Torrey Smith

[RL52TheGreatest]

He needs to improve his hands and route-running, but I'm fine with the pick. Besides, Mike Wallace isn't exactly known for his route-running ability and you see what he does for Pitt on Sundays. Not saying that Torrey is as fast as Wallace, but one would hope that he can stretch the defense enough to open up the rest of the field.

Also, he seems like a really good kid and it seems hard not to root for him. The Ravens may have had a lot of trouble drafting WR's in the past, but hopefully Torrey (and Doss as well) can break that trend.

[Perfekt]

Am I the only one that thinks Doss will be the better reciever between the two? I hope hes a star cuz hes from here but I think Doss is the better option. Smith has the speed but Doss has the most important factor Flaccos trust.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='Perfekt' timestamp='1304366651' post='679969']
Am I the only one that thinks Doss will be the better reciever between the two? I hope hes a star cuz hes from here but I think Doss is the better option. Smith has the speed but Doss has the most important factor Flaccos trust.
[/quote]

Honestly I don't think it will matter. Lets not make their time here a battle. Smith vs Doss supporters vs haters, like we've done with most of the QBs here.

Doss and Smith will work well together because they will compliment each other. Pitta and Dickson will work well together at the TE position because they compliment each other well. Reed and Rice will fit well in the offense be they are really good in space underneath.

Of course Boldin, Mase, and Heap will continue to produce over the next few years or so.

But as far as Smith and Doss, it really doesn't matter who turns into the better WR. I think they both will be really good WR and if they work hard enough both could be stars. Both guys will fit well in the offense and produce. That's the most important thing imo.

[ravensfan2430]

[quote name='gabefergy' timestamp='1304177565' post='676755']
Spouting off made-up statistics does not improve your argument.
[/quote]
Really? What is your argument? What I said was true...

[JO_75]

[quote name='Perfekt' timestamp='1304366651' post='679969']
Am I the only one that thinks Doss will be the better receiver between the two? I hope hes a star cuz hes from here but I think Doss is the better option. Smith has the speed but Doss has the most important factor Flaccos trust.
[/quote]

I think both will be great, and I wouldn't call it Trust even though Joe did tell DeCosta he wanted Doss so maybe you can call it trust but we'll see how it plays out. Realistically, the best we can hope for is both turn to be great players for us.

By the way, where can I pre-order Torrey's Raven Jersey?

[AwakenTheDemon]

[quote name='Perfekt' timestamp='1304366651' post='679969']
Am I the only one that thinks Doss will be the better reciever between the two? I hope hes a star cuz hes from here but I think Doss is the better option. Smith has the speed but Doss has the most important factor Flaccos trust.
[/quote]

You're far from the only one who thinks Doss will end up being the better receiver of the two. People can clamor all they want about Smith, but Doss' hands are unreal and he's not far behind Smith in terms of speed. Plus, he's not a vocal guy, he prefers to let his play talk for him. Even though Smith is most likely going to get much more time on the field than Doss this season, I don't doubt that Tandon will turn into a good part of our offense in the future. Unless Torrey significantly improves his catching technique, Doss will be seen as the safer option to throw to. Hell, I'm hoping he develops a relationship with Flacco that resembles the Flacco-Mason connections we've all grown to love or hate.

[quote name='JO_75' timestamp='1304375862' post='680165']
I think both will be great, and I wouldn't call it Trust even though Joe did tell DeCosta he wanted Doss so maybe you can call it trust but we'll see how it plays out. Realistically, the best we can hope for is both turn to be great players for us.

[b]By the way, where can I pre-order Torrey's Raven Jersey?[/b]
[/quote]

Probably no where until this lovely lockout ends and Smith actually signs.

[flynismo]

[quote name='DuDe' timestamp='1304258707' post='678780']<br />Is it just me or does he compare to Reggie Wayne when Wayne came out?<br />[/quote]

it's just you.

Unless by Reggie Wayne, you really meant Bernard Berrian haha

[ravensfan2430]

[quote name='Perfekt' timestamp='1304366651' post='679969']
Am I the only one that thinks Doss will be the better reciever between the two? I hope hes a star cuz hes from here but I think Doss is the better option. Smith has the speed but Doss has the most important factor Flaccos trust.
[/quote]
no your not, i agree.

[Militant X 1]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1304367605' post='679982']
Honestly I don't think it will matter. [b]Lets not make their time here a battle. Smith vs Doss supporters vs haters, like we've done with most of the QBs here. [/b]Doss and Smith will work well together because they will compliment each other. Pitta and Dickson will work well together at the TE position because they compliment each other well. Reed and Rice will fit well in the offense be they are really good in space underneath.

Of course Boldin, Mase, and Heap will continue to produce over the next few years or so.

But as far as Smith and Doss, it really doesn't matter who turns into the better WR. I think they both will be really good WR and if they work hard enough both could be stars. Both guys will fit well in the offense and produce. That's the most important thing imo.
[/quote]

great point!

for some reason many people in here seem to have a "love-one" QB and "hate-the other" mentality when it comes to QBs on the Ravens roster!

~Mili

[scrock]

the biggest reason i can think of for Torrey Smith to succeed would be his childhood and everything he's overcome, those things make a person stronger and more determined to make a way of life, i think it could drive him to be very successful, so work ethic won't be something we have to worry about with this guy, he'll put in the work, his success will depend on his ability on the field, he's either a good player or he isnt

[gabefergy]

[quote name='ravensfan2430' timestamp='1304375195' post='680153']
Really? What is your argument? What I said was true...
[/quote]
you said

[quote]Oh and how many time did a pass fly over 25 yards in the air last year? Maybe 5, 6 times? If they want to use this guy correctly, they need to change up the playbook a bit. But we have been saying that for a while.
[/quote]

How is that not making up statistics? It might seem like we didnt go deep that often, but 5-6 passes over 25 yards is not even close to being factual.

And to your point about changing up the playbook, it's not as if we didnt try to run a vertical offense. We did. We just didnt have the playmakers to make it work. Our top 3 receivers were not deep threats at all, but we still saw them running routes downfield repeatedly throughout the season. Now that we may have a legitimate deep threat in Torrey Smith, it should allow the playbook to become more effective.

[AwakenTheDemon]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1304377437' post='680190']
the biggest reason i can think of for Torrey Smith to succeed would be his childhood and everything he's overcome, those things make a person stronger and more determined to make a way of life, i think it could drive him to be very successful, so work ethic won't be something we have to worry about with this guy, he'll put in the work, his success will depend on his ability on the field, he's either a good player or he isnt
[/quote]

No offense, but I'm tired about hearing about Smith's childhood and his character. Great, I love players with no character concerns and good work ethic. But when it comes time to put the pads on and play the game, your abilities on the field make the difference, not how cushy or rough your upbringing was.

Will his perceived work ethic help him drive to improve his game? Most likely, however there's still plenty of work to be done with Smith. No matter what Smith Lovers want to claim, he's still raw when it comes to the technique of his position. Unless he makes some miracle progress, his routes are going to be far from crisp and clean, and he's not going to be the most reliable option, especially on contested catches.

Again, I'm not knocking him for what he went through and has accomplished, I'm just so tired of hearing constantly, while his negatives are ignored by quite a few (not everyone, but certainly a fair number). After digesting the pick, I'm still not a fan, but he does have high potential, if his work ethic and desire to succeed is as high as his fans here claim it is.

[scrock]

[quote name='AwakenTheDemon' timestamp='1304378680' post='680207']
No offense, but I'm tired about hearing about Smith's childhood and his character. Great, I love players with no character concerns and good work ethic. But when it comes time to put the pads on and play the game, your abilities on the field make the difference, not how cushy or rough your upbringing was.

Will his perceived work ethic help him drive to improve his game? Most likely, however there's still plenty of work to be done with Smith. No matter what Smith Lovers want to claim, he's still raw when it comes to the technique of his position. Unless he makes some miracle progress, his routes are going to be far from crisp and clean, and he's not going to be the most reliable option, especially on contested catches.

Again, I'm not knocking him for what he went through and has accomplished, I'm just so tired of hearing constantly, while his negatives are ignored by quite a few (not everyone, but certainly a fair number). After digesting the pick, I'm still not a fan, but he does have high potential, if his work ethic and desire to succeed is as high as his fans here claim it is.
[/quote]

if you read what i said you would see i just said that, in the end it wont matter how hard he works but if he can play ball or not on the field

guys who have been through hard times do have a tougher mentality and can be put through more, thats a good thing too but his ability to play wont be determined by work ethic but by his ability to run routes, catch the ball, etc some people just arent made to be successful football players

[Runnin Raven]

[quote name='AwakenTheDemon' timestamp='1304376312' post='680174']
Even though Smith is most likely going to get much more time on the field than Doss this season, I don't doubt that Tandon will turn into a good part of our offense in the future.
[/quote]
With respect to playing time, I hope the best performing guy gets the most playing time. Doss actually does strike me as the more polished receiver out the gate*. I know we didn't draft a second rounder to sit on the pine but my hope would be that performance, not draft status, determines playing time. Let the chips fall where they may from here.

* That's just from very limited Youtube clips

[Ravensfan23]

I may be wrong because it's hard to read between the lines sometimes when you're not face to face with a person. However to me it seems as if many people here seem to forget that Smith has only been a full time WR for 4 years. 4!!!! Because of his speed the guy never had to run any routes, i'm sure it was the same in HS. At UMD they didn't need Smith to develop into a Stud #1 WR. They just wanted and needed to utilize his speed, and that's what they did. Smith didn't run many routes at UMD because he wasn't asked to. Some times we forget that it's not the job of the college coach to prepare a kid for the NFL, but to win now. So in doing so, they use the guy for what he's good at.

If Smith was asked to run the route tree at UMD, maybe he would be a lot better at it now. But just because he didn't do it in college doesn't mean that he can't do it now. Look at Flacco and Rice. Flacco didn't play under center much in college, but he does a great job with his back to the defense now. Rice didn't catch many passes in college, I think he had like 12 career catches, but now he's one of the best receiving RBs in the NFL. Now why didn't Flacco play under center much, or Rice not catch a lot of passes? Not because they couldn't do these things, but their coaches didn't ask this of them. The Terps didn't care about him rounding off routes, in the NFL rounding off routes will get you QB picked off, so I'm sure the coaches will be drilling the importance of sharp route running in his head.

Smith has already said, he's looking to be apart of the next passing practices that Flacco organized. If he's route running is a concern for us fans, then I'm sure the Ravens have taken notice, and informed him of it. Depending on how quick a guy picks up on things and retains information, Smith could sharpen his route running, just from watching, being around, and getting pointers from Mason.

It's cool to think that Doss will be the better players, hell it's even cool not to like Smith as a player or a draft pick. However this guy has improved each year at UMD(from what i saw as an FSU fan). I think despite his small hand size, he does a really get job of catching the ball with his hands and he has really good concentration.

For the people that don't like the pick of Torrey, or don't think he'll be a good NFL players, or think he'll only be a vertical threat specialty type player, that's cool, but i have to disagree. People seem to think that Torrey Smith is a finished product and he's not.

Smith will continue to develop and get better, just as he has over the last 4 years. Imo he truly has the potential to be a pro bowl caliber WR with his size/speed combo. If he can continue to develop and get better in his route running, as well as playing a little more physicality, in a few years nobody will be upset with this selection.

Also. I'm not saying that having big great hands are overrated, but think about this. Derrick Mason is one of the best pass catchers in the NFL, and he rarely catches the ball with his hands. Most of Mase catches are against his body. Also, from a hands stand point, Mark Clayton might have had the best hands of any Ravens WR and look how that worked out for us. So don't just look at his hand size, or point out a few drops he my have had in college and deem this guy as someone who struggles to catch the ball, because that's not the case imo.

I'll wrap this up by saying, I strongly feel that Torrey Smith was drafted on potential just as much as his immediate impact, maybe even more so. The Ravens, among others had a first round grade on this guy for a reason. I strongly feel that the sky is the limit for Torrey Smith and I can't wait to see him become the WR I think he can be. 3-5 years ago, I probably wouldn't have like this pick as much either. However because we have a much better WR corp now and we have a top of the rotation guy in Boldin, I really like Smith as a second round pick. People will expect him to be that deep threat from day one, but he won't have the pressures of being the Man like others have.

[AwakenTheDemon]

[quote name='scrock' timestamp='1304379483' post='680219']
[b]if you read what i said you would see i just said that, in the end it wont matter how hard he works but if he can play ball or not on the field[/b]

guys who have been through hard times do have a tougher mentality and can be put through more, thats a good thing too but his ability to play wont be determined by work ethic but by his ability to run routes, catch the ball, etc some people just arent made to be successful football players
[/quote]

I read what you said, however I elaborated upon it and voiced my opinion on always hearing about his character. Just because part of what I said may have been what you said, doesn't mean I disagreed or did not read what you typed.

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='DuDe' timestamp='1304258707' post='678780']
Is it just me or does he compare to Reggie Wayne when Wayne came out?
[/quote]

I guess it's not just you who feels this way.

Release: Good burst off the snap to eat up the cushion. Possesses very good straight-line speed, making it risky for defenders to attempt press coverage. Quick hands to slap away the initial jam and has the balance, flexibility and strength to absorb a pop, gain freedom quickly and accelerate downfield.

Hands: Reliable pass-catcher, though he needs to be more consistent with catching with his hands. Shows the ability to extend and pluck the ball out of the air. Long arms and good body control to contort in space to make the difficult reception of a poorly thrown ball. Can absorb the big hit and hang on. Good vision and balance to track the ball over his shoulder.

Route running: Remains a work in progress in this area, though he showed significant improvement as a junior. Generally asked to run only vertical, comeback drags across the middle and quick screens in this offense. Has been able to gain separation largely due to his speed, though he shows good footwork and balance to develop in this area.

After the catch: His best attribute due to his agility, straight-line speed and vision. Gliding runner who accelerates quickly and changes directions without sacrificing speed. Can make defenders miss in the open field, but doesn't possess elite lateral agility to juke in tight quarters. Good straight-line speed to separate. A threat to score from any point on the field.

Blocking: Willing to help his teammates downfield, but this is an area that could use some development. Has the agility and competitiveness to mirror, but possesses only average strength and physicality.

Intangibles: An ascending talent who may be only scratching the surface of his potential. His 2,983 yards as a kick returner set the ACC record. Endured a tough childhood in which he was often asked to help his raise his younger brothers and sisters while his single mother worked two jobs. Described by head coach Ralph Friedgen as "God created a perfect person" due to Smith's humility and dedication, as well as his athletic talents. Graduated in December with a degree in criminology and criminal justice - the first male in his family to earn a college diploma. Made the special teams captain by Friedgen.

Compares to: Reggie Wayne, Colts -- Wayne entered the NFL as a speedy receiver who might never be considered a No. 1, but eventually took over for Marvin Harrison in Indianapolis. Smith has similar size, speed and focus.

--Rob Rang

[color="#4B0082"][url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1242961"]CBS-NFL Draft[/url][/color]

[Guest RBates]

Another Virginia product. Stand up

[Guest RBates]

[quote name='Ravensfan23' timestamp='1304367605' post='679982']
Honestly I don't think it will matter. Lets not make their time here a battle. Smith vs Doss supporters vs haters, like we've done with most of the QBs here.

Doss and Smith will work well together because they will compliment each other. Pitta and Dickson will work well together at the TE position because they compliment each other well. Reed and Rice will fit well in the offense be they are really good in space underneath.

Of course Boldin, Mase, and Heap will continue to produce over the next few years or so.

But as far as Smith and Doss, it really doesn't matter who turns into the better WR. I think they both will be really good WR and if they work hard enough both could be stars. Both guys will fit well in the offense and produce. That's the most important thing imo.
[/quote]
Well said, i couldn't agree more. Just let both players find there own way, and let the defenses dictate who goes off for that day.

[BmoreRav]

Torrey just tweeted that he just got done meeting with Q. Hopefully he gave him a copy of his Playbook so he can hit the ground running when the lockout is lifted!

[scrock]

[quote name='BmoreRav' timestamp='1304452364' post='680740']
Torrey just tweeted that he just got done meeting with Q. Hopefully he gave him a copy of his Playbook so he can hit the ground running when the lockout is lifted!
[/quote]

I'm sure he got a copy of the playbook...no doubt, and I bet Flacco is going to be putting another camp together for these rookies in no time

[ratedr]

[quote name='Clutch Ravens' timestamp='1304137412' post='676488']
You just know that if/when Torrey Smith drops a game-winning TD that there'll be a slew of topics entitled "Torrey Smith is a Bust, Cut him NOW!".

I am in no way encouraging or endorsing this, however.
[/quote]Well it happened, just not quite the way you envisioned it.

I don't know how I happened upon this thread again but reading the comments in retrospect is quite amusing. In Ozzie we trust.

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='ratedr' timestamp='1332953733' post='1036567']
Well it happened, just not quite the way you envisioned it.

I don't know how I happened upon this thread again but reading the comments in retrospect is quite amusing. In Ozzie we trust.
[/quote]
if you use that mantra, whats with your flacco beef?

[EdReedFTW]

Wow, what's with all of these zombie threads coming back to life? Are people really reading post from that far back?

[ratedr]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1332954401' post='1036576']

if you use that mantra, whats with your flacco beef?
[/quote]I don't hate Flacco, he just frustrates me at times. He's Baltimore's QB, even though there are areas that he needs to improve. There aren't many QBs I'd take over him.

[dirtybird10]

Its funny reading the first page of this thread. There were some REAL downers cursing this decision to draft Torrey ( I included). Some people wondering how on earth we could have drafted Torrey with Hankerson still on the board. LOL Funny how a year can change things.

[Cville-Raven]

[quote name='dirtybird10' timestamp='1332967877' post='1036874']
Its funny reading the first page of this thread. There were some REAL downers cursing this decision to draft Torrey ( I included). Some people wondering how on earth we could have drafted Torrey with Hankerson still on the board. LOL Funny how a year can change things.
[/quote]
Its funny how one of the guys thought Hankerson was a better athlete then Smith.

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='justifythegame' timestamp='1304124684' post='675765']
Torrey Smith sucks. This was not BPA at all, it was a total homer pick. They picked him with Leonard Hankerson, Randall Cobb and Greg Little still on the board. Even Brandon Harris was a huge drop at 58. The Ravens never pick the players analysts predict them to take because they have always followed the BPA philosophy and/or traded around, and this year its the exact opposite. And people thinking Torrey Smith is fast are mistaken. He is of average speed (even mark clayton is faster than him who runs a 4.41 compared to smiths 4.43), he doesn't give you the "speed" you think he does. Leonard Hankerson is the next reggie wayne and he gives us the speed we were looking for and has the height to catch the high passes from flacco... and from the U... i can't believe we passed on him. I feel stupid for thinking we go BPA, ozzie's on vacation an decosta is making the picks. This is worse than when ozzie handed 30 mil to Foxworth to give us nothing for 2 years just cuz he was the hometown kid. Why can't ozzie ever draft a good WR in 10 years? He keeps drafting the Mark Claytons of every draft. Im sick. Blah even justin houston was on the board... im sick.
[/quote]
i wonder did this guy pop into the board this past season at all? bet he never showed his face again haha

[dirtybird10]

[quote name='Cville-Raven' timestamp='1332968062' post='1036879']
Its funny how one of the guys thought Hankerson was a better athlete then Smith.
[/quote]
It wasn't just one, hell I think I saw Hankerson's name on pop up several times on the first page alone. People saying Smith was not really fast... yea I think the kid more than proved himself. LOL

[jpm78]

[quote name='PurpleandBlackBlood' timestamp='1304122578' post='675507']
This is the main topic for all Torrey Smith threads... YEAH TORREY'S A RAVENS!
[/quote]
I think Torrey should be returning kick offs.