05-23-2020, 11:06 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-23-2020, 11:28 PM by SomeSay....)
Welcome everyone, to the Minnesota Grey Duck rookie spotlight. I'm your CB Matt Krause and all this week I'll be sitting down with the Rookies from my Minnesota Grey Ducks. Talking draft, football, life and everything in between. This week I have two special guests, they're not a rookies but our GMs are here to talk about all of our rookies, not just the ones I've sat down with so far. So for all you NSFL GMs, here is the best insight to our rookies you can get. Please welcome CLG Rampage and DeWalt!
Ahh the men who were instrumental in drafting me and helping me develop over these last 2 years. How are you gentlemen? Good to see you, I'm excited to sit down and discuss our wonderful rookie class before we get way to laser focused on the playoffs.
DeWalt: Excited to be talking with our CB1 Matt Krause. As I'm going this interview we just locked up playoffs and Homefield for our conference championship game so its hard for things to be going much better than this!
CLG:I'm doing well, thank you. Happy to be doing this interview.
So, let's start out with my side of the ball. Defense. We had some great additions this year with Ray-Ray Jackson, Water Chestnut III, Joe Exotic and Brian Earlbacher. These guys have came in and made a immediate impact on our defense. Let's talk about them.
Let's start with Ray-Ray Jackson, he's had 40tckls so far, 5 Pass Deflections and overall has been a stellar addition to our loaded defensive back. How do you feel he's performed for us this year and what about him has you most excited for his future?
DeWalt: We were very excited for the opportunity to bring Ray-Ray back to the team after getting him off waivers last season. We knew he would be an excellent fit on our locker room and a great contributor on the field. He has a disruptive presence with the 6 pass deflections but if anyone did catch a ball he took them down early. Jackson has a bright future he was our CB #1 in this last draft and looks to the the CB #1 going in the NSFL draft. My guess is he will be a 1st or second round pick and instant contributor in the NSFL to whoever drafts him.
CLG:Jackson has been an incredible addition to our defense. We really only had one good corner last season, which was you, funnily enough, with everyone else being IA. I know Shields came back this season but last season, you were it. So having several good corners we could put on any receiver in the DSFL definitely made it easier for our defense.
Water Chestnut III, what can I say about this stud that you guys don't already know. 46 Tckls this season 18! For losses and a stellar 7 sacks. Mario has tought this guy well. He's been a stud on the other side of the defensive line opposite our veteran Mario Von Pebbles. Could you have hoped he would perform at such a hight level? I know you must have saw something to take him. Him 6OA using our first round pick on him. And he's definitely proven he deserved it. What's your thoughts on his performance so far?
DeWalt: I had major concerns taking Water Chestnut III at 6oa. I mean I know he's a 3rd generation football player but playing a Water chestnut at DE just seemed crazy. He instantly shows the impact he had on this team and that he is a purebred football player. There were games he registered 5TFL in a single game! He is worth the hype and going to be an excellent player for SJS.
CLG:Chestnut as well has been a nice addition to have to the team. He makes a really nice 1-2 punch from the DE position along with Von Pebbles and both of them have been performing nicely for us, which is always good to see. He'll probably be called up next season considering he's a GM, but we'll see. Was nice to have him for a season, at least.
Joe Exotic, what can I say, the Tiger king, wait I mean Duck king? Anyway, our stud rookie DT was drafted 11OA by you guys in the 2nd round. He's amassed. 38 tckls, 1 for loss and 1 sack. He may not jump out on the sack sheet but boy is he a block eater and a run stuffer. What's your thoughts on how he's performed and meshed into our defensive? We won't bring up the (meth, guns and tigers).
DeWalt: We had big holes on Defensive line and after the pick of Water Chestnut III we felt it would be a great idea to fix it and add The tiger king Joe Exotic into the mix. Joe is an excellent player and a very disruptive player in the Dline. He may not have started off as quickly as we hoped but he ended the season strong showing great improvements and with some more coaching he will be a great player in this league. Additonally if any team decides to try Carol Baskins at QB or RB we're going to have a mess on our hands.
CLG:Exotic has been a really solid player for us, for sure. He's not the most active locker room guy, but not everyone has to be so I won't ding him for that. Considering every other DT currently on the roster is IA, having even a borderling active is better than nothing so he's been a great addition to the defense.
Last but not least on the defensive side of the ball Brian Earlbacher. Our 43rd OA 6 round pick has 39 Tckls and 2 sacks. Although I don't see him in the LR much, he lets his play do the talking. How do you guys feel Brian has done this year? And what type a player would NSFL GMs be getting?
DeWalt: Brian Earlbacher reminds me of a LB I used to watch play in the NFL.. i cant remember his name anymore but Earlbacher is doing the same thing at a much higher level in the DSFL. He does need to spend more time in the facility to maximize his gains but the potentially for improvement in this player is unrivaled and he will be an excellent addition to a team if they can get him to put in the additional time.
CLG:Earlbacher has been decent. Funnily enough, he was around relatively recently asking me for a locker room invite. I can't remember if he joined though. With Kennedy and Sackson taking the majority of the snaps, he hasn't seen a ton of on-field action, but he's been a solid addition regardless.
Alright, topped of the whiskey and now time to move on to the offensive side of the ball. Where I think you guys did wonders in the draft. Not only did you snag what I think our potentially 2 of the best receivers in the class you snagged 2 late round studs. Our offensive rookies are. Tychondrius (Ty) Hood, Kai Sakura, Julio Jones and Dick Thunder.
This was a stellar offensive draft in my opinion. So let's break it down real quick. So I can get your guys thoughts on these men.
First Ty, what can we say, he really has been impressive, not only on the field but in the LR as well, he's taken on so much just as a rookie, interning, sim team, everything. His performance on the field shows his dedication too. 50 receptions, 769 yds and 4TDs. Snowy has loved all these receivers. But this one is definitely special on the outside. What else would you guys like to add? Wherever he goes, he's gonna crush it!
DeWalt: Hood came in right away and provided an instant impact on this team. Off the fields he and Snowy and basically inseparable. They spend time watching film, playing games, anything. It has to be a huge part of the reason Hood had the amazing season he had finishing with a new Grey Ducks record of 7 receiving touchdowns! He is an elite athlete and my guess is that NSFL teams are going to highly value a player with his talents.
CLG:Yeah, Hood has probably been one of the best picks I've made as a GM. Incredible locker room presence, incredible play on the field, I honestly could not have asked for anything else. He's definitely up for Offensive Rookie of the Year as well as Wide Receiver of the Year. Really happy to have Hood on the roster.
Next another stand out receiver, that I've seen mostly play in slot. Kai Sakura. Kai, really has brought another dimension to the offensive weapons. We know Ty and Daymond on the oustide but having Kai in slot and Jamar in the back really has made us s offensive powerhouse. With his 32 receptions, 349 yds and 3TDs. How do you guys feel this fifth rounder turned out?
DeWalt: We love Kai Sakura and Kai loves us. He came to us before the draft and told us that he wants to be a Grey Duck. We loved that attitude and made it a priority to add him to our team. He has the talent to match the same season that hood did but just didn't as much opportunities. He may seem distant in the LR as he is still on the Australian time zone but when he's around he is an active positive member of this team and the team loves having him around.
CLG:Sakura has been such a massive value for us, absolutely. Getting one of the best earners in the entire class in the 5th round is just amazing value. The only downside is that's he Australian. The vast majority of our locker room is from US timezones, so he can't interact with us unless he's staying up really late or we're staying up really late. He's a joy to talk to though, almost makes staying up till 4am to talk to him worth it.
Julio Jones and Dick Thunder, what can we say about these two. Picked in Round 7 with back to back picks 50/51OA. I feel like these two are the Tom Brady's of the draft for us. Julio has amassed. 56 pancakes and only 1 sack allowed. C'mon! And Dick Thunder with 32 pancakes and 2 sacks allowed. Amazing to get this type of performance that late in the draft. Both are pop in to the locker room and both have developed quite well. What can you guys add about these two?
DeWalt: Minnesota is proud to be a big supporter of the Fair rubs club and these members of the fair rub club supported our team right back. You have to contribute the huge offensive improvement this season to what these men have brought to the team with their play in the trenches. Lackson had a top 5 RB season, all of our WRs had top 10 seasons and Sim Snowbow saw huge improvement and has a top 3 QB season. This isn't possible without their elite play. In the Lr I'm Jones rivals the same intensity brought on by Mario Von Pebbles and Daymond Brooks. He is a leader in energy. Thunder is slightly more quiet but he leads by example taking care of business without the attention.
CLG:Offensive line was a massive issue for us last season, yeah. Everyone knows about Stego's articles some months ago now, I think, about the power human offensive lineman bring to the table. Having tackles at max weight is just so much better than sticking bots out there, and it really shows. Jones has been such an awesome addition to the team, such great value for us, and he should be a shoe in for Offensive Lineman of the Year. Thunder has been quieter but he's still been a huge addition to the roster, both in allowing Lackson and Keppler to run free as well as protecting Snowbow. Really could not ask for anything else.
This about wraps up my Minnesota Rookie spotlight special with our GMs. Like always, I want my guest to have the final word. Gentlemen, sum up our rookie class for this season and give those NSFL GMs your final thoughts.
DeWalt:Minnesota has a rough year in S21 but when we walked out of the draft we knew that we had the right players to improve this team. Now we are primed for a deep play off run. Yes we had many talented returners but these players helped this team get to the next level and I know that they will do the same for every NSFL team they landed on. You are going to back happy with any Grey Duck you take in the draft and they will exceed the expectations you have for the player just like they did for us when we draft them.
CLG:This class was way, way better than our S22 draft class. While I'm ultimately happy with the picks that did work out, I wiffed on way too many picks in a class that large. I feel like every pick in our S23 draft was incredible and we didn't really miss on anything. To the NSFL GMs, any guy in this interview is going to be an excellent pick, I promise. I really want to bring attention to Sakura and Jones especially. Both of them will be superstars in the NSFL, I can assure you that.
Thank you to my guests, everyone for reading, and look forward to my next installment of the Rookie Spotlight. Thanks and Goodnight
Graders please give 100% to Reaper11B
Ahh the men who were instrumental in drafting me and helping me develop over these last 2 years. How are you gentlemen? Good to see you, I'm excited to sit down and discuss our wonderful rookie class before we get way to laser focused on the playoffs.
DeWalt: Excited to be talking with our CB1 Matt Krause. As I'm going this interview we just locked up playoffs and Homefield for our conference championship game so its hard for things to be going much better than this!
CLG:I'm doing well, thank you. Happy to be doing this interview.
So, let's start out with my side of the ball. Defense. We had some great additions this year with Ray-Ray Jackson, Water Chestnut III, Joe Exotic and Brian Earlbacher. These guys have came in and made a immediate impact on our defense. Let's talk about them.
Let's start with Ray-Ray Jackson, he's had 40tckls so far, 5 Pass Deflections and overall has been a stellar addition to our loaded defensive back. How do you feel he's performed for us this year and what about him has you most excited for his future?
DeWalt: We were very excited for the opportunity to bring Ray-Ray back to the team after getting him off waivers last season. We knew he would be an excellent fit on our locker room and a great contributor on the field. He has a disruptive presence with the 6 pass deflections but if anyone did catch a ball he took them down early. Jackson has a bright future he was our CB #1 in this last draft and looks to the the CB #1 going in the NSFL draft. My guess is he will be a 1st or second round pick and instant contributor in the NSFL to whoever drafts him.
CLG:Jackson has been an incredible addition to our defense. We really only had one good corner last season, which was you, funnily enough, with everyone else being IA. I know Shields came back this season but last season, you were it. So having several good corners we could put on any receiver in the DSFL definitely made it easier for our defense.
Water Chestnut III, what can I say about this stud that you guys don't already know. 46 Tckls this season 18! For losses and a stellar 7 sacks. Mario has tought this guy well. He's been a stud on the other side of the defensive line opposite our veteran Mario Von Pebbles. Could you have hoped he would perform at such a hight level? I know you must have saw something to take him. Him 6OA using our first round pick on him. And he's definitely proven he deserved it. What's your thoughts on his performance so far?
DeWalt: I had major concerns taking Water Chestnut III at 6oa. I mean I know he's a 3rd generation football player but playing a Water chestnut at DE just seemed crazy. He instantly shows the impact he had on this team and that he is a purebred football player. There were games he registered 5TFL in a single game! He is worth the hype and going to be an excellent player for SJS.
CLG:Chestnut as well has been a nice addition to have to the team. He makes a really nice 1-2 punch from the DE position along with Von Pebbles and both of them have been performing nicely for us, which is always good to see. He'll probably be called up next season considering he's a GM, but we'll see. Was nice to have him for a season, at least.
Joe Exotic, what can I say, the Tiger king, wait I mean Duck king? Anyway, our stud rookie DT was drafted 11OA by you guys in the 2nd round. He's amassed. 38 tckls, 1 for loss and 1 sack. He may not jump out on the sack sheet but boy is he a block eater and a run stuffer. What's your thoughts on how he's performed and meshed into our defensive? We won't bring up the (meth, guns and tigers).
DeWalt: We had big holes on Defensive line and after the pick of Water Chestnut III we felt it would be a great idea to fix it and add The tiger king Joe Exotic into the mix. Joe is an excellent player and a very disruptive player in the Dline. He may not have started off as quickly as we hoped but he ended the season strong showing great improvements and with some more coaching he will be a great player in this league. Additonally if any team decides to try Carol Baskins at QB or RB we're going to have a mess on our hands.
CLG:Exotic has been a really solid player for us, for sure. He's not the most active locker room guy, but not everyone has to be so I won't ding him for that. Considering every other DT currently on the roster is IA, having even a borderling active is better than nothing so he's been a great addition to the defense.
Last but not least on the defensive side of the ball Brian Earlbacher. Our 43rd OA 6 round pick has 39 Tckls and 2 sacks. Although I don't see him in the LR much, he lets his play do the talking. How do you guys feel Brian has done this year? And what type a player would NSFL GMs be getting?
DeWalt: Brian Earlbacher reminds me of a LB I used to watch play in the NFL.. i cant remember his name anymore but Earlbacher is doing the same thing at a much higher level in the DSFL. He does need to spend more time in the facility to maximize his gains but the potentially for improvement in this player is unrivaled and he will be an excellent addition to a team if they can get him to put in the additional time.
CLG:Earlbacher has been decent. Funnily enough, he was around relatively recently asking me for a locker room invite. I can't remember if he joined though. With Kennedy and Sackson taking the majority of the snaps, he hasn't seen a ton of on-field action, but he's been a solid addition regardless.
Alright, topped of the whiskey and now time to move on to the offensive side of the ball. Where I think you guys did wonders in the draft. Not only did you snag what I think our potentially 2 of the best receivers in the class you snagged 2 late round studs. Our offensive rookies are. Tychondrius (Ty) Hood, Kai Sakura, Julio Jones and Dick Thunder.
This was a stellar offensive draft in my opinion. So let's break it down real quick. So I can get your guys thoughts on these men.
First Ty, what can we say, he really has been impressive, not only on the field but in the LR as well, he's taken on so much just as a rookie, interning, sim team, everything. His performance on the field shows his dedication too. 50 receptions, 769 yds and 4TDs. Snowy has loved all these receivers. But this one is definitely special on the outside. What else would you guys like to add? Wherever he goes, he's gonna crush it!
DeWalt: Hood came in right away and provided an instant impact on this team. Off the fields he and Snowy and basically inseparable. They spend time watching film, playing games, anything. It has to be a huge part of the reason Hood had the amazing season he had finishing with a new Grey Ducks record of 7 receiving touchdowns! He is an elite athlete and my guess is that NSFL teams are going to highly value a player with his talents.
CLG:Yeah, Hood has probably been one of the best picks I've made as a GM. Incredible locker room presence, incredible play on the field, I honestly could not have asked for anything else. He's definitely up for Offensive Rookie of the Year as well as Wide Receiver of the Year. Really happy to have Hood on the roster.
Next another stand out receiver, that I've seen mostly play in slot. Kai Sakura. Kai, really has brought another dimension to the offensive weapons. We know Ty and Daymond on the oustide but having Kai in slot and Jamar in the back really has made us s offensive powerhouse. With his 32 receptions, 349 yds and 3TDs. How do you guys feel this fifth rounder turned out?
DeWalt: We love Kai Sakura and Kai loves us. He came to us before the draft and told us that he wants to be a Grey Duck. We loved that attitude and made it a priority to add him to our team. He has the talent to match the same season that hood did but just didn't as much opportunities. He may seem distant in the LR as he is still on the Australian time zone but when he's around he is an active positive member of this team and the team loves having him around.
CLG:Sakura has been such a massive value for us, absolutely. Getting one of the best earners in the entire class in the 5th round is just amazing value. The only downside is that's he Australian. The vast majority of our locker room is from US timezones, so he can't interact with us unless he's staying up really late or we're staying up really late. He's a joy to talk to though, almost makes staying up till 4am to talk to him worth it.
Julio Jones and Dick Thunder, what can we say about these two. Picked in Round 7 with back to back picks 50/51OA. I feel like these two are the Tom Brady's of the draft for us. Julio has amassed. 56 pancakes and only 1 sack allowed. C'mon! And Dick Thunder with 32 pancakes and 2 sacks allowed. Amazing to get this type of performance that late in the draft. Both are pop in to the locker room and both have developed quite well. What can you guys add about these two?
DeWalt: Minnesota is proud to be a big supporter of the Fair rubs club and these members of the fair rub club supported our team right back. You have to contribute the huge offensive improvement this season to what these men have brought to the team with their play in the trenches. Lackson had a top 5 RB season, all of our WRs had top 10 seasons and Sim Snowbow saw huge improvement and has a top 3 QB season. This isn't possible without their elite play. In the Lr I'm Jones rivals the same intensity brought on by Mario Von Pebbles and Daymond Brooks. He is a leader in energy. Thunder is slightly more quiet but he leads by example taking care of business without the attention.
CLG:Offensive line was a massive issue for us last season, yeah. Everyone knows about Stego's articles some months ago now, I think, about the power human offensive lineman bring to the table. Having tackles at max weight is just so much better than sticking bots out there, and it really shows. Jones has been such an awesome addition to the team, such great value for us, and he should be a shoe in for Offensive Lineman of the Year. Thunder has been quieter but he's still been a huge addition to the roster, both in allowing Lackson and Keppler to run free as well as protecting Snowbow. Really could not ask for anything else.
This about wraps up my Minnesota Rookie spotlight special with our GMs. Like always, I want my guest to have the final word. Gentlemen, sum up our rookie class for this season and give those NSFL GMs your final thoughts.
DeWalt:Minnesota has a rough year in S21 but when we walked out of the draft we knew that we had the right players to improve this team. Now we are primed for a deep play off run. Yes we had many talented returners but these players helped this team get to the next level and I know that they will do the same for every NSFL team they landed on. You are going to back happy with any Grey Duck you take in the draft and they will exceed the expectations you have for the player just like they did for us when we draft them.
CLG:This class was way, way better than our S22 draft class. While I'm ultimately happy with the picks that did work out, I wiffed on way too many picks in a class that large. I feel like every pick in our S23 draft was incredible and we didn't really miss on anything. To the NSFL GMs, any guy in this interview is going to be an excellent pick, I promise. I really want to bring attention to Sakura and Jones especially. Both of them will be superstars in the NSFL, I can assure you that.
Thank you to my guests, everyone for reading, and look forward to my next installment of the Rookie Spotlight. Thanks and Goodnight
Graders please give 100% to Reaper11B
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