2011 prospect watch (WR edition) - Nov. 18th
by 3k on Nov 18, 2010 4:26 PM CST
in 2011 NFL Draft
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PrintI didn't have time to put together a full watch list for this week, but I thought I could revisit a series I did last year at positions of interest - the position big board. Last year, I did big boards for DEs, QBs, DTs and, not surprisingly, WRs. I thought it would be a good week to look at my top 10 WRs and some sleepers and snoozers this week, whether they're in action or not. For reference, here's MTD's WR big board as of early October. Let's get the obvious top two out of the way, and then after the jump I'll go through the rest of my board as of today.
Only eligible redshirt sophomores make the board right now, so Alshon Jeffrey (WR, S. Carolina), Mohamed Sanu (WR, Rutgers) and Denard Robinson (QB, Michigan) are all ineligble for this board as they are true sophomores. The scouting reports come from Mocking the Draft (MTD), Walter Football (WF), Draft Countdown (DC) or ESPN (ESPN, genius) if available.
1 - A.J. Green, Georgia - Jr. (MTD, ESPN)
Green can do it all. The only knock I have on him is that he plays his weight, which is pretty thin considering dude is 6'4". Still, he can add bulk in the next two years and not lose much speed if any.
When to watch him: Georgia only has one regular season game left before bowl season, and Green should light it up when Georgia faces Georgia Tech, Nov. 27. It's a night game on ESPN2, so if you haven't watched Green live, you've got two more chances if this ends up being his last season playing NCAA football.
2 - Julio Jones, Alabama - Jr. (n/a)
I started dropping Julio's name around TST at the end of the 2008 NFL season and that following offseason, and his trajectory never changed. It wobbled last season, but injuries can do that to the best players. He's been healthy this season, dropping the kinds of stats you expect from a top WR prospect: 58 rec, 799 yards and 4 TDs. And he's done against one of the country's best CBs too. I know he still has some doubters around the country; I'm just not sure why.
When to watch him: Skip tonight's contest against Georgia State, but get ready for next Friday's SEC clash against the Auburn Tigers. Dis gon be gud.
The rest of the board after the jump.
3 - Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. - Soph. (n/a)
Will he come out this year? I doubt it. But if he does, he's got an edge on Green and Jones: power. Blackmon plays very heavy even though he moves light. And his numbers are absolutely ridiculous. He's getting it done every single game.
When to watch him: Bedlam, baby. OSU v. OU, Nov. 27. This game will be repeated later on.
4 - Jerrel Jernigan, Troy - Sr. (ESPN)
I've tried to get TST on the Jernigan bandwagon. You want a DeSean Jackson type? Small but stupid fast and quick with hands to boot? Yup. Now he, like Jackson, suffers physically. But if you can work him into an offense where he gets sent down the field (do Rams fans even remember what that looks like?), he can be an incredibly valuable piece of the puzzle.
When to watch him: If you get ESPN3.com or ESPN GamePlan, Saturday against South Carolina (plus you get to see Alshon Jeffrey). If you get ESPNU, Troy goes to Florida Atlantic, Dec. 4. If you don't get either, get crafty.
5 - Michael Floyd, Notre Dame - Jr. (ESPN)
Floyd's got issues with his hands, but you probably wouldn't notice it as easily if he wasn't so good at getting open. Braylon Edwards 2.0?
When to watch him: I'm sure plenty of TSTers are already planning on watching this one, but Notre Dame v. USC is the flex game for ABC on Saturday, Nov. 27. Some good receivers on the Trojans' side of the ball too...
6 - Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh - Jr. (ESPN, WF)
That Walter Football scouting report compares him to Brandon Marshall. I don't think that's apt. Marshall has shown more agility and broken tackle ability than I think Baldwin will ever have. But in terms of possession and red zone targetability, it's on point. Baldwin's height, athleticism and hands make him a legit 3rd down and red zone target.
When to watch him: The next two games are solid immediate showcases (showcasii?): Pitt plays South Florida on Saturday, and a week from tomorrow they'll face West Virginia. Good scouting to be had in both.
7 - Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma - Jr. (ESPN)
Broyles doesn't have great end speed and isn't a huge target, but he can run NFL-caliber routes and he uses feet with his quickness as well as any receiver you'll find. He's not a #1, but he makes a great complementary option.
When to watch him: Again, Bedlam. Watch it.
8 - Torrey Smith, Maryland - Jr. (n/a)
Unless you listen to Turf Show Radio every week or your name is Buck Nasty87 and you keep trying to hype up the Terps on TST, you probably haven't heard of Torrey. You will. He can absolutely fly, and he's stronger than his frame suggests. His issue is with short and intermediate routes. He just doesn't have the experience (having played QB in high school) or the technique (his speed makes it too tempting to just have him beat CBs in sprints). But any NFL franchise with a strong WR coaching staff will definitely be talking to Smith if he comes out this year.
When to watch him: Saturday night, the Terps and the Seminoles battle for the Atlantic Division of the ACC. Don't make Buck Nasty the only TSTer to catch the game.
9 - Leonard Hankerson, Miami - Sr. (ESPN)
Hankerson is built like a #1 WR. He finishes plays with great hands. Everything else in between isn't often pretty. He's got sub-par agility, and his breaks on short routes are just plain sloppy. It's tough to see how he will make a splash in his first year or two, but I could see him being a valuable receiver on the depth chart for a lot of teams by year three.
When to watch him: Miami faces Virginia Tech on Saturday; the loser will not want to remember the missed opportunities of 2010.
10 - Randall Cobb, Kentucky - Jr. (n/a)
Cobb has as much pure athleticism as anyone in college football. He can be used in the Wildcat (change "Wildcat" to whatever incredibly inventive name your team happens to use), in 2- or 3-WR sets, I could even see him as a Reggie Bush type back in shotgun sets. His versatility is going to be too tempting for teams to overlook. And MTD picked up a report that suggested Cobb could declare for this draft, so it's a temptation worth exploring sooner rather than later.
When to watch him: If you can catch Kentucky - Tennessee on Nov. 27, go for it. If not, wait for the bowl game.
Top 5 remaining:
| Ronald Johnson | Sr., USC |
| DeAndre Brown | Jr., S. Miss |
| Greg Little | Sr., UNC |
| Austin Pettis | Sr., Boise St. |
| Niles Paul | Sr., Nebraska |
There ya go. A WR-only watch list / big board / mini-scouting report on 10 potential additions that could help Sam Bradford. Holler.
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I dont follow College ball that well
but I’ve read/heard that Julio Jones doesn’t exactly have the greatest hands in the world? Is this true?
From all the highlights/draft talk I"ve heard, Jones seems to be a guy who would fit in a vertical system like the Saints, as opposed to a mid-ranged WCO like the Rams.
Can any college football fans comment?
I don't think he has a hands issue
but a focus issue. He tends to take his eyes off of the ball early. But to say he doesn’t have NFL hands would be silly. Just watch this.
Personally, I think he can fit into both. He’s got a great vertical game, but his intermediate game is superb. He’s not Amendola, a guy who wins battles in the short game, but he’s better than anyone we’ve had on the roster since Torry Holt in his heyday at 8-25 yd routes.
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Nov 18, 2010 5:18 PM CST up reply actions
Julio is the real deal
I’ve been impressed with him every time I’ve seen ‘Bama play. Like any college receiver he can use some help with route running. He’ll also need to work on getting off the line against press coverage, but with his build he should be able to develop a burst that helps him get open quickly. He’s a huge target who should not have trouble making catches in zone spaces.
I agree with 3k that he’ll be an excellent mid-range receiver.
hahaha
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Nov 18, 2010 5:15 PM CST up reply actions
Wonder is we would be better to go after free agents next year instead.
Lots of free agent WR’s next year: Randy Moss, Miles Austin, Sidney Rice, Vincent Jackson, Steve Smith (NYG), Santonio Holmes, Donald Driver, Mike Sims-Walker, Braylon Edwards, Steve Breaston, Malcolm Floyd, Jacoby Jones. And that isn’t all of them either.
I thought Austin was recently re-signed to a big deal
VJ would be nice if we don’t pick the elite WR in the draft.
I can take a beating ... I'm a Rams fan.
Aren't you thinking about that backwards??
FA starts before the draft therefore we need to either sign a FA or know that we will draft. Hopefully we can resign Clayton next year as well.
by crashoveride01 on Nov 19, 2010 8:49 AM CST up reply actions
random question
is there a way to upload pictures to fanshots without a URL? I don’t have photobucket or anything like that
I met Joe Halahuni's parents.....in Alaska. Jealous?
Not yet
SBN-lvl issue
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Nov 18, 2010 5:18 PM CST up reply actions
Call me crazy
but I think there is a lot to a player in his name… how many HOF players have stupid/ill fitting names?
Jerrel Jernigan does not SOUND like a top flight WR lol
Ryan Broyles does not SOUND like a fear inducing WR
Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Brandon Marshall, Isaac Bruce, Andre Johnson, Michael Irvin… these are WR names, these guys may be contributors but in my opinion their hall of fame potential is limited by their ridiculous names lol
Bradford to Onobun!
There's a couple
Elroy Hirsch is pretty wacky. Art Monk is absolute awesome crazy. Al Toon would have made it if it weren’t for the 10 concussions he suffered in his day.
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Nov 18, 2010 5:21 PM CST up reply actions
of course, you have Norm Van Brocklin in there too (not a WR)
but of course some crazy names get into the HOF, but it’s rare.
personally Art Monk isn’t too crazy to me, just as Leonard Hankerson is quite odd, but still fits and isn’t under the non HOF list in my head lol
it’s a crackpot theory for sure, but I think there’s a lot in a name, and Sam Bradford, Steven Jackson, Chris Long, James Laurinaitus… they are all GREAT football names, easy to establish as elite (in the future) and fit on shirts perfectly, roll of commentary tongues perfectly and look good plastered all over stat sheets.
AJ Green isn’t the best name, but I think Green is cool, and sounds like it can be elite, as does Baldwin… lol
I don’t base all my evaluations off this, but it factors in in the back of my head…
just thought i’d put it out there see if people see where i’m coming from lol
Bradford to Onobun!
fred biletnikoff ftw.
block! building kick! exploooooooosion!
by mooseknuckles41 on Nov 19, 2010 2:36 AM CST up reply actions
So based on strength of name in this 10+5 list...
you’d have to go with AJ Green and Julio Jones.
I’m a huge Ryan Broyles fan, but you’re right about his name not likely to scare many DBs.
Blackmon has a great name too
but tbh Jones sounds too much of a middle of the road name lol
kind of like where i see his talent topping out… solid, maybe elite #2 but not a #1 wr ( i did not get this from his name btw lol)
Bradford to Onobun!
ok hear me out
If we pick in the first round and green and jones are gone I say we trade down into the late first and pick up an additional second round pick and a second rounder in 2012. Then our draft could go something like this:
1. Akeem Ayers or Bruce Carter 2. Justin Blackmon 2. Christian Ballard 3. Shane Vereen 4. Jernigan?
i don't think we need 2 wrs
i’d rather see trench depth in late rounds, maybe some lb depth too, for special teams.
maybe an elite return guy?
Bradford to Onobun!
I'd be happy with a receiving corps of:
Julio Jones
Mark Clayton
Danny Amendola
Donnie Avery
Danario Alexander
Brandon Gibson/Mardy Gilyard (I like Gibson better).
I didn’t like the Gilyard pick when we first made it. Then I convinced myself to like it, and now I realize my original thoughts on the pick were correct. Hopefully he’ll prove me wrong, but he has to learn the playbook first. We should have gotten a guard or something for the defense with that pick.
Onobun > Gates
For a good speed guy. How about
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos?
4.43 40 and is 6’1’’ 210 lbs.
Not small and pretty fast.
Onobun > Gates
No way DJK runs a 4.43 40
Did you see the Iowa-Northwestern game? There’s no way DJK broke 4.5 on his 70-yd TD
You don't seem to want to accept the fact you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, with a man who's the best, with guns, with knives, with his bare hands. A man who's been trained to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke. In *St. Louis* his job was to dispose of enemy personnel. To kill! Period! Win by attrition. Well, *Steven Jackson* was the best.
by 3k on Nov 19, 2010 5:04 AM CST up reply actions
D LINE
I know that WR is a glaring issue for us, but with james hall and fred robbins getting old, I think that we should address dline first round, and wr second round. Imagine the likes of daquan bowers, nick fairley, marcell dareus, robert quinn, or one of the many elite dlineman in this draft, playing alongside chris long. Right now, we lead the league in sacks with 28, tied with Greenbay. I think it would be great to be one of those defenses like the ravens or steelers that is so greatly feared amongst the nfl. Assuming we pick somewhere in the range from 10-20, there will still be solid receivers left in the second round for us. Not to mention we also could really use a new OLB. Just my thoughts, its still really early for us to all know exactly what the Rams will do with the draft, but its just too fun to resist.
by ramsarenumber1 on Nov 18, 2010 10:45 PM CST reply actions
the thing is
is that while it’d be great to have an elite d, we can still get there with a 2nd round pick dlineman, or later.
spags can coach any of our defensive players up, so while the prospect of an elite talent to be coached up by spags is mouth watering, it’d still leave our offense lacking.
we need an established #1. or someone who can become that. a #2, #3 or #4 is no good, we cannot settle for second best at wr, while we can afford to at defensive positions.
WR is THE most glaring need, and seeing our offense struggle puts unnecessary strain on our potentially elite D. you give us an offense that consistently moves the ball throughout the game and scores points and couple that with a great to elite D and we have a winning team. you put a sub standard offense with an elite d and we can still lose games…
i see your point, but sadly i disagree and think that a WR trumps all other needs, especially on D, when Spags can make James Hall, Jermelle Cudjo, Gary Gibson, Larry Grant and Craig Dahl look like really good players…
Bradford to Onobun!
If I had my choice of any of these guys..
I’d take Blackmon, and A.J. Green would be a close second. They’re both the type that are just head and shoulders better than the competition they’re currently playing. I’d take Blackmon higher just because he’s already got the NFL build.
I’ve seen Julio Jones and he just doesn’t dominate enough, I just don’t see him as a top flight NFL receiver. He kinda reminds me of Michael Crabtree. I’d compare Blackmon to T.O. and A.J. Green to Moss (hopefully without the attitudes)
Even though we have a desperate need at WR we have equally desperate need at CB
The San Fran game just proved that we need to get better in coverage. I think this draft is really deep for Wide Receivers. Becuase of that I would take one of the elite CB.
CB Patrick Peterson 6’ 1" 211 lbs. LSU (JR
CB Prince Amukamara 6’ 1" 202 lbs. Nebraska
CB Janoris Jenkins, 5’ 11" 189 lbs. Florida (JR)
CB Brandon Burton, 6’ 1" 190 lbs. Utah
CB Ras-I Dowling 6’ 2" 200 lbs. Virginia
Fortunately the Rams have probably played their way out of Peterson or Amulamara and probably even Jenkins, but Burton and Dowling are rank in the top overall 25 players.
I’m sure we could pick up a great WR in the draft in the second round.
Go Rams!!!
Relax with the CBs
In the San Fran game spags stupidly started dockery instead of Fletcher, and Troy Smith extended plays with his legs, no one in the NFL can cover for as long as some of those plays were extended, you saw it with Mike Vick, the longer the plays went the more open his receivers were able to get. As much as I think our defense could use help, think about it why have we lost games, our offense can’t stay on the field. The biggest improvement for next year will have to be playmakers on offense. Justin Blackmon just seems angry when he plays, I personally love this, I would love for the Rams to have this kid on the team. I personally feel the Rams WR next year will look like this 1st round WR, Avery, Clayton, Amendola, Alexander, Gilyard. I dont think we can give up on Gilyard, no way, he might be a little slow getting onto the field but the physical talent is there so we can’t just give him one year and call it a day. Gibson just has way to many holes in his game to keep him on the team, Robinson just isn’t the same after the injury. I think we should go into next year with Hoom Fells and Onobun as our TEs. RB Jackson and then some combo of a FA and a 3rd to a 6th round pick. I have a ton of faith in Devaney, I dont think any of us can argue with that fact that he has done a great job so far, I didn’t agree with the JL pick in the second round that first year with Ray Mags on the board but he proved he knows whats up, so I trust the guy. Cant wait to see what he does.
Relax with the CBs?
No way does any team in the NFL need to “relax” with the CBs! This league is all about passing now-a-days and it’s not going to be any easier. One of the reason’s the Jet’s defense is so good is the corners that they have. Revis, Cromartie. Coleman & Lowery could probably start on most teams in the league.
Spags has shown this year that you can win games with your defense. The D-Line has been great, a lot better than almost anyone would have guessed, the LB have also been doing well. Add another elite CB and our defense would be top 5.
Wide Receiver’s in this years draft are everywhere. I like Justin Blackmon would be great, but I think he drank himself out of the first round, so maybe he’s there in the 2nd or 3rd. I want a BIG tall fast WR. My choise in the 3rd round would be Austin Pettite from Boise. 6’3" and pretty quick too. Some have him going in the 2nd or 3rd and he meets the “4 pillars” test too. I am not giving up on Gilyard. I think the kid has potential, and when Alexander played against San Diego he really showed a lot too. If he can just stay healthy.
Whoever we pick, I am loving Devaney as the GM. So nice after all those years with a bean counter running the team.
Go Rams!!!
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