2016 Rams training camp battles: Lance Kendricks vs. Tyler Higbee

[tomas]

Tyler Higbee - 6`6 - 250, Lance Kendricks looks like a midget standing next to Higbee

 

[Zaphod]

No offense Jake, but the wording on that article and poll is just wrong.

So long as Gurley, Austin and Goff are complimenting each other as they terrorize defenses from the backfield, Harkey and Kendricks are going to be blocking for them, with Harkey being the main option at fullback.

Higbee and Hemmingway are competing with each other as potential upgrades over a dude who's already gone. Whichever one of them proffers a better combination of blocking and route running than Cook gave last year earns that vacancy.

Sure, the draft was about competition, but make no mistake about it, the rookies have a long hill to climb if they're to usurp the incumbents in any type of versatile blocking/catching role for our stars in the backfield.

 

[JKBOGEN]

LOL no worries Jake... I did a WR breakdown after the draft and put M. North down for 6'4 using the Rams home site roster listing.. weight fluctuates but Height is permanent... I know this being under 6ft most of my life haha. Higbee is a large target that could be a Goff favorite before seasons end. I hope the big fella lives up to the hype from his W.Kentucky film

Yeah same man haha I'm 5'8 and likely done growing...Me too I hope he does live up to the hype I literally jumped off my couch when we picked him.

 

[LACHAMP46]

put M. North down for 6'4

Isn't he 6'3???

Oh, I'ma Higbee & Hemingway...let Lance & Harkey start blocking

and from the post of a few days ago... @den-the-coach was looking out...

LACHAMP46, Wednesday at 10:36 AM

it’s imperative to not throw a rookie who isn’t ready into the fire right away.

@jakebogen95

as a youngsta jake, do YOU really believe this? At what point,.....how do you decide which rookies play, and which ones don't? And when? Mistakes are bound to happen. That's how a lot of people learn.....this aversion to playing rookies...it's at an all time high...for no good reason. You've gotta check the individual's mental makeup....Not only do I want Higbee to play as early as possible if he's better as a receiver, I want him targeted at least 5 times a game...And I want Goff throwing to him...
Kendricks is cool, but he does drop the ball some...and unlike wr's, I really want a TE with mitts for hands...I'd be seriously upset if Kendricks drops a Goff 3rd down throw against the 9ers...

I'm with @Rams43 on this one....Play the best, mistakes happen...you can't get better sitting on the bench...I also think Hemingway should play too. Kendricks may be 6'3, but he looks considerably smaller than Higbee, Hemingway, and Harkey...I can't see why they wouldn't be as good a blocker as Lance...

 

[JKBOGEN]

Isn't he 6'3???

Oh, I'ma Higbee & Hemingway...let Lance & Harkey start blocking

and from the post of a few days ago... @den-the-coach was looking out...

LACHAMP46, Wednesday at 10:36 AM
@jakebogen95

as a youngsta jake, do YOU really believe this? At what point,.....how do you decide which rookies play, and which ones don't? And when? Mistakes are bound to happen. That's how a lot of people learn.....this aversion to playing rookies...it's at an all time high...for no good reason. You've gotta check the individual's mental makeup....Not only do I want Higbee to play as early as possible if he's better as a receiver, I want him targeted at least 5 times a game...And I want Goff throwing to him...
Kendricks is cool, but he does drop the ball some...and unlike wr's, I really want a TE with mitts for hands...I'd be seriously upset if Kendricks drops a Goff 3rd down throw against the 9ers...

I'm with @Rams43 on this one....Play the best, mistakes happen...you can't get better sitting on the bench...I also think Hemingway should play too. Kendricks may be 6'3, but he looks considerably smaller than Higbee, Hemingway, and Harkey...I can't see why they wouldn't be as good a blocker as Lance...

Ask anyone who has argued me on Goff/Keenum I am all for rookies playing. I am 100% in agreement rookies need to play to learn however I think Kendricks deserves his starting shot for once. I love Higbee he will get plenty of playing time and Goff should start

 

[Florida_Ram]

Isn't he 6'3???

Well LaChamp... North is 6'2 on (Ourlads Rosters) and they are normally the site to use but they also tend to round down with height leaving out the 1/2, 3/4/ 5/8 etc... and shave off any extra weight that college and pro Team sites tend to exaggerate on. Ourlads doesn't always update the players weight because as you know weight fluctuates.
http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/roster/RAM

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...s-lb-coach-on-hand-to-check-out-vols-prospect

Representatives from 24 NFL teams -- including Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky -- were on hand for Tennessee's pro day on Wednesday.

A total of 24 players -- which included some from area small schools -- worked out indoors on FieldTurf.

Wide receiver Marquez North -- 6-foot-2 3/4, 226 pounds -- ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 and 4.46 seconds. He did the three-cone drill in 7.22 seconds. He also caught the ball well in the positional workout.


#3 WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'2 (& possibly 1/2 or 3/4) 216 lbs (Turns 22 on 04/21/2017)

2015 TENN CATCHES.. 6 YARDS.. 58 YPC 9.7. TD 0
2014 TENN CATCHES 30 YARDS 320 YPC 10.7 TD 4
2013 TENN CATCHES 38 YARDS 496 YPC 13.1 TD 1

[www.cbssports.com]
STRENGTHS: Built like a running back with a muscular, filled-out frame. Long arms to track and extend his catch radius, making tough grabs look easy away from his body. Above average body control and strong hands to adjust and stab. Accelerates well off the line of scrimmage and quickly gets into his routes. Enough speed to stack receivers vertically. Nifty to catch the ball in stride. Body power to trample defensive backs and shrug off tacklers. Uses physicality to separate. Balanced blocker to engage and control his target, keeping busy. Blocks with violence and not shy about delivering blows.

WEAKNESSES: Better timed than play speed and more of a one-note runner. Tips his routes and doesn't set up cornerbacks, lacking nuance or tempo. Allows his feet to get tied up at stem. Doesn't have the start/stop burst to quickly redirect or be efficient at the top of patterns - ran a lot of comeback and rudimentary routes to keep things simple. Average leaper. Not elusive after the catch and not a consistent YAC threat. Overaggressive tendencies as a blocker leads to the occasional whiff. Poor career production. Struggled to stay healthy, missing several games each of his three seasons in Knoxville (10 total games).

IN OUR VIEW: North is rocked up with the size/athleticism profile that is highly intriguing, showing strong hands and the body control to contort his body mid-air. North is also one of the most physical blocking receivers in this class, but is a below average route-runner and his athleticism doesn't consistently translate to football production. A player who will be drafted higher than his resume suggests due to his raw traits and upside, North can be a better pro than college player if he stays healthy and focuses on the details of the position - he projects as a developmental receiver worth the gamble in the mid-rounds to be a snatch-and-secure wideout.
Dane Brugler (4/13/16)

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/marquez-north?id=2555476

• 6'2" HEIGHT
• 33 3/8" ARM LENGTH
• 223LBS WEIGHT was 216 lbs in college?
• 10 1/4"HANDS

OVERVIEW

North's talent was obvious in high school, as recruiting services ranked him among the top 10 receivers in the country and a four-star prospect. His athleticism was never in doubt, either, as he was the son of Ramando North, who played in the NFL and CFL and a member of the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic team running the 110-meter hurdles. And in his freshman season, it appeared North was destinated for SEC success.

He started 11 games, catching 38 passes for 496 yards (ranking behind only Kelley Washington and Stanley Morgan in the UT books) and scoring once in a Freshman All-SEC campaign. He had a fair sophomore season (30-320, four TD), but then things started going south. He struggled with injuries at the end of the year, and tore his labrum in November. North could only manage six catches for 58 yards as a junior in 2015, starting the first four games but failing to stay on the field as injuries hampered him. Despite the maladies, North decided to declare for the 2016 draft to see if a change in scenery would allow his natural talent to shine.


PRO DAY RESULTS
40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds
3-cone: 7.22 seconds

STRENGTHS
Looks the part when he steps off the bus. Has NFL size and reliable, soft hands. Snatches ball away from his frame and gets upfield quickly after the catch. Extended catch radius with ability to adjust high, low or behind him to make the catch. Capable blocker to help spring running game on the perimeter.

WEAKNESSES
Disappointing career with unimpressive production. Dealt with injuries every year in school including knee and back problems in 2015 limiting him to just seven games and six catches. Slow. Doesn't have feet to clear aggressive press coverage or the burst to get over the top. Uninspired route runner with average separation talent. Needs to work back to the ball.

DRAFT PROJECTION
Round 7 or priority free agent

BOTTOM LINE
Highly regarded coming out of high school, North put together a solid freshman campaign but saw his production dwindle in each of the last two seasons. North has great size and hands, but his lack of speed and history of injuries could make him a camp project rather than a draftable talent.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y421oi7V2II

 

[CGI_Ram]

With the trade up for Goff... If the Rams can hit big on a guy like Higbee or Cooper (or any of the others in this draft and UDFA class)... The trade was a huge win.

Higbee just looks the part, IMO.

I am a big Kendricks fan. Probably one of our most underrated players. But Higbee has more big play potential in the offense. I am really excited to see him line up against other pros.

 

[tempests]

this aversion to playing rookies...it's at an all time high...for no good reason.

No, it's for a good reason. Blown assignments, running the wrong routes, whiffing on blocks, those are the mistakes rookies make, and they cost games. Dick Vermeil used to say that for every rookie starting on a team, they could add another L for the season.

Higbee will get his playing time. It will increase when he starts giving the right answers to the questions being asked in the film room and the coaches have confidence he understands not just his own playbook but what opposing defenses are throwing at him.

 

[ramfan46]

Kendricks is the definition of average to me. I think as soon as Higbee has the playbook and blocking assignments down he will be the #1 TE. Hemingway is a nice wildcard to have in the mix. He's one of my favorite players to see in preseason. The offense as a whole really, still young and developing. You can really call Keenum, Britt and Austin veterans. The rest are still finding their way.

 

[Oldgeek]

Lance over a rook every day, all day long!

 

[Roman Snow]

Lance is a good player. I think his career was stunted by the signing of Cooked. Lance had a few key drops along the way. But he is a good blocker, and has also made some big plays for us. Having said that, I believe Higbee is a much more talented guy. It is a matter of time, (Mid-season? Next year?) before he takes over #1. The key will be: is the stage not too big? Can he be a willing, aggressive blocker?

I think that is the key for a lot of guys. Is the NFL stage too big for them? Some guys peak out in high school, as are swallowed up in college. Some guys are huge in College, then get the full-body equivalent of Alligator-arms in the pros.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Wide receiver Marquez North -- 6-foot-2 3/4

WR MARQUEZ NORTH 6'2 (& possibly 1/2 or 3/4)

Okay smarty, which one is it???? 1/2 or 3/4
he looks 6'3 to me...in cleats

Blown assignments, running the wrong routes, whiffing on blocks, those are the mistakes rookies make, and they cost games.

so when vets commit these mistakes, then what? To me, you have to look at each player, and judge whether they can handle the spotlight of starting...or not.

 

[Florida_Ram]

Okay smarty, which one is it???? 1/2 or 3/4
he looks 6'3 to me...in cleats
so when vets commit these mistakes, then what? To me, you have to look at each player, and judge whether they can handle the spotlight of starting...or not.

LOL!! I'm going with 6'2 & 3/4.... with cleats on 6'4 and some change... and you can call me mr. smarty LACHAMP