“I Think Vernon Is Going To Be A Very, Very Good Football Player”
September 15th, 2016
High praise from his DC.
Get on board the Vernon Hargreaves bus!
Today, Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith took to his weekly pulpit and sang the song for the play of the talented rookie corner, a Tampa product no less.
In his first NFL game last week at Atlanta, Hargreaves never came off the field when the Bucs defense was working and, sometimes, he had the unenviable task of trying to shut down arguably the best receiver in the game, Julio Jones.
While Smith was quick to point out Hargreaves made a few errors as any rookie would, Smith beamed like a proud father at the level of play Hargreaves turned in.
“Vernon, of any rookie player, probably had the toughest draw of the first week and he played every snap in the ballgame for us, both inside and outside,” Smith said. “It says a lot about his football knowledge and his football intelligence. He felt like a lot of us, including me, we would like to have a couple of plays back. But overall, I thought it was a very good start.
“[Julio Jones], that was a very good wide receiver they tried to put on his side quite a bit. At the end of the day, we liked what we were able to do in terms of stopping their gamewreckers. We wanted to stop Julio Jones. We wanted to stop Devonta Freeman in the run game and we were able to accomplish that.
“Although it wasn’t perfect, I think Vernon is going to be a very, very good football player in the National Football League. … We are going to face Larry [Fitzgerald] this week and Larry is going to be a Hall of Fame player. So, the first two weeks in the NFL? Hey, welcome. To have a guy, a rookie corner, who played both nickel and corner, every snap in the first game I think it says a whole lot about what kind of a football player he is going to be long-term. … I love his attitude about next-play. … You’ve got to have that mentality. He had a couple of really good plays in that ballgame because he has a short memory.”
From the day Joe first saw Hargreaves practice you could tell he was special. Dude is a ballhawk and has sick physical skills. He immediately reminded Joe of a young Brent Grimes.
Since, Hargreaves has done nothing but stoke the fires of excitement for Bucs coaches as he continues to get better and better each week.
If he is able to hold Fitzgerald in check this week — no easy task, not even for Darrelle Revis in his prime — Hargreaves will have already proven to be a home run of a draft pick in Joe’s eyes.
September 15th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Agree. He’s gonna be fun to watch this week. He can keep up with Fitzgerald because he’s lost a step, but how will Vernon handle his physicality? Good battle to seen on Sunday.
September 15th, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Kids a baller!
September 15th, 2016 at 3:21 pm
VH3 gets a pick Sunday…..U heard it here first.
September 15th, 2016 at 3:41 pm
C’mon Gator – Get up and GO! Chomp Chomp Chomp
In his very 1st game – Vernon taking over Ronde’s role of outside starter sliding into the slot when the nickle pkg is deployed and never leaving the field. The kid’s already as good if not better than Ronde was with his pass defending skills. If he can learn to be as sure a tackler as Ronde was and make plays in the backfield in similar fashion – VH3 will be a special player indeed.
September 15th, 2016 at 3:49 pm
@tbf…I agree….GO BUCS!!!!
September 15th, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Pickgrin
Agree with your observations about tackling which is why I was psyched when he made that open field tackle quickly on a short swing pass to the flats. That’s feast or famine…make the play and you’re a hero…miss the tackle and your a zero.
September 15th, 2016 at 5:32 pm
OMG!! Who’s gonna cover Julio who’s gonna cover Kelvin Benjamin. Some of youts..
September 15th, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Only a blind fool would think this kid wasn’t legit. Which is at least 3/4 of the people on this here site (predraft). Can’t wait to see him blossom into an all pro DB!!!
September 16th, 2016 at 8:38 am
Excellent point Monkey, EVERYONE was hating on this pick before and after the draft, now that they realize his talents they all love him lol. I can proudly say I’ve loved this kid right after his first couple games as a Gator. He has been my fav. College player since and thought I was dreaming when I seen he was Goin to the Bucs. I love how this organization is Goin back to drafting home grown talent like the 90’s. I hate the seminoles but I won’t deny there talent and welcome it to my Bucs if it’s gonna make them better.