• Please be aware we've switched the forums to their own URL. (again) You'll find the new website address to be www.steelernationforum.com Thanks
  • Please clear your private messages. Your inbox is close to being full.

Jesse James vs Maxx Williams Comparisons Begin

James is a far superior athlete but Williams is by far the better football player. I think this year Williams will be the better player but if James can play up to his potential, which he has not done yet, we will have gotten a steal. The thing is I feel James is at least 2-3 years away from that if he ever even sniffs his potential. And Williams, whom does not have the ceiling of James, has the floor to be at least a good NFL tight end.
 
People can compare all they want. Williams will probably start this year and James will not. James may even sit on the PS for a year. And, most here will label him a bust like we seem to do to everyone who isn't an All Pro their first year. No comparisons can be made until probably year 3, at the earliest. That will be the 1st year when James might get a chance to truly show what he can do. Heath will be the starter this year and next unless he gets injured. So, keep going back and forth but it is pointless for at least a couple of years.
 
People can compare all they want. Williams will probably start this year and James will not. James may even sit on the PS for a year. And, most here will label him a bust like we seem to do to everyone who isn't an All Pro their first year. No comparisons can be made until probably year 3, at the earliest. That will be the 1st year when James might get a chance to truly show what he can do. Heath will be the starter this year and next unless he gets injured. So, keep going back and forth but it is pointless for at least a couple of years.

I hope no one thinks James beats out Miller and highly doubt people think he beats out Spaeth as the backup his rookie season. But I don't think it is saying too much if he can't beat out Blanchflower and Egnew for the #3 TE spot that it will be a disappointment. Not a bust but definitely a disappointment. Blanchflower has a leg up being in the system a year but is far less athletic. Egnew is probably more athletic but doesn't block well being a converted WR. So I guess what I am saying is he blocks better than Egnew and has more athletic ability than Blanchflower. #3 TE isn't asking too much this year.
 
I hope no one thinks James beats out Miller and highly doubt people think he beats out Spaeth as the backup his rookie season. But I don't think it is saying too much if he can't beat out Blanchflower and Egnew for the #3 TE spot that it will be a disappointment. Not a bust but definitely a disappointment. Blanchflower has a leg up being in the system a year but is far less athletic. Egnew is probably more athletic but doesn't block well being a converted WR. So I guess what I am saying is he blocks better than Egnew and has more athletic ability than Blanchflower. #3 TE isn't asking too much this year.

Branchflower may do another year on the practice squad or be gone. Miller and Spaeth will be here unless injured. James will likely be next on line and there maybe two this year on the PS. Clear is supposedly looking good as far as football in shorts goes. It will be hard to tell how long Heath stays in the game due to health issues. He is getting to the end of his career and it could be after this season or in two or three years from now, time will tell. It looks like it is going to be tough on tight ends this year as there is lots of competition for one spot.
 
Our defense sucks. Can Maxx cover an out route? How about sack a QB or set the edge? No? Ok, then bye Maxx.

If I'm making the call we don't pick WIlliams in round two either. The Steelers picked Dupree in round one to address the need for a pass rush.

I'm just saying I think Williams will be a better NFL player in comparison to Golson, and can help out in the red zone. Miller does not have many good seasons left in him.

The PSU fans I spoke to says James isn't a blocker, nor is he a natural type of receiver.
 
They liked Blanchflower last year but didn't have a roster spot for him. James will have a tough time beating him out and may end up on the PS this season but we shall see.
 
If I'm making the call we don't pick WIlliams in round two either. The Steelers picked Dupree in round one to address the need for a pass rush.

I'm just saying I think Williams will be a better NFL player in comparison to Golson, and can help out in the red zone. Miller does not have many good seasons left in him.

The PSU fans I spoke to says James isn't a blocker, nor is he a natural type of receiver.

Coach, we'll have to agree to disagree about our projections for Williams and Golson. I see Williams as a good, average "go" TE. He lacks the speed and explosiveness to be a "Gronk" type of player and he's not a very good blocker. You can coach the blocking technique, but you can't coach speed and explosiveness. Golson will eventually settle in to the slot/nickel CB role, which in today's NFL is a starting position. I think this will happen sooner, rather than later. He may eventually develop into an outside CB.

Given that secondary help was a more immediate need than Heath's replacement, you can't fault them for going with the secondary.

Finally, I think you are forgetting something in your desire to compare the two players. Williams was not available when we picked. And the cost to move up and get him was prohibitive even if they wanted him.
 
They liked Blanchflower last year but didn't have a roster spot for him. James will have a tough time beating him out and may end up on the PS this season but we shall see.

Yep, that'll be a battle for sure. We never got a good look see at what Branchflower could do, now we got two youngin's to watch. We usually only keep 3, is it possible to keep 4 this year ?

87 Blanchflower, Rob TE 6-4 256 24 1 Massachusetts
85 Clear, Cameron TE 6-5 277 22 R Texas A&M
80 Egnew, Michael TE 6-5 260 25 3 Missouri
81 James, Jesse TE 6-7 261 20 R Penn State
83 Miller, Heath TE 6-5 256 32 11 Virginia
89 Spaeth, Matt TE 6-7 260 31 9 Minnesota

Quite an impressive lookin' group if ya like pigeon holed numbers. Other than a rather comparatively diminutive Branchflower, the rest are cookie cutter type numbers. Heck, Spaeth might even have a hard time holding his hat if one of them new guys can really block.
 
Last edited:
James is a far superior athlete but Williams is by far the better football player. I think this year Williams will be the better player but if James can play up to his potential, which he has not done yet, we will have gotten a steal. The thing is I feel James is at least 2-3 years away from that if he ever even sniffs his potential. And Williams, whom does not have the ceiling of James, has the floor to be at least a good NFL tight end.


Ford,

I think this is dead on.

.
 
Here is a video from his freshman year in O'Brien's offense. He had a senior QB, McGloin, and a good OL that allowed him to be more of a receiver. In terms of his production, you have to take into account that O'Brien used 2 TEs. PSU also has an athletic TE Kyle Carter who split the TE receptions.

This video shows more of James as a receiver. He doesn't have gamebreaking speed but he's plenty athletic and can run after the catch.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yg7nTsBWZNg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And he can't be brought down easily.

This video shows he can be very effective as a receiver.
 
I'd love to see one of the young guys step up and push Spaeth off the team but I don't see the Steelers getting rid of the 2nd veteran under any circumstance.
 
I just hope Heath, Spaeth, James & Branchflower all stay healthy...we've kept 4 TEs in the past, so it's not certain that one of them will be cut. It sure beats 2013 when we started the season with no healthy tight ends of any quality. Hopefully Branchflower is eligible for the practice squad again.
 
As it is now we have two good tight ends right now in Miller and Spaeth. We also have several that might be good. If we need to get a spot for one would it not be worth getting rid of Dri Archer who is fast running out of places not to play.
 
We tend to run the ball pretty effectively when #89 is on the field.

Exactly. Just because guys don't put up monster receiving numbers doesn't mean they are bad. Spaeth is one of the better blocking tight ends in the league, but won't get as much credit given the style of offenses teams are running.
 
Maybe the Steelers aren't thinking Clear would be a OT but maybe they are thinking he will take Spaeths spot at TE in running downs.
 
Exactly the run game took off when Spaeth got healthy. Everybody has a role to play. Spaeth does his very well.
 
Exactly the run game took off when Spaeth got healthy. Everybody has a role to play. Spaeth does his very well.

Spaeth only missed one game. The last 2 games he played in during the regular season they rushed for 45 and 29 yards. They were up and down running all year. One game they rushed for 264 then the next week they rush for 85. They were that way all year. Even with Spaeth they were up and down.
 
Yep, that'll be a battle for sure. We never got a good look see at what Branchflower could do, now we got two youngin's to watch. We usually only keep 3, is it possible to keep 4 this year ?

87 Blanchflower, Rob TE 6-4 256 24 1 Massachusetts
85 Clear, Cameron TE 6-5 277 22 R Texas A&M
80 Egnew, Michael TE 6-5 260 25 3 Missouri
81 James, Jesse TE 6-7 261 20 R Penn State
83 Miller, Heath TE 6-5 256 32 11 Virginia
89 Spaeth, Matt TE 6-7 260 31 9 Minnesota

Quite an impressive lookin' group if ya like pigeon holed numbers. Other than a rather comparatively diminutive Branchflower, the rest are cookie cutter type numbers. Heck, Spaeth might even have a hard time holding his hat if one of them new guys can really block.

Jesse James is such a good football name. He has to succeed!

But seriously folks, Spaeth is not ever going to take Miller's spot. So we have to find his replacement. I was good with Williams going to the Rats and I'm more comfortable than ever with James.
He could easily take the # 3 TE position. He wasn't terrible at blocking, I don't care what Coach's source at PSU says. I watched the video, a couple of times. What I saw was him holding his block just fine, while the other 5 guys couldn't block 3 other defenders. Look at the sacks, I only saw one where James got beat, the others were not his guy.
 
Draft Analysis:

Staying local with this pick, the Steelers find a large tight end with a similar body type and skill set as Matt Spaeth, their aging number two tight end. They likely see him as a developmental subpackage weapon for their 12 personnel (2 tight ends) sets. --Mark Dulgerian

I wonder if he IS slated as a replacement, but not for Miller and not so far in the future. Spaeth isn't THAT good a blocker.

From BTSC:
While I'm on the subject of tight ends, I also have to bring up one other guy. Alejandro Villanueva. I know that we have him listed as an offensive lineman but, when he played for Army he was their number one wide receiver. I know it may never happen but I wanted to throw this out there. I think the guy could be a phenomenal tight end. At 6'9" and 277 pounds, he has the frame and if he's listed as a lineman I'm guessing he can block as well. I recently came across a video of him catching the football and running routes. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. The guy has amazing hands and at 6'9 would be an incredible red zone threat. What I was most impressed with was his ability to adjust to every throw. You would think a guy that big wouldn't be able to snag balls just inches off the ground. Plus the guy was an Army Ranger so you know he's tough as nails.

Alejandro Villanueva's video



ALI VILLANUEVA (ARMY) - TIGHT END:

It's nice to be loaded at a position but the sad part is that we can't keep them all.
 
I also don't think Williams and James should be compared. The Steelers didn't have a chance to draft Williams. And they got James later in the draft. Williams was way over drafted IMHO. This was a TE deficient draft and Williams was the best of a poor lot. He was a reach in the 2nd round. I'd really question Tombert's intelligence if they drafted Williams that high. I think the rats tried to get too cute and should have paid more attention to what they were doing than focusing on screwing up a division rivals draft board.
 
I also don't think Williams and James should be compared. The Steelers didn't have a chance to draft Williams. And they got James later in the draft. Williams was way over drafted IMHO. This was a TE deficient draft and Williams was the best of a poor lot. He was a reach in the 2nd round. I'd really question Tombert's intelligence if they drafted Williams that high. I think the rats tried to get too cute and should have paid more attention to what they were doing than focusing on screwing up a division rivals draft board.

This new era of "congeniality" has one good benefit. We are more able to focus on "what is being said" rather than "who has the bigger internet c*ck". And I agree with what you are saying here.
 
This new era of "congeniality" has one good benefit. We are more able to focus on "what is being said" rather than "who has the bigger internet c*ck". And I agree with what you are saying here.

Totally agree.
 
Top