he didnt run 5.0. can we just round up or down now? if so, everyone else for LSU ran a 5.0 including doucet and zenon. they dont take lbs as undersized as ali often but that surely doesnt mean he cannot make a roster and have a decent career. i thought mcfadden was fast too even before he went to his combine. I didnt need a scout or stopwatch to tell me. you know, that guy ali continually tackled, sometimes even from behind. outside of the first rd, nfl teams are more often wrong that right. its ok to think for yourself sometimes.
OK so he was 4.78 40. Round down if you want to. The guy ran a 4.3 for all I care but the proof is in the pudding........32 teams didn't draft a guy after 270 picks. A LB at 4.78 was obviously close enough to 5.0 to NOT draft him. If he's quicker on a football field to play ball in the NFL then he'll make the Cardinals roster. If not he won't. And using the size deal is wrong I think. Every scout knew what he weighed and had him projected as a 3rd or 4th rounder.....UNTIL he ran close to a 5.0 40. To me, his lack of NFL speed caused him to be passed with EVERY pick in the draft. I'm not saying it's right or wrong but the thread was "what happened to Ali Highsmith in the draft" was it not? What was wrong was he ran too slow in the 40. Didn't take Kojak to close that case. Oh and Ali or anyone else for that matter didn't tackle McFadden enough from behind the past 2 years. He ran for 450 yards in 2 games against Ali. McFadden appears fast on TV and backed it up running on first clock a 4.29.
It probably plays a huge part in most of them who do leave. However, we've had 2 players in the last few years who left because both of their moms had cancer and did not have the financial means to get treatment. I have a lot of respect for players who do go back and earn their degree especially if it's a highly popular and recognizable player like Shaq. :thumb:
Of course his speed cost him. But his speed only cost him because of his size. If he were bigger or could put a hand down he would easily have been drafted with that speed. They work hand in hand.
clearly its his speed because at his size hes considered a speed linebacker. and they watched him for years as well never questioning his 40 time. it was obvious his speed was no problem against top bcs/sec backs. his football speed was not only considered "not slow" but his was considered very fast. yet stopwatches now override their football smarts when it comes to combines nowadays. this is something tb3 and I discussed regarding chevis jackson. guy is a player at corner despite his slow speed.
I gotta say, though - I screamed at the TV more than once a game because Ali was getting burned by backs or WRs. I always felt he was a vulnerability in pass coverage. I remember watching Laureneitis and Highsmith in the Dome and thinking that #33 was clearly as good at covering the pass as the rush - Highsmith not so much.
I agree with you on size related to speed. No one ever questioned it until he ran a poor 40 time. And at the combine, I thought he ran a 5.0 or damned close to it and that had everyone talking........in the negative sense. I think Ali was a fine college LB but ala, Trev Faulk, I don't know if he's an NFL LB. Bradie James made it because he bulked up and can still outrun Ali in the 40. And I'm with you, I think Chevis Jackson is an NFL corner somewhere.
If anyone actually watched the draft they kept showing highlights of Mcfaddend running all over us. And on the play when McFadden runs around the left side of the line to sideline and down the field for the touchdown before he even gets to the line Ali meets Mcfadden in the backfield and Mcfadden just throws him to the ground with his right arm. When I saw that I was like damn I don't remember Ali getting punk'd like that. Anyways I thought Ali filled a need for us on Defense and I have enjoyed watching him over the years. I hope he can fill a need for the Cards or some other NFL team.
Ali made a lot of plays for us on defense because of his nose for the football and reading the offense. I was surprised by his slow 40 time. I really thought he would get drafted. Speed is the issue and will be in NFL.
