Butler conspicuously absent from all-star circuit
Invites to the postseason college football all-star games and the NFL Combine are out.
And is it relates to Clemson, there appears one surprise, at least to me.
The lack of pre-draft activity for senior corner Crezdon Butler.
Four Tigers were invited to the Combine, three of whom were no-brainers: RB C.J. Spiller, DE Ricky Sapp, WR Jacoby Ford and – much less a household name – LB Kavell Conner.
Good for Conner – he seemed to work hard and improve in a few areas in order to become a steady, reliable player, especially when put in position or allowed to play to his strengths. Based on the invite, odds would favor him getting a look as a late-rounder.
Neither of Clemson’s starting corners, Butler or fellow senior Chris Chancellor, had great years in the transition to Kevin Steele’s man coverage.
But I didn’t think Butler had a BAD year, so I must say I’m left to scratch my head at the fact someone with his size (5-11 to 6-0, 185 pounds) and sufficient athleticism didn’t at least get a shot at the combine, even if he perhaps didn’t display the ideal physicality in run support or tackling.
Butler doesn’t appear on an all-star roster as well, while even Chancellor – a greater long shot at getting drafted because of his lack of height (5-9 maybe) – got a spot with Conner and G Thomas Austin on the East-West roster.
Plenty of players who aren’t invited to the combine get drafted every year, but the snub is an indication of what a collection of NFL personnel think.
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Seems like the speculative favorite to draft Spiller has been Seattle, if for no other reason than the Seahawks’ glaring need for a playmaker, particularly at running back.
When Pete Carroll was overpaid for hired, Spiller made even more sense, given Carroll’s apparent preference for a back with Spiller’s style (see Reggie Bush, Joe McKnight) while at Southern California.
But this move would make me leery of matching Spiller with Seattle: Carroll has hired Alex Gibbs to oversee the O-line, and Gibbs is renowned as the preeminent teacher of the zone-running scheme that the Denver Broncos made trendy under Mike Shanahan (Gibbs got pretty good results recently with Houston, too).
Spiller is not all that good a zone runner. A couple of designed cutback plays fit him perfectly, and he got better at making the reads and more decisive cuts as his career progressed. But Andre Ellington was the superior zone runner on the roster, and it didn’t even appear close.
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An FYI: My time at The State comes to a close before the end of the month, so wanted to go ahead and provide an excuse for why blog entries are going to get fewer and further between.
Thanks to all who have sent kind words here the last few days.
15 Comments to “Butler conspicuously absent from all-star circuit”
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Clemson Beat writer Paul Strelow blogs about Clemson University athletics.
Say it ain’t so, Paul.
I must say I’m really going to miss the insight and coverage. Plus, you’re a fellow NBA junkie like myself, and there are so few of us.
All the best, my friend.
This is terrible news.
You will be sorely missed, Paul.
Thanks for all the great coverage, and best of luck to you.
We’re going to miss you. Good luck Paul!
Good luck Paul. They should cut Ron Morris instead. Losing the Clemson beat writer means The State.com will be deleted from my “favorites”.
What is going to happen to the clemson beat? Paul do you have any leads on where you will be heading? Well this pretty much removes me from reading anything The State has to say.
Paul – I am really disappointed that your days at The State are numbered. I could not believe my fortune in discovering your coverage when I began intensely following Clemson last year when my daughter entered school there. No way I can replicate the information and insight you provided from my location near Washington, DC. I really, really hope that you can land at a sports-related web site that will enable you to dig as deeply into Clemson athletics as you have in the past.
Your insight and contacts should be a boon to such internet sites … but I recognize that newspapers will never provide those opportunities again. The Greenville Times’ coverage – as local as Clemson is – is considerably more shallow than what you have provided.
I hope that you will have a way to let your readers know if you will find similar employment covering Clemson.
Best of luck. My wishes and prayers are with you in your next endeavor.
Paul: You are THE best Clemson beat writer by far. Your coverage and insight has been excellent. I won’t even bother reading The State anymore. No reason to. I hope you find a new job (for your sake) and I hope that it’s covering Clemson again (for my sake). Good luck!
I had high expectations for Butler and Chancellor going into the season, but I don’t think they panned out that well. Butler was probably on the cusp and I guess will get a shot in the NFL– just not from the combine.
Ditto what Kirk wrote.
You are an excellent commentator. I hope you land somewhere in my landscape.
This was the best Sports column in the state of SC, if not the region. Bad move by The State…Paul will land on his feet.
The State probably could have charged for online access and kept Paul.
Paul: I too will greatly miss your coverage – even though I live in Clemson and subscribe to the Greenville News, it was your columns that I always read first and found most interesting. Thanks! All the best.
I will miss you and your articles on Clemson sports. Thanks for the great job you’ve done. Good luck to you. I wish you the best and I hope to be reading your blog somewhere else.
Paul, Thanks for an outstanding job in your coverage of Clemson athletics. You will be greatly missed. Best wishes in your future endeavors.
Sheesh, what’s going on? Well, good luck Paul. Hope to see your writing somewhere else soon.
Paul, I’m really sorry to hear of your upcoming departure. I’ve always enjoyed your Clemson beat writing and thought you were outstanding at it. Your articles will be missed tremendously. I hope you land on your feet and continue to have the opportunity to create great journalism!
Ryan H
Summerville, SC