When It Comes to Money Mayweather, Respect it You Must

Chad Wilson

Chad Wilson – Editor – GridironStuds Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

I spent a good part of my night last night arguing with Mayweather fans about why I can’t get excited about what he does but I have to admit this. You or I don’t have to like it but you have to respect it.

After taking in some of the comments made but more so after listening to him post fight and analyzing his comments I’ve come to a conclusion.

A young man from the ghetto who grew up in tough circumstances made a plan and has been executing it since he was a teenager. I am always in favor of a plan. I am always in favor of scheme, tactics and the use of one’s mind to win. This is exactly what Floyd does. While I would favor more physical domination in the sport of boxing, this is not my plan, it’s Floyd’s.

Floyd is a little man who found a brutal sport. He devised a plan to survive at his size in this viscous endeavor and rise to the top. His plan and his execution of it has earned him more money than anyone could imagine a person from his circumstance could make.

Further endearing to his achievement is that his plan extended beyond ring antics. Floyd knew a style like his alone would not garner worldwide attention. He knew enough to know his style in this brutal sport would not excite the masses. With that in mind, he created a persona.

This money hungry, flaunt my riches act performed by Mayweather has combined with his flawless record to make him the most talked about boxer of his time. It has also made him the richest. He has provided for his family and then some. What he has done is no different than anything done by the millionaires of the WWE or the actors on the Hollywood big screen.

A big part of Floyd’s plan and success is the undefeated record. As such, he did what he had to do to protect it. Carefully planning his opponents is unbecoming of the nature of the sport. However, it was the proper execution of his plan and he’s winning in a big way.

There’s much in Floyd’s personal life to make you want to discredit him. I will say this, many from his circumstances would have been buried by some of his mistakes. What kind of personal life did Mike Tyson have?

Floyd’s endearment to the young generation I can only hope is born out of the admiration of him overcoming the odds to live the American dream. I can hope it is not an infatuation with the antics. I now realize it’s an act executed with an end game in mind.

Historians won’t call Mayweather the best because of his style in the ring. He is not viscous like Tyson, not comical like Ali and not powerful like Roy. You know what? Floyd doesn’t care. He was in this for the money and he damned sure got it He will walk away in tact. Well played Floyd. Well played.

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GridironStuds.com Top 5 Players in the 2015 NFL Draft

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson – Editor GridironStuds Blog

There have been mock drafts, draft shows, draft analysis, draft previews and draft insight.  Doesn’t matter where you go,  the NFL draft is in your face.  Well here’s one more draft article.  Over the years there have been a fair amount of draft busts and some superstars that have come out of the first round which will be spotlighted tonight.  This 2015 draft will once again produce busts and perhaps some guys that will end up in Canton.  In my opinion,  here are the Top 5 players in this year’s NFL draft.  I base the list on ability, production and risk.

1. Leonard Williams – DT – Southern California:  Defensive lineman have been all the craze in this pass happy era of the National Football League.  Williams is a physical freak that is one of the more chiseled 300 lb. athletes you will ever see.  He was a highly productive player at USC with 21 sacks and a ton more mayhem caused.  While most 300 lb. defensive lineman are lined up at tackle,  Williams’ athleticism allow him to play the defensive end spot where many project him to play in the NFL. Anyway you look at it,  Williams is tough matchup for any offensive lineman, a problem for all offensive coordinators and one of those can’t miss prospects that come around every now and then.  Williams a 4 star rated player by Rivals coming out of high school and was the 5th ranked strong side defensive end in his class.

2. Amari Cooper – WR – Alabama:  There are many that will say you can find a ton of wide receivers in the NFL draft.  There aren’t many like this guy.  Underrated coming out of high school,  Cooper’s athletic gifts combined with his work ethic struck fear in defensive backs across college football during his career with the Crimson Tide.  Jon Gruden says Cooper has “a large inventory of routes” and that would accurately describe his game.  Whether its the go route, comeback, dig or curl,  Cooper is running it with precision.  He can catch the ball and do something dangerous with it afterwards.  He’s a nightmare off of the line of scrimmage and goes hard all game long.  He is essentially Jerry Rice with 4.42 speed. Picture that.  Wide receivers have a high bust rate in the draft but Cooper’s determination will not allow that to happen.  Cooper was a 4 star prospect out of high school according to Rivals and was listed 45th in their Top 100 the year he graduated.

3. Dante Fowler – DE / OLB  – Florida:  Pass rushers have become key in the NFL game.  With rules making it tough on the secondary to stay in contact with wide receivers,  defensive ends and pass rushing outside linebackers have been given the task of disrupting the high octane passing games.  Moving the quarterback off of his spot is the name of the game and that is what has brought Dante Fowler his fame.  While Fowler did not rack up huge numbers in terms of sacks,  if you viewed any Florida games during his time there,  he contributed to an enormous amount of failed plays by opposing offenses.  The relentless edge rusher tallied 34 tackles for a loss in his career at Florida and has excited teams at the top of the draft with his physical abilities. Fowler’s 4.60 forty yard dash at 260 lbs. makes him a candidate to play either DE in a 4-3 scheme our OLB in one of the growing number of 3-4 schemes popping up in the league.  He was a consensus 5 star prospect coming out of high school in 2012 and was the 3rd rated weak side defensive end prospect.

4. Cameron Erving – OT – Florida St.:  While Iowa’s Brandon Scherff has been considered the top OT in this draft and is likely to be the first offensive lineman selected,  I am riding with Cameron Erving as the best OL in the pool.  Erving came to Florida St. as a defensive lineman where he played his freshman year and sophomore year.  He then moved to the other side of the ball to offensive tackle and became a dominant player.  His junior year,  Erving earned All ACC honors along with 2nd team All American.  He was a top candidate for the Outland Trophy entering this past season but made a switch to center when FSU starting center Austin Barron season ended with an injury.  It is rare that a 6’6″ tackle makes a seamless move to the center position.  Erving was a leader on the FSU front and that has to impress you.  Erving has played defensive tackle, offensive tackle and center.  The lessons learned from all of that will pay off huge at the next level.  On top of that Erving is 6’6″ with longer arms and range than Scherff and for my money,  he seems more of a sure thing.

5. Melvin Gordon – RB – Wisconsin: The consensus is that Gurley will be the first taken but most analysts say Gordon not too far behind.  In my opinion,  he’s the guy I want if I am looking for a back in this draft. The knock on Gordon is inconsistent hands.  That’s nice but I need my running back carrying the rock not running routes.  I am sure Gordon can execute the screen play and the check down with no adventure.  If that’s all he does while tallying up 8 or 9 1,000 yard seasons for my franchise then I hit a home run. You can’t argue Gordon’s production for Wisconsin.  He put up 2,500 + yards this year after cranking out a 1,600 yard season in 2013.  There’s noting like being the hunted going into a season and performing above expectations.  I prefer Gordon over Gurley because Gordon can avoid contact,  while Gurley seems more apt to invite it.  This means Gordon is more likely to stay in the lineup and be on the field on Sundays.  Ultimately,  your first round pick needs to be on the field and not only was Gordon durable for Wisconsin,  his 4,915 yards and 7.8 yards per carry average makes him one of the most productive college football backs of all time.  Gordon was a 4-star rated back by Rivals coming out of high school in 2011 and was ranked the 24th RB overall in the country.  Tonight he will be one of the Top 32 men selected in the 2015 NFL draft.

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Three Things You Need to Do During Spring Practice To Be A Success

Chad Wilson

By: Chad Wilson –
Editor GridironStuds.com Blog

For many, Spring football has already begun. It’s your chance to deliver on all of the promises you made at the conclusion of last year. If success is what you are after, here are three things you will need to do this Spring for it to be a success.

1) SET GOALS: Setting a goal helps you to focus. Focusing leads to high performance. Any successful person will tell you that they got there by setting a goal. Spring football will be no different. Set challenging but reasonable goals. IT is important that you write them down and post them somewhere where they can be seen. Seeing those goals on a daily basis resets your focus at times when it will wander and it will wander.

2) FOLLOW THROUGH: Many people set goals and think that’s it. You must check your progress as you continue along towards your goals. At some point you may need to make adjustments to what you are doing or even adjust the goals to suit the situation. Either way, following through and checking your progress is essential.

3) KEEP TRACK: Measure your progress. This actually means keeping stats. This may sound corny to you but sometimes success means being corny (actually more than sometimes). How many catches did you have today? How many times did you score? How many pancake blocks? How many tackles? How many INTs? Keeping track of your day to day productivity will not only keep you in competition with yourself but it will also give you something to look back on in the future to see how far you have come.

Do these three things this Spring season and you are almost guaranteed to come out a success. When college coaches arrive to watch practice, nothing should change because whether they are there or not, you should always be giving 100% when you step out on the Gridiron.

Best GridironStuds Video of All Time: Jeff Luc or Tavon Austin?

Chad Wilson


By: Chad Wilson – Editor – Gridiron Studs Blog
Twitter: @GridironStuds

There have been over 5,000 videos submitted to GridironStuds.com since we started in 2009.  Amongst those 5,000 videos there have been some outstanding athletes and football players that have displayed some remarkable skill.  With that said,  two videos stick out in my mind as the absolute best to have graced the pages of GridironStuds.com.  Today,  I am asking you,  which one was the best:

2010 Prospect Jeff Luc – Linebacker – Treasure Coast High School, Florida

2 A.M in the morning and I am getting ready to go to sleep when an email comes in notifying me that there is a new video submission on GridironStuds.com.  Anxious to go to sleep and curious about a middle of the night submission,  curiosity won out.  I didn’t just watch Jeff Luc’s video once at 2 AM in the morning, I watched it five times.  I had never seen a high school linebacker get after people and inflict such pain like Luc did.  An email to his brother,  Alex who submitted it and I learned that Luc had no offers.  Jeff’s video would go viral after posting on GridironStuds.com and he would graduate from Treasure Coast as a 5 star.  Luc would eventually sign with Florida St. on signing day and later transfer to Cincinnati where he recently completed his senior year.  Luc is currently preparing for the NFL draft as he is part of the 2015 draft class.  CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHT VIDEO BELOW:

2009 Prospect Tavon Austin – Running Back – Dunbar High School, Maryland

I don’t know who submitted Tavon Austin’s video to GridironStuds.com but I thank whoever did.  Austin’s video was one of the early submission on our site and no one who watched his video could say they weren’t entertained.  From the hard hitting Gucci Mane instrumental, to the pre-highlight theatrics by Austin and his Dunbar pals,  his highlight video was made for popcorn.  While I don’t recommend the type of intro Austin’s video has for most high school prospects,  the 55 seconds you have to wait before the actual highlights was well worth the wait.  Austin’s video was another one that was watched, restarted then watched again countless times.  Austin’s video is 10:57 long and he is tackled only twice throughout the entire video and both times he scored.  This means that Austin scores in every clip for 10 minutes of a highlight video.  Well, all but one clip (the first one features him knocking a defender off of his feet on a crack back).  To say that all Austin did was score touchdowns on his highlight video would be a disservice to the production. Along the way, Austin has entertaining celebrations with teammates, clowns the hell out of defenders and has several opponents chasing ghosts as they trying gather him in.  There’s even a referee in extremely baggy clothes at 5:37 on the film to add comic relief.  Austin went on to sign with West Virginia as one of the most heralded prospects in the 2009 class.  In 2013, he was drafted #8 overall by the St. Louis Rams becoming the highest drafted member of GridironStuds.com to date.  CHECK OUT AUSTIN’S HIGHLIGHT VIDEO BELOW:

So who had the best GridironStuds.com highlight video of all time?  Was it Jeff Luc or was it Tavon Austin?  Leave your answer and your comments below.

Hungry South Florida Express Defenders Ready to Devour Unsuspecting Offenses

Chad Wilson
Devin Bush Jr. Holds 30 plus D1 Offers

Offense usually takes the stage during 7-on-7 games and tournaments as the rules are set up to highlight that part of the game of football.  However,  anyone who has coached 7-on-7 football knows that a strong defense will land you the trophy at any tournament.

This year’s version of the South Florida Express defense features a roster jam packed with very talented,  well coached prospects that are eager to make a name for themselves amongst the large group of high skilled defenders on the 7-on-7 circuit.  The physical gifts and football IQ will be on display by this version of South Florida Express stars as they are ready to dump ice water on the plans of overheated offenses.

2016 LB Devin Bush (Flanagan) is the #3 rated player at his position according to Rivals and is certainly a prospect that has earned it.  Programs like Florida St., Florida, Miami, Auburn and UCLA are hot after this agile defender and he’s ready to cause mayhem like he did during the regular season. Also joining Bush in the linebacking corps is talented and highly athletic Miami Central junior Wayne Steed.  Steed was a key member of a Central defense that led the way in their state title run.  Junior Christian Gomez (USF offer) also brings size and athleticism to the linebackers as does Miami Carol City 2017 prospect DeAndre Wilder.

The defensive backs will be spearheaded by highly sought after junior Cedric Wright (Miami commit) who is currently holding 15 major D1 offers with Alabama and Ohio St. amongst them. Booker T. Washington cornerback Dontye Carriere Williams showed his big play ability often during last year’s 7-on-7 season and he’s back again to make quarterbacks miserable. Williams has 17 Division I offers and is drawing even more interest from some of the top programs in the country. Sophomore cornerback Marco Wilson (American Heritage Plantation) is ready to become a household name and already holds four major division I offers with SEC power South Carolina being one of them.  Wilson’s big time athleticism and grit will aid the Express defense in drawing the line on offenses in every tournament.  Junior cornerback Deon Jackson’s length, speed and skill will be a problem for WRs looking to have their way.  Jackson is poised to capture the attention of college programs and media alike during this 7-on-7 season.  One of the more intriguing prospects this season will be 2017 safety Brian Edwards who has already secured offers from Miami, Clemson and Louisville. Edwards’ length will serve him well as will his ability to make plays deep down the field.

American high school defensive back Naytron Culpepper has been impressive in early practice sessions.  The 2017 prospect blends an athletic frame with great instincts to find himself around the football.  2016 junior defensive back Elijah Daniels holds multiple D1 offers as well as strong coverage skills to hold opposing WRs in check.  Hallandale junior safety Romelo Webster brings a high football IQ and great quickness to patrol the deep secondary and take away the ball from offenses all season long. 2017 University School cornerback Faion Hicks (FAU offer) is another prospect that turned heads during the season and has continued to do so early this offseason.  Look for Hicks to have a coming out party during the 2015 7-on-7 circuit.

Southridge defensive back Shawn Davis is a multi-talented prospect that can play any position in the secondary.  By the time the season is over,  media and colleges alike will know they need to take a trip down South to see this 2017 gem.  Sophomore safety Christopher Williams is another young defender that is hungry to show his worth as is American HS cornerback Joshua Dinson (2017) who holds offers from both Cincinnati and Kentucky.  2017 cornerback Donelle Thomas is another talented member of the American HS secondary that will make his presence felt in tournament play.  American Heritage Plantation freshman cornerback Pat Surtain Jr. has the size and athletic ability to give WRs fits and has already been offered by both Miami and Louisville.  Junior cornerback Isaiah Simpson (Cypress Bay) and 2018 prospect Michael Nesbitt (Stranahan) are poised to draw their rightful attention from interested onlookers while putting the clamps on the opposition.

South Florida Express has been a breeding ground for top defensive talent supplied to college football programs from coast to coast.  Look for this to continue with a talented group of defenders that are eager to grab their piece of the spotlight all season long.

Talented Weapons Fuel South Florida Express’ High Powered Offense

Chad Wilson
Tyler Huntley is poised to become the next in a long line of successful South Florida Express QBs.

The 7-on-7 season is here and the madness has begun as teams have held their highly publicized tryouts to gather their talent for the 2015 season.  The most recognized 7-on-7 team in the country, South Florida Express has geared up for the new season and will feature many highly talented athletes that have garnered the attention of college programs from across the country.

The 7-on-7 game is an offensive game by nature and South Florida Express will have no shortage of weapons on that side of the ball this season.  2016 Hallandale quarterback Tyler Huntley will lead the way for the Express as their primary signal caller.  Huntley currently holds eight division I offers including Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida.  Also calling signals for the Express this season will be 2017 Cardinal Gibbons QB Jake Allen (Rutgers offer) and new Booker T. Washington HS transfer Eric Walker.

Wide Receiver is where the action is on the field and the Express has their usual array of talent at that position.  University of Miami commit Dionte Mullins (Gulliver Prep HS) will certainly be one to watch while Hallandale junior wide out Joshua Hammonds (15 offers including LSU, MIA, ND, Ohio St.) takes a back seat to no one.  St. Thomas Aquinas junior Sam Bruce (Miami commit) is one of the most electrifying prospects in the country and will be a force for the Express throughout the season.  Sophomore WR Emmanuel Greene,  who recently transferred to IMG Academy,  racked up a ton of offers during this past season from the likes of Miami, Florida, Ohio St. and UCLA.  Greene will be a tough matchup for the opposition in every tournament.  Not to be out done will be 2016 American Heritage Plantation WR Dredrick Snelson who won the Rivals 5 star challenge in 2014.  The University of Miami commit brings his speed and big play ability to the field and will create problems for defenses.

The excitement doesn’t stop there.  Miami High WR Keyshawn “Pie” Young will be one of the most intriguing prospects participating in the 7-on-7 circuit in 2015.  Young’s flair for the dramatic and off the charts athleticism promised to turns heads and open mouths at tournaments.  Southridge HS junior Freddie Pinder is an imposing figure at WR and has garnered the attention from several high profile SEC programs along with prolific offenses like Clemson and West Virginia.  The University of Miami is hot on the trail of this 6’5″ athlete that will likely take many a defensive back up top in tournament play.

You would think that would be enough for just one team but like the infomercials say “but wait, that’s not all”.  Cardinal Gibbons 2017 ATH Daniel Wright is ready to break ankles this 7-on-7 season and continue to draw the attention of schools like Auburn, Clemson, Miami and Michigan St. who are some of the 8 schools who have already offered.  Hallandale High School junior Chris Cotto made a name for himself last 7-on-7 season and carried that into the regular season.  Cotto is not as highly publicized as others on the roster but will wreck a defense as good as anyone.  2016 WR Demari Simpkins is much out of the mold of Cotto as he will use his quickness and playmaking ability to aid South Florida Express to many victories this season.

While the big names are doing their thing, several up and comers are ready to burst on the scene as South Florida Express players are known to do every year.  Junior WR Andrew Parchment (Cypress Bay) brings the length, speed and catching ability that many teams covet.  Cardinal Gibbons 2017 WR Leroy Henley did damage during the 2014 season and will continue that during the 7-on-7 circuit.  Henley already holds offers from seven schools including home town school The University of Miami.  Sophomore Laress Nelson (American Heritage Plantation) and  freshman Shaun Shivers (Chaminade-Madonna) promise to slice defenses with their cat-like quickness while 2017 prospects Jordan Merrell (Dillard) and Jonathan Moore (University School) will dazzle on-lookers with their A grade route running and catching ability.  Junior WRs Neru N’Shaka (Hallandale) and Elisha Daniels (Cardinal Gibbons) are ready to give people their money’s worth and show people why many high profile division I schools have taken an interest.

Rounding out the solid group on offense and ready to have their coming out party are 2018 WR Xavier Williams (Chaminade), 2017 WR Lavarus Tigner (Stranahan) who holds a Miami offer , 2018 WR BJ Alexander (Flanagan), 2016 RB Greg McCrea (Hallandale) and 2017 WR Mike Harley Jr. (St. Thomas).

South Florida Express founder Brett Goetz believes this can be the most talented team as he has ever had in his eight years.  That’s quite a statement since South Florida Express can claim NFL players, Heisman Trophy candidates, Bilenitkoff winners, Elite 11 Champions and Under Armour All American MVPs as part of their alumni.  No other 7-on-7 team in the country can make such a claim.  This will certainly make for a very exciting 2015 7-on-7 season.