Draft Thread: Michael Oher

[SuperSpck]

I asked a question about this young man in another thread, but that one disintegrated into a penis-joke (not complaining, just worried my question was lost) so I figured I'd just start a thread with his name in, for reference.

There's a young man named Michael Oher who plays tackle for Ole Miss, he was a highly thought of man in HS and while I know he's had a book written about him (The Blind Side) I don't know much about his on field skills.

He's a junior, but if he's declared he might be around about the time the Cardinals pick.

I'm a firm believer in never being too strong in one place so I'd be open to either an OL or DL pick.

(I'm also a firm believer that Best Player Available is a bit of a myth too.)

Here are a couple of links that are interesting to read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Oher

http://www.nfldraftdog.com/2008_nfl_draft/michael_oher.htm

http://olemisssports.com/ViewArticl...37&DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=542695&Q_SEASON=2006



Does anyone have any knowledge of the young man to share?

 

[SuperSpck]

K9 asked, but there wasn't a lot of answers:

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=85202&highlight=Oher

 

[CardinalChris]

Have you read the Blind Side by Michael Lewis? This is an amazing young man... that being said I know next to nothing about his performance on the field.

Has he declared? After reading the book I would think he would stay for his senior year.

 

[BirdMan21]

After reading The Blind Side, I made an effort to watch as many Ole Miss games as I could just to root for him. If you haven't read the book and love football (which pretty much everyone on this board does), it is a must read.

As far as on the field, he was definitely a ridiculously talented person on the field. If he was able to stay focused and play smart football...there was nobody that could match him physically. I am a bit surprised that he is coming out early, because he is still a little raw. But this is a Pace/Ogden type freak of nature....he is just ridiculously strong, quick and has some of the longest arms I have ever seen. I am not sure he is the type of player that can help us next year, but whoever ends up with him if they coach him up right will have a BEAST at LT for many years to come.

 

[SuperSpck]

I am a bit surprised that he is coming out early, because he is still a little raw.

I haven't seen anything to confirm this, I've just seen a few sites make mention of his name, these are sites that are focusing on the 2008 draft, not current ones, hence my questioning about his declaration. Perhaps these sites are making assumptions.

 

[DaisyCutter]

Ole Miss is changing coaches, which maybe will play a role in his decision?

In ESPN.com's underclassman tracker, they list Oher as a 2nd round pick in this draft, and suggest that he might be a OG at the next level (at least for a while, because he's still raw).

 

[Pariah]

If he's still the same kid with the same people surrounding him as he was in the book, I kind of doubt he'd come out early.

 

[Shogun]

Oher would overtake Jake Long as the #1 tackle in the draft. No lie.

From our perspective, I say we take the next best thing given our position and pick Jeff Otah.

 

[Shzm13]

Oher is the best LT prospect in the draft.. He is very solid on both run-blocking and pass-blocking. He has a nasty streak and has played very well.. Considering how raw he is and how well he's played, he's going to be one of the best OTs to come out in years.

Bet that.

 

[BACH]

The book is awesome. I can recommend it to anyone, who loves football.

For those not following him...

Oher is regarded as the biggest lineman talent EVER! He didn't start to play football until he was a junior in HS, so he's still raw.

He's a junior at Ole Miss, and I've seen him projected in the late teens if he enters this year. He is, however, rated as the best OL prospect and a possible top 3 pick in the 2008 draft, because he's expected to continue his development in his senior season.

 

[Matt L]

I can't remember the book proclaiming him the second coming, and I really doubt that he would be actually picked in the top ten if he did come out.

I thought that he had a great story and its nice that he was able to overcome such adversity but if I remember correctly, he could barely read until he was about 17. His foster parents basically had him tutored with ridiculous classes that gave him the credits he needed in order to get in to a state university. I don't know how well that translates to the pro game as everying is much more complex than it was in highschool and college.

I would take Jake Locker over him.

On a side note, what happened to Sam Baker, alot of people on this board were talking about how great he was and if he had declared the previous year we would have picked him over Levi. Well he graduates this year, does anyone want to draft him at our pick now?

Discuss.

 

[Pariah]

On a side note, what happened to Sam Baker, alot of people on this board were talking about how great he was and if he had declared the previous year we would have picked him over Levi. Well he graduates this year, does anyone want to draft him at our pick now?

Discuss.

If he's the BPA when we pick, hell yeah.

 

[nathan]

Ole Miss tackle Oher says he's going to the NFL
By David Brandt • [email protected] • January 14, 2008

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OXFORD - Ole Miss offensive tackle Michael Oher is declaring for the NFL draft and won't return for his senior season, the All-SEC selection said tonight.



"It was kind of a tough decision, but I just felt like I was going to be a high pick and had to go and do my own thing," said Oher, a 6-foot-5, 322-pound junior from Memphis.

Oher, who was the featured subject in The Blind Side, a book by Michael Lewis about the evolution of the left tackle position, said he received a report from NFL officials about his status for the April draft.

"I didn't read the thing, from people I've talked to, I've got a pretty good chance of being in the first round," said Oher.

First-round picks stand to make millions of dollars in guaranteed bonuses and contracts. And it's not just the glamour positions like quarterback and running back that cash in now.

Last year, after Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas was selected by the Cleveland Browns as the No. 3 overall pick, Thomas signed a contract worth $43 million - $23 million guaranteed.

 

[Matt L]

I would not use a first or second round pick on him

 

[Pariah]

If he's there in the second for us, I think the Cardinals would be silly to pass on him.

I'm surprised he's coming out, though.

 

[DaisyCutter]

This class is deep at the offensive tackle position. Thank goodness we used a Top 6 pick on one last year instead of an impact player.

The Cards will hopefully wait until the middle rounds to pick up a RB. They should go DE/CB (BPA between them) in round 1 and pick one of the tackles that will be available in Round 2. There should be a number of first-round caliber players available, even then.

I think that this draft will represent the future of the starting tackle for the next decade.

 

[Shogun]

I would not use a first or second round pick on him

Why not?

 

[Matt L]

I really did enjoy The Blind Side and it is impossible to doubt his athletic gifts but it seems that the professional level requires more than just athletic might, it requires alot of study and alot of practice and I would be nervous if he can put in the work. I am not saying that he is lazy as according to the book he had to work extremely dilligently to get into Ole Miss but even in the press release he states that he submitted to find out where he would be drafted but he never read the paperwork. I don't have anything against the guy but he seems to be a boom or bust type player and historically the Cardinals have been on the wrong end these types.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I really did enjoy The Blind Side and it is impossible to doubt his athletic gifts but it seems that the professional level requires more than just athletic might, it requires alot of study and alot of practice and I would be nervous if he can put in the work. I am not saying that he is lazy as according to the book he had to work extremely dilligently to get into Ole Miss but even in the press release he states that he submitted to find out where he would be drafted but he never read the paperwork. I don't have anything against the guy but he seems to be a boom or bust type player and historically the Cardinals have been on the wrong end these types.

I think that part of the problem with the school is that he didn't go to High School his first two years--he barely went to school at all as a youth. Also, according to Lewis, Oher is a spatial learner, so that he can do something when you show him, but he has a hard time translating from the chalkboard to the playing field.

It'll be interesting to see how he handles the Combine process.

 

[JerkFace]

This is from gbnreport.com:

January 16
(7:00 PM): Ole Miss OT backs out of draft... Thanks to reader Walter M. for the heads up as Mississipi has announced that star junior OT Michael Oher has changed his mind and will not be entering the 2008 draft. Oher had filed paperwork the NFL to be eligible for this year's draft, but will take advantage of the 72-hour window of opportunity for players who have not signed with an agent to withdraw their applications. Oher had been projected as a mid-to-late first rounder at this year's draft

 

[Spielman]

Good decision. Like Birdman21, I've made an effort to watch Ole Miss games just to watch him play. He's an amazing talent, but he just isn't ready yet. I saw him in too many games and drives this year where he'd dominate his man for several plays, then get beat. He played well, but not to where he'd deserve being a first round pick based on his play. He'd be a risky pick, and it'd be a huge gamble to send him out to protect a franchise QB next fall. He needs the extra year in college.