Curtis Lofton hasnt been in the league very long; not that youd be
able to
tell by watching him play. The 2nd year linebacker is racking up tackles
at an
impressive pace, leading the league with a whopping 90 through 9 games.
That
doesnt even come close to telling the complete story though.
Since coming into the league, Lofton has surpassed his level of
experience
through leadership and stellar play. He started the full season as a
rookie in
2008, and has stepped it up big time during his sophomore season.
Barely halfway through the season, hes already
nearly matched his tackle total from 08. Hes also assumed much more
responsibility
in coverage (often shadowing opposing TEs) and delivered bone-jarring
hits to running backs, turning potential long runs into
negligible gains. These are game-changing plays were talking about, not
just
cheap tackles. Lofton is a max-effort, classic high-motor linebacker
with the
elite speed and versatility defensive coordinators so desperately seek.
Many times scouts will throw around terms like "high-motor" as kind
of a lefthanded compliment; in other words, "youre not fast or strong
enough for me to mention that, but
weve still got to say something about you in the "Pros" subheading".
What makes Lofton even more special is that he combines indomitable
heart and
excellent intangibles with elite physical characteristics. He was a
runner-up
in the Oklahoma State 100 Meter Dash championship in 2004, and ran a 4.5
forty-yard dash at the NFL Draft Combine. He recently set the Atlanta
Falcons
team record with a massive 785-pound squat, beating out Michael Turners
previous high mark of 750. Scouts have raved about his agility and fluid
movement to the ball as well.
Even after addressing desire and athleticism, theres one last dimension
to
Curtis Loftons game that pushes him over the edge when deciding whos
truly
worthy of a Pro Bowl appearance -- instincts and intelligence. Lofton is
a
dedicated film study who takes consistently sound angles to the
ball-carrier
and quarterbacks his teams much improved defense (which was moribund
before he
arrived in Atlanta -- how much of a coincidence is that?). When you look
at
Curtis as a player collectively; his
heart and desire, his dominant physical skills, his maturity,
leadership,
instincts and intellect...it becomes more and more difficult to ignore.
This
young man deserves recognition for his impact on the Falcons defense,
and its
just a matter of time before he gets it in full.
So, nows your chance to jump on the bandwagon. Lofton brings it all to
the
table as a middle linebacker, and has earned his place among the games
greats.
