With McMillian injured, at present only Godchaux appears to be starter material from the 2017 Draft
2018 may be different, but for now, only Godchaux looks ready
I had barely taken a second sip from my rum and coke before Raekwon McMillan was injured.
Stunned, my eyes snapped open and shut with disbelief that this hideous series of disasters was still an on-going car wreck. All I could think was when will it end?
It has too end, doesn’t it?
After emptying my glass in one gulp and refilling it, I hoped real, real hard that something good would show up to help ease the loss ofMcMillian…
Several nice surprises did show up thankfully, but the one I’ll focus on here is #56 Davon Godchaux. The game started ugly for Godchaux. His first two plays had him kissing the ground in each, once due to a double team and once by a cut block. But, on his fourth play he began to shine and shine bright.
Above, Godchaux has driven Alex Mack back a yard behind the Line Of Scrimmage and is the primary reason for the stop by allowing a lane for Kiko Alonso to make the tackle. Mack is a top 3 Center who’s bigger than Godchaux, but Godchaux used burst, leverage, and get-up-after-it to win this snap.
And he wasn’t done for the night.
It doesn’t take a Price per head site to tell you that the key to any player’s success, especially young ones, is the ability to learn… and learn fast.
Godchaux was cut to the ground on his second snap… this time he was ready. On this one, he fights off the cut and is quick enough to get down the line and be the first in on the play.
Not only was he stout against the run, but he was also able to generate pass rush through explosion off the ball, ability to bend, and strength.
These last two snapshots are a side-by-side comparison with Godchaux and Jordan Phillips on the field at the same time.
Will Godchaux end up being the only 2017 draftee to start this season?
Above, Phillps is cut blocked, and though he isn’t taken to the ground, he is late to the play. Conversely, Godchaux has driven the Guard back deep into the backfield, disrupting the lane, delaying the back, and forcing a short gain.
Below, Phillps is in a stalemate, while Godchaux has beaten his man and is mirroring the back down the LOS and ends up a primary factor why the play results in a loss.
At least from this Preseason Game, it’s clear that Godchaux has earned his place above Phillips, and this isn’t just a motivational tactic for Phillips. It’s not that Phillips played poorly, but given that this is his third season, he should be performing better.
Can Miami find players to step up in the face of all these injuries?
If Godchaux performance can hover around this level throughout the season, Miami will have found a late round steal. The real question is, can he be consistent? And as we witnessed with McMillian, can he stay healthy?
Given the season-ending injury to Mcmillian, the raw and uneven play from Charles Harris and Cordrea Tankersley, Isaac Asiata at the bottom of the roster, Isaiah Ford injured and likely done for the year, and Vincent Taylor playing well, but not good enough to start, Godchaux appears to be the only player drafted that has a chance to start.
This makes the 2016 Draftees progression so crucial.
Miami just can’t compete having most of the last two drafts lingering in the middle or the back of the depth charts.
Thankfully, Godchaux does offer a great deal of hope, but will he be enough. The loss of McMillian is a disaster. There’s no other way to slice it. Thankfully there were other bright spots last night… but that’s a story for another article. Go Fins!!!