There's numerous threads in the draft forum where I tried to get the point across that Ja'Waun James wasn't nearly the reach at #19 as the popular myth that has always seemed to be constantly repeated says he was. I've heard it so many times...yet I've never heard
why. Never heard it substantiated with anything why this kid who just went out and did his job better than most anybody else, and was the best right tackle in the draft, was a reach in the latter portion of the 1st round. People just like repeating it.
Even the talking heads and media scouts that claim they had 2nd/3rd round grades on James. I've read their scouting reports and opinions of him. There's a discrepancy there. They point out the obvious and boast about his prototype frame, length, experience as a starter, durability, consistency, and ability to always do the job in pass protection... over and over again. Yet they slap him with a 2nd/3rd round grade... and they don't even know why.
So what was missing? The answer is hype.
Too busy hyping up players like Cyrus Kouandjio as 1st round picks who were going out and getting beat like a drum every week. I know because I watched it. And here we are, the same place we always were. As far as I know, James has yet to give a sack or even a pressure thusfar in preaseason, while guys like Kouandjio have went out struggled just like he did last year for Alabama.
Ja'Waun James was an absolute rock for Tennessee on the offensive line
all 4 years of his career as a starter. And for 4 years the hype never caught up to what he was doing on the field. He allowed Tyler Bray, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Justin Hunter be the most prolific offense Tennessee had seen in years. The point is, the only reason he was ever considered a reach in the first place was because he always managed to stay under the radar of the hype machine. Unlike Kouandjio or Taylor Lewan. James just never had anybody with a voice speak up for him because the Vols were bottom feeders in the SEC. That's the only reason why there was ever any talk of him being a reach in the first place. His play on the field told an entirely different story.
It's the same thing now with the hype around Cedric Ogbuehi receiving hype as a top 10 pick for 2015...who was destroyed by Dee Ford's pass rushing ability. Ja'Waun James locked Dee Ford down. Went to the Senior Bowl and was the best offensive tackle there all week. Still, nobody would speak up for him. He was still a reach.... while "1st round pick Cyrus Koundjio" is busy doing this against a true freshman Carl Lawson in the Iron Bowl....
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Here we are again, almost to September....in the same place we always were. James is once again, just going out and doing his job better than most. Still flying under the radar. But here's the deal.... sooner or later, people are going to have to take notice. The still unfounded reach talk will have to cease. It's not difficult. Folks are just going to have to stop parroting what they hear and read about these kids, and start watching some football on Saturdays. That's the only advice I have for 'em.
