Colts Met with CB Asante Samuel Jr.

[Zoltan]

Interesting CB for them to meet with as he doesn't fit the physical size (or the RAS score) of what we typically target for cornerbacks. The draft network believes he fits in a heavy man system but it seems like he could thrive in zone as well. I guess the real question is do they see him as an outside CB? 

 

He would have a great mentor in Kenny Moore and a good CB coach.

 

https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/asante-samuel-jr/ABMJTxziKd

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2021/4/12/22380279/report-colts-have-met-virtually-with-fsu-cb-asante-samuel-jr-ahead-of-the-nfl-draft

[NewColtsFan]

Samuel seems like the least Ballard-like corner of all-time.   5-10 and 180.   His arms are 30 and 1/8th.   That’s two full inches below what CB prefers.   His hands are sub-9 inch.   8 7/8ths.    
 

This makes no sense to me unless a scout is pounding in the table for him.   Remember, meeting with a guy doesn’t always equal interest.   Sometimes we’re confirming that we don’t want the player. 

[aReggie7]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

Samuel seems like the least Ballard-like corner of all-time.   5-10 and 180.   His arms are 30 and 1/8th.   That’s two full inches below what CB prefers.   His hands are sub-9 inch.   8 7/8ths.    
 

Thus makes no sense to me unless a scout is pounding in the table for him.   Remember, meeting with a guy doesn’t always equal interest.   Sometimes we’re confirming that we don’t want the player. 

 

Yeah Samuel doesn't seem to have thee profile of what the Colts want in cornerbacks.

 

Heck, Ballard even had to be talked into signing Kenny Moore because he lacks the desired size and that was off the waiver wire. Moore has long arms though. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Maybe they are looking at him as a backup to Moore. Although I think we might have that now Rogers.

[Shive]

30 minutes ago, Wentzszn said:

Maybe they are looking at him as a backup to Moore. Although I think we might have that now Rogers.

He'll be drafted way to high to be drafted as a back-up nickel corner.

[Zoltan]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

Samuel seems like the least Ballard-like corner of all-time.   5-10 and 180.   His arms are 30 and 1/8th.   That’s two full inches below what CB prefers.   His hands are sub-9 inch.   8 7/8ths.    
 

This makes no sense to me unless a scout is pounding in the table for him.   Remember, meeting with a guy doesn’t always equal interest.   Sometimes we’re confirming that we don’t want the player. 

 

I completely agree, he's like the perfect opposite of what Ballard usually goes for. My guess is someone is pounding the table for him, as I don't think they would meet with him if there was no interest.

[BluesGirl]

Due diligence on the CB market.       CB/WR may be BPA at 21.     

[danlhart87]

Zero chance Asante Samuel Jr gets drafted 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

25 minutes ago, Shive said:

He'll be drafted way to high to be drafted as a back-up nickel corner.

Ok. I don’t pay attention enough to know where players are going to be drafted. Only some of the very top prospects.

[ColtJax]

Every year guys fall further than expected. Colts are doing homework on him. When if he's a faller, to the Colts at 51?

[LiveAndLetAddai]

4 minutes ago, ColtJax said:

Every year guys fall further than expected. Colts are doing homework on him. When if he's a faller, to the Colts at 51?

Yes, every draft there are some fallers and some risers, though I have to agree with the consensus that he doesn't fit Ballard's CB profile.

[danlhart87]

12 minutes ago, ColtJax said:

Every year guys fall further than expected. Colts are doing homework on him. When if he's a faller, to the Colts at 51?

Colts pick 54 and they still wouldn't take him 

@NewColtsFan explained 

[BProland85]

3 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Samuel seems like the least Ballard-like corner of all-time.   5-10 and 180.   His arms are 30 and 1/8th.   That’s two full inches below what CB prefers.   His hands are sub-9 inch.   8 7/8ths.    
 

This makes no sense to me unless a scout is pounding in the table for him.   Remember, meeting with a guy doesn’t always equal interest.   Sometimes we’re confirming that we don’t want the player. 

We should be doing due diligence on all players, not just ones who exactly match the measurables Ballard usually covets from prospects. It would be a mistake to pass on talented players simply because they may lack in size IMO.  

[NewColtsFan]

Just now, BProland85 said:

We should be doing due diligence on all players, not just ones who exactly match the measurables Ballard usually covets from prospects. It would be a mistake to pass on talented players simply because they may lack in size IMO.  

If you read my post again, I’m fine doing due diligence....    but Samuel doesn’t miss the mark by a little.   He doesn’t miss the mark by a good amount.

 

He misses the mark by the size of the GRAND CANYON!!    Drafting him would be the most un-Ballard thing he’s done in the draft since he arrived.   

[Jackie Daytona]

Well, of they met with him, you can pretty much cross him off your list of probably first round picks....it's usually a guy they haven't had much to do with, unless the pick is super high

[Defjamz26]

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Samuel seems like the least Ballard-like corner of all-time.   5-10 and 180.   His arms are 30 and 1/8th.   That’s two full inches below what CB prefers.   His hands are sub-9 inch.   8 7/8ths.    
 

This makes no sense to me unless a scout is pounding in the table for him.   Remember, meeting with a guy doesn’t always equal interest.   Sometimes we’re confirming that we don’t want the player. 

It also means that they could be interested in another player, and are using his teammates to get a feel for him. Hamsah Nasirldeen, Tamarrion Terry, and Janarius Robinson are all guys who could be Ballard targets.

[EastStreet]

Not saying we shouldn't have preferred traits for positions, but you can't get too caught up, or too limited because of traits. We have a lot of trait mismatches on the team, some performing at a high level for us. And some great trait matches not performing well. 

[stitches]

Agree this seems like a departure from the arm length requirement Ballard seems to have. And it's not like he tested amazing to compensate for lack of size and lenght....

 

Maybe change in philosophy? Rock and Wilson's long arms don't seem to be helping them much.

[NewColtsFan]

13 minutes ago, stitches said:

Agree this seems like a departure from the arm length requirement Ballard seems to have. And it's not like he tested amazing to compensate for lack of size and lenght....

 

Maybe change in philosophy? Rock and Wilson's long arms don't seem to be helping them much.

Given that this is pretty close to the first sub-32 inch arms and these are a full two inches less, I seriously doubt we’ve had a change of philosophy. 
 

If there had been a change shouldn’t we have picked up on something sooner than this?  Shouldn’t there be 6, 8, 10 candidates who clearly have much shorter arms?    I think we’ve seen 2-3 who are a small fraction below, but nothing out of the ordinary. 
 

Until Samuel. 
 

[stitches]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

Given that this is pretty close to the first sub-32 inch arms and these are a full two inches less, I seriously doubt we’ve had a change of philosophy. 
 

If there had been a change shouldn’t we have picked up on something sooner than this?  Shouldn’t there be 6, 8, 10 candidates who clearly have much shorter arms?    I think we’ve seen 2-3 who are a small fraction below, but nothing out of the ordinary. 
 

Until Samuel. 
 

I don't know... maybe he's just an exception. Maybe they like his tape THAT much(I like his tape too, BTW) and are willing to ignore the length. I wouldn't mind us drafting him in the second for example. 

 

 

[Stephen]

2 hours ago, stitches said:

I don't know... maybe he's just an exception. Maybe they like his tape THAT much(I like his tape too, BTW) and are willing to ignore the length. I wouldn't mind us drafting him in the second for example. 

 

 

Not to mention  his dad was good to

[compuls1v3]

19 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

If you read my post again, I’m fine doing due diligence....    but Samuel doesn’t miss the mark by a little.   He doesn’t miss the mark by a good amount.

 

He misses the mark by the size of the GRAND CANYON!!    Drafting him would be the most un-Ballard thing he’s done in the draft since he arrived.   

Even the Buckner thing?

[NewColtsFan]

37 minutes ago, compuls1v3 said:

Even the Buckner thing?

The moment the Buckner deal was announced, I loved it.   Thought it was a very Ballard-like thing for him to do.   I just didn’t think San Fran would ever trade Buckner, so I was thrilled. 
 

I’m not saying Samuel isn’t a good player — he clearly is.   I’m just saying he’s not a Ballard-like player.   He missed badly on all the minimum requirements.   That doesn’t sound like Ballard to me. 

[compuls1v3]

22 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

The moment the Buckner deal was announced, I loved it.   Thought it was a very Ballard-like thing for him to do.   I just didn’t think San Fran would ever trade Buckner, so I was thrilled. 
 

I’m not saying Samuel isn’t a good player — he clearly is.   I’m just saying he’s not a Ballard-like player.   He missed badly on all the minimum requirements.   That doesn’t sound like Ballard to me. 

Oh, I loved the Buckner trade as well, I just didn't see it as a "Ballard" type deal, seeing how up until that deal, he never made any splash FA signings.