1) Introduction: My, what lofty expectations some fans placed on Vic So’oto for the 2011 season. Coming to the Packers offseason as an undrafted rookie free agent from BYU, So’oto was a converted 4-3 DE who exploded onto the scene during the last preseason game against the Kansas City with 1.5 sacks and an interception against starters who were constantly double teaming him. During the regular season his star faded considerably since he was oft injured and not fast enough for special teams, So’oto was often deactivated in favor of fellow undrafted free agent rookie Jamari Lattimore
2) Profile:
Vic So’oto
Position: OLB
Height: 6-3
Weight: 263 lbs.
AGE: 24
Career Stats
3) Expectations coming into the season for that player: Low; as a undrafted rookie free agent not much was expected from So’oto, though the Kansas City preseason game showed a glimpse of So’oto potential. So’oto figured to see some time in obvious pass rushing situations due to his inexperience in pass defense and see a lot of time on special teams.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: The highlights in So’oto’s short career would be the entire Kansas City game where he looked like the second coming of Clay Matthews III. The lowlights would unfortunately be the entire regular season, where So’oto was often inactive due to a persistent back injury and a lack of talent on special teams
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Next to nothing; So’oto did not start a game and So’oto’s only statistics were one sack against Detroit in week 17 in mop up duty and 7 tackles during the season
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Not applicable; So’oto was a healthy scratch and inactive during the Giants game in the playoffs
Season Report Card:
(D) Level of expectations met during the season
(F) Contributions to team’s overall success
(N/A) Contributions to team during playoffs
Overall Grade for the year: D-
——————Thomas Hobbes is a staff writer for Jersey Al’s AllGreenBayPackers.com.
——————
Caper’s was too stubborn to play him. It couldn’t have been any worse than anyone else we played. Vic actually pushed his man around and had to be somewhat accounted for when he was in there on passing downs. That’s a lot more than the rest of the heap.
I think that’s only a statement that can be made after the fact, and it could have been a lot worse than it was. Also keep in mind that So’oto wasn’t on the active roster because he wasn’t very good at special teams and for a player in his position, that’s almost more important than his actual ability at OLB
Showed promise in the brief time he played. Hopefully not injury prone and this year was an aborition.
Another Incomplete grade for me.
AAAARRRGGGHHH!!! You’re killing me Smalls! If we didn’t expect anything, how can he get a D? He did slightly more than what we expected. Any contribution on the field (a few snaps on D) is more than expected. When you do more than expected, how is that a D?
Change the name of this category! Just change it to “level of play during the season” and I’ll be happy. Or start grading him according to what was expected.
If I tell a student he is expected to do a 10 and he only does a 5…that’s an F. If I tell a student he is expected to do a 5 and he does a 5, that’s an A.
I would argue that his main expectation was to be a significant contributor on special teams this year; but in reality he was only active for 7 games and wasn’t all that good anyways, hence the D. For So’oto the grade is out of a 5, but he still got a 2, so its a D.
So’oto is a developmental player. The fact that he even made the 53 is a big deal being that he’s so completely raw.
I really hope he pans out and develops. This is a player that intrigued me the moment the Packers signed him, before his big KC showing in the preseason. He’s got the strength, speed, and disposition to be a force at OLB if he can make the transition and learn the techniques.
This kid is stronger than a lot of NFL offensive linemen, and he runs in the 4.6 range. THat’s nuts.
Did he really run a 4.6? He seems slower then that. The fact that TT had to .kept 2 undrafted FA rookies on the 53 man roster at OLB shows how desperate he was to try and fill a void he neglected.
I can’t remember who said this (I think it was a “unnamed personel director”) that the bottom third of every NFL roster could be replaced by the bottom third of any other NFL roster with no change. As for running a 4.6, that might be true, but his game speed is considerably slower. For instance Jamari Lattimore ran a 4.7, and I don’t think anyone would argue that So’oto was faster on the field.
So’Oto’s pro day results were:
10/20/40 yd dash: 1.62/2.61/4.68 (the outliers for 40 were 4.64 low, and 4.76 high)
20 yd Shuttle: 4.45
3-cone 7.01
Vertical of 32″ with a 7’01” Broad Jump
These numbers are pretty darn good considering he tested out at 263 lbs.
I understand that game speed is a different thing. I don’t know that his speed is a matter of “with pads” slowing him down, as much as he’s a kid who is making the transition from DL to OLB who has already stated he got by in college purely on his strength and has to really work on all things technique.
I’m still holding out hope. It’s a tough transition, hope he can make it.
I didn’t get to see So’oto play before a few shots of him on the field in mop up against Lions. He’s a ROOK, maybe he needs more development especially moving to different position than his college game.
I agree, he definitely does need to develop, and unfortunately during that time, he’s probably a liability on the field. We try to factor in development somewhat (especially in regards to meeting expectations), but at the end of the day, if you didn’t play all that well, you didn’t play all that well.
For the record, I think you evaluation of So’oto is fair… And I hope he actually develops, even though it’s a crap shoot really. He made the team because even though his development is truly a long shot, if he beats the odds, he has the physical attributes to be a nightmare for OT’s off the edge.
Hopefully, at the end of next season you’ll be writing that he fully exceeded expectations!