Cordarrelle Patterson - Perspective

[dolphinsbshaw72]

As most of you know I am a big fan of Cordarrelle Patterson. I've been hoping for months that we might be able to get him in the 2nd round because he was so raw and inexperienced. That now appears highly unlikely, so I'm on board with drafting him at #12 overall if he is the best player available.

His physical ability is breathtaking. He has phenominal burst, change of direction, vision, ability to set up his blocks, patience to use his blocks, and nose for the goal line. He has many other good traits like size (6'3 and 205 lbs.), speed (I'd guess around 4.45 in the 40), quickness, catching technique, and blocking downfield.

But, he is very raw. He is very undeveloped in important skills such as route running. He doesn't run the full route tree, so even knowledge is an area of weakness. He needs to work on his timing. His routes are not precise (always the same) nor accurate (exactly where the play and situation dictate). He doesn't have command of the offensive plays enough to properly read the defense and situation and make the correct hot-read. In sum, he is a lot like Victor Cruz was ... great when the ball arrives and after the catch, but hard for a QB to know exactly where he will be or to count on being where he should be.

In most cases, these things can be taught, but not always. Coaches often look for a player doing it the right way. Some think that if they can do it the right way once, the coach can get that out of them consistently with coaching. Sometimes that works, and other times it gets the coach and GM fired. Which will Cordarrelle Patterson be?

I believe that Patterson was very raw coming from 2 years of junior college, but he learned humility and hard work. Only upon arriving at Tennessee did he really evolve from the greatest physical talent on the field every game into the beginnings of a wide receiver. I think he will develop into a very good WR in the NFL. But, if he doesn't, it will be because he doesn't become a polished receiver, not because he lacks the tools.

Below are two videos. One shows you the electric highlights of Cordarrelle Patterson, the dynamic WR and KR/PR for the less than 1 full season he spent at the University of Tennessee. The other one shows you another great prospect's highlights in college, which include more KR/PR and some WR over his entire career at another major university.

Cordarrelle Patterson, 6'3, 205 lbs., approximately 4.45 in the 40. Highlights of less than 1 full year at "receiver U" the University of Tennessee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjxkQXlCAfE

Other prospect, 6'1, 200 lbs., 4.3 in the 40. Career highlights of multiple years at a major football university.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGyrgqOKZLg

Watch both videos. The "other prospect" played longer at the collegiate level but had far less highlights as a WR compared to a returner. Speed and running ability were never questioned for either prospect, but polish as WR's and their route running were. Let me know what you think about Cordarrelle Patterson and how risky he is or isn't.

Lmao.. Nice.. I still like Ginn.. Never thought we should have traded him.. But he wasn't worth were he was picked.. Maybe 3rd

 

[Rev Kev]

You mean you would not take a WR at 12, but would take a TE. What is the logic behind that?

To me PLUG and PLAY means not a project you wait 2 years for - such as Eifert is READY

 

[rcasellas64]

Thank god our quarterback is a former WR who can teach him how to run routes in the WCO...

 

[Digital]

Well the typical WCO looks for WR's who are big and can generate RAC. Guys like Patterson, Hunter, Allen and a few others fit the bill. This particular staff seems to really REALLY want big and fast WR's, as evidenced the long opportunities given to Roberto Wallace, Marlon Moore, and the revolving door of big/fast WR's we've brought through. I'd guess one of the reasons they seem so set on big WR's is downfield blocking ... not very glamorous and not something fans typically even consider when looking at WR's, but it's the sort of thing that turns a 6-12 yard run into a 50 Bush/Miller TD, or allows another WR with RAC ability to turn a 15 yard curl into a 75 yard TD that makes the highlight reel and puts buts in stadium seats. IMHO, that was the one and only thing that Legadu Naanee was good at doing.

But also, our particular team lacks a true deep threat. The running game prospered early in the season until teams started playing red zone defense on us everywhere. They crowded the LOS, stacked the box and filled the running lanes. When that happened, Bush went from being a legitimate challenger to the top runners in the NFL to being a finesse runner who constantly found the holes filled at the line of scrimmage. None of our WR's were fast, so even if they got away from their CB's, the safety could always stop the TD. The CB's allowed virtually zero cushion and although they sometimes got beat, they very often blanketed their WR and forced Tannehill to thread the needle just to make a routine reception.

We can't endure another season working against that type of stifling defenses. We absolutely need at least 1 deep threat (preferrably 2) to force the safety out of the box and open up the running lanes. I say preferrably 2, because our offensive tempo coupled with pushing the WR's on deep routes will tire both the DB's and our WR's, so we need to rotate speedsters in from time to time. It also wears down DB's forcing them to allow greater cushion as they tire, and our rotating WR's are fresher and are magically more open in the 4th quarter. So, I'd say our staff will be adding deep speed to the list of needs for at least 1 if not 2 of our draftees.

So, when it's all said and done, speedsters like Tavon Austin, Steadman Bailey, Marquise Goodwin, and Denard Robinson may not rate as highly on our boards because they're not big enough nor are they high potential blockers downfield. Exciting yes, but not what the staff seems to be looking to acquire. Then guys with the size but lacking the speed may not rate highly either, so we might not be as high as most teams on guys like Aaron Dobson, Quinton Patton and Kenny Stills. Good receivers all, and with the right fit team they can excel, but I doubt it will be with us.

I'd suspect we'll be looking for guys like Cordarrelle Patterson, Justin Hunter, Robert Woods and Cobi Hamilton for one of our receivers. There are a number of other guys with questions who I'm sure we'd like, but not sure where we'd rate them compared to the rest of the league, like Keenan Allen (deep speed), DeAndre Hopkins, Terrance Williams (press coverage) and Da'Rick Rogers (deep speed & character).

When I look at the type of WR that Philbin, Sherman & co. have brought in, it's clear they're looking for a LOT in the way of physical ability from the WR position. If they don't draft them by the 2nd round, they'll likely be stuck with trying to develop Binns or Tyms. So, I'd think Patterson at 12 looks like a very realistic option to them right now.