dolfan_101
Active Roster
For me there's a clear distinction between a special talent and a special skillset. They're two different things.
A talent is innate or God given, however you choose to view it. A skillset is honed and developed. I always referred to Cordarrelle Patterson as a special talent. Anytime a player has a special talent, it's usually blatently obvious to even an untrained eye. This player stands out. I don't necessarily mean he stands out as one of the best players in the stadium on that particular day. This player stands out among all players that you've ever watched.
You'll know it immediately... he'll trigger that instinct within you that tells you that he's doing things athletically that you don't see often when you watch a lot of football. In football, it's typically fairly simple... an explosive quality and/or insane change of direction. On the other hand, feats of strength or concentration can often be deceiving. For a receiver, talent is what he does with the ball in his hands. Skillset is what he does prior to that. You can take these to the bank. Calvin Johnson was a special talent. Julio Jones was a special talent.
I'm not really sure how to answer your question regarding a breaking point between special talent with inadequacies and players that are solid across the board. The best way I can answer that is this.. all players have inadequacies somewhere. But not all have special talent. Which is why a special talent should rate higher. A solid player without special talent can outproduce a special talent because of what I mentioned before...a special skillset. Although that still doesn't make him a special talent. A.J. Green had a better skillset than Julio, but Julio was a more special talent physically. Wes Welker has a special skillset, but nowhere near a special talent.
Another example, Sammy Watkins was the only special talent that I saw at the WR position this year. But I saw many with special skillsets. Marqise Lee has a special skillset... smoothness and route running. But again, he's not a special talent.
I don't know that I would consider Ty Montgomery a special talent. Although I would agree that he has special traits for a receiver that size, which puts him in a category that is in the top percentile for an NFL wide receiver prospect. But he's not a 1% ("1 percenter"). He's good enough for top 10 on my board of Senior wide receivers. But I view my top prospect on this list (Parker) as a 2nd rounder in the mold of an Aaron Dobson. The underclassman are where I currently believe the special talent lies.
I hope I answered your question somewhat. If not let me know.
I love your writing slimm, one sentence into one of your posts I'm hook, line, & sinker. If you're not a paid journalist the industry is missing out.