Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Last week Cesar Ruiz had one of the best PFF ratings for the Saints on offense. Perhaps the praise by coaches and teammates this offseason is finally ringing true.

"He looked like one of the best RGs in football this game."

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

On the other hand, we need Penning back.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I'm going to need to see a much larger sample size to determine whether or not he's turned the corner.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Ditto. One game does not a season make. We've been bamboozled and hoodwinked before.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Make sure you click on the tweet and look at the replies with a little more video (3 in total). Some pretty good stuff, he might not have arrived yet but it sure looks like he is making progress.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I'll bet his coaches share your sentiment.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Agreed. But at least we are seeing that the ability to be a great guard in the league is there.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Gonna reserve judgement until he does it consistently.

In 2018, Trequan Smith looked like an all pro vs the Eagles.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Damn Dizz!….Pulling out a Trequan comparison. That’s cold! 🤪

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

It’s year #3.

The “light” should have been on. This isn’t some 7th rd or undrafted player we’re talking about.

I’m still waiting for the consistency- week #1 he graded poorly (46.5) on PFF.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

The negative vibes run high here. No love for the fact he played an excellent game this past weekend?

Who cares what round he was drafted in or how long it takes him to become great if it happens? Every player develops differently based upon many factors. Hundreds of first round draft choices have been busts. Hundreds have been great. Hundreds have been very solid. Many players hit the ground running. Others take years to develop.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

And right on que, the excuses from the same OP.

Shocking.

Perform up to your draft status on Sundays or find another team to underperform on.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Amen.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

What excuse? He looked great this past week. Maybe he'll continue looking great. Maybe he'll begin to suck and be cut.

Once again, who cares about "draft status"? Every player signed should be looked at equally once they hit the roster. That's the way any good coach would look at the players.

If you are performing at a higher level than every other player on your roster at your position should you be cut to allow a lessor performing player drafted later or undrafted to play in your stead solely because someone feels you are not playing "up to your draft status"?

I'm sorry, but I just don't get the obsession with "draft status".

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

The player doesn't get to choose when and to where he goes in the draft, so putting the responsbility of performing accordingly to those variables on the shoulders of the players, seems illogical.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Good article here!

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

C'mon Guido, you know better.

Why get excited about ONE game?

Draft status ABSOLUTELY plays into player evaluation and you know it.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Not as far as I'm concerned. It never has been. The way I look at it every player should be seen on a level playing field when evaluated whether they were a first round pick or a UDFA.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Oh, “not as YOU see it”… LOL

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Nope. Not as I see it. And hopefully not as the coaches see it, either. Evaluation of players should be based upon what they actually do rather than where they were drafted.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

This ENTIRE o line is bad.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

You don't have the same expectations buying a honda as you do a ferrari.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Truth.
You pay for an expectation of performance. Whether its cash or 'draft capital', you pay the most for those you expect the most out of. Not sure about you, but I'm not throwing my ribeye on a plate with a chuck steak and tasting both to see which one is better...
My assumption is that ribeye BETTER be better! I paid for it!

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Some people just can not differentiate between expectation and evaluation. :)

They typically overvalue their opinions as well :bng:

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Perhaps if you compare it to Little League. I would expect more from the first player drafted in a Little League baseball draft than the last few left.

On the other hand, you should have similar expectations if you are making the comparisons in a top professional league where everyone is an elite athlete. McLaren-Honda has a similar level of competitiveness as Ferrari in Formula One, do they not?

Draft status expectations are media and fan biased. Coaches undoubtedly have far more access to the individual athletes and see them as such. Individual athletes. They shouldn't care when, where, or how a player was acquired. They should only want the best performer available to them on the field.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Is it the player's fault if his skills and potential have been incorrectly evaluated by the scouts and the front office?

Is it the player's responsibility to live up to the expectations that come with those evaluations and the following draft capital that is spent on acquiring him?

If the player is trying his best to perform to the best of his abilities - most if not all of the blame for him not meeting these expectations lay on the organization that drafted him and/or were unable to coach him up to reach his potential.

I don't see the connection between cars and steakes and a human being playing football.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I guess if you are drafted in the 1st round and don't look great you suck, but if you were drafted in the 6th round and look average you don't suck. At least that's the vibe I'm getting.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I'm not saying that I don't personally do this myself, but I'm just wondering if I too am in the wrong when placing the blame on the player for not fulfilling the expectations that come with their draft status.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

There seems to be a case of differing expectations. I never "expect" rookies to hit the field running especially in positions that take a lot of practice and cohesion. That may be the reason why I really don't get overly excited by the draft itself. There's always hope, but not really any special expectations as far as I'm concerned over any of the players once they are rostered. None more than any other.

To be honest, I couldn't name the draft round of any player if it wasn't for someone complaining about where they were taken over and over again. :D

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

That was my fault - typed "evaluation" in my response to Guido when I meant "expectation".

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

BS.

Then why have rounds at all?

Why not draw names out of a hat instead??

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I wouldn't say improper evaluation is the fault of anyone necessarily. Like any relationship one side may see more than is really there out of need or want from the athlete.

the real question is this - would you eat a flank steak while driving a ferrari???

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Because it wouldn't be a "draft". :D

I "expect" many players picked high to do well. I also "expect" some not to do well. Same with all rookies whenever they are acquired. Each team selects who they hope to be the best for them when their turn arrives in a draft. They hope their pre-draft evaluations are correct, but there is no guarantee and no one will know how it turns out until later. "Later" varies greatly from player to player, however, it seems.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Nope. Too dangerous.

But, when it comes to flank steak, how you prepare it matters. It makes a great tacos al carbon. It can be melt in your mouth tender.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Nothing is a guarantee. In fact most 1st rounders probably don't pan out.

They're still considered a wasted pick.

Period.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

That is an absolute. No guarantee, for sure. Nobody knows what to "expect" until until the eventual success or failure is realized. That sometimes takes several seasons.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I've always been more partial to consuming my meats in a Lambo. ;)

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

And Ruiz is on the doorstep of poor draft choice.

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

I'll eat jerky in anything derivable. Never in a box with a fox though...:bng:

Re: Has the light come on for Ruiz?
 

Just make sure you don’t drink and derive!