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coordinator0
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
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 Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:20 pm Post subject: 98th Pick - Gino Gradkowski |
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With the 98th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select:
_lg.jpg)
Gino Gradkowski, OG/C, Delaware
*No scouting reports available.
Matt Birk is on his last legs in the NFL and the interior depth of the offensive line is abysmal at best. Gino is the brother of NFL QB Bruce Gradkowski and attended the alma matter of Ravens QB Joe Flacco. Gradkowski will be able to develop for a year or two behind Birk and by that time he might be ready to take over the starting C position for Baltimore. His physical attributes are better than most of the other center prospects left on the board and he had a large number of pre-draft visits. |
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diamondbull424
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Posts: 10017
Location: Baltimore, MD
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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This is what I posted for Gradkowski in FFMD2. I think as you can see he's a very interesting player and he WANTED to come to Baltimore. He even mentioned playing behind Birk in particular. Gradkowski could also potentially compete for that LG spot. I'm sure Osemele and Reid will probably have the upper hand, but let's not discount Gradkowski in this competition, he could compete... he's our first 4th round pick, that has to say something about how highly we view this guy.
| diamondbull424 wrote: | With the 198th Pick the Baltimore Ravens select... Gino Gradkowski, OC/OG, Delaware.
| diamondbull424 wrote: | _lg.jpg)
| CBSSports Profile wrote: | OVERVIEW
Gradkowski grew up in Pittsburgh and originally enrolled at West Virginia, where cousin Carmen Connolly was a wide receiver. But it wasn't until Gradkowski transferred to Delaware that he emerged as an NFL prospect...
He was a two-year starter at Delaware, and was named to the 2011 AFCA FCS All-America team as a senior, voted on by the coaches...
Gradkowski, the younger brother of Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, said he tries to emulate veteran NFL centers like Ravens six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk and Green Bay Packers center Jeff Saturday.
"Hopefully, I wind up on a team with a veteran guy," Gino Gradkowski said. "Baltimore would be a great situation for me. To learn behind Matt Birk would be awesome and be able to pick his brain."
Strengths:
Smart, assignment sound blocker with good awareness... Coachable with the desire to be the best... Tough and gritty, playing with a chip on his shoulder. Versatile with playing experience at all three interior line spots... Prides himself on fundamentals and plays to his strengths... Tough-minded with natural leadership qualities... Plays with a competitive drive and blue collar mentality.
Weaknesses:
Only average size and length. Lacks overpowering strength to dominate defenders on brute power alone... Not a natural knee bender... Tends to get grabby and rely on his upper body strength when beat... Played at a lower level of competition... |
We don't just draft prospects... we make dreams happen. 
Welcome to Baltimore Gino! |
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Blind arrogance sows the field of it's own destruction. - Commander Greil, Fire Emblem
Last edited by diamondbull424 on Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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drd23
Joined: 26 Oct 2010
Posts: 5001
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:32 pm Post subject: Re: 98th Pick - Gino Gradkowski |
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| coordinator0 wrote: | | *No scouting reports available. |
Found one!
| Quote: | Strengths: Smart, assignment sound blocker with good awareness, keeping his head on a swivel. Professional makeup and coachable with the desire to be the best and doesn't cheat his ability. Tough and gritty, playing with a chip on his shoulder. Versatile with playing experience at all three interior line spots. Heady with high football IQ and very good bloodlines. Prides himself on fundamentals and plays to his strengths, understanding what he's best at and where he needs to improve. Tough-minded with natural leadership qualities. Works hard to hone his craft and plays with a competitive drive and blue collar mentality.
Weaknesses: Only average size and length. Lacks overpowering strength to dominate defenders on brute power alone. Has stiff hips and lacks
the fluidity or ankle flexion to quickly redirect his momentum. Not a natural knee bender and needs to be more consistent dropping his hips and anchoring at the point of attack. Tends to get grabby and rely on his upper body strength when beat, latching on and stopping his feet. Played at a lower level of competition and didn't face top defensive linemen week-in and week-out. |
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1272356/gino-gradkowski
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diamondbull424
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Posts: 10017
Location: Baltimore, MD
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: 98th Pick - Gino Gradkowski |
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| drd23 wrote: | | coordinator0 wrote: | | *No scouting reports available. |
Found one!
| Quote: | Strengths: Smart, assignment sound blocker with good awareness, keeping his head on a swivel. Professional makeup and coachable with the desire to be the best and doesn't cheat his ability. Tough and gritty, playing with a chip on his shoulder. Versatile with playing experience at all three interior line spots. Heady with high football IQ and very good bloodlines. Prides himself on fundamentals and plays to his strengths, understanding what he's best at and where he needs to improve. Tough-minded with natural leadership qualities. Works hard to hone his craft and plays with a competitive drive and blue collar mentality.
Weaknesses: Only average size and length. Lacks overpowering strength to dominate defenders on brute power alone. Has stiff hips and lacks
the fluidity or ankle flexion to quickly redirect his momentum. Not a natural knee bender and needs to be more consistent dropping his hips and anchoring at the point of attack. Tends to get grabby and rely on his upper body strength when beat, latching on and stopping his feet. Played at a lower level of competition and didn't face top defensive linemen week-in and week-out. |
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1272356/gino-gradkowski |
I win! 
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Blind arrogance sows the field of it's own destruction. - Commander Greil, Fire Emblem |
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coordinator0
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Posts: 5873
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah I saw that after I made the thread too, I was just using the same three sites for the first few picks the Ravens had and none of those sites had any real scouting report on him. That report really pegs him as a Ravens type of player though. |
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Integrity
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 3871
Location: Columbia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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I like his versatility.
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coordinator0
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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| diamondbull424 wrote: | | Quote: | | With the 198th Pick the Baltimore Ravens select... Gino Gradkowski, OC/OG, Delaware. |
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Well we were kinda close... |
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drd23
Joined: 26 Oct 2010
Posts: 5001
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| coordinator0 wrote: | | diamondbull424 wrote: | | Quote: | | With the 198th Pick the Baltimore Ravens select... Gino Gradkowski, OC/OG, Delaware. |
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Well we were kinda close... |
We were better because we only had to use a pick 100 further down the list
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diamondbull424
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Posts: 10017
Location: Baltimore, MD
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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| coordinator0 wrote: | | diamondbull424 wrote: | | Quote: | | With the 198th Pick the Baltimore Ravens select... Gino Gradkowski, OC/OG, Delaware. |
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Well we were kinda close... |
I know right? Only what 100 or so picks difference?
But seriously, we drafted the 2nd center to go off the board... in the late 6th round, what a steal?! 
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Blind arrogance sows the field of it's own destruction. - Commander Greil, Fire Emblem |
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diamondbull424
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Posts: 10017
Location: Baltimore, MD
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| drd23 wrote: | | coordinator0 wrote: | | diamondbull424 wrote: | | Quote: | | With the 198th Pick the Baltimore Ravens select... Gino Gradkowski, OC/OG, Delaware. |
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Well we were kinda close... |
We were better because we only had to use a pick 100 further down the list |
Ya beat me to it! I'm going to go cry now. I should've retired when I had the chance. Your speed is too much for me to handle.. 
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Blind arrogance sows the field of it's own destruction. - Commander Greil, Fire Emblem |
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coordinator0
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Posts: 5873
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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| This is going to be a pick that's hard to judge. He's a nice option as an interior depth guy at all three positions and may be the guy they develop as the starting C behind Birk but we won't see him on the field for a year or two (barring injuries). I'm happy it wasn't Molk though, and since the team also brought in Jones it seems they liked Gradkowski better. |
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drd23
Joined: 26 Oct 2010
Posts: 5001
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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| coordinator0 wrote: | | This is going to be a pick that's hard to judge. He's a nice option as an interior depth guy at all three positions and may be the guy they develop as the starting C behind Birk but we won't see him on the field for a year or two (barring injuries). I'm happy it wasn't Molk though, and since the team also brought in Jones it seems they liked Gradkowski better. |
Because you couldn't bring yourself to root for a Wolverine?
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coordinator0
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| drd23 wrote: | | Because you couldn't bring yourself to root for a Wolverine? |
Pretty much. I don't like extremely undersized linemen either. |
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Dark ops
Joined: 23 Mar 2010
Posts: 95
Location: Los Angeles , CA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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Good pick as he apparently had a higher round grade and can come in and via for the vacant guard spot and also be penciled in as our center of the future.
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BALL SO HARD UNIVERSITY!!!!! |
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blueridge
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 57
Location: charlottesville,va
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Reach! What, did the Seahawks or Browns make this pick for Ozzie? Terrible value. Real cute, guys. It made me ill to see all of the guys we could have taken here, but didn't. Gino Gradkowski. Gino. Gradkowski. No matter how you say it, it just sucks. |
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