Loading ...Immediately after the 2011 NFL Draft, New York Giants fans began expressing their excitement about the team's second-round pick Marvin Austin. The general consensus was that Austin was a first-round talent, but because he was suspended for his entire senior season at North Carolina, he fell to the Giants in round two. However, Austin tore his pectoral muscle early on in training camp in 2011, which held him out of football for another season.
On the field, Austin has nice size for his position (6'2"/ 309lbs). He possesses elite athleticism and quickness, which often allows him to shoot the gap on run plays between the tackles. In college, Austin's strength allowed him to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines, as he brought in 42 tackles in his final season at UNC, six of which came for a loss. Furthermore, Austin showed that even as a defensive tackle playing on the interior line, he has the ability to get to the quarterback on passing downs. He had four sacks in 2009.
That all being said, Austin does have a few areas in which he needs to improve. His technique as a defensive linemen needs work, as he has often been accused of letting offensive linemen get under his pads and force him to play up high. Lastly, in Austin's final year at UNC, he had the tendency to take a play off here and there, which raised serious questions about his motivation.
However, Marvin Austin clearly has the talent to become a great interior defensive linemen in the NFL. The question is whether he can come in and be productive after missing two full seasons. While speaking to Jorge Castillo of The Star-Ledger, Austin talked about how missing his rookie season may impact him in 2012.
"I don't think it's good at all. I want to benefit as much as I can. You can only control what you can control and me being able to control just staying healthy and just trying to get out there everyday and just getting better as much as I can. That's what I can control," he said.
It is more than likely that Marvin Austin is going to take a significant amount of time to become a productive player for Big Blue. It would be near impossible for him to miss two full seasons of football, and still have the ability to adjust to the speed of the NFL game, while learning the defense as well. With the team's depth at defensive tackle, there is little need to rush Austin back into meaningful situations. Doing so could potentially stunt his development, and ruin a once promising career. It will be essential for Austin to get significant playing time in preseason games this year. Hopefully, those will give the coaching staff a better idea of where he is as a player.
However, once Austin gets his feet under him, he has the potential to be a cornerstone on the Giants defensive line for the foreseeable future. Along with Linval Joseph, the Giants could potentially have a pair of lethal interior defensive linemen that will cause serious issues for offensive lines. Just don't expect it to happen right off the bat in 2012. With Joseph, Chris Canty and either Rocky Bernard or Shaun Rogers ahead of Austin on the depth chart, the Giants will have the luxury of giving him at least a full season to develop into the player many believe he has the ability to become.
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Jim – I don’t think most wouldn’t argue that the OL last year was the worse since 2006. But for 3 or 4 years there it was amongst the best in the NFL. Seubert had that injury the last game of 2010 in force wholesale changes. I dout O’hara would have been back but Seubert was a sure in for 2011 if he was healthy. Given that we made 3 changes to the 2011 OL some struggles had to be expected. Of course we all hoped it would come together sooner but that’s where the lack of an offseason hurt us a lot just because a lot of reps were missed.
This year everyone that is starting at least will have some experience at their position. Diehl was really suddenly moved to LG and wasn’t ready having all offseason to adjust to RT I think will have a much better result. Beatty we know can protect the Eli. So even if he’s below average at run blocking he won’t get the franchise killed. The key is really developing chemistry. Our great 2008 group wasn’t overly talented but played great together. Remember the group played better in 2008 after the big switch of Diehl to LT in 2007, I think we will see similar improvement this year.
We are fortunate to be deep enough that players like Austin and Hosley while talented enough to have significant impact are not needed this year for us to succeed. Players like Benard/Rodgers and Prince/Tryon are good enough hold down the fort while these inexperience players continue to learn. Maybe the most realistic expectation is to have an impact like the 2007 rookie class which was mainly in the later part of the regular season and playoffs.
Citing a league source, Tim McManus of the newly-formed Birds 24/7 Philadelphia Eagles blog reports that the team is “showing interest” in free agent tight end Jeremy Shockey.
The Eagles seem intent on adding a veteran tight end, seeing as they’re in pursuit of Visanthe Shiancoe, as well.
Like Shiancoe, Shockey is 32 years old and most likely nearing the end of the line in the NFL. He can still catch and block, however, and makes sense as a No. 2 tight end, backing up Brent Celek.
Working opposite Greg Olsen in Carolina last year, Shockey caught 37 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/24/report-eagles-interested-in-jeremy-shockey/
Never before in the history of organized team sports have a player and a team been so ideally matched.
Shockey and the Eagles were made for one another.
I would love to see the Eagles sign Shockey. I despise both, so that would only add to my “investment” in beating those low-class braggarts and make it so much sweeter when they, once again, fail to reach the brass ring.
As to Austin, who knows what and when he will bring it? The athletic talent is there but predicting when he will be in peak condition and on top of the skill set and techniques and ability to read blocks that a quality NFL defensive tackle needs is a fool’s game. Gun-to-my-head I’ll go with 2013 after rarely suiting up this season but staying all year on the roster and learning. But no one should be shocked if he is able to contribute during the last third of this season if called upon.
Good stuff Paul. The quote from Austin says it all. The guy needs to just stay healthy for a season. You can’t learn or develop while riding the exercise bike. Ask Gerris Wlikinson or Sinorice Moss. If Austin can make it through the season in tact, we may well have a nice surprise awaiting us in 2013.