Michael Huff - Why The Sudden Pimping By The Birds?

[Rome]

Why are the Eagles pimping Michael Huff so much?  First Spadaro comes out and sings his praises by saying that basically he'll be the best player taken from the 2006 in four years and now they have this article posted on PE.Com.

Strange.  Anyway, an interesting read none the less.

Huff Earning A Lot Of Respect 

April 8, 2006
By CHRIS STEUBER

Twenty-five years ago a star was born in the Bay Area. The devastating hits, his will to win and the leadership he brought to the field endeared him into the hearts of the fans wearing red and gold. Ronnie Lott was the last line of defense.
Before he starred with the Niners, Lott was an All-American at Southern California. He played both safety and cornerback for the Trojans. Known for his leadership and ball-hawking ability, Lott led USC to a National Championship in 1978, as well as two Rose Bowl victories.

Drafted eighth overall by the 49ers in the 1980 NFL Draft, Lott was named the starting left cornerback on the first day of training camp. He led a young secondary during his rookie season, but after some bumps in the road, Lott ultimately helped the Niners win Super Bowl XVI.

S Michael Huff 
Lott, a secondary sensation, was switched from cornerback to safety before the start of the 1986 season. The switch of position allowed Lott to make an impact on the game, and he was widely considered the best to ever play the safety position.

Twenty-five years later another player exists in the same realm as Lott.

Michael Huff, an All-America defensive back from the Texas Longhorns, reminds many of Lott. The comparisons between the two are uncanny and in many ways warranted. Huff played both cornerback and safety at Texas and showcased ability reminiscent of Lott.

Entering the 2006 NFL Draft, Huff measures in at a solid 6-0, 203-pounds. Amazingly enough, Lott played his entire career at those exact dimensions. Not only is their stature the same, but their collegiate statistics are also intriguing.

Huff posted 318 total tackles, seven interceptions, two sacks and four touchdowns during his four years at Texas. Huff was a major player in the Longhorns' National Championship victory over Lott's alma mater, a season in which Texas finished a perfect 13-0.

During Lott's career at Southern California, he recorded 250 total tackles, 14 interceptions and two touchdowns. Lott also played a major part in the Trojans' 1978 National Championship. USC finished the '78 campaign 12  1.

The obvious similarity between these two individuals is that they're winners. They both achieved greatness at the college level, but it took Huff some time to develop into the hard-hitting, fearless defensive back he is today.

"When I first got there, I still considered myself a track guy, a speed guy," says Huff. "So, I pretty much just wanted to run around and look pretty."

A person Huff credits for changing the way he plays the game is Texas' co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Duane Akina. Akina realized Huff's talent, but also figured out his distinct flaw.

"He was always a very good athlete, a very good technical player, but he just wasn't as physical as I wanted," Akina said. "I always say I want our players to be known as DB's, not just cover guys. I really think that was his last hurdle to be considered a great defensive back, and I told him that. It's really rewarding to me to hear people on TV talk about how physical Michael Huff is. And he is, but that's only because he worked so hard at it, and that's a credit to Michael."

With the help of Akina, Huff became one of the most feared defensive backs in college football. In just three weeks, the NFL Draft will be underway and oddly enough, the San Francisco 49ers select sixth overall. Huff is aware of the comparisons between Lott and himself and feels they're a bit premature.

"I've heard that I am being compared to Ronnie Lott, but he was one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game," Huff said. "I'm nowhere on his level, but hopefully I will leave a legacy like he did."

And maybe twenty-five years from now we will look at Huff the same way NFL fans and players revere Lott.

[SD_Eagle5]

2 lines of reasoning:

Option A. This is a smokescreen. No way do the Eagles let their draft plans leak. And even if they did I highly doubt Spuds would disclose them publicly.

Option B. They really like Huff, think he'll drop, and are prepared to let Dawk walk once his contract is up. Spuds will be the first one to tell you he knows nothing about the college draft, which makes this interesting.


If Huff were our pick I can't say that I'd be disappointed, the guys a heck of a player and is versatile enough of a DB to be spread around.  My problem would be that the writing is on the wall that the Eagles are willing to let Dawk walk. I think we can all agree that seeing him in another teams uniform would be a heartbreaker.

[Rome]

Oh, I agree that he's a hell of a player.  But for the Eagles to have any shot at him, they'd have to give up half of their draft picks to move up to get him.  That's not gonna happen.

[PhillyGirl]

LOL, reading anything into this is ridiculous. 

[Displaced]

Looks like game to me.  They may have gotten wind that a rival (maybe Dallas?) wants him and they are trying to convince them they need to trade up ahead of their own trade up in order to get him.

Besides that, aren't they profiling all the top prospects?

[Rome]

LOL, reading anything into this is ridiculous. 

Forgive me oh mighty Oracle of Wisdom.

[BigEd76]

Huff won't last past Detroit, Arizona or St. Louis.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

2 lines of reasoning:

Option A. This is a smokescreen. No way do the Eagles let their draft plans leak. And even if they did I highly doubt Spuds would disclose them publicly.

Option B. They really like Huff, think he'll drop, and are prepared to let Dawk walk once his contract is up. Spuds will be the first one to tell you he knows nothing about the college draft, which makes this interesting.

There are other options:

Option C. They really like Huff, and they think he gives them more options with regards to Mike Lewis and/or Rod Hood, both of whom they haven't reached long-term deals with for a reason.

Option D. They seriously just rotate so many DB's that they want to have 6 good ones, and they feel they only have 5.

Option E. They're moving Mike Lewis to SAM and/or they plan to start 2 OLB's that can't cover TE's, so they need to have Huff, Lewis, and Dawkins all available in the backfield to cover Witten, Shockey, and Cooley.

[Drunkmasterflex]

Oh, I agree that he's a hell of a player.  But for the Eagles to have any shot at him, they'd have to give up half of their draft picks to move up to get him.  That's not gonna happen.

That is pretty much how I see it; according to Eckel "there is no question that the Eagles are trying to trade up to pick up Haloti Ngata.

[MURP]

probably a smoke screen like most of the stuff around this time of the year.

[SD_Eagle5]

There are other options:

Option C. They really like Huff, and they think he gives them more options with regards to Mike Lewis and/or Rod Hood, both of whom they haven't reached long-term deals with for a reason.

Option D. They seriously just rotate so many DB's that they want to have 6 good ones, and they feel they only have 5.

Option E. They're moving Mike Lewis to SAM and/or they plan to start 2 OLB's that can't cover TE's, so they need to have Huff, Lewis, and Dawkins all available in the backfield to cover Witten, Shockey, and Cooley.

All good points, my options were more black and white, you delved more into the gray area.

[Rome]

I just found it strange that someone who claims to have little knowledge of college players wrote such a glowing report on one.

Like MURP said, though, it's probably disinformation and pretty obvious disinformation at that.

[MURP]

well, one thing we know is that Spewdaro and the rest of his minions really dont know who the Eagles are going to take.  That Chris McPherson or whatever his name is wrote about how he was just about to push the button to post an article on the Eagles website that they had drafted Khalif Barnes last year when they went ahead and took Mike Patterson.

[Rome]

How sad is that?  Reid's veil of secrecy is so tight that even his own PR director doesn't know what he's doing.

[hunt]

well, one thing we know is that Spewdaro and the rest of his minions really dont know who the Eagles are going to take. 

yup...and neither do we.  i'm not reading into anything i hear between now and the draft...the eagles usually surprise us and i'm sure this year will be no different.