Wow!!! Colt Lyerla participating in rookie camp

[Deleted member 6794]

Never expected the Packers would even take a look at him, but he's on the rookie camp roster.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

For those who haven't heard about him, here's his story:

http://m.bleacherreport.com/article...worth-the-risk-as-an-nfl-undrafted-free-agent

 

[yooperpackfan]

Doesn't hurt to take a look I guess.

 

[TJV]

Certainly worth a look but from what I've read the questions about him certainly aren't on the field. What I didn't see in the linked story is any comment that Lyerla is committed to kicking his drug habit. He wasn’t interviewed for that piece and may not be talking to the press at all, but if he isn’t completely committed to changing his life… IMO the most important part of his tryout will be trying to get a read on his mental and emotional state.

 

[Brett Favre 4]

If he can get his head on straight, he can be an all pro type of player.

 

[thisisnate]

So pumped to give this kid a shot. The odds of him staying clean are pretty low, but if he's going to succeed and get it right, I think this is the sort of town and organization to do it in. If he plays hard and stays clean and thinks before he speaks, he will make the team. If he keeps it that way, he will shut everyone up and make a great life for himself.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

So pumped to give this kid a shot. The odds of him staying clean are pretty low, but if he's going to succeed and get it right, I think this is the sort of town and organization to do it in. If he plays hard and stays clean and thinks before he speaks, he will make the team. If he keeps it that way, he will shut everyone up and make a great life for himself.

First of all the Packers have to sign him after the rookie camp, he's only participating as a tryout.

 

[GoPGo]

If we sign this headache I'll be pissed. We don't need the kind of baggage he's dragging along with him.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

If we sign this headache I'll be pissed. We don't need the kind of baggage he's dragging along with him.

If the kid gets his act together like Jolly did last season he could end up being the best TE on the roster.

 

[GoPGo]

If the kid gets his act together like Jolly did last season he could end up being the best TE on the roster.

"If" is the biggest word in the dictionary. And there's a huge, fundamental difference in him and Jolly. Jolly hit rock bottom and worked his way back. Lyerla still has a "no big deal" air about him. He hasn't hit rock bottom yet. Just wait until he get's a few hundred thousand dollars in his hands.

He's a high risk, high reward prospect and I think the inherent risk is greater than the potential reward. Let someone else take that gamble. This isn't some two-bit program like the Lions.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

"If" is the biggest word in the dictionary. And there's a huge, fundamental difference in him and Jolly. Jolly hit rock bottom and worked his way back. Lyerla still has a "no big deal" air about him. He hasn't hit rock bottom yet. Just wait until he get's a few hundred thousand dollars in his hands.

He's a high risk, high reward prospect and I think the inherent risk is greater than the potential reward. Let someone else take that gamble.

Absolutely agree with that. I was shocked when I found out the Packers invited him to participate in the rookie camp. I thought they removed him from their board as soon as the story became public and after I heard about it I didn´t want any part of him either.

But, as he´s already in town, if the front office decides he´s worth the gamble and sign him to a contract I would get excited about his potential.

 

[SoonerPack]

I'm stunned and friggin stoked about this pickup!! Does the kid have some skeletons? Yep. Does he have All Pro ability? Sure does in this guys eyes. Perfect example of TT doing his thing. If the kid flames out we let him go but if the light comes on for this guy we could have a unique weapon for the next 5-7 years. Watch this highlight reel and try not to smile the whole time. DRIPPING with talent and they even ran him out of the backfield. Zero risk but enormous reward scenario. Man that just made my day!! (sad, I know)

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[GoPGo]

But, as he´s already in town, if the front office decides he´s worth the gamble and sign him to a contract I would get excited about his potential.

Yeah, but even so, there would be that nagging voice saying...

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[GoPGo]

Zero risk..

Zero risk?! You can't be serious. What happens if he stays clean until we sign him and then in his 2nd year goes all in on the cocaine and becomes the next Aaron Hernandez? I'm not saying that will happen, but the idea of "zero risk" is highly naive.

 

[NelsonsLongCatch]

Zero risk?! You can't be serious. What happens if he stays clean until we sign him and then in his 2nd year goes all in on the cocaine and becomes the next Aaron Hernandez? I'm not saying that will happen, but the idea of "zero risk" is highly naive.

How does that hurt the Packers? Unless he "goes all in on cocaine" and kills Aaron Rodgers, the rookie minimum contract he'll sign won't hurt Green Bay. He's a no risk prospect because he's an undrafted free agent who is being given a tryout. IF he cleans himself up and realizes his potential, he's a steal.

Aaron Hernandez is the exception, not the rule. Not many people in the entire world commit quadruple homicide. Hernandez is an outlier.

 

[FrankRizzo]

There's another forum, nation-wide ones with tons of fans from all NFL teams, and many colleges.
I just read back thru a thread about Lyerla on there, and this is just a sampling which covers about a year period of time from his post 2012 season and leading into his 2013 season.
Very interesting comments by these fans:

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrdrylie

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I love Lyerla. He is versatile and athletic. The only issue is that Chip Kelly didn't fully utilize him. I really hope he ends up on the Bears in 2014.

Originally Posted by DeepThreat

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I'm a huge fan of both. Lyerla is an insane athlete at tight end with great burst and speed. I mean, this is a 6'5", 245-pound tight end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...ynLwI#t=40 3s

ASJ, on the other hand, has just as much upside. He isn't quite as quick or explosive, but he's fast and massive. Dude is 6'6", 265-pounds and athletic enough to play WR.

Both look like top-20 guys to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylon

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Exactly. The lack of production will not only force Lyerla to leave after this year it will probably cause his stock to drop a bit.

You put up 66 points against Nichols and your TE catches 1 pass for 13 yards, hell i could do that. Mariota doesn't look for the TE, he reads his WRs and his RBs and then if he doesn't have anything he runs.

 

[TJV]

This is what McCarthy said about him when asked today at his press conference after the first day of rookie camp: "Colt is just like the other 58 players ... he’s done things in his college career, we’re fully aware of everything (that) every prospect has done on and off the field and with that we felt he’s earned the right as a tryout player to earn the right to go to training camp..." Nothing too controversial or unexpected there but if all they will be looking at is what he does on the field, I gotta believe he's going to TC.

(I updated this after listening to McCarthy's presser today.)

 

[FrankRizzo]

Many in Cheeseland don't know much about him.
But leading into this past 2013 season, Colt Lyerla and ASF were widely considered the top 2 TEs and Eric Ebron right behind them.

At this year's combine, Lyerla ran his 40 faster than Ebron did. And he's a bit bigger than Eric Ebron, the Lions first round pick.

What happened to Lyerla was he's an ******* and he does drugs.
He left the team, and then he got arrested for possession of cocaine.
Terrible stuff. Right there with Johnny Jolly and that Purple Drank.

Lyerla was considered by many to have been a probable first round draft pick.
Funny, so was another former 5-star recruit, in the Pac-Ten, named Vontaze Burfict.
Character questions caused him to go totally undrafted. Like Lyerla.
Vontaze immediately was an All-Rookie performer 2 years ago and played at a Pro Bowl level on that Bengals defense.

Here are a few scouting reports on Lyerla.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1829535/colt-lyerla

Physical marvel with excellent athleticism, good hand-eye coordination and toughness after the catch. Possesses impressive straight-line speed, as well as the agility and balance to operate in space. Attacks defenders as a run-blocker, getting an explosive initial pop on his opponent and extending his arms and keeping his legs churning to sustain. Shows the competitive spirit befitting his prep past as a linebacker. Recorded a 40-inch vertical and 10'10 broad jump during the 2010 National Underclassmen Combine as a high school senior.

COMPARES TO: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots - Like "Gronk," Lyerla comes with plenty of red-flags that will cause some to completely drop him from their boards. For Gronkowski, the issue was a spinal condition. Lyerla's inability to stay out of trouble could be viewed as even more troubling for NFL teams. No one doubts Lyerla's talent, however. With dedication to his craft, Lyerla is a Pro Bowl tight end. Without it, he could wind up out of the league very quickly. --Rob Rang (2/6/14)

http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/colt-lyerla?id=2543636

A physically talented receiving tight end, Lyerla .....(has) overcome a lot of adversity stemming back to his youth and defied the odds to become an impactful performer. Talent grades could garner interest in the second round, but past history could easily knock him down several rounds and off many draft boards. Would benefit tremendously from a coach willing to serve as a strong father figure.
-Nolan Nawrocki

http://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2014clyerla.php

2014 NFL Draft Expectations: Currently, some feel that Lyerla is the top draft-eligible tight end prospect. His combination of speed and athletic ability suggest he could be a first- or second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

All that aside, this guy has been a loser. And a criminal. Can a zebra change it's stripes?
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ngs-last-year-about-the-sandy-hook-shootings/

What is your prediction?

 

[Zartan]

Gotta give the Kid a chance. They kept Jolly on board and he turned his life around and became a valuable asset.

Theres a giantic leap from getting caught with some Drugs to committing quadruple homicide.

 

[Jordyruns]

Doing this for Lyerla does not bother me, this does not happen much in Green Bay and for me it is ok to roll the dice every once and a while as long as TT is not wasting a high draft pick.

I have read that he really is committed to proving people wrong, so my hope is that he chose GB for all the right reasons its' good team structure (with strong leadership) and small town night life (for lack of a better word).

 

[TJV]

I have read that he really is committed to proving people wrong, so my hope is that he chose GB for all the right reasons its' good team structure (with strong leadership) and small town night life (for lack of a better word).

Where did you read that? I'd appreciate a link.

 

[Jordyruns]

Where did you read that? I'd appreciate a link.

Highly competitive and determined to prove critics wrong.

It is under strengths,
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/colt-lyerla?id=2543636

 

[Joe Nor Cal Packer]

I don't know - some things you can look past, small things can be corrected. But cocaine possession and tweeting that Sandy Hook was a govt conspiracy is beyond the pale. He sounds like a true nut job. I'm amazed GB brought him in. As is usually the case, they probably see things or know things we don't. But there's probably a good reason that a guy with this much talent went undrafted. I hope I'm wrong and that the young man has straightened himself out. But I can pretty much guarantee that if you want some coke, you can find it in Green Bay, WI or NYC.

 

[thisisnate]

College is not a great place for an unguided, drug-addicted young person from a tough background to grow up. I think if he's going to succeed in his recovery and as a player anywhere, Green Bay is one of the best spots for him to try and do it. He's got team stability, a no nonsense coach, and great players in the locker room. Maybe Jolly could teach him a thing or two... hopefully not where to get a fix.

In all likelihood, an immediate turnaround is not going to happen. Too much, too fast. I wouldn't be shocked to see him make the team or maybe practice squad where we could keep an eye on him under a smaller spotlight. I have to think he'll face up against the coke demon again though, and won't last long in the league.

Hope I'm wrong though. Really rooting for the kid. Enormous talent.

 

[JBlood]

The Packers have proven their willingness to work with players who have off field problems. Favre and Jolly are the first that come to mind, but Hornung, Rison, Marcol through the years. They've drafted Hyde, Moses, Barrington in the last couple of years all of whom have arrests in college and dropped off the boards of most teams because of them. I congratulate them for taking a chance with young people who do stupid things--like all of us did. Hopefully this kid has seen the light. He could be the starting tight end if he has.