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Thanks fanfin for the excellent compilations. Thank you also Max Lukas for making them (and I hope you're on phinheaven!). I have to question whether these are all the targets for Hartline though, as I seem to remember a few more. These underscore several things for me.
Hartline:
1. Best sideline footwork in the NFL, we would be foolish to waste this in the slot. The QB can throw the ball out of boundes and Hartline catches it with his feet in bounds consistently. That's virtually indefensable.
2. Great route runner. The WCO demands a lot of timing routes and precisely run routes. Hartline was phenomenal at this, always running to the correct spot, always breaking his routes correctly and at the right time, always being where the QB wants him to be.
3. Defends his QB's pass. Hartline routinely comes back to the ball when the QB intentionally throws him open short. This doesn't sound like much but I'd say at least 1/3 of the NFL fails to do this and it causes interceptions.
4. Good hands. Hartline seems to have exceptional hands, consistently coming down with the ball in traffic and making catches at full stretch. He sacrafices his body willingly and holds onto the ball. He fumbled once (Stephon Gilmore with the strip and Jarius Byrd with the recovery ... I'd love to hav ethose two players!). But, it seems that a few non-catches are missing from these montages. Perhaps it's just my memory failing, but I thought he had a few more bounce off his hands.
5. Good downfield blocker. These highlights don't show it because Hartline is the target, but he's a very good downfield blocker. Willing and capable, he is the type of WR that would allow a great RAC guy to break plays long. Cordarrelle Patterson would love him.
6. Can't run the fade effectively in the red zone. Sure, he's 6'2 and has a little speed, but CB's seem to elevate and bat the ball away on the short red zone field. They also get an arm into the catch and rip/rake it away.
7. Can be single covered. Hartline can abuse some CB's in single coverage, even good ones like Aqib Talib, but some athletic corners can blanket him effectively. This is true of all WR's, but it's worth noting.
Tannehill:
1. Perfectly in sync with Hartline. They both read the play the same way and are on the same page. Makes for an incredibly smooth battery.
2. Only 1 pass even had a chance to be intercepted. When a QB throws a WR for 1k yardage and has zero INT's and only 1 that even had a chance to be intercepted, that's dominant by coaching standards. How do you let that WR walk in free agency? Answer: you don't. Unless there were more targets not shown, this is the most impressive part of these videos--that Tannehill correctly threw the ball where it could not be intercepted a ton of times, Hartline made tremendous catches in traffic or toe-hangers over the sideline and we never put the ball at risk.
People see Hartline as white and without true deep speed. They immediately think he's a below-average receiver and probably best in the slot, neither of which is correct. Hartline is definitely an outside receiver. He has a little speed and makes tremendous hands catches even when contested in traffic. The WCO requires precise route running, understanding and awareness to break your routes correctly, and good hands. Hartline is exceptional at all of these areas. I can't see Philbin and Sherman letting Hartline go. Ireland wants to hold onto him to prove he can find acorns. Hartline is a good receiver who will be resigned IMHO.
Hartline:
1. Best sideline footwork in the NFL, we would be foolish to waste this in the slot. The QB can throw the ball out of boundes and Hartline catches it with his feet in bounds consistently. That's virtually indefensable.
2. Great route runner. The WCO demands a lot of timing routes and precisely run routes. Hartline was phenomenal at this, always running to the correct spot, always breaking his routes correctly and at the right time, always being where the QB wants him to be.
3. Defends his QB's pass. Hartline routinely comes back to the ball when the QB intentionally throws him open short. This doesn't sound like much but I'd say at least 1/3 of the NFL fails to do this and it causes interceptions.
4. Good hands. Hartline seems to have exceptional hands, consistently coming down with the ball in traffic and making catches at full stretch. He sacrafices his body willingly and holds onto the ball. He fumbled once (Stephon Gilmore with the strip and Jarius Byrd with the recovery ... I'd love to hav ethose two players!). But, it seems that a few non-catches are missing from these montages. Perhaps it's just my memory failing, but I thought he had a few more bounce off his hands.
5. Good downfield blocker. These highlights don't show it because Hartline is the target, but he's a very good downfield blocker. Willing and capable, he is the type of WR that would allow a great RAC guy to break plays long. Cordarrelle Patterson would love him.
6. Can't run the fade effectively in the red zone. Sure, he's 6'2 and has a little speed, but CB's seem to elevate and bat the ball away on the short red zone field. They also get an arm into the catch and rip/rake it away.
7. Can be single covered. Hartline can abuse some CB's in single coverage, even good ones like Aqib Talib, but some athletic corners can blanket him effectively. This is true of all WR's, but it's worth noting.
Tannehill:
1. Perfectly in sync with Hartline. They both read the play the same way and are on the same page. Makes for an incredibly smooth battery.
2. Only 1 pass even had a chance to be intercepted. When a QB throws a WR for 1k yardage and has zero INT's and only 1 that even had a chance to be intercepted, that's dominant by coaching standards. How do you let that WR walk in free agency? Answer: you don't. Unless there were more targets not shown, this is the most impressive part of these videos--that Tannehill correctly threw the ball where it could not be intercepted a ton of times, Hartline made tremendous catches in traffic or toe-hangers over the sideline and we never put the ball at risk.
People see Hartline as white and without true deep speed. They immediately think he's a below-average receiver and probably best in the slot, neither of which is correct. Hartline is definitely an outside receiver. He has a little speed and makes tremendous hands catches even when contested in traffic. The WCO requires precise route running, understanding and awareness to break your routes correctly, and good hands. Hartline is exceptional at all of these areas. I can't see Philbin and Sherman letting Hartline go. Ireland wants to hold onto him to prove he can find acorns. Hartline is a good receiver who will be resigned IMHO.
