Nick Fitzgerald Senior highlight video: Posted yesterday on Youtube

Here are my observations:

1. Tremendous athlete and size. Currently, 6'5 205, but looks to have the frame to add significant weight. For comparison's sake, Malcolm Johnson is 6'2" 235. I think Fitzgerald will add a ton of weight during a redshirt year. Hopefully, he keeps his speed and agility.

2. Instinctive runner with good vision and agility. Supposedly, he only runs a 4.7, but that's either wrong or he is so agile that I doesn't matter.

3. Currently has below average arm strength and a significant short arm.

4. Hopefully he works out at QB, but, honestly, from this video he reminds me more of Rob Gronkowski or the behemoth white TE that Bama had the other night. Having a tall weapon at TE would be perfectly fine with me. In fact, I may go as far to say that, if he played and was listed as a TE on the websites, he would probably be a high 3 star/4 star type player.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBBtDzYHfsk

He doesn't run a 4.7. I say 4.65, and will get bigger, stronger, and faster. I agree, he could be a hell of a tight end, good feet and agility.

4.7 looks about right to me. He's no burner, but he doesn't have to be. If he adds some weight, he can easily be a force in the short-yardage run game and a definite threat to keep it in the read option. His stride looks strange; maybe it's short? I don't know.

Damn it Shotgun, you're not supposed to scoop me on stuff like this!

I would say there is no way he runs a 4.7. I saw that 4th run on the video in person and I'd think he is closer to 4.5 or 4.6. Thing is he is slow to get up to speed. You can see it on a few of his runs that he has a second gear on those long runs.

It's because he runs straight up. When you are running full speed you typically lean forward a little bit. It looks like he's standing straight up when he's running. Very weird looking. That 4th run on the video looked a lot smoother because he seemed to be in a more natural full speed running position and honestly he looked a good bit faster because of it. Just my naked eye opinion though.

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Originally Posted by BrunswickDawg

Damn it Shotgun, you're not supposed to scoop me on stuff like this!

I would say there is no way he runs a 4.7. I saw that 4th run on the video in person and I'd think he is closer to 4.5 or 4.6. Thing is he is slow to get up to speed. You can see it on a few of his runs that he has a second gear on those long runs.

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I agree, he looks faster. one recruiting profile says 4.7 and another says 4.8, but he seems to have semi-breakaway speed. Good looking athlete though, and whether he plays QB or TE, should provide versatility and eventually play making ability.

I love for him to be a QB though. Can you imagine that monster being able to run and throw.

Collin Klein II. His arm is plenty good. This guy is still growing, too.

He definitely runs too upright. Also he takes short strides. Fix those 2 things and he'd be much faster. I wonder if that's something he can fix?

...which is one thing Chris Relf and Dak Prescott really don't have. They both can break a wide open run and get caught from behind. Fitzgerald looks like he can take it to the house.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

Collin Klein II. His arm is plenty good. This guy is still growing, too.

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Good comparison. It's certainly possible that he could be a Colin Klein like player, but the main question for me would be, could Collin Klein be an effective SEC QB?

I was never really impressed with him, but then again, I have never been very impressed with Bo Wallace, but he gets the job done. Some guys just have instincts, and it overcomes many of their mechanical or physical deficiencies. However, I have no ability to evaluate Fitz's instincts from a highlight video.

Highlight video's are terrible for QB evaluation because you never see what their limitations are or what their instincts are. Must see QBs play in the flow of a normal to properly evaluate.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

...which is one thing Chris Relf and Dak Prescott really don't have. They both can break a wide open run and get caught from behind. Fitzgerald looks like he can take it to the house.

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You're on a roll today.

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3378...cott75ydTD.gif

Dak's 75 yard TD run....

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9816362

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Originally Posted by hacker

You're on a roll today.

http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/3378...cott75ydTD.gif

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Hahaha you beat me to it

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Originally Posted by Dawg61

He definitely runs too upright. Also he takes short strides. Fix those 2 things and he'd be much faster. I wonder if that's something he can fix?

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Longer strides could make him straight line faster, but could also take away some of his agility. Short choppy striders often are more elusive. Obviously we wish he could do both.

Should be a very interesting redshirt year for this young man. If things go right, he could be a beast

Yea, Dak is the full package. IF he stays healthy, we should be pretty damn good for the next two years. Dak has breakaway speed.

Sign him up for a year on the track team and develop his speed

Fitzgerald does look awfully funny running the ball. I think 4.7 is about right though.

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Originally Posted by hacker

Fitzgerald does look awfully funny running the ball. I think 4.7 is about right though.

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I agree. I definitely don't think he is faster than 4.7-4.8

He is raw, but looks like a guy that Dan could develop. Hell, if he can develop Ralph, this guy will be a piece of cake

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Originally Posted by hacker

Fitzgerald does look awfully funny running the ball. I think 4.7 is about right though.

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He does look funny, but at least he doesn't look like a wounded giraffe running the ball.

Seriously, he does have an awkward running style, but he is a good athlete and that's what is most important. Him hurdling those defensive players is pretty impressive.

Good athletes can make adjustments, while bad athletes can't.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

I agree. I definitely don't think he is faster than 4.7-4.8

He is raw, but looks like a guy that Dan could develop. Hell, if he can develop Ralph, this guy will be a piece of cake

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I do like his footwork and mechanics on the play-action passes. Very natural and smooth looking and his height will work wonders here. He doesn't have a rocket arm but again he's only 205 lbs. By this time next year I bet he'll be closer to 225 lbs. Get him Balis made and his arm strength should improve drastically.

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Originally Posted by Dawg61

I do like his footwork and mechanics on the play-action passes. Very natural and smooth looking and his height will work wonders here. He doesn't have a rocket arm but again he's only 205 lbs. By this time next year I bet he'll be closer to 225 lbs. Get him Balis made and his arm strength should improve drastically.

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Agreed. He definitely looks thicker than 205 to me at 6'5.

Speaking of baby giraffes have you seen Fallou Ndoye's highlight video?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6T6ms3utP...%3D6T6ms3utP5k

Thanks to you two for making my point. Go to 0:10.

Next time pick a video when he doesn't get caught from behind.

Same frame, same skill set, and his high school team was a winner. He played WR too either last year or the year before. Matt Jones is a good comparison too.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

Thanks to you two for making my point. Go to 0:10.

Next time pick a video when he doesn't get caught from behind.

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Ever heard of an angle? And he scored from 75 yards out. Hardly "caught from behind".

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Originally Posted by smootness

4.7 looks about right to me. He's no burner, but he doesn't have to be. If he adds some weight, he can easily be a force in the short-yardage run game and a definite threat to keep it in the read option. His stride looks strange; maybe it's short? I don't know.

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Designed to confuse predators, like a Gazelle.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

...which is one thing Chris Relf and Dak Prescott really don't have. They both can break a wide open run and get caught from behind. Fitzgerald looks like he can take it to the house.

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I hate comparing our players to our players, but there is no way, judging from that video, Fitzgerald is faster than Prescott.

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Originally Posted by smootness

I hate comparing our players to our players, but there is no way, judging from that video, Fitzgerald is faster than Prescott.

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Nope, no chance

Goat's on a roll of saying ridiculous, obvious untruths today. Is it just today? Or am I just noticing it today? I think I usually agree with him.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

Thanks to you two for making my point. Go to 0:10.

Next time pick a video when he doesn't get caught from behind.

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You do realize he scored a 75 yard touchdown, right? I am checking because I really am not sure if you realize that.

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Originally Posted by hacker

Goat's on a roll of saying ridiculous, obvious untruths today. Is it just today? Or am I just noticing it today? I think I usually agree with him.

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Goat will go through a stretch of having good posts, and then as soon as you start to enjoy reading his thoughts, he goes full blown tard for a few weeks. We have entered a dark period.

He's a long legged fella who runs like a much shorter Guy, short choppy strides. One thing this fall during State games he hasn't been shy about is criticizing the State team especially the offense.

He's 6'5, and looks like he's not fast, but he sure outruns a lot of "slow" defensive backs.

He could be a Aaron Hernandez type tightend, if he outgrows the QB position.

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Originally Posted by Goat Holder

Same frame, same skill set, and his high school team was a winner. He played WR too either last year or the year before. Matt Jones is a good comparison too.

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He played receiver last year - led the region in yards. Most of those were YAC because they don't throw deep routes - at least from what I saw them do in the game against Glynn. The video obviously highlights the long throws....