Quentin Groves – A Warning about the Draft

Big Cat Country is reporting that Quentin Groves is going to Oakland for a 5th round choice.  I believe it when BCC posts this kind of information. The details may be exactly as reported or more involved, but the fact is Quentin Groves is gone.

The thing we have to keep in mind was that Quentin Groves was a highly respected draft choice. Some had him as first round material and Shack Harris traded up to get him. Quentin proved it on the field in college and at the combine.  I have to check these facts, but Quentin had better combine measurables than Jason Pierre-Paul did this year.

Many felt he was a 3-4 linebacker, but Quentin wanted to be a defensive end. He wanted his hand on the ground. That was the role he asked the coaching staff to play.

I remember seeing him in camp get pushed around his rookie year. I asked in a post if we had made a mistake. He didn’t have the bulk to defend or push.  He had quickness, but didn’t use it in his favor. That off-season there were reports Quentin had put on 20 lbs of muscle and was ready. Nothing happened in his rookie year and not much happened in his second year. A fifth round draft choice is good value for him at this stage.

I think Quentin failed because he didn’t want to be a football player. He loved twitter and was reprimanded for tweeting from practice.  I think he was involved in a start-up record label. I think Quentin had a lot going on besides football.

The point I am making is this, we do not know what a drafted player will do when he hits the time.  If he is beat a lot in the early days, he may be inspired to improve or inspired to mentally resign. Quentin Groves has the physical tools to be a good NFL player. The draft evaluation was not that far off. This trade may inspire him to football goodness, I don’t know. If I had to bet, I would bet the fifth round draft choice we get will have a better probability of becoming a better NFL player than Quentin. It all depends on what is in their head and no one has that evaluation down pat yet. The mental is as important as the physical.

Good luck in the draft Gene. Jack Del Rio will need your best effort to survive the first four home games on this year’s schedule.

Good luck to you too Quentin.

– Terry O’Brien

[Zoltan’s take: Let me say 2 things:
First: This is story from our old friend; Michael C Wright(Who is now sadly not covering the Jaguars any more. Instead of he doing posts about sports life in the ‘Windy City’ for ESPN Chicago):

"“True story: Gene Smith called Groves into his office last year and told him that he didn’t want him; that Shack is reason he was in Jax.He told Groves that the next time he saw him in the office, it would be to cut him. Guess Q finally got called 2 the office.”"

It’s obvious; Gene is like a cleaning lady after Shack Harris. And Terry you called it first; if you are not good enough; cannot hit the field often and show real performance and you are drafted/signed by James ‘Shack’ Harris- You have no future with this team…

Second: Quentin had 1 whole year to prove himself after the injury of Reggie Hayward. He didn’t perform well as a 3-4 OLB; nor as a 4-3 DE. If you got beat out for the starting job by Julius Williams; and Bryan Smith; two UDFA rookies; (which happened in last season) you know; you have no future and role here; when players like  Aaron Kampman; and Reggie Hayward are signed to your position…Zoltan]