11-28-2013, 11:40 AM
Interesting profile is being aired this week on the Big Ten Network. Terrific story of Minnesota DT Ra'shede Hageman and the father-son relationship with Gophers' Coach Jerry Kill. The feature is sliced and diced between other players, but if you can sort things out, the take-home message is clear: Hageman seems to be a terrific young man.
Hageman had a tough up-bringing. Eight different foster homes. He landed in the arms of a loving family and has grown to become a fine young man.
Jerry Kill is the coach that has been in the news for seizure problems. Don't let that over-shadow what a terrific coach and human being he is. Hageman credits Jerry Kill for helping him grow outside the lines.
Hageman is a converted TE. He knows the offense. He is being compared to John Henderson and J.J Watt in body-type. He is 6' 6", 309 Lbs. He is a very big, extremely powerful man. He has all the strength to hold a big offensive lineman block and still make a tackle. He establishes and holds position like an anchor, reads the offense from his position, and makes contact with the ball with relative frequency. His superior presence along the line of scrimmage allows him to stifle the area, shed blockers, and wrap his arms around what's left and sniff out the ball carrier to make the tackle.
Contrary to one report, Hageman does show good ball skills. He also shows a great deal of QB awareness. Enough to be an out of the picture guy as the camera follows the QB with the football then Hageman appears in frame to finish off plays.
He does not struggle to dominate lesser opponents. The opponent does not matter. Hageman pops right out at you as an obvious exceptional talent. This is exactly what you expect an elite interior defensive lineman to do except he is a somewhat rawer version. He is a major defensive character in Big Ten Football. He has all the traits of a All Pro defensive lineman, with added intangibles of versatility. What may be his best trait is the ability to cast a giant shadow over the quarterback. He stunts around from the outside and into the pocket. He is imposing enough that quarterback has little choice, but to shut down the play. Ra'shede takes good aim on the quarterback like all the good ones do.
Ra'Shede currently has a up arrow beside his name. The more reputable sites rank him around 25 or so in this draft class. With a solid Senior Bowl and validation at NFL Scouting Combine, Hageman figures to see his stock continue to rise to status of elite material for NFL teams to consider. Ra'Shede is perhaps best described as "Doomsday" variety talent, and that's excellent stuff.
John Henderson is a name that keeps attaching itself to him. Even Watt.
Sounds great.
The detractors are:
He is consistently strong through the entire game when he plays. Even when the game is out of hand, Hageman shows pride and continues to play with all his might. However, it may be disappointing that he is not an every-down defensive lineman as-is. He is rotated in and out of drives. This makes his skills subject to a rotational scheme in the NFL. That's fine, but it could possibly limit his draft status due to a lack of stamina or be caused by a refined specialized defensive unit.
There does not appear to be any major weakness in Hageman's game at this point that can not be smoothed out with good coaching at the pro level.
Another concern is Ra'Shede is a Minneapolis, Minnesota native. The changes in latitude can be over-looked. He could struggle in our heat and humidity. It could also be a two-edged sword in our favor.
When you consider salty dog Jason Babin, Andre Branch, Roy Miller, Sen'Derrick Marks are already in the bag adding the dominant Hageman along with skillful South Carolina DT Kelcy Quarles into the defensive line mix could easily make us the most formidable defensive line in the NFL for years to come.
What I'd like to see is Babin and Marks take Hageman under their wings.
NFL dynasties are built this way.
Hageman had a tough up-bringing. Eight different foster homes. He landed in the arms of a loving family and has grown to become a fine young man.
Jerry Kill is the coach that has been in the news for seizure problems. Don't let that over-shadow what a terrific coach and human being he is. Hageman credits Jerry Kill for helping him grow outside the lines.
Hageman is a converted TE. He knows the offense. He is being compared to John Henderson and J.J Watt in body-type. He is 6' 6", 309 Lbs. He is a very big, extremely powerful man. He has all the strength to hold a big offensive lineman block and still make a tackle. He establishes and holds position like an anchor, reads the offense from his position, and makes contact with the ball with relative frequency. His superior presence along the line of scrimmage allows him to stifle the area, shed blockers, and wrap his arms around what's left and sniff out the ball carrier to make the tackle.
Contrary to one report, Hageman does show good ball skills. He also shows a great deal of QB awareness. Enough to be an out of the picture guy as the camera follows the QB with the football then Hageman appears in frame to finish off plays.
He does not struggle to dominate lesser opponents. The opponent does not matter. Hageman pops right out at you as an obvious exceptional talent. This is exactly what you expect an elite interior defensive lineman to do except he is a somewhat rawer version. He is a major defensive character in Big Ten Football. He has all the traits of a All Pro defensive lineman, with added intangibles of versatility. What may be his best trait is the ability to cast a giant shadow over the quarterback. He stunts around from the outside and into the pocket. He is imposing enough that quarterback has little choice, but to shut down the play. Ra'shede takes good aim on the quarterback like all the good ones do.
Ra'Shede currently has a up arrow beside his name. The more reputable sites rank him around 25 or so in this draft class. With a solid Senior Bowl and validation at NFL Scouting Combine, Hageman figures to see his stock continue to rise to status of elite material for NFL teams to consider. Ra'Shede is perhaps best described as "Doomsday" variety talent, and that's excellent stuff.
John Henderson is a name that keeps attaching itself to him. Even Watt.
Sounds great.
The detractors are:
He is consistently strong through the entire game when he plays. Even when the game is out of hand, Hageman shows pride and continues to play with all his might. However, it may be disappointing that he is not an every-down defensive lineman as-is. He is rotated in and out of drives. This makes his skills subject to a rotational scheme in the NFL. That's fine, but it could possibly limit his draft status due to a lack of stamina or be caused by a refined specialized defensive unit.
There does not appear to be any major weakness in Hageman's game at this point that can not be smoothed out with good coaching at the pro level.
Another concern is Ra'Shede is a Minneapolis, Minnesota native. The changes in latitude can be over-looked. He could struggle in our heat and humidity. It could also be a two-edged sword in our favor.
When you consider salty dog Jason Babin, Andre Branch, Roy Miller, Sen'Derrick Marks are already in the bag adding the dominant Hageman along with skillful South Carolina DT Kelcy Quarles into the defensive line mix could easily make us the most formidable defensive line in the NFL for years to come.
What I'd like to see is Babin and Marks take Hageman under their wings.
NFL dynasties are built this way.