Thread: Scouting the WR Class [Bowl Season]

Kendall Wright game observations yardages are estimated.

-Was tackled for a loss on a blown reverse.
-Sharp comeback route and clean catch [11 yards] Wide.
-Good hands catch for the 1st down on broken play penalty negated [5 yards] Slot.
-Quick swing pass shook defender and pushed his way into the end zone [10 yard TD] Wide.
-Ran option with RB pitching it to the RB for a 15 yard game.
-WR Quick Screen [8 Yards] Wide.
-Designed WR throw was covered and ran for 10 yards.
-WR Quick Screen good footwork up the field [8 yards] Wide.
-WR Quick Screen shake move and up field [13 yards] Slot.
-Ran the ball out of the backfield for 6 yards.
-Gets open deep and ball is under thrown and is unable to bring the ball in.
-Gets open deep again on a double move deep, but the ball is over thrown.
-Beats the DB deep for [48 yards] and catches it in traffic Wide.
-WR screen shook and dove for [8 yards] Wide.

I think the best situation with Kendall Wright is if we sign a big WR and can draft him to get deep and for big plays.

Sign Stevie Johnson, Draft Kendall Wright

1. Stevie Johnson, big target that can run the slantes and red zone routes.

2. Kendall Wright, polished deep threat that can catch the ball consistently and run the screens that Hester screws up.

3. Earl Bennett, consistent slot receiver and 3rd down man who will only get better when attention shifts to the speed and size on the outside.

To me that is a realistic make over and upgrade for the WR group that we have.

JA doesn't like drafting WRs with a 1st round pick and--as much as JA sucks--there is some validity to that philosophy. Unless you're getting a top-10 pick guy, there's a good chance that he isn't gonna be #1 starting material for the first year or two. AJGreen (esp) and Julio Jones had pretty impactful rookie seasons but they were both top-10s and frankly better all around than anyone in this year's draft crop.

Blackmon is probably going to be top 10 material so is out of reach. And, no, trading up for him isn't worth the cost IMO since we have multiple other holes to fill or add to @ OT, DE, CB, etc. Floyd, Jeffery, and KWright are probably going to be mid-to-late 1st rounders so will be draftable. The next tier includes players like DJones, Sanu, McNutt, Toon, etc. who look like 2nd-3rd rounders. I just don't see a huge talent or potential gap between those 2 groups...not enough to justify using a 1st round pick when we very likely are not going to able to get a Webb-upgrade at LT in either FA or past the 1st round.

I know it isn't nearly as sexy and headline-making, but drafting an LT (Reiff, BJones) in the 1st round makes more sense to me. I'm still in favor of signing the best WR possible in FA, adding a developmental big wideout in round 2, and maybe picking up another in the latter draft as a Hurd/ST-replacement. We are going to need our 2 of our 3 2nd & 3rd round picks to add some youth at CB and DE or LB. JMO

Originally Posted by Henry Burris

Honestly, depending on how fa plays out, and if an unexpected firing or two occur, we really have no choice but to fill some voids through fa. If we can get a quality player (not a project guy) at either wr or LT, gotta draft the other one, first round, un less an amazing defensive player would fall to us (like fairley did last year). I still think if we had an amazing fa, we could afford to trade up for blackmon and give cutler some real weapons (besides forte;bennett, btw, isn't a savior, as good as he is)

I agree, Henry, that what we can do in the draft depends a lot upon what we are able to accomplish first in FA. As Windy has pointed out, it's pretty tough to get a good, established OT/LT in FA cuz teams simply don't let go of rare players like that. It is easier (not easy but easier) to get a playmaker WR in FA than an OT. That's why I am for drafting the BPA @OT in the mid-first, hopefully singing a quality WR in FA, and adding a talented WR prospect in rounds 2 or 3.

Webb definitely has improved but he still has lots of flaws (penalties, whiffs, just plain bad games) and the team has suffered offensively due to a substandard OL for far too long. Upgrading Webb and pushing him down the depth chart would give us a true kick-ass OL on both pass pro and run blocking next year. Just think of what this OL could do for both Cutler and Forte:

RReiff/BJones -- CWilliams -- Garza -- Spencer/LLouis -- Carimi

You'd have a potentially dominant OL with 3-4 1st rounders at starting positions with quality game-proven backups/depth in Webb (swing OT w/ experience at both ends), EWilliams (OG/C), and either Louis (OG/OT) or Spencer (OG/C). We would actually have consistent holes opened for Forte, good pass pro for Jay to pick apart coverages, and we might actually be able to use our TEs as additional receiving weapons like the rest of the NFL does.

If we somehow get a good OT in FA then we could consider going for broke on a WR in round 1 but I think that's unlikely. JMO

Originally Posted by MPBears68

I

RReiff/BJones

Barrett said he was returning to Bama for another season yesterday.

Jeff Fuller [Texas A&M]

At the beginning of the season Fuller was seen as a 1st round pick and he had a down year. During the Mienke Bowl I saw some of what made him a 1st round prospect. This was they most impressive bowl game for a WR I have seen. Fuller is massive and strong and works underneath well running solid routes and using his body. In this game he got deep on a couple of plays and showed decent speed and solid hands catches. If we do not go Michael Floyd in the 1st round Fuller would be a nice 2nd round option and my represent better value for the spot.

7/119/1TD

I am starting to have second thoughts about Floyd becoming a true #1 WR that we think he will be.

To me he looks closer to being Anquan Boldin, a big physical possession guy, than he does Larry Fitz. I just do not see the dynamic ability that those special guys have.

If I can get Jeff Fuller in the 2nd round would that not be better value for a big physical WR that has good hands and lacks top shelf speed.

Mohamed Sanu [Rutgers]

I wanted to be more impressed with him than I was. He is big and physical, but I saw very little burst and speed. There was nothing dynamic about his game and nothing that would show me he is a #1 in the NFL. To me he is a good 2nd round pick and could be a physical #2.

6/62