Count me in for wanting this guy with the #2 overall pick. Coming into this year, he was the odds on favorite to be #1 overall prospect based on his 2020 season with Oregon. Literally, the same we view Hutchinson right now (who basically had one great season). Folks soured on Kayvon Thibodeaux this year because of his motor and lack of splash plays in 2021.
Kayvon Thibodeaux still had a plus 90 grade on PFF in 2021-22 despite coming off injury and team putting double teams on him. I still believe he should be our pick this year. Wanted to get that out there BEFORE he kicks but in the combine.
I’m wary on KT not because of on-field performance, but because he seems focused on everything that isn’t football. Not that it is necessarily a bad thing, but I get the vibe that he’s the kind of guy that if drafted to Detroit, will play out his rookie contract and no matter what they offer him, will jet to NY/LA to cash in on the big markets.
Asked about his love of the game, Thibodeaux said NFL teams should not be worried about his dedication.
“I don’t think I necessarily had to convince teams of it, but that’s the media narrative,’’ Thibodeaux said. “I’m an L.A. kid and if you know the adversity I went through to get here and the things I had to sacrifice and the things my mother had to sacrifice for me to get here you’d really understand how I feel in my heart. When you talk about fire, you talk about passion, I can’t really explain it. I get emotional thinking about it because of all the sacrifices it took me to get here. I’m blessed to be here.’’
“I’m very aggressive (as a chess player),” Thibodeaux said. “You have to put people in pressure moments so you get what you want out of situations. For me, I’m putting my queen out there first and I’m making you make decisions. Because a lot of people make bad decisions when they’re under pressure, just like a quarterback.”
Moving the Queen out first…what a rookie mistake!
This takes KT completely off my big board.
What crazy info comes out next? Does Aiden Hutchinson run the “Bong cloud” opening?
But any decent chess players knows not to bring the Queen out too early. Very dangerous. I would like to think he’s looking for the cheesy Scholars mate…but they only teach that move at Alabama.
I am not a chess player. But I found this google search result interesting.
" Don’t move the queen too early! Develop your knights and bishops first, occupy the center, bring the king into safety, and only then start thinking about your queen. This is what everyone learns.
Over the years, I’ve come to realize that this general rule, while useful for beginners, is mostly rubbish. The truth is that most players, even strong ones, don’t know how to handle early queen-sorties at all, especially in blitz and rapid games. They don’t know how to deal with it, they sometimes don’t even take it into account!" - ArnieChipmunk at Chess.com
Not to be the chess nerd of the group, but if you do it right and your opponent isn’t savvy, you can win a game in three moves with your queen.
Rarely happens though. Your opponent has to play it perfectly for it to happen. It’s a calculated risk but it does work 2 out of 100 times.
As for Thibx, I’ve softened on him. Like him more than I did. He does seem fired up about football but also does seemed fired up about outside of football. Can’t fault him. But Suh bias creeps in and then Michigan bias creeps in and I’m just not sure I can fairly judge the young man.
I think we tend to overthink things here
The trade Goff for #11 thread is a clear example (in my mind)
The most obvious answer to who the Lions take at 2 is Hutchinson. If he’s gone, they take Tibs.
Seems the most likely scenario.
If they don’t take Tibs in that scenario, he’s gonna fall!!
Thought i would post this thread from an Oregon Ducks forum on KT. They discuss him as a player and person.
Kinda interesting.
One thing i agree with and actually mentioned (although i think this poster did a better job articulating it)…one poster said:
" When, in reality, the best thing you can do for your brand is to leave everything you have on the field. Otherwise, you are just putting the cart in front of the horse."
I am not really worried about KT being a me guy. But i did see his Super Bowl interview and he said a few things that were eye-brow raising. But he may have just been rambling. One thing was “you dont always have to lead from the front”
Not sure what to make of that.
I am just not as high on KT as others. I loved Parsons. KT…i just dont see 2nd best player in the draft, but it is a bad draft at the top this year.
Wont dog any pick Holmes/FO and DC make. So…
Here is the thread of Ducks fans discussing KT:
Ignore the “red flags” title…nothing really red flaggish (new word).
I’m glad so many of us here had it together when we were 21 and being attacked by middle aged fat asses who have never played football before but started a blog, could write clickbait headlines, and are thus knighted “draft experts” by literally no one but themselves.
Second,
Not how chess works, KT, but thankfully I don’t need my edge to be a chess master. I need him to kill the quarterback.
Finally,
We’re taking Malik Willis anyway, so not sure why everyone is sweating who the Texans pick at 3.
