Jacksonville Running Company Prepares MMM for 5K
If you have ever been athletic in any capacity whatsoever, running is more than likely the hallmark of your sport. If it's not, it's undoubtedly the cornerstone of any kind of conditioning program you may have been a part of. I, myself (along with JD and Justin), have backrounds as athletes in our collective pasts, but any athlete invariably encounters their fair share of injuries. Today's focus was on how to run safely, efficiently, and get the most out of your run. As someone with an exercise science backround, I found revisiting these principles helpful, and Chris was able to explain difficult movements and body mechanics in such a way that anyone would be capable of grasping them. Any athlete knows that dedication and a solid work ethic along with proper technique is vital to achieving the desired result, but it's equally important to utilize the best equipment at your disposal. For runners, it doesn't get more important than the shoes you put on your feet. That being said, I encourage everyone to check out Jacksonville Running Company at either the Tapestry Park or Bartram Park location and get a shoe that specifically suits you at no additional cost than the retail price. The fit process is comprehensive and includes video analysis of your stride, foot pressure scanning, and much more. I am the proud owner of a pair of Asics Gel Cumulus, and I will put them to good use tomorrow as I stride through the streets of Fernandina Beach. Happy 4th of July to all!!!!
Mad Men Mock Draft In Review
1. Luke Joeckel/Eric Fisher-Kansas City: The Chiefs made this selection purely based on their scheme and what they thought Fisher could do in it
2. Eric Fisher/Luke Joeckel-Jacksonville: The best possible thing to happen to the Jags. They get the best overall talent in the draft.
3. Geno Smith/Dion Jordan-Miami (from Oakland): A good selection to put on the other side of Cameron Wake
4. Dion Jordan/Lane Johnson-Philadelphia: 3 tackles in the first 4 picks. Next year we'll see who takes Vick's place.
5. Dee Milliner/Ezekiel Ansah-Detroit: A good selection with a lot of upside to replace the departed Kyle Vanden Bosch.
6. Jarvis Jones/Barkevious Mingo-Cleveland: Another selection based purely on potential. In time, Mingo could be a force….needs to add some weight and get stronger.
7. Ezekiel Ansah/Jonathan Cooper-Arizona: Must be good since he's the first guard selected this high in a decade and a half. Selected for his pass blocking ability, needs to improve in the run game.
8. EJ Manuel/Tavon Austin-St Louis (from Buffalo): Good trade by the Rams to move up to get the most electrifying receiver in the draft.
9. Barkevious Mingo/Dee Milliner-New York Jets: The obvious choice to replace Darrell Revis.
10. Chance Warmack/Chance Warmack-Tennessee: The highly decorated guard from Alabama went right where everyone though he would.
11. Tavon Austin/DJ Fluker-San Diego: Austin was gone at this point, so it didn't hurt to get Rivers some protection and improve a weak run game while they're at it.
12. Lane Johnson/DJ Hayden-Oakland (from Miami): A good corner, if healthy…could be the best one in the draft in the same mold as Patrick Peterson.
13. Sharrif Floyd/Sheldon Richardson-New York Jets: Bolsters a weak line in New York.
14. Bjoern Werner/Star Lotulelei-Carolina: The Panthers take the best NT in the draft. At best, he may be the next Haloti Ngata.
15. Xavier Rhodes/Kenny Vaccaro-New Orleans: The Saints address the secondary and take the consensus best safety in the draft.
16. Kenny Vaccaro/EJ Manuel-Buffalo (from St Louis): If EJ Manuel can improve his decision making and ability to dissect defenses, this will turn out to be a good pick. All the measurables are there.
17. DeAndre Hopkins/Jarvis Jones-Pittsburgh: A very good rush linebacker to replace Harrison
18. DJ Fluker/Eric Reid-San Francisco (from Dallas): San Francisco rebuilds its secondary immediately after their Super Bowl campaign, ensuring they may be their next year.
19. Tyler Eiffert/Justin Pugh-New York Giants: One of two “WTF” picks in the draft.
20. Star Lotulelei/Kyle Long-Chicago: Not that the Bears couldn't use the help on the line, but they also lost their leader on the defense and a gaping hole at middle linebacker that could have easily been filled.
21. Eric Reid/Tyler Eiffert-Cincinnati: Pairing Eiffert and Gresham could be as good as the Hernandez/Gronk tandem in New England…..if not better.
22. Cordarrelle Patterson/Desmond Trufant-Atlanta (from St Louis): A good pickup to replace a CB they had lost during free agency.
23. Manti Te'o/Sharrif Floyd-Minnesota: Finally, the highest graded DT finds a home on perhaps the leagues best D line. Jared Allen could break the sacks record this year
24. Datone Jones/Bjoern Werner-Indianapolis: A departure from the norm, the Colts draft the big-bodied Werner who has a lot of potential, in the mold of JJ Watt
25. Desmond Trufant/Xavier Rhodes-Minnesota: A big position need, the Vikings select the second best corner in my opinion
26. Eddie Lacy/Datone Jones-Green Bay: Best possible scenario for Green Bay happened. They got some help on defense and still added Lacy in the second round.
27. Justin Hunter/DeAndre Hopkins-Houston: A good receiver to put on the opposite side of Johnson.
28. Sylvester Williams/Sylvester Williams-Denver: A solid pick to ensure their D line is stout this coming year.
29. DJ Hayden/Cordarrelle Patterson-Minnesota (from New England): The Vikes get a new receiver, and between Rudolph and Jennings, Ponder should have a lot to be happy about. Also the Vikings 3rd pick in the latter half of the 1st round.
30. Zach Ertz/Alec Ogletree-St Louis (from Atlanta): Between Laurinaitis and Ogletree, the Rams give opponents a reason to be terrified about throwing across the middle
31. Matt Elam/Travis Frederick-Dallas (from San Francisco): This was the “OMG, WTF is Jerry Jones thinking?” pick of the draft. Jones slips further into senility and the Cowboys get worse or stay the same. The Cowboys of the 90s are probably hanging their heads in shame.
32. Tank Carradine/Matt Elam-Baltimore: A very good pick falls to the Ravens. Elam is a physical safety that fits the mold. Now that Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard are gone, this was a huge need.
Mad Men NFL Mock Draft Part 4 of 4
26. Green Bay- Eddie Lacy (RB- Alabama) This selection may or may not surprise some people as he could or could not figure to be a first round pick, given his combine performance. The tape doesn't lie and Lacy is a dominant and durable back, in the same mold as Trent Richardson. I've been saying for half a decade that Green Bay is a feature running back away from being a dynasty.
27. Houston- Justin Hunter (WR- Tennessee) I wanted to mock Hunter to the Packers because of the departure of Greg Jennings, but running back was such a glaring weakness. Houston comes up aces in this position, drafting a 6'4 receiver with a Randy Moss sort of build. He has had a knee injury in the past, but he runs fluid routes and as the old adage goes, “You can't teach height”. This pick is especially important given that Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub aren't youngsters anymore.
28. Denver- Sylvester Williams (DT- North Carolina) Yes, I know that the Broncos picked up Terrence Knighton in free agency, BUT sometimes Pot Roast has had difficulty maintaining his weight. I also know that Denver runs a 3-4 scheme, but don't expect Knighton to be an every down tackle. Williams is one of the best at this position in the draft, and at 6'3 and over 300 lbs, Williams could potentially be a more athletic version of Knighton.
29. New England- D.J. Hayden (CB- Houston) Last year, Hayden collided with another player so hard that he sustained damage to the back of his heart. Hopefully, he's made a full recovery and a cardiologist can vouch for him. When healthy, Hayden has the total package, coverage ability, raw speed, run back ability…The Patriots may take a chance here, one that could pay large dividends.
30. Atlanta- Zach Ertz (TE- Stanford) Eiffert has already been selected and the Falcons need to draft a tight end in anticipation of Tony Gonzales's retirement. Ertz is very tall at 6'6 and is a good route runner. He's not going to impress you with elite speed like Vernon Davis, but think of him as a taller Jason Witten, and with average speed, Witten is a future Hall of Fame candidate. Ertz is in that mold as a very good route runner from the tight end position and can also be a fantastic red zone option for Matty Ice.
31. San Francisco- Matt Elam (S- Florida) Elam is a heavy hitter from the safety position. He's leaner than Polamalu, but he's very instinctual. Think Taylor Mays, if he had talent and that's Elam. This is a guy that the 49ers could blitz frequently as well as have sit back in coverage and steal a couple balls and take it to the house. If Elam were around two picks later, I would love the Jags to draft him.
32. Baltimore- Tank Carradine (DE- Florida State) The Ravens are absolutely STACKED at linebacker and they have Ngata in the middle of the line, but they have no rush ends worth note. With good size and speed to spare, Carradine could potentially be a force in the pass game and at the least, serve as contain in the run game. Some people have the Ravens drafting a safety now that they no longer have Ed Reed or Bernard Pollard, but I'm not a big believer in drafting 3 safeties in the 1st round.
Mad Men NFL Mock Draft Part 3 of 4
17. Pittsburgh- DeAndre Hopkins (WR- Clemson) The Steelers lost Mike Wallace to Miami and Heath Miller was banged up late last year. Sanders was almost lost to the Patriots. Big Ben could use a legitimate second option behind Antonio Brown. Hopkins has a larger body than Brown and could be the red zone threat the Steelers need.
18. Dallas- DJ Fluker (OL- Alabama) Fluker could be a plug and play right tackle that could anchor the offensive line for the foreseeable future. He can also play some guard, and with a 6'6, 335 lb body, Fluker could be an absolute mauler and finally give the Cowboys a running game that they've been lacking ever since they lost the Julius Jones/Marion Barber tandem many years ago. This would also force other teams to respect the run and buy Tony Romo some more time in the pocket. If given time, Romo is, statistically, a very good QB. Fluker may be gone by this point, but if he fell to 18, he could be quickly scooped up by the Cowboys.
19. New York Giants- Tyler Eifert (TE- Notre Dame) The Giants lost the productive Martellus Bennett to the Bears over the off-season, so they may be looking to grab the best pass-catching tight end in the draft. Eiffert has drawn comparisons to Rob Gronkowski, but I would expect him to be a little more cerebral than the meat-headed “Gronk”. This would be a fantastic intermediate receiving option for Eli Manning.
20. Chicago- Star Lotulelei (DT- Utah) Star has received a lot of hype leading up to the draft. Some called him a top 5 lock, and even that he is the most talented player in the draft, regardless of position. The bottom line is this: he's a high-motor nose tackle and that position doesn't usually get drafted exceptionally high. The other reason he slid this far is because his heart, at one point, was pumping way below normal capacity, and that put up some pretty big red flags for a lot of teams. Since then, he has been told that his heart is pumping normally, but the damage to his draft stock may have already been done. If the Bears can get him with the 20th pick, it could be a very big pay off. The best case scenario is that this guy is a Haloti Ngata clone. If that's the case, the Bears should be thrilled to snag him here.
21. Cincinnati- Eric Reid (S- LSU) Eric Reid was an absolute stud at the combine. His measurables alone make him worthy of this spot, but the fact that he was an All-American at LSU makes him a first round lock. Who doesn't love a safety with a 6'1, 210 lb frame that can jump 41″? Cincinnati replaces Reggie Nelson with this pick.
22. St. Louis- Cordarrelle Patterson (WR- Tennessee) Patterson, Tyler Bray's favorite target for the Volunteers, has a unique skill set. He is tall with a good-sized frame, but is as explosive after the catch as receivers 4 or 5 inches shorter than him. He's not quite as big as Calvin Johnson, but he would be a major upgrade to the Rams receiving corps.
23. Minnesota- Manti Te'o (ILB- Notre Dame) The media circus is in the past, and the fact of the matter is that Te'o is a very instinctual inside linebacker. He has good tackling technique and can be a leader on the defense. He will rack up 100+ tackles per season beginning his rookie season. Unlike most, I don't look at his 7 interceptions during his senior season because prior to that, he didn't have any at all. He will be a run-stopper and an above average zone pass defender from the linebacker position at the next level.
24. Indianapolis- Datone Jones (DL- UCLA) Jones is the kind of hybrid DT/DE player that the Colts have historically loved. His big body would indicate that he would be a natural fit for the tackle position, but he's leaner than most tackles, so he could become a multiple technique D lineman in the NFL. Indianapolis is all set on offense, so it's time to begin piecing together the defense.
25. Minnesota- Desmond Trufant (CB- Washington) The last name Trufant is synonymous with pass coverage in the state of Washington. During his stint at Washington, Trufant was often put on an island with no safety help over the top and can defend well man to man. He doesn't rack up the interceptions, but the potential is there. In a division with Matt Stafford, Jay Cutler, and Aaron Rodgers, it would be wise to take a top-tier CB with one of their two first round picks.
Mad Men NFL Mock Draft Part 2 of 4
9. New York Jets- Barkevious Mingo (DE- LSU) Another fast, athletic, d-end hybrid off the board. It had to be done….the secondary has been solid in New York, but the pass rush has been sub-par. Mingo has a lot of upside, but is definitely a hit or miss selection. Rex Ryan is a defensive-minded coach and this is too early to select a young QB to replace Mark Sanchez, but fear not Jets fans, it will get done this year.
10. Tennessee- Chance Warmack (OL- Alabama) The Titans would have loved Milliner here after losing Finnegan to the Rams last year, but they pick up a very versatile interior lineman that can start immediately and for years to come.
11. San Diego- Tavon Austin (WR- West Virginia) Phillip Rivers acquires a much-needed pass-catching threat after the departure of Vincent Jackson. Austin is a very quick receiver, cut from the same cloth as Percy Harvin, hopefully without chronic migraines. This selection could help the Chargers passing game a lot.
12. Miami- Lane Johnson (OT- Oklahoma) Miami would be thrilled to get Johnson here without having to trade up for him. The 6'8, 300+ pound tackle is a former QB and tight end which should translate to better stamina and pocket awareness. This was a big need for the Dolphins who lost one of the NFL's top pass protectors to the Rams this past year.
13. New York Jets- Sharrif Floyd (DT- Florida) After the trade that sent Revis to the Bucs for this pick, I'm keeping the player selection the same. Floyd is the best D tackle in the draft and some people are very high on him as a type 5 pick. If he slid this far, there's no way the Jets pass on him. From a position standpoint, the Jets need a receiver for whoever their QB may be, but there are plenty of decent pass catching options remaining in the draft.
14. Carolina- Bjoern Werner (DE- Florida State) A true D-end and not a hybrid, Werner can bring size and athleticism to the Panthers defensive front. I think his game is raw, but he has the ability to be as disruptive as JJ Watt. Carolina would like to have him on the opposite side of Johnson to create a dominant pass rush off the edge.
15. New Orleans- Xavier Rhodes (CB- Florida State) That's right, two consecutive seminole picks. It just ended up that way. The Saints could use a solid corner in the pass-happy NFC South. Rhodes could anchor the cornerback position for years to come, much like Jammer in San Diego.
16. St. Louis- Kenny Vaccaro (S- Texas) I could see the Rams reaching for some much-needed help at wide receiver, but they're also in need of a safety and they get the top safety in the draft with this pick. Vaccaro isn't a ball hawk like Jairus Byrd, but he's well-built and is a good tackling safety with good anticipation and instincts.