2013 NFL Draft: Justin Hunter scouting report

Bowl season is winding down, and that means college sophomores and juniors are declaring for the draft. Underclassmen have until Jan. 15 to do so, but Tennessee receiver Justin Hunter announced his intentions a month prior to that.

The gang over at Mocking the Draft has a scouting report out this week on Hunter, and I thought it was worth passing along some of those thoughts.

Here's what stood out to me:

Justin Hunter has a rare combination of size and speed. At 6-feet-4-inches tall, Hunter is blessed with ideal length for a wide receiver. He moves well for his size, using long strides to get up the field in a hurry. He sets up his routes well with solid acceleration, which has declined a bit since his knee surgery but is still solid.

Go read the whole thing. Remind you of anyone? Yes, Brian Quick. Hunter has the advantage of coming from a DI program, which should help his learning curve over a player like Quick. The skill sets are very similar.

I mostly brought up Hunter to make a bigger point. For years, we've assumed that the Rams need a wide receiver. They still do considering the team's free agents right now. However, the team's future at the position is tied up with Quick and Chris Givens.

I wouldn't be surprised to see another mid-level move in free agency for a receiver and/or a later-round developmental pick, but the team has designs on Quick being the top guy, the prototypical size and speed receiver. The real question is whether he can grow into that role.