masthead.jpg

switchconcepts.com, U3dpdGNo-a25, DIRECT rubiconproject.com, 14766, RESELLER pubmatic.com, 30666, RESELLER, 5d62403b186f2ace appnexus.com, 1117, RESELLER thetradedesk.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER taboola.com, switchconceptopenrtb, RESELLER bidswitch.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER contextweb.com, 560031, RESELLER amazon-adsystem.com, 3160, RESELLER crimtan.com, switch, RESELLER quantcast.com, switchconcepts , RESELLER rhythmone.com, 1934627955, RESELLER ssphwy.com, switchconcepts, RESELLER emxdgt.com, 59, RESELLER appnexus.com, 1356, RESELLER sovrn.com, 96786, RESELLER, fafdf38b16bf6b2b indexexchange.com, 180008, RESELLER nativeads.com, 52853, RESELLER theagency.com, 1058, RESELLER google.com, pub-3515913239267445, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0
January 8, 2009

Look At These Rumors

Filed under: Draft,Football,NFL,Recruiting,Rumors,Transfer — Chas @ 1:09 pm

Nothing confirmed or proven. And honestly a little strange, but take this one for what it is worth.

On New Year’s Day we reported that Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy was leaning towards entering the draft despite public statements to the contrary. Yesterday Panthers head coach Dave Wannstedt said he believed McCoy would return.

We now believe we know the reason why.

Sources from inside the league have told us McCoy received his evaluation from the league today and was told by the advisory committee he would not be selected in the first three rounds of April’s draft if he enters the event. It will be shocking to some yet not others who feel McCoy really does not have the makings of a feature runner at this time.

I have no sense as to the voracity of this. I’m too biased to be fair, but I have a hard time believing McCoy would not be a first or at worst early-second round pick. This is not some RB in a spread or running in the MAC.

Then there is this one, via Jon from Bleed Scarlet on USC WR Vidal Hazelton looking to transfer.

Hazelton’s current list of schools includes Pittsburgh and several Football Championship Subdivision schools (Western Michigan, Florida International, Georgia Southern).

If he transfers to a lower-division school, Hazelton will be granted instant eligibility.

“The option is whether he wants to play immediately or sit out for one year,” said Hazelton’s father, Dexter Hazelton. “I’d like him to stay closer to home.”

Two weeks ago, Hazelton narrowed his choices to Missouri and Rutgers but his father said they decided to reconsider their options. “I think (Missouri and Rutgers) are out,” Dexter Hazelton said.

Two other possibilities are Syracuse and Delaware. Hazelton is friends with former Penn State quarterback Pat Devlin, who recently transferred to Delaware.

“He’s contemplating hard about going I-AA,” Dexter Hazelton said. “He probably make a decision by end of the this week.”

Hazelton — who is from New York — recently learned that his grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer. The junior has been rumored to be a possible transfer since early this season. He suffered an ankle injury that sidelined him for several weeks and was actually interested in redshirting. He was not, but also found himself buried on the depth chart. He basically said he was transferring because of a combination of reasons which included a rift with Hazelton and the OC.

He seems more likely in my mind to go to Delaware and play right away. I just don’t see him coming to Pitt. I mean, has he seen Pitt’s passing offense? He’s got the talent to move to the top of Pitt’s depth chart — so I doubt the depth at the position would bother him.

I just don’t see it, and frankly Pitt has other needs than taking another WR who would have to sit next year and would only have one year of eligibility.





Pro football is a different animal than college ball, and the scouts know it. Reggie Bush was all world until he hit the pro circuit, and he was quickly humbled. Taking nothing away from Shady, he’s a great college player, and I’m not saying he won’t be a great pro, but the pro scouts look for things in a player the average fan knows nothing about. They overrate some players and unrate others, but isn’t that also true in college ball. James Harrison was not highly thought of coming out of college, and he’s doing pretty well for himself. And, right here at Pitt a man by the name of Flacco couldn’t start, but he seems to be making a decent splash in the pros. If this rumor is true and Shady uses it to motivate himself for next year; it’s a win win for Pitt.

Comment by ltl 01.08.09 @ 1:33 pm

the statement by bleed scarlet is incorrect- both western michigan and florida international are fbs schools.

Comment by sf_pitt 01.08.09 @ 2:01 pm

I would have guessed he’d be selected as high as mid 2nd round. Most likely as late 3rd round. No later than 5th.

This doesn’t mean he won’t have a great Pro Career. His size, speed, moves, and vision all point to 1st to 2nd round. He is fantastic on the outside.

Fumbling and inability to grind yards inside between the tackles and simple maturity. He’s 20. Causes him to drop. There is risk with him being good right away.

Is he better than Slaton, Mendenhal, Chris Johnson, or Johnathon Stewart?

At times Yes to all.
If your a pro team and can get him past the 4th round. What a freaking steal!

Comment by Freebird 01.08.09 @ 2:20 pm

I don’t think it’s too terribly surprising that he wouldn’t be a first rounder at this time, but to not be in the first 3 would really surprise me. If you’re looking at it through the lens of “this guy is our one and only 1st round pick”, you have to scrutinize any and all potential question marks through a microscope. I’m just glad we get to see another year of Shady at Heinz Field in the Blue & Gold.

Comment by Dan35 01.08.09 @ 2:26 pm

sf_pitt,

Jon only pointed the article out to me. He didn’t write it with the errors.

Comment by Chas 01.08.09 @ 2:41 pm

According to Luke Winn, James Harden was almost a Panther. He followed his high school coach to Arizona State. However, the same day that the coach accepted the job at Arizona State, Dixon offered him a job. If Dixon had offered the job a day sooner, Harden would have followed him to Pitt.
“Yeah, I would have gone [to Pitt]. That’s a great program, coach Dixon is a great coach, and that would have been a good opportunity for me, too. I didn’t want to stay in L.A.””

Comment by matt 01.08.09 @ 3:10 pm

Freebird I agree. I was not surprised to hear that at all. Shady has his problems, he has been inconsistent, been known to fumble, has not established himself as a runner that can consistently get the tough yards. He is slightly undersized, a sophomore, and had a serious injury just a few years ago, all of this factors into what an nfl scout would be looking at. Having said that, there is no oher back in college that I would rather have in the Pitt backfield. He needs to come back next year.

Comment by Rex 01.08.09 @ 3:33 pm

Hey, maybe we can get another redshirt year out of Chris Burns.

Comment by BigGuy 01.08.09 @ 3:57 pm

HUH?!?!??!

MCCOY TO DECLARE FOR THE NFL DRAFT

link to pittsburghlive.com

Comment by James 01.08.09 @ 6:18 pm

smartest thing he could have done! behind Pitt’s oline, his stats could only get worse. hate to see him go! but Thanks Shady, and Good Luck!

Comment by Kurt 01.08.09 @ 6:54 pm

That report is ridiculous. McCoy will be a 1st round pick. And clearly it will be this year. And I don’t know why people would be surprised. Every media member but the homer Zeise said they thought he would go, even after he said he wouldn’t. Common sense says a RB only has so many years in them and one should not be wasted in college when you can get paid for it.

Comment by Mark 01.08.09 @ 6:56 pm

Thanks Shady and good luck!….With Cav returning as OC, I don’t blame you for wanting to leave.

Comment by jumpingjohnnie86 01.08.09 @ 7:02 pm

While I can’t blame Shady for wanting to go early, he picked a terrible year to do it. Shonn Greene, Beanie Wells, Donald Brown, and Knowshon Moreno are other running backs leaving early. Javon Ringer is another top running back in this draft. After those guys, you’ve got several big name QBs (Stafford, Sanchez, Bradford) and studs at every other position. Not all of them can make it in the first round.

Comment by matt 01.08.09 @ 7:12 pm

Shady is rated above Greene, Brown, and Ringer so only Wells and Moreno will be ahead of him. He’ll go late in the first round.

Comment by Mark 01.08.09 @ 7:34 pm

Depends on whose analysis you’re looking at……and most of that analysis is crap anyway.

This is a tough yr to come out and the NFL scouts know only too well that RBs in their league are almost interchangeable. They don’t want to waste many 1st and 2nd RD picks on that position with so many “no-name” backs putting up big numbers around the league.

If Shady’s ready to go, he should go, but he should recognize that there aren’t too many 200lb tailbacks getting big bonuses and salaries these days. I think he’s headed for being a change-of-pace back because guys his size can’t take more than a yr or two of 20+ carries a game between the tackles in the NFL. Look at the wear on Willie Parker……

Comment by hugh green 01.09.09 @ 1:33 pm

Powered by WordPress © PittBlather.com

Site Meter