kenneth's average of around 200 touches a year over his career is good because he's getting taken care of.
I hope he stays and we win C-USA next year. I definitely think we'll be one of the strongest returning teams if we can just find a QB!
Do you think being named 2nd team all-conference and finishing behind the RB from ULL as Louisiana POY hurts his draft status? I see him as the best rb in Tech history, but it seems like others (outsiders) might not see it that way. I also wonder if Moats told him he regretted leaving early (Moats was with the team at HOD)?
Have you considered those Dogs?
All-conference awards are just for fans. Scouts look well beyond that.
I may be biased, but I have no idea why Dixon wouldn't get drafted in the first 3 rounds. Now, there is a HUGE difference between 1st and 3rd/4th round (in terms of guarantees). If Dixon comes back, I think he's good enough to go in the 1st round of 2016. I think he's that good.
Have you considered those Dogs?
Yes, you're probably biased.
RB is a decreasingly valued commodity in nfl, with the best RB yearly not even getting round 1 valuation (though one gets drafted in 1st).
At best, Dixon is round 5 this year, and that would still be surprising to me. Though, IMO, I think he should enter the draft if his predraft valuation suggests he'll be drafted. His nfl career needs to get started ASAP, as I'm not certain how much mileage he's got left.
If Dixon declares, I think we'll get Bell, Bates, Liggins, Johnson and Dixon going in the draft. I called Tony Johnson last Spring and I'm sticking to it. That guy is a beast.
Have you considered those Dogs?
The NFL guys don't care one wit about that "All Team" stuff. They have their own barometers.
I'm fairly certain that Moats regrets leaving early. I said at that time that he still needed to work on his pass receiving skills and especially on his durability. Moats was a small back, and had nagging "injury' problems just like Dixon has. But Moats couldn't wait to leave, and he turned a promising NFL career into a 3 year journeyman's jaunt (and before you guys tell me he had a "5 year NFL career", please understand that he hardly played his last 2 years. He was simply trying to make the practice squad.).
Moats was an opportunity wasted IMO. He's a great example of how coming out too early can cost an athlete dearly.
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