Rookie Football Card Shop » Player Profiles

Tyson Jackson Rookie Card

twincitiesvalue — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:57:32 +0000

Is Tyson Jackson the most talented defensive rookie in the draft? You gotta love when a team takes a first round draft pick, fills a need and gets on of the most talented prospects in the process. That’s exactly what the Kansas City Chiefs did this year when they selected defensive end Tyson Jackson as the 3rd overall pick out of LSU. Tyson has a great frame for a defensive end standing 6’5” and weighing 292lbs. He has great speed, running the 40-yard-dash at 4.84. However, his game time speed seems even faster as he continually gets an incredibly quick jump off the ball.
Jackson finds himself in a situation in Kansas City where nobody knows quite what to expect. The team is completely revamped from first year coach Todd Haley, to QB Matt Cassell and on down the line. Haley brought with him long time assistant coach Clancy Pendergast from Arizona and it remains to be seen what kind of schemes he will be running and how Jackson will fit into the picture. However, his long wing span and versatility make give him the ability to fit into either a 3-4 or 4-3 base with the ability to move to tackle if necessary.
Jackson will find himself teamed back up with LSU great Glenn Dorsey who was brought in to replace pro bowler Jared Allen after his trade to the Vikings. There is definitely a learning curve that goes into the jump from college to the NFL but it is definitely made easier when you have a friend, especially one as talented as Allen, playing the same position.
At one point, after an amazing sophomore season, Jackson was considered one of the top defensive picks of the draft. However, after a disappointing junior year, Jackson decided to return to LSU and finish out his career. Jackson’s stats are less than impressive for a 3rd overall pick. However, one must look at the multitude of talented players on the LSU squad who were making plays all over the field. Once Glenn Dorsey was out of the picture, most teams schemed to double team Jackson. This was definitely frustrating and greatly diminished his sack and tackle numbers. Jackson definitely won’t face any double teams in the NFL. Look for his speed, versatility and athleticism to make any immediate impact on a truly rebuilt Chiefs team. If Cassell and Haley can live up to the hype, Kansas City is going to be a team to be reckoned with in the very near future.

The Tyson Jackson Rookie Card fits the bill as a good short and long term investment. He has the potential to be a long term beast in the NFL and overall defensive linemen do well as rookie card investments. If he makes a splash early this could be a card worth watching.

Tyson Jackson 09 UD Exquisite Rookie Autograph Card 99
US $69.99

TYSON JACKSON 2009 FINEST 74 ROOKIE CARD RC SP CHIEFS
US $1.00

2009 TYSON JACKSON PRESS PASS ROOKIE CARD RC 38 LSU
US $1.04

Percy Harvin Rookie Bust Minnesota Vikings

twincitiesvalue — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:12:50 +0000

There was no high school wide receiver more heavily recruited in 2006 than Percy Harvin. He is one of the most talented players to ever come out of Virginia. In addition to football, Harvin was a basketball and track star, amassing 5 gold medals at the state track and field championships. He passed on scholarships to just about every major program before deciding to take his talents to Gainesville as a Florida Gator.
Harvin emerged as a dual threat receiver and running back at Florida where he became a favored target of Heisman quarterback Tim Tebow. In three seasons, he amassed 133 catches for 1,929 yards and 13 touchdowns. He balanced this out with another 194 rushes for 1,851 yards and 19 scores. He has great speed, turning in a 4.41 second 40-yard-dash at the NFL combine.

The Minnesota Vikings were counting on his athleticism, speed and playmaking abilities to be an impact when they selected him with the 22nd pick in the first round. The Vikings have to be concerned with Harvin’s durability. He is undersized for a receiver standing 5’11” and weighing 192lbs. He could very well wear down quickly with the hits he’s going to be taking from much larger defenders than he has ever seen.
One has to question this pick by the Vikings. They have a real chance to win the NFC, especially with the arrival of Brett Favre. There were holes at QB and wide receiver coming into the season. Otherwise, the team is completely stacked. They have the best defensive line in football. They have solid veterans at linebacker and a good secondary. The offensive line is one of the best in football and they may have the best running back in Adrian Peterson. They haven’t been able to develop a premier receiver since Randy Moss. They had high hopes for Sidney Rice but he has yet to develop into the kind of receiver scouts expected.
That being said, drafting a receiver makes perfect sense. The only issue is that Harvin isn’t exactly a prototypical NFL wide receiver. Besides that, Hakeem Nicks was still undrafted at the time. Nicks was snatched up by the Giants and has the size, speed and hands to become a number one receiver in the NFL. Harvin will never be a number one receiver and that’s exactly what the Vikes are missing. Bernard Berrian is a good number two guy and deep threat. Bobby Wade adds veteran ability as a third man.
While Harvin could be a playmaker, he’s not going to beat a lot of number one corners in the league. He doesn’t have a vertical so that limits his game to catches underneath, in the flats and flanker screens, attempting to utilize his speed and elusiveness to break plays. One would imagine Harvin would also be used in the backfield. The problem is, while he may be a playmaker, the Vikes already have one of the best playmakers in Adrian Peterson. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to get a rookie involved and limit the reps of an All-Pro running back. If that happens, they are also limiting Chester Taylor who has contributed significantly to the rushing game.
It just seems the Vikings used a pick to get a great potential talent that doesn’t really fit into their scheme. While Harvin is a great athlete, the Vikings really didn’t address the need of a number one receiver. One has to imagine they could have bundled the first round pick with another player to pick up a proven receiver. Either that or draft one of the other two receivers who went in the first round after Harvin in Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt. Time may prove Harvin was the right pick but it’s hard to see him making a huge impact in 2009 when Minnesota needs him.

Michael Crabtree Sf Rookie? The Holdout Continues.

twincitiesvalue — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:51:09 +0000

Despite freakish talent he cannot see the big picture

I have never thought a hold out situation in sports ever benefits anyone. There are a lot of downsides all the way around but it’s easy for a fan to forget this is a business. It’s easy to look at a rookie and think this is an unproven commodity, just take what the organization is willing to pay and be grateful. However, there are rare occasions when I agree with a player (even a rookie) and agree with a hold out. San Francisco needs to step up to the plate and pay Michael Crabtree what it takes to get him onto the field.
San Francisco drafted Michael Crabtree 10th over-all in the 2009 draft. While he was the 2nd receiver taken in the draft behind Darrius Heyward Bey, most people would agree he should have been the first receiver drafted. Crabtree is coming off a second amazing season at Texas Tech where he won the Biletnikoff award two years in a row. He has the size, speed, skill, hands, playmaking ability and anything else great about a receiver you can say that had NFL scouts drooling.
Crabtree has the prototypical wide receiver frame standing 6’1” and weighing 215 lbs. In two seasons as a Texas Tech Red Raider, he amassed an incredible 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. No, that wasn’t a typo. Sure, one might attribute those eye popping stats to the system he was in at Texas Tech. It seems that was the opinion of quarterback Graham Harrell who was shafted by the Heisman committee. However, anyone who has actually watched this kid play can’t help but be amazed by his ability.
Crabtree is a playmaker, plain and simple. His 40 time isn’t overly impressive at 4.55 seconds but it was definitely enough to blow by the competition in the Big 12. He has amazing hands, something that’s hard to teach at the NFL level, great instincts and is a good route runner. He seems to know exactly where defenders aren’t, consistently getting open and running away from the defense. He also steps up in a big game. This was more than evident when he caught 10 passes for 127 yards, including the game winning touchdown to knock off Texas last year.
Michael finds himself in a strange situation as a rookie. The word is that he was offered a decent contract. However, he has to be a little more than upset that he was passed over by Oakland who took a gamble with the speedy Darrius Heyward-Bey. While this is another talented receiver and one of the fastest men in the NFL, he doesn’t have anywhere near the stats that Crabtree had in college. He was then given a $38 million contract which had to come into play during Crabtree’s negotiations with the Niners. Needless to say, Oakland never should have given Heyward-Bey a $38 million contract but when one team sets the bar, it drives the price up for everyone else.
Whether Crabtree will ever suit up for San Francisco remains to be seen. The best case scenario right now is early September and some sources claim he’s ready to hold out the entire season and possible reenter next years draft. If this happens, he definitely is going to suffer. Not only will he probably drop further in the draft and lose a year of experience, there’s no way he’s going to see the same kind of money he would get now. That being said, there is no way this kid doesn’t turn into a stud in the NFL. Watch any video of his and watch the clean cuts, speed, vertical ability and great hands. His pure athleticism leads one to believe he could plan just about any position on the field.
San Francisco obviously knew that when they used their first round pick to snatch him up and coach Mike Singletary could barely contain his excitement when talking about him. So, why now are they willing to risk blowing that pick all together? If the Niners want to return to the old glory days, they need to build a team around some productive skill players. They already have a stud running back in Frank Gore. Adding an amazing receiver like Crabtree is only going to make this offense better. The Niners management needs to loosen up the purse strings and get this guy in a uniform fast. Either way, start buying Michael Crabtree rookie cards, uniforms, pictures and anything else you can get your hands on. It’s probably the best investment of 2009.

Donald Brown Addresses a Dire Need for Indianapolis Colts

twincitiesvalue — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:45:34 +0000

A RB that can help a stuggling Indianapolis running game

The only thing a fan can ask their team to do during a draft is address their greatest need. That’s exactly what the Indianapolis colts did when they drafted running back Donald Brown out of Connecticut in the first round with their 27th over-all pick. Indianapolis ranked dead last in rushing during the 2008 season. In his first season without Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning could use a much needed boost to the Colts running game. Owner Bill Polian obviously believes Brown is the boost, describing him as a “game breaker” in the Colts press conference following the 2009 NFL draft.
Donald Brown enters the NFL after a junior season at UCONN that can be described as nothing short of remarkable. He led the nation in rushing with 2,083 yards and 18 touchdowns. His efforts were enough to earn him the All-American and Big East Offensive Player of the Year awards. He was named the MVP of the International Bowl after cranking out 261 yards on the ground.
On paper, and on video, there is no one characteristic that stands out when looking at Donald Brown. He stands 5’10” and weighs in at 210 lbs. He turned in the 5th fastest time of any running back at the NFL combine, running the 40-yard-dash in 4.51 seconds. He uses his speed to explode through the line of scrimmage and can consistently get to the second and third levels of defenses. He may be the most patient running back coming into the NFL this season. He reads blocks extremely well and has no problem allowing a play to develop before attacking a hole.
Despite his well rounded play, some questions follow Brown into the NFL. He has been criticized for his lack of receiving skills. However, he showed decent skills and followed the ball well at the NFL combine. He also looked very impressed tracking and catching the ball at UCONN’s Pro Day. He benefit’s from being able to develop these skills with arguably the greatest quarterback to ever play the game in Payton Manning.
Manning will no doubt take a lot of pressure off the rookie who’s looking to fill the hole left by Dominic Rhodes. Teams should be looking to put pressure on Manning as he adjusts to life without Marvin Harrison. If the offensive line can turn things around and stay with their assignments, look for Brown to capitalize on blitzes and over pursuits

Chris Beanie Wells Rookie Card

twincitiesvalue — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:09:22 +0000

One of the more interesting draft picks of this last year was Chris Beanie Wells from Ohio State. Beanie Wells was one of the most touted athletes when he came out of high school and went to Ohio State. Beanie Wells is known for his bruising running style and elusiveness in the hole. Beanie finds himself in a great position being drafted by the Superbowl Runner ups, the Arizona Cardinals. Edgerin James is getting pretty long in the tooth and the Cardinals do not really have anyone that can replace James from their current stable of running backs.

The Cardinals drafted Wells in hopes that he can fill the need of a bruising running back that can pick up some tough yards. A big goalline back will really add to the Cardinals already potent offense. The big question around Beanie Wells is his ability to carry the load in the NFL and does he have the "breakaway" speed that is necessary to survive long term in the NFL. I look at Beanie Wells and I see a clone of Eddie George that last big running back from Ohio State. If Wells can approach Eddie George's ability the Cardinals are going to be just as dangerous this year as last.

The Topps Wells/Moreno card features the two most touted backs of the 2009 NFL Draft.

2009 GRIDIRON GEAR CHRIS BEANIE WELLS 26 ROOKIE AUTO 31 50 NFL TEAMS
US $15.00

2009 09 SPX CHRIS BEANIE WELLS 249 DUAL JERSEY Rookie Materials CARDINALS
US $3.49

Chris Beanie Wells 09 UD First Ed RC Cardinals
US $1.49

Chris “Beanie” Wells Rookie Prospect Arizona Cardinals

twincitiesvalue — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:55:38 +0000

There are several fine rookie running backs coming into the NFL this year but none possess the potential upside of Christopher Wells. Chris Beanie Wells was the third running back selected in the 2009 NFL draft taken 31st over-all by the Arizona Cardinals. Wells enters the NFL as one of the most talented Ohio State running backs to ever put on a Buckeyes uniform. Wells finds himself on an Arizona Cardinals team fresh off a Super Bowl loss and poised in a wide open NFC for a repeat performance in 2009.
While the Arizona Cardinals ranked near the top of the NFL in almost every passing category, they ranked near the bottom in rushing. The Cardinals are looking to balance their high power passing game with the drafting of Beanie Wells. Wells has an extremely rare combination of vision, size, speed, balance and acceleration. Standing 6’1” and weighing 237 lbs, Wells has the ability to run like a big man, power over defenders. He then seems to change and looks like a speed man, accelerating through the line of scrimmage and using his 4.59 forty-yard-dash speed to dash through the secondary.

In 2006, Wells burst onto the scene at Ohio State as one of the top rated prep players in the nation. He immediately made an impact in both yardage and touchdowns without starting a single game. He followed this up with an impressive season in 2007, gaining 1,609 yards on 274 carries and 15 touchdowns. This was enough to earn him first team All-American accolades. Beanie came into the 2008 season with high hopes and one of the leading contenders for the Heisman trophy. Unfortunately, Wells suffered a foot injury in the season opener against Youngstown and missed the next 3 games, including an embarrassing loss to USC.
It was this injury and high number of carries that brought into question his durability. There has been some mention of ego and comments surrounding his mental toughness and ability to handle the pressure of playing in the NFL. Wells has only caught a few passes out of the backfield during his Buckeye career and that will limit his play in the NFL. However, this may prove to be a blessing as Wells may find himself a one or two down back as Tim Hightower remains in the backfield in passing situations. If Wells can learn some patience at the line of scrimmage, his explosiveness should result in big plays as defenses have to respect the passing game of the Arizona Cardinals. Wells ability to explode through the first level and elude in the second and third levels of a defense could result in some amazing highlight reel videos.

For information about Beanie Wells rookie card.

Jason Smith St. Louis Rams Rookie Stud

twincitiesvalue — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:47:05 +0000

Finally someone to replace Orlando Pace

St. Louis Rams fans may be up for another season of wearing paper bags over their heads to games as they enter the dreaded “rebuilding year”. Yes the 2008 season will be remembered fondly for……..well I don’t know, there must have been something positive going on there. Hey you got the MLB All-Star game in 2009 and Pujols is awesome so you got that going for you guys. There is reason to be hopeful going into 2009. No you aren’t going to see the Rams in the playoffs or even with a winning record but the organization have made some key moves to actually rebuild the team, starting with signing Jason Smith.
There is a trap so many teams fall into when they find themselves with a top pick, deciding the start QB, WR or some other specialty player will right their ship. Just ask the Detroit Lions. The Rams made the move I have been preaching for years and that anyone who truly knows football will tell you. The game is won in the trenches, starting and ending with your Offensive line. Oh sure, we all love to see amazing passes, catches and 60 yard scampers for touchdowns but find me one Super Bowl team who did it with an average offensive line. I’ll save you some time, the answers zero. This is why I get excited about teams who use their draft position to fill a vital need and do it with the proper player.
I initially projected Jason Smith (OT, Baylor) to be the 3rd or 4th lineman taken in the draft, the more I studied him, the more I like the choice as the 2nd overall pick in the 2009 draft. Prior to the meltdown before last years Sugar Bowl, everyone had Andre Smith (Alabama) as the number one OT in college and maybe the number one draft pick overall. However, teams are getting more and more cautious about drafting a player who may be a head case. I have been touting Eugene Monroe’s (UVA) talents for years and initially would have taken him over Smith. However, Smith has something that the other two lack, raw athleticism and amazing footwork.
Jason Smith standing 6’5”, weighing 305lbs, began his career as a tight end, starting eight games as a freshman, gaining 70 yards on 6 receptions and 1 touchdown. As a sophomore, Smith was moved to tackle where he started every game. Hampered by knee injuries most of his junior season, Smith still earned All-Big 12 honors. Smith’s time as a TE has given him an edge most lineman don’t have, turning him into an athletic big man with good hands and amazing footwork.
This should help for a smooth transaction to the NFL where any line coach will tell you, footwork is the hardest thing to teach a young player. This should help eliminate some of the learning curve as Smith will face stronger and faster defensive lineman than he has ever seen before. There are two nagging questions Smith and the Rams face. Is he able to build the strength necessary to excel in the NFL and will his knee injuries be a chronic problem? If he can build a good work ethic in the weight room and keep healthy, look to see Jason Smith in many Pro Bowls and get Stephen Jackson on your fantasy team.

LeSean McCoy Rookie Scouting Report

twincitiesvalue — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:44:29 +0000

One of the most nerve raking moments in anyone’s life has to be a job interview. This is exactly what hundreds of NFL hopefuls endure at the combine every year. It must have been especially stressful for LeSean McCoy as he had to sit out the 2009 combine while suffering from the flu. McCoy swears he could turn out the fastest time of any running back present but unfortunately had to sit on the sidelines and simply let his videos do the talking for him. Whether a spectacular combine showing would have propelled him past the likes of Knowshon Moreno or Beanie Wells will never be known, his impressive two year career as a Pittsburgh Panther was enough to have the Philadelphia Eagles snatch him up in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft with the 53rd pick over-all.
McCoy’s career at Pittsburgh can be summed up in two words: Work horse. In 2007, LeSean gained 1,328 yards on 276 carries, scoring 14 touchdowns and adding another 244 yards receiving with 33 receptions and 1 score. He followed up this performance in 2008 with 308 carries, gaining 1,488 yards, 21 touchdowns and another 305 yards on 32 receptions. Both seasons were enough to gain 1st-team All-Big East honors.
McCoy possesses that rare gift of both power and speed. He has the ability to make defenders miss in the open field. He has great hands and nice versatility, consistently finding a way to get open for his quarterback. He never fumbled the football in college, a stat any player would love to carry to the NFL. His competitive streak is evident to anyone who has watched him play and he had to be talked out of competing in the combine despite his illness.
LeSean finds himself in Philadelphia, smack dab in the ever competitive NFC East where his durability will be quickly tested. The Eagles are looking to Mccoy to compliment All-Pro Brian Westbrook and more than likely touch the ball 10-15 times a game. His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield fits in perfectly to the Eagles pass first, run second offense.
If McCoy is going to make an impact he has some learning to do quickly. On paper, McCoy stands 5’11” and weighs 210lbs. However, his weight was down below 200lbs and he definitely needs to add some pounds quickly to compete at the next level. LeSean is extremely athletic and while he has the ability to make players miss, sometimes lacks the downfield vision to avoid the 2nd and 3rd man. He also at times can lose yardage running east/west, instead of just turning the ball up field and simply taking the yards he can get. This all comes with experience and discipline and if McCoy takes advantage of learning from a veteran squad, he can use his natural ability to turn into one of the sleeper picks of the 2009 draft.

Steven McGee rookie with a future?

twincitiesvalue — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:45:46 +0000

Is he the Heir Apparent to Romo?

There are some draft picks that leave you scratching your head and trying to figure out exactly what a team was thinking when they made the selection. Living in Minnesota, Vikings fans do that pretty much every year (except of course Adrian Peterson). Dallas usually isn’t one of those teams but when they drafted Stephen Mcgee as the 101st overall pick in the 4th round, I was completely stumped. Mcgee has a lot of upside that I’ll get to in a moment but with Tony Romo solidly entrenched as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, one would imagine there were a lot of other quality players on the board who could have filled more immediate needs. Maybe Jerry Jones is still reliving the horrors that occurred when Romo was sidelined with a broken finger. Maybe he’s just been watching a lot of Texas A&M games and likes to draft good ‘ol Texas boys. Maybe I’m completely off base and they see something in Mcgee that will make him the next Romo or Brady. Anyone wanna bet?
Stephen Mcgee definitely has the size at 6’3”, 225lbs to succeed in the NFL. He is built pretty thick, is a great athlete, has an adequate arm, is very mobile, making some plays with his feet and has the ability to throw on the run. His 40-yard-dash at the combine was clocked at 4.66, second only to Pat White. This is very impressive for someone of Mcgee’s build. He has a great work ethic, is a natural leader and extremely competitive. He had almost identical stats in ‘06 and ’07, throwing for roughly 2,300 yards both seasons, with a completion percentage around 60% and throwing a combined 24 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He hails from Texas where he was a high school football god and probably teethed on football. All of these factors would usually result in a no brainier pick but there are a lot of question marks and a lot of growing to do if young Mr. Mcgee is ever going to see the field on a Sunday.
First and foremost, Mcgee was in a read-option offense for most of his career that simply doesn’t translate into the NFL at all. It’s hard enough for a quarterback to make the jump to the next level, it’s another thing adjusting and having to learn the system. Second, he started just three games last year before being sidelined with a torn labrum in his throwing arm. Mcgee is also an extremely raw quarterback. He has small hands and poor mechanics. His footwork is awful and he tends to get happy feet. He has been able to make up for it in college with his ability to run and elude tacklers. He seems impatient at times and will have to gain a lot more confidence and learn to be comfortable if he is going to make it at the pro level.
If his work ethic and determination proves the skeptics wrong, there is one more problem he and Dallas face. What about Tony Romo. Dallas looking for a back-up to their Pro Bowl quarterback makes a lot of sense. But if Mcgee over comes all the obstacles and develops into a decent enough quarterback to earn the second spot in Dallas, one has to wonder how long he’ll be content to hold the clip board. Best case scenario, I see Dallas putting in a lot of time and effort to groom a starter for some other organization. My advice to Stephen Mcgee: Learn everything you can in Dallas. Study Tony Romo. Work your butt off. Don’t expect to ever start for the Cowboys. Otherwise, good luck kid!

Josh Freeman NFL Rookie Quarterback Tampa Bay Bucs

twincitiesvalue — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:58:54 +0000

A great situation for a rising star

I can’t help myself, I absolutely love good quarterbacks drafted from a crappy college team with a lack of talented players around him. Sorry Kansas State University, your Wildcats aren’t winning any Big-12 championships any time soon. The alumni can take some consolation in the fact that John Freeman could very well end up being the best quarterback selected in the 2009 draft.
The Buccaneers took a pretty decent long term gamble in selecting Freeman with the 17th over-all pick. Freeman has an impressive frame, standing 6’6” and weighing in at 248lbs. His 4.97 sec 40-yard-dash doesn’t quite do his game time speed and mobility the justice he deserves. The 3rd quarterback taken in the draft, Freeman was the only to start as a true freshman. In 2006 he was the only true freshman to lead his team to a bowl game, setting a school freshman record of 1,780 yards passing, completing 52% of his passes. He definitely did have his knocks, getting intercepted 15 times, while throwing just 6 touchdown passes. However, one has to take into account his getting sacked 25 times.
It’s just this kind of abuse that gets me excited about a guy like Freeman. While guys like Sanchez, Stafford, Tebow and Bradford are phenomenal quarterbacks, they are blessed to play with the most talented players in all of college football. Each one of the guys are either playing with or have played with guys who they will be facing on Sundays to come. With the exception of a great receiver Brandon Banks, no Wildcat had as much as 600 yards receiving last season. Kansas State could manage only five wins and Freeman, along with the rest of the Wildcats took a pretty good beating all year from a stacked Big-12 conference.
All that being said, Freeman has shined and grown all throughout his collegiate career. His sophomore year was definitely his finest, setting five school passing records, completing 63% of his passes for 3,353 yards, 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, earning him an All-Big 12 honorable mention. More importantly, Freeman grew considerably during the season, improving his pocket awareness and mobility adding 4 rushing touchdowns to his total and decreasing his sack total to 17.
In 2008, Freeman saw a slight drop in yardage, down to 2,945. However, his completion percentage stayed high at almost 59%, throwing a career high 20 touchdown passes and career low 8 interceptions. His sack total dropped again to 15 and he added an amazing 14 touchdowns on the ground, 2nd most by any college quarterback last year.
Freeman finds himself in Tampa Bay on a Buccaneers team that few know exactly what to expect this year. New coach Raheem Morris, former assistant to John Gruden, is inheriting a team with an impressive power running game and question marks at the quarterback position. Tampa Bay is only too familiar with quarterback questions as Gruden seemed to collect them like trading cards. However, it looks as though Freeman will have at least a season to sit and develop, learning the Bucs system behind long time veteran Byron Leftwich.
There are definitely some similarities between Freeman and Leftwich. Ok, maybe not in 2009 but a young Byron Leftwich had a lot of similarities to Freeman. If given the time to develop, He could learn a lot from the once mobile Leftwich. Tampa Bay seems a very good fit for Freeman. Defenses have to respect the Bucs power running game which should leave many 1-1 situations. Freeman has the size to see the entire field and the arm strength and accuracy to consistently deliver the ball downfield. Teams will quickly learn to honor this deep threat. That being the case, and providing the offensive line can give him some protection, look for some big plays deep, and some nice mid range completions as receivers come back toward the line. Freeman’s ability to scramble and pick up first down with his feet should be especially frustrating for defensive coordinators who have to step up to stop the running game. Again, good move Tampa bay, this could very well prove to be the best pick of the 2009 draft.