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Bruce Arians unhappy with rookie Robert Nkemdiche
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:02 am
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:02 am
Arians unhappy with Nkemdiche-NFL.com
quote:
For the third time in four years, the Arizona Cardinals are getting precious little return on their first-round draft investment.
Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, the team's top draft pick in 2016, has been a healthy scratch the past two games after playing just 51 snaps in the first nine weeks of the season.
"Talent, not an issue," coach Bruce Arians explained Wednesday, via the team's official website. "Maturity is. It's just maturing."
Arians lost No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper to a fractured fibula in 2013 and essentially red-shirted No. 24 overall pick D.J. Humphries last season.
Asked if Nkemdiche's situation is similar to that of Humphries a year ago, Arians used the opportunity to send a not-so-veiled message. "D.J. worked harder," Arians said, abruptly. That might not seem like an emphatic statement, but consider the nickname Arians hung on Humphries last year: "Knee Deep." That's how far coaches had to go into Humphries' anatomy to motivate him.
Leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft, Nkemdiche's talent, size and intelligence were unquestioned. He was red-flagged by many teams, though, due to concerns about maturity, instincts and motor.
"Nkemdiche is the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the draft," NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks opined in late March. "If you can figure out what he is and what motivates him, you could uncover a star."
The Cardinals have found unimagined success with 2015 All Pro Tyrann Mathieu, a prospect who was similarly red-flagged entering the 2013 draft. Whereas Mathieu quickly emerged as one of the most self-motivated players in the league, Nkemdiche has yet to reach his own gridiron epiphany.
Arians is fond of saying rookies should be ready to take on substantial roles by Thanksgiving. Wednesday's comments are a tacit acknowledgment that Nkemdiche is far behind the typical first-year learning curve.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:05 am to STLDawg
so can we blame his lack of maturity on Mark Richt?
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:07 am to STLDawg
He can't help it that he keeps falling out of windows.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:14 am to mrbroker
Every time I hear the name Bruce Arian's I think about the 1997 Iron Bowl. That fumble cost that man his job. Frick Bruce Arians.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:18 am to STLDawg
Forgot he was in the league honestly
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:19 am to STLDawg
Are we supposed to be surprised?
I'm even less surprised this thread was started by a state fan.
I'm even less surprised this thread was started by a state fan.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:25 am to STLDawg
Shocker, most overrated SEC player of all time.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:36 am to STLDawg
Not really surprising watching him at Ole Miss. I honestly think he doesn't like football when I used to hang around him a few times in Oxford. He is a pretty chill dude that at parties would just sit in the corner smoking weed. I couldn't stand Denzel at all. Denzel was by far the biggest douche at Ole Miss.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:52 am to STLDawg
This was the easiest to predict bust ever.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 7:54 am to STLDawg
But he's getting triple teamed!!!!
Posted on 11/24/16 at 8:09 am to STLDawg
Good to hear the honesty. Need more of it. Wish it could be done at the college level w/o coaches being called out. For it.
Hard to feel bad for the Cardinals for throwing away the money though as they had plenty of signs. This kind of thing will tarnish future OM/Freeze players some.
In the NFL it's hard to know if the coach has much say on who gets drafted, so I wonder if Arians is doing this to call out people within the Org that do make those decisions.
Hard to feel bad for the Cardinals for throwing away the money though as they had plenty of signs. This kind of thing will tarnish future OM/Freeze players some.
In the NFL it's hard to know if the coach has much say on who gets drafted, so I wonder if Arians is doing this to call out people within the Org that do make those decisions.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 8:55 am to STLDawg
I think every Ole Miss fan knew (whether they want to admit it or not) that he didn't ever give it a 100% effort. So this comes as no surprise to me
This post was edited on 11/24/16 at 9:05 am
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:12 am to STLDawg
He's more worried about his panther
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:14 am to STLDawg
If Bruce Arians can't motivate Rob then nobody can. What a waste of talent
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:18 am to STLDawg
Nkemdiche = Ricky Williams...only slightly worse.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:20 am to STLDawg
Bet they wish now they had picked ashawn robinson or jarran reed. Both of those guys are doing just fine as rookies
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:22 am to STLDawg
That was predictable
I thought the Cardinals stopped being stupid.
I thought the Cardinals stopped being stupid.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:23 am to STLDawg
Could have told him those issues.
Posted on 11/24/16 at 9:44 am to REBSontheRISE
quote:
Nkemdiche = Ricky Williams...only slightly worse.
Try much worse buddy, Ricky had some seasons where he was absolutely amazing. Nkemdiche will be in the CFL by next year
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