This articlediscusses highly drafted pass rushing specialists (mostly defensive ends) and how many of them have been utter busts. Interesting stat:
"Eight pass rushers taken in the first three rounds last year did not record a sack as a rookie." Clay Matthews and Brian Orakpo were the only two rookie pass rushers who did well.
And this:
"Overall, leading up to the 2009 season, 14 other rookie pass rushers did not make much improvement at all in their second season. Some even fell victim to the sophomore jinx and recorded fewer sacks in their second season. Studying the classes of 2007 and 2008 suggests there are far better odds a pass rusher who struggled as a rookie will be just as unproductive in his follow-up campaign. Here's a scary thought: pass rushers who struggled as rookies might not make that leap in their third year either. Are the offensive lines improving in the NFL or has the level of talent on the defensive line fallen off?"
The answer is that most of the best talent isn't being developed, on either side of the line,in favor of an extreme affirmative action policy in favor of blacks.
<H1>Miller Time: NFL's ‘sophomore jinx' more real than you think</H1>
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<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 15px" =timestamp>Published: Tuesday, June 1, 2010 12:10 PM CDT
<DIV id=storytext>Any NFL fan is aware of the term "sophomore jinx."Â Anytime a player or coach has an outstanding rookie season only to turn around and fall flat during their second season, the term gets thrown around quite a bit.
However, most of the time, when it comes to rookie defensive linemen (especially those who specialize in pass rushing) make a major leap from their rookie season to their second year.
But, I'm not ready to hold my breath just yet. A lot of times, I've noticed that if a defensive lineman struggles in his rookie year, odds are he still won't be much of an asset to his team in his second year.
I understand the logic behind hoping for a breakthrough season in a player's sophomore season. They become more comfortable with the system. They don't have to deal with all the distractions from the draft and have a little more experience handling their newfound wealth. So, all they have to do is concentrate on improving their technique.
But, despite those advantages, it's still not easy to improve from being a nonproductive rookie to a major contributor in the second year. With that in mind, let's take a look at the pass rushers from the 2009 draft. Washington's Brian Orakpo and Green Bay's Clay Matthews were outstanding in their rookie seasons. Orakpo recorded 11 sacks while Matthews registered 10. But, they were the only standouts in their position out of their class. So, the question becomes what can they do next year?
Eight pass rushers taken in the first three rounds last year did not record a sack as a rookie. Kansas City's Tyson Jackson started 14 games and failed to get to the quarterback even once. So, what can fans expect from Jackson and his draft classmates?
To answer that, you need only to look at the 2008 draft class and see how they did in 2009. Every general manager in the NFL is hoping they have the next Calais Campbell of the Cardinals. Campbell did not record a single sack his rookie season in limited action, but had seven in his second year. Campbell credited playing with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Darnell Dockett for his success, but also said he could've been better if not for some "near misses."Â Campbell is the success story that many second-year players will look to emulate this season. But, for every Campbell, there are probably four or five guys like him who don't record a single sack in their second year either. Draftees Vernon Gholston, Kentwan Balmer, Chris Ellis and Bryan Smith from 2008 all went
sackless in 2009 as well.
Truth be told, most guys who go sackless in his rookie season could probably expect to get one or two in his second year. So what is the possibility the rookies from last year who showed some pass rushing skills can increase their output next year? Houston's Connor Barwin had 4.5 sacks last year, Matt Shaughnessey had four while Michael Johnson had three. San Diego's Larry English had two, Everett Brown had 2.5 and Clint Smith got to the quarterback once last year.
Overall, leading up to the 2009 season, 14 other rookie pass rushers did not make much improvement at all in their second season. Some even fell victim to the sophomore jinx and recorded fewer sacks in their second season. Studying the classes of 2007 and 2008 suggests there are far better odds a pass rusher who struggled as a rookie will be just as unproductive in his follow-up campaign. Here's a scary thought: pass rushers who struggled as rookies might not make that leap in their third year either. Are the offensive lines improving in the NFL or has the level of talent on the defensive line fallen off? That's anybody's guess. But, if your fantasy team features a defense with a second-year pass rusher â€" don't expect miracles.
â€" Chad Miller
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/06/01/sports/doc4c045038911bd024826612.txt
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