MichaelWinicki;1451958 said:
I think a lot of people are going to be suprised when we don't draft a WR in the 1st round.
I would not draft one in the first Round. I would seriously try to target Hill or Rice in the second.
You can say what you want about any of these players and to a certain extent, I think all of it has some truth to it. However, in the final analysis, these are the things I see about each of the top WR prospects.
CJ - Basically, we aint ever going to see him so why talk about it?
Ginn Jr. - Not just ultra quick but fast as well. He is the biggest game changer in this draft, even ahead of CJ. How does he fit into our scheme? Pretty well. If he were drafted, he would have the opportunity to play 3rd or 4th WR. Learning the game from Glenn, IMO, would be a huge benifit to him. I think Glenn would take the time to teach this young man as well. I think there's a Ohio State thing that could develop there. He is what we need in our offense. He's a guy that you must double over the top. If you put him at one split, Glenn at the other and Owens in the slot, they are uncoverable IMO. He fits extremely well but, the draw backs are that he he isn't a great route runner. He doesn't have great hands. He just has OK hands. He doesn't have a great deal of experience and he's small. He will have trouble getting off the LOS. He's going to get injured because he's not big enough. It's an issue for sure. This is why he might be there for us with the 1st pick. The potential is great but so is the risk IMO.
Bowe - Very nice size at 6-2/220. Good leaping ability. Great Redzone target. Not a great route runner. Drops a lot of balls. Does not have a great deal of experience. Isn't fast or quick. Is only average in this area. How does he fit into our offense? Frankly, I look at Bowe and say to myself, we already got one of these. He's Owens with less spead and probably not as good a route runner. That's not a bad thing by any means but where does he fit into the offense? We have Owens, Witten and Fasano who are all big targets in the Redzone. I just don't think he's going to be a better option then we already have on the team and he's going to cost a #1 pick.
Jarrett - Bigger, slower version of the same thing above except better hands and better route runner. Maybe could slip to the 2nd just depending. Where is he going to fit in the offense?
Meacham - 6-2/215. 4.39 type speed. Decent quicks. Can probably put on more weight and still be fast. Very productive for one year. You look at this guy and based on last year, he's should be right there with CJ. He's not. He isn't a real physical player. He isn't as fast as he times. He isn't a great route runner. He does drop balls. He doesn't work the middle of the field well. What's the use of having a lot of size if your not going to use it in the middle of the field? He's only had one great season and it was pretty great considering. Some people say he disappeares in big games but I say look at who was at QB in those games and the scheme the defenses used against him. He's not a guy that is going to be able to defeat the double team coming into the league. However, everything you need is there to develop into a great WR. How does he fit with us? I don't believe he is a guy who will get much time in his 1st year but he is a guy who could become a great WR for us if a guy like Michael Irvin took interest in him. He has all you need but he will not be an impact player for us and it might cost more then 22 if we really want him.
Rice - 6'3+/200 lbs. He has to get bigger for the NFL. He plays faster then he times. 40 speed is 4.5 range but he's much quicker in short area and understands how to create seperation. He has excellent hands and body control. Do not underestimate this ability. He can adjust to the ball in the air better then anybody in this draft. He also has long arms. This is why he can create seperation so well even thou he isn't overly fast in a 40. This guy is the best WR from a production stand point in this draft. Nobody else has done what he has done in there 1st two years. Now just stop for a second and think about that. Then recognize the fact that he did this in the SEC, which IMO, is the toughest league in college right now. Everybody makes a big deal of the fact that CJ's numbers are not all that impressive because he had nobody to throw him the ball but Rice had an even worse situation at QB then did CJ. Worse too then did Meacham IMO. If Rice played with a decent QB in the same offense for 3 years, we wouldn't even be having this discussion IMO. I hate to say this because I don't believe in comparing college players to great NFL players and I know I'm going to get slamed for this but I see Rice and his situation reminds me of Jerry Rice's when he came out. Jerry didn't run fast but he was a hard worker, he had exceptional hands and body control. He was not a great route runner when he came out but he was tireless in his efforts and he made himself a great route runner. I see all the same kinds of things in Sidney Rice. How does he fit into our offense? He's a 4th WR with the ability to become the 3rd WR in a year, possibly mid or late season but he must learn how to slip the bump. He is a player that we would have to develop. However, he has all the ability to become a #1 WR. 142 catches, 2233 yards, 23 TDs in 2 seasons. Injuries are a concern but if he can get stronger, he can be a player for us. Best think about this player IMO is that he would not cost us the 22nd pick.
Hill - 6/200 lbs. 4.32 speed. Good short area quicks. This is the most complete WR of all the prospects listed. He does not play as fast as he times but he times at 4.32 so if he only plays at 4.38, I'm still real good with that. Excellent hands, very good body control. Adjusts well to the ball in the air. Catches the ball deep or can work the middle of the field. This player does need to get stronger on his realease and learn to concentrate a bit more. However, he was very productive in a big time conference. Only 41 catches, 600 yards and 7 TDs in his Sr. year but in his Soph. and Jr. years, he had over a thousand yards in each year, 45 catches his Soph and 62 catches his Jr. year. 12 and 13 TDs respectively. Now just think about that for a second. That's and AYPC of 22.4 and 17.7. How does he fit into our scheme? He provides what Ginn provides. Just not as much of it. This is a guy who will develop into a deep threat that will command double coverage IMO. He's probably more of a 2nd WR type then he is a #1 but the possability of him developing into a #1 WR is certainly there. I think that outside of Ginn, this guy probably makes the biggest impact quickest. Again, the major upside to this guy is that he's probably a 2nd or 3rd rd pick. He has played with a shoulder injury and a high anckle sprain all year, which is why his production is down and we are able to look at him as a later pick. This is a guy who I think is going to be a very good WR in the NFL. Needs to learn a few things but is easily the most polished WR in this draft, IMO. Not as explosive as Ginn but also less risk IMO. At worst, I think he will be solid. At best, he could turn into a guy like Holt IMO. I do like this guy.
