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CanesSkins26
Canes Skin
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Posts: 6870
Location: Alexandria, VA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject: WP: Malcolm Kelly and Phillip Merling |
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| Quote: | Posted at 6:59 PM ET, 04/21/2008
Malcolm Kelly and Phillip Merling
Really gotta be fast on this one - puck about to drop - but making more calls and two names to watch this weekend for the Skins are WR Malcolm Kelly and DE Phillip Merling, team sources said. The team was finalizing trips to Oklahoma and Clemson, respectively, to meet the players one more time before the draft, likely the final visits with players before the draft this weekend.
Kelly bears particular attention. The Skins already brought him in for a visit recently and went out to Oklahoma for his workout. Now, they're going back again. It's looking more and more obvious that their dream scenario, where a tackle like Williams or Albert slips to 21, is out the window. And the ability to trade down out of the pick is largely out of their control, and there might not be a team willing to give up enough to trade up.
So they might be stuck making a pick.
Kelly ran a slow time during his workout in Oklahoma, and the Skins no doubt would like to see that improved upon this week. He lashed out at Oklahoma staff and trainers for their handling of his recent injuries and pouted that his low 40-yard time was due to a change of surface. His attitude led him to slip down some draft boards, but the kid is also a playmaker with some talent. He is leading the group of receivers Washington might end up considering at 21, but, again, they'd prefer to pick from this bunch somewhere in the second round instead.
The fact they are going back to see Kelly again was telling to many within the organization. If Kelly was off the board - or slips in the eyes of the Skins at this next meeting - Limas Sweed of Texas and Jordy Nelson of Kansas State are also high on Washington's receiver board, sources said, and either would be a candidate to be selected (Nelson recently visited Redskins Park and came away making a very strong impression, team sources said.
As for Merling, the team's attention has turned away from DT - which Greg Blache considered to be a strong position of need - to DE in recent days, again due to factors beyond the club's control. There is a huge drop-off after the top 3-4 DTs go in the top 10 picks. It's a stretch to take one in the top two rounds for the most part where the Skins pick, though the Skins will likely look hard at Marcus Harrison (Arkansas) around the third round if he's out there.
Merling rates higher than Miami DE Calais Campbell at this point with the Skins, sources said, but again things can change post-workout and as the draft gets closer. Merling slid down some boards after requiring sports hernia surgery, but like Kelly he is a junior with a lot of upside. |
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/[/code] |
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VetSkinsFan
One Step Away
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 7779
Location: NoVA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:06 am Post subject: |
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After his little temper tantrum, I think Kelly did good damage control. I can respect him for how he handled it. I never watched any of his college ball, but I think he has at worst, {edit} decent character. He said he'd run for anyone, anywhere, not just whining and sitting there.
Last edited by VetSkinsFan on Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:25 am; edited 3 times in total |
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GSPODS
Hog
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 4983
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:27 am Post subject: |
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Source aside (way aside, si vous plais), Kelly knows that one or two-tenths of a second will cost him contract money. If that isn't a legitimate reason to be peaved, I have no idea what is.
As far as the way he handled the situation, yes, it left something to be desired. Kelly can't openly state to NFL teams or to the media at large that he knows his 40 time is going to cost him. If he did, he would lose any leverage he still has in contract negotiations.
I think the truth is that Kelly was upset with himself for not having better clock times but yelling "F Me" at the top of his lungs to show displeasure with himself would not have gone over any better than blaming the school. Any reaction at all is going to be perceived by the media as a bad reaction and an attitude problem. Just because the media says it doesn't make it so. And if JLC says it, believe the opposite.
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yupchagee
#14
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
Posts: 4126
Location: Louisville KY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:32 am Post subject: |
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| VetSkinsFan wrote: | | After his little temper tantrum, I think Kelly did good damage control. I can respect him for how he handled it. I never watched any of his college ball, but I think he has at worst, {edit} decent character. He said he'd run for anyone, anywhere, not just whining and sitting there. |
Remember that these kids are just that- kids. You have to expect some immaturity. |
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VetSkinsFan
One Step Away
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 7779
Location: NoVA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:34 am Post subject: |
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| Old enough to go to war, old enough to be responsible for one's actions. I don't buy that kid crap. |
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CanesSkins26
Canes Skin
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Posts: 6870
Location: Alexandria, VA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Posted at 1:08 PM ET, 04/24/2008
Phillip Merling and Malcolm Kelly
The Redskins are honing in on these two players as the draft nears.
The team has a contingent of roughly 10 coaches at Clemson to watch Merling, a DE from Clemson. That group includes Dan Snyder, Jim Zorn, Greg Blache, the club's new DL coach and trainers, according to sources in Clemson.
That group, along with offensive coaches like Sherman Smith and Stan Nixon, are likely to fly to Oklahoma for Kelly's private workout late this afternoon (he is a junior WR for the Sooners).
At this point I cannot say for certain that the owner will be attending both workouts, but I would be surprised if they don't jump on the plane to Oklahoma in the next few hours and all go out to Norman.
We'll post more as we get it.
If the Skins can't drop down in the draft and both of these players are on the board, it would be very interesting to see what they did. There would likely be several decent WRs left when Washington picks in the second round - they are falling, in general, as a position class - but the dropoff at DE after Merling is selected would likely be significantly greater. |
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/ |
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GSPODS
Hog
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 4983
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Get Snyder the hell out of there before he screws everything up. He knows less about drafting football prospects than I do. |
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CanesSkins26
Canes Skin
Joined: 13 Aug 2007
Posts: 6870
Location: Alexandria, VA
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Posted at 3:56 PM ET, 04/24/2008
En Route To Oklahoma (UPDATED - And JC Is Rolling With Them)
So the Skins hearty contingent, including the owner and vp of football ops and head coach, has indeed left Clemson, where DE Phillip Merling worked out, and should be working out Malcolm Kelly shortly, the WR prospect.
Also, starting quarterback Jason Campbell is with the Skins and flying to Oklahoma, so you would have to imagine he'll be throwing some passes Kelly's way.
As for Merling, spoke to some people down there at the workout. The kid is working through sports hernia surgery - no small deal - but went hard for 45 minutes, I am told. He was out there by himself and showed very well. About half the league had a representative there, but the Skins large contingent certainly drew ample attention.
Merling is tough as nails, and took a needle to the groin every Saturday just to be ablel to get on the field with Clemson, gutting through the hernia (the injury caused him to miss the physical part of the combine, and thus he held his workout today, on the last possible day). Scouts I talk to say he has strong character and is very stout at the point of attack ("He's not going to get outflanked," one said). He does not project to be a big sack guy, but could be a beast against the run (and considering what the Skins are looking for on the strong side, he sounds like a younger Phillip Daniels, with better upside). Could be good for a handful of sacks as well.
"The kid's a pretty safe pick," one scout said.
Also, another name to watch on the second day of the draft is San Diego QB Josh Johnson, sources said. Johnson had a very good visit to Redskins Park and has been in touch with coach Jim Zorn, team sources said. He may not last until the 4th round, and that's a bit higher than where the Skins would probably like to take a QB given he would be a project and behind Campbell and Todd Collins for a while, but it's certainly worth watching with Zorn so closely tied to the QB position. |
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/
So we have an awful pass rush but are looking to draft a defensive end that is better at stopping the run than rushing the passer?  |
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Fios
The Evil Straw
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 8219
Location: Leather Chair
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Nothing wrong with looking |
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frankcal20
^^^^^^^
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 8966
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| Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| I want Kelly....that may be b/c its the same last name and the same spelling as mine. I would buy that Jersey in a heart beat. |
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skinsfan#33
#33
Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 3876
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SkinsFreak
Fire in the Sky
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 4884
Location: Surfside
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:21 am Post subject: |
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More like a fantasy world, Kelly won't make it that far in the 2nd round. |
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SkinsFreak
Fire in the Sky
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 4884
Location: Surfside
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| frankcal20 wrote: | | I want Kelly....that may be b/c its the same last name and the same spelling as mine. I would buy that Jersey in a heart beat. |
I'd take Kelly too. His pro day workout has no bearing, imo. First, he only had a few weeks to prepare after a quad injury, so I'd expect a tenth or two to be lost on his forty time. Second, he's still regarded as having the best hands of any receiver in the draft. Third, we don't need a speedster, we already have one. We need a possession guy with good hands and Kelly fits that bill. His game tape speaks for itself, as most agree he plays much faster than his pro day forty time would indicate. He played for Stoops in a pro style WCO and possesses the skill set the Skins desire in a #2 receiver.
By the way, what was Jerry Rice's forty time?
I don't think Kelly is a reach at #21. I'm actually glad he had a poor pro day, as I believe he would be long gone before we would pick. Both Kiper and McShay agreed last night that Kelly will still probably go in the 1st round. |
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SkinsFreak
Fire in the Sky
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 4884
Location: Surfside
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:39 am Post subject: |
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By the way, does anyone know if we had a private workout with Limas Sweed? I think I remember reading that the Skins aren't real high on him. But of course, that may have come from my favorite insider, Mr. JLC.
That fact that the Skins took JC to the private workout with Kelly is pretty interesting.
| Quote: | | The team recently hosted Kelly on a visit to Redskins Park, traveled to Oklahoma to attend one of his previous workouts and spent time with him again yesterday. Stan Hixon, Washington's wide receivers coach, watched Kelly run routes as Campbell threw to him, sources at the workout said. Campbell apparently was impressed, telling Kelly he would be comfortable with the Redskins selecting him, a source said. |
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GSPODS
Hog
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 4983
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| Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:16 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | The team recently hosted Kelly on a visit to Redskins Park, traveled to Oklahoma to attend one of his previous workouts and spent time with him again yesterday. Stan Hixon, Washington's wide receivers coach, watched Kelly run routes as Campbell threw to him, sources at the workout said. Campbell apparently was impressed, telling Kelly he would be comfortable with the Redskins selecting him, a source said. |
[/quote]
Allow me to source this:
www.morebsfromJLC'sblog.com |
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