Gruden on Mike Pouncey | Florida’s Pouncey Next Great Raiders Center?
Looking ahead to the Oakland Raiders 2011 needs, there is a glaring omission from the typical “Team of the Decades” Al Davis is always referring to. Successful Raiders teams have always had a dominant beast of a center, built with a shorter (yet thick and stout) frame to root out the rut of d-lineman from the moshpit of humanity in the gridiron trenches. Barret Robbins and Jim Otto come to mind. Florida Center Mike Pouncey could be that man. Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden likes Pouncey alot, check out this wicked Pouncey video clip and Grudens comments. Pouncey, #55, delivers a punishing decleater cut block to spring the Florida RB for the score. Pouncey shows amazing feet for his size. Might Pouncey look good in Silver & Black?
Jon Gruden on Mike Pouncey Video - Pouncey Delivers Wicked Block
Pouncey Brothers Move Men Against Their Will
Maurkice Pouncey - Now a Steeler
Having a Pittsburgh Steelers buddy means watching lots of Mike Tomlin press conferences (Tomlin is awesome, and a Tomlin presser is epic fun for any fan of pigskin) and Stan Savran talking Terrible Towels. One guy stands out every time the Big Benny Roethlisberger highlights roll, the Steelers rookie and All Pro center Maurkice Pouncey. Well it turns out Maurkice has a “baby” bro by the name of Mike Pouncey, also an All American offensive lineman from the Florida Gators.
The 2010 Raiders alternated between the undersized (or a lack of the feakish brute strength of a Barret Robbins) yet gamey Samson Satele, and the six-foot-eight rookie Jared Veldheer. Veldheer got chucked around in an unfair first start at center against the Titans, while flashing some downfield blocking artistry at times, before settling in nicely as the Raiders starting Left Tackle. Satele had some very good games in 2010, and played with a great motor, but lacks the “root out the pig” strength Robbins used to tame the Jamal Williams and Ted Washingtons of the NFL. A friend once joked that “Satele on ‘roids would be All Pro.”
Florida Gator Mike Pouncey
Mike Pouncey has a #19 overall grade right now in the 2011 draft, and is rated as the drafts best center. Pouncey might make an ideal Raiders anchor, while potentially starting his Sunday career at guard. Pouncey is the type of “high character meets good genetics” athlete you can plug into an offensive line and let learn on the ropes, knowing he will improve with every start.
Pouncey has already stated his desire to join his bro with the Steelers, and the amorous feelings are mutual according to Stelers insiders. Tomlin struck gold once at the Pouncey family well… will the Raiders possibly “reach” up a bit in the 2011 draft to fulfill Pouncey’s dreams of wearing a black jersey after all?
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Florida Center Mike Pouncey | Pouncey Draft Bio
Michael Pouncey (born July 24, 1989) is the starting center, and was previously the starting right guard, for the University of Florida. Pouncey is considered one the best center prospect heading into the 2011 NFL Draft.
Mike Pouncey was born in Lakeland, Florida in 1989. He attended Lakeland High School in Lakeland, where he played high school football for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts. As a senior in 2006, Pouncey helped lead the Dreadnaughts to their third consecutive Florida Class 5A state championship and second straight USA Today national championship.
Pouncey’s College Career: Pouncey received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he plays for coach Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators. As a freshman in 2007, he started the season as an offensive lineman but had to move to the defensive line as replacement when several defensive starters were injured. Pouncey started four of thirteen games as a freshman, recording eight tackles and an interception. As a sophomore in 2008, he moved back to the offensive line and started all fourteen of the Gators games at right guard, including the Gators’ 24–14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game. After his junior season in 2009, Pouncey was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection. As a senior in 2010, he moved from guard to center for the Gators, replacing his twin brother Maurkice Pouncey at center, after Maurkice entered the 2010 NFL Draft after their junior year.
Pouncey’s twin brother Maurkice Pouncey was a first-round NFL Draft pick and is currently the starting center and an All Pro for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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More Mike Pouncey artcles and News…
Center Mike Pouncey expects two Florida juniors to join him in the NFL draft.
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