#vontae jones

[alboo]

The reports of the death of Alabama football's and Nick Saban's dynasty are greatly exaggerated, in fact they are idiotic.

Quality of recruits is the biggest predictor in College Football success,, and alboo believes the number of NFL first round picks is the determinant of the quality of recruiting classes.

The 2023 No. 1 recruiting class belongs to Alabama.

2022 Alabama is No. 2

2024 projected Alabama class is No. 4

Georgia is behind Alabama in two of these classes.

Disclosure: there have been many things Saban has done that made me hate him (most of the time.)

Nick Saban is considered the greatest college coach of all time. Factored in his greatness is the lack of continuity in his offensive and defensive coordinators year to year. Most juggernauts haven't had this. Incoming coordinators don't decide what system the offense and defense run, Nick Saban does. Saban is incredibly detailed in all he does. These detailed instructions and standards to meet are clearly given to his coaches and then to the players.

I was amazed at the organized stacks of reports on Saban's desk that he must go through.

The man lives by the wise rule - these tasks are not seen as a task you have to do a certain day. Instead you have a ROUTINE you follow each day so you don't have the stress of thinking about what you are going to do. This goes all the way down to eating the same salad each day for lunch so it is another decision he doesn't have to spend time thinking about.

Point of this paragraph - although Nick Saban didn't want to, in order to stay competitive due to changes in the game, he changed his offensive and defensive systems. Saban would prefer running a ground and pound running based offense with a quarterback that is "good enough" and has few reads . He would like to have one featured receiver such as Julio Jones and Amari Cooper. A defense anchored by humongous defensive tackles that aren't mobile and fast. He tried hypocritical b.s. claims that no huddle fast snap spread offenses with lots of passes, lots of receivers was dangerous for the players. He eventually realized he would not get his way and primarily run quarterback Jalen Hurtz was pulled for great passers like Tua Tagliova accompanied by a fleet of fast receivers such as Da vonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, and Jalen Waddle.

Who I see in danger of losing their perennial top 5 status and dynasty is Clemson and Dabo Sweeney. This because he doesn't want to change with them nes by adapting to the use of the transfer portal and NIL money. In the three recruiting classes above Clemson is ranked: 2024 - 15, 2023 - 11, 2022 - 10.

Good news for Sooners is Oklahoma has top ten classes.

[reddingkeen]

this is still probably one of my favourite episodes of all time. james spader playing raymond perfectly once again, his interactions with the other inmates are hilarious, relatable, intense and entertaining to watch.

also the vontae ft raymond scenes are so underrated. their characters mesh together in a really special way. i always love watching them on screen together. i wish the characters in raymonds close circle got more appreciation and were featured more often in the show !! vontae is just one of many gems red has picked up along the way.

[season 6 episode 4]

[factoseintolerant]

[asktheblacklist]

Open RP’s

We have some fantastic RP accounts open for application! We’d love for you to join the team and get everyone talking as we inch closer to Season 8!

Special Agent Donald Ressler

He’s been known to bend the rules more over years, but Ressler remains a steady island of calm in the storm.

Dembe Zuma

Even when morally conflicted, there’s no one more dedicated and loyal to @askraymondredreddington​ than Dembe.

Katarina Rostova

@askelizabethscottkeen‘s mother, @askraymondredreddington‘s former love, and a Russian spy so dangerous that some people don’t even think she existed.

Special Agent Alina Park

The newest addition to the Task Force, Park brings a fresh perspective and a painful past with her.

Vontae Jones

Intelligent and cool under pressure, Vontae has proven himself to be a loyal addition to @askraymondredreddington​‘s army.

Check out our other open RP’s

Submit an application here

Ask the Mods

Please feel free to reblog these! 

[humanxbeing]

"I've always believed who you are should define you, not who you were."

► fandom: the blacklist ► character: raymond 'red' reddington ► song: king (zayde wolf)

Blocked? Watch it here: https://vimeo.com/389896319.

I own neither the footage nor music and make no profit.

Primarily, this music video serves as a celebration of James Spader's 60th birthday! Equally recognized are the Raymond Reddington character and all of the players who comprise Red's team - or "Team Red" as dubbed with total affection by fans alike.

Hope you enjoy!

----------------------------------------­--------------

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

#JamesSpader #HappyBirthdayJamesSpader #TheBlacklist #RaymondReddington #HishamTawfiq #DembeZuma #TeamRed #DembeLoyals #CoyStewart #VontaeJones #ClarkMiddleton #GlenCarter #TeddyColuca #TeddyBrimley #BrettCullen #IlyaKoslov #NataliePaul #FrancescaCampbell

[alyblacklist]

It’s not a real party until someone needs the hair of the dog.  

[agxntkeen]

You had my back. You had it like nobody ever has. Not my father, not my friends, certainly none of these fools in here. Nobody's ever given two dumps about me, but you did over some stupid pimento loaf. So I want you to know I got you out there, okay?

[takadasaiko]

Vontae Jones.

[askraymondredreddington]

Vontae Jones would make a great addition to Team Red once he's out of jail.

I have nothing but the deepest regard and affection for Vontae.  And because of that, I’d rather help him find a legitimate pursuit and offer him a chance at a life outside of crime than make him a member of my organization.  But I will do everything in my power to ensure he gets another chance once I get out of here.

[watchingthesuperbowl]

Grading Super Bowl XLVII

What was the final score?

Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31

How much of the game was close? What was the “edge of your seat factor” like? (20 points)

Despite the final score, most of this game wasn’t close. The Ravens took a 21-6 lead into halftime and extended that lead on the opening kickoff of the second half. Kick returner Jacoby Jones caught the kickoff eight yards deep in his own end zone and shot through the coverage team like a bolt of lightning for a 108-yard touchdown. Jones’s kickoff return tied the NFL record (both regular and postseason) for longest scoring play of any kind. At that point, it was 28-6 and the vultures had begun to circle over the Niners’ season.

But a funny thing happened on the way to a blowout. After a 34-minute delay for a power outage inside the stadium (more on the delay later), it was a completely different game. It looked like someone had turned the 49ers off, then back on again. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick went from looking like a decent but unremarkable passer to looking like Steve Young. Kaepernick utterly shredded Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and the rest of the Ravens’ star-studded defense. The Niners put up 17 points in just over four minutes and all of a sudden it was 28-23 instead of 28-6.

After that blizzard of points, the rest of the game was a nailbiter. A Justin Tucker field goal extended the Ravens’ lead to 31-23, a touchdown and successful two-point conversion being the difference. Kaepernick looked at that, shrugged, and five plays later had his team in the end zone. The Niners needed a two-point conversion to tie the score, but Kaepernick overthrew Randy Moss on the attempt. It was 31-29 Baltimore with roughly ten minutes left in the Super Bowl. There was plenty of time for the 49ers to take the lead and win the game.

Most of that time would be gone before the San Francisco offense got the ball back. Baltimore used healthy doses of running backs Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce to drive downfield and keep the clock rolling. That drive ended with a Tucker field goal and a 34-29 lead. There was 4:23 remaining in regulation. Again, that was plenty of time for the Niners, particularly with an offense that was firing on all cylinders in the second half. Kaepernick led them on an impressive 75-yard drive, using his arm and his legs to make things happen along the way. That’s the good news for San Francisco. The bad news was that they started the drive on their own 20, meaning they needed 80 yards instead of 75. The drive that could have ended with Kaepernick cementing a legendary place in Super Bowl history instead ended with an incomplete pass on fourth and goal from the Baltimore 5.

But the game wasn’t over at that point. Not by a longshot. It was clear that the Ravens would run as much clock as possible, but just as clear that San Francisco would get the ball back with a few seconds left on the clock.

With 1:46 left on the clock, Joe Flacco handed the ball to Ray Rice. Rice gained two yards, out to the seven yard line. The 49ers responded by calling their third and final timeout of the half with 1:42 left. The second down play was another run, of course, this time Bernard Pierce running around left end but obviously avoiding going anywhere near the sideline. Going out of bounds would have stopped the clock, which was not something that would have endeared him to his teammates, coaches, or fans. With the clock still running, Baltimore didn’t have to snap the ball again until the clock reached 0:56. Fullback Vontae Leach went off right guard on third down, again going nowhere near the sideline. With the Ravens getting 40 seconds in between plays, it had become clear San Francisco would get the ball back. The question had become how best for Baltimore to do that.

As fourth down approached, the Ravens ran the play clock down all the way, then called a timeout with 0:12 remaining in the game. Baltimore decided to do the most logical thing possible in this situation: They snapped the ball to punter Sam Koch, who had been told to run around in the end zone as long as he could, to not kick the ball under any circumstances, and to step out of bounds when he was about to be tackled. Koch burned eight of the twelve remaining seconds while giving away that intentional safety.

There were four seconds remaining on the clock when the Ravens lined up for the free kick. A poor kick by Koch would have allowed the Niners to call a fair catch and attempt an unchallenged field goal to tie the game and send it to overtime. That wasn’t a problem, though. Koch blasted the free kick more than 60 yards downfield to the waiting Ted Ginn inside the San Francisco 20. If Ginn decided to return it, there wouldn’t be enough time for a play from scrimmage. If Ginn decided to fair catch the ball, the Niners would probably be way too far back in their own territory to attempt a Hail Mary bomb into the end zone. Ginn chose to return the kick, which was almost certainly the right move. It was a nice return too, out to midfield before being tackled. Unfortunately for San Francisco, the clock expired during Ginn’s return. Game over; the Ravens had escaped with a 34-31 win. (Score: 11 out of 20)

Was there any kind of comeback? Was there ever any indication that the team which was trailing had a chance to come from behind and win? (15 points)

Missed it by that much. At the time Super Bowl XLVII was played, the biggest comeback in the history of the Super Bowl had been 10 points. The 49ers had been down by 22 points in the second half and nearly come away with a victory.

Missed it by that much.

If you would have asked me early in the fourth quarter who would win the game, with the Ravens leading 28-23, I probably would have picked San Francisco. The Baltimore offense had gone dormant and the 49er offense looked unstoppable. This game was a whisker away from becoming one of the greatest comebacks in football history. That the comeback didn’t succeed is only a minor detail in scoring this category. (Score: 14 out of 15)

Did the great players come through with great performances? (15 points)

Eh, not really. San Francisco receiver Randy Moss, who seems like he should be a lock to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the class of 2018, only had two catches. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who’s probably about to go into the Hall alongside Moss, was fairly pedestrian. Lewis had seven tackles, but none of them were for loss. The 49ers seemed determined to not allow Lewis to be an impact player, often working to get him into coverage on tight end Vernon Davis. Ray Lewis was terrific at a lot of things (run stopping, getting to the ballcarrier and making a tackle, intentionally misleading police during the investigation of a double murder), but he wasn’t going to stop a big, quick, athletic tight end in pass coverage downfield.

San Francisco running back Frank Gore, who as of this writing is in the top five in NFL history in career rushing yards, put together an impressive performance. Gore had 19 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Baltimore kick returner Jacoby Jones was a first-team All-Pro in 2012; he set Super Bowl records with 290 combined yards, two touchdowns of 50+ yards, and a 108-yard kickoff return touchdown.

The players who weren’t quite great, but were instead very good, generally put together strong performances in this game. Ravens WR Anquan Boldin (6 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD) and Niners receivers Vernon Davis (6-104-0) and Michael Crabtree (5-109-1) were all impact performers.

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco has never quite been star-level, but you wouldn’t have known by his performance in this game. Flacco was a deserving Super Bowl MVP, completing 22 of 33 pass attempts for 287 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

For the Niners, quarterback Colin Kaepernick was a bit of a question mark going into this game. Super Bowl XLVII was only the tenth start of Kaepernick’s professional career. He went into the 2012 season as Alex Smith’s backup, but took over the starting job when Smith suffered a concussion. Smith never did get his starting job back in San Francisco. Anyway, Colin Kaepernick. He was magnificent in the second half after a bit of a hit-and-miss first half. Kaepernick completed 16 of 28 passes for 302 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. In addition, he ran the ball seven times for 62 yards and a score. It’s almost as if he’s good at playing football. (Score: 9 out of 15)

Were the teams historically great? (10 points)

Nope. The 2012 Ravens were a pretty good team, but not much more. They finished the season 10-6, tied for the worst record of any team in the playoffs that season. Baltimore’s offense was 16th out of 32 NFL teams in yards gained. The defense was 17th in yards allowed. Everything about this team screamed “not too shabby but unremarkable”, other than the fact that they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the Super Bowl. This Ravens team doesn’t get a ton better in context of the seasons around 2012. They did go 24-8 in the regular season in the two previous seasons, but then went 8-8, missed the playoffs, and were outscored by their opponents in 2013. Again, on the whole it was a pretty good resume. It’s just not exactly “1970s Steelers” or “1980s 49ers”.

The 49ers were much the same. They hadn’t had a winning season in nearly a decade before head coach Jim Harbaugh showed up in 2011, then they went 13-3, 11-4-1, and 12-4 in Harbaugh’s first three seasons. They haven’t had a winning season since. For those three years, this was a very good team. If you zoom out a bit, though, you see that those three years of excellence came in the middle of a 15-season span in which the Niners have changed coaches eight times. As I write this, in the past four seasons, the 49ers have had four coaches: Harbaugh in 2014, Jim Tomsula in 2015, Chip Kelly in 2016, and Kyle Shanahan in 2017. You don’t do that if you’re even remotely close to historically great. (Score: 7 out of 10)

Were there memorable moments that will be talked about for decades? (10 points)

Absolutely. Two immediately come to mind, both of which came towards the start of the third quarter: The Jacoby Jones kickoff return and The Blackout.

I’ve written above about the Jones return touchdown, so I won’t go into it here. Obviously, it was a memorable and exciting moment that played a big part in determining the Super Bowl champion.

The Blackout was perhaps THE turning point in this game. Three plays into the second half, the Superdome suffered a power outage that delayed the game for more than 30 minutes. At the time of the stoppage, the score was 28-6 and the 49ers looked dead in the water. Almost immediately upon the resumption of play, the roles reversed. The Ravens went three-and-out on their first possession, then the Niners scored a touchdown. And then the Ravens went three-and-out on their second possession, then the Niners scored a touchdown. It’s probably way too simple to say that the blackout was the cause of the reversal. But it would be one heck of a coincidence if the two things were completely unrelated. (Score: 10 out of 10)

How was the quality of play? Were there a lot of penalties, punts, and turnovers? (15 points)

The quality of play was good, as you’d tend to expect in a game between two championship-caliber teams. The Ravens had one turnover, the 49ers had two. Each team punted three times, a relatively light workload for their punters. There were only 53 total penalty yards in the entire game.

Nothing about the play was remarkable, other than the fact that it was consistently good. (Score: 11 out of 15)

Are there any other factors that add to the greatness the game? This covers things like weather, story line, rivalry matchup, legacy franchises, unexpected results, etc. (15 points)

I don’t know whether I should include the blackout here. I sort of think I shouldn’t, because I already counted it in the “memorable moments” category. Maybe I’ll consider it as a minor factor.

The big story in the lead-up to this game was the coaching matchup. Baltimore’s head coach, John Harbaugh, and San Francisco’s head coach, Jim Harbaugh, are brothers. This was a remarkable development - just one year earlier, they had become the first pair of brothers to be NFL head coaches at the same time. Now the Harbaughs were facing off in the Super Bowl. Their father, Jack, was also a successful head coach, having won the Division I-AA National Championship as the head coach at Western Kentucky in 2002. (I’d lose my Bowling Green card if I didn’t shoehorn in a reference to Jack’s time as an assistant coach at BGSU.)

In addition to the Harbaugh angle, Super Bowl XLVII was the final NFL game for two pro football legends. Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis had already announced that he would retire after the game, win or lose. The future was a bit murkier for 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss. Moss retired after the 2010 season, sat out in 2011, then came out of retirement to play for the 2012 Niners. One of the greatest receivers in football history, Moss was a spare part as a 49er, playing as the third wideout in an offense that frequently used a tight end as a downfield threat. The Niners didn’t invite Moss back for 2013; he was widely praised as an off-field influence, but was clearly a shadow of his former self. It was an amicable breakup, by all accounts.

The Ravens played the season in honor of recently deceased owner Art Modell. I wish it were possible for me to say something nice about Modell, but it isn’t. My mom’s from Cleveland, my siblings were born in Cleveland, I grew up less than an hour from Cleveland. Simply typing “Art Modell” raises my blood pressure noticeably. So I’ll leave it there. Modell died, the team honored him. The end.

There was quite a bit of attention paid to Colin Kaepernick in the leadup to the game. As I mentioned earlier, Kaepernick became the Niners’ starting quarterback after Alex Smith suffered a concussion in November. Jim Harbaugh broke the unspoken, unofficial rule that players don’t lose their jobs due to injury and left Kaepernick in the starting role even after Smith was ready to return. This was a controversial decision, not least because Smith had been named the offensive player of the month earlier in 2012 and completed more than 70 percent of his passes on the season. Eyebrows were raised. Let’s just say that. (Score: 14 out of 15)

Um, guys? Hello?

How does the game grade overall? (sum of all previous categories, 100 points)

76 out of 100. Not quite Top 10, but still very good. It gets hurt because half of the game looked like a blowout and because neither team was inner-circle great.

Ratings and rankings of Super Bowls I-XLVII:

1. Super Bowl XLII - New York Giants 17, New England 14 - 91 points T2. Super Bowl XIII - Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31 - 87 points T2. Super Bowl XXXVIII - New England 32, Carolina 29 - 87 points 4. Super Bowl XXXVI - New England 20, St. Louis 17 - 86 points 5. Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16 - 85 points T6. Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19 - 84 points T6. Super Bowl XXXIV - St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16 - 84 points T8. Super Bowl X - Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17 - 80 points T8. Super Bowl XLIX - New Orleans 31, Indianapolis 17 - 80 points 10. Super Bowl XLVI - New York Giants 21, New England 17 - 78 points 11. Super Bowl XXXII - Denver 31, Green Bay 24 - 77 points 12. Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore 34, San Francisco 31 - 76 points 13. Super Bowl VII - Miami 14, Washington 7 - 74 points 14. Super Bowl XLIII - Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23 - 71 points 15. Super Bowl XXX - Dallas 27, Pittsburgh 17 - 69 points T16. Super Bowl IX - Pittsburgh 16, Minnesota 6 - 68 points T16. Super Bowl XXXI - Green Bay 35, New England 21 - 68 points T16. Super Bowl XLV - Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25 - 68 points T19. Super Bowl XVII - Washington 27, Miami 17 - 67 points T19. Super Bowl XXVIII - Dallas 30, Buffalo 13 - 67 points 21. Super Bowl XXXIX - New England 24, Philadelphia 21 - 66 points 22. Super Bowl XIV - Pittsburgh 31, Los Angeles 19 - 65 points 23. Super Bowl XVI - San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21 - 62 points T24. Super Bowl XL - Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10 - 61 points T24. Super Bowl XIX - San Francisco 38, Miami 16 - 61 points T26. Super Bowl III - New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7 - 58 points T26. Super Bowl XXII - Washington 42, Denver 10 - 58 points 28. Super Bowl XXI - New York Giants 39, Denver 20 - 57 points 29. Super Bowl XXVII - Dallas 52, Buffalo 17 - 55 points 30. Super Bowl XXXIII - Denver 34, Atlanta 19 - 53 points 31. Super Bowl VI - Dallas 24, Miami 3 - 52 points 32. Super Bowl XX - Chicago 46, New England 10 - 51 points T33. Super Bowl I - Green Bay 35, Kansas City 10 - 50 points T33. Super Bowl XXXVII - Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21 - 50 points T33. Super Bowl XLI - Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 - 50 points T36. Super Bowl XVIII - Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington 9 - 49 points T36. Super Bowl XXIV - San Francisco 55, Denver 10 - 49 points 38. Super Bowl XXVI - Washington 37, Buffalo 24 - 48 points 39. Super Bowl VIII - Miami 24, Minnesota 7 - 47 points 40. Super Bowl XV - Oakland 27, Philadelphia 10 - 44 points 41. Super Bowl IV - Kansas City 23, Minnesota 7 - 43 points 42. Super Bowl XXXV - Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7 - 42 points T43. Super Bowl II - Green Bay 33, Oakland 14 - 40 points T43. Super Bowl V - Baltimore 16, Dallas 13 - 40 points 45. Super Bowl XXIX - San Francisco 49, San Diego 26 - 39 points 46. Super Bowl XII - Dallas 27, Denver 10 - 38 points 47. Super Bowl XI - Oakland 32, Minnesota 14 - 35 points

[junker-town]

Is it Beyoncé’s fault the 49ers lost their only Super Bowl appearance in the last 25 years?

It’s always fun to find someone to blame.

When Beyoncé took the stage at Super Bowl 47, the San Francisco 49ers were already in a 21-6 hole. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw three first-half touchdowns and the San Francisco offense was struggling to keep up.

The good news for the 49ers was they had a propensity for picking up the pace after halftime. San Francisco outscored opponents by 28 points in the first half in 2012 and 114 points in the second half. Just two weeks before the Super Bowl, they clawed back from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.

So while Beyoncé was out performing an extravagant halftime show with a mini Destiny’s Child reunion, San Francisco was prepping for its comeback.

The hole only got deeper for the 49ers, though. The second half of the Super Bowl started with Ravens receiver Jacoby Jones taking the kickoff back 108 yards for a touchdown.

Then the lights went out.

While the 49ers were in the middle of a drive into Ravens’ territory, a section of the stadium lights shut down. Initial reports were that Beyoncé’s performance may have been the reason for the outage.

NFL official told me power outage limited to Superdome, wasn't the whole grid. Also, apparently the halftime show with Beyonce was a factor

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 4, 2013

The game was delayed for 34 minutes and when it finally restarted the 49ers failed to convert a third down. They finally got things going on their next possession and rattled off 17 straight points before the end of the third quarter, but the Ravens held off the surge in the fourth.

So what would’ve happened if the blackout never happened?

“We’d have won that,” 49ers wide receiver Ted Ginn told Bleacher Report’s Adam Lefkoe in May. “Yeah we gave them time. We warm up, get back right. ... We were over there like, ‘Hurry, get the power back on.’ We were ready to go.”

That seems ... uh ... optimistic.

The 49ers outscored the Ravens, 25-6, in the 28 or so minutes after the blackout. Colin Kaepernick found his form and the Ravens dialed back the pass-heavy attack that gave them a big lead in the first place. But if any team should have a gripe about a swing in momentum after the power outage, it’s Baltimore.

“It really hurt us. We had lot of momentum,” Ravens fullback Vonta Leach told reporters after the game. “We were rolling. That 35- or 40-minute wait, whatever it was, hurt our momentum as far as what we were trying to do. But we came out on top and that’s all that matters.”

San Francisco can blame its inability to slow down Flacco or start a game strong for losing the Super Bowl. Pointing the finger at Beyoncé — who didn’t even cause the blackout — doesn’t make any sense.

[factoseintolerant]

[asktheblacklist]

The Blacklist RP team has several open RP’s and we’d love for you to join us! We have a full list of available RP accounts here: http://asktheblacklist.tumblr.com/availablerp

And you can request to join here: http://asktheblacklist.tumblr.com/submit

Drop us an ask if you have any questions!

[alyblacklist]

Fantastic video @humanxbeing !

“For now, you must leave the rest to fate.” “I make my own fate.”

► fandom: the blacklist ► character(s): raymond ‘red’ reddington + dembe zuma + vontae jones ► song: human (rag'n'bone man)

Blocked? Watch it here: https://vimeo.com/315910058

Happy birthday, James!

I own neither the footage nor music and make no profit.

—————————————-­————–

Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

#JamesSpader #HappyBirthdayJamesSpader #RaymondReddington #AlanShore #HishamTawfiq #DembeZuma #CoyStewart #VontaeJones #TheBlacklist #ThePractice

[alyblacklist]

New interview from Cool America Magazine with Coy Stewart who plays Vontae on The Blacklist. (Via mctalentla / IG)

Will we see you on NBC’s “The Blacklist” again soon?

James Spader’s character Raymond always has a way of keeping friends nearby. I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if we see my character Vontae popping up every now and then.

[grimeuspyneus]

NFL Mock Draft

Pick 1 - Cleveland Browns select

Myles Garrett - Defensive End - Texas A&M

Whilst there is a massive quarterback hole within the Browns roster, however they would be imbecilic not to take Garret number 1. Garrett is undoubtedly the top prospect in the draft being a certified freak whilst simultaneously showing Hall of Fame potential; there he has been securing multiple humbling comparisons from Julius Peppers to a collaboration of Von Miller and Jadeveon Clowney. Looking at Myles Garrett’s tape, although there may be signs of laziness at times, he looks as if he is the best player on the field and can change the game at any point with his combination of size, speed, power, and technique. The Browns can’t afford to mess this pick up so anyone else but Garrett here would be shock.

Other options - NO ONE

Pick 2 - San Francisco 49ers select

Jamal Adams - Safety - LSU

There are many different directions that the 49ers could go with this pick; they could try to go for the home run hit by taking the powerhouse that is Leonard Fournette; solidify that defensive front by taking the versatile Solomon Thomas; or they could trade out of the pick giving the new 49ers GM, John Lynch, multiple first round picks in the future. Although the latter may make the most sense from a directional standpoint, I decided to give the 49ers Jamal Adams from LSU. Adams is a clean non-stop workhorse on the defensive end who will add a leader to that 49ers D; looking at the tape you can see that Adams has a genuine passion for the game and will risk it all to win a game which is exactly the kind of player this organization needs on the field and the locker room. I believe that Jamal Adams can have the same kind of impact that Landon Collins had with the Giants last year - Adams has also drawn other comparisons from ‘The Honey Badger’ Tyrann Mathieu and the future Hall of Famer Darren Woodson.

Other options - Leonard Fournette, Solomon Thomas

Pick 3 - Chicago Bears select

Solomon Thomas - Defensive End - Stanford

The Bears as a team have a lot of holes to fill so at this spot they should just go with whomever is the highest on their draft board, for me the highest person still available is Solomon Thomas. Thomas is an extremely versatile defender who can play anywhere along the front line to a high standard and never takes a play off. Thomas will add energy to this defense and is a player the fans of Chicago can get behind; he has been drawing comparisons from J.J. Watt to Justin Smith.

Other options - Marshon Lattimore, Jonathon Allen 

Pick 4 - Jacksonville Jaguars select

Leonard Fournette - Running Back - LSU

The jags filled most of their defensive needs in free agency picking up such big name players as Barry Church, AJ Bouye, and Calais Campbell; combine this with young talent like Dante Fowler Jr and Jalen Ramsay this defense can be in the upper echelon for the next few years. However, by spending so much money on defense the Jaguars lost some of their key offensive lineman so this next selection might not be wise but the draft is about improving your team and by drafting Leonard Fournette this team becomes immediately more explosive, dangerous, and physical. Leonard is a force to be reckoned with and will be one of the premier backs in the NFL from day one. By drafting Fournette the opposing defense will stack the box more leaving, the mediocre, Blake Bortles with more open targets which will ultimately lead to more yard equaling more points; pair that with a premier defense then this Jacksonville will be scary team over the next few years. Fournette has earned such high class comparisons as Adrian Peterson, Jamal Lewis, and Bo Jackson.

Other options - O.J. Howard, Garret Bolles

Pick 5 - Tennessee Titans select

Marshon Lattimore - Cornerback - The Ohio State

The Titans have a major hole at corner and Lattimore is the best corner in the draft; simple as that. In spite of this, if Lattimore is not here when it sthere turn to pick than i expect the Titans to aggressively shop this pick and if they can’t do that then they will either fill the whole at wide receiver or just take the best player available. Lattimore has been compared to the shut down corner Vontae Davis.

Other options - Mike Williams, Solomon Thomas

Pick 6 - New York Jets select

O.J. Howard - Tight End - Alabama

Some have suggested that the Jets may take their “quarterback of the future” with this pick and while that still may be true everything that I have heard from players and coaches in interviews is that they have full confidence in Christian Hackenberg - plus with the addition of Josh McCown it looks as if the Jets aren’t looking for a QB; at least not at this pick. If Hackenbeg is the Jets quarterback then they need to fill as many weapons around him and the loss of Brandon Marshall does not help this fact. O.J. Howard is great replacement and a potent weapon for this offense, Howard is a big tight with incredible hands, great speed, and a love for blocking you normally don’t see in pass catching tight ends. Howard is also special in the fact he has a high floor and a high ceiling meaning as he grows and matures the Jets will still get great production out of him. Howard has been drawing comparisons of Tony Gonzales and Julius Thomas.

Other options - Mitchell Trubisky, Reuben Foster

Pick 7 - Los Angeles Chargers select

Malik Hooker - Safety - The Ohio State

The Chargers have one of the best top 10 draft pick team you will see, one of the only problems they have is in their secondary; this problem can be immediately solved by one player - Malik Hooker. A true center-fielder, when talking about football, Hooker presents awesome anticipation, great ball skills and just an overall natural ability to make any quarterback pay for their mistakes. This pick seems almost too perfect but this could lead the re-birth of this chargers organization in a new city. I believe Hooker has the ability to be the best player out of this class when its all said and done, so do other as he ha been drawing strong comparisons to the legendary Ed Reed, Earl Thomas, and Charles Woodson.

Other options - Christian McCaffrey, Reuben Foster

Pick 8 - Carolina Panthers select

John Ross - Wide Receiver - Washington

The first, and maybe only, shocker in this draft; the Panthers select the dynamic John Ross in the top 10. When you break Chris Johnson's famous “He ran what?” 40 yard dash time you are certain to turn heads and when you compare that with what you can see on tape then you have, maybe, the most explosive player in the entire draft. If you combine that explosiveness with Kelvin Benjamin and the former MVP Cam Newton’s incredible arm talent then that spells disaster for opposing secondaries especially for the already frugal secondaries of the NFC South teams, whilst almost simultaneously showing flashes of improving on the 2011 ‘dream team’ eagles. Ross has been given a very strong comparison to his training partner and pivotal member of that 2011 eagles team Deshaun Jackson.

Other options - Christian McCaffrey, Jonathon Allen

Pick 9 - Cincinnati Bengals select

Jonathan Allen - Defensive End - Alabama

Medical issues may cause the top 5 prospect to slide down draft boards but may be too good of a prospect for the Bengals to pass up on; Allen was the cornerstone for last years incredible Alabama defense and may be the most pro-ready defensive player in the whole draft. Where Allen may not jump of the page from an athletic standpoint but his technique is sound showing superior hand-grappling talents, he will also be the perfect compliment to Cincinnati star player Geno Atkins. Allen has a very similar style to the ever destructive Fletcher Cox.

Other options - Reuben Foster, Haason Reddick

Pick 10 - Buffalo Bills select

Mike Williams - Wide Receiver - Clemson

This is a combination that I have loved since this draft process began, the idea of having Sammy Watkins and Mike Williams on the same team should make every Bills fan excited, especially if the organisation want to help out young talent Cardale Jones or just give the underrated Tyrod Taylor more weapons to throw to. Williams was a stud in college dominating every team they played against, even the unforgiving Alabama defense, and being 6′4 with a 32 inch vertical jump proves he will continue to dominate in the pros. Furthermore without Williams Clemson would never have won the National Championship proving that he does not shy away from the big moments; Williams compares to another player not afraid of the big moments Plaxico Burress.

Other options - Marlon Humphrey, Deshaun Watson

Pick 11 - New Orleans Saints select

Marlon Humphrey - Cornerback - Alabama

The saints had the worst ranked passing defense in the League last year and desperately need a corner to help them. Humphrey is a very physical corner with all the athletic traits needed to be a premier lock-down player in this league. While the numbers may not be mesmerizing and whilst there may be strong concerns about his coverage, his talent alone will most likely get him drafted in the top-15. Humphrey has been compared to Jimmy Smith.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Adoree Jackson

Pick 12 - Cleveland Browns select

Mitchell Trubisky - Quarterback - UNC

There has been so much talk about the Browns trading up into the top 10 to draft Trubisky and even that they might take Trubisky with the number 1 pick. Whilst I am not the biggest fan of Mitchell Trubisky I do see why teams, such as the Browns, are so intrigued by his talents and as of writing this the Browns do not have a player who could be a variable stating quarterback so I also see the desire in getting your guy, nonetheless I still do not believe they will have to trade up to land him. Trubisky has been compared anywhere from Aaron Rodgers to Matt Leinart.

Other options - Reuben Foster, Deshaun Watson

Pick 13 - Arizona Cardinals select

Tre’davious White - Cornerback - LSU

This pick to me is basically adding fuel to already hot fire that is the already hot fire of the Arizona Cardinals secondary. White is solid is in every aspect of the game and would be a perfect compliment to the two other former LSU Tigers Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, but don’t be surprised to see the cards go after Carson Palmer's successor here. White has drawn comparisons to Tracy Porter.

Other options - Corey Davis, Pat Mahomes II

Pick 14 - Philadelphia Eagles select

Christian McCaffrey - Running Back - Stanford

The Eagles main focus of this draft should be trying to provide their franchise QB, Carson Wentz, with as many weapons as possible; and with this pick they get the ultimate offensive weapon. Christian McCaffrey may be the most naturally gifted player in the draft as well as being the perfect back for this Eagles offense; McCaffrey lead his team in both rushing yards and receiving yards making him an every down back who can either catch passes in the backfield or be sent out wide in the slot and run routes. This versatility will greatly help Wentz improve whilst have a true ball carrier to take the pressure off Wentz if it is needed. The perfect comparison for McCaffrey is former Eagles stud Brian Westbrook.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Corey Davis

Pick 15 - Indianapolis Colts select

Forrest Lamp - Offensive Guard - Western Kentucky

There have been a lot of mock drafts giving the Colts an edge rusher here which to me doesn’t make sense: 1) This draft is very deep when it comes to defensive players whereas there is a drop-off when taking about the guards. 2) Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the league...when he’s healthy, and to say healthy the Colts need to protect Luck with a good O-line something they have not done up to date. Lamp and be a good building block to go along with Ryan Kelly. Lamp has been compared to Dallas Cowboy guard Zack Martin.

Other options - Derek Barnett, Takk McKinley

Pick 16 - Baltimore Ravens select

Derek Barnett - Defensive End - Tennessee

To be honest, I would be very surprised to see Barnett fall this low, especially for a player being compared to Greg Hardy (on the field) as well as being the Tennessee Longhorns all-time sack leader. Barnett is a perfect fit for the Ravens and will immediately help a team whom is both 24th in sacks and rushing yards allowed per game. Some people are saying that Barnett is a better all-around player than Myles Garret and from looking at his tape I might have to agree.

Other options - Corey Davis, Reuben Foster

Pick 17 - Washington Redskins select

Dalvin Cook - Running Back - Florida State

Last year the Redskins had to watch as the Cowboys won the NFC East behind there rookie running back, that should mean that when the Redskins see the back that perfectly fits their scheme sitting their at 17 they have to take him. The Redskins were 21st in the league last year on rushing yards per game and Cook being the explosive player he is that number could easily rise next year to the top 10 in the league thanks to the Redskins O-line; plus with above average hands for a running back Cook will be able to be an ever down back for this team. Hamstring problems may have affected him last year but the Redskins should look passed when they see the potential he has especially when being compared to backs like Edgerrin James and Clinton Portis.

Other options - Takk McKinley, Reuben Foster

Pick 18 - Tennessee Titans select

Corey Davis - Wide Receiver - Western Michigan

Although at times he looked like the best wide receiver in the nation due to his small school status he fall of some teams draft bored allowing the Titans their new Number 1 receiver and Macus Mariota’s new favourite target. Davis showed excellent production and competitiveness coming out of Western Michigan and although he may have played for a lower tier school some scouts described his dominance as “a man among boys” which should mean that teams won’t be too worried about. Davis showed hands and route-running that should correlate well going into the next stage of his career whilst being a high tier route-runner. Davis could be looked over due his school but shouldn’t especially when he is being talked about as the second coming of T.O.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Takk McKinley

Pick 19 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers select

David Njoku - Tight End - Miami

Now that Jameis Winston has proven to be a star player in this league the Buccaneers may want to put all their eggs in one basket and get him some weapons to play with. David Njoku maybe has the highest potential out of anybody in the first round, being only 20 years old he has already displayed elite athleticism and great catching talent with the ability to make a defender miss in the open field. Njoku would work wonders with Winston who is known for his love for a big play and David Njoku can definitely supply that. Njoku has been compared to Jimmy Graham, Jordan Reed, and Greg Olsen.  

Other options - Jabrill Peppers, Alvin Kamara

Pick 20 - Denver Broncos select 

Garett Bolles - Offensive Tackle - Utah

The Broncos are in the bottom 10 in the league in Rushing yards, yards per carry, and sacks which all translates to - the Broncos O-Line is trash. Though I may like the acquisition on Ron Leary from the Cowboys number 1 ranked O-line, one player doesn’t fix everything and Denver needs to take a lineman with this pick. Garett Bolles has the best feet in the draft and his technique is sound from being a work-up blocker to being noticing stunts. Bolles will help solidify the Broncos front for years to come.

Other options - Ryan Ramczyk, Cam Robinson

Pick 21 - Detroit Lions select

Reuben Foster - Linebacker - Alabama

The Lions lack any real leader from the line backer position, Reuben Foster is the perfect man to fill that hole; he was at the forefront of this strong Alabama defense a programme known for producing great linebackers. Compares to the Seahawks Bobby Wagner.

Other options - Taco Charlton, Charles Harris

Pick 22 - Miami Dolphins select

Taco Charlton - Defensive End - Michigan

As Cameron Wake is nearing the end of his career the Dolphins need to begin to find his successor; that could be Taco Charlton. Charlton is a rare combination of size, length and athleticism, he is a twitchy player with enough power to push back a lineman. The Dolphins would just be hoping not to have another Dion Jordan incident with this pick. Charlton compares to Aldon Smith.

Other options - Jabrill Peppers, T.J. Watt

Pick 23 - New York Giants select

Ryan Ramczyk - Offensive Tackle - Wiscoinsin

The Giants were one of the worst teams in the league in rushing and sacks allowed last season and while Eli Manning has a variety of weapons at his disposal if there is a hand in his face he is going to be less accurate. Ramczyk is an athletic tackle with who comes from a Wisconsin system famous for producing great O-line talent. Ramczyk compares to Joe Staley. 

Other options - Cam Robinson, Joe Mixon

Pick 24 - Oakland Raiders select

Haason Reddick - Linebacker - Temple

Reddick is a versatile player with an amazing motor and would be a great partner to Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin to expand on what is an already exciting defense to watch. Haason Reddick reminds me a lot of Ryan Shazier.

Other options - Jarrad Davis, Kevin King

Pick 25 - Houston Texans select

Patrick Mahomes II - Quarterback - Texas Tech

The Texans need a quarterback badly and I’ve heard that they are quite fond of gunslinger from Texas Tech. The best way to put it is that Mahomes has a cannon for an arm and Will Fuller is a shot of of that cannon add that with the already gifted play maker Deandre Hopkins,  you have one exciting offense now in Houston, Texas.

Other options - Cam Robinson, Deshaun Watson

Pick 26 - Seattle Seahawks select

Obi Melifonwu - Safety - Conneticut

With it looking like Richard Sherman’s time in Seattle is coming to an end Melifonwu is the athletic freak of nature that Pete Carroll could groom to replace him or replace the man people say he most plays like, Kam Chancellor.

Other options - Cam Robinson, Kevin King

Pick 27 - Kansas City Chiefs Select 

Deshaun Watson - Quarterback - Clemson

The Chiefs get the quarterback of the future. Watson is a great fit in this system and under the guidance of Andy Reid I believe this could be a beautiful marriage; furthermore I see Watson as a better Alex Smith due to him being an equally good passer with more mobility and knack for having his best performances in big games.

Other options - Gareon Conley, Alvin Kamara

Pick 28 - Dallas Cowboys select 

Takkarist McKinley - Defensive End - UCLA

Whilst the Cowboys desperately need some secondary talent McKinley is too good of a player for the Cowboys to pass up on especially as he fills a hole in that defensive front and is the kind of “war daddy” that Jerry Jones asked for. Comparison for McKinley is Tamba Hali or potentially DeMarcus Ware.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Charles Harris

Pick 29 - Green Bay Packers select

T.J. Watt - Outside Linebacker - Wisconsin

The Packers pick up the second coming of Clay Matthews with T.J. Watt who will give everything he possesses when he is on the field. Oh and coaching from big brother J.J. won’t hurt his case.

Other options - Joe Mixon, Jabrill Peppers

Pick 30 - Pittsburgh Steelers select

DeShone Kizer - Quarterback - Notre Dame

With Roethlisberger considering retirement this year the Steelers put all their chips in the hand of the strong armed, raw talent of DeShoen Kizer who people say comapres most to current Steelers QB Big Ben.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Evan Engram

Pick 31 - Atlanta Falcons select

Jabrill Peppers - Linebacker/Safety - Michigan

Perhaps the biggest wild card of the first round Peppers is the most versatile player in the draft with an innate reaction to try and create something no-matter where he is on the field or what side of the ball he is on. Peppers would be a great fit with this young Falcons defense and could end up becoming their captain.

Other options - Evan Engram, Charles Harris

Pick 32 - New Orleans Saints select

Charles Harris - Outside Linebacker - Missouri

This Saints defense lacks energy and desire but with this guy that will never be a problem again. Charles Harris, A.K.A. Black Ice, exudes energy and is maybe on of the most clean pass rushers in this draft. He has been compared to Shane Ray.

Other options - Adoree’ Jackson, Jarrad Davis