Ok Couch Nation,
Some of you may have viewed my articles and noticed a trend; I love the skill-positions! Nothing against the hard grinders in the trenches (I will show them some love soon), but coming from a receiver position in the Cross Roads Amateur Football League, I love talking about guys who can get after the ball via the air. Speaking of which, the Baltimore Ravens’ Pass attack is going to be a dominant force in the AFC North this year now that depth has been added at the WR and TE positions. We all know about the Ravens’ WR starters and bench, and we know two of the talents at the TE position, but let’s dig a little deeper folks. Let’s go take a look at this year’s third round selection: Crockett Gillmore.
This Colorado State product may not be a household name yet, but should Dennis Pitta or former Houston Texan, Owen Daniels go down, he may be. Ozzie Newsome should be receiving high praise from John Harbaugh for this pickup, as he was definitely a steal. I watched the tape on this young man and please believe me when I say, HE IS GIFTED. This rookie has the ability to line up outside as a WR and in today’s evolving game, he may need to. The towering 6’6, 251lb TE uses his body to get position on defenders and is not afraid to leave himself open, extending for catches across the middle of the field. Gillmore’s catch radius is nothing short of daunting. He tends to runs smart routes and has an ability to find open space on the field. Not only does he have the capacity to use his size and long arms to his advantage, but what the Amarillo, Texas Native does after the catch is impressive, in and of itself.
Upon first glance, one can’t imagine such an elusive proficiency in such a tall being. However, place that ball in his hands and it’s easy to see the natural fluidity he possesses; i.e. hip flexors are loose as he changes direction with ease. Make no mistake, Gillmore can power through defenders with that nasty stiff-arm of his all day long, but his agility is what led to his 111 catches for 1308 yards and 8 TDs during his time as a CSU Ram.
He has a great deal of confidence too; a normal tendency for most Texas born athletes. In an interview with Baltimore Ravens’ reporter, Ryan Mink, for instance, Gillmore had this to say when asked if he was one of the most complete TEs to come out of the 2014 Draft:
“There were only 2-3 guys that can put their hands in the ground, that are true TEs…I pride myself on being able to block.”
Gillmore talks the talk and believes he is one of the 2-3 guys he spoke about, however, I am not entirely convinced as of yet. When reviewing some of his game footage, I could see Gillmore a bit lost at the second level while run-blocking. There were moments when he couldn’t find a blocking assignment at that level. This is the only area that I saw could use some work. His pass-blocking ability was exceptional. When he stayed back to block you could almost see a smile on QB Garrett Grayson’s face, smiling with the assurance that he wouldn’t be touched. And as an added bonus for Baltimore, Gillmore already has a level of confidence in the trenches owing to his conversion from DE to TE in 2011. Although he still dabbled in the Defense throughout his collegiate career, he knew his ticket to the big leagues was on the opposite side of the ball.
So in conclusion Couch Nation, I am excited to see #80 don the black and purple and can’t wait to see what he can bring to this already talented Ravens’ Offense. Ozzie Newsome sure knows how to pick them. I may not agree with some of his madness when Free-Agency comes around and maybe even leading up to the Draft, but one thing is for sure; Ozzie is a late round Draft genius and Gillmore will prove to be one of those late-round gems that gives the Ravens an even brighter future.
Jermaine Lockett is a Writer and CEO for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Facebook or twitter.