Can we please stop with all the premature TP to WR/TE talk? I mean, I’ll admit his measureables, speed, and athleticism surely do scream receiver or even a nightmare matchup at TE, but you have to do more than simply “look the part” to succeed at any position in the NFL. It’s not a beauty contest.
Yes, Ohio State had Terrelle catch a number of passes during his career. He did not run any routes and he did not block. He simply out-athleted whichever unfortunate defender he was matched up against. Child’s play.
It’s insulting to WRs and TEs to suggest that it’d just be “easy” to turn Terrelle into a receiver or tight end practically overnight. People think he’s a project at the QB position? In my opinion, it’d take even longer to transition him to one of those positions. Have y’all watched any Ohio State film? (I’m gonna go ahead and guess no on that) The fanbase has been complaining for years about how he shies away from contact. And now, he’s supposed to block at the line of scrimmage AND down field? And all just because he’s 6’6″, 240, and runs a 4.3 40? Are y’all serious?
And don’t even let me get started with having to teach him route running. Having great measurables will only get you so far. NFL corners will lock him up like men playing against a boy.
Look, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype the mainstream media feeds you, but QB is all Terrelle Pryor knows. And he didn’t even dedicate himself 100% to football until he got to Columbus. That’s just 3 years of full-time QB development. (If you’ll recall, he was a 5-star basketball recruit, who pretty much played all the way up until the day he signed with Ohio State) Terrelle is still learning the position, but he’s been playing it his entire life. (And no, I don’t really count the time he spent at DE whilst in HS. That was him just running free & tackling whomever had the ball.) Anyone who thinks it would just be “easy” to move him to TE or WR is living in a fantasy land where sports “fans” simply regurgitate everything the ESPNs of the world tell them.
If TP doesn’t work out as a QB — and a team is seriously committed to his long term development — then sure, go ahead and try him there. But don’t get mad when/if it takes him years to catch on, if he ever does. He was right when he said moving him at those positions wouldn’t be in a team’s best interest. He’s getting slammed for saying that (what else is new), but he’s right.
Terrelle Pryor may have a lot of work to do at the QB position, but “project” doesn’t even describe the path to NFL receiver or tight end. How patient are you?
