2008 Season Retrospective: Jordan Kent
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 11:40 AM PDT
78 comments
Overview: Jordan Kent played in nine games, starting one, but did not record a reception. He had three tackles: two assists and one solo.
What went right: Kent was productive in the preseason, catching eleven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He's a good member of the community and not linked to any outstanding homicides.
What went wrong: Kent lacks ability to play football at the professional level.
Outlook: That he did show excellent growth in the preseason only underscores just how unprepared he was when he was drafted. He grew from a mediocre college receiver to someone that could make it in the USFL. The next leap is much more difficult. His route-running is elementary, knowledgeable of the basics, but incapable of application. He is lost when covered. Kent does not receive in traffic and does not separate.
His play on special teams is endangering his career. As a gunner, Kent is uncontrolled and erratic but somehow predictable. He runs past the returner at ever opportunity. Seattle could sign a street free agent and expect better play.
A street free agent is less likely to be 6'4", 219 and capable of running a high 4.4 forty. Kent remains one of the most physically gifted players on Seattle's roster, but it's incorrect to say he has the most potential. Usain Bolt does not have better potential than Anquan Boldin. The Maddenization of football's fanbase contributes to this thinking. Kent isn't Bolt, and he possesses enough football skills to tantalize, but it is not enough to be tall, fast and strong, one must be gifted in the specific abilities that make a receiver great. I've yet seen proof that Kent has gifted coordination, concentration or reflexes. Maybe Kent "learns" those abilities, and maybe this preseason proves he's just a tall kid that can run fast.
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"The Maddenization of football's fanbase"
by cro-mag! on Jun 25, 2009 12:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Are you doubting this?
It seems like every teenager (as in, all of my friends) think that it’s about speed, and strength… not football ability. It’s sad.
by JamMasterJesus on Jun 25, 2009 1:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That Maddenization accounts for athleticism being equated with potential.
I completely agree with you about the larger point. I understand athleticism alone doesn’t cut it, nor does the smarts. I understand there are a lot of specimens out there with the athleticism that it takes, that don’t possess anything else that it takes to be successful.
I just don’t know how to be reasonably certain of an athletic prospect’s mental or NFL-relevant fine motor skills deficiencies, to be able to distinguish a blockhead freak who excites but won’t come close to cutting it from a guy with all the tools who will figure it out and shine. I think there’s plenty of reason to doubt Jordan Kent, and I definitely agree with you that he doesn’t have the most potential. Among these WR prospects, I’ve always thought Obomanu had the most potential. But I think it’s simplifying to say that he doesn’t have potential, because he’s lacking in more intangible (or at least difficult to scout) aspects, and thus that those who think he has potential are judging on a superficial scouting value set acquired from Madden.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never said athleticism
I said size and speed. Coordination, concentration and reflexes are parts of athleticism I think Kent lacks.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, they are parts of athleticism
and you may be right about him in their regard.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Luckely though coaches and general managers don't use video games to evaluate players
Or use video game thinking. Unless they’re Al Davis.
by B.B.Finnegan on Jun 25, 2009 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
To be fair
Just about every Seahawk that is the first person to get to the returner just completely misses (cough)CJ Wallace(cough).
But as a receiver he’s garbage. All my hope was lost after he dropped a friggin slant pattern in the Bills game when the outcome was inevitable.
I see more potential in Taylor and Payne than Kent at this point.
On a completely unrelated note I suggest you promote my latest fanshot to the front page.
Andy Reid is the only coach in NFL history that uses the pass to set up the pass.
by SSreporters on Jun 25, 2009 12:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Moa
and a very British-looking naturalist.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
British?
I thought it was Death closing out the extinction of the dinosaurs.
by Airborne Hawk Guy on Jun 25, 2009 1:32 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Everyone knows a meteorite made of plague rats and piloted by aliens killed the dinosaurs.
The British looking dude is a pre-Cambrian Al Davis.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Priceless
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 25, 2009 7:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I saw CJ Wallace actually make a good ST tackle toward the end of the year
Which is more than I can say of Kent. Perhaps Kent is so much more noticable because his speed gives him opportunities. About the only play Kent would flourish in is a fake punt or FG, where he might be wide open downfield as a receiver.
by Groundhog on Jun 25, 2009 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
.....And then drop the pass.
Andy Reid is the only coach in NFL history that uses the pass to set up the pass.
by SSreporters on Jun 25, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Has Kent ever had a problem with his hands?
I thought that was Taylor.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 25, 2009 7:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Buffalo game
I think he was thrown to 5 times, and didn’t catch anything. Thrown into the fire, I think. It’s hard to be so conclusive as to say he has a problem catching the ball.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought that was Taylor, and Kent was put in as a last-resort in the 4th quarter.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 27, 2009 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, Kent was in the 4th quarter
I just mean, he wasn’t ready. And we got banged up before the first snap of the first game, and because of the good game against Chicago, they put him in. That game sucked. Everything was going wrong, and the team wasn’t playing well. It’s just hard to use that to get a good gauge on Kent, I think. Lost in coverage, can’t catch, etc. He did drop two passes, in the end zone, right to him. That’s frustrating. The other three weren’t good passes. It’s a miniscule body of work, and the jury is still out on all the natures of his game. We just know he’s tall and fast and sounds like a bright kid, that’s it.
by jacobstevens on Jun 29, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is why I love this place
What went right: Kent was productive in the preseason, catching eleven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He’s a good member of the community and not linked to any outstanding homicides.
What went wrong: Kent lacks ability to play football at the professional level.
by ninjasocks on Jun 25, 2009 12:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. I'd be happy if I just read that.
Early prospect watch: RB C.J. Spiller, QB Jevon Snead, OT Ciron Black, DT Gerald McCoy, S Eric Berry, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Ras-I Dowling 6'2, 200, RB Jonathan Dwyer
by Misfit74 on Jun 25, 2009 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed.
Everyone raves about height, speed, vertical, size, etc. because their attributes that can be measured. But I think things like catching the ball consistently, catching a good deep ball, knowing when to cut to get open, creating separation, and JM’s favorite, body control, are all things that can be improved (like speed), but are also natural gifts with a cutoff point depending on the individual. Kent can practice and learn all he wants, he’s not going to know how to get open like Jerry Rice even if he’s bigger, stronger, and faster.
by LantermanC on Jun 26, 2009 9:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But also because
it’s profoundly difficult to achieve the level of decent starter without adequate quantities of those measureables, relative to the field. Which — and I understand this is also commonly overstated — gradually increases over time.
And also because it’s exponentially difficult to be a standout game changing difference maker without superior physical attributes. In both cases, of course, they alone don’t constitute an above average player or even a player that has “the ability to play football at the professional level.” I get that.
But when it comes to investing a substantial expense in a high round prospect, who can be faulted for wanting tangible evidence of great potential?
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 9:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Potential
Perhaps I’m part of that “Maddenization fanbase” but I see a lot of potential in Kent. I understand why he doesn’t have more potential than a relatively slow Anquan Boldin but what makes Boldin so good (great hands and YAC) is not what could make Kent “good.” He’ll never be good after the catch but he could be good if he can consistently make the catch.
It’s a difficult thing to explain but if he puts together a couple good games in the pre-season, he could “click” and become a starting caliber receiver basically over night. Confidence can do wonders for a player like him. He’s still pretty new to the game and hasn’t really developed a style for himself yet so there’s still hope in my opinion.
I know it’s a long shot but with the plethora of other receivers with more football skills but less physical abilities I hope we continue to give him chances to find that confidence he lacks.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 25, 2009 1:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The problem I have with assertions about confidence is that
A player is said to have confidence only after they’ve proven themselves capable. Otherwise, that player is said to be arrogant. So the argument is principally saying that once Kent has proven himself capable of playing receiver in the NFL, he has a lot better chance to be a great receiver in the NFL. I don’t think Kent needs confidence, I think he needs something to be confident about.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Granted, and well said
but self-confidence, warranted or not, is still a catalyst for higher performance.
That said, I have no idea if lack of confidence is a problem for Kent at all, and am not asserting that.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm interested how you might prove or support that self-confidence is a catalyst for higher performance.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Experience
Have you really had experience that suggests otherwise? Call it truthiness, if you want, but if it’s not falsifiable it’s not provable. It doesn’t have to be scientifically corroborated for me to know something like this is true. Most things in life, do, but not this.
Confidence is simply an enabler. If you really remain skeptical about that and expect some sort of scientific proof, I would be surprised, actually.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Simple support would suffice.
Because to me confidence is a post hoc description applied when someone has already proven themselves capable, and is in the same category as momentum, swagger, the hot hand or wanting it more. I don’t want scientific proof, I’m just curious how we could know someone is confident before they’ve shown the ability to succeed, and how we would know that the confidence itself made them more likely to succeed. It’s probably been studied somewhere.
by John Morgan on Jun 25, 2009 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry if I'm bristly
I see what you’re saying, and yeah, in sports, guys are given either side of that label according to performance, and it’s fallible, I get that.
How to know if Kent has confidence, is beyond me. Spending time around him, and having a good frame of reference around other players, established, receivers, and prospects, I could get a sense, I suppose. But no I definitely can’t prognosticate what a prospect has or lacks in that category.
I think I mis-read you, as though you doubted whether confidence makes a difference or not. Your other points, I’m not refuting in the slightest.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think the ST aspect of Kent's "game" does point to a lack of pro football ability
Alex Bannister lacked a lot of fundamental skills at WR, but point the dude at a kick returner downfield and he turned into a freaking monster. I’d be thrilled if Kent could somehow become some kind of cross between Bannister and Kassim Osgood but I just don’t see it. Trading up for Butler pretty well sealed Kent’s fate.
by lemonverbena on Jun 26, 2009 8:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kent is beyond atrovious as a gunner
Obomanu, Taylor, Bumpus, Kent & McMullen are competing for two, if not one, roster spot. If Kent has a preseason like last year, and demonstrates he’s starting to get it, in camp, he might earn one. I think he has the edge over all but the Auburn duo. But he’s more likely PS fodder than active roster.
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 9:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No way Kent has the edge over Obomanu
If we cut him for anything but injury reasons a team like New England would snatch him up and turn him into a productive pro. In my opinion.
by lemonverbena on Jun 26, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It worked so well for Chad Jackson.
by abender20 on Jun 26, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Florida WR
Because I like to generalize
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 27, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
By Auburn duo
I mean, Obomanu and Taylor, for edge on making the active roster. I never saw what the team saw, in Taylor, allegedly explosive, but notwithstanding his miserable attempt at production last year, he’s not got much weakness, and does have a toolset that’s good. I would avoid the word promising. But anyway it wouldn’t surprise me for Taylor to also develop to the point where he’d get picked over Kent.
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice write up.
I’m looking for Kent to be dumped this year. He’s about half the talent of Courtney Taylor, and that’s not saying much.
Stacey Nelson throws flaming screwballs.
It's great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Jun 25, 2009 1:38 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
and half the arrogance
maybe some magical day Taylor will reach “confidence” status, but I’m not seeing that one either.
by B.B.Finnegan on Jun 25, 2009 2:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kent can produce in the preseason.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 25, 2009 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well said
It’s sort of backwards logic. He needs something to be confident about to acquire the confidence needed to make the plays that would make him confident… haha yeah. That’s why I’m in full support of giving him plenty of opportunities find that confidence in the pre-season. He’s unique to our receiving corps in that he has the physical abilities to be truly dangerous if he develops.
I’m not holding my breath but I hope he gets plenty of looks this pre-season on the off chance he maybe finds that confidence somewhere.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 25, 2009 1:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The truth is...
His size and speed mean he does have the most potential as a true WR between him, Payne, Obo, Taylor, Hass, and Bumpus. He’ll never be a very good special teamer so it’s all or not in his case. But the fact remains, he does have the most potential as a WR. I want him to see a lot of looks this pre-season. The hope is he’ll “click” by the time Burleson and Branch hit the road. There isn’t much hope but the upside if he does develop is enough for me right now.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 25, 2009 3:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't think his size and speed give him an edge.
He can’t run routes, he can’t catch, and he can’t get separation. I’d take any of the other ones over him. In fact, if I could rank them, it would be:
-Obomanu
-Hass
-Bumpus
-Payne
-Taylor
-Kent
Stacey Nelson throws flaming screwballs.
It's great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Jun 26, 2009 5:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why Hass?
We haven’t even seen him in preseason.
by Built2Spill on Jun 26, 2009 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with the Obomanu ranking. Obo is nice and I hope we find a place for him.
Taylor doesn’t appear to have the mental makeup, as others have pointed out.
by lemonverbena on Jun 26, 2009 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You say edge
he said potential. You’d take the other prospects over him, and that’s fine, but let’s face it that’s because of floor, not ceiling. I would pick Obomanu over all of them, as well. But because you pick Kent last does not mean he doesn’t have the most potential (to me, second most).
I don’t think he can run routes, either. But whether he can catch, is debatable. He can pull in some balls. Different story in a live game, Buffalo was atrocious. But it was one game, so we’ll see. You & John say he can’t get separate. Pure BS. He has problems with a lot of routes, even still. It would be a compliment to him, to say he’s raw. He wasn’t facing Asomugha on ever play in the preseason, of course, but on skinny posts he burned his man and at least one time even the safety, with ease. Separation. On the out route, or the come back, no, not so much.
It’s just such a slim body of work. Did he prove himself? No, not in the slightest. Do you guys have cause to be so conclusive about his chances? Not remotely.
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kent won't make the team this year.
We have plenty of good receivers so whoever makes the team will need to be a special teams contributor. My money is on Payne and/or Obo. Like I said before, Kent has the most potential as a true WR. Chances are he’ll never fulfill his potential but it’s not like we have much riding on his success. Route running can be learned, good hands all depends on whether he can make it happen in a game… but 6-4, 219 with 4.5 speed is god given ability.
Best case scenario he becomes a poor man’s Randy Moss. If could somehow happen then we could have a developed Deon Butler at the other flanker with ever reliable Housh is the slot 3 years from now. A lot can change in 3 years but that’s really what we’re talking about for a Jordan Kent.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 26, 2009 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right, good point.
Since he is ST atrocious, he won’t make the team this year. Yeah, I very much agree with your assessment.
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 1:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Payne looks like our worst offensive player.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 27, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
McMullen?
Or does his lack of potential discount him entirely?
by Ezzra on Jun 26, 2009 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ah Billy
MuMullen probably IS the best WR of the lesser group this year, but he doesn’t do much for ST either. He’s 29, has some size and savvy but will never be more than a journeyman space filler. Billy wouldn’t see the field with everyone healthy. Hopefully we can sign him to the practice squad as insurance in case of season ending injuries at WR. That is unless Kent DOES really show something this off season at which point I’d show him the road.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 26, 2009 7:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
McMullen is an established veteran with Super Bowl experience.
I doubt he’s still eligible for the practice squad considering how long he’s been in the league.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 27, 2009 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh I'm aware.
He’s a journeyman fill in. Camp is not necessarily the team he will end up with. He goes where he’s needed. Ours is a good camp for him because there’s a relatively good chance of a serious injury to a starting WR this preseason.
Why would we need him if everyone’s pretty healthy? Split 4th WR duties with Butler?
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 29, 2009 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You learn something new every day
I guess I’m one of those people who are young enough that they don’t have a drivers license yet and used to think that size and strength = ultimate potential. Now that I really think about it, I guess that equation is false. As far as Kent goes: I think if he doesn’t break out into being a decent player in the next year or two his future in the NFL is nonexistent. Arena League Football?
by TheSteelersRuinedMyBirthday on Jun 25, 2009 4:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He has to show something this preseason, actually.
Not break out. But earn a roster spot.
by jacobstevens on Jun 25, 2009 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the clouds open and he tears it up in the pre-season we'll cut Branch and he's on the squad
That’s a tall order though and I’m all but certain it won’t happen. More likely he makes a couple nice catches and more than a couple “shoulda been” catches. Might make it next year.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 26, 2009 8:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know.
I think he’s behind Obi-Wan and Taylor in development and thus unlikely to make the roster, but still has far more upside than Hass, Bumpus, and Payne.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 25, 2009 7:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
So he stinks the least of the six turds, then?
Early prospect watch: RB C.J. Spiller, QB Jevon Snead, OT Ciron Black, DT Gerald McCoy, S Eric Berry, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Ras-I Dowling 6'2, 200, RB Jonathan Dwyer
by Misfit74 on Jun 25, 2009 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey John
This is off topic but I was hoping you might do a retrospective of Kyle Williams. One of my biggest concerns this year is depth/injury concerns at tackle. We got to see a fair amount of him last year. Did I not hear his name messing up too much because Seneca was able to evade whoever he was guarding or because he’s a semi-respectable backup?
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 26, 2009 2:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Good request
He’s one I really have no idea about, but had been worried, previously when a lot of people I know has so much positive things to say about him (relatively speaking, of course), particularly in the context of life after Walter Jones and the tackle prospects at 4th overall.
by jacobstevens on Jun 26, 2009 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Williams was moved to Guard..
I don’t know why all the concern over Williams ability??? One (per Clare’s depth chart – Line Dancing) he was moved to guard for MC and “if” he sticks with the team and is versatile, he’s our 4th option at tackle, not the savior.
Ok, if you’re concerned and it’s a problem you gotta have a solution so what’s your option for 4th tackle? Remembering you might need special teams players and keep costs in check, what the answer….how about Tom Ashworth and $1.5M ?
by any1418 on Jun 29, 2009 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
WOW!
Over 50 comments on Jordan Kent, what is the world coming to.
Last I checked Kent will be lucky to make the team this year. He seems like a nice guy, but at the end of the day Brach, Housh, Butler, Burleson and Obo are the main five (but I really don’t know 100% about Obo). Then you have Hass, Payne, Kent, Taylor, Bumpus and McMullen fighting for the 6th spot (if the team keeps six). I would say Taylor stays and Bumpus goes to the PS for one more year, just my guess.
Kent would have to start on fire to get noticed this traing camp and pre season, he’s just not an NFL WR (yet).
by JustinWF on Jun 26, 2009 4:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
We are Seahawks-deprived.
Stacey Nelson throws flaming screwballs.
It's great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Jun 27, 2009 6:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Mariners have been fun to watch recently.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 27, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
True,
and I can’t stand soccer. But both teams are reasonable options to pass the time until training camp news starts flooding in.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Jun 28, 2009 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't do baseball.
And as fun as I had playing soccer for 11 years, I’ve never been interested in watching it on television.
…And even if I was, I’d only root for the Sounders until the Timbers came about.
Stacey Nelson throws flaming screwballs.
It's great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Jun 28, 2009 4:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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