Dolphins rookie Jakeem Grant must avoid becoming 2016's Phillip Livas | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Dolphins rookie Jakeem Grant must avoid becoming 2016's Phillip Livas

Perfect72

Perfect72

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[FONT=&quot]During the Summer of 2011, many Dolphin fans were rightly excited by the most electric return man the team had had on its roster in years. His name was Phillip Livas, and the undrafted rookie from Louisiana Tech was a human highlight reel during training camp. He then continued his exciting play into the preseason, returning a punt for a touchdown in a road win at Atlanta.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]As September drew near, however, the team inexplicably waived Livas, in favor of another rookie receiver, opting to keep the 'all-speed-no-hands-no-receiving-skills'Clyde Gates instead.

Gates ended up being nearly invisible during his time in Miami and subsequently washed out with the New York Jets, while Livas, who spent time in the Baltimore Ravens organization, never played a regular-season game in the NFL, and last played for Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos, a couple of years ago.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

This spring, the Dolphins drafted Texas Tech's Jakeem Grant in the sixth round, and the hope among the team's fans is that Grant will do more than become just an answer to a trivia question a few years from now. Grant was a four-way threat during his college days, producing big plays on the ground and through the air, as well as on punt and kickoff returns.

More at LINK: http://www.thephinsider.com/2016/6/10/11894830/grant-must-avoid-becoming-this-years-phillip-livas

Hopefully the kid makes it. Would love to see some electric returns in the regular season as well as give Landry a break.

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I grew up in Australia many years ago and followed the AFL (Australian Football League). It's a totally different game with different skills required. However, a young player emerged who all of the experts agreed was far too short and far too light to make it. He attracted attention in reserve grade and at practice because he was so fast and so talented but everyone said its a pity that he's too small and the big guys will splatter him (he was 5'5" and 138 lbs). Eventually he was given a chance and guess what, he excelled. Someone forgot to tell the player that he couldn't succeed. Within a few weeks he was a star player and the team was winning and the media ceased fixating on his size deficiency and recognized his great talent. He went on to play over 230 games on very successful teams and then became a highly successful coach.
The point that I make is that it can be easy to fixate on Jakeem's height and weight and say that he can't make it. However, on very very rare occasions a player can emerge with great speed and develop other talents. Statistically, Jakeem has a tough path to make it in the NFL but it is not impossible. He has probably been told that he was too small to play football for most of his life but he may be like the AFL player I referred to above who was simply so good - so quick and so adept at turning on a dime, that he avoided the serious injuries.
I for one, am rooting for Jakeem Grant to succeed. It wouldn't surprise me.
 
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Jakeem Grant is on another planet when it comes to being a wide receiver compared to Livas and Gates.
 
Livas was never the receiver Grant has been. Grant was never the punt returner that Livas was. People need to remember Grant is Texas Tech's All-Time leading receiver and he's returned a total of one punt. He did a decent job returning kickoffs, but nothing with punts. As a kickoff returner Grant had a career average of 24.5 yard and four touchdowns. Those are decent numbers but there are better pure returners that weren't drafted.. Espn has his punt return stats as 1 for 0 yards. I've seen others that said he didn't even have a single attempted punt return.

Some people are saying Grant needs to show that he's more than just a returner, he needs to show some receiving skills too. I think he needs to show that he's more than just a receiver, the returning skills would be the icing on the cake. Come preseason don't be shocked if he makes more plays with the offense than he does returning kicks.
 
Grant and Livas are two Very different talents with the emphasis on talent.

First, lively was tricky, cool moves. But nothing even close to grants moves and speed.

And Second, grant was a starting legit, productive wr at a big college and isnt just some return only guy that had to have a position that might as well say punter as well as wr or rb. Most return specialists are just that. Grant was well over a thousand yds with 10 scores at wr, not to mention his 3 scores returning kicks and punts his senior season.

Grant is a REAL DEAL football player, lively wasnt. Zero comparison.
 
Well gates was a mid round pick that year so it was expected he'd make the roster over an udfa
 
Grant reminds me somewhat of Tyler Lockett. A bit shorter and faster, but not as polished a route runner. Hands aren't quite as good either. But, like Lockett, both were undersized and very productive against Big 12 competition. And both had to work exceptionally hard to beat the odds because neither met "prototype" measurables. Lockett was 5'8" but played like 6'2" because he did all the little things exceptionally. Grant needs to learn to play "big" at the pro level.
 
Any time anyone mentions a preseason hero, I think of livas. Almost every time
 
spiketex said:
I grew up in Australia many years ago and followed the AFL (Australian Football League). It's a totally different game with different skills required. However, a young player emerged who all of the experts agreed was far too short and far too light to make it. He attracted attention in reserve grade and at practice because he was so fast and so talented but everyone said its a pity that he's too small and the big guys will splatter him (he was 5'5" and 138 lbs). Eventually he was given a chance and guess what, he excelled. Someone forgot to tell the player that he couldn't succeed. Within a few weeks he was a star player and the team was winning and the media ceased fixating on his size deficiency and recognized his great talent. He went on to play over 230 games on very successful teams and then became a highly successful coach.
The point that I make is that it can be easy to fixate on Jakeem's height and weight and say that he can't make it. However, on very very rare occasions a player can emerge with great speed and develop other talents. Statistically, Jakeem has a tough path to make it in the NFL but it is not impossible. He has probably been told that he was too small to play football for most of his life but he may be like the AFL player I referred to above who was simply so good - so quick and so adept at turning on a dime, that he avoided the serious injuries.
I for one, am rooting for Jakeem Grant to succeed. It wouldn't surprise me.
Click to expand...

Maybe you can explain the game to me sometime, because I'm just not grasping it; which is too bad, because I live relatively close to Suncorp Stadium.

---------- Post added at 11:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:47 AM ----------
LikeUntoGod said:
Thanks for reminding me that we cut Livas...
Click to expand...

And we never lived it down watching him break all those records.
 
Bad comparison....Similar kick return success in college....but Grant blows Livas away with his receiver production.
 
Grant is a midget by NFL standards so the odds are stacked against him but I hope he works out.
 
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