Szczur may quit football if majors call

[jstclmet]

From the article, it looks like he's ".....going....Going....GONE!!!!!!"

"I've been talking to a lot of people. It could work out for me. I could get drafted pretty high and maybe say goodbye to football. I love football, but baseball could be a longer career. I could stay a little bit more healthy on the baseball field than football. The draft is June 7, and I'm excited for it."

Szczur was actually drafted in 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the 38th round out of high school, after setting a South Jersey record with a .681 batting average. He had 140 career hits in high school.

He's only five months removed from leading Villanova to a 23-21 win over Montana for the Football Championship Subdivision national title. Szczur, a wide receiver, was named game MVP after rushing for 159 yards and compiling 270 all-purpose yards.

With his football skill, an NFL future wouldn't be out the question either for Szczur, who was named Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Year, Special Teams Player of the Year and an All-American after the 2009 football season. He has one year of football eligibility left.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/articl ... 002/sports

[dbackjon]

Would be stupid to turn down a high draft.

[AssKickinChicken]

Good idea, forget football, I think Szczur would make a great baseball player.

[dbackjon]

Good idea, forget football, I think Szczur would make a great baseball player.

I think we all would love to see him play Baseball. This summer. In the pros.

[BlackFalkin]

Baseball! Screw the fcs/6th round draft pick.

[danefan]

Anybody have an beat on what round he's projected in the MLB draft?

The signing bonus $$$$ drops off substantially after the 4th round.

[Ivytalk]

Szczur is a heckuvan athlete. Another equally talented and equally unspellable player, Jeff Samarzidja of Notre Dame, made the same choice.

[AZGrizFan]

I wish he'd have gone the FIRST time he was drafted.

[bluehenbillk]

If he's a smart guy he'll realize: A) There's more $$ in MLB than the NFL, and B) there's more longevity to a MLB career vs the NFL. Especially for an undersized white WR

[89Hen]

He should most definitely go the baseball route.

[BDKJMU]

Even if without Sczur Nova would still have their best player back.

[NorthHen]

Obviously attempting to avoid a beating at Tubby Raymond in November. Hope the Phillies sign him.

[green&gold75]

Even if without Sczur Nova would still have their best player back.

Whitney? Wonder how many Griz and Tribe fans would agree.

[BDKJMU]

Even if without Sczur Nova would still have their best player back.

Whitney? Wonder how many Griz and Tribe fans would agree.

Ijalana. Who do you think was blowing open a lot of those those holes for Sczur and Whitney to run through? Made a # of AA teams last season. Should be a consensus AA this season. Could be the 1st I-AA player taken in the draft, at least one of the 1st several.

Here's SCFF's list again, which is pretty good:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14710" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SuperHornet]

Any chance he takes a page out of the Jackson/Sanders playbook?

[YoUDeeMan]

I will miss him in November...he was a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

[tribefan40]

Whitney? Wonder how many Griz and Tribe fans would agree.

Ijalana. Who do you think was blowing open a lot of those those holes for Sczur and Whitney to run through? Made a # of AA teams last season. Should be a consensus AA this season. Could be the 1st I-AA player taken in the draft, at least one of the 1st several.

Here's SCFF's list again, which is pretty good:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14710" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I agree that Ijalana is a beast, and being a former player and lineman I would agree that they are super important to a team's success. That being said, Ijalana did not win Nova the NC last year, Sczur did. If he does go pro it would be a HUGE loss for Nova and completely change the look and feel of their team. Will they still be a great team? Absolutely. But losing Sczur would definitely take them down a few rungs.

[ngineer]

Please go baseball, please go baseball, and soitantly this summer!! Don't need to see his face or number in Goodman Stadium on September 11.

[jstclmet]

Research done by others;

By Themess88

Baseball America has Szczur as the 174 best player in the draft this year here is there report on him. I put this on the pay board but I will re post it here just to be safe.



174. Matt Szczur, of Villanova
A wide receiver for Villanova's football team, Szczur led the Wildcats to a Football Championship Subdivision national title last fall, earning MVP honors in the championship game after racking up 270 all-purpose yards. He is a legitimate NFL draft prospect as a receiver in the Wes Welker mold, which clouds his baseball signability, but he also could be drafted as early as the fifth round in baseball. Szczur is an electrifying athlete with true 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale. He is still learning to put his speed to use in the outfield?he arrived at Villanova as a catcher and has never concentrated on baseball full-time?and has played right field for the Wildcats, but he could become an adequate defender in center or left with work. His arm is well-below-average. Offensively, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Szczur has an unorthodox, slashy swing, but he has a knack for barreling up balls consistently, and he projects as an average hitter with below-average power. He has a patient approach, and he can use all fields and make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. Scouts love Szczur's intensity on the field, and coaches rave about his work ethic and ability to learn. He also has special makeup off the field; days after hitting for the cycle on April 27, Szczur donated bone marrow to a 1-year-old girl with leukemia, sidelining him for the next three weeks.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 10039.html

[danefan]

Research done by others;

By Themess88

Baseball America has Szczur as the 174 best player in the draft this year here is there report on him. I put this on the pay board but I will re post it here just to be safe.



174. Matt Szczur, of Villanova
A wide receiver for Villanova's football team, Szczur led the Wildcats to a Football Championship Subdivision national title last fall, earning MVP honors in the championship game after racking up 270 all-purpose yards. He is a legitimate NFL draft prospect as a receiver in the Wes Welker mold, which clouds his baseball signability, but he also could be drafted as early as the fifth round in baseball. Szczur is an electrifying athlete with true 80 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale. He is still learning to put his speed to use in the outfield?he arrived at Villanova as a catcher and has never concentrated on baseball full-time?and has played right field for the Wildcats, but he could become an adequate defender in center or left with work. His arm is well-below-average. Offensively, the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Szczur has an unorthodox, slashy swing, but he has a knack for barreling up balls consistently, and he projects as an average hitter with below-average power. He has a patient approach, and he can use all fields and make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. Scouts love Szczur's intensity on the field, and coaches rave about his work ethic and ability to learn. He also has special makeup off the field; days after hitting for the cycle on April 27, Szczur donated bone marrow to a 1-year-old girl with leukemia, sidelining him for the next three weeks.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 10039.html

Just using that number puts him somewhere in the 5th round depending on how many compensatory picks there are. He won't get much of a signing bonus in the 5th round. He'll be signed to a minor league contract which will pay next to nothing. So essentially, if he's going, its not going to be for the money.

Even late 4th rounders don't get much.

[GannonFan]

If he gets significant money (and it's not so much where's he's drafted per se - being a college junior he'll get more than a college senior will that gets picked before him) I can't see him not taking the baseball route. If he's going to play baseball, now's the time to leave. And although people like to throw out the Wes Welker reference and say he's got a bright NFL future, that's not really fair to Wes Welker. Szczur is a great college player, and especially out of the Wildcat package, but he's not a great WR - he's a very good one, but there have been plenty of similar size WR's who have come through the CAA before him (Conti, Musinski, etc) who were much better and more accomplished WR's and they never cracked the NFL. His strength and importance for nova is in the Wildcat package - I'm not even sure he's been nova's best WR for the past few years (and stats-wise he hasn't been). With that in mind, a baseball future is much more realistic than a viable NFL one - I'd go the Jeff Samardzija route (and Samardzija had much more NFL potential) and play baseball. The money and the longevity doing that easily trump the uncertainty of the NFL (and heck, I haven't even included the idea that the NFL may not even play in 2011 - imagine if he plays football only to find no NFL after graduation).

[danefan]

If he gets significant money (and it's not so much where's he's drafted per se - being a college junior he'll get more than a college senior will that gets picked before him) I can't see him not taking the baseball route. If he's going to play baseball, now's the time to leave. And although people like to throw out the Wes Welker reference and say he's got a bright NFL future, that's not really fair to Wes Welker. Szczur is a great college player, and especially out of the Wildcat package, but he's not a great WR - he's a very good one, but there have been plenty of similar size WR's who have come through the CAA before him (Conti, Musinski, etc) who were much better and more accomplished WR's and they never cracked the NFL. His strength and importance for nova is in the Wildcat package - I'm not even sure he's been nova's best WR for the past few years (and stats-wise he hasn't been). With that in mind, a baseball future is much more realistic than a viable NFL one - I'd go the Jeff Samardzija route (and Samardzija had much more NFL potential) and play baseball. The money and the longevity doing that easily trump the uncertainty of the NFL (and heck, I haven't even included the idea that the NFL may not even play in 2011 - imagine if he plays football only to find no NFL after graduation).

What do you consider significant money?

As a 5th round pick he'll be looking at around $100-150k paid out over 5 years as a signing bonus. Plus the cost of any credits he needs to graduate from Villanova undergrad and the tiny minor league salary.

[GannonFan]

Research done by others;

By Themess88



http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 10039.html

Just using that number puts him somewhere in the 5th round depending on how many compensatory picks there are. He won't get much of a signing bonus in the 5th round. He'll be signed to a minor league contract which will pay next to nothing. So essentially, if he's going, its not going to be for the money.

Even late 4th rounders don't get much.

Depends on what you think a lot of money is - signing bonuses last year for the 5th round ranged from $100k to $680k. A couple of guys in the 4th round got $1.5M as signing bonuses. That's not chump change.

[danefan]

Just using that number puts him somewhere in the 5th round depending on how many compensatory picks there are. He won't get much of a signing bonus in the 5th round. He'll be signed to a minor league contract which will pay next to nothing. So essentially, if he's going, its not going to be for the money.

Even late 4th rounders don't get much.

Depends on what you think a lot of money is - signing bonuses last year for the 5th round ranged from $100k to $680k. A couple of guys in the 4th round got $1.5M as signing bonuses. That's not chump change.

There are special circumstances in every round. The large figures you quote above are anomolies for kids that negotiated with the teams during the draft and agreed to higher round picks at lower round money.

I went through this with my nephew. Rays called at the end of the 1st round and asked if he would take 2nd round money if they picked him in the 4th. Of course it makes no difference to the kid, but the team gets to essentially have two 2nd round picks. But he was a 2nd round talent (at least to the Rays).

If he gets a deal like that I'd say he has to take it.

But does anyone think he's anything better than 5th round talent? If he's truly 5th round talent then he'll be looking at $100k spread over 5 years. I'd probably take that too to play baseball, but do you think he will and give up a chance at the NFL?

[GannonFan]

Depends on what you think a lot of money is - signing bonuses last year for the 5th round ranged from $100k to $680k. A couple of guys in the 4th round got $1.5M as signing bonuses. That's not chump change.

There are special circumstances in every round. The large figures you quote above are anomolies for kids that negotiated with the teams during the draft and agreed to higher round picks at lower round money.

I went through this with my nephew. Rays called at the end of the 1st round and asked if he would take 2nd round money if they picked him in the 4th. Of course it makes no difference to the kid, but the team gets to essentially have two 2nd round picks. But he was a 2nd round talent (at least to the Rays).

If he gets a deal like that I'd say he has to take it.

But does anyone think he's anything better than 5th round talent? If he's truly 5th round talent then he'll be looking at $100k spread over 5 years. I'd probably take that too to play baseball, but do you think he will and give up a chance at the NFL?

I just don't think the NFL chance is as real as some people make it out to be. He's a great Wildcat player and the biggest impact he has on the game and that offense is when he's in the backfield taking the direct snap. When he moves out to the WR position he's just a good WR - and that's not a knock on him, just the reality. He's a gamebreaker when he takes the snaps, not when he's catching passes. Two years ago he was the 3rd receiver behind Atkinson and Harvey, and last year Harvey was clearly the more dangerous receiver. And as I said earlier, there have been much better CAA receivers that haven't sniffed the NFL - they didn't come close to what he can do taking the snap, but it's not like there's lots of roster slots for guys running the Wildcat in the NFL, and for the few there are, they are already filled by the likes of Vick, and Pat White, and Ronnie Brown - hard to see Szczur in that same class athletically.