Tag Archives: green bay packers

NFL

Rollins, Quinten

leaf15 rollinsCard: Leaf Draft 2015
Acquired: 2015, Box Breaker

Quinten Rollins is a very intriguing player. Collegiality he played 3 years of basketball for the Miami-OH Redhawks before deciding to try out for the football team. There he made an immediate impact on the defense at corner, and was selected as the MAC Defensive Player of the Year with 7 interceptions and 72 tackles. Technically a two sport star at Miami- OH, he also finished second in school history in steals with 214.  A small-ish DB, at 5-11, 195, its thought that he can bulk up to the next level, but really needs to improve his bottom speed to be a better corner. The Packers liked what they saw here and selected Rollins at the bottom of Round 2 during the 2015 NFL draft. During his rookie season Rollins had 31 tackles, a sack, 6 pass defensed, and 2 interceptions- returning one of those 45 yards for a TD against the Rams.

NFL

Robinson, Eugene “Orca”

pset89 erobinsonCards: ProSet 1989, ProSet 1990
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent:  1/29    Received:  2/13
(15 days)

Eugene Robinson goes down as one of the finest free agent finds in Seattle Seahawk history. Going undrafted out of Colgate in 1985, Robinson arrived in Seattle as a cornerback where he just hung on for dear life learning the ropes from guys like Dave Brown, Kenny Easley, and Paul Moyer.  He gained a variety of nicknames from Grange, to Orca- a name given to him because his voice rose in octaves when he’d call plays in the secondary.  By the time Robinson left the Seahawks in 1996, it was thought he had lost a step, so Seattle traded him to the Packers in exchange for Matt LaBounty. He finished his career in Seattle as the franchise’s all time leader in tackles, and second in interceptions.

pset90 erobinsonHe provided the Packers with a veteran presence in their secondary and led the team with 8 picks en route to a 35-21 thumping of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. The team returned to the big game the following year, but the Packers lost to the Broncos, thanks in part to John Elway‘s Herculean effort.

Eugene joined the Atlanta Falcons for the 1998 season. To be frank, I thought it was a cash grab. I mean he went to the Falcons- a team that had posted a losing record in 8 of the last 10 seasons. There was no way this team was… And then they did. Eugene after years of futility with the Seahawks went to a Super Bowl for a 3rd straight year, and earned his 4th Pro Bowl nomination AND second career AP nomination.  Atlanta lost 34-19, and the Falcons returned to anonymity the following year (1999)- Eugene’s last with the team.  Finally Eugene suited up for one final year with the Panthers in 2000, retiring after the season.

Eugene was a highly decorated player with gaudy statistics from his time in the NFL.  He was also honored as the Bart Starr Man of the Year in 1998 for his charitable activities. He is vastly underrated in fan circles and should be honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. If not for an embarrassing event on the eve of his Super Bowl appearance with the Falcons, Eugene would probably warrant more consideration by the selection committee.

Eugene has stayed busy since then as a football coach, morning show personality, and Panthers color commentator. He signed these two absolutely picture perfect ProSet cards for me in no time flat.

G/GS   250/232       TAC  1250           SAC 7.5         FUM 15
INT  57        YDS 762         AVG  13.3        TD 1            LG 49

NFL

Fackrell, Kyler

sage16_kfackrellCard: Sage 2016
Acquired: 2016, Box Breaker

Kyler Fackrell is an interesting prospect out of Utah State. Reminding me a lot of Connor Barwin, Fackrell would be a more highly regarded prospect, if not for an ACL injury sustained at the beginning of his 2014 campaign.  A first team all-Mountain West player in 2015, Fackrell had a school-record 12 quarterback hurries, and 4.0 sacks. He’d be named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Perhaps his most electric highlight came in 2013 when he made a spectacular 99 yard interception return for a TD.

Kyler has many of the qualities that scouts look for in a 3-4 outside linebacker.  He’s not scared to pin his ears back and blitz or stuff, cover or play special teams either. While at Utah State, he was a jack of all trades for the Aggies who is considered obsessive about the sport.  It is viewed that he can mature into an every down linebacker given some maturation into the pro game and was viewed as a solid 3rd round pick.

Kyler was selected late in round 3 of the 2016 draft by the Green Bay Packers.