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Fan in Exile
11-20-2008, 08:25 AM
Cover-3: Climbing the Rookie Wall

by Doug Farrar
Denver Broncos Left Tackle Ryan Clady
Denver Broncos 24 at Atlanta Falcons 20

Recruited as a virtually unknown defensive lineman out of high school, Boise State offensive tackle Ryan Clady headed to the pros after his junior year in college. He amassed a first-round grade despite a pectoral injury that prevented him from working out at the 2008 Scouting Combine (though he did well at his Pro Day). Clady was ranked by most analysts as the second best offensive lineman behind first overall pick Jake Long. The Broncos took him with the 12th overall pick and immediately set him up on the left side of what had been renowned for years as one of the NFL's best offensive lines. After preseason practice struggles with Mario Williams and DeMarcus Ware, Clady got the hang of the pro game, and hasn't looked back since. Denver currently ranks first in Adjusted Line Yards and fourth in Adjusted Sack Rate, and Clady has shown amazing abilities when flaring out against the run and directing defenders away from quarterback Jay Cutler.

Clady showed his mobility outside on Denver's second play from scrimmage against the Falcons, a four-yard run left by halfback Peyton Hillis from the Denver 42. At the snap, tight end Daniel Graham stayed inside to block end Jamaal Anderson, while Clady looped to Graham's left and took on linebacker Keith Brooking at the second level, sealing Brooking inside.

Clady had some neat moves for elite end John Abraham as well, On second-and-6 from the Atlanta 26 on that same first drive, Abraham tried to take Clady straight on. Clady just gave Abraham a sharp punch inside with both hands, sending Abraham back two yards and off his feet for a second. What we saw most of the time was Abraham on the left side, away from Clady. When Abraham did try his killer edge speed, low-to-the-ground moves, and forward power on the rookie, Clady simply tied him up at shoulder height and rode him out of the picture.

On the third play from scrimmage, the Falcons went to their nickel defense, and end Chauncey Davis tried to get around Clady to no avail. Davis simply didn't possess the kind of speed required to edge the rookie out. Clady basically laughed this attempt off; if the Falcons were going to get to Jay Cutler through Clady, they were going to have to bring their best. The Falcons had Davis on the right side for the rest of Denver's first touchdown drive, and he didn't get anywhere near a ballcarrier.

Staked to advantageous field position by return man Eddie Royal, the Broncos went back to work on the Atlanta defense with 12:33 left in the second quarter, and Clady went back to work on Davis. On second-and-10 from the Atlanta 38, he just immobilized Davis as Cutler threw a swing pass directly over his left tackle's head to Hillis for a seven-yard gain. On the next play, a short pass to Brandon Marshall batted away by Chris Houston, Davis tried all the speed and strength he had to get around and outside Clady. He appeared to have an advantage for a split second when he was side-by-side with Cutler, but then Clady dialed it back in and simply mauled Davis to the ground.

I've seen Clady show speed and agility in pass-blocking in other games, but this was a real primer in the physical nature he also brings to the position. He has tackle skills, but he thinks and plays like a guard. He wants to dominate.

The only Clady whiff I saw in the game came with 55 seconds left, and the Broncos at their own 15. Cutler threw a screen left to Brandon Stokley, and Clady shot past the line to the second level to block cornerback Chevis Jackson. He overshot Jackson at the 17, and Jackson was able to get a hand on Stokley to limit the gain to four yards. Clady had the speed to get up to Jackson's level, but his brakes may need some work.

I wanted to see if the Falcons would change their strategy on Clady in the second half. The matchup I hoped for -- Clady on Abraham -- didn't happen often enough early on, and Abraham left the game with what looked like a shoulder stinger on the first play of the second half. Clady was blocking Jamaal Anderson on that play, a four-yard Tatum Bell run, and Abraham got hurt while going for the tackle and tangling with tight end Nate Jackson. Cutler scrambled for a four-yard gain on the next play, and Davis was able to reverse field to help with the downfield tackle after a backfield battle with Clady left the tackle going backward. That was an impressive exhibition of agility by Davis; perhaps his frustration in being completely shut out by Clady was simmering.

On third-and 2 from the Denver 31, the Falcons sent Montana rookie Kroy Biermann after Clady, which led to Biermann getting completely abused on a five-yard screen to Hillis. Again, the strength is amazing. If you take Clady straight on, you're almost guaranteed a complete stop in forward progress. Davis replaced Biermann on the next play, an 18-yard completion to Royal, and all Clady had to do was to push Davis back three times at the line of scrimmage. Davis couldn't even pursue.

It was Groundhog Day for Davis through the third quarter, as the Falcons were limited by Abraham's absence. Time after time, Davis would try a move head-on -- time after time, he was turned back at the point. The only vulnerability I saw from Clady in this game was a tendency to keep slipping back behind the quarterback when pass-blocking, something that Davis exploited a couple of times for pressures by disengaging and using a surprising ability to change direction to get after Cutler. Otherwise, Davis was sunk and he knew it.

Jamaal Anderson wasn't any more effective when he tried Clady with 9:46 left in the game. Clady fanned Anderson out of Cutler's vicinity with textbook technique, and Cutler was able to get a pretty 47-yard pass off to Brandon Marshall on the drive that won the game for Denver. All Cutler had to do was to take one step up, and he had enough time to hit Marshall, who was his third read. Who was the end on the other side? None other than John Abraham, back in the game but a long way from Clady.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, we did finally see a few Clady/Abraham matchups. Abraham would try and slip inside on running plays going the other way, and Clary would just as assuredly slip in and stop him. At this point, Abraham was obviously favoring the stinger on more than one play, and even when he got off the snap with his amazing speed, Clady would once again drive him out of the play and set him on the turf.

I would have loved to see a healthy Abraham taking Clady one-on-one throughout the game, but I was impressed enough with what I saw to call Clady's performance a complete and total victory. Atlanta threw everything they had at him, and he kept just about everything out of his backfield and away from his quarterback.

When I wrote about Cleveland left tackle Joe Thomas last year, that was as blown away with a rookie lineman as I have ever been. Truth be told, I like Clady even more. He doesn't have Thomas' smooth, refined pass-blocking technique, but he's much more physical in run-blocking situations. You'll see ends blowing Thomas back from time to time, but that's not going to happen with Clady. NFLDraftScout.com compares him to Chris Samuels, which I think is apt. Like Samuels in his prime, Clady will not blow you away with pure speed. He's an outstanding inline blocker who's quick enough outside, and in what may have been the single greatest draft for tackles in NFL history (SEVEN taken in the first round alone!), many early returns have Clady as the best overall.

I got this here (http://www.footballoutsiders.com/cover-3/cover-3-%E2%80%93-climbing-rookie-wall)

There also a lot more to the article about some of the better rookies.

broncofaninfla
11-20-2008, 08:34 AM
Good read, thanks!

Dreadnought
11-20-2008, 09:17 AM
Outstanding. Gawd what a draft we had - nearly rivalling 2006. We need to repeat this again, though thats obviously easier said than done.

Thnikkaman
11-20-2008, 09:24 AM
That was a joy to read. Its nice to see the O-Linemen get some love. This article has really inspired me to pay more attention to O-Line play.

omac
11-20-2008, 09:50 AM
Great article! :salute: So glad Shanny went with Clady instead of Williams or Albert. What was a weakness last season is now a strength.

topscribe
11-20-2008, 10:33 AM
Great find. Thanks. :beer:

"Preseason practice struggles with Mario Williams and DeMarcus Ware." Clady
might have had practice struggles against them, but he didn't allow a sack in
the games . . .

-----

G_Money
11-20-2008, 04:55 PM
A bit of conversation on ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3715338


2. Removing the quarterbacks from the equation, which rookie would you select if you were building a team?

Green: Two spots stand above the rest in terms of team-building: quarterback and left tackle. Take the quarterback out of the equation, and I'm most impressed by Miami's Jake Long and Denver's Ryan Clady. I had some doubts about Long's ability to play on the left side, but he has held up well. Long is a player in the mold of former Broncos LT Gary Zimmerman, with the athletic ability to handle speed rushers and the size and strength to be a road grader in the run game. A big part of the Dolphins' success has been the team's efficiency on offense, and Long has played a major role in stabilizing that unit. I'd start my franchise with him.

Horton: Titans RB Chris Johnson is an integral part of a dominating run game, and he'll finish the season with well over 1,000 yards. He can run inside, but his big plays come on the edge, where his terrific speed and explosiveness put a lot of pressure on defenses. Plus, he's not only fast but also has the power and fearlessness to mix it up. Johnson has good receiving skills and, because he is so dangerous in space, Tennessee's coaches want to get the ball to him more often in the short passing game. He can even return kicks. Johnson is a game-changer who has the potential to go the distance every play, and his effort is consistent from week to week.

Kidd: Without a doubt, the NFL's best teams are built from the inside out. That's why I'd take Long, who has stabilized Miami's offensive line and given the team a premier talent at the line's most critical position for years to come. He's smart, tough, competitive and skilled. Nobody expected the Dolphins to be in the hunt this late in the season, and some of the credit for that goes to offensive line coach Mike Maser and his work in Long's development.

Kretz: The cornerstones of quality NFL franchises frequently are the quarterback and left offensive tackle. With Flacco and Ryan out of the discussion, Clady seems like as good a place to start as any. He has taken over the position in Denver as a rookie and performed like a seasoned pro. He is very athletic, with nifty footwork and natural knee-bend. He could stand to improve his strength, but coming out of a relatively small program (Boise State) Clady hadn't been exposed to the same level of weight room work other top prospects had. After a year or two in an NFL strength-building program, he could become a dominant left tackle.

Moll: I have to go with the Titans' Chris Johnson. He doesn't have great size, but he has deceptive strength between the tackles. With excellent vision, in-line foot agility, burst and speed, he has been the NFL's most explosive young ball carrier -- and on undefeated team that features a conservative passing offense. Johnson also is a solid receiver who often is the target QB Kerry Collins finds when he needs to move the chains. Again, Johnson's size is a bit of a concern, but he has the frame to carry another 10-15 pounds, which will help him withstand the rigors of the league.

Ribary: Good left tackles are hard to find in the NFL, so that would be the first position I'd try to solidify after quarterback. Clady has impressed me. In the Broncos games I have seen, he has been consistent in pass protection and physical in his run blocking. He has good strength, uses proper technique and has very good balance and body control.

Williamson: Compared to other positions, running backs are somewhat interchangeable. Put them in optimal surroundings, and drafting a productive ball carrier just isn't all that difficult. But left tackles don't grow on trees, so if I'm picking from this year's crop of rookies, I take either Long or Clady. Both would be excellent selections, but I think Clady has been slightly more impressive overall. He has outstanding athletic ability and a bit more upside.

Nice to see. The kid really has had a remarkable year. Another year in the weight room and watching film and he's gonna be even more terrifying.

~G

broncofaninfla
11-20-2008, 04:58 PM
The guy has played a near perfect season. SOLID draft pick for us.

Drill-N-Fill
11-20-2008, 05:27 PM
Outstanding. Gawd what a draft we had - nearly rivalling 2006. We need to repeat this again, though thats obviously easier said than done.

Anybody remember the kind of beating Clady took on this site pre-draft? :shocked:

MHCBill
11-20-2008, 05:30 PM
As much as I loved JStew heading into the draft (with Boss... where is Boss anyway?) Clady sure has been an excellent choice.

Fan in Exile
11-20-2008, 06:15 PM
I hadn't forgotten that he was a rookie, but I had forgotten what that meant. I wonder how great he will be? I certainly hope off the field stuff doesn't ruin it for him.

G_Money
11-20-2008, 07:16 PM
Anybody remember the kind of beating Clady took on this site pre-draft? :shocked:

That happens every draft. It's gonna happen again in this one. People are gonna have favorites, and in order to talk up Your Guy you need to point out the weaknesses of The Other Guy. It's not bad. It helps people identify what they're looking at on draft day. More opinions are better, as long as they're helpful.

Most of the beating was from Boss (dammit Boss, indeed: WHERE are you?) but his reasoning was sound. It turns out that much of it appears to gave been incorrect, but it was sound in theory.

Most of the rest of us were okay with one of a couple of tackles. Clady had his perceived strengths and weaknesses. He's been lights-out on his strengths and effective even in his weaknesses.

Which means the future is REALLY bright, since most of his weaknesses are things that can be taught. All the things that can't be taught, like size and speed and quick reactions and a bit of a mean streak, he has.

He's everything Foster wasn't.

It's kinda nice. :salute:

~G

JKcatch724
11-20-2008, 07:27 PM
That happens every draft. It's gonna happen again in this one. People are gonna have favorites, and in order to talk up Your Guy you need to point out the weaknesses of The Other Guy. It's not bad. It helps people identify what they're looking at on draft day. More opinions are better, as long as they're helpful.

Most of the beating was from Boss (dammit Boss, indeed: WHERE are you?) but his reasoning was sound. It turns out that much of it appears to gave been incorrect, but it was sound in theory.

Most of the rest of us were okay with one of a couple of tackles. Clady had his perceived strengths and weaknesses. He's been lights-out on his strengths and effective even in his weaknesses.

Which means the future is REALLY bright, since most of his weaknesses are things that can be taught. All the things that can't be taught, like size and speed and quick reactions and a bit of a mean streak, he has.

He's everything Foster wasn't.

It's kinda nice. :salute:

~G

I have to admit I was definitely leaning towards Stewart. He had all the fixings to be our next go-to back, and I was frankly fed up with all the RBBC. I still think he would be a great fit here, but you can't argue with Clady's productivity. Had I known before the draft he was going to be THIS good I would have been ecstatic when Goodell called his name.

Drill-N-Fill
11-20-2008, 10:30 PM
That happens every draft. It's gonna happen again in this one. People are gonna have favorites, and in order to talk up Your Guy you need to point out the weaknesses of The Other Guy. It's not bad. It helps people identify what they're looking at on draft day. More opinions are better, as long as they're helpful.

Most of the beating was from Boss (dammit Boss, indeed: WHERE are you?) but his reasoning was sound. It turns out that much of it appears to gave been incorrect, but it was sound in theory.

Most of the rest of us were okay with one of a couple of tackles. Clady had his perceived strengths and weaknesses. He's been lights-out on his strengths and effective even in his weaknesses.

Which means the future is REALLY bright, since most of his weaknesses are things that can be taught. All the things that can't be taught, like size and speed and quick reactions and a bit of a mean streak, he has.

He's everything Foster wasn't.

It's kinda nice. :salute:

~G

As always good post G. My issue was at that time that the criticism was totally unfair with being compared to the likes of Kwami Harris and Foster.
Everybody has their opinion. Hell, I was wrong about Deshawn Jackson this year and Harell 2 years ago.

I just thought it was funny b/c Clady (on this board) was the guy NOBODY wanted and when they chose Royal in round 2...EVERYBODY was saying WTF.

Just shows when it comes to offense, Shany knows what he is talking about.
And when it comes to defense, we know more than Shany. :lol:

Fan in Exile
11-21-2008, 07:51 AM
As always good post G. My issue was at that time that the criticism was totally unfair with being compared to the likes of Kwami Harris and Foster.
Everybody has their opinion. Hell, I was wrong about Deshawn Jackson this year and Harell 2 years ago.

I just thought it was funny b/c Clady (on this board) was the guy NOBODY wanted and when they chose Royal in round 2...EVERYBODY was saying WTF.

Just shows when it comes to offense, Shany knows what he is talking about.
And when it comes to defense, we know more than Shany. :lol:

It's not true that no one wanted Clady, I'm pretty sure that Dream was really high on him and got into arguments with Boss about it.

At the same time when we put together our list of top five people we wanted in the draft he was always there just almost never number 1.

I think that the actual distribution of like for Clady followed a bell curve. There were some people high on him some didn't want him at all, but most thought he might be good.

TXBRONC
11-21-2008, 03:20 PM
I don't know how the rest of the League views Clady but I think barring injury he should be the starting LT at the this year's pro bowl.

Requiem / The Dagda
11-21-2008, 03:30 PM
I defended Clady to the death.

Superchop 7
11-21-2008, 06:04 PM
In retrospect, Broncohead had Eddie Royal and Josh Barrett in his mock (pre-draft)

Pretty good.

Drill-N-Fill
11-21-2008, 06:25 PM
Denver rookie class is providing a big boost

November 21, 2008 12:00 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

It is the massive left tackle who has shut out sack masters Joey Porter and John Abraham this season.

It is the dynamic receiver and return man who caught nine passes for 146 yards in his NFL debut and is a legitimate rookie-of-the-year and Pro Bowl candidate.

It is the fullback -- a former college linebacker -- who on Sunday became the first NFL player in five years to start on offense and defense.

It is the seventh-round pick, best known for blocking for Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in college, who has made the sudden switch from fullback to tailback quite nicely.

It is the undrafted linebacker who took over for one of the leading tacklers in the NFL and has given the team a spark.

It is all of these players who have made the Denver Broncos' 2008 rookie class arguably the best in the NFL and one of the deepest rookie classes in team history.

Before the season, it was widely regarded that the Kansas City Chiefs had one of the best rookie classes in recent memory. The Chiefs' deep rookie class is good. But it has been overshadowed by the Denver class that wasn't as ballyhooed. However, thanks to stunning and historic performances by the Denver rookies, the team has rebounded from a midseason malaise and is taking control of the AFC West with a 6-4 record.

If Denver is going to close out strong and win its first division crown since 2005, these rookies will have to play a major role.

"It's gone so quickly that we haven't had a chance to sit around and feel good about what we are doing," said fullback Spencer Larsen, who started on offense and defense against the Falcons. "I just thought this was normal. I thought a bunch of rookies played on every NFL team, but you look around and you realize this is a pretty good group."

When Broncos coach Mike Shanahan predicted on a Denver radio station during training camp that his team would make the playoffs, he probably knew he had a nice crop of youngsters. But he couldn't have known it was going to be this good.

"These guys aren't only excellent athletes, but they are very sharp football players," Shanahan said. "Some guys got their opportunity because of injuries and some guys got their opportunity because they proved in practice that they can make plays."

Seven rookies have started at eight positions for Denver in 2008. Receiver Eddie Royal has twice won rookie-of-the-week honors and Larsen won the honor this week.

This is Denver's third straight strong rookie class after years of failing in the draft. Denver has rebuilt its team through the draft since 2006, when it drafted quarterback Jay Cutler, tight end Tony Scheffler, wide receiver Brandon Marshall and defense end Elvis Dumervil. This year's rookie crop may be even deeper.

A look at some of the Broncos' key rookies who are contributing for the first-place team:
Clady

First round, offensive tackle Ryan Clady:
Clady, the No. 12 overall pick, has been as good at left tackle as Cleveland's Joe Thomas was last year as a rookie. Clady should get serious Pro Bowl consideration. He has allowed a half a sack in 10 games. He is one of three tackles in the NFL not to allow a full sack this season. Clady shut down Porter and Abraham, who have a combined 24.5 sacks this season, in games this season. He is arguably the team's MVP. The Broncos struck gold at one of the most vital positions on the field.
Royal

Second round, wide receiver Eddie Royal:
I recall talking to a member of the Denver staff in June. He said the staff was convinced, after the minicamp season, that the Virginia Tech product would be an impact player. Originally, the Broncos drafted Royal to be an impact player in the return game and a developmental player as a receiver. But Royal came to town as a polished player. He has teamed with Marshall to give Denver one of the best 1-2 receiver punches in the NFL. Royal, who is also getting it done as a returner, has 56 catches and four touchdowns in nine games. He has compiled at least 200 all-purpose yards in three games. Royal turned the league on its ear with his big game in Oakland to start the season and he hasn't stopped. He looks like a long-term answer at receiver.
Torain

Fifth round, running back Ryan Torain:
The Broncos love this player but it will have to wait until 2009. Torain was on the verge of winning the starting tailback job early in training camp when he broke his elbow. Shanahan compared him to legendary Broncos running back Terrell Davis. Torain came back temporarily earlier this month. He had 68 yards midway through the second quarter against Cleveland when he tore the ACL in his knee.
Larsen

Sixth round, fullback/linebacker Spencer Larsen:
Larsen was a tackle machine at Arizona as a linebacker. However, the Broncos liked him as a fullback and told him that when they drafted him. He practiced at both fullback and linebacker but became primarily a fullback. As the season progressed, Larsen became one of Denver's best special-teams players. He would routinely blow up people while covering kicks. However, after a rash of injuries at both running back and linebacker, the Broncos decided they needed Larson on both offense and defense. Last Sunday at Atlanta, Larsen became the first NFL player since 2003 to start on both sides of the ball. He started at fullback and middle linebacker. He hadn't practiced at linebacker since training camp but still came up with seven tackles. The Broncos expect to use Larsen in a similar role as the season progresses.
Hillis

Seventh round, running back Peyton Hillis:
After season-ending injuries to four tailbacks, the former Arkansas standout was forced to move from fullback to tailback. In the past two weeks, Hillis has run hard and gained tough yards. He is a great receiver out of the backfield. Denver thinks he can help down the stretch. He's a very tough player and could do well in a committee with tailbacks Tatum Bell and Selvin Young.
Woodyard

Undrafted free agent, linebacker Wesley Woodyard:
A special-teams ace, the Kentucky product has played very well in the last two games as a replacement for D.J. Williams at weakside linebacker. Woodyard is very active and always near the ball. When Williams returns in a couple of weeks, expect Denver to find a way to keep Woodyard in the defensive mix.
Bell

Undrafted free agent, cornerback Josh Bell:
The Baylor product was originally with San Diego. Denver signed him to the practice squad earlier in the season. He quickly impressed coaches with his play in practice. He has moved past fellow rookie Jack Williams and veteran Karl Paymah. He started in front of Paymah with Champ Bailey out. When Bailey returns, Bell will be the nickel cornerback.
Kern

Undrafted free agent, punter Brett Kern:
Kern has brought stability to a position from which Denver has had none in recent years. He's very steady and has a strong leg.

G_Money
11-21-2008, 07:17 PM
Sounds like Bill hangs out here.

~G

Superchop 7
11-23-2008, 01:18 AM
Look, as I said before........with our pick....I did not think Clady would still be on the board....

And....


he shouldn't have been.


He is among the best LT I have ever seen.

Requiem / The Dagda
11-23-2008, 01:26 AM
Sounds like Bill hangs out here.

~G

Hi, Bill! :lol: