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Archive for John Stoller

College Football Countdown: The Heisman

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Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

To kick off our preview of the 2011-2012 college football season, John and Daniel take their picks for  which player will bring home the nation’s most prestigious award: the Heisman Trophy. Along with picking the outright winner [1], the guys from NextGen will choose a player who may be under the radar as of right now, but could very well end up in New York City for the Heisman ceremony next January.

John’s Heisman Winner: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
The rising junior from Pensacola, Florida may be the most physically gifted as well as the most NFL-ready running back in the country. With the departure of 2009 Heisman winner, Mark Ingram, to the pros, Richardson looks primed to take over the starting tailback job at Alabama. Also, because of the losses of starting quarterback Greg McElroy and star wideout Julio Jones, coach Nick Saban will look to the run game now more than ever. Richardson, at 5′10″/225 lbs, has a relatively low center of gravity which allows him to run with great power, but he still possesses sprinter speed and excellent explosiveness. Alabama should start next season as a top 3 team, and as history has shown, the Heisman usually goes to the best performer on one of the nation’s premier teams. Richardson was a blue chip recruit coming out of high school, and though he has shown flashes of greatness in limited playing time his first two seasons, 2011 will be the year when he fulfills all expectations. Read More→

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Categories : College Football, Football
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MLB Awards: At the Half

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Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

This is Jose Reyes's world, we're just living in it.

Unbelievably enough, we find ourselves half way through another professional baseball season. Though we lack the amount of no hitters and perfect games we had in the first half of the 2010 season, I think its safe to say that 2011 has been the real “year of the pitcher”. Runs are currently at an all time low, and an unprecedented 24 pitchers have ERA’s under 3. Even though the lack of offense in the first half has been an anomaly, the teams dominating baseball have most definitely not been. Traditional powers like the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, and Braves still stand on top of the baseball world. Without further ado, lets give out some All Star break awards.

American League MVP: Adrian Gonzalez
No one in baseball has benefited from an offseason change of scenery more than Gonzalez, who has escaped the hitter’s wasteland which is Petco Park in San Diego and moved onto greener pastures in Boston. The All Star first baseman has been giving the Fenway Faithful a reason to cheer all season, while giving headaches to opposing managers. Gonzalez leads the American League in batting average (.349), RBI’s, and hits; and is near the top of almost every other offensive category. Read More→

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Categories : Baseball, MLB
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Instant Impact NFL Rookies

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Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Believe it or not, football may be coming back sooner than you think. In the middle of this seemingly eternal lockout, a glimmer of hope presented itself in the meetings that have been occurring the past few days between the NFL Players Union and the Owners. Both sides have stated progress has been made to reach a new bargaining agreement, and will meet all next week to try to end the lockout. This effort from both sides shows an urgency to get a deal done, and maybe a sign that the NFL offseason could be starting sometime in July.

With football (hopefully!) right around the corner, we at NextGen look at the fresh crop of players who may make instant impacts on the league in their first year. These guys might not have been first round picks, but could produce as much as the “Cam Newtons” and “Von Millers” of the rookie class because of their potential skill and possible immediate playing time.

Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Smith, the second rounder from Maryland, satisfies the dire need the Ravens have for a speedy receiver that can stretch the field. Timed at a 4.37 40 yard dash and measuring in at 6′1″, this receiver has all the natural assets needed to succeed in the league. Smith excels at tracking down deep balls and hauling them in for monster gains, which should suit big armed quarterback Joe Flacco just fine. Also, he is adept at running most routes, and is a danger after the catch with his excellent quickness and acceleration. Right now, Smith sits at third on the Ravens depth chart behind veteran possession receivers Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason, but could see plenty of playing time in the slot, on the outside, or returning kicks or punts. One of the knocks on Smith are his small hands and tendency to drop easy passes, but with his tough work ethic he should contribute right away. Read More→

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Categories : Football, NFL
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Road to the NBA Draft: The Guards

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Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

Kyrie Irving knows which number he will be picked.

In our second post of the NextGen season, we focus in on the NBA Draft, which will be upon us in less than two weeks’ time. First, we look at the guards of this rather weak draft class. While anchored with an almost surefire starter at the top with Kyrie Irving, the rest of the backcourt prospects appear to be surrounded by many question marks. Without further ado, lets take a look at the NextGen “Super Six” guards.

1. Kyrie Irving, 6′3″, 191 lbs, Duke
The point guard hailing from Australia possesses great size, quickness, and basketball IQ. Although Irving does not have the freakish athleticism as recent point man wunderkinds like Derrick Rose, John Wall, and Russell Westbrook;  he still gets by opposing defenders and into the lane. Irving’s consistent three point shot and pull up jumper round out his scoring arsenal. As a defender, Irving is superb, using his quickness to his advantage; and as a passer he is polished. Overall, Irving is the complete package at point guard. He could very likely become a perennial All-Star or develop into a franchise-type player, but don’t expect a talent on par with Chris Paul (the player he is most often compared to). He should be the number one overall pick.

2. Brandon Knight, 6′3″, 177 lbs, Kentucky
Knight may benefit the most from the unusually weak 2011 draft class. Most do not consider him a top 3 pick and can’t-miss talent, but he may very well go in the high lottery. A factor that may work greatly to Knight’s favor in the eyes of NBA general manager’s would be his elite college pedigree, having learned under John Calipari, one of the best talent producing coaches in the game. Standing just 6′3″ and lacking the passing ability of a starting NBA point guard, Knight is more of a combo guard. He proved again and again in his Final Four run with Kentucky his leadership and clutch scoring. Like Irving, he is not a super-athlete, but does possess fantastic court speed with the ball in his hands. Knight has a fantastic three point shot but can become streaky sometimes and live and die from beyond the arc too much. Read More→

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Categories : Basketball, NBA
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Big Board 1.0, Top Ten

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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford – Considered the most intelligent college quarterback since Peyton Manning, Luck possesses all the tools to become an NFL superstar. He is the main reason Stanford could play in a BCS Bowl come January, and the Texas native appears ready to start in the NFL from day one. Remember, Luck is quite athletic for the quarterback position, as evidenced by his 56 yard run last week against California.

2. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia – The consensus selection at number two, Green is clearly the best wide receiver in the 2011 class. In fact, he could have been a first round pick in his freshman year, after dominating SEC play alongside current Lions’ QB Matthew Stafford. Green’s only blemish came before the 2010 season, in which the Summerville, South Carolina native sold his game-worn Independence Bowl jersey to an agent for $1,000. The NCAA later suspended the junior wide receiver for four games, yet otherwise, Green isn’t considered an issue off the field.

3. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU – At 6 feet 1 inches and 211 pounds, Peterson has ideal size for the NFL. Coupled with elite speed and dynamic explosiveness, he projects to be a multi-faceted threat on Sundays. After single-handedly beating Ole Miss on Saturday, NFL teams should not hesitate if Peterson is still on the board.

4. Da’Quan Bowers, OLB/DE, Clemson – Following two disappointing seasons in Death Valley after being one of the most sought after players in the country, Bowers has rebounded in 2010. He currently leads the nation with 16 sacks, including a dominating three sack performance against Maryland. The junior defensive end often appears unblockable against the run and gets to the quarterback constantly. Moreover, Bowers has played both from a two-point stance and a three-point stance at Clemson, so adapting to NFL defensive schemes shouldn’t be an issue. Read More→

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Two guys. Every sport. All you need to know about the next generation of athletes, with an angle only us teens can offer. Founded, written, edited and created by Daniel M. Radov and John C. Stoller. For any business/writing inquiries, please contact us.

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