Short Corners Long On Talent
June 1st, 2016
He can ball.
Joe has read griping from Bucs fans about how rookie first round pick Vernon Hargreaves will get exposed in the NFL by bigger receivers.
Joe thinks that’s nitpicking. Hargreaves, at 5-10, is only an inch shorter than Darrelle Revis and is taller than his new teammate, Brent Grimes. Tall receivers haven’t run them out of the league. As Hargreaves told Joe at the NFL Scouting Combine this winter, “If you can ball, you can ball.”
In this WTSP-TV Channel 10 video, sports director Chris Fischer and long-time Bucs beat writer Woody Cummings discuss the short Tampa Bay corners. Also, the duo talk about the Pro Bowl moving to Orlando, and there’s some bonus Bolts chatter as well.
June 1st, 2016 at 9:19 am
Could this be the secondary that the “dunkeneers” can finally work against?????
June 1st, 2016 at 9:46 am
Nice job Roy.
June 1st, 2016 at 9:46 am
It doesn’t matter how tall a corner is….if he’s 4 steps behind a WR……I’ll take a shorter corner who covers any day.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:04 am
Not sure if he’ll get exposed bc of his height or his alma mater. Probably the latter, that is if he gets exposed at all.
I’m holding VH3 to the same standard as the 2015 #18 overall pick, Marcus Peters who had 8 INTS last year. Anything less than 8 ints would be uncivilized.
Banks avg 3.5 Ints his first two years. He was a 2nd round pick #43 and is now on the bubble and may not even start over Cinnamon Toast Crunch (Verner) which is just ludicrous to me.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:04 am
It’s about consistency and being where you are supposed to be at the right time. DBs work as a unit and there is supposed to be help over the top, and it’s about technique, inside leverage, outside leverage, trail position.. Don’t let them cross your face etc… Will there be times a CB misses a ball by a fingertip yes… I’m not concerned about the height. No diff between 5’10 and 6’0. If he was 6’0 no one would be talking about V3 being short.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:12 am
VH3 will get beat a few times against bigger receivers and well placed passes, but QBs better be careful. If they get too comfortable throwing in his direction and they slip on the accuracy he’ll be right there for the pick. This kid has excellent ball skills and cover skills. His size will be an issue on some plays, but he should make up for it on others.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:12 am
DB55 – He went to DBU. Not sure how his alma mater hurts him.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:15 am
Cuz gayduhs suck! I thought this was common knowledge?!?!? #FSU #1
June 1st, 2016 at 10:20 am
@DB55 Thank you so much for not rooting for the Gators. Promise me that you’ll never stop rooting for FSU.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:37 am
I’m hoping Smith doesn’t give up on banks because of the price tag on verner and Grimes. I think banks and v.h can make a great corner tandem. Banks had great ball skills coming out of college and has tremendous range, v.h. has same capabilities but is more aggressive and much smoother, but smaller.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:41 am
The kid has good cover ability, he’s fast, and has good hops so I’m not getting that worried about him vs. taller WR but we shall see.
June 1st, 2016 at 10:51 am
Big name releases are coming soon…….all because of that square peg thing!
June 1st, 2016 at 10:55 am
After all these years we’re still having the same old stupid conversations about size!
Earl Thomas, Steve Smith Sr., Ronde, Darrelle, Russell Wilson……..
Just stop already! Either they can play or not, end of story!
June 1st, 2016 at 11:10 am
Anything less that 8 for a rookie? Cmon man.
June 1st, 2016 at 11:43 am
Spud Webb can still dunk at age 47. Just saying…
https://youtu.be/fk-t2HnXfy4
June 1st, 2016 at 11:43 am
I think the entire size thing is overrated. All things being equal of course height is an advantage but how often are all things actually equal.
I think the biggest vulnerability is on short 3rd downs and of course in the
end zone. But there are ways to compensate for that with defensive schemes.
All of our DB’s and LB’s are going to get beat next year…as are ALL the DB’s and LB’s of every other team.
The important thing is to win more of those individual battles than we lose…and win them at the critical times in the game…and no more gifts from penalties!!!
June 1st, 2016 at 12:10 pm
If Veron come in as advertised it will be a rare time that 2-3 inches will bite him. More often, if QBs try to exploit(which they won’t) a few inches Vernon will make a play on the ball.
June 1st, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Peters also gave up 8 TD’s and over 900 yards last year. He was a boom-bust player and you’ve got to recognize that if you’re going to compare other players to him.
June 1st, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Well I would hate to put unwarranted pressure on the young man. Certainly don’t want to set any high expectation for a lottery pick. How about 0 ints, yea lets just hope he stays healthy and develops. Yea that’s it, that’s the ticket.
June 1st, 2016 at 12:28 pm
Ok DB55- he doesn’t have to get any INTs…..but if a pass hits him in the hands he has to catch it. Deal?
Oh but he also has to make a lot of solo tackles and make a few plays in the running game.
June 1st, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Buc
No no no, too much pressure. As long as he wears those cool cleats and looks good then we’re good.
June 1st, 2016 at 12:59 pm
The difference is VH3 got exposed in college against taller receivers–so it’s not exactly far fetched to assume this.
That being said, I’m all in! He’s a Buc, so hopefully he can elevate that part of his game.
June 1st, 2016 at 1:01 pm
When Grimes played for Falcons did he cover Julio in practice because there goes advantage to us week 1.
June 1st, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Joe, if it didn’t matter why were the Buccaneers going after tall receivers in the draft and calling themselves “The Dunkaneers”??
June 1st, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Like I say players know how to play this game, show him the “scheme” and coach him up ( we do have world class coaching staff) and in pre/season let the young man do what he wanted to come to Tampa to do.
June 1st, 2016 at 2:50 pm
No concerns at all with the height.
June 1st, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Lets hope that he rises up to the high level of lofty expectations. Putting him on a pedestal and raising a tall glass to him might be premature until we measure his ability to stand tall against less vertically challenged receivers.
🙂
June 1st, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Heck yeah 2 inches matters!🤓 This is why the smaller player has to be more disciplined and technically sound. He must leave the smallest of windows for
the QB. As noted by the abilities of other smaller CB’s and VH3 himself, “…if he can ball…”
Sure would be nice if the Bolts can keep Stammer!! They have a lot of FA to sign THIS off-season. Yes, Bishop would command some talent in a trade, just a bit perplexed at how they can sign more talent on such an already-talented team. Yes, Druon (sp) did it for a short time- hope they don’t let Bennet go in hopes of Bowers!
June 1st, 2016 at 5:48 pm
Our DBs get plenty of work everyday in practice against tall guys
June 1st, 2016 at 6:48 pm
RO there is a Difference between 5’10” and 6’0″ look it up on a tape mesure, just so you know it is a 2″ difference. How that equates to their arm length is where the major differences to me would be.
I hope our 1st round CB makes an impact. But to not think a 2″ difference is is not a big hurdle to overcome is not right. A 6’4″ WR automatically had a 6″ difference in just height, not to mention arm length and leaping ability. I am happy we drafted our CB but I want to see him in action against the larger WR in the NFL before I will say how good he is or can be. The NFL is not the SEC.
June 1st, 2016 at 7:45 pm
Man some of y’all need to go watch tape of Revis defending,Moss,Owens and VJax. Afterwhich come back and talk to me about height issues.
June 1st, 2016 at 7:51 pm
I should’ve added Brandon Marshall to that list.
June 1st, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Hargreaves has the ideal height/size for his style of play, his job is to cover not bat down hail marrys. This is a non story, it’s common knowledge that corners are not the same height has receivers unless your name is Brandon Browner. There’s been pro bowl corners with all kinds of height like Tyran Mathuie and Tim Jennings, both under 5’9. I expect Hargreaves to be a franchise player for us.
June 2nd, 2016 at 1:34 am
Athleticism and a strong vertical jump makes up the difference vs taller receivers for shorter CBs that can ball.
People are like – OMG – how can VH3 compete with 6’5″ Kelvin Benjamin? – he’s giving up 7 inches.
OK – well – do the math. Hargreaves is 5-10 1/2″, Benjamin is 6’5″. Benjamin has a 32.5″ vertical jump, and Hargreaves has a 39″ vertical jump. If both go up for a high ball – then Hargreaves wins by 1/2″.
June 2nd, 2016 at 8:19 am
@DB55
Stop hating just because VH3 is from the swamp. If your a true Bucs fan that wouldn’t matter because he’s part of the family now, and no longer a gator, just like Winston is no longer a Nole. I’m a big Gators fan and hate the Noles, but if the bucs draft one I become a fan and don’t continue to hate on them. And BTW there are twice as many Gators as there is Noles on this roster. Thought you’d like that Lil fact.
And 8 ints?? I really hope your being sarcastic, Because that’s ludacris. Whens the last time a rookie had close to that?? Peters got lucky on alot of those imo. Most of those picks came right to him hwere ther wasnt a receiver around him and was just in the right place at the right time, not because he out played the receiver. Feel free to check the tape. I will be happy with 3-4 ints. and he will not be a no. 1 or 2 like Peters was either. He’ll be in the nickel role.
June 2nd, 2016 at 8:25 am
There are 4 gators on this roster in VH3, L.Murphy, M.Wright and Tevin Westbrook who will probably see sum playing time in the future. And only 2 Noles wich came in the last 2 drafts Btw in Winston and Aguayo.
#GATOR_NATION_ALL_DAY