Help me understand.....what makes Okoye's age a risk?

[HUbison]

Yes, he's 19, but others in the draft are no more than 3 years older. Some are 2 years older, some just a year older. He has performed at a high level against the best the NCAA has to offer. Relatively speaking, what makes his age any more a factor than the 21-year-old with less talent and productivity?

Listen to his interviews, watch his game film. If not for everybody repeating the fact, you'd never know he was 19. So really, should that even matter?

[81~BIG-GAME]

I don't see his age as a risk, I see it more as a positive. He is 19 and is an amazing talent with what seems a great work ethic and a will to be the best. I'm very excited to see how he developes over the years, with his attitude he should be a star for a long time..

[general counsel]

I dont see it as more of a risk than if he was 21, but i do think the liklihood of contribution in year one is very low, because that is historically the case for rookies at the defensive tackle position.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[jim]

Well let"s see, if he were a highly touted pitcher most teams would limit his pitch count , the Yankees would not let their top kid pitch more than five innings at any time last year. If it was the NBA it would not take very long to come up with a huge list of kids around that age who failed miserably. Notice I said "kids". And those are non-contact sports.

I don't know how big you are but my imagination can only hint at what a D-linemans body must go through. He will be going up against not only mature bodies but men who have five to ten more years of weight training, While I applaud his mental maturity and work ethic I would certainly have reservations on how much his body could take. If I were Linehan I would be talking to lots of doctors and all my O and D linemen for input.

[RamsNation]

Well, I am not personally worried about his age, but the concerns originate from the fact that his body has not physically peaked yet. While his production has not been affected by this in college, it could in the NFL because he simply has not figured out what his body can do and this could have a seriously negative impact mentally when he gets to the NFL and is playing against not only a learning curve but a winding curve up a learning mountain...Great!..now i'm afraid to draft him...seriously though, I think he is mentally ready and hope we get him.

[HUbison]

I dont see it as more of a risk than if he was 21, but i do think the liklihood of contribution in year one is very low, because that is historically the case for rookies at the defensive tackle position.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

I agree wholeheartedly. A first year interior lineman or any lineman for the most part, is near useless their rookie year. But would you rather have a 21 year old 2nd year guy, or a 24 year old 2nd year guy.

[HUbison]

the concerns originate from the fact that his body has not physically peaked yet.

This is true of every single player in the draft. An NFL player doesn't reach his peak until approx. age 27. So do you want to draft a guy who will have maybe 5 years of upside or Okoye with nearly 8 years of upside? If this were really a concern that FOs looked at, they'd simply draft the oldest guys in the draft. BYU and Utah would send a lot more guys to the NFL than they do.

if he were a highly touted pitcher most teams would limit his pitch count

We're not talking about some kid going from pitching Legion ball in Oshkosh, WI to pitching for the Yankees. We're talking about a DT who has played 4 years of D-I football and excelled every step of the way. That's more than a whole lot of the top prospects can say.

If it was the NBA it would not take very long to come up with a huge list of kids around that age who failed miserably.

For starters, it's not the NBA, but having said that, you can put together a list of "kids" who failed at ANY age.

He will be going up against not only mature bodies but men who have five to ten more years of weight training, While I applaud his mental maturity and work ethic I would certainly have reservations on how much his body could take.

I'm 33, and I only wish my body could recuperate now like it did when I was 19. Add to that the fact he already has 4 years of a D-I program, and I'd say he is just as ready as any other rookie DT on the market.


Folks, let's face it.......no team is going to pass on Okoye because he's 19. Any team that passes on him will do so, because they don't need a DT. The only reason we even know his age is because it's a great story. Anytime a guy with "teen" ending his age is drafted it's going to be a story. It gives the writers something to talk about.

But he will be the first DT off the board......of any age.

[jim]

My bad, I did not know this is not the NBA. I did not know he had EXCELLED at every level. I did not know that 27 was the magic age. I did not know this was one of the most highly graded DT classes to ever come out. I did not know you started this thread to criticize anyone who replied. I didn't know anything did I? What I do know [now] is not to respond to your posts anymore. I apologize.

[smizzhfx]

....somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

[HUbison]

My bad, I did not know this is not the NBA. I did not know he had EXCELLED at every level. I did not know that 27 was the magic age. I did not know this was one of the most highly graded DT classes to ever come out. I did not know you started this thread to criticize anyone who replied. I didn't know anything did I? What I do know [now] is not to respond to your posts anymore. I apologize.

That's the spirit, Jim.

It's called a conversation. I make a point, you make a point, back and forth, so on and so on, others jump in if they like. It's a lot more fun than I make a point, you make a point, I make a point, and you run off in a pout.

[Rambos]

I don't know how big you are but my imagination can only hint at what a D-linemans body must go through. He will be going up against not only mature bodies but men who have five to ten more years of weight training, While I applaud his mental maturity and work ethic I would certainly have reservations on how much his body could take. If I were Linehan I would be talking to lots of doctors and all my O and D linemen for input.

Jim using other sports, how does your theory hold up when a young kid name Mike knock out everyone in site. He was 19 at the time and it did not matter, he was still a man among older boys. Of course I’m talking about a young Mike Tyson.

If you have the skills, it does not matter, age will not be a factor or maybe in week 6 when his body recovers faster then all the old men he’s playing against. It might just be an advantage.

[LEEDSRAM]

Yes, he's 19, but others in the draft are no more than 3 years older. Some are 2 years older, some just a year older. He has performed at a high level against the best the NCAA has to offer. Relatively speaking, what makes his age any more a factor than the 21-year-old with less talent and productivity?

Listen to his interviews, watch his game film. If not for everybody repeating the fact, you'd never know he was 19. So really, should that even matter?

Pele was 16 in his first world cup. If Okoye is still there to draft the Rams should take him. He is what we need.

[AvengerRam]

So, if the Rams take him, and then proceed to win the Super Bowl, and Okoye is seen on TV drinking champagne... would he get arrested for underage drinking?

[laram0]

So, if the Rams take him, and then proceed to win the Super Bowl, and Okoye is seen on TV drinking champagne... would he get arrested for underage drinking?

He'll be drinking O'Douls or ginger ale out of a champagne glass.

[r8rh8rmike]

So, if the Rams take him, and then proceed to win the Super Bowl, and Okoye is seen on TV drinking champagne... would he get arrested for underage drinking?

Man would I like to find out the answer to that question!!