Register All Albums FAQ Community Experience
Go Back   New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com > Main > Saints

Rookies Hicks, Toon impress

this is a discussion within the Saints Community Forum; “I would say overall the whole weekend was great,” he said. “Our players came in here and they really worked hard. They tried to do what was being asked of them. The tempo was good. The attention to detail was ...

Like Tree2Likes
  • 2 Post By FinSaint

Closed Thread
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-16-2012, 08:28 PM   #1
Threaded by papz
Problem?
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 11,744

Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rating: (0 votes - average)

“I would say overall the whole weekend was great,” he said. “Our players came in here and they really worked hard. They tried to do what was being asked of them. The tempo was good. The attention to detail was outstanding by these young guys.”

Among the players the coaches got to see up close for the first time were defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, the team’s top selection in the third round of the April draft, and wide receiver Nick Toon, their fourth-round pick.

Vitt said the early impressions of both were good.

“I thought Toon had a good weekend … I thought he caught the ball well,” Vitt said. “He ran routes very well and ran with the ball well afterward. I thought Hicks did well. He ran down the ball well, especially on a couple screens. For a big man, you saw his speed and range.”

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said Hicks, who played his final two college seasons at Regina University in Canada, wasn’t overwhelmed with what he was given despite playing north of the border for two years.

“We didn’t feed the guys a lot of volume, but I would echo what coach Vitt said where it’s very difficult to get good feel for a lineman when you don’t have any pads on,” Spagnuolo said. “Their game is physical and banging heads on every play. With this particular camp, you can’t do that.

“In all the things we could assess, in terms of athletic ability and how he moved around, I thought it was very good.”

Full article.
Rookies Hicks, Toon impress | Saints | The Advocate

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	new-orleans-saints-3d-480x320.jpg
Views:	0
Size:	77.1 KB
ID:	4725  

Views: 3194
Old 05-16-2012, 08:34 PM   #2
Truth Addict
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R)
Posts: 24,720
Good stuff.

I like that the circumstances haven't overwhelemed Hicks.

I think we'll be pleasantly surprised by Hicks and Romeus (my current camp favorite) this year.
Danno is offline  
Old 05-16-2012, 08:59 PM   #3
10000 POST CLUB
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Alexandria, La
Posts: 11,303
Makes you wonder whether or not if Hicks is as big a project as Spags was smoke-screening right after the draft...
|Mitch| is offline  
Old 05-16-2012, 09:46 PM   #4
LB Mentallity
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 15,870
Blog Entries: 68
Akiem Hicks i know was a reach and project so while he studies give him film of jumpy gathers to watch. now if he could learn to "fork lift" he would be set lol

for those that do not know:

At 6' 7" and 290 pounds he was a forceful pass rusher, famous for his "forklift" rush, in which he picked up his blocker and carried him to the quarterback.

one of the stupidest moves in team history was letting him go after 5 years. yet another great mora move and the beginning of the end for him. mora that is. jumpy played well into 30's and played very well

"We may have lost the game, but you'll be hurting tomorrow." Doug Atkins

Last edited by hagan714; 05-16-2012 at 09:53 PM..
hagan714 is offline  
Old 05-16-2012, 10:38 PM   #5
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: New Haven Ct
Posts: 23,985
Thats some good news.
QBREES9 is offline  
Old 05-17-2012, 12:07 AM   #6
Bounty Money $$$
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA.
Posts: 24,052
Our top draft choices getting praise from the coach. Whoda' thunk it?
Rugby Saint II is offline  
Old 05-17-2012, 03:32 AM   #7
Site Donor 2015
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Finland... formerly Southern Virginia
Posts: 4,961
Originally Posted by |Mitch| View Post
Makes you wonder whether or not if Hicks is as big a project as Spags was smoke-screening right after the draft...

I think that he is...


All the scouting reports of him I've read said basically the same thing: he has the size to be an effective interior D-lineman with pat down capability because of his huge reach, he moves very good for his size but mainly north/south - he has problems moving east/west because of the tightness in his hips and knees, which is why he doesn't really suit the role of an edge rusher at the NFL level.


That being said, the things that he needs to improve to be a good interior D-lineman for the Saints are mostly technical things and they all are "coachable" things - Spags said that what he enjoys most is the "teaching part" in the recent press conference about the rookie mini camp, so I hope he teaches the hell out of Hicks during this offseason.


I'm certainly more confident that Hicks will develop well, now that Spags will be the one overseeing this process instead of GW, since we saw how well he can develop interior D-linemen with Ellis.
Danno and Rugby Saint II like this.

"I'm not bashing people, I'm bashing their opinions because in my opinion their opinion is wrong" - Danno
FinSaint is offline  
Old 05-17-2012, 07:33 AM   #8
10000 POST CLUB
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cypress Tx.
Posts: 19,026
Originally Posted by |Mitch| View Post
Makes you wonder whether or not if Hicks is as big a project as Spags was smoke-screening right after the draft...

Under estimate the viability of a project and make it work wonderfully and you come off like a genius.

Over estimate the viability of a project and it fails, and you look like an idiot.
TheOak is offline  
Old 05-17-2012, 08:26 AM   #9
10000 POST CLUB
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 11,208
Nice to see our draft picks making an impact and making themselves known straight away

I think toon is one of the most polished WR's weve drafted in quite a while, look forward to them both making an impact for our team
dizzle88 is offline  
Old 05-18-2012, 06:53 PM   #10
Resident Swede
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Märsta, Sweden
Posts: 8,025
Glad to read something positive for once.
Crusader is offline  
Closed Thread


Posting Rules

LinkBacks (?)
LinkBack to this Thread: https://blackandgold.com/saints/43923-rookies-hicks-toon-impress.html
Posted By For Type Date Hits
Rookies Hicks, Toon impress This thread Refback 05-17-2012 03:15 AM 1


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:44 PM.


Copyright 1997 - 2020 - BlackandGold.com
no new posts