Unpopular Opinion

[Wilson’s Mustache]

With as many kids Utah sends to the NFL. Its hard not to notice a lack in any “big” names. Sure we have Eric Weddle & Steve Smith (smith is at the end of his career). You could also throw Alex Smith in as well, but we don’t have any stars that really pop out. Compare Utah to other programs that have sent similar amount of players to the NFL.

I believe recruits pay attention to that kind of stuff & it hurts Utah that we don’t have a big name to point at and say “this is what we can turn you into”. At least, not in the same way some other programs can.

Maybe, I’m looking into this a little too much. After all Utah has done fantastic job at sending players to the NFL.

Thoughts? Discuss.

[GadValleyUte]

Depends on the recruit. If you’re a D-lineman can’t imagine not having more WRs and or QBs in the league hurts. If you’re recruiting QBs, and WRs, and RBs I bet our track record isn’t much help and may hurt. I’m not sure how much of that is that we can’t or that volatility at OC and lack of identity have hurts us badly. I tend to think the lack of stability at offense is a huge hurdle to getting and developing talent on that side of the ball. We’ve been running the same defense for 20+ years. We know who we’re looking for and how to teach them their job. The same cannot be said on offense. Ludwig sucked, but we had the system in place and Brian mastered it and could run the offense by himself his senior year and that’s what won us those tight games and allowed him to orchestrate those early drives against Bama. I think if Travis had 4 years of running the same system he’d be in a much better developed. Having to learn 3 different systems/playbooks etc. + the DC debacle set him and us back.
Kyle has had some bad luck (Norm Chow) and made a few bad decisions. Not sure how long we keep Roderick and Harding as co-OCs. Once we have a system in place for 3+ years then I think we start to get better development which yields better fitted recruits and perhaps more stars that can go on the the NFL and start a trend. Maybe that’s crazy talk. That’s my hope.

[RedLine]

Nobody knows for sure they’re even going to make the NFL. The majority of CBF players don’t make it. Program stability and quantity of NFL products is enough for most kids. Track record shows that we make players NFL ready and many are drafted or signed. The level of success they actually have in the NFL isn’t something the program can control.

[Puget Ute]

Utah has become a DB factory. We currently have 8+ in the NFL and are one of the only schools to have a Corner or Safety drafted each year for the last 5 years. And the depth of talented players on the field this year is perhaps the best ever.

But Defensive players only get noticed if they are brash and boisterous like Richard Sherman, or hit people hard enough to end up on ESPN like Cam Chancellor, are always in perfect position and have a perfect beard like Eric Weddle, or become a trainwreck off the field like Adam “Pacman” Jones. It isn’t a flashy position like WR or QB.

Utah is also a D-Lineman factory.

[AltaUte]

I was in Toronto 2 months ago and one of my colleagues there who has no ties to the state of Utah named about 7 NFL players who had gone to Utah the second he found out I was a Utah fan. Now to be fair, this guy knows his stuff about the NFL, but he named Steve Smith, Alex Smith, Sean Smith, Eric WEddle, Star Lotulelei, Matt Asiata, and Paul Kruger.

[Summit Ute]

The fact that he knows Sean Smith went to the U should earn him bonus points. 🙂

[oc_ute]

with the recent utes glory, it would be interesting to hear his self-intro and if he’s changed his tune back to the utes rather than his high school. that really p**ses me off.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by oc_ute.

[Anonymous]

I will tell you why this doesn’t matter. Because NFL coaches look at Utah’s program and know it is one of the programs that generates NFL players. If you are a kid that wants to play in the NFL and that is your focus you are getting idiotic advice to go anywhere else. Yes Utah hasn’t been developing offensive skill players like many of the other universities. But NFL still looks at our guys because they know Utah players are putting in the work and are expected to.

This year will be full of drafted players that will rival 2008’s team.
Hatfield, Carter, Paul, Porter, name your defensive lineman that may want to go. Hell Siliga didn’t have an easy road but he made it on the Pats. I wonder if Lowell Lotulelei will stay another year honestly. Offensive side of the ball Utah will have Booker drafted, Scott may be a late round pick. Oline? This is where we will be thin next season and Hansen will have a lot of work.

[Wilson’s Mustache]

Hatfield & Porter aren’t leaving this year. Lowell Lotulelei CAN’t leave…he’s a sophomore. Scott won’t get drafted.

[89ute]

Oline? This is where we will be thin next season and Hansen will have a lot of work

The only starter we lose is Aiona, and Lutui is going to fill in nicely at center. Albers is the other Sr. and he is not on the two deep. Oline is going to be very good next year. We are currently reds**ting 4-5 Oline players this year.

[Anonymous]

NFL Eligibilty is at 3 years from High School. Lowell finished HS in 2012. I believe he went on a mission making him a sophomore. He’s eligible for the NFL Draft.

[Wilson’s Mustache]

The probability of him leaving is still incredibly low.

[Tony (admin)]

We are currently reds**ting 4-5 Oline players this year.

Reds**ting? LOL @89ute

[89ute]

I like to swear, what can I say. Definitely freudian. I kind of like it, and it’s true, we are s**tting Olinemen. That’s how deep we are!

Edit: it’s nice to know someone read my post.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by 89ute.

[Anonymous]

Reds**t is not good. Should have have a fecal sample checked out by a lab. Avoid corn on the cob the might before.