Strong receiving class springing back into first round in '09

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Strong receiving class springing back into first round in '09
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Yahoo! Buzz Digg Newsvine Reddit FacebookWhat's this?By Frank Cooney, Special to USA TODAY
After going through the first round without taking a wide receiver last year, NFL teams will have plenty of talented pass catchers to consider early in this draft.
"Not only are there a lot of receivers of first-round ability, but they have a variety of qualities to consider such as size, speed, agility," San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Singletary said. "There are different types of excellent receivers to consider, just a lot of talent."

According to ratings by NFLDraftScout.com, as many as five receivers might be taken in the first round — all underclassmen — and 10 in the first two rounds.

Topping the list is Texas Tech's extraordinary Michael Crabtree, who is expected to overcome recent foot surgery in time to perform his artistry as a rookie in the NFL. After him, there are Missouri's Jeremy Maclin, a danger whenever the ball is in his hands, and Maryland's Darrius Heyward-Bey, who can cover about 20 yards in the time it takes to pronounce his name.

The list of tight ends is less impressive but still interesting. Oklahoma State's Brandon Pettigrew is a solid all-around prospect with tremendous blocking skills, and South Carolina's Jared Cook has raw athletic ability that is almost off the charts.

Here is a closer look at the wide receiver and tight end prospects: (Name, school, height, weight; * — underclassman)

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. * Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech, 6-2, 215: A bone scan at the combine in February found a stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery to insert a screw, but NFL teams seem comfortable that he will heal in time for this season and be ready for a great career. After two years of college, Crabtree had nothing left to prove. He made 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and his 41 touchdown catches shattered the NCAA two-year record of 34 set by Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh (2002-03). Crabtree understands the nuances that most players take years to master. His combination of abilities and instincts is shocking and reminiscent of Fitzgerald — including start-stop, body control, hand-eye coordination, positioning, aggressive run after catch and some that defy description. And all this talent comes in a player who has a great team attitude. He might not impress with his time in 40 yards, but neither did Fitzgerald nor Jerry Rice.

2. * Jeremy Maclin, Missouri, 6-0, 198: He has the speed, leaping ability, hands and run-after-catch skills needed for potential greatness as a receiver and returner. But he must learn to control his speed to explode out of breaks and create separation as well as time his leaping ability to snatch the ball from defenders with consistency. He displayed his natural ability at a March 19 pro day when he had a best 40-yard time of 4.43 seconds, marginally better than his 4.46 at the combine, and a 351/2-inch vertical leap. He looked smooth in receiving skills, too. There is no doubt he is a major threat with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by his 5,609 all-purpose yards and 32 touchdowns in 28 games.

3. * Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland, 6-2, 210: At the combine, Heyward-Bey validated what most scouts already believed when he blurred through 40 yards in a best of 4.30 seconds, the best time at Indianapolis this year, and added a vertical jump of 381/2 inches. He used that speed and great body control to outplay defenders in college, but he will need to refine his route-running and maintain more consistent focus to be a star in the NFL. He could use more strength to cope with the initial jam at the line, and even once he gets open he doesn't show natural instincts to maximize separation and help his quarterback. Heyward-Bey ended his career ranked second on Maryland's all-time list in receiving yards (2,089), third in receptions (138) and tied for third in touchdown catches (13). He had a private workout with the Baltimore Ravens on March 23, and the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles are interested in private workouts as well, according to The St. Paul Pioneer Press.


RUNAWAY TALENT? How far can speed take Heyward-Bey?

4. * Percy Harvin, Florida, 6-0, 198: He is a dynamic offensive weapon who also returns punts and kicks and can be the key man in a Wildcat offense. Harvin was listed by many as the top wide receiver and even top recruit coming out of high school in Virginia, and he lived up to that in college. He had 133 receptions for 1,929 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 194 carries for 1,852 yards and 19 scores in three years. Harvin averaged 11.6 yards each time he touched the ball and scored in 15 consecutive games, the longest streak in the nation. Harvin can explode out of a cut and create huge separation in one step. At his March 19 pro day, he opted to stand on his best 40-yard clocking at the combine (4.38), but he did put on a show with 22 repetitions on the bench with 225 pounds and a vertical leap of 37 inches. Durability is a concern after he missed five total games and parts of others in three years because of illness and injury.

5. * Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina, 6-1, 212: Concern about Nicks' lack of blazing speed seems to have waned after scouts watched more tapes and appreciated his work in passing drills at a March 17 pro day. At the combine, he had a best 40-yard time of 4.51 seconds and a vertical jump of 36 inches before withdrawing from workouts with a pulled hamstring. His big-play ability was obvious in the first half of the Meineke Car Care Bowl against West Virginia when he had five catches for 181 yards and touchdowns of 73, 66 and 25 yards. Two of his catches will be highlight-reel material for years, especially the one in which he maintained control of the ball with one hand as he moved it from one side of his body to the other behind his back. Nicks set school single-season records last year with an Atlantic Coast Conference-leading 1,222 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.

6. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State, 6-3, 209: His father, Terry, is a long-time NFL receivers coach and former player with the Oakland Raiders, and both are well-known as ultimate team men. Robiskie lacks dazzling straight-line speed but is an effective route-runner and understands how to get separation from defensive backs. Scouts were pleasantly surprised with his workout at the combine, where his best 40-yard time was 4.48 and he registered a 371/2-inch vertical jump. He followed that with an impressive March 13 pro day that made teams even more comfortable with his innate abilities. His hands are his best attribute as he is able to cleanly snatch the ball, regardless of what angle he takes to arrive. Robiskie can help as a punt returner, but he is not a true breakaway threat. Robiskie's career stats include 127 catches for 1,866 yards and 24 touchdowns.

7. * Kenny Britt, Rutgers, 6-3, 218: He was a key player in the Scarlet Knights' seven-game winning streak at the end of the 2008 season, including the Papajohns.com Bowl in which he had six catches for 119 yards and the go-ahead score. In all, Britt caught 87 passes for 1,371 yards and seven touchdowns last year and ended his career as the conference's all-time leading receiver with 3,043 yards. He is most impressive after the catch and is the type of receiver who should give defenses fits out of the slot, especially since he shows no fear going over the middle. Britt doesn't have blazing speed, but he maintains his speed well while making moves. At the combine, his best clocking in the 40 was 4.50, and he had a 37-inch vertical jump.

8. Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma, 6-1, 210: An instinctive route-runner who reads coverages well and has a feel for getting open, Iglesias started 39 of 54 games for the Sooners — four as a slot receiver and 35 at flanker. He has reliable hands, tracks the ball well over either shoulder and is adept as a punt and kick returner. He is not afraid to go over the middle and will fight for extra yardage. Iglesias has better quickness than his combine-best 40 time of 4.50 might indicate. He is hard to cover because he has a surprising burst that creates separation. Last year he caught 74 passes for 1,150 yards and 10 touchdowns, and finished with career totals of 202 receptions for 2,861 yards and 19 scores. He averaged 26.4 yards on kickoff returns.

9. Mike Thomas, Arizona, 5-8, 195: This little guy can produce big results, although he will be limited to working from the slot and as a returner in the NFL. His numbers in college were inflated by the fact that he played in a prolific, quick-trigger, spread offense in which his quickness was obvious, but he rarely shifted into high gear without the ball on deep vertical routes. However, he showed NFL teams he does have a high gear when his best time in the 40 at the combine was 4.35 seconds. He measured an eighth of an inch under 5-8 but showed he can compensate for that with a 401/2-inch vertical. Thomas started 39 of 48 games at Arizona, setting a Pacific-10 record with 259 career receptions for 3,231 yards and 23 touchdowns.

10. Louis Murphy, Florida, 6-3, 203: Depending on how he matures, Murphy is seen as a boom-or-bust prospect. He is a sprinter with good hands but might lack the strength to avoid being knocked around by NFL defenders, and it's questionable whether his slight frame can carry much more muscle. He missed the Senior Bowl to have surgery to clean out his knee. He was well enough in February to blaze through 40 yards at the combine with a best time of 4.32 seconds. Murphy started 26 of 48 games for Florida, catching 77 passes for 1,245 yards. He closed out his career with at least one catch in each of his last 27 games.

11. Mohamed Massaquoi, Georgia, 6-2, 210: After dropping too many passes his first three years, Massaquoi held on to enough in 2008 to get the attention of NFL scouts. Although he has the size and enough quickness to look the part of a decent prospect, he doesn't have enough speed to be feared and seems to lose concentration too often. At the combine, his best time in the 40 was 4.62 seconds, but he added a decent vertical jump of 361/2 inches. Massaquoi started 36 of 51 games at Georgia, catching 158 passes for 2,282 yards (14.4 average) and 16 touchdowns.

12. Derrick Williams, Penn State, 6-0, 194: He arrived at college with the daunting tag of 2004 prep player of the year and at times looked the part in college. His 40 catches for 451 yards and three touchdowns in 2008 are decent stats, but not those of an elite receiver. However, he also ran for 226 yards and three scores and had 655 combined yards and three touchdowns on returns. His career totals include 161 catches for 1,743 yards and nine touchdowns with another 650 yards and eight scores on 117 carries. He had bronchitis at the combine but worked out anyway and registered a slow 40-yard time of 4.65 seconds, which he improved to 4.37 at his pro day.

TIGHT ENDS

1. Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State, 6-6, 263: Pro scouts think Pettigrew might be more impressive in the NFL than he was in college, where he didn't refine his abilities as a receiver. He can handle all phases of in-line play, and as a receiver he has explosion off the line, sure hands and a knack for turning upfield quickly and decisively after the catch. He shows a good feel for finding the soft spot in zones but must learn to run routes with more precision. Pettigrew was horrified at the combine when his best time in the 40 was 4.80 seconds and said he expected to be in the 4.65 area. But he was unable to run and improve that at his March 16 pro day because of a pulled hamstring. In four years he caught 112 passes for 1,450 yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, Pettigrew was charged with felony assault and battery on a police officer and public intoxication, but most teams don't appear to be concerned about his character.

2. * Jared Cook, South Carolina, 6-5, 246: A ridiculous combination of size and athletic ability makes Cook a tantalizing prospect, but scouts are concerned that the player might not equal the sum of his parts. But at the combine, those parts were tough to ignore as his best time in the 40 was 4.49 seconds, his vertical jump was 41 inches and he lifted 225 pounds 23 times on the bench. He might have improved that 40 time but pulled a thigh muscle and ran only once. The problem is Cook seems to rely on that athleticism so much that he has made little progress on the techniques he will certainly need at the next level. Cook started 15 of 36 games for South Carolina, seeing most of his action as a tight end but also playing split end and flanker. His career totals include 73 catches for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns.

3. * James Casey, Rice, 6-3, 246: Casey was a seventh-round pick by the Chicago White Sox out of high school and spent four seasons in their farm system. A star quarterback in high school, Casey was a formidable weapon at various positions in his two years at Rice, earning consensus Conference USA freshman accolades and honorable mention all-conference honors from league coaches. He lined up at seven positions in one game in 2007. At a time when NFL teams are using the Wildcat formation, Casey could become a special player. Primarily a wideout in 2008, Casey caught 111 passes for 1,329 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 248 yards and six scores rushing. At the combine, Casey had a best time in the 40 of 4.74 seconds and 28 repetitions with 225 pounds on the bench press.

4. Chase Coffman, Missouri, 6-6, 244: He has all the physical tools to be a special receiver, including great quickness off the snap and lateral agility that helps avoid the jam in press coverage. Coffman makes tough catches in traffic and is alert to get upfield for extra yards. He broke his foot in the Alamo Bowl and could not work out at the combine or at Missouri's March 19 pro day, which might concern some teams. Last season he caught 90 passes for 987 yards and 10 touchdowns, boosting his four-year totals to 247 catches — an NCAA record for tight ends — for 2,659 yards and 30 touchdowns. His father, Paul, played tight end for the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Cooney is publisher of NFLDraftScout.com, the scouting service of USA TODAY
 

DFWJC

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Yeah. This year's receiving class is somewhat like last year's RB class....just not quite as good. If you're in the market for one this year, you're in luck.
 

TheCount

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DFWJC;2718245 said:
Yeah. This year's receiving class is somewhat like last year's RB class....just not quite as good. If you're in the market for one this year, you're in luck.

I'm really hoping we finally take one or two, everyone else in our division has added some young, inexpensive receiver talent. We just keep bringing in high priced free agent after high priced free agent.
 

irvin4evs

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Except for Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback.

Don't get me wrong, pull the trigger if it's hot, but don't go drafting a WR just to say that we did. Moreover, a rookie is going to have a very, very hard time getting on the field with the developed group we have. Even Stanback is probably in better shape for 2009 than almost anyone we can draft.

Our WR group isn't exactly made up of Kenyon Rambos, Bashir Yaminis, Jermaine Copelands and Randal Williamses.
 

TheCount

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irvin4evs;2718432 said:
Except for Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback.

Don't get me wrong, pull the trigger if it's hot, but don't go drafting a WR just to say that we did. Moreover, a rookie is going to have a very, very hard time getting on the field with the developed group we have. Even Stanback is probably in better shape for 2009 than almost anyone we can draft.

Our WR group isn't exactly made up of Kenyon Rambos, Bashir Yaminis, Jermaine Copelands and Randal Williamses.

You've missed the point entirely.
 

irvin4evs

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Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback are expensive free agents?
 

Biggems

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TheCount;2718285 said:
I'm really hoping we finally take one or two, everyone else in our division has added some young, inexpensive receiver talent. We just keep bringing in high priced free agent after high priced free agent.

Please name me quality WRs in our division who weren't FA or trade acquisitions. I can only think of a couple from the other three teams....

Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, DeSaun Jackson
 

Common Sense

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GIVE ME ROBISKIE OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!


There. I just had to get that out of my system.
 

28 Joker

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First Round:

Crabtree
Macklin


Second Round:

Hayward-Bey (may go in round 1/should go in round 2)
Harvin
Nicks
Britt
Robiskie
Iglesias (could fall to the third round) I'd take him at 69 or 51. He's a steal at 69.


Third Round:

Massaquoi
Williams
Thomas
Murphy (could sneak into round 2)

The Bears might draft Massaquoi in round 2 if they really like him, and if they don't, he could sneak into round 2 and surprise people. I could see a team like Baltimore drafting the big WR from Georgia.


Harvin is the most likely guy to fall to 51, and he's off Dallas' board according to Galloway. I wouldn't draft him anyway. He had a serious heel problem and was always getting ankle injuries. However, he's a value (in terms of talent) in the mid-second. His attitude is poor, too. Florida WRs don't do well in the NFL, but there is usually a first time for everything.
 

SLATEmosphere

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irvin4evs;2718432 said:
Except for Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Isaiah Stanback.

Don't get me wrong, pull the trigger if it's hot, but don't go drafting a WR just to say that we did. Moreover, a rookie is going to have a very, very hard time getting on the field with the developed group we have. Even Stanback is probably in better shape for 2009 than almost anyone we can draft.

Our WR group isn't exactly made up of Kenyon Rambos, Bashir Yaminis, Jermaine Copelands and Randal Williamses.

I really hope your kidding. Stanback should be so lucky to find himself a spot on this team next year because if we draft a WR he will most likely beat out Stanback
 
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