Is Ferentz hurting his player's draft prospects?

[1hawkeye1]

Heard an interesting point on EPSN radio this AM. The point being, Ferentz does such a good job coaching up his players, that they have hit their ceiling in college already. So what you see with Hawkeye players is what you get. They will not continue to improve in the NFL.

Are you buying this? Can you name a former Hawkeye who played for Ferentz then went on to the NFL and played at an even higher level than they did in college?

[ripvdub]

Bob Sanders? Dallas Clark was a product of Peyton Manning.

[whammer33024]

dallas clark had a pretty good college career.

so what did this guy want ferentz to do? slow down on his coaching so they still have time to learn in the NFL? i don't get what he's trying to say i guess.

<insert something about his salary here>

[hogeye]

I would say pretty much every former Hawkeye with reasonable tenure has grown past where they were in college or they wouldn't still be there.

Even Dallas Clark, if you want to call him a product of Manning okay, but he still grew into that position and was successful, probably peaked in 2009 and is probably done now. Still, he definitely grew past where he was when he was a rookie.

[JonDMiller]

so what did this guy want ferentz to do? slow down on his coaching so they still have time to learn in the NFL? i don't get what he's trying to say i guess.

Even if there were some truth to this, and it's not the first time this has come up, a first round pick is expected to start. Most second round picks are, too...beyond that, teams are hoping to find some gems who can impact the two-deep and/or fill out the roster.

There have not been too many flameouts as it relates to Iowa draft picks. Most have delivered pursuant to their draft position. Perhaps Robert Gallery hasn't had the career you'd expect for a #2 overall pick and has had more impact as a guard which you'd never pick #2, but he's been a starter in the NFL since he came out and played in one of the worst run organizations in the sport for much of his career, with numerous coaches.

[trj]

This argument has been out there for a while it is nothing new. I leaning toward yes, but I need to think about this and come back. I do know that teams love Iowa kids because they are well schooled in pro schemes which isn't a negative thing, in fact it is a good thing.

[rpmhawk]

I understand what you're trying to say, but you're going about it completely backwards if you think Ferentz is hurting the players. Basically what he's done is improved them before the draft and prematurely bumped them up a round or two (or into the draft at all) from where they would have otherwise been as a 'raw' prospect. The teams that go out of their way to choose 'athletes' and 'promise' more often get bitten in the ***, which is what happens when you gamble.

[JonDMiller]

Clayborn was a first round pick, starter and one of the better rookies at his position
Klug was a 5th round pick, starter...huge win
Sash was a 6th rounder, made the team and stuck all year. Win
Bulaga was a 1st rounder, has started entire career. Played to pick
Angerer 2nd round, has started entire career and played beyond what most thought. Win
Spievey 3rd rounder, has started most of career, win
Moeaki 3rd round, more than lived up to hype as rookie, hurt last year
Greene 3rd round, has lived up to the pick for sure if not a bit beyond
Myers 6th round, has stayed in league three years and counting
Godfrey 3rd round, has had a great career. Big win
Greenway 1st rounder has more than lived up to that pick
Hodge 3rd rounder; didn't live up to it
Roth 2nd rounder, probably has played a bit beneath his pick
Babineaux 2nd rounder, has done well, off field issues
Considine 4th rounder, has more than played beyond his pick level
Bob Sanders 2nd rounder, was NFL Def MVP. Nuff said
Keading 3rd rounder, one of most accurate kickers in NFL history
Dallas Clark 1st rounder, more than lived up to it
Eric Steinbach 2nd rounder, his 2nd contract was 1 of highest ever for an interior OL

It's fairly cut and dried here...the Iowa draft picks, by and large have lived up to their pick or played beyond it

[theboat]

Can you name a former Hawkeye who played for Ferentz then went on to the NFL and played at an even higher level than they did in college?

I would say
Angerer
Babineaux
Clark
Godfrey
Greenway
Klug
Moeaki
Sanders


Others possibly
Bulaga
Chandler
Clayborn
Cole
Fletcher
Steinbach

[HawkeyeMike23]

Heard an interesting point on EPSN radio this AM. The point being, Ferentz does such a good job coaching up his players, that they have hit their ceiling in college already. So what you see with Hawkeye players is what you get. They will not continue to improve in the NFL.

Are you buying this? Can you name a former Hawkeye who played for Ferentz then went on to the NFL and played at an even higher level than they did in college?

Based on your argument, it sounds like Hawkeye players' lack of talent is hurting their draft chances. Andrew Luck has been coached up pretty well but that didn't seem to hurt his draft stock. I think Ferentz absolutely maximizes their draft potential, it's the players lack of talent or athleticism which holds them back.

[twinlaker]

Murph and Andy sure do come here often for material for their show.... talking about this very topic right now.

[theboat]

I think it is pretty obvious that Kirk and Co. are the best at getting the most out of their players while in school, but they also teach them how to work and that is why most that continue to play, continue to get better.

[SpiderRico]

I can name a lot of players that grew into better players than when they came out of Iowa:

1. Marshal Yanda
2. Bob Sanders
3. Aaron Kampman
4. Eric Stienbach
5. Jonathan Babineaux
6. Chad Greenway

Those are just off the top of my head.

I think it's a real disservice to the players when comments like this are made. Everyone in any walk of life has room for improvement and to suggest that these players don't improve says to me that this guy doesn't think that they put in the effort to get better. That's BS and is just another in a long line of BS that sports guys put out there that have no clue what they are talking about.

[DuffMan]

I understand the notion that Iowa players may have reached thier ceiling sooner (while still in college) than others, but to say KF "hurts" his player is foolish. That implies that he would somehow be "helping" them by developing them less.

[tm3308]

Based on your argument, it sounds like Hawkeye players' lack of talent is hurting their draft chances. Andrew Luck has been coached up pretty well but that didn't seem to hurt his draft stock. I think Ferentz absolutely maximizes their draft potential, it's the players lack of talent or athleticism which holds them back.

This. It doesn't stop them from improving and performing well in the NFL, but their potential is harder to see.